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"The music goes round and round ..."

Sound is transmitted through the air as a complex series of compressions and rarefactions in the average density of air molecules, which our ears translate to electrical signals that our brains interpret. If, instead, we use a microphone to translate the sound into an electrical signal and send this to a device called an oscilloscope, we can actually see the complex structure of sound waves. The simplest continuously sounding single tone, as from a electronic tuning fork, is a single regularly varying sine wave (or "waveform") of the sort we learned about in high school algebra. Single tones from musical instruments are more "musical" - and more complex - because they superimpose additional sine waves ("harmonics") of different strength ("amplitude") and different numbers of peaks passing a given point per second ("frequency") on the basic sine wave. The waveform of a single piano note is shown at right, plotted as amplitude vs. time. It displays the main tone ("fundamental") dying off with time; the harmonics are seen as smaller "squiggles" superimposed on the much larger main tone. You can hear this note to see how the sound corresponds to the waveform. If a single piano note waveform is this complex, it doesn't take much thought to realize that even the simplest of music results in a VERY complex mixture of sine waves  The challenge for the computer is to reproduce this waveform as accurately as possible.

Although the sound from a PC comes from speakers, the component which actually interprets the instructions from the processor to make sound is the sound card. Modern sound cards have at their heart a special chip called a digital signal processor (DSP) that enables the card not only to interpret sound in various file formats (MIDI, WAV, etc.), but even to serve as a modem or answering machine. We will say nothing about these other, non-musical functions of the DSP, but it is worthwhile to talk about the two different methods by which the DSP creates sound.

Older sound cards use a method called "FM-synthesis" to reproduce the sound waveform. In this method, many sine waves of varying amplitude, frequency, and relative position ("phase") are added together to imitate the waveform as best as possible, given constraints imposed by the speed of the hardware and the complexity of the waveform. While this technique works well for some types of sound, it rarely reproduces accurately the timbre of musical instruments. For example, piano music reproduced on an FM-synthesis sound card usually sounds more like a harpsichord than a piano.

Newer sound cards use a more complex method called "wavetable synthesis" to generate sound. In this case, actual stored samples of the sound of various musical instruments are used to create the sound. This approach is a much more accurate method of reproducing sound and is the method on which all modern sound cards rely, albeit in slightly different forms. If you have an older PC with an FM-synthesis sound card and little speakers lacking a separate subwoofer, you can make a HUGE difference in the quality of sound you get from the system by replacing the sound card with a wavetable type and the speakers with ones having a powered subwoofer. At under $100, this is one of the few upgrades you can do on an older PC that really makes economic sense in terms of your enjoyment from the computer.

WAV vs. MIDI

The two major sound file types for the PC are WAV and MIDI, putting aside compressed formats like .RA and MP3. As the name implies, WAV files are representations of the actual shape of the sound waveform sampled many times each second, typically 11, 22, or 44 thousand times per second. For example, if you record sound into your PC from an outside source like TV or radio, the sound is sampled at least 11 thousand times a second to produce the computer waveform file. The more times per second the sound is sampled, the more accurate the reproduction and the larger the amount of data that must be recorded. Given what we've said about the complexity of sound waves, it will come as no surprise that WAV files are HUGE. Ten seconds of stereo sound in WAV format sampled at 11 thousand times per second is typically over 250,000 bytes in length! This is the reason that, prior to the general availability of broadband connections, music was almost never sent over the Web in native WAV files; they simply took too long to transmit. Even now, waveform music is usually sent over the Internet in compressed (i.e. smaller) formats like MP3 to make transmission times acceptable.

The other format used commonly for music is MIDI (.MID). MIDI files are fundamentally different from WAV files. Instead of representing the waveform point-by-point as in WAV files, MIDI files are actually a set of sequential instructions (hence the name "MIDI sequences") which tell the sound card's DSP what the pitch should be, how long it should last, what the dynamics are, the rate at which the note should be played, and, most importantly, what instrument the note is to be played on. The interpretation of these instructions into a voltage which can be sent to the speakers is then up to the sound card on your computer. Because of their relative simplicity, MIDI files are 50 to 100 times smaller than the corresponding WAV files. They are widely used to send music on the Web for that reason. One of the disadvantages of MIDI files is that, because the interpretation of the file is entirely up to the hardware and software available, the sound produced will differ from computer to computer depending on the hardware capabilities and the degree of care with which the file is written. You can learn more about MIDI and the PC in my Music and the Home Computer article, An Introduction to MIDI for Pianists.

