Music

Organic Music

The word “organic” is used quite a bit these days. We hear it in business as organic growth and now we hear it with regard to music recording and podcasting. The term “organic” has come to refer to something that is natural, authentic, and has core value. For example, the organic growth in business refers to true expansion in the central core of the company not inflated increases from outside venues or other sources.

According to the online urban dictionary, organic music is music that has a core sound and tone that is natural by use of acoustic instruments and vocals. This definition went on to elaborate about organic music resonating positive vibes or something to that effect. As musicians, the music industry cautions us to be “more organic.” However, in this digital age, recording music in a home studio on a PC via Audacity or Adobe Audition by its very definition is digital.

The sound is stored in a system of ones and zeros. Musicians can record short segments and easily repeat these sections by copying and pasting multiple times. Drums can be manufactured on keyboards or can be made completely inside a computer by using software. Most indie musicians use electronic keyboards, drum machines, and software for instrumentation when recording. These resonating vibrations though, are merely recreations from a computer.

Indie musicians are branching out into selling their music to film and television (i.e. sync licensing or synchronization). This leads to wondering how modern indie recording musicians can obtain an organic music texture?

TROUBLE WITH QUANTIZATION

Quantizing is a digital software adjustment that can move beats to equal other beats. So if a beat is slightly off, it can be snapped perfectly into place. The same can be used for vocals that are slightly flat or sharp by adjusting the pitch. Anyone doing their own recording and mixing has their own techniques for editing and layering tracks. However, something that I noticed early on with quantizing beats in my instruments was when listening back, some instrumental sounds were canceled out. The aural threshold of human hearing is limited, so by aligning every single instrument to an exact beat meant that the listener wasn’t hearing everything that was intended. This aural phenomenon means that only a few sounds can exist in the same space at the same time. I also noticed that if two instruments had similar timbres or tones, one of them might be canceled out aurally.

Maybe this organic music direction has a slightly different meaning? Maybe it means less perfect?

ORGANIC SYMPHONIC

Let’s compare this to a symphony orchestra or choir where you have multiple musicians playing together at the same time. The orchestra has a thick acoustic sound which fulfills the definition organic music. If all the musicians are playing at the same time how can we hear the various instruments? There are a few factors that make this possible. The musicians are playing at the same time, but no two people can place precisely note for note at the exact time like a computer can. This fraction of a millisecond difference when each musician puts their bow to the string can be multiplied by all the musicians playing. This produces a thickness to the sound texture of orchestras and choirs.

Another reason for being able to hear the various instruments is due to the timbre of the individual instruments or choir voices. No two violins or voices have the exact same tone or vibrato. This variance allows human hearing to differentiate between sounds.

An additional reason for variance is the use of multiple ranges of notes. Orchestras have first and second violins, violas, cellos, and multitude of other instruments playing different notes in different octaves.

The last reason is where the musicians reside in the linear plane of hearing. For example, violins are heard more to the left, cellos basses are heard more to the right, and woodwinds are more central. This is a result of where they are seated in the orchestra during a performance and where a listener would commonly hear them from the audience.

APPLYING THIS

Knowing this information can be vital in providing a more organic sound to recordings.

Instrumentation- If you are using more than one type of the same instruments like guitars from a keyboard or digital strings, try using completely two different textures. You can even adjust one to be more treble sounding than the other. If you are adding a digital woodwind or flute of some type, add in the vibrato. If you are using multiple instruments, use different octave ranges and divergent notes within the chord structure of the song.

Panning - Use the pan feature and place instruments left center, another center, another right center, etc. This allows the listener to hear the individual instruments. If you are a band but want to achieve a chamber orchestra sound, place the orchestra how you would hear them live– violins on the left, viola left center, cello/bass more to the right. Place these instruments more to the back by using reverb while placing your guitar, bass, and vocals more up front.

