BML Blog

Ever have one of those moments where you're struck by musical inspiration & just as you get ready to tab/notate your opus, you find that you've run out of the right paper?

If so, take a look at BlankSheetMusic.net, a flash-based website that offers easily configurable & printable versions of any music paper you could think of and then some. 

Need just tablature or just staves?  Done.

Need tab+stave in systems?  Done.

Tenor clef? Banjo tab? Done & Done.

Cool.

Or perhaps you'd like to peruse some works by the great classical masters?

If this is the case, head over to the Petrucci Music Library. Here, you'll find free sheet music for over 28,000 compositions, from obscure folk songs to piano works by Erik Satie to Beethoven's Fifth & everything in between.

Also cool.

Here at BML we embrace new technology & actively use it to create a better learning experience for our students.  If you haven't yet, take a look at the Teachers page [I'm Chris Kuklis] or check out our excellent Teacher-Matching Search Engine.

& as always, make sure to shred hard & prosper!

- ck

At the end of September 2008 I began teaching at P.S. 7 in Spanish Harlem.  I received this opportunity through the Instrumental Music Program, which is part of the Educational Outreach department at The Juilliard School.  Until then I had some experience teaching.  I began the first day by asking the students why they wanted to be in band, and why they chose the flute.  The answers from the first few were predictable; “I want to be in band with my friends”, “the flute sounds pretty”, etc.  Then I ask Antonio.  Unable to even make a sound on the instrument, Antonio had been playing for just one week.  He did not know how to put the instrument together or how to hold it.  When I asked him why he chose the flute he said that the flute tells stories.  This was coming from a 12 year old who had no concept or knowledge of classical music. 

After this session I asked myself the same questions.  My answers for joining the band in the 4^th grade were the same as most of my students.  I wanted to be in band with my friends and it excused me from our weekly mandatory library time.  I did not choose the flute for any special reason.  My school only had a band so string instruments where out.  No oboes, bassoons, or horns.  Basically flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets and percussion.  I didn’t like the sound of the trumpet, and my father, an amateur clarinetist, warned me of the misery of playing a reed instrument.  Basically, I was left with my mother’s old flute.  Unfortunately the music program was removed from my school the following year so had I been a year younger my life would be quite different. 

For the first few years I was not serious about playing.  I had some natural ability but had never had a formal lesson.  The summer after 7^th grade I went to my first music festival, the Idyllwild Arts Center.  At the preliminary seating audition I ranked 12 out of 14.  I was completely shocked.  I had always been the best player in my band, and although I was not naïve enough to assume I would rank first I certainly did not consider the idea of being one of the weakest players.  Following my time at Idyllwild I returned home to San Diego and found I flute teacher.  When I returned to Idyllwild the following summer I ranked first.  The following year I joined the San Diego Youth Symphony and was picked to serve as first flute.  The conductor had such faith in me; he and my flute teacher pushed and encouraged me to go farther with music.  At this point music had taken on a very different purpose. It was more than what I wanted to do with my life, it was what I needed to do with my life.  

Jesse Schiffman
http://brooklynmusiclessons.com/Jesse-Schiffman

Justin Williams was featured in a Player Spotlight on No Treble: The Site for Bass Players.

Check it out here.

Learn more about Justin here or set up a lesson with him at the BML Store.

Dearest friends and colleagues,

Just wanted to tell you all about a big event I have coming up featuring the debut of my new project, "Future Shock", an electro-acoustic collaboration with ACME (The American Contemporary Ensemble), including the world premiere of my new (and first) string quartet.

Television Landscape Record Release
Le Poisson Rouge
Tuesday, August 3rd
Doors at 6:30, music at 7:30 sharp.
Tickets/info are available here.

Also, I was fortunate to be the subject of a thoughtful feature in Sunday's New York Times Arts & Leisure section.  The article highlights my journey back to live singing - Tuesday's show will be my first non-lip-synched performance in over five years!

You can read the full article here.

And here's a link to a recent four star review in Time Out NY.

Last but not least, here's a link to the New Amsterdam page where you can listen to and purchase the new record.

Hope to see you at the show!!

Cheers,
Bill

P.S. Check out my BML page to learn more about the composition lessons I teach with Brooklyn Music Lessons.

This is an example of afrobeat bass playing.  I played along to the song "Everything Scatter" by Fela Kuti (the founder of this Nigerian style of music).  I panned my bass all the way left so it can be heard clearly.

Like Cuban music, afrobeat rhythms are structured around the clave.  This song has a 3:2 clave.

In afrobeat, the bass and guitars play repeated phrases continuously for long periods of time, sometimes the entire song, with no fills or variations.  In this way, a grooving and hypnotic foundation is laid in order for the long-form songs to unfold.  It is everyone's job to keep solid time with a great feel.  Focus and cosistency are key.

Try playing along without fills or variations in the part.  Listen to how the bass part fits with the other parts:  shekere, stick, drums, guitars, vocals, horns.  Record yourself and listen back.