Monday, June 19, 2017

TRUMPET MOUTHPIECES - Always Keep a Spare!

What should be the very first point of order that you think about when getting your trumpet ready to play - most real musicians will tell you to consider trumpet mouthpieces. That's right, you wouldn't be playing your trumpet if the mouthpiece was not in perfect operating order. Your trumpet mouthpiece get lots of abuse, isn't that where all of the sound is formed in the first place? That abuse, or heavy use can translate directly into very heavy wear and possible outright destruction. Always be prepared, and always carry a spare or extra mouthpiece in your trumpet case with you wherever you go - I guarantee that you'll never regret the decision!!

december 09 205_e
Trumpet Mouthpiece - Photo  by    cmelnychuk 

It's a fact that these days there are a lot of knock-offs or imitation trumpet parts on the market. They're made in low cost countries where the labor is dirt cheap, and since the manufacturer isn't worried about protecting his or her name brand, substandard materials are often used, in addition to poorly trained employees to form and assemble those materials. What this means to the end user is that a poorly made mouthpiece is bought because of the astonishingly low price - and not the overall value.

Possible your next question might be what trumpet mouthpieces to get, how many should you have and which brand should you choose? Even if you don't know know a single fact about this topic,my advice to you is clear; never buy the absolute cheapest mouthpiece available. As you'll probably discover some time after the purchase, there is most likely a very good reason for the low amount and, aside from obvious motives like product damage or some thing similar, there are things you just can't take into consider, such as inferior materials which don't always make themselves known until further down the road. There may be a case of poor assembly - that always worries me, because I'll never know what the problem might be until I actually utilize the mouthpiece. By then, it's probably too late, and I may end up having to spend more money to get a top-quality mouthpiece, the one I should have bought initially, if I was using my head instead of just trying to be cheap.



There are plenty of great trumpet mouthpieces that you won't have to spend excessively for - for example the Jet-tone DS GOLD RIM or a Schilke Trumpet Mouthpiece, or how about a TRUMPET MENDEZ #2 MOUTHPIECE. Not one of these excellent mouthpieces cost more than $60, they also can be delivered directly to your doorstep in under a week's time! How's that for convenience - and value?

Don't purchase inferior, imitation trumpet mouthpieces, there are tons of top-quality, affordable mouthpieces that can provide you years of service for only a couple of bucks more than those nasty substandard pieces.



Sunday, June 18, 2017

VIOLAS

3-stringed viola
3-stringed viola (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


"Audiences across the world enjoy various concerts through the year, each one different and unique. Most of them are either solo performances or in groups of about 4-6 members. In case of groups, you will see a drummer, guitarist, vocalist and one who melts out beautiful tunes on the viola. Yes, you read it right; it is the viola and not violin. This is also a stringed instrument which is bowed very much like the violin. 

A person unfamiliar with this instrument might mistake it for the violin at first glance going by its size and near similar pitch range, but will realize it is very different upon close inspection. The timbre is much more full bodied and is used to play soft harmonies in concerts. Unfortunately there are not many violists as there are violinists. At times referred to as the big fiddle, the violas parallel the alto voice in a choir group.

Violas are also placed with a bow where the instrument is placed on the shoulder, which gets people more confused. If a child is playing the instrument, the size of the viola would be around 12 inches and for adults it could go anywhere from 13 to 16.5 inches depending on their comfort level and their years of experience. Off late, with people facing problems in holding and playing the viola, there are some being made using lighter material and are much shorter. Some are manufactured with a shoulder cut while others come with an additional bout for comfort. Because of its large body, it needs higher amounts of physical stamina to hold and play this string instrument. For a person interested in playing the viola, they need to understand that since it is fitted with thicker strings, they will have to apply extra pressure to get music to come out perfectly.

There are different kinds of violas, based on a person’s level of experience and while making a selection, this factor should be kept in mind else the viola player will find it difficult strumming it.  But the beauty of this instrument is that all are hand made and each one is exquisite to look at and play. Among the most famous violas are the ones that Mozart used in his musical notes. He wrote quintets that used two violas in the orchestra and had as important role as a violin.

If you are looking at purchasing a viola, unlike earlier when you had to make a trip to their nearby store to take a look at all the instruments, today you can do the same online. The purchase or rentals come with the assurance that they can return the product if unhappy with it. Simply approach one of the leading websites, such as stringworks. So, if you are just getting curious about the violas and are not very keen on purchasing, but would like to try your hand at it, no better way but to rent a viola and watch your hands create music."




Saturday, June 17, 2017

SHAKIRA's combination of rock & latin sounds is a worldwide smash

Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, is a Columbian Latin pop singer and songwriter.  Shakira's love of music began at a very young age.  At the age of eight she was writing and composing music.  Though failing to make her school's choir because of her "too strong" voice, Shakira was able to sing her heart out by competing in a weekly television signing competition for children, Vivan Los Ninos (Long Live The Kids).  By age thirteen, Shakira was a local celebrity who had a lucky chance encounter with Sony Columbia executive, Ciro Vargas, on a flight from Barranquilla to Bogota.    Vargas agreed to provide Shakira with an audition and was impressed by her.