Quantizing - By all means, quantize your rhythm and drums and a few of the instruments. In other cases, play the instruments all the way through the song and allow for that millisecond variance, as if multiple musicians were playing at the same time.

Timbres - Add a real voice, real percussion, or real other instrument along with your recording. If you are using the digital ah’s in a song from a keyboard, get a real person to sing along with them. Adding in live actual sounds goes along way to making the recording more organic.

All the Way Through - I will use quantization to make drum tracks or basic percussion tracks and bass tracks. The rest I play live, all the way through. It is a challenge to do this and requires practice. The end result is that you can achieve a sound of multiple musicians even if you are recording by yourself.

“Music is a form of emotional communication, and when an instrument is played by a skilled performer, it can conduct that emotion from composer, through performer to listener. But when machines are allowed to have too much influence, then that emotional connection is broken. Yes, the notes, rhythms and timbres remain, but the subtleties that make music truly involving are lost. Non-organic music does often start with good DNA (to continue the analogy), but then it goes through the machine process and is liberally treated with pesticides (quantization) before being packaged and sold to the public.” Reference – Audio Masterclass

Zombies have invaded PopCap Games, and they’ve even made a music video! Visit www.plantsvszombies.com for more details on the game! Song Lyrics: (chorus) There’s a zombie on your lawn There’s a zombie on your lawn There’s a zombie on your lawn We don’t want zombies on the lawn I know your type: tall, dark, and dead You want to bite all the petals off of my head And then eat the brains of the one who planted me here I’m just a sunflower but see me power an entire infantry You like the taste of brains we don’t like zombies I used to play football Road cones protect my head I have a screen-door shield We are the undead (repeat chorus) Maybe it’s time to reevaluate I know you have a lot of food on your plate Brains are quite rich in cholesterol You’re dead so it doesn’t matter, Instead we’ll use this solar power to make a lawn defense at any hour I like the tricycle There’s butter on my head I’m gonna eat your brains (repeat chorus) written & performed by: Laura Shigihara www.mybluedream.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

If I Die Young

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The Lead of Music Teaching Resources Today

Have you experienced holding a guitar or any musical instruments? Do you know something about it aside from its being a musical instrument? Do you know how to play it? Or have you asked a friend to tutor you and yet you see yourself so upset because you can’t still figure out how it goes?

For those who have just acquired the interest in music as well as for those who have been music enthusiasts for quite a long time, you should not worry anymore! There are abundant resources available in the present that can be used to learn music easily.

Afar from the traditional way of teaching music which is purely theoretical, it evolves from a complex approach to a more practical type. Such happens with the help of the advanced technology.

Consequently, there are new trends of teaching and learning music as well as those musical instruments. One is by utilizing advanced music teaching gadgets, which are considered as some of the most useful music teaching resources nowadays.

For an instance, there is this digital piano that lights its teeth up while playing a recorded music piece. The user will just have to press the keys that light and in an instant – he can now play a music piece with his high-tech keyboard. It is no wonder how these gadgets brought an enormous impact to the music industry!

It is also true that the Internet can also be one of the helpful music teaching resources at the present. One can simply know more about the latest gadgets, updated inputs and much innovation by just browsing the net with some few clicks. That surely makes such easy access to music teaching resources. Now, isn’t it really amazing?

The web or the Internet is highly regarded as an effective medium to provide a wide scope of information in almost any subjects. It is renowned globally for it caters to the need of everyone especially in terms of communication and research. Undoubtedly, it is another functional music teaching resource; certainly, something that music educators can exploit with when it comes to obtaining music teaching strategies.

Most music teaching resources in the recent past such as books and fellow music teachers seem to be just references while these new advanced ones are combined ‘references’ with great  ‘advantages’ and accessibility.

With this channel, burden in teaching is almost eliminated or lessened by web and online venture on the part of music educators. As a result, they can easily download activities, quizzes, and games to be used as their teaching instruments and techniques – unlike before when they needed to improvise on their own.