Composing on Your PC

It is possible to compose your own music on a PC. In essence, the process involves writing new MIDI sequences to describe your music, which you then audition using the PC speakers. Although the capabilities and ease of use vary greatly from program to program, most composition programs use a standard point-and-click interface to add notes and dynamic markings on a staff and/or accept notes played from a MIDI keyboard. The more powerful (and expensive) programs allow 128 or more separate channels (e.g. for orchestral music). You can print your music from all the programs. Once your sequence is written, it is possible to have the computer write the sequence out to a WAV format file, though this is rarely done in practice. Most computers already have software for creating MIDI sequences, though it tends to be limited in power and provides little or no help for the novice composer.

There is a lot of good information available on the Web to help the budding composer. One of the best sites is Robert Finley's Classical Midi Page, the home page of one of the finest authors of classical MIDI sequences. This site has all Mr. Finley's latest sequences, tips on MIDI sequencing, links and more. The Music Composition Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) is also valuable for those embarking on their first composing project. If you would just like to listen to classical MIDI sequences, try our Audition Room page, which has over 600 pre-auditioned solo piano sequences; for orchestral sequences check the The Classical MIDI Resource, and The Classical MIDI Connection.

Composing for the Novice

If you want to write songs for the piano or try your hand at composing, you won't want a program designed for studio production of music. Instead, your best best is one of several hardware/software packages that provide both a small, but serviceable keyboard to plug into your computer and software to help you use it. Though it doesn't come with a keyboard, another excellent choice for the beginning composer is Voyetra's Discovering Keyboards. This program also provides an excellent piano learning environment, but goes further in offering a very approachable introduction to the hardware and software involved in creating, editing, and playing music on the computer, as well as a good composition program called Music Write. Either of these is more than adequate to introduce a child or beginning adult composer to composition on the PC.

For Your Magnum Opus

If you decide to take on a more ambitious composing project, you will probably want some more powerful composition software. A highly regarded, try-before-you-buy, shareware program is NoteWorthy Composer. It features a standard point-and-shoot interface that allows you to notate up to eight voices per staff as well as associated dynamic markings. A good standard composition package is Midisoft's Recording Session. It can process up to 32,000 tracks (in case you plan to make Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand look like child's play) and provides several different views of the score. Voyetra also has an excellent notation and composition program with similar capabilities called Digital Orchestrator.

Although some might debate it, most professional composers regard Cakewalk and Cakewalk Pro as the ultimate tools for composition and notation. These programs provide virtually every conceivable capability, but at the expense of having a very steep learning curve. Unless you are an accomplished composer and have an extensive MIDI hardware capability, the various Cakewalk programs are probably more power than you will need or want to deal with.

Editing Sound and Notation on a PC

Just as these programs can be used to create MIDI files, they can also be used to edit existing MIDI files. This is a good way of "improving" sequences you download, so long as you acknowledge the original author's contribution. The programs work the same basic way for editing as for creating MIDI files.

Virtually all computers with sound cards have software supplied with them that allows you to listen to, modify, and interconvert between WAV and MIDI (and other) formats. A couple of the most common ones are AudioStation and Sound Impression. There are many others as well. They all share, to varying degrees, the ability to work with existing files.

So long as you exercise care with respect to copyrighted material, you can use your existing sound card software or other commercial software to produce new sound files by recording, rearranging, stringing together, changing the dynamics of, and distorting WAV and related waveform files. For most users, the software they already have is adequate for this task, though you will need more powerful software to do professional-level editing. This can be a great deal of fun and is useful for producing amusing and interesting sound files of family and friends to use as sound effects in Windows, for example.

Synthesized or Synthetic?

In the last 30 years, computers and synthesizers have revolutionized both what we think of as music and how we create it. Those of you over the age of 30 can probably still remember the sensation that Wendy Carlos' synthesized recordings of Bach classics ("Switched-on Bach") made when they first appeared in the 1970's. The renditions that Carlos created over thousands of hours of work with bulky equipment and manual manipulation of patch cables can now be done by any talented musician in a few tens of hours with a PC and MIDI keyboard. While purists may argue about how "true" such recordings are to the composer's intent, the fact is that the hardware is now good enough and prices low enough that high quality reproduction of classical instrument sound is available to almost anyone. More importantly, synthesized music makes possible sounds and effects that are impossible to duplicate with musical instruments alone. Whatever the purists may think, digital music is here to stay.

