Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Basic Info For MEY Or DUDUK Including Setup

Duduk
Duduk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Mey and Duduk are two closely related instruments of the double reed family. Perhaps best known in America are the duduk performances on the soundtrack to "The Last Temptation of Christ", where the mournful and plaintive tone of the duduk is used to great effect.

The Mey is the Turkish name, Duduk the Armenian term, for an ancient woodwind instrument that also includes the Balaban of Central Asia and the Chinese Guan among its varieties. The essential feature is a short cylindrical tube with 7 or more fingerholes and one thumbhole coupled to a very large flattened grass reed, with some sort of adjustable "bridle" affixed to the reed. Even though it is sounded with what looks like an inordinately large zurna (sorna, mizmar, raita, suona, shenai, shawm, etc.) reed, inviting classification in the oboe family, the double reed in question behaves more like a clarinet, in that unlike the zurna and other early and folk oboes, the mey/duduk is capable of dynamic shadings from a whispered pianissimo to a full forte- although it is not capable of the blasting fortissimo of the folk oboes, allowing the mey/duduk to be used indoors in intimate situations. It also is a significant voice in the Armenian orchestra, carrying significant melodic material. Several sizes are found, tube lengths ranging from 6 or 7 inches to over 16 inches.

Again acting like the clarinet, the cylindrical tube and reed function as a tube closed at one end, and thus play an octave lower than one would expect for a short tube. Bora Ozkok referred to the Turkish mey as the "grandfather of the bassoon", although the clarinet is a better analog. Indeed Turkish clarinet style is heavily based on the older styles of mey playing.

The basic 7 hole + thumbhole fingering is also the same as that of the zurna family; that is, it produces roughly a major scale plus one note above, the range of a ninth. "Roughly" a major scale because it produces a natural scale, not a tempered one, although the lip can bend a note enough to play any interval, plus half-holing is also used to fill in the many shadings of pitch used in Oriental musical systems. On the rarer models with more than 7 fingerholes, the additional holes are located at the lower end of the tube.

It is difficult to give a definitive pitch of the various sizes of mey or duduk as the same instrument may play as much as a whole step apart with different reeds. One can only be precise about the pitch of a specific reed and tube combination.

SETUP

The following are some hints for setting up your mey or duduk:

First, the reed, although large, only goes in the mouth a short distance, something like a half inch more or less. The lips may be loosely drawn over the teeth, or even slightly forward as if saying the German (or Turkish) vowel "Y". Do not use your teeth on the reed.

The reed must be wet; if the tip is closed it must be soaked until open. However, if the tip is too open, it will be almost impossible to play, so adjust the bridle to close the tip more. If this doesn't work, wet the reed and carefully press the tip of the reed closed; a gentle clamp of some sort, even a lightly sprung open paper clip will help.

The reed must fit the socket in the upper end of the mey/duduk. If it is too large as is often the case, gentle sanding or scraping on the base of the reed will adjust the size to match the socket. Wrapping the base of the reed with a bit of waxed dental floss or waxed hemp thread makes the fit exact and airtight, and minimizes the danger of the reed being accidentally knocked loose while playing. Waxed floss or hemp is used in a larger amount to fit the smaller reed to a larger socket, if that be the case.

The reed must be free of cracks; the only exception is if the crack is directly along the crease dividing the two sided of the reed. I have played reeds with a split there and they continued to play well. It is notable that modern oboe, bassoon, shawm, bombarde and bagpipe chanter reed are made from two pieces of cane folded over. Thus the side-split mey or duduk reed would work, acting as if it was made in two parts like the modern cane reeds.

An emergency repair can sometimes (and I mean SOME time only- not always!) be effected on a split reed by using Super glue; this is only a temporary solution and the reed should be replaced as soon as possible. Obviously one should be very sure the glue is dry before attempting to play the reed.

In many cases the reed must be tuned to the tube and its coupled air column. To test the internal tuning, play the lowest tone (all holes and thumbhole closed), then see how close the match is to the octave note (LH 1st finger only closed, thumbhole open. Then test the next octave pair, the tone produced with all holes closed but for the lowest, and its match, all holes open. If the higher octave notes are flat, then the reed must be shortened. Using a very sharp knife or scissors, trim a tiny sliver off the blowing end of the reed; test again. Continue little by little until the octaves are accurate. I caution you to only remove a tiny amount of the reed tip at one time. You can always remove more if necessary, but it cannot be put back on.

