Sunday, December 6, 2020

How To Maintain Good SINGING VOICE

A labeled anatomical diagram of the vocal fold...
A labeled anatomical diagram of the vocal folds or cords.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Good professional singers not only have to be fit and healthy to look good for stage performances, but they must also know how to maintain and preserve a good singing voice.

You have only one voice and when your voice is damaged permanently, it will probably spell the end of a singer's. Many singers who have not been through professional singing coaching by good singing coaches or attend any singing schools may not even know that they may be damaging their voice.

Many singers also forget that when their singing voice does not feel right and they are not singing effortlessly as they should be, they will have a tendency to compensate with bad and unhealthy singing habits. These newly created or old bad habits may become stuck unconsciously and will have to be unlearned with the right vocal exercises. That is if the singer is aware that such habits are already in existence in the first place.

There are many things you can do to damage your singing voice and sometimes the damage will lead to permanent damage to your vocal cords. Here are some examples of what can harm your voice and there are many more.

a) Constant screaming or talking forcefully all the time. This happens very often if you are singing in a night club environment where you have to speak above the din to be heard.

Making funny voices may be cute, but you may be doing terrible damages to your vocal folds.

b) Dry air and/or not enough water consumption will dry up your larynx and thus placing too much friction on them.

c) Poor diet, lack of sleep, stress will place more toll on your body and your singing mechanism.

d) Caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, smoking will also damage your voice.

e) Talking, singing, or whispering when you have laryngitis or sore throat. You need to rest your voice when you have a sore throat.

True professional singers must spend a lifetime working to minimize the stresses on their voices. Why should they want to destroy their singing career by being ignorant about what these bad habits can do to their singing?

What is more, if the voice is damaged because of frequent abuse and polyps grow on the larynx, they may even need to go for surgery to remove the polyps. That will mean an of income and avoidable medical expenses. So you must preserve and maintain a healthy singing voice if you want to have a successful singing career.



Sunday, November 15, 2020

SAXOPHONE Giants: JOHN COLTRANE

English: A portrait of John Coltrane by Paolo ...
A portrait of John Coltrane by Paolo Steffan 2007.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

Woodshedding Monster
One of the undisputed giants of the tenor saxophone was John Coltrane. His total dedication to the mastery of his instrument of choice and his immense, innate talent made him a formidable force in the world of jazz during the '50s and 60's. It has been rumored that he would spend 12 hours practicing just one scale until he exhausted all possibilities with it and that 24-hour practice sessions were not uncommon.

Brotherly Love
John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina into a family life full of music. After graduating from high school in 1943 he moved to Philadelphia where he enrolled in the Ornstein School of Music where he was known for his unrelenting work ethic. In 1945 Coltrane was called to military service by Uncle Sam where he performed with the US Navy Band.

With his military obligations fulfilled Coltrane returned to Philadelphia where he played with jazz greats such as Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, and Ray Bryant. In 1948 Coltrane played tenor saxophone with Eddie 'Cleanhead" Vinson followed by a stint as alto saxophonist with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band.

Kind Of Blue
In 1958 Coltrane joined the Miles Davis Quintet where according to him he was given "plenty of freedom" to explore his evolving approach to jazz improvisation. As a member of this group, he participated in the recording of what is to be considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Trane, as he came to be known, along with alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderly laid down some of the best jazz saxophone solos ever heard and still studied today by up and coming jazz musicians.

Giant Steps
John Coltrane left Miles Davis and started his own quartet in 1960. However, during his time with Miles, he managed to record his own legendary jazz album called Giant Steps. The title tune became known as a groundbreaking jazz composition because of the new harmonic progression employed by Coltrane. The complex chord progression, later to be known as 'Coltrane changes", and the fast tempo made the song a difficult task even for serious jazz musicians.



The Trane Stops Running
John Coltrane died from liver cancer before his 41st birthday. One can only imagine what can of music Trane would have made had he'd been able to play another 40 years much like his contemporary Sonny Rollins has managed to do. His horn has been silent for many years now, but the music he left us with is thriving and continues to have a major impact on the world of jazz.

    By Joel Krett - Article Source: EzineArticles


Sunday, November 8, 2020

METALLICA - St. Anger

Metallica live at The O2 Arena, London, England
Metallica live at The O2 Arena, London, England (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. St. Anger 
2. Metallica Reloaded
3. The Early Early Early Days
4. Under The Influence
5. Monsters Of Rock
6. Nabbing Napster
7. Master Of Puppets
8. Ride The Lightning
9. Worn Justice
10. Headbangers' Ball

St. Anger
St. Anger (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. St. Anger 

The band that put the Metal in Heavy Metal returns with one of their heaviest albums yet. It is a return to the early days of Metallica, resembling their first album, Kill 'Em All. Unlike their albums of the past decade, there isn't a single mellow song on this new release. It is a simple flat out full throttle metal guitar with the hardest drumming Lars Ulrich has turned out in years. This album is all about, hard and fast, straight down-to-business heavy metal.

2. Metallica Reloaded 

A great addition to the album is the bonus DVD with over an hour of video footage of the band and their recording sessions. Every band should do this, then again not every band is as much fun to watch as Metallica. This album is one of the must-haves of this summer of rock.