We hope this article has given you some insight into how music is created for and played by the personal computer. If you got the idea that you don't have to be a passive receptor of music, but can actually use your PC to become an active creator of music and sound, then pat yourself on the back. The only thing left to say (with apologies) is: "Just do it!"

Page created: 12/8/01
Last updated: 03/13/09	

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How To Compose Music - Creative Ideas

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Starting a composition is a difficult task. Getting your inspirations, thinking creatively, applying your creative thoughts to your music and supplementing your ideas with additional composition are all difficult tasks to accomplish.

For starters, your current state of mind will greatly affect the music you write – whether you feel angry, joyful or sad chances are your musical composition will in some way reflect this mood.

Different times of day and different seasons affect your composing as well as current affairs and any stress’s you might have.

The variety of factors that can influence your composition periods are immense and hopefully these few pointers will demonstrate some methods of breaking out of the psychological restraints placed on you.

• Colours – If you are looking to compose a piece of music based around a certain mood find a relevant colour that matches for instance orange gives the impression of energy and drive. Eventually you will learn to bias your mood to suit the composition you are aiming for.
• Character – it is well known for actors to really get inside the character they are portraying through their acting. Understanding key emotions and various behaviours help the actors ‘ live ‘ as their proposed character. If you are creating a theme for a character (think darth vaders theme tune) you need to be demonstrating and describing that character through sound. If you follow the same process as an actor would you will eventually unravel hidden details that will help refine your composition, make it more realist and detailed and allow for it to be much more creative and expressive.
• Nature – a lot of creativity and inspiration can be got by observing nature. From birds communicating through a song like speech to the rustle of leaves in a summer breeze. Trying to emulate nature is an excellent way to begin a sound-scope – or incorporating nature into a character theme for example to express an angelic quality, singing like the birds (fast trills on piccolo or glissandos on the violin)
• Memories – another great source to tap into is your memories. A lot of emotion will go into compositions that are personal in some way to yourself. Spend a few minutes reflecting on your past – try to imagine the memory in great detail – sounds, smells, colours the weather – anything that will give you a good image and story to compose about.

These are just a few sources for inspiration – use your imagination – it has never ending possibilities!

With so many possibilities to compose about and now that your creativity is running, the next area to discuss is music theory.
The last thing that you want to happen is to have all these wonderfully creative ideas for your composition but being held back by the lack of musical knowledge.

A rugby player could develop his passing techniques and his scrum techniques but if he doesn’t know the rules of the game he won’t be able to perform during a game.

Although music composition and as a whole is not bound by any rules you still need the knowledge of writing music – in the same way as a poet needs a knowledge of his language to write a poem.

Some of the key areas you should know about and be constantly revising are:

•	The Staff, Bar Lines, Clefs, Time Signatures.
•	Note Values, Rests, Phrasing, Rhythm
•	Articulation, Instrument Specific Techniques (pizz, con sord)
•	Key Signatures, Circle of Fifths, Accidentals, Cadences
•	Major, Minor, Diminished, Pentatonic, Diatonic Scales
•	Modes
•	Chords, Extensions, Inversions, Sequences, Arpeggios
• Instrument Ranges, Timbres of Each Instrument, Difficult Areas of an Instrument (The break on clarinet for instance or seventh position for trombones)

Of course it is not absolutely essential you know about all of this but it will mean that your creativity is weakened due to lack of a means to fully communicate. 

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Use music theory books – go through them and notate comments on the pages, take notes on to blank flash cards to memorize scales and extended chords, use past music theory exam papers to test and analyze your knowledge and then act on your weak areas, purchase a aural perception CD to recognize different cadences and the general sounds achieved from different combinations of notes and chords – there are many ways to learn all of this but find the way that you are comfortable with and stick to it.

Finally the last piece of advice in this article is to keep your composing active.

Aim to compose a short piece of music each day, maybe before you go to bed you can reflect on your day through a composition. Mix it up – compose for different orchestrations and different abilities.

Composing is challenging but by keeping active like this will greatly benefit you and your compositions – and you never know – you may accidentally stumble upon your masterpiece!

This article is free for reproduction providing that it maintains its original form and an active link to www.realmusicproduction.com is present. Edward Droscher is the founder of Real Music Production and works to develop music education systems privately and in schools as well as composing and arranging music for film, TV, and musical theatre.

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Articles Of Note | Music Article By Anurag Abhinav

Music Articles And Life Enrichment: An Exclusive Article By Anurag Abhinav, Music Expert From India



Whether you admit it or not, music imbeds our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotion through our thoughts, activities and memories.  So if you're interested in music theory, music appreciation, Beethoven, Mozart, or other composers, artists and performers, we hope you'll spend some time with here and learn from these music articles of note for all ages and tastes.

