Category Archives: Video

Concepts, Expression, Harmony, Improvisation, Listening, Science, Video

Your Brain on Improv

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Many musicians are in awe of the ability to improvise in others and nervous at the prospect of being called upon to do it themselves. Many non-musicians find it bewildering that anyone can create on the hoof in solo or ensemble situations. Dr. Charles Limb, takes a look at the workings of the brain, comparing particularly memorised and improvised content in this TED video At the beginning of the talk, he stresses how he will be asking more questions than providing answers – the science is in its infancy, after all. But these are good questions:

  • What is creative genius?
  • Why does the brain seek creativity?
  • How do we acquire creativity?
  • What factors disrupt creativity?
  • Can creative behaviour be learned?

The title of the talk, Your Brain on Improv is, I feel certain, a nod to Daniel Levitin‘s great book, This is Your Brain on Music (look inside it here).

If you’ve ever wondered what jazzers are referring to by the expression playing outside, then pay particular attention to what Keith Jarret does at 2:12 in the video within the video. As you lead up to this moment, try to focus on the key – the centre of gravity of the piece – and see if the outside playing threatens it. Then imagine how he feels!

Life, Listening, Memory, Radio Links, Science, Technology, Video

Music and Memory

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Does a life of active involvement in music bestow enhanced memory – more able to withstand the ravages of age? Nina Kraus of the Audio Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University in Illinois certainly believes so. Why not listen to a short conversation she had with Eddie Mair on Radio 4’s PM? Scroll forward to 27:50 of this?

The website of the Audio Neuroscience Laboratory is a treasure trove of interesting material.

There is an interesting paragraph about the effects of music on the brain here

Also – have a look at this slide show about the brain’s encoding of music and speech – or the slide show about speech in noise.

There are also three interesting videos on the site:

Concepts, Harmony, Lesson Content, Technique, Technology, Video, YouTube links

Blackbird

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You’d think a “lesson” with no dialogue couldn’t be up to much – but this one seems to get away with it quite nicely:[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/U0Hbo0cVoME?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

In addition to the nice, clear playing, it’s as good a demo as you’ll see of the concept of parallel 10ths – and also a fantastic example of effortless, economic left-hand technique.

Expression, Listening, Technique, Video, YouTube links

YouTube Guitar Videos

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YouTube guitar videos vary enormously – from the teenage enthusiast who, having switched on the distant videocam, rushes over to the bed to play – to the more seasoned performer who has someone filming them and high post-production values.

Videos of the latter type are to be found on the channel of Roman Gurochkin. Three great videos feature the dynamic Asya Selyutina playing Preludes and Fugues by Nikita Koshkin, whom I once had the privilege of meeting when my friend, Mike McGeary, organised a recital and master classes by this maestro of guitar performance and composition.

Prelude and Fugue in F#m[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/rnQJqAxQMiY?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Prelude and Fugue in Am[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/0nUuvxGdLGk?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Prelude and Fugue in A[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/YDxYmhze5Do?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

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I’m also very taken by this sensitive, wistful performance of a “Ground” by Henry Purcell by Nataly Makovskaya. I really can’t tell if she is reading music, or simply looking straight ahead and listening keenly. What do you think?[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/rF1g7JimbKs?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Aural, Language, Life, Listening, New Ideas, Science, Technology, Video, Wider Connections

Prosody

Having recently attended Music: An Explanation by a Guitar Hero, which concluded with some deliberations on prosody (the music of speech which amplifies meaning), I chanced upon an inspirational TED talk by film critic, Robert Ebert, who lost his lower jaw, and his speech, through cancer.

Exploring text-to-speech technology, he found that, unless he entered very time-consuming XML coding, the prosody was never quite right. Work is currently in progress with Edinburgh-based company, CereProc to refine his voice, using recorded material from Ebert’s television archive. Exploring their site, I was quite astonished at how far along the speech synthesis road things have travelled. You can hear some of their voices here or type in your own text and choose a voice here. While CereProc finish their refinements, Ebert is using Apple’s Alex voice.

It is very touching to see how Ebert responds during the talk. The words are his own but his wife and two other close friends help out with reading. Despite the fact that the oral delivery is at one remove, he gestures as though delivering the words personally.

Let me, once again, flag up some interesting lectures on prosody by Peter Roach.

Concepts, Culture(s), Harmony, History, Language, Lesson Content, Life, Live Events, Numeracy, Pitch, Science, Video, YouTube links

Music: An Explanation by a Guitar Hero

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Better late than never? Having been on holiday I’m a little late with this short write-up of an Edinburgh International Science Festival event but, as it was so good, here goes.