Shakira - Live Paris  - 2010
Shakira Live Paris 2010 - Photo  by   oouinouin  (cc)
His confidence in her ultimately led to a record deal with the company.  At the young age of 13, Shakira released her debut album, Magia (Magic), recorded with Sony Colombia in 1991.  The album, which lacked recording and production cohesion, failed to sell over one thousand copies.  Released in 1993, Shakira's second album, Peligro (Danger) did not fare much better.  It was at this time, Shakira decided to take a break from recording and graduate from high school.


In 1995, Shakira returned to the music scene with the album Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), which solidified her commercial success by selling over 5 million copies worldwide.  Upon releasing a remix version of the album, The Remixes, Shakira met with Emilio Estefan, Jr., who wound up working as an executive producer on Shakira's fourth studio album, ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?).

The album, which combined rock and Latin sounds, produced hit singles including, Ciega Sordomuda (Blind Deaf-Mute), Moscas En La Casa (Flies In The House), No Creo (I Don't Believe), Inevitable (Inevitable), Tú (You), Si Te Vas (If You Leave), Octavo Día (Eighth Day) and the worldwide success Ojos Así (Eyes Like That).  The cumulative effect of such hit singles allowed the album to sell over 7 million copies worldwide.  Shakira would later release her first live album, Shakira MTV Unplugged, which was comprised of singles from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (¿Where Are The Thieves?).

In 2001, Shakira started work on a crossover album to the English language. Teaming up with Gloria Estefan, Shakira wrote and recorded English versions of the singles from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? and new songs were also added to create Shakira's first U.S. album, Laundry Service.  Though some critics claimed her grasp of the English language was not yet firm enough, it did not prevent Laundry Service from becoming a commercial success.  Laundry Service would eventually go on to sell more than 13 million CDs worldwide, thanks to such hits as Whenever, Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes, Te Dejo Madrid (I Leave You Madrid), Objection (Tango), and The One.  Such hit tracks helped establish Shakira's musical presence in mainstream America.



Shakira's next album, Fijación Oral Vol. 1, released on June 6, 2005 in Europe and on June 7, 2005 in North America, was also a commercial success.  The album debuted at #1 in Spain and #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200, which remains the best-selling Spanish first-week sales album.  The album's lead single La Tortua, would climb to #1 in Spain and #23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  On November 29, 2005, Shakira would release her second English album, Oral Fixation Vol. 2, which includes the hit single, Hips Don't Lie, a single that would climb to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The album was re-released on March 28, 2006.  Shakira is currently engaged to the son of former president of Argentina, Fernando de la Rua.  

The newest information  about SHAKIRA  you can find on Wikipedia


Friday, June 16, 2017

MOZART SONATA As Art and Education

Mozart in 1777, the year of the concerto. Pain...
Mozart in 1777, the year of the concerto.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
We all know that Mozart was an amazing pianist and composer who started his work at a very tender young age. Most of us also know that the Mozart sonata is a very important piece of musical history. However, do you know very much about these pieces? For example, did you know that these were not all pieces that he wrote specifically to play as a performer but also pieces that he wrote for the purpose of teaching his work to others? Taken as a whole, the sonatas represent a lifetime of creative work from one of the most amazing musical geniuses to have ever lived.

For those who don't know much about Mozart, what you really need to know is that he was a genius and a prodigy. He was a classical composer from the late eighteenth century who played both violin and piano. He began composing music at an age when most children are barely about to enter kindergarten. Although he died young (at the age of 35) his early start allowed him to have a lengthy career. The music that he composed throughout this career is a testament to the talent that this man held within him.

Français : Édition de la Sonate pour piano nº ...
Sonate pour piano nº 6 de Mozart, « 'Durnitz' »,
dans Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts Werke (1878)
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
The most famous thing that Mozart wrote was the Mozart sonata. This is not a single piece of composition. Instead it is a series of works known as sonatas that are each numbered sequentially. What we can hear when we listen to them is that he developed his musical abilities throughout his brief lifetime, always bringing new twists and turns to the work. Some of them are simple, light and airy whereas others are dark, dramatic and difficult to play. The circumstances that Mozart was experiencing as he went through his life are played out in the different styles that he composed within the pieces.

The majority of the reason that Mozart composed his work was because he wanted to perform it. He started performing music at a very young age and was proficient at playing multiple instruments. The music that he created was his art. The purpose of creating it was to find self-expression and then to share that expression with others by playing it on his own musical instruments. He created his music because it was his passion and his life's work to do so. He created it in order to play it. And one can assume that he was driven by an inner need to create this art; he would have probably created it even if no one would listen to it but himself.

However, the Mozart sonata was not only created so that Mozart could perform his art for others. He was also someone who was interested in teaching musical skills to other people who were interested in learning it. There are some that he wrote for the express purpose of using them as teaching tools. It takes different skills to compose a classical masterpiece than it does to compose a piece that you can use to teach music to someone. That he was able to do this so successfully says even more about Mozart's genius than does the fact that he started composing at such a young age.



The Mozart sonata is an important piece of work for a number of different reasons. It shows how much can be done with one type of musical form. The series of sonatas can be viewed together to show us the ups and downs in Mozart's personal and professional lives. And students can use the pieces individually to learn how to play the violin or piano with much of the same skill that Mozart had himself. No other body of work says as much about the artist and still provides so much function to others as do the Mozart pieces.