In the traditional styles the mey/duduk is never overblown, but if it were, like the clarinet it would produce a note a 12th above the fundamental; without clarinet-like keywork there would be a gap in the scale. Playing is therefore confined to the fundamental range, and no overblowing used. Like the bagpiper, much use is made of a limited melodic range.

With care, the reeds can last for some time, but like all organic materials is unpredictable, so for the performing musician an extra reed, already fitted and tuned, is a must.

To care for the tube of the mey or duduk, regular oiling of the bore and the exterior is recommended. I prefer to use sweet almond oil, as it is human-friendly and unlike other vegetable oils resists rancidity.



Monday, February 20, 2017

Who Was BEETHOVEN?

Beethoven in 1818 by August Klöber
Beethoven in 1818 by August Klöber
 (Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Beethoven's Early Life
Beethoven was born in Germany. His family were musicians. His family was not rich. Because his father was a poor provider, Beethoven's family got a little bit of financial help from Beethoven's grandfather. Beethoven didn't learn very well at school and his family couldn't afford to send him to a good school. Beethoven had to live under a cloud of shame due to his father's bad reputation.

Beethoven also lived under his fathers pressure to make him into a famous child prodigy like Mozart had been.

Beethoven's Adulthood
As a young adult, Beethoven studied with a famous composer called Haydn. They didn't get along so his lessons ended. He also taught some pupils that became famous musicians too.

In his 20's Beethoven also moved away from Germany to Vienna. When he moved away his father died. Beethoven wrote many great compositions and managed to impress the right people at various court concerts.

Also, in his 20's Beethoven started to go deaf, affecting his social and work life.

Beethoven died of Oedema (excess water and swelling of the body) when he was 56. However doctors back then weren't as informed at making diagnoses and doing autopsies- so there were probably other health problems that contributed to his death too.

Beethoven's social life
Beethoven had a difficult personality and would often openly insult people and burst into fits of anger. He couldn't ever commit to a woman or have a normal relationship. He was attracted to women, but only really loved one woman who left him after some time to marry someone else. He never got over her and always loved her.

When Beethoven's brother died he adopted his nephew. However, the relationship wasn't very good. They often fought and his nephew even tried to commit suicide.

On top of the stress with his nephew, in his later years Beethoven had financial stress. Even though Beethoven still had work, his cashflow was not reliable because of the financial difficulties of his patrons who themselves were experiencing dwindling finances.

Listening to Beethoven's music
If you take the time to listen to Beethoven's music it will open up a world of emotions that can't be explained in words. Beethoven agonised over his compositions and was a perfectionist. He also lived in a time of great social upheaval- the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.

His works express everything from personal feelings of longing and frustration, to his desire to support or denounce the vast political and social movements which he lived through. He broke the rules of musical composition by changing the structure of his pieces and he was equally as talented at composing for orchestra's as he was for solo piano. Beethoven was certainly a unique person to be living in that time and this is what made his music so famous.

Go onto YouTube or iTunes and listen to Beethoven's music. Research when his works were written and try to match it to what Beethoven was doing at that time in his life. Was he full of hope and adventure, having just arrived in Vienna? (such as in his early years)... Or was he despondent and disillusioned? (such as in the years leading up to his death).

    By Leisha K Henry
    Visit [http://www.pianoplayerperfecter.com] to build your own individual, perfected musical style!
    Article Source: EzineArticles



Sunday, February 19, 2017

BASSOON REEDS Are the Key to the Instrument's Timbre

Bassoon reeds are usually around cm ( ERROR {C...
Bassoon reeds (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bassoon reeds are the key to the warm, dark, reedy timbre of this unique instrument. A member of the woodwind family of instruments, the bassoon has been around in its current form since about 1650, although the dulcian, its immediate forerunner, was of a similar shape.

However, unlike the bassoon, the dulcian was extremely limited in range and register. It was a "primitive" instrument and had a mere eight key holes, which severely limited the range, agility, and dexterity of the instrument.

The bassoon typically plays music which has been written in both the bass and tenor registers, although it is not unknown for the instrument to occasionally play higher than these. Indeed, the preferred range of the instrument is such that comparisons are made to the cello when comparing the sound to any other musical instrument, and to a male baritone voice when comparing to that of a vocalist.

