for musicians or music teachers

[shostakovich]

Arts & Entertainment industry in this country? Well, I think that oxymoron is a major part of our trouble. Arts & entertainment really have nothing to do with each other. By lumping them the Industry ($$$$) has been more easily able to drain all the good juices from both areas while apathetic, tasteless millions ignore the situation or mindlessly become part of the problem, the problem being the decline of the arts, taste, understanding, civility, etc. A great example would be the unfolding of the TV era, one of the most recent arts-entertainments. Its history starts with mostly quality programming. I'm talking about commercial TV. Advertisers were once proud to support quality. Their products were sure to be seen. There were only 3 networks. As the industry developed, and more channels came onto the scene, Nielsen ratings did, too. Maybe it was just curiosity at first, but advertisers soon decided to support the programs with the most viewers. Evil $$$$$ basing decisions on the mass public, who, of course, largely know and care nothing about quality. <P>This observer, looking over the 20th C sees a relatively healthy state of the arts infected by a $$cancer$$ that has taken that relatively healthy organism and obliterated it so that there are only islands of healthy thinking left. Let's pat ourselves on the back for being one of those islands. Ranting here may be therapeutic, but we need to take our message (tactfully) beyond the bulletin board. Trying to get school boards to improve arts education may seem like exercises in futility, but try to light that one candle wherever you are. Good luck.<BR>Shos<P>I'm embarrassed to get so preachy so often, but there's plenty bottled up here, too.

[audiogirl]

Preach on, Mr. Holland!

[audiogirl]

Oh yeah, Emster. You can e-mail me at audiogirl@beethoven.com. We can discuss some vocal issues, if you want. I did my thesis on how singers breathe.<P>

[BenG]

Serge, while I don't necessarily disagree with your points, you missed the flavor or intention of my post. It was only a RANT! Rants aren't supposed to be fair, balanced or reasonable. They're emotionally charged, unreasonable and FUN. Haven't you ever watched Dennis MIller on HBO? LIghten up? Moi? Where's the fun in that?<P>By the way, I'm familiar with how society is driven by genetics and evolution. A good book on the subject is 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea" by Daniel C. Dennett. Yes, we're all run by blind DNA...which has the blind concern of getting itself replicated. (Thereby attaining a measure of immortality). I guess that simple ambition could be construed as the true meaning of life. An unsatisfying meaning, however. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there for sure...but we can make ourselves AWARE of the game and not let ourselves be duped into hate, selfishness, war and the various tricks our DNA plays on us in order to pass itself on. I'm not particularly religious, but I think Jesus was onto the game, too.

[hornplayer]

Ditto. Please ready my new thread, "Very long and winded speech." Its bound to get longer too.

[serge urtizberea]

It may have been 'just a rant', but you were probably dead serious.

[audiogirl]

Okay, guys, go back to your corners.<P>Back to the original topic, I am going to say that learning to read notes is worthwhile and the way to go. I have found it SO much harder to read to sing than to read to play an instrument. I suppose that's normal.<P>However, I have to give credit to the aural tradition. This topic sprang out of watching Yo Yo Ma discuss the "passing down" of Applachian music through strictly aural means. My husband's grandfather could play anything with strings that was put in front of him, and he didn't read one note. Anyone heard of "Chanticleer?" I read that when this chorus was getting ready to record their "spirituals" CD, they learned their music and put it away----something to do with increasing the emotion with which they sang---I can't remember the exact wording. This was not a standard practice. <P>Musicians, are we too focused on the mechanics of music and not the interpretation? Or must you learn the former to get to the latter? I hope this makes sense. My musical vocabulary is limited.<P>audiogirl

[The Great Mazinga]

Here is my two cents, and I am not raging for the lost penny (Rim shot please)<P>I agree with Serge, as a big fan of Dennis Miller, I know he is kidding....don't get that from the posting...to be honest.<P>"People follow heroism and bravery, right now all it looks like is rage" - Braveheart<P>That's my opinion, I could be wrong.

[BenG]

Audiogirl,<P>Getting back to your original subject--and this is just my own humble personal opinion-- I think it's much easier and faster (and therefore more quickly satisfying) to play the guitar by ear. And I do. To learn all the notes (and tablature) to me is not worth the effort for my instrumental intention. Which is to lay back in my easy chair with a glass of wine and strum away. I have no intention of performing or impressing others. Just relaxation and fun. It is really easy to buy song books that show the chords above the notes. I realize that reading chords is not really the same as reading music.<P>For other instruments--like the piano and violin...I think it IS better to learn how to read music. There are too many subtle nuances with them that would be hard to do by ear. I'm talking about violin bowing notations, pedals on the piano and so on. I'm trying to learn both instruments at the beginning level. Boy, does it take a lot of time and discipline. So I guess it depends on the instrument. You wouldn't really need to read music to play the harmonica, for example. <P>Regards, <P>Ben G

[~Leslie]

Audiogirl, I'm curious, do you still think the Major 7th sounds<BR>bad?<P>That little interval plays a heavy role in jazz, particularly in the tonic and subdominant chords. (But I still prefer the 9's, more flavor and color)<P>Minor 7th in the Emperor adagio, also in Bernsteins Somewhere.~

[audiogirl]

Oops! I meant that the two notes played at the same time clash. That's how I idenitify it. I have a voice and an ear, and a little piano background. I don't really have the background to express some of this the right way. <BR> audiogirl<P>

[Brahmsian]

I play both the French Horn and the piano. I am playing R. Struass 1st horn concerto and Beethoven's 32nd piano sonata. I can tell you, you must read notes. I can play by ear and often figure out themes I hear in movies and on CD's. Being able to play by ear is a neat advantage. However if you limit yourself to playing by ear you will never reach a very high level of enjoyment on any instruement. You can have fun, but not as much as you could.

[~Leslie]

Hi Audiogirl, They clash??? okaaaaay, try a minor 2nd<BR>interval, that will really wrinkle your nose.<BR>Funny how the obnoxious still found it's niche in music, no matter how dissonant. ~

[EJA_2]

Just had to add my two cents for what they are worth. <P>I studied violin for a while. I have a fairly good ear so rather than go to the effort of reading the music, I would listen to the teacher play the piece, then reproduce it by feel. I was good at that; too good. This worked for several years, but, at last, the teacher caught on and made me take the first run through. Heh heh heh . . . It wasn't that I couldn't read the notes. I was just way too slow to accomplish anything. It took some remedial industry on my part to catch up. Now I have dropped the violin -- I'm much better at playing a CD-player -- as life has gone on, and I don't have the ability to read music that I would like to have. My verdict is that playing by ear is useful, but sheet music is a must for any serious musician. <P> -- Ethan Adams

[audiogirl]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ~Leslie:<BR><B>Hi Audiogirl, They clash??? okaaaaay, try a minor 2nd<BR>interval, that will really wrinkle your nose.<BR>Funny how the obnoxious still found it's niche in music, no matter how dissonant. ~</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yo Leslie...<BR>Dye my hair blond and call me Alicia Silverstone. I'm clueless. Would a minor 2nd be what is commonly known as a half-step?<BR>Give me notes.<P>audiogirl

[audiogirl]

Leslie........Where are you?

[Brahmsian]

It would be a half-step played at the same time.

[audiogirl]

Thanks, man.

[~Leslie]

Oops. I'm sorry, Audiogirl, I didn't hear you callin there, I've been busy in that cigar parlor next door pondering accidental posters. <P>I've also been thinking there's a little too much crust forming around the edges due to an old curmudgeon, whose muse has sent me running for brief respite from the bathos pathos.~