    By Andy West
    Andy West is a writer on a variety of topics, including music. Mozart was one of the greatest composer's that has ever lived, and he has left us with a large library of unforgettable pieces, including the Mozart sonata.

    Article Source: EzineArticles


Thursday, June 15, 2017

JAZZ: The Growth of Contemporary Jazz Music

Born in the early 20th century in African American cultures, jazz is a musical style that has developed and evolved all different genres of music. Dating from early 1910s to the 1990s, jazz has contributed to the growth of music. Sparking a rise to a variety of music styles, the spread of jazz across the world influenced trends from early New Orleans Dixieland styles to Latin Afro-Cuban even playing a part in the development of funk and hip hop in the 1990s.

Wayman Tisdale and Dave Koz at the Dave Koz & ...
Wayman Tisdale and Dave Koz at the Dave Koz & Friends Smooth Jazz Cruise 2006
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

Aside from playing a part in the growth of subgenres, jazz within itself has been influenced by a variety of musical genres. Most commonly the trends of R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles helped shape jazz fusion into what we know to be smooth jazz. With tracks of encoded rhythms and downtempo beats, smooth jazz is often confused with styling of contemporary jazz music. A modern growth is urban contemporary jazz, which slot in aspects of hip-hop; which is intended for listeners who would normally listen to radio stations that play an assortment of hip-hop and R&B. While smooth jazz is soft and mellow is content; contemporary jazz music is blunter and grabs the attention of its listeners.

Among the players who commonly perform free jazz are Dave Koz, Boney James, Paul Jackson Jr., Nick Colionne, Bobby Perry, Urban Jazz Coalition, Streetwize, and Tha' Hot Club. As well as other free jazz artists such as Bob Baldwin, Michael Lington, Brian Bromberg, David Lanz, Bobby Ricketts, Kim Waters, Daniele Caprelli, Ken Navarro, Walter Beasley, and Peter White. As popularity for late night radio airplay throughout the years grew; doors where open for contemporary jazz music artist like Kenny G, David Sanborn, the late George Howard, George Benson, Marc Antoine, Bradley Joseph and contemporary jazz flautist Najee. These modern jazz musicians had a tendency to play their instruments in at such a harmonious frequency that it was rare for the measures to go un-noticeable.

The free jazz radio arrangement, which commonly played fifteen-minute sets involving instrumentals wrapping a vocal song or two continued to grow and flourish over the 1990s and early 2000s. In the late 2000s, most markets began losing jazz stations and in a variety of media markets, this arrangement does no longer exist over the air except online or on HD Radio.

By 2009, as contemporary jazz remained on its persistent decline on the syndicated radio airwaves, an increasing number of non-commercial stations have grown an interest in the music and began to add it to their programming.



More recently contemporary jazz music downloads, in opposition to radio, has been at high volumes on iTunes. If you find these artist to be of interest, Richard Brown is must have in your collection. With hits like “It’s A Boy” and “My Heart” from his new cd “Dreams” flautist songwriter Richard Brown has a unique flute style. You can hear some of his songs from the album “Dreams” by logging on to www.flautist.us. Even receive a free contemporary jazz music download.



Wednesday, June 14, 2017

ACOUSTIC GUITAR Tab

"Di Giorgio classic guitar", model &...
"Di Giorgio classic guitar", model "Amazonia"
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
If you enjoy the idea of learning the guitar and you visualize yourself sitting down and playing your favorite songs for your own enjoyment, acoustic guitar tabs give you the possibility of realizing your dream. You can pick up an acoustic guitar any time of the day or night and play without disturbing your family or neighbors. Some people even play the acoustic guitar while the family is watching TV in the same room!

Tablature, or tab, is the ideal way for any beginner guitar player to learn or for a more seasoned guitarist to learn new material quickly. A basic definition of guitar tab is a diagram showing the guitar strings with the frets where the guitarist is to play the notes indicated by numbers. Quite often a guitarist approaching a new piece of music will struggle with conventional music notation whereas tab is a quick and easy way of getting the feel of a new piece. 

Also a pianist or other musician can look at a piece of guitar sheet music and play it right away but would have no hope of playing from guitar tab because it is only written for one instrument. Another limitation of guitar tab is that you won't be able to learn the rhythm from it. You will need a strumming pattern diagram or, having heard the song before, have some idea of how to approach the playing of the rhythm. If you are prepared to live with these limitations tablature will be a great tool for you to learn your favorite songs quickly.

When you search the internet for acoustic guitar tab what kind of music can you expect to find? Well, the variety is astonishing. Basically acoustic guitar tab is written with the idea of the guitar supplying the basic accompaniment for the song. So if you are a singer wanting to interpret the lyrics, your interest in the guitar arrangement may be slight. The second thing acoustic guitar tab usually gives you is the notes for any distinctive melody or riff in the song - music that people recognize before they hear the words being sung.  A simple example of this is the few notes repeated throughout the record of "Something" by The Beatles. Of course you are quite free to leave out or change any music to make the arrangement your own.