When I first started studying the history of music, I did not realize what I was getting into. I had thought that music history was somewhat of a trivial pursuit. In fact, I only took my history of classical music class because I needed  the credits. I did not realize how completely fascinating music history is. You see, in our culture many of us do not really learn to understand music. For much of the world, music is a language, but for us it is something that we consumed passively.  When I began to learn about the history of Western music, however, it changed all that for me. I have had some experience playing musical instruments, but I have never mastered one enough to really understand what music is all about. This class showed me.

When most of us think about the history of music, we think of the history of rock music. We assume that the history is simple because the music is simple. In fact, neither is the case. The history of music, whether you're talking about classical music, rock music, jazz music, or any other kind, is always complicated. New chord structures are introduced bringing with them new ways of understanding the world. New rhythmic patterns are introduced, bringing with them new ways of understanding time. And music reflects all of it.

Even when the class was over, I could not stop learning about the history of music. It had whetted my appetite, and I wanted more. I got all the music history books that I could find. I even began to research forms of music that had not interested me before in the hopes of enhancing my musical knowledge further. Although I was in school studying toward something very different – a degree in engineering – I had thought about giving it up and going back to get a degree in musicology. That is how much I am fascinated by the subject.

If you have never taken a course in the history of music, you don't know what you are missing out on. The radio will never sound the same to you again. Everything will seem much more rich, much more luminous, and much more important. A new song can reflect a new way of being, and a new way of imagining life in the world. This is what learning about the history of music means to many of us. 

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Music Articles and Life Enrichment: An Exclusive Article by Anurag Abhinav, Music Expert from India

About Your First Concert - How to Go to A Concert

I've never been to an orchestra concert before. What should I expect?
Expect to enjoy yourself! This is the time to let go of any preconceptions you may have about classical music or the concert experience. If you feel a little nervous, that's OK. Some things about the concert may seem strange because they're new to you, but if you just focus on the music, you'll have a great time. 

Open yourself up to the music. Let it trigger your emotions—maybe even your memories. Feel the rhythms; follow the tunes. Watch the musicians and the conductor, and see how they interact with each other. Notice how the music ebbs and flows—surging and powerful at some times, delicate and ephemeral at others, and everything in between. 

What if I don't know anything about classical music? Do I need to study beforehand?
There's no need to study. The music will speak for itself. Just come and enjoy! 

Over time, many frequent concertgoers do find their enjoyment is deeper if they prepare for a concert. This can be simple, like reading the program notes beforehand; or it can be more involved, like listening to recordings of the music to be performed in the days before they attend a concert. 

You know yourself best, so if research interests you, go ahead and follow your curiosity. But if studying isn't your thing, there's no need to be concerned about it. Just listen with an open mind. 


Will I recognize any of the music?
You might. Classical music is all around us: in commercials, movie soundtracks, television themes, cartoons, retail shops, and even some elevators! Popular music often quotes classical melodies, too. While you're listening in the concert to a piece you think you've never heard before, a tune you've heard a hundred times may jump out at you. 

Whether or not you've heard the music before the concert, as you listen, you'll notice that each classical piece uses its own group of several tunes over and over, in different ways. You'll start to "recognize" these melodies as a work progresses. Listen for the ways a melody is repeated: Is it exactly the same as the first time, or with a different character? Is it played by the same instruments, or different ones? Does it start the same as before, but go off in a different direction? Or start differently and surprise you by developing into the tune you recognize from earlier in the piece? 

What should I wear?
There is no dress code! Anything that makes you feel comfortable is fine. Most people will be wearing business clothes or slightly dressy casual clothes, but you'll see everything from khakis to cocktail dresses. Some people enjoy dressing up and making a special night of it, and you can, too. Still, evening gowns and tuxedos are pretty rare unless you've bought tickets for a fancy gala—and if you have, you'll know! 

If you do decide to dress up, though, go easy on the cologne, which can distract others near you and even prompt them to sneeze (which may distract you)! 

Should I arrive early?
Absolutely! Plan to arrive 20 minutes before concert time, so you can find your seat, turn off your cell phone, take a look at your surroundings, absorb the atmosphere, and have time to glance through the program book, too. You won't be alone. Most concertgoers make a point of coming early to read the program notes, or just watch the orchestra warm up. 

