First, you're wonderful!
Second, the homework assignment is as follows:
1. Get together with the small group you formed at the end of today's class. Improvise! Focus on creating grooves, like we do in the drum circle, using vocal percussion, body percussion, and "found object" percussion. Then take turns improvising solos over those grooves.
Start with one note, then listen for the next. Sing (or play--yes, you can use your major or other instrument) the music you hear in your imagination. The key is to feel a feeling and express it!
2. There is set of recordings on Moodle called "The Darling Conversations." Pick three tracks (minimum) at random (besides the intro track) and listen to them.
3. Write comments or posts about them here.
Finally . . .
The blog gets really fun when everyone posts something--comments about musical life and making music, a link to an interesting article, a relevant video etc.
So in addition to the above, do a new original post. And make sure you've added comments to at least two of the original posts by class members. By Monday morning, you should have written a total of 5 comments. 3 on the homework assignments you've had, and two on posts by class members.
Have a great weekend!
EE
Vocal Timbre
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this track because it talked about creating overtones with yourself and what vowels you can use to produce them. I also thought it was interesting how they talked about how "ah" is the most natural and relaxed vowel and that it creates one of the most pleasing tones because of that.
BABBLING
ReplyDeleteThis track caught my interest because I wondered how babbling could be musical. I was soon proven wrong when I listened to the background. The articulation that is involved and how free formed it is were things that I really like.
SIRENING
ReplyDeleteI think its cool how he explains sirening and showing the people weren't tone deaf when they could hear it and having them try sirening. It helps them to find one pitch in unison.
SILENCE
ReplyDeleteIts interesting to think of a solo as always being a duet with silence. The song that the man sings uses silence. In using the silence it grasps the listeners attention and puts more emotion into the song!
Sirening
ReplyDeleteI never thought of sirening as anything more than a vocal warmup so it was interesting to hear them talk about how it can help people identify pitches and intervals as well as exploring their ranges. I also find the concept of intervals smaller than half steps to be fascinating so I was glad that they discussed those as well.
Melody
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the point that there's nothing wrong with simple melodies. I think that a lot of modern composers overcomplicate things when it comes to melodies and motives and because of that their pieces are not always as memorable.
Fire Energy
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of fire energy in music; it really gives the idea of releasing a form of passion that burns inside while performing. However, I would address this type of energy not only on virtuoso and chaotic passages, as emphasized on the recording, but also on very intense and calm passages or pieces.
Powerful Solos
ReplyDeleteWhat the narrator claimed on this recording corresponds to how I felt sometimes in Improvisation Class or in other occasions: the elevation to a higher spiritual condition and the loss of the conception of time.
Yea Energy
ReplyDeleteYea for "Yea Energy", the joyful and liberating element of music! I wish I took some of my Yea Energy out as Prof. Edberg, Martin and Jennifer did at the last meeting we had!
Silence.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I thought of when I heard this and then read Leah's comment was the quote from Leopold Stokowski: "A painter paints pictures on a canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." I think that is an amazing way to think about it.
Vocal Timbre.
ReplyDeleteOk, so it's funny time. I was enthralled until they started talking about the vowel sound "ah." I watched a video about the origin of language and found out that the most probable reason that "ah" is the first sound in most cultures' languages is because it's the "after sex" sound, the sound you make when you're most pleased. Amusing tid bit of the day.
Oooo Energy
ReplyDeleteI thought it was very interesting how it talked about just letting your voice carry you. And instead of trying to choose your second and third sounds just hold out the pitch and let the next pitch just come, and how that creates a more natural and organic flow.
One Minute Solo
ReplyDeleteI thought the first things he talked about were really interesting. If you had to solo for one minute, would you be more worried about the minute or the music? He talked about creating the framework of the music and figuring out how it was going to change and A and B sections. Personally I think it's really hard to create a solo out of thin air, but I had never thought about having that kind of framework, which could make it easier, but also a lot harder. I don't know, improv scares me.
Sirening
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really neat to see how sirening can help with interval training and identifying pitches. Also how it helps in singing and teaching people the different characteristics in singing. The fact how kids and dogs imitate sirens was neat, how even they can pick it out.
Tai Chi Piano
ReplyDeleteI found this really interesting. Over the summer I took a Tai Chi class and having done this I think it would be really effective to use that concept while playing piano or any instrument to be exact. Using the energy from within and breathing along with a melody would make it more characteristic and beautiful. It also is very relaxing and playing an instrument more relaxed can help you make an even better sound.
Drone
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to what he was saying about really enjoying and feeling comfortable playing over a drone. The drone effect relaxes me and puts me in a trance when I listen to it
Love your sound
ReplyDeleteI think its cool how they said if one is supported by their musical community, that is how they find their path as a musician. You have to need it, and love it.
Sirening:
ReplyDeleteI have definitely talked to people the claim they are tone-deaf and I knew that nobody is tone-deaf. I am excited to use sirening with these crazy people and help them discover that they are not tone-deaf!! :)
Love Your Sound:
I love all the random musical tags at the beginning of all of these selections. :)BUT, I was a little freaked out by the beginning of this one. I enjoyed how soulful this conversation was with the two people. Just plain listening to someone's sound is so relieving and honestly fricking awesome!
Fire Energy:
I loved how the two people were discussing energy with objects such as the rapids. Producing fire energy is definitely a past time of mine. Whether I am playing my sax, or singing, or on the piano I can always just play some crazy melodies to relieve stress.
Babbling
ReplyDeleteI've always been very interested in babbling and/or scatting. I think its awesome how free form music can be!! Who needs those silly things called words anyways?
Siiiiiilence
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of showing people they aren't tone deaf by using sirens. If you can make a siren sound, you can tell the differences between intervals. plus its just fun being loud and annoying
Babbling
ReplyDeleteUntil I listened to this, I never realized that babbling is so inherent. We literally babble when we are babies--we improvise sounds that sound good to us or express feelings. And, as the recording said, people babble all the time in music. They use random sounds when they describe rhythms to pieces without words (dadada, badada, lalala, etc). It would make sense that we should use babbling to loosen ourselves up and express music.
Silence
This was especially applicable to me because Im a beginning jazz pianist in jazz band right now. Soloing in jazz is all about feeling the music and doing what you think feels right. Some of the best solos are the ones that don't try too hard to have tons of notes. They are simple and use lots of silence. This recording explained that in an interesting way--it said that silence and music work as a duet. I think that's a beautiful idea.
improvising Classical Music
I really understand the idea that it can be really scary to diverge from the music of the piece that you are learning--in a way, you feel like you're cheating. It would be good for musicians to look at it with a more open mind and think about creating music, rather than recreating it.
Oooo Energy
ReplyDeleteI liked how they emphasized how the music comes to you and you don't plan it out. It's cool to hear that they don't think only musicians can make this kind of music. I feel like oooo energy is a great way to relax and balance your mind.
Vocal Timbre
I didn't like how they kept the quality sound vowels only as "ah" and "oh." I think it depends on a persons voice and shape of their mouth to decipher what would be quality sounds. It was awesome hearing them talk about how you can hear all the overtones of a note by just changing the vowel you are singing.
Silence
I like how they said to embrace silence. I feel as if even when you finish singing a note or playing a song the sounds keeps playing even in silence. It's interesting thinking about silence and music like that.
articulation
ReplyDeleteThis one really connected with me because as a horn player its something that I've had to focus on quite a bit. My favorite part about what they where talking about was how it gives you musical identity. Also, it was interesting to hear him talk about western articulation and Eastern articulation. I saw Zakihr Hussain playing tablas live and he incorporated a lot of Eastern articulation simultaneous to his drumming