Our org, Music Industry just had its culminating activity--an all-Beatles concert!
We had a bit of money for a sound system but chose to spend it on a drum set (the school doesn't have one yet!) and just bring our own stuff and use the school's own audio equipment.
We had 3 weeks to prepare, long tests, projects, and social life included. We pulled off 8 numbers, three of those with guests from the faculty and maintenance. Just 8.
When I think of all the talent we have in the 50+ members of our org, 8 numbers sounds just plain pathetic. Like a guitar with one good string.
Now I realize that in music, just as it is in school, EFFORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ABILITY. All that talent was wasted because some people didn't work hard enough to pull off their numbers.
A fan once approached the great cellist, Pablo Casals, after a performance. "I'd give my life to play the way you did tonight," the man said. "I did," Casals replied.
As we say in Filipino,
Kung gusto, maraming paraan;
kung ayaw, maraming dahilan.
(You find ways for things you want
and excuses for things you don't.)
Now we know what to audition for next year.
How badly do you want to play?
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
my favorite guitar albums
Andres Segovia. The Legendary Andres Segovia in an All-Bach Program. The Segovia
I read somewhere about someone saying toSegovia Segovia
Whether or not it was close to Christmas when that happened, it shows how serious this man is with understanding the music and how to bring it out--which string to play a note on, which notes to stress, to use nails or fingertips and nails when plucking, aside from all the tempo and color changes he applies to even the simplest of passages.
Savor each note as much asSegovia
Tuck and Patti. The Best of Tuck and Patti. Windham Hill Records, 1994.
There was a time when you could tell which ones were the best guitarists in my school by asking who could play "Man in the Mirror." This referred to Tuck Andress' solo guitar rendition of the Michael Jackson classic, found in his Reckless Precision album.
But my admiration for Tuck Andress' solo guitar ability is only surpassed by my admiration of him as an accompanist. He and Patti go together like mangga't suman (mangoes and suman)--both bringing out each other's ability and musicianship.
This album is just a sampler. But if I could choose the songs, I'd include their version of "Cantador (Like a Lover)." It's "better than anything...except being in love."
The Pat Metheny Group. Letter From Home. Geffen Records, 1989.
One of the albums I used to play over and over and never got tired of. It's a mood album--each song sweeping you away in a different current of sound and feeling. Of course, you also have to listen to Bright Size Life--Pat Metheny in a trio with the legendary bassist, Jaco Pastorius!
Charlie Byrd. The Charlie Byrd Christmas Album. Concord Records, 1994.
The legendary classical/jazz/blues player, Charlie Byrd, caroling with his nylon-string guitar. A record you can listen to whatever your mood and wherever you are, but especially suited to December dinners with the family.
Juan Silos, Jr. Hating-gabi. Villar Records, year?.
Papa and I bought this tape when there was still a Villar store near Raon in Quiapo. Kundimans on guitar. It's up there with paella and stone cathedrals as one of the benefits of 333 years of Spanish colonization and cultural influence. Makes you wonder what happened to music these days. To think this was on the radio during Papa's time...wow.
This still has the best guitar rendition of the title track that I know of.
Andy McKee. Art of Motion. Candyrat Records, 2005.
One of the recent additions to my short list of guitarists who play with true musicianship and feeling. Andy McKee is one of the artists I just have to tell others about. I hope his popularity and his earnings become almost as big as his genius.
I read somewhere about someone saying to
Whether or not it was close to Christmas when that happened, it shows how serious this man is with understanding the music and how to bring it out--which string to play a note on, which notes to stress, to use nails or fingertips and nails when plucking, aside from all the tempo and color changes he applies to even the simplest of passages.
Savor each note as much as
Tuck and Patti. The Best of Tuck and Patti. Windham Hill Records, 1994.
There was a time when you could tell which ones were the best guitarists in my school by asking who could play "Man in the Mirror." This referred to Tuck Andress' solo guitar rendition of the Michael Jackson classic, found in his Reckless Precision album.
But my admiration for Tuck Andress' solo guitar ability is only surpassed by my admiration of him as an accompanist. He and Patti go together like mangga't suman (mangoes and suman)--both bringing out each other's ability and musicianship.
This album is just a sampler. But if I could choose the songs, I'd include their version of "Cantador (Like a Lover)." It's "better than anything...except being in love."
The Pat Metheny Group. Letter From Home. Geffen Records, 1989.
One of the albums I used to play over and over and never got tired of. It's a mood album--each song sweeping you away in a different current of sound and feeling. Of course, you also have to listen to Bright Size Life--Pat Metheny in a trio with the legendary bassist, Jaco Pastorius!