Acoustic guitar tabs are often fingerstyle arrangements of songs. These arrangements will not be readily available in music stores or the usual sources of sheet music on the internet. Fingerstyle arrangements can give you some added depth to your guitar playing even if you don't utilize all the techniques shown in the tab. Finally there is one advantage to using acoustic tab for electric guitar players. You can learn the muisc for the song without having to set up your guitar and amp. You can work on arranging your song for electric guitar once you know the chords and the basic structure.

I hope I have given you something to think about if you have not given tabs for acoustic guitar much of a look so far. If you look around you will be quite amazed at the range of popular - and obscure - music available.



Tuesday, June 13, 2017

ANTONIO VIVALDI Biography

Antonio Vivaldi is an Italian composer and violinist. He was born March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. He is major figure in baroque music and exercised a considerable influence on the development of the concerto. Antonio Vivaldi was the first child of his family. He was born with chest illness and wasn't expected to live long. He survived, but remained very weak throughout his life.

Antonio Vivaldi.jpg
"Antonio Vivaldi" by François Morellon la Cave -
Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.


Antonio grew up in Venice. His father Giovanni realized that his son was very musical and taught him to play the violin at a young age. Antonio Vivaldi was trained in the priesthood in 1693 and was ordained in 1703. His first known performance was in 1696. Within a year after Vivaldi's ordination, he stopped practicing Mass. He claimed this was because of his poor health, while others believed he quit because he was forced into becoming a priest at such a young age.

Six months after he was ordained in 1703, Vivaldi was appointed as the maestro de violin at theOspedale Della Pieta, an orphanage in Venice. Their purpose at the Pieta was to give shelter and to provide education and musical training. The Pieta was famous for its music. During Vivaldi's time many girls were described as the best in Italy. The girls would put on performances to raise money for the Pieta. Vivaldi soon became well-known in Venice as a promising young composer. He spent many years at the Pieta however; in 1709 he was asked to leave. Vivaldi returned to the Pieta as a violin teacher in September of 1711. He worked for the Pieta on and off for the next 40 years.

 Throughout the years he changed positions from a violin teacher, to a church composer and all the way to the director of music. Vivaldi's music was new and exciting. It was also unique in style. He liked to created vigorous rhythms. This gave his work a feeling of freshness and energy. Vivaldi was by now a great virtuoso violinist and admired among many. He began to compose different kinds of music that was becoming more popular in Venice. This music was opera.

When Vivaldi wasn't working at the Pieta, he was composing music for the theater. Vivaldi realized that he could make more money composing operas. He then decided to take a month's leave and start composing one. His first opera produced great success. From then on, Vivaldi became important in the Venetian opera world.

In 1718, Vivaldi was offered a job in the city of Mantua. For three years, Vivaldi worked as one of the Prince Philip's court musicians, composing many secular instrumental works. He left Mantua in 1720, but continued to write music for the prince. During his time in Mantua, he produced more operas. He fame had now spread beyond Venice, and was asked to compose operas for other popular cities such as Milan and Florence. Vivaldi also became popular in Rome for his violin playing and opera. He was invited to the Vatican to perform for the pope. At this time he was still working for the Pieta however; they were upset that there maestro was not there. They agreed that Vivaldi would have to write two works for them each month.



Throughout the next few centuries Vivaldi published many musical works. His goal was to entertain audiences rather than express himself in some deep personal way. However, as time went on, he grew more and more out of touch with Venice. The musical taste had changed and the people focused on other composers. Vivaldi became less popular. He did not write another opera for over four years. Audiences abroad still enjoyed Vivaldi's work, which is why he traveled so much. In 1740, Vivaldi had one final triumph at the Pieta with a grand gala concert. He then decided to leave Venice for good. He began raising money for his last journey.

Vivaldi shortly became a forgotten composer. New composers quickly took his place in the music world. Vivaldi was however, rediscovered later by J.S Bach, who composed numbers of his songs for the keyboard. Vivaldi died of internal inflammation and was buried on July 28, 1741. He suffered all his life with a chest illness. This did not stop him from composing a vast amount of music. He claimed to have written 94 operas. He also wrote secular cantatas and many church works for chorus, soloists, and orchestra. His instrumental, however, is the most admired, nearly 500 concertos. "He is known for fast movements with vigorous, tuneful themes and impassioned, lyrical slow movements."



Monday, June 12, 2017

The Revolutionary Sound of the FIFE

Edouard Manet: Young Flautist, or The Fifer, 1866
Edouard Manet: Young Flautist, or The Fifer, 1866
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
The fife is a type of flute that is fairly similar to the piccolo. It is a transverse flute that emits a high pitched sound that is louder than the piccolo because of its design. It has a narrower bore that causes the higher pitch. This flute was most often used in marching bands and the military, possibly because of its loud and distinguishing sound. It was not often used in musical orchestras in the past, though it was used in some folk music, and it does not appear to be one of the more popular flutes in general, though it is still around for people who want to take up the fife as their musical instrument of choice.