Some aficionados compare the upper ranges to the sound which is reproduced by the oboe. However, an oboist would probably strongly disagree with that comparison. The instrument is a regular and important element in the orchestral, concert band, and chamber music literature and genres. As such, it has been featured heavily in the evolution of popular classical music. The bassoon sound and range has influenced many composers throughout history, including Paul Dukas, Jean Sibelius, and Dmitri Shostakovich. Shostakovich specifically composed symphonies including No. 1, No. 4, No. 5, the No. 7 "Leningrad" first movement, No. 8, and No. 9 around the bassoon.

Musicians who make the bassoon their instrument of choice tend to have large hands, because of the angle and spacing of the keys and the wide register which can be achieved. The instrument is not everyone's preferred or favorite instrument, and has been disparagingly referred to as the "clown of the orchestra," although it has to be said that, if it was stretched out to its full length, it would perhaps be considered more a "clown" than is the case now.

Traditionally made from maple wood, there has been a tendency of late to find them being made from ebonite, a hard black rubber. However, purists brought up on maple wood bassoons will hear nothing of it and, although there is no difference in the quality of the sound, traditionalists remain unconvinced. Perhaps this is the latest in the long evolution of the bassoon and its place in the history of classical orchestral and chamber music.

    By Tom R Jacobsen
    Midwest Musical Imports is the home of all things related to classical and modern musical instruments, including oboes and reeds, clarinets, bassoon reeds, bassoons, and English horns among others. Increasing numbers of amateur and professional musicians are placing their trust in the reliability of Midwest Musical Imports. Check out the website today for more detailed information and a secure platform for purchasing at mmimports
    Tom Jacobsen is an expert article writer specially this subject bassoon reeds

    Article Source: EzineArticles


Saturday, February 18, 2017

ALEXANDER LUNEV - The Precursor Of New-Wave Music

English: Dima Koldun
Dima Koldun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Alexander Lunev is a rising star of the music industry and is one of today's most talented, versatile and consistent hit composers. Not surprisingly, he has worked so successfully with many high-profile stars with mega-hit status.  He not only established himself as a prolific composer, musician, but also as a star producer in his own right!

Widely regarded as a composer of immense talents and variations, Alexander Lunev caught the imagination of the world by collaborating with award winning Russian pop star "Five Stars" and Dima Koldun.

Only recently, Alexander wrote a brilliant song entitled "Lilac Flowers" for the super Russian pop-diva Sofia Rotaru, and another song for a tremendously talented and world-renown Russian singer, the dashing and sexy Nicolai Baskov.

Having rocked the Russian music industry in 2006 when he received the "Best Russian Act" nomination for RMA (Regional Music Awards) at MTV's 13th annual European Music Awards held in Copenhagen on November 2nd 2006, Alexander Lunev is going strength-to-strength in challenging his own high standards of music.

Lunev's song "Never Let You Go" was brilliantly portrayed by Dima at the Euro vision 2006 and became a runaway hit. The song was bestowed with MTV Russian Music Awards 2006 Best Composition. Some of the other top-shelf songs composed by the legend himself include "Through The Eyes Of The Eagle", "Following the Trail", "Above the Ocean", "Drowning Man", "Return to the Heavens", "Never Let You Go", and "Lady Flame".

Alexander's composition talent has taken him places. His songs have been performed at places like Los Angeles historic Wilshire Ebell Concert Hall, San Francisco's pride Palace of Fine Arts, besides New York and Miami.

Alexander is also involved with composing music for the movies. The Russian movie "Frenchman" includes Lunev's two masterful compositions. Alex has shown tremendous interest in diversifying his music vision by writing and producing the rock-opera "Prodigal Son", based on classical evangelic texts.

After remaining unsigned with any major recording label in his initial months of glory, Alex has established his own production company in June 2007. Aptly named, ‘Columbus, Lunev's new venture has signed hot and happening Dima Koldun of Euro vision ’07 fame. Dima, the 22 years old from Belarus, is a nominee for MTV's Russian Music Awards 2007, besides finishing at 6th place in Euro vision ’07. Dima recently recorded Lunev's song "I am for you", which is already creating waves among music enthusiasts.

Alex's talents got a special recognition from the organizers of "Five Stars". This prestigious Russian music contest was held in the city of Sochi during September 5 - 8 2007 and Lunev was one of the five judges to pick the winner who will declare open the Winter Olympics at Sochi in 2014. This contest offers a great opportunity to the participants to display their musical talent that has remained untapped so far. Besides, the contest also serves as a fishing pond for the top producers, record labels, agents and media, including Channel 1, MTV, Europe +, and Russian Radio.