Rushing to your seat at the last minute doesn't really give you enough time to get settled, so you may not fully enjoy the first piece on the program. And there's another good reason to come early: Most concerts start on time. If you're late, you may end up listening from the lobby! If that happens, the usher will allow you inside during a suitable pause in the program, so your arrival won't disturb other concertgoers. 

How long will the concert be?
It varies, but most orchestra concerts are about 90 minutes to two hours long, with an intermission at the halfway point. Very often there will be several pieces on the concert; but sometimes there is one single work played straight through. It's a good idea to take a look at the program before the concert to get an idea of what to expect. 

When should I clap?
This is the number-one scary question! No one wants to clap in the "wrong" place. But it's simpler than you may think, and quite logical on the whole. 

At the beginning of the concert, the concertmaster will come onstage. The audience claps as a welcome, and as a sign of appreciation to all the musicians. 

After the orchestra tunes, the conductor (and possibly a soloist) will come onstage. Everyone claps to welcome them, too. This is also a good moment to make sure your program is open, so you can see the names of the pieces that will be played and their order. 

Then everything settles down and the music begins. Just listen and enjoy! The audience doesn't usually applaud again until the end of the piece. 

In most classical concerts—unlike jazz or pop—the audience never applauds during the music. They wait until the end of each piece, then let loose with their applause. But this can be a little tricky, because many pieces seem to end several times—in other words, they have several parts, or "movements." These are listed in your program. 

In general, musicians and your fellow listeners prefer not to hear applause during the pauses between these movements, so they can concentrate on the progress from one movement to the next. Symphonies and concertos have a momentum that builds from the beginning to the end, through all their movements, and applause can "break the mood," especially when a movement ends quietly. Sometimes, though, the audience just can't restrain itself, and you'll hear a smattering of applause—or a lot of it—during the pause before the next movement. It's perfectly OK to join in if you enjoyed the music, too. 

(By the way, disregard anyone who "shushes" you for applauding between movements. It's only in the last 50 years or so that audiences stopped applauding between movements, so you have music history on your side!) 

What if you lose track, and aren't sure whether the piece is truly over? One clue is to watch the conductor. Usually, s/he won't relax between movements, but keep hands raised; the attention of the musicians will remain on the conductor. If in any doubt, it's always safe to wait and follow what the rest of the audience does! 

At the end of the piece, it's time to let yourself go and let the musicians know how you felt about their playing. Many pieces end "big"—and you won't have any doubt of what to do when! Some end very quietly, and then you'll see the conductor keep hands raised for a few seconds at the end, to "hold the mood." Then the hands will drop, someone will clap or yell "Bravo!"—and that's your cue. There's no need to restrain yourself. If you enjoyed what you heard, you can yell "Bravo!" too. 

What if I need to cough during the music?
Everyone gets the urge to cough now and then. Worrying about disturbing your fellow listeners is a laudable impulse, but don't let it ruin your enjoyment of the concert. There's a funny thing about coughing—the less worried you are about it, the less likely you are to feel the urge! So chances are you'll feel less need to cough if you're prepared.

Be sure to visit the water fountain in the lobby before the concert, and at intermission.
If you have a cold, take some cough medicine in advance and bring wax paper-wrapped—or unwrapped-lozenges with you. (At some concerts, you'll even see cough drops free for the taking in the lobby.) Have a few out and ready when the music begins.
Allow yourself to become involved in listening to the music and in watching the performers. The more you are absorbed in what's going on, the less likely you are to cough.
If you absolutely can't restrain yourself, try to wait for the end of a movement. Or "bury" your cough in a loud passage of music. If this is impossible, and you feel a coughing fit coming on, it's perfectly acceptable to quietly exit the concert hall. Don't be embarrassed—your fellow listeners will probably appreciate your concern for their listening experience.
What should I do with my cell phone during the concert?
Turn it off! The same goes for pagers and alarm watches. It's a good idea to double-check in the few minutes before the concert begins, and again as intermission draws to a close. Better still, leave them at home if you can. 

Doctors and emergency workers who are "on call" can give their pagers to an usher, who will summon them quietly if they are paged. 

Can I take pictures?
Cameras, video recorders, and tape recorders aren't permitted in concerts. If you happen to have one with you, be sure to stop at the coat-check and check it in before entering the auditorium. If you have a camera and want a souvenir of a special evening at the symphony, it can be fun to ask someone to take your picture outside the concert hall before you go in. 

Why is there an intermission, and what should I do during it?
It's a short rest period for the musicians and conductor—once you see how much activity goes into a performance, you'll understand why they need a break! 