The fife is an older type of flute that appeared to have first been developed in Switzerland, during the 1300s. When it was first created, it was used in the traditional folk music of the time and was a common instrument used to accompany dancing. Its use was not limited to the upper class; it appears that all social classes were able to enjoy the music as well as play the instrument. In modern music, the fife is still used in different forms of folk music, as well as in the blues music, Celtic music and folk rock.

Like most flutes, the fife is fairly simple in design. The fife is made out of a narrow tube that has six holes in it that are covered by the musician's fingers to play different notes. There are some fifes that have more than six holes, but these are usually added for chromatics. Unlike some of the other flutes made today, the fife is often made out of wood, such as rosewood and mopane, though it is occasionally made out of plastic or metal. The fife is made in a particular key; either in B flat, C or D. Fifes made in the key of C and D are more common than the ones made in B flat.

Fife-wooden, civil war era.jpeg From http://ww...
Fife-wooden, civil war era
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
The fife is a small instrument that is very easy to carry just about anywhere. Fifes made out of different material and are made in different keys have unique sounds, and can sometimes make it difficult for someone to pick out the fife of their choice when they decide it is the instrument they would like to adopt. Most people looking for the right fife will focus on the sound that each type makes and will pick the one that has the sound that is most attractive to them.

This instrument is also fairly inexpensive to purchase and the music is relatively easy to acquire. When first learning how to play an instrument, this is probably one of the best ones to start with. It takes some time and practice, but it allows a new musician to learn how to read and follow sheet music, as well as learn how to control their breathing so that they can create the sound that they want. The fife might not be the first instrument that comes to mind when a person is thinking about what they would like to play, but it is certainly a good choice for someone new to music.

    Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments.
    Article Directory: EzineArticles


Sunday, June 11, 2017

Composer Illustrated: RICHARD STRAUSS


How HIP HOP Started

Hip hop means many different things.  It was first used to refer to the culture and way of life of urban city New York City.  But, since then, the term has taken on a life of its own.  The most popular meaning of hip hop is now music.  Hip hop or rap as it is also called has several origins.  In fact, there is no one origin that can be called the only one.  There are several histories about how hip hop got started.

DJ Kool Herc is credited as being highly influ...
DJ Kool Herc is credited as being highly influential in the pioneering stage of hip hop music.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First of all, the influences that helped to inspire hip hop are thought to be traced back to African culture, but it isn’t until the multicultural mix of New York City that the music began to flow.  But, even if we do not have a clear picture as to when hip hop was started, we do know that there are some major players in its history.  

For example, one type of hip hop called dub is traditionally Jamaican style.  Other forms such as Reggae are evident from the 1960’s.  Through development with artists such as U-Roy, Dr. Alimontado and Dillinger that most began to change to incorporate a more obvious baseline and percussion element.    Blues music also came to light inspiring another turn in the culture.  

When we talk about the term of hip hop, we are often brought back to Kool Herc, a DJ when he began working with Afrika Bambaataa.  There are many more people that fold into the story of how hop hip hop got started.  If you want to take it back to decades ago with the combination of African music, reggae and blues you will find a line of wonderful artists.  Or, with the urban culture of inner city New York, there is another line of artists that have made their mark.  One thing is clear, though; hip hop continues to make history for years to come.  

To find more information about how hip hop got started, you can find a wide range of information available to you right on the web.  And, with so many people needing this information and wanting to know the roots of this music genre, it is safe to say that what you need to know is available to you here, on the web.

Author: Brent Wilson

Saturday, June 10, 2017

The Secret History Of DRUMS: The Role Of The Military Drummer

The role of the military drummer is a fascinating chapter from the hidden history of drums.

Hidden, because most people are unaware of the vital role played by the military drummer in communicating strategy and keeping the machinery of battle oiled.

English: Grenadier drummer, 1756-1762 Русский:...
Grenadier drummer, 1756-1762
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Battle Stations

In the 17th century, in preparation for battle, before the head on clash between rival armies, considerable time was spent manoeuvering men into position.

The drums were used to convey orders - each 'beat' having a specific meaning instantly recognisable to the soldiers.

When the drummer's 'Call' was heard, the men dropped what they were doing and immediately regrouped by their lieutenant or platoon commander to await further signals.

The Captain's order to beat the 'Troop' was a signal to shoulder muskets, advance pikes and close rank and file.

The 'March' was a signal to advance, faster or slower according to the beat of the drum, to the point of rendezvous.

The 'Preparative' signaled the men to advance in rank and file to within skirmishing distance and be ready to engage battle.

At this point the company drummers would run to where the Colonel stood (or sat on horseback) beside his own side-drummer and the standard bearer.


English: Drummer of bombardier regiment, 1757-...
Drummer of bombardier regiment, 1757-1758
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Engaging The Enemy

On the Colonel's order the drummers would beat the 'Battaile' or 'Charge'.

This was described by Colonel William Barriffe to mean 'pressing forward in order of battle without lagging behind, rather boldly stepping forward in place of him that falls dead or wounded before thee...'

In the thick of battle, with the sound of cannon and musket, the neighing of horses, the screams of the dying and wounded, the Colonel's voice would not be heard and the beat of the drum continued to play a vital role in communicating orders to the troops.