The depth of Lunev's compositions has made him an instant hit among all age groups of people. However, teenagers and youth have lapped up the new-wave music with both hands. But there's more good news in the offing! Alexander Lunev is not yet satisfied with his achievements. He wants to compose music that everyone can enjoy for long times to come. And considering his oozing potential, the "ageless" music is not something beyond Lunev's capabilities. In fact, Alex is already on the job to compose the music that redefines every contemporary boundary in the music world.


Friday, February 17, 2017

FOLK MUSIC

It is a term coined to denote both traditional as well as contemporary music. The traditional music has been a part of the village life as well as its contemporary forms. All come under the purview of the folk music or the "roots music as it is otherwise known. The composers, lyricist and the artists are all unknown as the entire village or town folks gather to play this genre of music to pass their time as well as the age old tradition of singing the songs passed on to them. Therefore, there is no particular person but an entire society which is responsible for this kind of music.

English: Armenian folk musicians.
Armenian folk musicians. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many specialty genres of the folk music such as:

- Radical folk
- Anti folk
- Folk punk or rogue folk
- Indie folk
- Techno-folk
- Freak folk
- Americana
Whereas the fusion genres are enumerated as:
- Folk metal
- Progressive folk
- Psychedelic folk and
- Neo folk

Characteristics:
Traditional folk music has a lot of characteristics. Some of them are enumerated as follows:

- It is not time or era specific, rather it is culture specific. Different kind of folk has come up owing to the natural geography of the area and the prevalent customs.
- It is passed on the coming generations as a 'word of mouth' instead of being handwritten or via any other media. It is only off late that the technology has enabled us to do so and preserve the culture in various ways.
- This kind of music is a natural way of cohesion among various ethnic groups. In fact, this is how one gets to see variation in the folk music. Today, contemporary music is a unique blend of all the cultures and places that it has traveled.
- This genre of music is not anybody's intellectual property. Therefore, there is no copyright. In fact, more than an individual, it belongs to the entire society.
- This kind of music predominantly celebrates the life and its various forms. One can get to hear songs for birth, death, marriage, harvest and other daily or routine activities of life.
- The lyrics are extremely meaningful as they are mostly about life faced by the people.



Contemporary folk music:


Today, the term folk music has acquired a different term altogether in its contemporary form. It is no longer the narrative verses of people and their activities anymore such as hymns, religious music, Gregorian chants, instrumental music, dance music etc. The contemporary form of this genre is a little vague. This period in time especially the 1960s where the contemporary form reached the peak is known as the 'folk revival' period.




Thursday, February 16, 2017

Periods of Music - BAROQUE, Classical, and Romantic

Classical music of the common practice era is divided into 3 main periods, that each have distinct styles and forms. While there is a little overlap between each period, it is universally recognized that the baroque period came first, followed by the classical, and romantic romantic periods respectively.

Copy of a portrait of Claudio Monteverdi by Be...
Claudio Monteverdi by Bernardo Strozzi,
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
The Baroque Period (1600-1760)
The baroque period is characterized by music that is very structured and in "high form". It also is known that many of the compositions that were written in this musical era were extremely contrapuntal and contained many fugues and fugue like passages. Contrapuntal music, or music with counter-point, is polyphonic in nature and features at least two musical voices, or melodies. These voices work against each other, and when one voice is stagnant for a while the other voice tends to doing something interesting melodically. A fugue is a formal method of counter point, where one theme is repeated in different voices complementing it. The baroque era is represented by such composers as J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, George Friderick Handel, Arcangello Corelli, Claudio Monteverdi, and Henry Purcell.

The Classical Period (1750-1830)
The classical period takes place from the middle of the 18th century to about a quarter's way through the 19th. The classical period brought many changes to music as the greatest proportion of music was played for the wealthy upper-class nobles. This called for a drastic increase for comic operas, it also called for a decrease in the importance of a continuo part. The continuo is the harmonic fill beneath the music, commonly played by several instruments including a harpsichord.

Classical music is marked by a clearer texture than baroque music and was increasingly homophonic. Homophonic means that a chordal accompaniment supports a melody above it. The orchestra of the classical period increased and the harpsichord was replaced by the piano-forte. Early piano music was very simple and light in texture but as the classical period went on, it became richer and more sonorous.