Listening to music is also an intense activity (even if considerably less physical), and a break in the middle helps the audience concentrate better in the second half. Some concerts, though, have no intermission because it would interrupt the flow of a long work. Check the program before the concert so you know what's coming. 

Most intermissions are fifteen to twenty minutes long, which gives you time to socialize with your companions, get a drink or a snack in the lobby, visit the facilities, or simply sit in your seat and read the program notes. Do whatever puts you in a good frame of mind to hear the second half of the concert. 

Can I bring my kids?
It depends on the concert and on the age of your kids. Many standard-length classical concerts are inappropriate for small children because they require an attention span that is difficult for youngsters to maintain. Most concerts also are held at night, and stretch beyond "bedtime." 

So if your children are very young, check with your local orchestra, which may present family or children's concerts on weekends; these are a great way for families to enjoy classical music together. Young children are especially intrigued by the many different instruments of the orchestra and the way they are played. Try to sit up close to the orchestra, so your kids will have a great view of everything that's going on. 

To further build your children's interest in classical music, play classical radio or CDs around the house. When they are old enough to sit quietly for an extended period, you may wish to bring them to the first half of a standard concert. An interested preteen or teenager could also have a marvelous time at an orchestra concert, particularly if it features several different pieces. 

In all cases, it's a good idea to check with the orchestra directly about the appropriateness of the concert you plan to attend with your kids. Also ask about discounts for students and children.

 

About the Orchestra

What is a symphony orchestra, exactly?
A symphony orchestra is a collection of up to about 100 musicians who play instruments of four basic types:
Strings—violins (smallest, and highest in pitch), violas, cellos, and doublebasses (largest and lowest in pitch). These players sit in a semicircle directly in front of the conductor, and make up more than half the orchestra.
Woodwinds—flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and related instruments. These players sit a few rows back from the conductor, in the center of the orchestra.
Brass—trumpets, horns, trombones, tubas, and similar instruments. These instruments are the loudest, so you'll see them at the back of the orchestra.
Percussion—the drums, bells, and other fascinating paraphernalia that are struck, plucked, rubbed, etc. This includes the kettledrums, the harp, and, on occasion, the piano. Some works use lots of different percussion; others may have a single musician playing the kettledrums, or no percussion at all. The percussion section is also found at the back of the orchestra. 

Why are the musicians onstage playing before the concert begins?
Just like basketball players taking shots and practicing moves before the game, musicians need to warm up their muscles and focus their concentration. This is fun to listen to and to watch. Some of them are working on the passages they need to polish up before the performance, with no regard for what anyone else is practicing. Pick out the flute or the trumpet playing a solo line over and over, and listen to how it changes. Does it get smoother? If the player stops in the middle and starts over, can you hear the reason why? (It's especially fun to recognize these solos later in the performance! Give a silent cheer for the player who nails the solo.) 

Not all of the orchestra players practice onstage, of course. Just like the audience, everyone is doing his or her own thing. Some are talking; others are paging through their music. And some don't come onstage at all until a minute or two before the performance. But at concert time, everyone is in place and ready to start. 

Why do the musicians wear formal black clothes?
This is a long tradition that started a few centuries ago. Sometimes, these days, musicians dress a little more casually. But they still try to look uniform, so that the audience can concentrate on the music. Soloists are the exception: they often dress differently, because they are the focus of attention. 

How come there are more stringed instruments than anything else?
The sound of each individual stringed instrument is softer than a brass or a woodwind instrument. But in large numbers, they make a magnificent, rich sonority. 

Why do their bows move together?
The players of each individual section—first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, and doublebasses—play in unison most of the time. So all the cellos move together, for instance. As you listen, noticing the different bowings for each section gives you a visual clue to sort out the various melodies you're hearing. 

What does the concertmaster do?
The concertmaster sits in the first chair of the first violins. S/he acts as leader of that section, but also plays a leadership role with orchestra as a whole. S/he is also the last orchestra musician to enter the stage before a concert, and cues the oboe to "tune" the orchestra. 

Why do all the musicians tune to the oboe?
The penetrating tone of the oboe is easy for all players to hear, and its ability to sustain pitch is very secure. The oboe plays the note "A," and all the players make sure their "A" is exactly on the same pitch as the oboe's. This ensures that they all are in agreement about the tuning before the concert starts. 

Why do the string players share stands?
Fewer stands mean that the musicians, who are moving around quite a bit, have more room to play freely. Also, because the strings play more continuously than the other parts, their page turns can fall in inconvenient places where there should be no break in the music. Look closely and you'll see that the player on the outside keeps playing, while the player on the inside briefly stops playing to turn the page. 