From his vantage point the Colonel would command his drum-major to instigate various manoeuvers. If it was required to withdraw in an orderly fashion - for relief, or to gain a vantage point, or to lure the enemy into an ambush - the 'Retreat' would sound. The soldier, fighting for his life, was well prepared - the meaning of the different beats had been literally 'drummed' into him time and time again in training.

At the onset of battle, the roar of the assembled drummers would surely instil courage in the hearts of the men (and fear in the hearts of the enemy). Possibly, in the heat of battle, the beat of the drum, detached and ethereal, took on a spiritual quality, helping the combatants to distance themselves from the horror and suffering all around.

The drummer clearly carried a huge responsibility in the orderly conduct of war. In recognition of this it was considered highly dishonourable to knowingly strike or wound a drummer in battle.


    Charles Armstrong

    Hugh Barty-King 'The Drum - A Royal Tournament Tribute to the Military Drum' 1988
    ISBN 0 9513588 0 4


Friday, June 9, 2017

The Secret History of DRUMS - Parleying with the enemy

One of the most interesting chapters in the history of drums is largely forgotten today - the various duties performed by military drummers in the past.

In times of peace, it was the drummer's responsibility to beat the 'tattoo' at sunset in the town streets - a signal to publicans to stop serving ale to soldiers and bid them drink up so they could get back to camp in time for curfew.

English: Battle of Naseby, by an unknown artis...
Battle of Naseby, by an unknown artist
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

David Gilmore, Pink FloydDrummers also played a crucial role in introducing new blood into the army - in the town square, the drummer would demonstrate his prowess on the side drum - literally 'drumming up' new recruits. Many a young lad lived to rue the day he allowed himself to be seduced by the glamour of the drum into believing the recruiting officer's promises...

In times of war, in the thick of battle, drummers would relay the Colonel's orders to the troops - each 'beat' having a specific meaning which had been endlessly 'drummed into' the soldiers in training. When the chaos and noise around them rendered the Colonel's shouts ineffective, the beat of the massed drums indicated when they should regroup, advance, make ready, engage battle, retreat.

One of the more interesting functions of the drummer was to 'parley' with the other side - he would be sent as a go-between across enemy lines - to negotiate terms, arrange and pay ransoms, offer or accept terms of surrender, to deliver and bring back any hostages or prisoners who were to be exchanged.

Samuel ButlerEquipped with a small drum for lightness, and with written confirmation of his message attached to his hat, the drummer would approach the enemy camp and stop a musket shot's distance from the gates.

The sound of the 'parley' beaten on his drum was a signal of readiness to trade terms, and a party would come out to lead him, blind-fold, inside the camp to the General's pavilion.

His hidden adgenda to find out as much as he could about enemy numbers and the layout and disposition and any potential weakness of the camp was no secret to the adversaries, and anyone caught speaking to him out of line could reckon with the severest punishment. According to Robert Ward's Articles of War, Number VIII, 'Speaking With The Enemies' Messengers': 'None shall speak with a Drum or Trumpet or any other sent by the Enemy without order upon pain of punishment at discretion.'



Likewise, he had to be on his mettle not to divulge any information - the enemy would often ply him with drinks in the hope of loosening his tongue.

Parleying was obviously a delicate and dangerous undertaking and required skills of the drummer above and beyond musicality and mastery of the technique required to beat complex rhythms on the side drum. Discretion was required, tact, diplomacy, negotiation, sobriety, the ability to read and write, knowledge of foreign languages - skills not commonly found among rank and file soldiers in those days.

Parleying was manifestly a dangerous undertaking. The drummer who entered the enemy camp displaying any lack of confidence, or faltering in his delivery, or indadvertently insulting the enemy, could rightly fear for his safety.

The other extreme was also best avoided.

On Friday August 15 1645, at the height of the English Civil War, the royalist Governor of Sherborne Castle dispatched a drummer at 2 o'clock in the morning with the message he was willing to surrender on honourable terms.

Sir Thomas Fairfax, Captain General of all the Parliamentary Forces In England, could scarcely conceal his temper.

He dispatched his own drummer to offer no terms but quarter, and that should not be expected unless he surrender speedily...The over-confident manner of Fairfax's drummer in delivering this message so incensed the Governor that he almost hanged the fellow on the spot.

The drummer, however, lived to tell another tale. The episode ended badly for Sherborne Castle.

    Charles Armstrong
    In the words of Anne Finch, after the end of that terrible conflict:

    "Trail all your pikes, dispirit every drum,
    March in long procession from afar
    Ye silent, ye dejected men of war!
    Be still the hautboys, let the flute be dumb!"

    With acknowledgement to: Hugh Barty-King

    'The Drum - A Royal Tournament Tribute to the Military Drum' 1988

    ISBN 0 9513588 0 4


Thursday, June 8, 2017

Composer Illustrated: ROBERT SCHUMANN

Portrait von By Jean-Joseph Bonaventure Laurens [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons



4 Great Ways to Learn to DANCE

Rhythm, a sequence in time repeated, featured ...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dancing is something that many people enjoy not only as a recreational pursuit but also as an integral part of their fitness routine. Dance is a great way to keep your body in shape without feeling as though you are somehow being punished for enjoying that extra scoop of ice cream on your cone. 