The main kinds of compositions were sonatas, trios, string quartets, symphonies, concertos, serenades and divertimentos. The sonata form developed and became the most important form. It was used to build up the first movement of most large-scale works, but also other movements and single pieces, such as overtures. The most famous composers of the classical period include Mozart, Beethoven*, Haydn, and Schubert. (*Beethoven was a crucial factor in the movement towards the romantic period and can be classified as both classical and romantic)

Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856)...
Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856) 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)


The Romantic Period (1815-1910)
The romantic period does not necessarily refer to romance love. instead the pieces written during this time are considered to be more passionate and expressive. Chromaticism and dissonance grew more varied as well as modulations and the properties of the 7th chord. Composers such as Beethoven and Wagner used many new chords that increased the harmonic language of the time. Composers of the romantic period include Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Weber, Chopin and Franck.



Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The Saliency of JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH's Music of the BAROQUE Era

Johann Sebastian Bach's contributions to the music of the Baroque era are undoubtedly among the most important in history. His unparalleled ability to combine eclectic techniques, styles, and traditions are perhaps the most important aspect of his compositional virtuosity. Having composed music of sacred and secular purposes, as well as within the many genres of Baroque music (opera excluded), J.S. Bach's role as a composer can ironically be described as that of a "Renaissance man." 

A portrait which may show Bach in 1750
A portrait which may show Bach in 1750 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
While his innovativeness did not extend very far from the techniques and styles of his predecessors and contemporaries (it was his mastery of these styles that exposed his true innovative effect on music), his ability to express himself emotively without attaching the music to his own biographical perspective, his outstanding skill in terms of applying compositional techniques, and his affinity for the infusion and juxtaposition of seemingly disparate musical characteristics were the most salient markers of his place as arguably the greatest composer of the Baroque era.

A study of Bach's influence on this historically profound era in musical composition and expression may appropriately begin at the analysis of his music for keyboard instruments (e.g. organ, harpsichord). Influenced by the monumental, highly ornamented style of Dieterich Buxtehude, Bach's music for the keyboard is exemplified by his Preludes and Fugues. In his toccata-style compositions, Bach explored the juxtaposition of highly-contrasting sections to the point that these sections became distinct movements within a piece. The quasi-improvisatory nature of the prelude drew on the compositions of preceding composers of the French Clavecin School - namely Louis Couperin's 'prelude non mesure' - in its adoption of a non-imitative style. However, this style was improved upon by keeping the music within a structured metric scheme.

By doing so, Bach ensured that his preludes were less esoteric than his contemporaries' in terms of performance and emotional expression; anyone could play and interpret his works, for their meaning and expression was not specific to the composer. The metric structure of these movements also meant that they could be easily reproduced through print. As an example, the first movement of "Prelude and Fugue in C Minor," titled "Das Wohltempiert Klavier" (English: "Well-Tempered Keyboard"), portrays the repetition of a single melodic figure (in the form of an arpeggio) applied to a repeated rhythm. This technique is known as 'motoric rhythm,' and functions as a textural contrast in which tempi were also varied.

Aside from many of his dance suites, Bach usually composed his preludes as a non-imitative introduction to a Fugue. These imitative expressions of subject-and-exposition often contrasted, in unsurprising monumental fashion, the nature of preceding preludes, and in more than one case expanded on the imitative structure of canon. An example of this expansion is seen in his organ piece, "'Little Fugue' in G Minor." In this piece, the concept of canon-style expositional imitation is altered so that subjects and expositions take on new meanings as musical context is retrospectively apparent.

As if this extremely advanced application of compositional technique was not enough to reflect J.S. Bach's virtuosity, his "Art of Fugue" (German: "Die Kunst der Fuge") actively archived all possible imitative techniques of fugue-style music. Upon establishing a remarkably simple introductory subject melody, he subsequently applied a variety of imitative devices, such as inversion, retrograde, retrograde-inversion, and even much more specific techniques such as 'stretto.' While shortly after his death (he did not complete this volume) Bach's "Art of Fugue" was considered obsolete in the presence of the 'stile galant,' this collection of fugue pieces is regarded today as the greatest compositional work of imitative techniques, and serves as a testament to J.S. Bach's importance in Western musical history.

