How Zazen Informs My Music My Zen Background I was initially drawn into the idea of Zen when I went to the Toledo [Ohio] Museum of Art in 2017. That was when I saw a collection of ancient miniature statues from Asia. I was particularly drawn to a Tibetan Buddha, with a gorgeous copper-green patina. It took almost three years […]
How Zazen Informs My Music My Zen Background I was initially drawn into the idea of Zen when I went to the Toledo [Ohio] Museum of Art in 2017. That was when I saw a collection of ancient miniature statues from Asia. I was particularly drawn to a Tibetan Buddha, with a gorgeous copper-green patina. It took almost three years […]
Back to School: Choose Your Instrument and Find Your Voice Band & Orchestra School band and orchestra instruments are divided into four categories: brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. Following is a brief look at each one. Brass: Brass instruments make their sounds through the lip vibrations of the player, combined with the movements of a slide, in the case of trombones, or the opening and […]
World’s Smallest Guitar/Bass Multi-Tool GrooveTech Tools has released its newest guitar and bass multi-tool, the Mini-Multi. Based on the premise that some players don’t adjust truss rods using a multi-tool, GrooveTech concentrated on action, tremolo systems, intonation, pickup height, and most other adjustments on guitars and basses. The Mini-Multi consolidates 14 tools into a body that’s less than three […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 23 KRK Systems has released its new studio-quality headphones, the KNS 6402 and the KNS 8402. In a press release, the company said, “Building on its renowned KNS 6400 and 8400 headphone models, KRK enhances the durability and comfort of its headphone offerings with these updated models. Delivering an accurate listening experience in a high-performance package, […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 9 Neunaber Audio of Orange, Ca. has released Illumine, the company’s latest reverb pedal. In a press release, the company said its new “reverb machine” includes “17 studio-quality reverbs, 50 presets, MIDI and powerful expression control, [and] comes in a low-power, pedalboard-friendly package with top jacks.” The Illumine reverb pedal is available online at https://neunaber.net/illumine. Gibson […]
Chemically Treated Wood Apparently Makes A Great-Sounding Violin A recent article posted on the science website Phys.org offered some interesting research on how famous violin builders Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppi Guarneri “del Gesu” were able to create instruments of such incredible sound quality more than two centuries ago. Turns out, it was not necessarily the luthiers’ skill in building their instruments that gave […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of July 19 Casio recently introduced the PX-S1100, the latest addition to its Privia PX-S series of digital pianos. In a press release, the company said: “The PX-S1100 replaces the PX-S1000, which has become one of the top-selling digital pianos on the market today and earned its reputation for sound and features that punch far above its price […]
Back to School: Participation in School Band, Orchestra & Chorus Offers Countless Benefits – Both in Music & Beyond As the calendar turns to August, we begin to hear the words “back to school,” much to the chagrin of many students. This is a chance, however, for students to explore participation in their schools’ music programs, be it by playing an instrument in the band or orchestra, or by singing in the choir. MakingMusicMag.com […]
What in the World is an Mbira? The mbira is a wooden and metal musical instrument which comes from the culture of the Shona people of the southern African nations of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Shona have played mbiras for at least 1,000 years. Erica Azim, mbira player, teacher, and founder of The Mbira Organization (mbira.org), explained that in Shona culture the […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 30 From a press release: “The Percussion Marketing Council and all our members are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of drumming legend Charlie Watts. Charlie made playing drums joyful and contagious. While the places he played got super-sized, he stayed true to a simple four-piece drum kit. His dedication to his instrument and his […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 23 KRK Systems has released its new studio-quality headphones, the KNS 6402 and the KNS 8402. In a press release, the company said, “Building on its renowned KNS 6400 and 8400 headphone models, KRK enhances the durability and comfort of its headphone offerings with these updated models. Delivering an accurate listening experience in a high-performance package, […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 16 SAE Institute is looking for people with a passion for audio. “The audio industry is one of the most exciting yet challenging sectors of the creative media business and offers a wide range of employment opportunities for talented, passionate people like you,” SAE said in a recent press release. “The right education can be a […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 9 Neunaber Audio of Orange, Ca. has released Illumine, the company’s latest reverb pedal. In a press release, the company said its new “reverb machine” includes “17 studio-quality reverbs, 50 presets, MIDI and powerful expression control, [and] comes in a low-power, pedalboard-friendly package with top jacks.” The Illumine reverb pedal is available online at https://neunaber.net/illumine. Gibson […]