Why does the conductor leave after every piece of music?
This provides the conductor a little breather—a chance to collect his or her thoughts before starting the next piece. If the applause is very enthusiastic, the conductor will come onstage again, bow, and perhaps recognize some musicians who played important solos in the piece. S/he may depart again once or twice before moving on to the next piece on the program. 

Why don't the musicians smile while they play?
Look closely and you'll see that some of them do! But in general, they are concentrating deeply, just like outfielders waiting for the fly ball or pitchers winding up to a curve ball. They're "in the Zone." After the music is over, you may see them smiling broadly. If it was a concerto, and they liked the soloist's playing, they won't just smile—the string players will tap their stands with their bows as a sign of appreciation. 

 

Before the Next Concert


How can I learn more about classical music?
Most orchestras give you several ways to learn more. You can read program notes online in advance of a concert, or in your seat before the concert begins. Many concerts are preceded by free lectures or discussions, and these can be entertaining and enlightening. Sometimes the conductor or soloist even talks about the music during the concert. 

But you might not need to "know" more to have a great time at your next concert. Most people who attend concerts frequently find that it's like any other passionate pursuit: The more you do it, the more you enjoy it. Most of the classical works you hear repay frequent listening: The more often you hear a piece, the more wonderful layers you hear in it. If you enjoyed your first concert, plan to come again! 

Check the orchestra's web site for future concerts that are specifically designed to help you hear the many layers in the music. And if your concert hall has a gift shop, pay a visit during intermission; you may find books and recordings that will help you enjoy your next concert even more. 

Here are some links to web sites where you can look up composers and their works, buy recordings, and learn more about classical music: 

For a wonderful introduction to American music, visit the web site for the American Mavericks public radio series, which features the San Francisco Symphony. The site includes biographies of composers, music downloads, and interviews and features on contemporary music. 

Andante.com offers classical music news, reviews, and commentary. For a monthly fee, subscribers can download performances and access reference sources. 

The online store ArkivMusic.com has a very complete catalogue of classical recordings. So does Amazon.com. 

For kids who are learning to play instruments, FromTheTop.com offers a great resource, and access to public radio's From The Top programs. 

Many orchestras have wonderful web sites for smaller kids. They can play musical games at playmusic for starters, and visit its music links page to connect to more great music sites just for them. 

The Learning Zone of the Naxos Records web site has an introduction to classical music, biographies of composers, a glossary of musical terms, and an excellent guide to live-concert listening. You can also stream loads of classical pieces, so this is a great place to visit if you want to listen to a work a couple of times before you hear it in concert. 

And if you like the very newest "classical" music, don't miss NewMusicBox, a monthly web 'zine about living composers and their works.
                         From: Anurag Abhinav 

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TheGRAMMYs: On YouTube: a whole slew of video from the GRAMMY Celebration Tour Presented by TMO Sidekick! @blakelewis fans start here http://is.gd/vJn0TheGRAMMYs: Yeah, I actually just did that. Sorry, guys! Those were meant to be DMs.TheGRAMMYs: Sorry for the delay. The Member Online Entry Process closes on July 31st. The Record Company Online Entry Process closes on Aug 4.TheGRAMMYs: George Benson just unexpectedly graced the stage, joining Natalie Cole and Steve Lukather, to talk about how Al Schmitt changed his life.TheGRAMMYs: According to Al Schmitt there are no secrets to recording. Just use great mics and put them in the right place. "It's easy."TheGRAMMYs: The green room looks like a super-producer class reunion: Geoff Emerick, Ed Cherney, Roy Thomas Baker, Mike Clink, Al himself.TheGRAMMYs: Down @thegrammymuseum, the LA Chapter Q&A with Al Schmitt is about to start. Natalie Cole is answering our questions for grammy.com now!TheGRAMMYs: Ciudad de Las Vegas, preparence para tener un noviembre más caliente que nunca! Más información mañana!TheGRAMMYs: The LA Chapter and the P&E wing have a Q&A with Al Schmitt tonight @thegrammymuseum! Gimme YOUR Q's for Al or Natalie Cole http://is.gd/vb2iTheGRAMMYs: Q solved! RT @drumtips "why did so many people think 53.8%?" First thing that comes up in google when you ask what % of cans r recyclable :)

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Music As An Profession
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A Short Discourse on Music



Music – everybody listens to music these days. Is there anything surprising in that? If we look backwards in time, we will see that it was not always so. Music then was music – not the good music-bad music, rock music-classical music, this music and that music. Music can only be music – neither good nor bad – whatever else there is, is non-music. Music in the past was not merely a form of entertainment but something more. Moreover, only the few used to listen to music, as was the case with all art. There were few pretences in this regard and it was not a means of achieving fame or success. It was life for some, means of worship for some, and for some it was a means of great expression, beyond words and images. The tones, the sounds employed, the instruments were all a very personal medium for the musician to reach into himself and go beyond it,” I said to my friend Jitendra, one day after listening to Bach.

