Music and Musical Gear

If you are a child of the 70’s like me, you fondly remember your collection of 45s and the mysteriously vanishing spindle adapters used to allow the discs with large holes to play on 33-1/3 RPM turntables. But as the 70s gave way to the 80s and the AOR (‘album oriented rock’ or ‘always on radio’ depending on who you ask) of Styx, Foreigner, The Police and more dominated the airwaves the ‘single’ slowly became less and less popular. Then CDs arrived in the mid-80s without a real equivalent to the 45. Sure there were CD singles, but the record…

Last we heard on Twitter from none other than Billy Joe Armstrong himself that Green Day had entered the studio to start recording their new album: Happy Valentine’s day! Officially started recording the new record today. It’s F*CK TIME!!!! My wife has been a huge fan since the early days, but I have to confess that my older son became so obsessed with the group a few years ago that I still can’t listen to their stuff anymore. But they are still a popular group with my family … and we all hope they manage to do better than their…

I reviewed Dirty & Beautiful Volume 1 early last year, concluding : There is no fluff here – perhaps that is why this is ‘volume 1?, as the next volume is due in 2011 sometime. And while I might have appreciated getting more time to get to know each grouping on the record, this is Husband’s project, and if the goal was to show how vital and vibrant and versatile fusion can be in 2010 … and if that wasn’t the goal he should review the original goal! Because this record takes some of the great names in fusion, pulls…

While there are many who simply don’t ‘get’ dubstep/electronica music in general and folks like Skrillex or Deadmau5 in specific … there can be little debate at the massive impact they have had on music this year. Having been to a Skrillex concert with one son and a relatively high profile rap concert with my other son this year … the difference in the energy, commitment and enthusiasm in the largely 18-24 year old audiences was stunning. The dubstep crowd was simply on fire the entire time, and Skrillex and his ‘Mothership Tour’ (not to be confused with P-Funk’s Mothership…

Most musicians are constantly looking for new material to play – stuff we write or songs by other people. In fact, learning the tools and techniques employed by others is often inspirational to creating works of your own. But fundamentally, learning great classic songs can help you get work as a musician and please audiences if you have their favorite in your repertoire. Now Alfred Music, who acts as the official print music publisher of thousands of popular artists, songwriters, and composers, has released a great collection of 152 songs arranged for piano, vocal and guitar.

National Learn to Play Day is an even being sponsored in the UK by the ‘Music for All’ charity on Saturday March 31st, 2012. Her are a few details: On this day, the UK’s musical instrument shops will open their doors and offer free instrument “taster” lessons to the general public. There are 15 million people in the UK that either want to play an instrument or used to play one. The Day is designed to welcome people into music shops and to inspire them to get playing. People are often surprised to discover that they ARE musical and simply…