3. The Early Early Early Days 

In a recent Rolling Stones interview, Metallica lead singer James Hetfield recounted some of his early days as a hard rock fan, "Probably the most memorable was the California World Music Festival. It was one of those two-day things. The first night was Ted Nugent and Van Halen -- no, Aerosmith. I must have been fifteen or sixteen. I remember following around my buddy, who was selling drugs. He tore up a part of his ticket -- it had a kind of rainbow edge -- and he cut it into bits and sold it as acid. I was like, "What are you doing, man?" He used the money to buy beer."

4. Under The Influence 

In the same interview, Hetfield cited one of his early influences, "I was a huge Aerosmith fan. I could not believe I was seeing them so close. I worked my way up there as far as I could. There was something magical about seeing them as actual live people, not just pictures on an album. The real coolness of Joe Perry, especially. It's impossible for him to be uncool. And I remember I was blown away by the fact that Steven was calling the crowd "*************." I was like, "Whoa -- are you supposed to do that?".

5. Monsters Of Rock 

The Jagermeister days. James Hetfield admits that the days during the Monsters of Rock tour were a big fog. Complete with a Jagermeister shellacking. He says it was okay to feel drunk and messed-up back in those days, but ultimately it just wasn't a great thing. Too many negative ramifications. There were a lot of dads and moms and husbands and boyfriends looking for him when the band came back to those towns. Not good.

6. Nabbing Napster 

Set your CD burners on stun. Metallica rocked the music world when they sued Napster, the company that provided the free-swapping file-sharing app that altered the course of music history. Fans were outraged and felt Metallica was bullying the free system. But, ultimately the industry sided with the band; after all, it was the band that was being hurt by their enthused fans. In the time it would have been the parasite that bled the tuneful turnip dry.

7. Master Of Puppets 

Oddly enough, however, many fans were quick to site that Metallica gained their foothold on heavy metal when the band provided a few tape-trading friends with a demo tape called, "No Life 'Til Leather." The seven-song album was dubbed and redubbed and dubbed some more until the tape had hopscotched across the globe from California to Germany. Within a few short months, the band had risen from obscurity with a legion of worldwide fans, all due to the free trade of their music.

8. Ride The Lightning 

Here's a fanlisting of Metallica's albums in the must-have order:

1. …And Justice For All
2. Master of Puppets
3. Ride the Lightning
4. Metallica (The Black Album)
5. Reload
6. Kill 'Em All
7. Load

Over time, no doubt their latest outing, St. Anger, will join these favorites.
 



9. Worn Justice 

For a recent Ramones tribute album, Metallica has joined the ranks of U2, Tom Waits, Garbage, Eddie Vedder, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billy Corgan, Offspring, Static-X, Rancid, Motorhead, Green Day, and Marilyn Manson. The whole project was helmed by shock-rocker, Rob Zombie. According to Zombie in an interview with Rolling Stone, "The whole thing started with Johnny Ramone. He really wanted people to do the tracks in their own way, not like they're trying to imitate the Ramones. Everyone who ever heard the Ramones started a band, and this record demonstrates that."

10. Headbangers' Ball 

Hetfield concludes, "We're looking forward to spreading this new lust for life we have. There's a new strength in Metallica that's never been there before. There are still fearful parts, too. But I'm pretty well set up. And I'm really proud of the new music. I think we did something where the pedal does not let up."




Sunday, November 1, 2020

Joseph HAYND's PIANO Sonatas

Portrait of Joseph Haydn - younger by Ludwig G...
Portrait of Joseph Haydn by Ludwig Guttenbrunn, ca. 1770.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Haydn's musical education began as being a choir boy at the St. Stephen Cathedral of Vienna. Still, the turning period inside his musical instruction has been the encounter with Porpora who tutored him in singing and musical composition.

In 1757, Haydn penned his first quartets, op.1 and op.2. Those early creations created his fame inside the Viennese nobility. His primary consistent work had been proposed by Count Morzin in 1758. In 1761 he was hired by the Esterhazy family as music director at the castles of Eisenstadt and also Eszterhaza, palaces branded as "little Versailles". Both having two theatres. He remained in that standing up to 1790. Haydn has written for the Esterhazy all his operas, lots of symphonies, and an important quantity of chamber music.

Joseph Haydn met with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the course of the winter months of 1781-1782. A significant companionship, full of shared appreciation will bind the two composers. In 1791, the year of the passing of Mozart, Haydn, free from his engagements at the Esterhazy court, travels to London. He possessed a triumphal welcome. He authored the initial series of his "London Symphonies" (n.93 to 98). An additional stay in London, 1794-1795, again having a large achievement saw the publication and performance of six new "London" symphonies (n.99 to 104).

Returning to Vienna in 1795, Haydn composes a series of six Masses, a wide variety of string quartets, and most importantly, his two big Oratorios: "The Creation" and "The Seasons". His very last public appearance took place in 1808 on a public performance of his "Creation", this is an apotheosis. He will pass away the subsequent year.

Franz Joseph Haydn possessed a long, productive professional career, he had been a commendable composer with complete of sense of humour. His numerous production has embraced almost all types and types. Aside from the excellent symphonic works and the two delightful Oratorios one should not ignore the magnificent chamber music works; 68 string quartets, a good number of trios and "Divertimento"s. He also composed a variety of religious creations including the gorgeous "Last seven terms of Christ at the Crucifixion", cantatas, lieds and operas.

The piano works by J. Haydn, that felt a little bit neglected for a time, is now regaining favour among primary pianists. Performers like Wilhelm Backhaus, Lili Kraus and Glenn Gould include mixed lots of sonatas and variations. Paul Badura-Skoda offers an "authentic" performance on a "pianoforte" of that epoch.

