App Review: Blob Chorus

App Review: Blob Chorus
I am always looking for a good ear training app for my students. I have actually found several that I like, however, often times what I like is not overly exciting for my students. Enter Blob Chorus. Granted, it's not what I would like as far as musical pitch, but it does allow the user to hear the subtle differences between one note and another. And it's amusing, a rare thing amongst ear training apps.
What is it?
It starts off with 3 green blobs at the top of the screen and has one king blob at the bottom. Each of the top blobs says "blob" at their own pitch (at least one will say it differently. Then, King Blob will let out his "blob" and the user must click on the blob that was the same as the king's. The number of blobs up top can be increased to add to the challenge.
Yes, it sounds silly and non musical. However, when you see that student who seemingly may never be able to hear the difference between a minor 2nd and a major 2nd suddenly find themselves distinguishing such intervals delivered by animated green piles of gelatin, the value begins to sink in.
Like any tool, the value is found in how you use it. I like to have my students begin with this, then after a round or two, I have them move on to more musical specific ear training.
One last really good kicker for this app, it if free. Really free, not download me then click for more 'free'. There are not even advertisements on it (at least not at the time of this review).
I wish it was a bit more musically oriented, as it does seem a bit too childish for my adult students, though non have complained yet. However, totally free, having a large captivating value, and being able to simply define hearing the difference between pitches, I highly recommend this one with a 5 out of 5.

Well done, Lumpty Learning.

Enjoy it!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blob-chorus-ear-training/id484567131?mt=8

Jelly Roll Beginnings

Today's muse begins with the fact that yesterday was Jelly Roll Morton's birthday. Born in 1890, Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe was the first jazz composer, notating jazz into permanent form, something quite unheard of for a musical method which, up to that point, had been purely based on improvisation. Anyways, getting to my story, the old boy was from New Orleans, home to jazz, blues, and just all around, dang good music. So, when my wife and I went to the Crescent City for our 9 year (this past July), I was stoked to get out for a night to here some good live music.
http://www.neworleansonline.com

We stayed the night at a great little hotel, Hotel St. Helene. It was located in the heart of the French Quarter. More than adequate considering we pretty well just spent the night there, and only the later hours. Per the advice of the hotel front desk lady, we decided to go to The Frenchmen district, as it has more of the local flavor. So, straight to Cafe du Monde we went (to insure we were prepped for a late night), then down the way towards Frenchmen Street.
http://www.frenchquarterhotelgroup.com/hotel-st-helene.html

After a slightly creepy walk through the dark crappy streets dividing the the crazy Bourbon Street based area and The Frenchmen District, we began seeing bright lights, foot traffic, and hearing the very welcome sound of live music. Jazz music, to be specific. The first place we came to was too packed, but the band was right there to be heard from outside, so we stood and listened a bit. Then, we made our way up and down the two block strip (even a little beyond, oops) and we settled on a nice little club, The Maison. They were playing more contemporary jazz. We liked the sounds, the scene, and the drinks. However, that band only played about 2 more songs once we were seated, then it was music through the PA for a bit, but we landed decent seats for the next band.
http://maisonfrenchmen.com

Now, I am thinking jazz. That is what I kept telling my wife I was after. That said, I had a taste here and there, and sure enough, I was pleased. Then, this next band starts setting up. I see the guitarist first, a mid 20s, long haired, recent college drop out looking guy. He breaks out a  baby blue telecaster, which was pretty smooth looking. I soon discovered he was the singer and the head of the band. Next, the keys are setting up. A modern looking rig, but as soon as he hits a few notes to check his volume, I realize it is set to a pretty good Hammond sound. Then, the tenor sax, right up front and center. Finally, a bit late, this frumpy hat, long haired kid shows up. Clearly, yup, the bass player. He hands out high fives all around, and we get started. Note, I am not a huge funk fan. Nothing against it, I just don't follow it much. In a matter of moments, the groove was all around and the jazz feel was enveloped right along as they past around the James Brown. It was highly entertaining watching these guys move the crowd with grooves that were right on. Well played, boys.
Sorry, can't give credit though, for the life of me, it was, indeed, a New Orleans' night.