Picks of Summer NAMM 2021 If I learned anything at Summer NAMM this year, it’s that there are more types of picks in this world than I ever imagined. The expo offered a plethora of picks, ranging from your standard flat pick to intensely designed 3-D picks. I’m sure some people will always prefer the classic simplicity of a standard […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 16 SAE Institute is looking for people with a passion for audio. “The audio industry is one of the most exciting yet challenging sectors of the creative media business and offers a wide range of employment opportunities for talented, passionate people like you,” SAE said in a recent press release. “The right education can be a […]
Chemically Treated Wood Apparently Makes A Great-Sounding Violin A recent article posted on the science website Phys.org offered some interesting research on how famous violin builders Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppi Guarneri “del Gesu” were able to create instruments of such incredible sound quality more than two centuries ago. Turns out, it was not necessarily the luthiers’ skill in building their instruments that gave […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of Aug. 9 Neunaber Audio of Orange, Ca. has released Illumine, the company’s latest reverb pedal. In a press release, the company said its new “reverb machine” includes “17 studio-quality reverbs, 50 presets, MIDI and powerful expression control, [and] comes in a low-power, pedalboard-friendly package with top jacks.” The Illumine reverb pedal is available online at https://neunaber.net/illumine. Gibson […]
How To … Deal with Stage Fright Stage fright is the bane of all performers – musicians, actors, lecturers, even professional athletes can all experience bouts of nervousness or even sheer terror before getting up in front of their respective audiences. The ability to get past stage fright (sometimes called “performance anxiety”), its causes, how to overcome it and climb up on […]
Product & Industry News for the Week of July 19 Casio recently introduced the PX-S1100, the latest addition to its Privia PX-S series of digital pianos. In a press release, the company said: “The PX-S1100 replaces the PX-S1000, which has become one of the top-selling digital pianos on the market today and earned its reputation for sound and features that punch far above its price […]
What goes into the creation of a music book? Walk into any music store and you will almost certainly see, besides all the instruments and associated gear, a display of music books. Some might be instructional in nature while others may comprise collections of songs based upon a specific songwriter’s or band’s catalogue, or some other theme. Have you ever wondered what goes into […]
Hal Leonard Bagpipe Method The Hal Leonard Bagpipe Method is designed for anyone just learning to play the Great Highland bagpipes. This comprehensive and easy-to-use beginner’s guide serves as an introduction to the bagpipe chanter. It includes access to online video lessons with demonstrations of all the examples in the book. Lessons include: The practice chanter The Great Highland […]
The Art of Vibraphone Playing This method for the study and performance of the vibraphone provides the fundamental techniques, musical concepts and performance practices necessary to excel as a vibraphonist. Featuring 2 and 4 mallets in accessible to advanced exercises, studies and solos and clear strategies for pedaling, dampening, and tips on how to practice, this book will help those […]
Dave Sanborn, Legendary Saxophonist, Presents the First Season of His New Show “Sanborn Sessions” Dave Sanborn, the veteran saxophonist, and six-time Grammy Award winner, has announced he will soon present the first episode of his new music show, Sanborn Sessions. The new series is hosted by Sanborn and features a diverse roster of accomplished artists from a variety of genres and generations. In its initial season, Sanborn welcomes Kandace Springs, […]
Tying It Together: Defining the Difference Between Ties and Slurs The difference between tied notes and slurred notes in music can cause confusion—which is not surprising, since they are both noted the exact same way! Both slurs and ties are indicated with arc-shaped lines placed either above a grouping of notes (if the notes’ stems are pointing down) or below a grouping of notes (if the stems are pointing up).
Musical Theory: Give It a Rest! Just like notes, rests have precise rhythms; every type of note value has a corresponding rest with the same time value. And although there is no sound, in order to play with rhythmic accuracy, rests must be carefully counted. The following chart breaks down the types of rests you are most likely to find in music…
Clip ‘n Save: Stepping Up and Stepping Down: Augmented and Diminished Intervals n our “Intro to Intervals,” we learned how to recognize major, minor, and perfect intervals—first, recognizing the distance between the two notes on the staff and then counting the precise number of steps between the two pitches. In addition to major, minor, and perfect, there are two other interval qualities that can come into play: augmented and diminished…
Does Music Have a Future in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan? The unexpectedly rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military forces and subsequent fall of that country’s government to the Taliban do not bode well for Afghanistan’s future. Many aspects of life that we in the “west” take for granted – such as the freedoms of expression and religion, and women’s rights for just a few examples – […]
How to Write Lyrical Hooks that Stand Out Featured Article, How To, Music Theory July 24, 2019April 27, 2020 Joseph McLean 0 Comments
Eternal Vacation: 5 Jobs Connected to Music Featured Article February 13, 2019February 11, 2019 Joseph McLean 0 Comments
5 Useful Apps for Every Musician/Songwriter Featured Article, Instruments, Making Music October 17, 2018February 7, 2019 Joseph McLean 0 Comments