Inside the sizable productivity of Franz Joseph Haydn, compositions for the piano is solely overtaken in quantity by symphonies and string quartets. Compared with 106 symphonies and 68 quartets we have got "only" around sixty sonatas for the piano. The earliest ones are definitely meant for the "clavicembalo".

One needs to add into the list those pretty valuable works that are: the variations, a "Capriccio", a "Fantaisie" and particularly the 45 trios for piano, violin and violoncello upon which the piano has got the best part.

Guaranteed, Joseph Haydn did not formulate the sonata form nor the symphony. But his expansion and emancipation of those musical types provided the style for all future composers. The constitutional frameworks produced by Haydn are even now alive. For this brilliant composer, the musical form had been by no means a pre-set rigid mould.



The "Haydn-Sonata" has by no means been a quickly arranged invention. The composer continually stated his references towards the "real" father of the sonata-form: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Since the years 1760 the style of C. Ph. E. Bach, typical with its "Empfindsamkeit" (sensitivity) and rapidly changing moods did impress rather very much Haydn. Even so, the Austrian master did infuse in those surfacing musical forms and styles a coherence, a balance that had been missing inside his famous Nordic forerunner.

One additional powerful influence is Domenico Scarlatti, even though in no way referred to specifically by F.J. Haydn. This is often to some degree evident in the melodic melody lines, but Scarlatti did not adhere to the emancipation of the "sonata" musical form.

The "new" edition of Haydn's works, published in 1960 by Christa Landon, enumerates some 62 sonatas. Most of those can not be genuinely attributed to Franz Joseph Haydn. The definitive listing made by Anthony van Hoboken is created on the Breitkopf und Hartel publication and chronology. This Hoboken directory is counting 52 sonatas for the piano.



Sunday, October 25, 2020

ORGAN MUSIC: About Piece Heroique by CESAR FRANCK

Français : « Monument à César Franck » 1891, s...
« Monument à César Franck » 1891
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Cesar Franck (1822 - 1890) was the composer, organist, and pedagogue of Belgian and German descent who lived in France. He is considered one of the most influential figures of the late Romantic period in the second half of the 19th century. In 1858, he became the organist of the famous Basilica of Saint Clotilde where he worked until his death.

The first compositions of this composer were published only in 1868 when he was 46 years old. From 1872 until his death Franck was a professor of organ at the Paris Conservatoire. Among the most famous of his students are Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne and Henri Duparc.

As an organist, Franck was mostly appreciated because of his notorious improvisational talent. Although he wrote only 12 major organ works, Franck is considered by many as the most important organ composer after J.S.Bach. His compositions laid the foundation of the French symphonic organ style. Among his organ compositions, perhaps the most influential was Grande Piece Symphonique, which paved the way to the organ symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne, and Marcel Dupré.

Piece heroique, M. 37 was composed for the organ of the concert hall of Trocadero. For this reason, it is not a religious composition. It continues the tradition of Beethoven, Berlioz, and other Romantic composers. Two major thematically contrasting ideas dominate the piece: the first is written in minor (the heroic theme) and the other is in major (lyrical theme).

At the beginning of the work, these two themes are presented one after the other. In the middle of the piece, these two different ideas have a musical fight. Franck develops the themes and reveals their true melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic potential. At the last major episode, or Recapitulation, both themes are brought back, only this time the second theme becomes a triumphant and is performed with a Tutti registration.



Because of the clash of the two themes, this composition has many similarities with the Sonata form. However, in a classical sonata concept, at the exposition, the second theme is presented in a secondary key, usually in the Dominant (or in the relative major). It is important to point out that both themes here first appear in the Tonic key of B minor.

Nevertheless, Piece heroique fascinates listeners and organists because of its chromatic harmonic language, sudden modulations which explore the range of major-minor scale, and very balanced form.



Sunday, October 18, 2020

Beginner OBOE - Choosing an Instrument

An oboe
An oboe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For a beginner oboe player, the first step in the learning process is a rather obvious one, - to purchase an instrument to play on. There are a number of issues to consider in making the ideal choice. These could probably be divided into three main issues; - the type of instrument, the cost of the instrument and the make of instrument.

THE TYPE OF INSTRUMENT: There are two main fingering systems for the oboe. These are the "Thumb-Plate System" and the "Conservatoire System". Most of the fingerings are identical but there are just a few differences around the C & Bb fingerings in the middle of the instrument. I am not going to go into further detail over this here. Your best bet is to consult a player who will be able to demonstrate the two systems. In the UK the vast majority of players use the Thumb-plate system whereas on the Continent of Europe most use the Conservatoire. Each country tends to have its own 'school' of oboe playing which will focus on one or other of the systems. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter as both systems have their strengths and weaknesses. You will find that people who play on the Conservatoire system claim that it is the better one and those who play on the Thumb-plate make a similar claim. If you are having lessons with a teacher let he/she guide you.

Some of the popular professional oboes now have a combined system which incorporates both finger systems on the one instrument. If you are a beginner oboe player, you are highly unlikely to be playing on such an oboe.

There is also the issue of the instrument quality to take into consideration. Some of the pointers here will be covered by the sections below, but there are different levels of instrument, i.e. - student models, intermediate models and full professional models. The difference between the cheapest of these and the most expensive runs into thousands of pounds/dollars.