Charlie Byrd. The Charlie Byrd Christmas Album. Concord Records, 1994.
The legendary classical/jazz/blues player, Charlie Byrd, caroling with his nylon-string guitar. A record you can listen to whatever your mood and wherever you are, but especially suited to December dinners with the family.
Juan Silos, Jr. Hating-gabi. Villar Records, year?.
Papa and I bought this tape when there was still a Villar store near Raon in Quiapo. Kundimans on guitar. It's up there with paella and stone cathedrals as one of the benefits of 333 years of Spanish colonization and cultural influence. Makes you wonder what happened to music these days. To think this was on the radio during Papa's time...wow.
This still has the best guitar rendition of the title track that I know of.
Andy McKee. Art of Motion. Candyrat Records, 2005.
One of the recent additions to my short list of guitarists who play with true musicianship and feeling. Andy McKee is one of the artists I just have to tell others about. I hope his popularity and his earnings become almost as big as his genius.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Tuning Up
Q: How should I tune my guitar?
don't let a tuner do it for you
Some people suggest using a digital tuner.
And I admit that these come in handy when you need to tune in a hurry.
But I feel that tuners leave out the most important part of tuning--listening.
do it by ear
Kuya Gab, my cousin and first guitar teacher taught me to tune to the piano.
But he himself tuned by ear!
I mean wihout even pressing on the fretboard and just listening to the open strings!
For a long time I used this method while playing for our choir.
But I noticed that singers had a tendency to sing flat
when I didn't use the piano/organ for at least one string.
But I wouldn't always have a piano around
so I had to find a way to tune my guitar to standard pitch even without it.
so now i...
use a tuning fork
I use A440 because it's the exact frequency of A on all instruments
(other pitches are just mathematical estimates, which I might explain sometime else)
and because it corresponds to the harmonic of the 5th fret on the 5th string.
(see how to produce harmonics, if/when I post it)
So what I do is:
1. I play the harmonic on the 5th string 5th fret and let it ring out.
2. While it's still ringing, I tap my tuning fork on my knee and place the ball end on the sounding board.
3. I then adjust the 5th string tuning key until I don't hear any more beats.
(This is better seen and heard than explained.)
(I might also do a little post on beats and other guitar physics stuff.)
4. Then I repeat step 3 with string harmonics. I match:
I still use it every Sunday and for almost every gig I play.
I read somewhere that tuning with harmonics also leads to imperfect tuning
in terms of exact frequencies. But do tuners do better? I don't think so.
Especially since strings detune while you play.
And only your ears can tell you as soon as this happens.
One last piece of advice, always end by tuning a string up.
This prevents the string from loosening/detuning too quickly.
This is usually forgotten by those who tune using electronics.
don't let a tuner do it for you
Some people suggest using a digital tuner.
And I admit that these come in handy when you need to tune in a hurry.
But I feel that tuners leave out the most important part of tuning--listening.
do it by ear
Kuya Gab, my cousin and first guitar teacher taught me to tune to the piano.
But he himself tuned by ear!
I mean wihout even pressing on the fretboard and just listening to the open strings!
For a long time I used this method while playing for our choir.
But I noticed that singers had a tendency to sing flat
when I didn't use the piano/organ for at least one string.
But I wouldn't always have a piano around
so I had to find a way to tune my guitar to standard pitch even without it.
so now i...
use a tuning fork
I use A440 because it's the exact frequency of A on all instruments
(other pitches are just mathematical estimates, which I might explain sometime else)
and because it corresponds to the harmonic of the 5th fret on the 5th string.
(see how to produce harmonics, if/when I post it)
So what I do is:
1. I play the harmonic on the 5th string 5th fret and let it ring out.
2. While it's still ringing, I tap my tuning fork on my knee and place the ball end on the sounding board.
3. I then adjust the 5th string tuning key until I don't hear any more beats.
(This is better seen and heard than explained.)
(I might also do a little post on beats and other guitar physics stuff.)
4. Then I repeat step 3 with string harmonics. I match:
- string 5 fret 5 with string 4 fret 7
- s4 f5 with s3 f7
- s6 f5 with s5 f7
- s5 f7 with s1 f12 or open s1 (no harmonic)
- s6 f7 with s2 f12 or open s2
I still use it every Sunday and for almost every gig I play.
I read somewhere that tuning with harmonics also leads to imperfect tuning
in terms of exact frequencies. But do tuners do better? I don't think so.
Especially since strings detune while you play.
And only your ears can tell you as soon as this happens.
One last piece of advice, always end by tuning a string up.
This prevents the string from loosening/detuning too quickly.
This is usually forgotten by those who tune using electronics.
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