It had been a year since I started taking music seriously and found great pleasure in doing so. Earlier, all I used to listen to was some Hindi film music and some of the latest, most popular English and Hindi pop music. It was always a means of entertainment for me, a means of passing time, a means of having some activity in the background while doing something else so that I didn’t get bored. I had never actually paid attention to it before.

Jitendra said, “Like all other arts, music has declined in the last 30 or so years. Music has now become associated with images, ideas and for entertainment, partying and all the rest. Most so-called music these days is nothing but empty sounds, put together by a lot of people, using all kinds of artificial means to manipulate the sounds to achieve one end – popularity. That is what popular music is. Moreover, a division has been created, probably on the basis of outward form – between classical and popular music. But if one listens, actually listens, what one hears is only music. If one simply listens, without comparing what one hears to his or her idea of music, only then one can see what music is.”

   

 

I was new to Mumbai and Jitendra was my only friend here, so usually on weekends and whenever I had a day off, I went to his place to stay over. He was an old friend of mine, from the time when I was in Delhi. We used to stay together at a paying guest hostel. Our rooms were close by and we often used to spend time together.

I said, “In India, only classical forms of music have survived, probably because it has been not popular and most of its exponents have not succumbed to the motives of personal ambition or fame. In the West, the same is the case with classical music, though there the quality depends upon the interpretation of the performer or the conductor. In popular music, several good attempts were made, in rock, punk, and jazz in the years before the 80s. Since then, there has been a gradual decline in popular music. In India, Bollywood music, except in a few cases, has been melodramatic, sensational and mediocre. The decades of the 60s and 70s were especially productive for music in many ways – there was a regeneration, a breaking from the traditional forms, but soon afterwards, it collapsed again.”

I had been finding myself becoming more and more intimate with music lately. I saw the beauty, the importance of music as a part of human existence. At first, I used to resist anything new, since it was not already known to me. I used to remain content with what was familiar since it gave me a certain degree of comfort. Now I was realizing how small my world was and how vast were the unexplored territories. Music was what helped me realize this more than anything else. I started listening to it openly, afresh, with no expectations whatsoever and found that by listening without an idea, I could listen so well. Music was teaching me how to listen.

“One can’t define what music is – any attempt to define music physically does not suffice. One has to hear, with clear senses, untainted by expectation or comparison to see the beauty of music,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “Music is always out of time. If you are actually, attentively listening, there will be no sense of time. It is this quality of music that has made so many of the great composers exalt it as a divine virtue. Music has an effect on the body and the mind – not as two distinct effects but as one total effect. It affects the senses in various ways, and when one is in harmony with the music, then it ceases to be something separate, something outside of oneself – you become the music. Music is harmony and music is beauty. Music has the quality of expressing the inexpressible. One can’t approach music with one’s own peculiar likes or dislikes and tastes, which are all a part of one’s own conditioning. Music is something both extraordinarily complex and simple at the same time. We are not used to listening to anything except our own thoughts, therefore we can’t sense the beauty of music. Because we are always trying to do things according to our own peculiar tastes and likes and dislikes that we have built up, we become deaf to all other sounds. But when we drop all that and simply listen, then sound becomes a most wonderful thing – the complexity of it, the depth, the clearness, the penetration, the opening of many doors it leads towards, is inexpressible and beyond words.”

How well he could put it all into words! The things that I had faintly realized and which were not so clear to me became clear as light on hearing him.

The above extract has been taken from the short story, Music and Intelligence, featured in the book - To Think or Not to Think and Other Stories, by Ashutosh Ghildiyal

Contributed by - Ashutosh Ghildiyal is a salaried professional based in Mumbai, India. He was born in Lucknow in 1984, where he completed his schooling. He completed his graduate studies in New Delhi and his post-graduate education in Mumbai. He is the author of To Think or Not to Think and Other stories (Book), various blogs and short stories. Email: ashutoshghildiyal@hotmail.com

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