THE COST OF THE OBOE: This is a tricky one as the Oboe is significantly more expensive than either the flute or clarinet. Instruments in the UK range in price from around Pound 1000 for a good student instrument to about Pound 7000 for a professional instrument. Always go to a reputable oboe or woodwind specialist to purchase an instrument and not just go for the cheapest oboe you can find on eBay or you are likely to end up with an instrument of highly dubious quality. The oboe is demanding enough to play even when you have a good instrument. If your oboe is poorly made it will be a nightmare to play.

Many of the specialist retailers will have hire schemes of one kind or another which will allow you to try out an oboe for a trial period before making the final purchase. Until you start to play you can never be sure whether you will take to the instrument or not. There will also be financial arrangements to allow you to spread the cost. Schemes such as this will only usually be available through the 'good' specialist shops. These arrangements can be very helpful to a beginner oboe player.

THE MAKE OF INSTRUMENT:The makes of oboe you will find available will depend on where you are in the world. Here in the UK we have, Howarth of London, who manufacture a whole range of instruments from student to full professional. Their instruments are excellent. Other oboes readily available in the UK are Loree, Marigaux, Ward & Winterbourne, Buffet and Yamaha, all of which are quality instruments. If you live elsewhere investigate available instruments and check their relative merits.

A final word on the purchase of an oboe, if you don't know exactly what you need then ask someone who can give you informed and unbiased advice. For a beginner oboe player you simply must have a good instrument to start on or you will find the whole experience of learning very dispiriting.

    Robert Hinchliffe is a professional oboist, composer, teacher, conductor and music director. This article is based upon over 35 years of both playing and teaching the oboe. If you have found this article helpful and would like to know more, please visit http://www.oboeplaying.co.uk.
    Article Source: EzineArticles


Saturday, October 17, 2020

Composers Corner - A Brief Biography of Wolfgang A MOZART

Drawing of Mozart in silverpoint, made by Dora...
Drawing of Mozart in silverpoint
made by Dora Stock during
Mozart's visit to Dresden, April 1789
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart [1756 - 1791] began his amazing but tragically brief musical career as a child prodigy, making appearances as an accomplished violinist and keyboard player from the age of five. He was born in Salzburg in what is now the country of Austria, and lived most of his life in that land (then known as the Holy Roman Empire), although he travelled extensively throughout Europe -- in the company of his family as a child, and later on his own so as to supervise premieres of the various musical works he composed.

Despite Mozart's relatively short life -- the cause of his death at age 35 has been attributed to various ailments down through the years, although it was most likely a recurrence of rheumatic fever -- he was incredibly prolific as a composer. His material clearly exemplified what is known as the Classical style, the period of music that immediately followed the Baroque. In addition to 41 symphonies and close to a dozen masses and other large choral works (including his Requiem, which was left unfinished at his death), Mozart composed hundreds of chamber music pieces for various solo instruments and ensembles. Despite his success as a composer, however, he struggled financially throughout most of his life.

The era in which Mozart lived was a financially perilous one for writers of music. Without wealthy patrons to sponsor their works, most composers ended up working for the church in various roles. This might include organist, concertmaster, choir director, or some combination of the three. In his late teens, Mozart was assistant concertmaster for the archbishop of Salzburg but tired of the drudgery of composing only liturgical music while working with a group of equally low-paid musicians. Through the influence of his father, Leopold, a more prestigious post as Salzburg court organist was arranged; this helped raise his profile with the monarchy, which was where the real money resided.

Following Wolfgang's marriage to Constanze Weber in 1782 -- the couple relocated to Vienna soon after they were wed -- and thanks to the successes he enjoyed from having his music (especially operas) proliferate throughout Europe, five years later Emperor Joseph II named Mozart to succeed Christoph Willibald Gluck as the court's official chamber composer. Despite the relative financial stability, this position afforded him, Mozart's extravagant lifestyle outstripped his ability to pay for it. In a way, though, the world of music is the beneficiary of this indebtedness. Because of all the money he borrowed to pay for a fashionable Viennese apartment, private schooling for the two children (out of six) who survived infancy, the years 1787 through 1791 were his most prolific by far.

While his instrumental works remain the core of his legacy -- an expert once suggested that a Mozart composition is being performed somewhere in the world every second of every day -- it is his operas that seem to have enjoyed the greatest acclaim down through the years. Among his most famous pieces are works from his mature years, including Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute"), The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutte (roughly translated as "Women Are Like That"), the latter three collaborations with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. But some of his earlier operas continue to enjoy support on the world's stages, notably Abduction from the Seraglio [1782]. His final opera was La Clemenza di Tito, which premiered only three months before he died.

The video clip that accompanies this article is the final scene from "The Marriage of Figaro." The performers include Bryn Terfel [Figaro], Alison Hagley [Susanna], Rodney Gilfrey [Count Almaviva], and Hillevi Martinpelto [Countess Almaviva]. The conductor is John Eliot Gardiner.



Sunday, October 11, 2020

Classic ROCK PERFORMERS Who Have Had A Lasting Influence On Music

Classic rock is a fundamental part of American history. Many of today's leading bands can trace their styles back to the influence of certain musicians. While every song made available to the world has had an impact on the music industry, there are certain performers who will eternally stand at the forefront of music.

From folk-rock to psychedelic rock, there have been many groundbreaking sounds and voices. Here are the top ten most influential classic rock bands in history.

