Integrating Music and Technology

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Music and Technology

How to Attend a Concert like a Civilized Human Being

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As I may have mentioned once or twice, learning music can be hard. But there’s good news! Learning to appreciate music is easy. For the most part, it’s quite simple. Just listen and absorb. Don’t read too much into anything and try to appreciate the sound and the commitment of the musician, or at the very least their courage.

Live music isn’t hard to find and often it’s even given away for free, though tips are always appreciated (especially at the Vox Virorum concert at First Prebyterian Church at 305 E. Main St. in Durham this coming Sunday the 19th @ 4:00 PM and also I may or may not be singing a solo in it) but not required. [Read more…]

Learning Music Theory? There’s an App for That

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Often I’m asked some variation of this: “How do I take my musical skills to the next level?” And my answer, no matter what the skill level of the person asking, is to better understand music theory.

It’s hard to put in to words what theory is. I compare it to the grammar and usage rules of a foreign language. Sure, you can get by without ever learning them, but if you want to seriously master the language, learn to read or write, or better understand it in general, absorbing these fundamentals is the most effective way–and the most tedious.

Fortunately, technology is making it easier…or at least more accessible. Tenuto is an app and website dedicated to music theory. It contains over a dozen exercises and quizzes for that range from the basics (name the white keys on the keyboard) to the scary (is this a diminished seventh chord or a half-diminished seventh chord?). Everyone from the struggling music major to the casual guitarist can have an impromptu skill-sharpening session any time.  [Read more…]

Confessions of an Aging Guitar Noob

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This past weekend, I turned 29 years old. As I’ve been thoroughly (and unnecessarily) made aware, this is the last year the general public will consider me a young person.

As excited as I am to wear sweatpants all the time and generally just let myself go and become a curmudgeonly old man next year, there’s a part of me that still desperately clings to my waning youth. There’s still a lot of irresponsible things I haven’t done! I’ve haven’t stolen a car or hitchhiked across the Mexican border or anything else you can only get away with when you’re young.

I figured I’d start at the top of the list: Become a rock star. So, in the spirit of this last-ditch, Hail Mary effort at rock legend status, I figured the best place to start was to learn to play some guitar and the best time was now. [Read more…]

The One Thing Every Musician Needs

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Get a metronome. Today.

Your best friend…and worst enemy.

Human beings have this knack for tricking ourselves into believing we have something all figured out. One of the biggest obstacles this little quirk presents to musicians is that we aren’t always aware of the beat. We slow down or speed up when it’s convenient or cut beats out of a song entirely, usually remaining blissfully unaware of the fact.

A metronome is the silver bullet cure for this problem. Be warned, though; it’s your worst enemy as well as your best friend. The metronome won’t be reasoned with and won’t stop making it painfully obvious when and where you’re butchering the rhythm.

Sound like a pain? It kind of is, but it ultimately fine tunes one’s sense of beat and makes your rhythm tighter and more precise. As they say, no pain no gain.

I prefer a mechanical metronome with a wind up crank for general practice. Sure, electronic ones are a bit cheaper and a metronome app will do in a pinch, but having the visual advantage of seeing the pendulum conduct you as well as the satisfying tic-toc (as opposed to a harsh beep or phony sounding  woodblock) makes it seem more soothing somehow.