The French Clavecin School, including influential composers such as Chambonnieres, Couperin, Lully, and D'Anglebert, was responsible for the standardization of the Dance Suite during the Baroque era. Bach composed both solo instrumental and orchestral works based on these standardizations. However, his talent for perfecting and infusing compositional techniques from many sources and styles is once again apparent in these works. For solo instrumental dance suites - which Bach prepared for a variety of instruments ranging from the harpsichord to the transverse flute - both French and Italian techniques were adopted. While Bach made an effort to remain within the constructs of the French Clavecin School in these instrumental pieces, he often abstracted this model. For one, his preludes were not strictly 'non mesure,' but reflected a quasi-improvisatory nature and occasionally resembled 'recitativo' expression.

Furthermore, Bach followed the (accidental) ordering of a suite's movements as established by Froeberger's publisher by ending each suite with a 'gigue' movement. Otherwise, the style of the suites were relatively conservative in that they followed the structure of late French composers and focused on the nuclear movements of a dance suite, rather than reflecting later trends such as the dissolution of movements as typified by Couperin's ('le grand') 'ordres.' Further evidence of his adherence to the French style is seen in his omission of the fast-tempo 'sarabande' in favor of the 'sarabande grave.' These suites were not solely reflective of French influences, however. The inclusion of 'doubles' - repeated movements with the addition of even-note 'passaggi' - was purposefully designed to mimic the compositional techniques of Italian composers. Cumulatively, Bach's solo instrumental suites represent dance music's transition from purely entertainment-focused to the realm of serious listening and interpretation; even the most simple styles and techniques of the French School dances were elaborated into intellectual challenges for the listener.

J.S. Bach did compose dance music that starkly contrasted the conservative nature of the French model in his orchestral suites. While he only composed four of these pieces, all of them begin with 'ouvertures' (a testament to the influence Lully in contrast to the style of toccata-based preludes). Also, unlike his adherence to the traditional French model as seen in the solo instrumental suites, the orchestral suites often omitted, renamed, or rearranged many of the 'nuclear' movements (exemplified by the fact that these pieces never included an 'allemande' as their second movement); this decision shows how Bach was in fact influenced by Couperin's ('le grand') 'ordres.' By contrasting the styles and titles of their movements, this discrepancy can be shown through his work for solo instrument, "Lute Suite No. 1 in E Minor," and the orchestral work, "Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major."



Ritornello concerti were also works that Bach adopted, mastered, and altered by combining many techniques and styles. In these pieces, Bach only loosely followed general models of concerto composition: many of his concerti fit with the three movement model of the ritornello, while others only apply the tempi of ritornello to the first movement of the piece, and some movements were even composed in the style of dance music. As an example of this, let us consider the first three movements of the piece, "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2." The first movement reflects the style of an Italian ritornello concerto, but it varies in that it is not imitative. Instead, the melody is fragmented and scattered in a way so that the piece does not play for too long without referencing the thematic element. The following movements vary greatly from the Italian model: the second movement is through-composed, and mimics the slow tempo and triple meter effect of a 'sarabande grave.'

This movement's texture includes entrances of short melodic themes in many instrumental timbres, and even juxtaposes these themes with counter-melodies. The third movement is reminiscent of a 'gigue,' which is cheerful-sounding and imitative, but the comparison ends there due to its use of double-meter and its likeness to the subject-exposition structure of a fugue. However, it is not strictly a fugue, either, due to the fact that at one point the subject stands alone and is countered by another polyphonic melody. This piece once again showcases Bach's tendency to borrow compositional techniques from contrasting sources; Bach's mastery of these techniques resulted in truly innovative treatment of traditional styles, despite the fact that no novel material was introduced.

Finally, Bach's treatment of cantata music shows further evidence of his influence on music of the Baroque. While they were usually based on the melody of a Lutheran chorale, Bach often incorporated characteristics of a 'chorale prelude' in his treatment of the chorale melody. Bach would use the melody in the style of cantus firmus; its first appearance was remarkably simple (to aid in teaching anyone who was not familiar), while subsequent presentations kept the melody in the foreground through textural context (in the form of organ stops). Furthermore, the polyphonic texture built around the chorale melody was highly complex and artistically expressive (e.g. fourth movement of the cantata, "Sleepers Awake Calls the Voice"). Regarding the text of the chorale, Bach would use 'madrigalism' as a way to enhance the expression of the sacred libretto, even if no text was sung at that moment in the piece. This is apparent in his chorale prelude, "We Should Now Praise Christ." For the vocal accompaniment of these pieces, Bach still relied on instrumental composition techniques, such as 'sequence' and 'passaggi.'

he collective works of Johann Sebastian Bach are extraordinary in their mastery of past techniques and styles combined with Bach's ability to impersonally attribute innovative combinations of these techniques across otherwise disparate musical genres. His recognition as the greatest composer of this era is well-earned and clearly evidenced, as is his influence on later composers and novel compositional styles.