That said, we then went and paid our respect to Bourbon Street. Along the way, there were plenty of young musicians just playing on the curb, stringed instruments, a cappella, brass, just guitars, all sorts. We tried to hang and listen to a song or two by most. Then, we went to Pat O'Brian's like good tourists, got Hurricane's (my  wife had never had, nor heard of them, nor does she care to again), and the night snowballed all the way down to me swimming in the frigid pool at the hotel before beddy bye. Long story short, New Orleans is, without a doubt, a major music center and one all should get out and enjoy!
http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/neworleans/

Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll!

New Orleans: Good music, good drinks. Verified.

Those Songs...

We all know those songs. Surely today, with millions watching Felix Baumgartner's capsule dangling over the earth, many people had Strauss's Blue Danube running through their heads. A few may have even sung such out loud, initiating the reference through the room. Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey ingrained that one into many of our minds. Other great songs go back even further for us. Examples being, Mendelssohn's Wedding March and Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. Just a few notes of these tunes and we generally mentally write them off as songs we do not care to listen to as a result of their "belonging" to a certain event.

The Wedding March was first performed this day, back in 1843. However, it was not until Queen Victoria had it played at her wedding in 1858 did the piece begin becoming a marriage standard. Similarly, the 1901 piece, Pomp and Circumstance, was selected by Yale in 1905 and the tradition has been well set. Here is the problem (not that I am raging against a machine or anything here), we tend to never really listen to these pieces. The reality is, they are really good songs, thus being selected for these great events. I suffer from this myself with several more modern pieces. For example, Zeppelin's Black Dog use to beat me down faster than I could really start the song. I attributed this to it's over play on the radio. Another classical piece is Beethoven's 5th. Thankfully, I have forced my self to set aside the immediate, "oh, this song" emotion, and be able to hear and appreciate the greatness that made these songs, "those songs."

From my Facebook Post:

Today in History: In 1843, the first performance of Mendelssohn's music for A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Wedding March did not become popular at weddings until it was selected by Victoria, The Princess Royal for her marriage to Prince Frederick William of Prussia on 25 January 1858.
http://youtu.be/5FapP2wMCWQ

Credit:

http://racampbell.tripod.com/almanac/

http://www.youtube.com/user/medialabor1

My Wife & I.

RELAX:WORLDS MOST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC (CD) [2 DISCS] (Google Affiliate Ad)

Happy Birthday, Paul Simon.

6th grade. A time where my favorite music selection was Weird Al, and I struggled with the right and wrong moral fiber between Def Leppard and Guns N' Roses. A time when I put little faith in the music of my parents. Thankfully, they forced me to listen to good music that I appreciate now, but at the time I gave little thought towards. Then, my good friend had me listen to an album that his dad owned. It was good. Really good. So much so, that I went home and happily discovered that it was in my dad's collection. It was Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. The next week, we went on vacation and I had my new Discman. My dad allowed me to borrow that album, and I brought my And Justice for All and Persistence of Time. I also began to put a little faith into other albums my dad owned and brought along Willie Nelson's Always on My Mind. This began the real era of listening to my father's collection. On the other hand, this also started the era of me 'borrowing' my dad's CD's to a point of returning them after they were scratched to no end. However, I then started to explore his large vinyl collection. Suddenly, my parents were a little less not cool.

There is a real connection when you are hanging out with someone and they break out Rhythm of the Saints, Graceland, or the like. Paul Simons work has really been a treat to listen to through the years. If you have not taken the time to listen to his work, you should. If you have, but not today, you should. Why? Because it's his birthday and it's really good music.

From my True Start Music Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TrueStartMusic) Post:
Born on This Day: In 1941, the great Paul Simon, singer, songwriter.
http://youtu.be/ULjCSK0oOlI
Credit:
http://www.thisdayinmusic.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnParrr

Bring Your Music.