A cropped photograph depicts singer Elvis Pres...
Elvis Presley's bust.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Elvis Presley

While Elvis is not traditionally viewed in the classic rock genre, it is impossible to ignore his influence on the world of Rock-n-Roll. As the first to expose mainstream America to something other than traditional family music, he faced a tremendous amount of opposition from the mainstream.

Despite the extreme racism exhibited during the 1950's, Elvis never hesitated to give appropriate credit to his inspirations. Mainly African-American performers influenced Elvis' sound and style. Southern radio disc jockeys originally refused to play Elvis' singles, because they sounded "too Negro" for white stations to air.

It was not just Elvis' sound, but also his performance, that drew controversy. The movement of his hips in a suggestive manner sparked an entire decade of debate.

Despite the firestorm of criticism that surrounded Elvis' reign, his continuing popularity has ensured that Elvis' crown as the King of Rock and Roll would remain valid for decades, even decades after his death.

The Beatles

As the best-selling musical act of all-time, it is hard to deny the influence of the Beatles, not only on the musical culture of America but also on every aspect of human life. The Beatles included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star, and George Harrison.

Their innovative style defined the music of the 1960s -- twice. They began their career in England, and when they came to America, they were already a huge success in the United States. In their early years, they had defined pop music for a new generation.

As the hippy days of the late 1960s began to take hold of America's young people, the Beatles redefined their music again, with another new style of music lauded by the masses. Their very loud stance on drug use and war made them a controversial group, but their popularity never wavered. Although the Beatles retained the loyalty and admiration of their late 1960's audiences until the group broke up, the touring days of the Beatles ended in 1966 when John Lennon proclaimed, "The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ."

Bob Dylan

Dylan has one of the most easily recognizable voices in the world. Raspy and full of passion, Bob Dylan's sound is distinctive. His songs are amazing and defined a generation obsessed with the themes of social unrest, an anti-war stance, and encouragement for the civil rights movement.

A traditional folk singer, Dylan's works transcended all genres and appealed to countless young Americans. His sincere lyrics spoke to many and made it possible to empathize with his many causes.

English: Jimi Hendrix performs for Dutch telev...
Jimi Hendrix performs for the Dutch television show
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jimi Hendrix

As the undisputed master of the electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock foundation. The self-taught guitar player refused to be limited by many of the conventional views of guitar players.

Prior to Jimi Hendrix's development as a guitar player, the electric guitar was considered to merely be a louder version of the acoustic guitar. Hendrix embraced the uniqueness of the electric guitar and showed his appreciation for it to the rest of the world.

Pink Floyd

Easily considered the greatest band of all time, Pink Floyd's unique style and showmanship defined psychedelic rock. Their concept albums were thematic masterpieces that appealed to countless audiences. The Dark Side Of The Moon, Animals, and The Wall each still stand out today as great Rock masterpieces.

The Who

Also known for their thematic records, The Who pioneered the idea of rock opera. Most famous for their collaborative efforts with every major musical figure of their time, Tommy The Rock Opera ensured the longevity of the band into the future.

Their success and fame were not limited to their unique approach to concept albums. Their musical skills are still highly regarded in both mainstream circles and in the entertainment industry. Their music is currently being used as the theme song for at least three of the most popular show on TV on the air today.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have easily maintained their position as one of the longest-lasting bands in recording history. Like most popular rock bands of the age, they were an England-based band that was more than happy to take on America.

Their grungy unkempt image became so popular; many artists are still attempting to master it. Their unique sound and high-quality lyrics have kept them at the top of the charts for almost 40 years.

Cream

Cream, featuring guitarist Eric Clapton, was one of the most technically advanced music groups of their time. Their instrumental techniques became legendary and paved the way for other bands to focus on developing their instrument techniques, in addition to their lyrics.

The Doors

The Doors have always been one of the most controversial bands that had ever existed. Jim Morrison's wild behavior sets the tone for the countless musical bad boys that would follow in his footsteps.

The poetic lyrics of The Doors, as well as their outrageous behavior, made them a crowd favorite.

Led Zeppelin

The road to heavy metal was paved by Led Zeppelin. Their first album was pivotal in its inclusion of distorted amplification techniques. Over the years, their experimentation included mixing acoustic and electric sounds, with the addition of synthesized melodies. The success of Led Zeppelin helped establish a strong base for the development of metal music.



Few people of their generation or the current generation realize that like Elvis, Led Zeppelin took most of their inspiration from African-American performers. As a lifelong fan of Led Zeppelin, it is was oddly fascinating to listen to some of the not-so-famous African-American rhythm-and-blues performers of the 1930s, and to be able to hear the Led Zeppelin songs we have loved for years in a whole new way.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, these ten bands had a significant impact on the evolution of Rock-n-Roll music through the generations, but it is more difficult to put them into an ordered list of important groups. Let's just agree that most of us love all ten bands on this list.




Sunday, September 13, 2020

Mastering VIRTUAL DRUMS for the Live Beat Maker - BEATH THANG


Every music creator, regardless of his or her type or size, feels the urge to impress a screaming audience and become not only a music creator but a creator of amazing concerts as well. A showman or show woman, if you will. But if you’re more of a beatmaker than a music creator per se, chances are that you write music on software instruments like virtual drums.

The problem with writing music on virtual drums is that it doesn’t translate into live performance the same way more traditional music creators can warp their craft for such. So what is a beatmaker, a different animal than a pure music creator, to do?