Dr. Mark Lewney is a physicist and a guitarist. Last year I went to his excellent Rock Guitar in 11 Dimensions and reviewed it here. This year he presented Music: An Explanation by a Guitar Hero – a look at the physics underlying sound/music. Without wishing to spoil the show for those who may have the chance to see it later, let me say that he took us on an engaging journey from the sine wave – through the world of harmonics (overtones), the importance of the fundamental, 4th and 5th notes, the short step from there to the pentatonic scale, which is used in folk musics across the world – notably in the blues.

He finished the talk with some thoughts on music’s purpose in our evolution – the topic of much debate – such as from 2:24 – 7:03 in this video). One thing is clear, though: prosody (the music of speech) matters – it’s not just what you say it’s how you say it.

This was an excellent, funny and informative presentation. This cross-curricular take on life is, I feel, at the heart of CfE.

You can see Mark Lewney in action in YouTube videos here.

My further explorations on prosody took me here to a fascinating series of lectures by Peter Roach. 

p.s. 

I forgot to mention one of the most elucidating facts of the evening – and one of the simplest. 

When non-musicians ask musicians why orchestras need conductors, there are many common answers: 

  • apart from waving the baton, the conductor is the person who has led rehearsals and is in charge of the interpretation
  • orchestral players can end up sitting many metres away from their colleagues and it’s hard to hear – conductors can ensure the overall balance and timing of the group
  • the conductor is the fore-runner of drummer and mixing desk

 However, Mark Lewney’s audience participation illustration was much better and more direct and more memorable. He asked the audience to clap to a beat which, having started, he left in our hands – with out eyes shut. The timing soon began to drift. He asked us to open our eyes and sync with him. The timing improved. Closing our eyes again, the timing deteriorated. Opening them, and following his lead, we were back in sync. The reason? Light travels approximately 874,000 times faster than sound*. Relying on the sound, we had to wait for it to bounce off the back wall of the hall. Syncing to the beat, we were exactly in time.

 * Speed of sound

  •  343.2 metres per second
  • 1,236 kilometres per hour
  • 768 miles per hour

 Speed of light 

  • 299,792,458 metres per second
  • 1,079,000,000 kilometres per hour
  • 671,000,000 miles per hour
Concerts, Ensembles, Live Events, Pitch, Recording, Technology, Video, YouTube links

East Lothian Showcase Concert 2011

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Many thanks to all who participated in the East Lothian Showcase Concert last night in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall. The pupils really enjoyed the venue and the performance. Thanks to James Leslie for the use of his video-camera tripod and to Don Ledingham for agreeing to operate the video camera:

Rondo:

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/tz9xJdYeQg8?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Birdland:

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/oB8muigtSaU?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Bohemian Rhapsody

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/w0CSGhuSWEo?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Thanks to David Gilmour for making the audio recordings featured below. Perhaps pupils – especially those for whom this was the final Showcase – would like to download these mp3s as an iPod memento.

Rondo Birdland Bohemian Rhapsody

Many thanks, also, to Julia Wilson of NBHS who supplied the group with 20 clip-on tuners. Holding the tuning of 34 guitars  (204 strings) under the glare of stage lights is a nightmare and these were a great help.

Thanks, finally, to David Ryan (S6 @ Knox Academy) for agreeing to lead the group. You’ll see this particularly in Bohemian Rhapsody, where a nod helps the group navigate some severe changes of tempo and time signature.

Well done to all involved.

p.s. bereft of software to divide the original video into three separate ones, I downloaded some nifty, free software here.

Concerts, Culture(s), Expression, Live Events, Technique, Technology, Video

The Guitar Whisperer

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Don’t you love it when a hunch pays off? Having flagged up in a previous post Richard Durrant‘s appearance at The Brunton Theatre as a promising idea for a school outing, the evening exceeded all expectations. A party of 16 pupils from Campie and Wallyford enjoyed a marvellous and varied recital and spent an excited interval meeting Richard, asking him questions, seeing his guitars close up (and holding one) and having programmes autographed. We couldn’t have hoped for a more personable and encouraging performer who was genuinely delighted to see so many young, animated faces at a gig.

Featured in this picture is the signature model of an intriguing guitar with a beautiful sound, made by Gary Hearn. The pupils were impressed to hear that this particular one weighed in at £6,500, which must make their own ¾ sized guitar/case/book package seem a bargain at £30.

The staff at the Brunton were extremely helpful and friendly and, at the end of the evening, offered the pupils posters as souvenirs.

Many thanks to Sheila Laing, Iain Bruce, Debbie Beverage, Mrs. Fleming and Lesley Smith for their work in making the evening possible.

We look forward to a return visit of this wonderful and creative player and wish him luck for his trip to Paraguay where, in the late composer’s house, he is to launch his CD of music by Agustín Barrios entitled “The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay”

Why not visit Richard’s YouTube Channel – where you can also get an idea of the many captivating animations and films which form part of the programme?