From my Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TrueStartMusic)post:

Today in History: In 1955, The Chrysler Corporation launched high fidelity record players for their 1956 line-up of cars. The seven inch discs spun at 16 2/3 rpm and required almost three times the number of grooves per inch as an LP. The players were discontinued in 1961.

http://youtu.be/S0hRzEihsR4

Credit:

http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/desoto1961

It was Spring of 2007. I had Ultimate Frisbee practice that day, a coaching endeavor that I took on at the charter school I taught at. Awesomeness. Anywho, I was getting ready to drive over to the field in my '96 Explorer when two students ran up and asked if they could be late due to tutorials. As they reached the window, one says, "Nice tape deck, Smith." I suddenly felt like I was the proud owner of an 8 track. Granted, I rarely listened to said cassettes, but I did have a console full of them. I had clearly been dated. I was so comfortable about having the device, I had not noticed the shift where everyone had pretty well moved on to CDs.

Music is constantly with us. Everywhere we go. As a music teacher, it is difficult to give the impression of a time without music. It is sort of like imagining going outside and hearing nothing, no planes, trains, automobiles, AC units, lawn mowers and blowers, and on goes the noise list. However, it is in this absence of music that we find value of the greats. Bach did not have a USB plug in his carriage up to the chapel. The people walking into the church did not arrive with their iPod playlist on shuffle. They heard very little in the medium of music. Maybe someone humming or whistling a popular tune or a singing a popular song they heard the night before at the pub. We imagine them sitting in a grey, dull church, everyday unable to understand the latin words spoken to them. Yet when they walked through the doors though and were faced with the sounds from a large choral, a few instruments playing music that they could relate to immediately as well as any moving line of scripture. The sound of the blasting organ... Surely this had to be as close to communicating to God as the Western people could have imagined.

So, is the magic gone? Are we over stimulated by music? Maybe. I know I love being able to listen to nearly anything I want on a whim. I often appreciate listening to things I did not necessarily want to listen to. However, there are those times that I like to quiet everything around me, put on Bach, Mozart, Chopin, choose my flavor, close my eyes, and just listen. Allow the music to move in ways we often neglect to let it.

My Kenwood Dual Cassette Deck from High School, recently relegated to the garage. I couldn't let go of the 5 disc CD player yet.

Happy Birthday, Gibson!

Today in History: In 1902, The Gibson Mandolin Guitar Company was formed.
http://youtu.be/3vARFwbhLOM

A body with a mass of black, curly hair for a head, and there, dangling in front of Slash was that gold-top Gibson Les Paul that he so casually and naturally played. That was the beginnings of my appreciation of Gibson guitars. Such was early on in my studies of the guitar, way back in the late 80s. Previous metal guitars just didn't have that draw to me. Not that I was some sort of art critique at the time, but even then, I could see the classic style, hear the warm sound, and appreciate the blues look in the world of rock n roll.

My first guitar was a beautiful, solid body Yamaha. Natural blond wood, great shape, nice, and only $20 at a garage sale. Note: don't let your buddy price and sell your guitar. She was dropped and the fret board split off the neck and would never played the same. Next Note: don't let your drummer try to mimic your limited ability to play the guitar behind your head. As far as Gibson goes, I merely have an Epiphone, though she has been nearly rebuilt with Seymore Duncans and other Gibson bits. She plays great and began my true love affair of the Gibson style.

Having worked in a guitar shop during my youth, I always loved playing a few licks on the Gibson's that came through, full body, hollow body, acoustics, all of them. This was purely a professional practice, as before casing the guitars back up to return them to the customer we had to make sure they were set up to a high standard. Right. The classic rounded out neck, the heavy body, the clean and warm sound. Any who, my tribute to their greatness is this silly blog post and my usual emphasis of preference to my students. The other styles are great, love Fender, I have a PRS, no one guitar brand speaks for all guitars. However, it is my opinion, you rock, Gibson. Happy Birthday.

My Les Paul.

A Great Beginning for New Musicians

Without a doubt, if you are interested in starting a life in music, or are wanting to expand into a new instrument, you should know the basics about that instrument. These videos are a great source of basic information about 2 of the most popular instruments out there, the guitar and the piano.

The Piano:
http://youtu.be/kzKn-LoUAac

The Electric Guitar:
http://youtu.be/apUd-BVIdJs

Thanks,

David