Monday, October 30, 2017
Friday, October 27, 2017
CTO ... Straight Rhythm -vs- Swing Rhythm
Can't quite get a grip on the "swing" of things?
Most musicians play with some degree of swing. It's what makes us want to clap our hands and tap our toes... to get up and dance, by golly!
Check This Out ... a tutorial made by Walk That Bass and presented here by CommunicaSOUND, who declares they are devoted to providing the best free music instruction tutorials on the web.
Swing Rhythm Explained
Most musicians play with some degree of swing. It's what makes us want to clap our hands and tap our toes... to get up and dance, by golly!
Check This Out ... a tutorial made by Walk That Bass and presented here by CommunicaSOUND, who declares they are devoted to providing the best free music instruction tutorials on the web.
Swing Rhythm Explained
Monday, October 23, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
CTO ... New MasterWorks Dulcimer Design
Looking for the perfect instrument? Maybe THIS will be the one!
Check This Out ... a new MasterWorks hammered dulcimer, model RCE XR 17-RS, is now available. I don't know about the rest of those letters, but the final RS must stand for "Ruth Smith". That's right! Ruth Smith collaborated with Russell Cook to produce this instrument design. I don't know about you, but it makes me want to check it out! See what's new in this demo, recorded by Ruth Smith, herself.
Attending Black Mountain Music Festival next week? (Come on! You know you want to!) Ruth will have one of these instruments with her. Great opportunity to try it out in person.
Check This Out ... a new MasterWorks hammered dulcimer, model RCE XR 17-RS, is now available. I don't know about the rest of those letters, but the final RS must stand for "Ruth Smith". That's right! Ruth Smith collaborated with Russell Cook to produce this instrument design. I don't know about you, but it makes me want to check it out! See what's new in this demo, recorded by Ruth Smith, herself.
Attending Black Mountain Music Festival next week? (Come on! You know you want to!) Ruth will have one of these instruments with her. Great opportunity to try it out in person.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Reinvigorated! Now Reflect
Last weekend I returned home from week #3 of Ken Kolodner's 13th annual Sandbridge Hammered Dulcimer Retreat... and what a treat it was to be immersed in music, surrounded by old and new friends, challenged by an excellent teacher ... sharing, learning, stretching, growing. I am inspired!
Many trapezoids of the triangle participated in the fall Sandbridge season. I can imagine each of them in their private music rooms, hammering out new tunes, new patterns, new rhythms. Now comes the time to reflect, identify weaknesses, make goals for the coming year.
The best practice is intentional practice. Clearly stating goals for the next period of time is an important thing. Will this be the year you finally get that pesky right hand default root arpeggio pattern? (aka "sunken sailboat" "backwards checkmark") Maybe you want to focus on learning to create a bass line using chord inversions. How about nailing that double-stroke valley-roll? So many skills that contribute to mastering the hammered dulcimer!
Pick something you're not yet satisfied with, make a plan, and go for it!
Many trapezoids of the triangle participated in the fall Sandbridge season. I can imagine each of them in their private music rooms, hammering out new tunes, new patterns, new rhythms. Now comes the time to reflect, identify weaknesses, make goals for the coming year.
The best practice is intentional practice. Clearly stating goals for the next period of time is an important thing. Will this be the year you finally get that pesky right hand default root arpeggio pattern? (aka "sunken sailboat" "backwards checkmark") Maybe you want to focus on learning to create a bass line using chord inversions. How about nailing that double-stroke valley-roll? So many skills that contribute to mastering the hammered dulcimer!
Pick something you're not yet satisfied with, make a plan, and go for it!
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| A room FULL of dulcimers! |
Monday, October 16, 2017
Monday's Muse
The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers. ~ Roy Ayers
Monday, October 9, 2017
Monday's Muse
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift. ~ Leonard Cohen
Monday, October 2, 2017
Monday's Muse
Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There's not some trick involved with it. It's pure and it's real. It moves, it heals, it communicates... and does all these incredible things. ~ Tom Petty