This week I’ve begun classes towards a master’s degree in NYU’s Music Technology program. I’m going to be pretty overwhelmed with that for a couple of weeks, but then I expect I’ll be throwing a lot of course-related writing up soon. In the meantime, here’s a photo of Morton Subotnick’s Buchla synth. Can’t wait to try it out for myself.
Thelonious Monk’s beautiful ballad “Round Midnight” is said to be the most widely recorded and performed jazz tune — that is, a tune that was written specifically for jazz, not an adaptation of a showtune or pop song. It’s a testament to its popularity that it’s one of exactly two songs that Dave Chappelle knows how to play on the piano. There are a couple of scenes in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party that show him noodling around it. He talks in this clip about what Monk’s music means to him as a comedian — it’s all about timing.
Carmen McRae was a good friend of Monk’s, and for my tastes, she sings this song better than anyone. Her tart, unsentimental intellect matches Monk’s own approach to music perfectly. Here she is performing “Round Midnight” in 1962.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_R9AGDvXe4
Rather than attempting the impossible task of explaining how everything in jazz works, I’m going to pick a specific tune and talk you through it: “Someday My Prince Will Come” by Miles Davis, off the 1961 album by the same name.
First, here’s the original version of the tune from Snow White.
Once you’ve got the melody in your head, listen to the Miles Davis recording.
Here are some recommended people to follow on Twitter. Most of them have blogs of various kinds which you can access via their Twitter profiles.
For hip-hop, sampling and everything related:
For technology:
For the highbrow and avant-garde:
Just generally:
Happy reading.
Auto-tune was already a well-established studio tool by the time “Believe” came out, though it was unknown outside the music industry.
Continue reading “How did Cher’s “Believe” come to be the first pop song to use Auto-Tune?”
Draw a lot.
Don’t be precious about materials. Don’t use fancy art board or moleskines. Get a big newsprint pad or a stack of cheap legal pads from Staples. You want to draw as much and as quickly as possible, without being worried about wasting expensive paper.
Draw fearlessly.
Use a pen or Sharpie. No erasers, no correcting fluid. Fill the page completely as fast as you can. Use loose scribbles and gestures. Don’t sweat details. Use The Force — let go your feelings, young Skywalker. Get it right the first time or start over. Try to push each drawing to completion, but if you’re really not happy with where it’s going, toss it in the recycling and move on. Also try drawing without looking at the page. Get ready to be pleasantly surprised by the result.
Several US presidents and other prominent politicians have also been musicians. Here are some highlights.
Harry Truman played classical piano. Continue reading “Musical politicians”
Improvisation
Charlie Christian – “Waiting For Benny”
[iframe_loader width=”480″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/PHnBiT1Jp_4″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen]
I have a bunch of teenaged cousins, and they do the majority of their music listening on YouTube. They even DJ parties with it using playlists. Anytime they have a choice, they’ll always prefer music with some kind of video accompanying it, even if it’s just a still of the album cover.
Continue reading “Why do people watch music videos, especially tweens and teenagers?”