Become a beatmaker on virtual drums that make the live performance as easy as possible, of course! Most virtual drum sequencers used by beatmakers require the navigation of a laptop while on stage, or the mental ability to use piano keys as drum pads.

Virtual drum studios like Beat Thang (this tool does a whole lot more than just drums, but more on that later) has a user interface with pads that can be converted for any noise and will make more visual sense to beatmakers using it for virtual drums than the interfaces mentioned above.

To get a little more specific, let’s take a look at exactly the things Beat Thang allows music creators to do on stage, virtual drums, or not. Aside from the familiarity of the above-mentioned keypad, Beat Thang most impressively offers real-time looping with virtually no load time. This means that beat makers and other music creators can make loops on the fly during a live set.

There will be no load time delay, which is especially important if you’re looping virtual drums. As any beatmaker knows, even the slightest mishap in a drum loop and the whole thing sounds off.

Beat Thang’s features were designed by professional musicians for all levels of musician, so it’s no surprise that they came up with this next feature for beatmakers: the ability to design your own effects (reverb, delay, chop & screw parameters, etc.) and program them in pre-sets to use when performing live.




Any music creator or beatmaker knows how great it can be to have a sound you designed in your back pocket to use when just the time is right during your set. If you tweaked every individual virtual drum kit sound, you could potentially create a set the likes of which have never been heard before, except only in your head!

Beat Thang also has patents pending for side-mounted pitch shift and modulation wheels, another feature music creators and beatmakers could use for every sound on Beat Thang. Even an instrument like virtual drums that are atonal would sound more interesting with the occasional pitch shift.




Sunday, September 6, 2020

FRIEDRICH HANDELS Oratorio "Israel in Egypt"

Portrait of Georg Friedrich Händel Deutsch: Ge...
Georg Friedrich Händel (1733)
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
"Israel in Egypt" stands out among the oratorios composed by Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759) with its rich use of the choir and extraordinary scope of tone painting.

Most oratorios by Handel differ from those of his predecessors and contemporaries in the musically and dramatically importance given to the choir, but with "Israel" this has reached an even higher level.

No doubt, this oratorio contains many excellent solo songs, but the overall impression of the composition is determined by the impressive choral scenes.

As these already are examples for the highest artistic creativity, the admiration still increases if you know the original material used by Handel for his composition and note the superior finesse with which he introduced parts that create dramatic tension.

Also, the strong, graphic character of Handel's work, his love for nature, the most important source of his inspiration, are nowhere more strongly expressed than in "Israel in Egypt". Using an elated tone painting, in particular, the representation of the Egyptian plagues offers an excellent motive for a naturalistic but never trivial representation.

"Israel in Egypt" is close to the very successful "Messiah", with the similar use of the figure of a narrator who links the historical images with short recitals, likewise the fact that the whole text is taken directly from the Bible.

Georg Friedrich Handel started composing "Israel in Egypt" on October 1st, 1738 and completed it on November 1st of the same year.




The first performance on April 4th, 1739, was unkindly received, as a large amount of parts for the choir, which were utilized to express the ideas and actions of the composition, was not understood. Händel, if the reports of different contemporaries can be believed, was deeply struck for the first time in his life and tried to meet the taste of the time by interposing solo songs and organ music in a new version.

Only in the 19-th century, the commitment of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) could lend certain popularity to Handel's oratorio.



Sunday, August 30, 2020

MODERN JAZZ and its Restless Identity

Deutsch: Miles Davis 1984 in Bad Segeberg
Miles Davis 1984 in Bad Segeberg
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
It is an illusion brought about by the record store racks that discrete stylistic barriers separate the music we love into camps of the genre. Every music is a bastard at heart. While the contemporary apparatus for the consumption of music reinforces the notion of the genre (notable exception: the internet), with Top 40 radio stations, hip-hop magazines, and the segmented organization of the Grammys, listeners realize deep down that all this division is a lot of baloney. Music is music.

Yet, despite the intuitive understanding that the theory of genre doesn't stand up under scrutiny, it remains a powerful principle in our culture (or more accurately, our culture industry). Not only do genres define the radio station to which you tune in and instruct you what clubs to avoid on a Friday night, the genre is deeply interwoven with people's identities. High schools are the perfect laboratory for music-based social identity. The goths all seance together to the accompaniment of Manson and Ministry; Preppy kids rock the Dave Matthews while driving around in their parents' Hummers; skaters thrash to punk rock; and the weirdos gather around old jazz records, analyzing the theoretical arcana of the style and deciphering the liner notes as if they are gnomic texts. In short, the idea of genre, as much as we like to hate it, is a potent social and musical force in our culture.

But just as every individual understands that genre is a fluid concept, musicians are even more acutely aware of this fact. With very few exceptions globally, there isn't music out there that hasn't stolen ideas from other musical cultures around it. Purity simply doesn't exist, since every style is the result of a long and often contentious dialog between people, places, times, and cultures. Every genre, therefore, is the document of some deep dialectic process that continues to morph even as you look at it; every music is a Proteus of possibilities.

This is all a long-winded way of winding up to the topic at hand, the state of modern jazz. Like everything else, jazz came about through a very American sort of mixture: Delta blues met with Sousa marching bands; Debussy encountered Negro spirituals; hymn tunes and Creole culture collided. Perhaps it is no surprise then that a slew of modern jazz musicians is turning to another genre, rock, to find inspiration. Jazz, since its humble inception and by its very nature, borrows.

