PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSoundField ↓ More info below ↓ Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were some of the first bands to perform the metal scream, but the origin of screaming in music actually goes back a lot further […]
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSoundField ↓ More info below ↓ What is music? From John Cage to Legendary Stardust Cowboy, avant-garde artists have forever been pushing on the edges of what is considered music. Composers like Arnold Schoenberg, Harry […]
Why is that even after you’ve learned all the notes to a piece of music, it still doesn’t sound like you want it to? Music is made up of many different elements such as rhythm, dynamics, phrasing and tempo, but most of the time we only focus on one of […]
Cymbal stacks seem to be everywhere these days. They make a short, trashy sound that can be used in pretty much all styles of music, and you can buy all sorts of different sizes or make your own. We’ll check out some cymbal stacks, and the crew will be challenged […]
Drummers LOVE to buy new gear, whether it’s a new cymbal, different drumheads, or a full-blown new drum set. There are always lots of great deals out there, but there are some key tricks to finding the best deals on the gear you need. ✨ Today we have some industry […]
In this video, we explore the ways that composers can change key, how it happens and why they might do it. An unprepared key change occurs when the music just jumps into a new key without any warning or preparation. A prepared key change is when the music modulates and […]
In my first explanation of musical phrasing, we explored what phrasing is and why it’s important. In this video, I suggest a way to understand phrasing, and how we can find it within the music. Phrasing in music is all about trying to communicate ideas rather than just play notes. […]
Drummers all have their own style, and it can really change the way a song sounds and feels. Today on the Drum Dept, we challenge Dylan, Brandon, and Dave to play the same song – they will hear it once, and play it, and they won’t get to hear what […]
Is it possible to create a perfect piece of music? Is it possible for a performance to be perfect? Perfection is a problem for many musicians, especially those learning an instrument. In this short video, I explore some ideas which relate to perfectionism for musicians. As well as exploring what […]
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSoundField ↓ More info below ↓ Jazz and Blues music are known for improvisation but the practice goes back further than that. Bach, Mozart, Clara Schumann and Chopin all improvised as part of their performances. […]