On the other light, students can learn music and other related matters on their own. They can surely enjoy music more while learning it with interactive activities online. As they put in their full attention into it and be able to give in time and effort, these kinds of innovative activities truly promote both rational and creative thinking.

The new technology of music – teaching and learning – is definitely more effective than those conventional ones.

For the most credible and helpful music teaching resources, log on to Music Teachers blog.

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

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In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explores the connection between music—its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it—and the human brain. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, Levitin reveals:
• How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the world<

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Music notation and terminology Reviews

Music notation and terminology

This book is a replica, produced from digital images of the original. It was scanned at the University of Toronto Libraries and may contain defects, missing pages or blemishes due to the original source content. The UT libraries have worked with various digital partners to provide the best possible customer experience and hope you enjoy the results.

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21

21 is the eagerly awaited sophomore album from British singer-songwriter Adele. It’s the follow up to Adele’s critically acclaimed, Grammy award winning debut album 19 (both named after her age at the time the songs were written). Recorded in Malibu and London, 21 offered Adele the opportunity to work with such luminary producers and songwriters as Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Dan Wilson and Fraser T. Smith, as well as continuing to work with Francis “Eg” White and Jim Abbiss

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Being a better music teacher…

Article by Gregg Zubowicz, Old Bridge Music Center

Being in the private music education business for over 27 years, we have worked hard to be the best and stay on top of the changes in the music industry, while at the same time staying true to what we believe are the essentials for any successful music school, (or business), which are a genuine love and passion for the service you are providing, a desire to make sure that the customer is completely satisfied on all levels, and a desire to constantly improve the quality of service being offered.

Although it is important to have the necessary skills to teach music privately, there are a number of other qualities that are of equal importance. Let’s take a look at some of the things that we look for in the instructors that work for our school that will help you with your own lessons to be a better instructor:

1) Have a Genuine love for teaching.

* If the first question someone asks during the interview is “How much is the pay”, we know that they are not the type of person that would fit with our “team”, as they are most interested in the money, not the students. Great teachers are constantly thinking of ways to improve their method of instruction, and do whatever they can to inspire the students they teach. Great teachers think of their vocation as being a true privilege to help others learn the art of music, not a way to “make a living”.

2) Have a wide range of interests and styles.

* Many times we have accomplished “serious” musicians mention during the interview process that they “don’t teach students that pop junk that is on the radio”, and we know that they wouldn’t be a good fit for our school, as many of our younger students listen to popular songs on the radio, or on their cd’s or mp3 players, and they want to learn the music that they like. A student will sense when an instructor is “into” what they are teaching the student, and it will inspire them. Remember that the same d minor scale that is in a pop song from a teen idol is also in a Bach “Minuet”. Keep an open mind, and take a genuine interest in the styles of music your students want to learn.

3) Go above an beyond.

*Student’s pick up on instructors who do “extra” things to add to the lessons. For example, whenever a student at our school is learning a song, or a piece of music from a particular artist, we give them different materials relating to that artist to take home and study, whether a cd, dvd, book or other item. Other times it may be giving a student extra time, or taking the time to go see a student perform at a local venue, or other event. Bring in a cd for your student to take home and check out, or perhaps a magazine with interviews or other interesting things that will expand the students knowledge and understanding of what they are learning.

4) Further develop your own skills.

*A student can only be taught what the instructor knows. We feel that any instructor who is being paid at our school should be able to answer any question relating to music. Be an expert in your field, and devote time each day to learn something new to expand your musical knowledge. Take lessons yourself, and find a good mentor who can point out some things for you to work on to improve your skill sets, which you can then pass on to your students.

Perhaps you need to work on your sightreading skills, or maybe build up your ear training skills so that you can figure out any song “by ear”. Stay motivated to improve, and you will have more to teach your students over time.

5) Be punctual and reliable.