This is not the first time jazz has succumbed to the Siren's lure of electric guitar feedback and throbbing backbeats. Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, and a huge cast of early 1970s musicians incorporated these new sounds into their music, and the purists, predictably enough, wailed that "jazz is dead." Those guys were grabbing new sounds that they heard around them in an attempt to inject a little body and soul into a music that had gone a bit limp creatively at the time. The rock music entering jazz today, though, is of a different origin. To young jazzers today, the distorted guitar is not a fresh new sound at all - it is the sound they grew up listening to. I don't know a soul who spent their formative years of 13 to 18 listening to Miles and Shorter to the exclusion of Mudhoney and Soundgarden. To young Americans, rock (and hip-hop) is in our blood, and jazz is a transfusion we got later in life.

Deutsch: Brad Mehldau selbst fotografiert am 2...
Brad Mehldau  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Another point to mention: just as the erudite narrator in Kazantzakis's masterpiece envies Zorba's earthy, intuitive ways, so do the scholarly pursuits look upon the non-scholarly as a sort of pre-lapsarian Utopia of unmediated reality. The narrator questions his library of books just as a jazzer questions his arsenal of dense music theory. What is it about the intellectual character that looks longingly at the illiterate? I have a hunch that the ideal notion of purity has something to do with it, but more on this idea in another post perhaps; for now, let's return to the topic.

The generational shift and its mark on jazz aesthetics are becoming plain as day. Three recent records exemplify this shifting, more rocking self-identification. I don't want to labor them too extensively, so here's a brief description of a few rocking jazz picks from the last couple years:

The Bad Plus, Prog (2006)
This is piano trio music that strives for the sound of a power trio. I admit that I was a little skeptical when I heard that a "jazz" group covered "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but the Bad Plus's approach to hallowed standards of the rock world, from Queen to Black Sabbath to Bjork, is incredibly fresh. The pianist Ethan Iverson is classically trained and didn't start playing jazz until comparatively recently, and it shows (for the better): rather than playing all the standard jazz piano vocabulary, Iverson takes a neotonal, melodic approach to improvisation. It's as if Rachmaninoff sat down with a rhythm section. Stand-out songs on this most-recent collection include a crashing take on Rush's anthemic "Tom Sawyer," complete with Neil Peart's machine gun drum solo replicated in perfect detail. The original tune "Physical Cities" features a two minute long stop-and-go rhythmic interlude with completely irregular hits. It is probably the most baroque, complex passage I've heard on a jazz record in years.

Brad Mehldau Trio, Day is Done (2005)
Another piano trio album by the indefatigable Brad Mehldau, Day is Done is much more of a traditional jazz album than Prog; heads lead to solos and all the formal architecture of the style is there. However, the material is all over the map, from the Beatles to Nick Drake and Radiohead. The opening cut says it all: with a rattling menace in the drums and thick, gloopy double-stops on the bass, Radiohead's "Knives Out" signifies from the get-go that this isn't cocktail jazz. Mehldau has cultivated a uniquely idiosyncratic voice on the piano and has mastered the technique of playing counterpoint to himself. On Day is Done, one hand is playing jazz while the other is pounding power chords and flipping off the establishment. It's a tour de force of the nascent jazz aesthetic, at once fiercely urgent and sublimely graceful.

Ben Allison, Little Things Run the World (2008)
One of the young leaders of the downtown NY scene, bassist and composer Ben Allison has never been a slave to the genre. His previous albums blend psychedelia, avant-garde, and even Malian griot to create a totally idiosyncratic sound. On his most recent record from two weeks ago (with the band "Man-Sized Safe," named after Dick Cheney's sinister office safe that can fit a man in it), Allison dives into more rocking territory with a 4-piece ensemble complete with an overdriven electric guitar. The grooves are austere and stripped to the bare essentials of pulse, and the melodies are broach and spacious. It's a beautiful record, complete with Allison's signature Avant-jazz weirdness but toned down and kept simple.



These are just a few records that spring to mind that define this newly developing identity of jazz (and of jazz musicians). The Ben Darwish Trio similarly occupies the space between rock and jazz, free-style improv and tight song forms, hip-hop groove, and esoteric textures. From the perspective of a musician who has been playing and listening to the new jazz for years now, therefore, I can say that this sort of thing comes much more naturally than "Autumn Leaves" and "Solar." Rock is what young Americans grew up listening to, and the fact that jazz has been borrowing from it so heavily lately is a testament to the resilience and relevance of the style in 2008. 

For a great counter-example, see Sascha Frere-Jones's recent piece in the New Yorker, "A Paler Shade of White." Frere-Jones contends that contemporary indie rock ignores what earlier rock valued so much: musical miscegenation. Not borrowing from black music has created a sterile, rhythmically bland, "white" genre that appeals to - surprise! - white youth. It's a fascinating warning of what can become of music if it gets too pure. Of course, great jazz artists have always known this.



Sunday, August 23, 2020

Playing BASS GUITAR Solos

A Rickenbacker 4001 bass.
A Rickenbacker 4001 bass.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
In 1965 British rock group, The Who released a song called My Generation. Apart from its claim to fame as a rock anthem it also contains the most instantly recognizable bass guitar solo in rock and roll. This iconic solo by John Entwistle is typical of the bass solo modeled on similar solo breaks played on double bass and bass guitar in jazz music. This type of bass guitar solo is in the form of a question and answer sequence often found in blues music. The Who's solo also imitates jazz bass solos in that it is played without other instruments behind it. In jazz, such solos are played unaccompanied because other instruments tend to drown out the bass.

