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May 01, 2010
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It doesn’t take an encyclopedic
knowledge of music theory to add new
depth to your chord voicings. My mentor,
the great jazz pianist Kenny Barron, would
often respond to questions about his commanding
chord palette by
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Apr 28, 2010
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Even accomplished keyboardists
sometimes struggle when playing the
mighty Hammond B-3 organ — especially if
they were trained on piano. It’s not velocitysensitive,
has no sustain pedal, and can get
louder than heck. Many
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Jan 22, 2010
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by Josh DodesFinding time to practice is difficult for all of us. Whether you’re on the road, running from one gig to the next, or dealing with distractions at home, it can be daunting to keep your chops up. Whether at sound
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Dec 01, 2009
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Michael Jackson created some of the
most universally memorable — and downright
funky — music of the last century.
His hit “Billie Jean,” from the best-selling
album of all time, Thriller, makes great
use of synth bass and
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Nov 01, 2009
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Tom Petty made it clear that you don’t
have to live like a refugee — and if you
follow Benmont Tench’s example, you
don’t have to play like one either.
Benmont’s B-3 work on the classic hit
makes the song soar, largely due
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Sep 01, 2009
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When it comes to rock keyboards, chops and speed often should take a back seat to parts that can cut through the band and drive the music. Check out John Lennon’s churning and broken chords, Elton John’s moving gospel inversions
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Jul 01, 2009
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In MakeMusic’s notation program
Finale, you set chord symbols using the
Chord tool, and each symbol is attached
to a note. Sometimes, this hard connection
between chords and notes is helpful.
If you add a measure, for
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Jul 01, 2009
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Nowadays, there are cooler methods for
setting up a breakdown or a new section of
your remix. One of the most popular
transition sounds is the “whoosh,” a synthesized,
four- or eight-measure crescendo
followed by a long
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Jul 01, 2009
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This whole Twitter thing has really
gotten me thinking about form. Decades
ago, I was over my head at a prestigious
conservatory. “Vell, zis isn’t veddy much at
all, iz it?” was my esteemed composition
teacher’s first volley
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Jul 01, 2009
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With the advent of powerful, affordable
technology, complex sonorities are within
reach of just about everyone. But the question
remains: In a world of standardized
recording and sound design platforms,
how can you manage to
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Jun 25, 2009
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We'd originally posted these in three segments as we got them edited. By popular demand, we're re-upping them and posting the entire playlist below. Twitter-length summary: The new Rhodes Mark 7 is for real, and it's a work of
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Jun 01, 2009
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1. After you’ve recorded some audio
tracks, create one stereo aux input track,
and one stereo master fader track. All
track outputs should be set to your main
audio interface outs (e.g., Analog 1-2).
2. In the menu bar at
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Apr 01, 2009
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To practice, try picking one chord center or a progression (such as I-IV), then use the pentatonic scale (five notes: the root, second, major third, fifth, and major sixth) to create simple fills and melodies. Always be aware of
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Apr 01, 2009
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Jumping into a full-time jazz piano career: Don’t do it unless you absolutely must. But if you must, if music is your true love and you are ready to give yourself to it and expect little in return, then, by all means, do it!
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Feb 01, 2009
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Here’s how to make it happen. Find a buzzy, fat synth lead or bass sound. The synth lines in “Give It To Me Baby” go as high as G# below Middle C, so make that the upper limit of this sound’s key range. Select the lowest possible
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