At the same time, dance is also something that many people simply find enjoyable. As with most things in life though, there are often right and wrong ways in which you can make most dance moves and some of them might not be as good for you as they think. For this reason you really do need to seek qualified instructions. Below you will find four different methods in which you can get the instruction you need to dance your heart out.

Private Dance Instruction

If you are in a financial situation that allows for this then this is the ideal option. With private lessons you will have one on one instruction and the direct attention of the instructor. Private lessons provide the absolute most bang for your buck and will provide the most immediate pay off for your efforts as you will move at your own pace and will not have to wait on other students to catch up or feel left behind by students who have a higher beginning level of skill.

Private lessons also provide the opportunity to address specific needs and problem areas when it comes to your dancing. This means you will learn the right way from the beginning, provided you went with a reputable instructor who is very knowledgeable. The benefits of private instruction are really amazing when compared to some of the other available methods of learning to dance.

Formal Group Dance Lessons 

You can sign up for group dance lessons at almost any age. There are very few requirements and classes are offered for many different experience levels as well. If you are an utter novice there will be classes that will teach you the basics and get you started on your way. There are also classes that are designed to teach advanced students more difficult footwork and techniques. Some people thrive in these sorts of classes because there is some degree of competitiveness involved. Friendly competition is often a great motivator for success. Others however, feel somewhat left behind or unchallenged in these sorts of classes and would do better with a different form of instruction.

Informal Group Dance Instruction

This is the type of instruction you will often find prior to dances in local dance halls and nightclubs. The atmosphere is very informal and the goal is to give a basic primer. This sort of instruction will prepare to you to execute a few very basic moves and very little else. This is very popular in areas where line dancing is common to teach patrons how the moves involved in specific dances. This type of instruction is not recommended for those who want a serious amount of instruction when it comes to dance but for those who have a fleeting interest and only want to learn a couple of dances for fun on a night out, this is ideal.




Video Dance Instruction


Believe it or not, many would be dancers are petrified at the very thought of someone watching as they attempt to learn the moves required for the dances they wish to execute. We live in a world of perfectionists however and if you happen to be a perfectionist, then video dance lessons may be the perfect bet for your needs and wishes. You will find a wide selection of these video lessons online if you are willing to look. You will even find many that are designed to teach dance for the sole purpose of fitness while others teach dance for the sole purpose of fun.

The direction you take when it comes to learning to dance is entirely up to you. The many different types of classes offer appeal to the many different types of people in the world today. If one type of class worked for everyone wishing to take classes then there would be no need for the different types of dance classes. The truth is that not everyone learns best in the same situation. Select the learning method that you feel will be best for you and start learning to dance today.



Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Audience's Perception Of SONGS

Lyrics Born at the 2006 Coachella Valley Music...
Lyrics Born at the 2006 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Any songwriter knows that a song will not make it without having well-written music and perfectly crafted lyrics. But the interaction between music and lyrics in a song poses two questions. The first is which is more important and the second is which should be written first. Nevertheless, the second question is not truly an issue; as it is simply a matter of personal preference and habit. The question that really needs answering is in fact the first: “Which is more important?!”

To answer this question, we have to examine the audience perception of songs. Songs are written for people to hear them; therefore the way they identify with songs is most relevant and crucial to the songwriting process. A good songwriter should examine his/her audience beforehand and, consequently, shape the song to be as easily conceived as possible by its intended audience.
As I belong to western music by education (classical music) and to oriental music by birth (being from Egypt), I have examined -as deeply as I could- the perception of songs by both Arabic listeners and European listeners. My conclusion is that those two different cultures produced very differently biased people.

The Arabic culture and legacy is based heavily on poetry while music remained trivial. Consequently, for Arabic listeners the lyrics come first and music is reduced to a melodic vehicle for the lyrics with the least amount of arrangement possible. Lyrics come first for Arabic listeners!

On the other hand, Europe’s music heritage is enormous with a lot of genius composers who will always be remembered. At the same time, Europe's great poets used the type of language that today needs a lot of simplification to understand. The music reaches the European listener before the lyrics!
So, does this mean that one can write "bad" lyrics for European listeners and get away with it?! Of course NOT!! They eventually catch up. Also, Arabic listeners will not listen to a song with bad music. The idea is that if your audiences care less for lyrics, then they wouldn’t “appreciate” a complex lyric. In fact, they wouldn’t understand it and will label it as “bad”. It has to be “good” but not “complex”. It’s all about complexity. Arabic listeners will settle down with a nice melody that fits the lyrics well. It has to be nice, but it CAN’T be complex!! My mother thinks that Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” is “louder” than music should be. I think she meant to say: “too complicated for music”. Conversely, European listeners will not settle for a nice melody, you have to have strong chord progressions, a powerful base line and a strong drum line. 

So, I write more complicated lyrics for Arabic listeners and more complicated music for European listeners. Study YOUR OWN audiences and see what they like and to which side they are biased, so you know how to adjust your song’s complexity. But beware; sometimes “less complicated” means “more difficult to write”…Wish you simple songwriting!!