There have been many bass solos included in rock, funk, and jazz but only in pop music has the bass guitar solo stood alone as a piece of music. The first pop musician in England to own and play an electric bass guitar was Jet Harris. He found fame and fortune with The Shadows, Cliff Richard's backing group who were trying to make their own way in pop music as a vocal and instrumental group. Harris played on the band's early instrumental hits featuring the lead guitar of Hank Marvin but decided to try to make it as a soloist like America's Duane Eddy. 

Jet Harris' first big hit as a solo guitarist was in 1962 with his rendition of the 1940 song Besame Mucho. The throbbing notes of the six-string bass turned a poignant love song into an instrumental work full of menace. Probably inspired by their former band member's success, The Shadows released another six-string bass solo called Stingray as a single in 1965.

Meanwhile in America in 1963 a young composer and arranger named Jack Nitzsche made a lush orchestral single called The Lonely Surfer. The orchestra was merely the backdrop for a simple melody played on the bass guitar. The Lonely Surfer never climbed higher than number thirty-nine on the charts, but that is pretty good for a bass guitar solo! 

These days the bass guitar is an important part of any band. It was actually born in the nineteen-thirties but met with very little success until it was adopted by the early rock and roll groups of the nineteen fifties. The bass guitar is of course descended from the double bass which has always been a solo instrument in orchestral music and was often used for solo work in jazz.

If you want to play bass guitar, you might want to consider learning to play a regular guitar first. It is not absolutely necessary to become a lead or rhythm guitarist before playing bass but it seems to be the way that bass guitar players come into the world. To begin your career as a bass guitarist you can try playing through the bass tabs available on the internet. There are also some lessons available for free plus you can view heaps of bass solos and bass guitar lessons on the various video sites.



Once you have some practice on the bass guitar under your belt there is a blinding variety of bass guitar techniques to try before you begin seriously to play solos. You can employ a wide range of plectrums or choose from the many techniques which involve plucking, popping and slapping the bass with the fingers. To some people, this might sound like hard work but hopefully, you will regard it as a labor of love.



Sunday, August 16, 2020

MUSICAL ACTIVITIES for Guaranteed Fun


Music has the power to calm, soothe, energize, and make everyone have fun! Try these ideas at your child's next playdate or sleepover for a guaranteed good time. 

1. Jamming Art: Turn on some music-upbeat or mellow-you decide. Without looking directly at the paper, draw pictures and designs to the beat of the music. Make several drawings from different types of music.
2. Animal Walk Parade: Play your favorite tunes on the radio and dance and walk the way your favorite animal would. Remember, the more friends you invite to play, the more fun your parade will be!
3. Music Maker Box: Fill a small trunk, box, or dresser drawer with musical instruments for when inspiration strikes. Purchase inexpensive instruments at garage sales, or make your own including tambourines, strands of jingle bells, and film canister maracas.
4. Dance Party: Invite your friends over for a dance party! Ask each guest to bring along a cassette tape or CD with his or her favorite music. Play a song or two from each CD and dance the night away. For super cool invitations, use a permanent marker to write the details of the party on those free Internet CDs that come in the mail.



Sunday, August 9, 2020

GUITAR Greats

Jimi Hendrix NEW
Jimi Hendrix  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
No two guitar aficionados will be able to agree on the list of guitar greats, but like so many lists, it can be fun to try to make. What each considers greatness will vary too - is it technical ability or some hard-to-define quality like 'soul'?

The blues guitarist Robert Johnson features on many lists. He has the added attraction of a shadowy legend all his own. The story goes that he was a pretty average, even bad guitarist, but in just one year he became phenomenal... Where had this new talent come from? Nobody wanted to believe it was just practice and hard work, so the tale started that Johnson had made a pact with the Devil. 

The deal had been done, so the story goes, at a crossroads somewhere in the Deep South. Johnson himself immortalized the meetings, probably ironically, in songs like Crossroad Blues and Me And The Devil Blues. These were some of the few tracks he was able to record before his death in 1938 at the tender age of 27. To this day no one knows if he was stabbed or poisoned or if the devil himself came to claim what he was owed. 

Tragically young death isn't essential to become a guitar great, but another man who makes most lists also died aged only 28. Jimi Hendrix took guitar playing to an entirely new level of showmanship. But sometimes people remember the antics - playing solos behind his back or with his teeth, setting his guitar on fire (an idea which owes a lot to Jerry Lee Lewis) - and forget how fantastic he was as a musician. 

Hendrix was an all-round musician, equally adept at blues, rock, and jazz. Believe it or not, he only had a bassist and drummer in his live concerts. He was a great exponent of playing guitar and very innovative as well. Being left-handed, he restrung his guitar upside down. 

All legends have lots of controversies associated with them and Hendrix was no exception. He has been blamed for covering other band's songs in concert and on record. Once he did the Beatles 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club It is believed that he could play a song after listening to it for just once. He is also a credit to have pleased the stubborn Miles Davis with his music. 

Guitar players rule the roost in many forms of music. People do not view them only as rock or bluesman. That is why Django Rheinhardt, John Williams, and Paco de Lucia are considered universally great. No doubt complete agreement on guitar legends cannot be achieved.