    By Brian J Sullivan
    Brian Sullivan received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, in the field of communication, with a special interest in mass communication and media studies. As part of this program, Brian also studied musical theory, history, performance, and the impact of music on contemporary popular culture.
    Source: EzineArticles




Learning VIOLIN Chords

Playing violin chords can be a challenge. There is no shortcut to mastering the technique. The only way to become adept at violin chords is practice, practice, practice! A double stop is the technical term for violin chord. It simply means that you're playing to notes on adjacent strings at the same time. Two strings are pushed down at the same time or stopped by the fingers, and bowed plucked.

This is me playing violin
This is me playing violin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Because of the violin is curved bridge, plucking or bowing more than two strings at the same time is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Antique bows made before the end of the 18th century, had the wood curved away from the hair. The result was that three notes could be played simultaneously by some violinists.

Even with older bows it is almost impossible to play for notes at once on the violin. If the artist is accomplished, he/ she will play the three or four note cord by sounding the lower notes briefly and allowing them to sing, and then sounding the upper notes. This technique is called a broken chord. If it is done correctly, the hearer will believe they heard a true triple or quadruple stop.

You can practice your violin chords, or double stop chords, using a 4/4 beat. Keeping time by taping your foot will help with this process. Learn to count four beats as you are drawing the bow on each chord. It should take for complete beats for you to draw the bow from one end to the other.

It is very important that you use your fingertips when playing double stops. The fingertip technique will ensures that you do not touch adjacent strings while playing violin chords. Your thumb must remain in proper position behind the neck in order to use your fingertips.

It's important to let the bow do the work when playing double stops. Loosening your bow hair will allow to touch both strings. Make sure you are not pressing too hard.

Allow the harmony of the music to come through. If you are hearing dissonance, your violin may need to be tuned.



Generally accepted music theory states that a chord is a set of three or more different notes. These notes must play of the same time and be in a specific key. Since playing three strings at once on the violin is so difficult, a dyad or two notes of the chord, is what is played. Technically speaking, "violin chords" is a misnomer, since you are only playing two notes.

Musically speaking, a dyad is a set of two notes or pitches.

It is important to reiterate at this juncture to never under estimate the power of practice. As you practice playing violin chords, you'll find them becoming easier.

Adding technique to your repertoire always increases your enjoyment of playing your instrument. Learning to play a violin chords is no exception.



Tuesday, February 14, 2017

DIGITIZING Those Old Records And Tapes

Everyone who was old enough to be listening to music pre-CD has a collection of grooved vinyl records and magnetized tape cassettes stashed somewhere. Those records are not only great for the cover art; some of them have music that still sounds great. Now there has been a concerted effort to develop the hardware and software to allow you to convert that music from its current analog form to digital, and reorganize it on a CD or an MP3 player.

English: Greensleeves Vinyl:War by Wailing Sou...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First, of course, you're going to need a turntable and/or a cassette player. You'll be using a computer to convert your old music to digital format, so a cable that connects the turntable or cassette player to the PC (or Mac) is also in order. Apparently cables that have the old audio jacks at one end and a UBS connector at the other are relatively common and can be found in electronic emporiums such as Radio Shack.

Your computer will need to have a sound card - sound cards have been standard issue for PCs for some time. You may also need to incorporate an amplifier of some sort into the mix, as the turntable or the cassette player alone may not generate enough sound. That shouldn't be too difficult however - the amplifier that drives your current sound system still has "audio in" and "audio out" jacks, no matter when it was built.

The final element in the process is the appropriate software. While you can purchase software for this purpose, there is also freeware available: one example is an open source recording and editing program called Audacity, found at http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/. Adobe has a program called Encore that is available for a 30 day free trial, and for Mac users there's GarageBand, which is part of a Mac software package that is sold through retail outlets.

English: . Cassette Tape, picture taken by Use...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
That's the package. Once you're in upload mode with your old school hardware, you'll have to stop after each song in order to make it a discrete recording. There's a fair amount of oversight to all this, especially if you've got a lot of records. It's one tune at a time, unless you want to upload the entire album as a single MP3 file. So the sentiment that's attached to those old tunes is going to come into play, as this can turn into a labor of love.