Author: Mahmoud Ibrahim

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

DEBUSSY's "Clair De Lune"

The ending scene of Ocean's Eleven is one that is quite well-known indeed, and Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune" (or, at least, one of the orchestrations of "Clair de Lune" - but we'll get there soon enough) is a piece that is instantly recognizable - not just from this movie, of course, but in just about anything where a feeling of languid reverie is desired. Not too shabby for a man who was never really seen as more than a bizarre little composer by Those That Know More About Music Than You in his time.

Photograph of Claude Debussy
Photograph of Claude Debussy
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

Claude-Achille Debussy was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, in 1862 to a family who was non-musical but supportive of their son's burgeoning talents. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 7, and enrolled in the Paris Conservatoire at 10. As a student, he was that kid - instead of just sitting back, learning the fundamentals of harmony The Way They Were Always Taught and then futzing with them later, he insisted on adding odd harmonies and dissonances into his exercises. Even so, he did manage to win the Prix de Rome (for those who have forgotten, a competition for young composers in which the first prize was a musical education in Rome) in 1884, and studied there for three years.

In 1888, Debussy traveled to Bayreuth in what appeared to be a rite of passage for young composers by this time, and was floored by what he saw there. Though his music never featured the extreme emotional highs and lows of Wagner, he was still influenced by his unusual harmonic progressions (though in a particularly sassy moment, he did turn the beginning of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde into a big ol' joke - to great effect, no less, even including a bout of the giggles played by the piano accompaniment immediately after the quote). Around this time, he met and became friends with Erik Satie, another French composer who shared Debussy's somewhat iconoclastic musical tastes. He had several tumultuous love affairs, but as a personality, was never particularly well-known during his own lifetime (though he was able to afford a rather comfortable lifestyle). In what he saw as a rather grave insult, he was given the adjective "impressionist" as a way to describe his music; however, the similarities between his music and impressionist art can't be denied (for one, his lack of orthodox harmony leads to a sort of blurred-around-the-edges quality to his music). His music ended up being incredibly important in the grand scheme of music history exactly because of that lack of orthodox harmony - he ran with what Wagner did in terms of breaking away from classical harmonic theory and introducing things like the whole-tone and pentatonic scales, as well as bringing back the medieval modes.

Very quickly: the major and minor scales (the ones used in most music heard on a daily basis) are comprised of a pattern of whole and semitones. For instance, in C major, because there is a note in between C and D (C sharp or D flat, depending on whether your glass is half full or empty), the interval between C and D is a whole tone. There is nothing in between E and F, so that is considered a semitone. For the record, the difference between a minor scale (a natural minor scale, anyway) and a major scale is simply the placement of the semitones - in major scales, the first semitone is between the third and fourth notes and the second is between the seventh and first notes, and in minor scales, the first semitone is between the second and third notes and the second is between the fifth and sixth notes. It's this combination of whole and semitones that makes those lovely major and minor chords that almost every pop song ever uses (with the notable and distinct exception of "Single Ladies" by Beyonce, but that's an entirely different story...). The whole-tone scale, true to its name, has no semitones, and if it started on C, the rest of the scale would follow as D-E-F#-G#-A# (or Bb)-C. It has no tonal center, so to speak, and so is often used in dream sequences in movies as well as underwater scenes.

The set of medieval modes is yet another way of creating harmony. Instead of 'major' and 'minor,' there are seven modes (each named after an ethnic group that lived around ancient Greece). The names of the modes are the same now as they were then, but they have been shuffled around a bit so that the Dorian of today was not the Dorian of 300 B.C. The easiest way of visualizing the modes is to - once again - take our trusty C major scale. Conveniently enough, the C major scale is also the first mode, called Ionian. To get the other modes, all you need to do is take the C major scale - C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C - and start it on a different note in that scale. The next mode, Dorian, starts on D (unfortunately, that is the only one whose name matches its starting note), and is then D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D, and it goes on for every note in the scale. For the record, the names of the modes are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian (a favorite of folk singers and the 1960s in general), Aeolian, and Locrian - in that order.



Hah. "Very quickly," indeed. Hey - it's not my fault that Debussy was into all this weird musical stuff.

"Clair de Lune" itself is, like most pieces featured on this blog, part of a larger work - in this case, the Suite Bergamasque, a piano suite written in 1890 but revised and not published until 1905. A suite of music, for our purposes, is simply a collection of pieces that can each be performed alone but has some sort of unifying theme. In the case of the Suite Bergamasque, each piece is a musical illustration of a poem by Paul Verlaine - sort of like a symphonic poem minus the orchestra. "Clair de Lune" means "moon shine" (without the alcoholic connotation, of course), and the piece does really sound like a moonlit night. Much like our man Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, the piece is most well-known in its orchestrated form - having that dripping harmony played by strings oozing with pathos is much more conducive to big cinematic scenes at the Bellagio, of course - one orchestrator being Leopold Stokowski (among other things, he was the conductor in Fantasia).

So there you have it - a piece that represents quite a lot in the theory world. I hope I didn't get too pedantic with the theory; I know that's really not the most interesting thing in the world to read. But hey, the school year's starting again, and perhaps someone will Google "just how the hell do modes make sense?" and this entry will help them out. Debussy might even be a little proud of that, but then again, he was always a little bizarre.



Musicnotes.com