*One of the simplest things that you can do to bring a positive connection to your lessons and business is to do the simple things like consistently be on time every lesson, and in general be someone whose word is “gold”, someone that can always be counted on to do what they say. Be prepared for each lesson, be on time, never cancel unless an absolute emergency, and your students will love that they count on you to be professional and reliable.

6) Be grateful…

* As we had mentioned earlier, being able to teach and help people enjoy the art of music is truly a privilege, and something to be grateful to have the opportunity to do. Whenever we are grateful for something we treat it differently. During those tough lesson days or difficult students, remind yourself of those less fortunate who are working exceptionally hard jobs for half the wage, who would give anything to have the opportunity to play an instrument and get paid to do so. Humility makes you shine.

7) Care…

* When you care, everything else falls into place. Caring makes you get to your lessons early so no one has to wait for you, makes you be prepared ahead of time by having assignments ready to go, makes you stay later for no extra charge,makes you take an interest in your students lives and musical interests, makes you do whatever you can to enrich the lives of those around you, and hopefully make the world a little brighter place than the day before.

Enjoy the gift of teaching music, and we hope that this helps you in your quest to be a better music instructor. Have fun with the music!

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Does Music Help Children?

Why is Music Important for Kids?

This question has been debated for as long as time has existed. Even the great Greek and Roman philosophers approached the question: is music something that should be taught and does it help the development of children? Plato answered “I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all arts are the keys to learning.” And again “what then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastic, for the body, and music for the mind.”

In all cultures of the world music plays an important role. While these roles may change depending on the culture it is impossible to separate music from the life of an individual. While some may argue the role of music in our lives it is impossible to escape it. Even in the popular culture of Australia it is impossible to go shopping without hearing music. Music provides a means of communication and expression of culture and individual identity.

Children are immersed in music from birth and will be for their entire life. If this is the case why teach it? Is not the constant immersion in music enough? To this I say; is the fact that we witness the results of scientific principals on a day to day basis result in the understanding of those scientific principles? No it does not and likewise for music it does not either. The day to day encounters we have with music can move us but the understanding of this music can help us grow as individuals.

In many cultures the family plays the main role in music education. Families are most commonly the ones that teach children the music of their culture. As young children, we are commonly sung nursery rhymes. These provide entertainment for the child and often information in small repeated fashion. Children learn through the repetition and structure that the information was delivered in. many nursery rhymes teach fundamental life lesson and therefore sets music up as a means of educating. Children learn from music from a young age and will continue to for the rest of their lives. In a world where globalization and consumerism are dominating cultural identities are drifting into the background and children are more likely to be sung pop songs as lullaby’s than nursery rhymes. The benefit of nursery rhymes and progressive learning has become an issue. Children are missing out on fundamental learning opportunities.

The Mozart effect which gained a large following in the 1990’s claimed that listening to Mozart as a baby will make a child smarter. While this movement was short lived and there is little proof that it works there has been no denying that children who learn music will achieve higher in other aspects of their academic life. In earning music children learn to express their identities, gain confidence and develop sense of time and space. A research team at the university of Munster in Germany discovered that students who study music have more developed abstract reasoning skills which are closely linked to learning in the areas of science and maths.

I do not believe that there is any argument to this question…music is a vital part of a child’s education and should be taken seriously. Listening to music is not enough! A child must learn to think musically and that is what will help assist the development of the child and their academic development.

written by Gemma Lee from www.shinemusic.com.au teachers of piano, saxophone, violin, singing, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, flute and clarinet

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21

21

2011 sophomore album from the British vocalist.. Most of the album was recorded in Malibu with the legendary Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Jay Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and back in Kensal Rise in London with Paul Epworth (Plan B, Bloc Party, Florence). Adele cites Wanda Jackson, Yvonne Fair, Andrew Bird, Mary J Blige, Mos Def, Elbow, Tom Waits and Kanye West amongst others as key influences on 21. About its release she says ‘I’m very excited, nervous, eager, anxious but chuffed to announce my new al

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