There's a streamlining tool on the market from Audio Technica which is a turntable with all the right cabling, amplification and software. A similar product can be found at www.firebox.com which is called a USB Turntable. The cost on these conversion spinners is $100 - $130 dollars.

There are also some online services available that will make the conversion for you - but most of them appear to be pricey. One service, http://avconvert.com/audio/price_list_cassette.html, will not only convert your LP or cassette tape but will remove any audio flaws and reproduce the cover art as well. You send them the recording and they do the rest - but the prices are twenty dollars or more, depending on the medium and the level of service you desire.




Monday, February 13, 2017

How to Play the TRUMPET - Learning a Brass Instrument!

A trumpet, foreground, a piccolo trumpet behin...
A trumpet, foreground, a piccolo trumpet
behind, and a flugelhorn in background
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Learning trumpet can be a very rewarding experience, it can also be one very frustrating experience as well if the student doesn't have a good teacher showing them the specifics of how to produce sound.  The most basic and fundamental part of playing any instrument is creating sound.  For a drummer, it starts with learning how to hit the head of the drum, the piano player - how to position their hands and which finger to use, etc.  But neither need to learn how to produce these sounds... the instrument does it for them.

Brass players are not nearly as fortunate!  Each player must start by getting their lips to buzz.  This is essentially blowing air through their lips and allowing the lips to vibrate.  Sounds simple, and it is... but it's not easy!  Especially if someone isn't given clear instructions on how to achieve this!  What I tell all of my beginning students is to think of keeping your lips in a relaxed closed position and to think about a kiss or a puckering action from the corners only!

Once I have a new student "free lip buzzing" (no mouthpiece, no horn), then we can move on to just the mouthpiece.  What this does is suddenly makes things easier for the student because the mouthpiece offers more support for the lips and a lot more resistance for the air.  Once we've achieved a good buzzing pattern with the mouthpiece, we then move to creating actual notes with the horn.

I believe that by giving the student a good solid foundation to fall back on, they will not be hindered by or plagued with embouchure problems in the future.  They will have a solid foundation for playing based on relaxed lips that are free to vibrate and air being pushed from the abs!

    Keith Fiala / Anna Romano
    For private trumpet lessons, ways to overcome range or sound problems, or to get a solid start on playing a brass instrument, please visit Brass Player Solution to contact Keith Fiala.

    Article Directory: EzineArticles


Sunday, February 12, 2017

Paul McCartney Joins MUSIC EDUCATION Cause

Even though experts have shown that music education improves performance in and out of the classroom, increases SAT scores and keeps kids in school, budget cuts have been breaking up marching bands and silencing school choruses across the country.

Paul McCartney in Prague, Czech Republic, 2004.
Paul McCartney in Prague, Czech Republic, 2004.
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To combat this trend, Fidelity Investments joined music icon Paul McCartney to launch a new public charity, the Music Lives Foundation, aimed at increasing funding for music education programs in schools.

"As a boy growing up in Liverpool, I was surrounded by music," said McCartney. "That's just the way it was. The problem is that more and more music programs are in danger of being eliminated. That's why I'm proud to join Fidelity in supporting the Music Lives Foundation. After years and years of playing in a band and making a living doing what I love, I can honestly say, 'Where would I be without music?'"

Initially, the foundation plans to raise funds through special promotions of a limited edition "Music Lives" pewter bracelet with McCartney's signature and "Fidelity Investments" engraved inside. Each person contributing at least $40 to the cause - the cost of putting one musical instrument into the hands of a child - will receive the commemorative bracelet for showing support. You can make a donation at www.musiclives.org.

"School music education programs mean more to kids than learning how to play an instrument or carry a tune; they significantly add to a student's academic and social life," said Robert L. Reynolds, Fidelity vice chairman and chief operating officer. "Music education is a critical program of study that gets scant attention and fewer and fewer dollars every year. The Music Lives Foundation wants to combat this trend and keep music alive in our schools for years to come."

Studies show that students who are highly involved in music and arts education have higher SAT scores, measurably better potential for math learning, lower drop-out rates and fewer disciplinary problems. 

"School music programs across the country are facing a serious threat as budgets are chipped away in favor of a narrow view of what kids need - despite the fact that music education actually helps kids achieve in all sorts of studies," said John Mahlmann, executive director of MENC: The National Association of Music Education. "Support by a musician of Paul McCartney's stature and of a leading corporation like Fidelity will bring much-needed national attention to this issue."