Archive for January, 2010
How To Make Your Own Music On Your Computer
Do you have musical ideas in your head that you want to record? Do you want to compose your own music? Do you feel a creative impulse? Do you want to know what your music would sound like if you had a band to play it?
You can make your own music, and you don’t have to hire a band to play it. There are plenty of computer tools available that will help you make your own music.
When I decided that I wanted to make my own music I spent money on stuff that I did not need. I did not know how to start, so I bought something that did not fit my purpose. This article will help you avoid the mistakes that I made. Read the rest of this entry »
How To Pick A Music Keyboard
For those of you who play piano, it would be really nice to put a concert grand piano in your music room, but unless you have plenty of space and plenty of money, you cannot put a grand piano in your house. Some of you would probably like to have more than one piano. I know I would.
Grand pianos cost tens of thousands of dollars, but alternative keyboards start in the hundreds and some produce remarkably good piano sounds. There are also some very good sampled pianos available for your computer that you can use with your keyboard that will fool all but the most discriminating ear. Read the rest of this entry »
A Quick Way to Make Your Own Music
You may have heard about Band-in-a-Box from PG Music, Inc. It is the best tool I know of for quickly creating original music. Band-in-a-Box is designed to help you quickly generate musical accompaniments or complete songs. To make a song you just select a key, set the tempo, select a style and enter your chords. There is a Band-in-a-Box for Windows and a Band-in-a-Box for MAC. Band-in-a-Box is an affordable, effective tool for creating original music quickly for making practice tracks, backing tracks, or complete songs; and it costs much less than the other digital audio workstation (DAW) programs that I use. Read the rest of this entry »
- Opera Noir: Alban Berg's 'Wozzeck'As he struggles with jealousy and poverty in this powerful tragedy, the psychologically disturbed title character endures ridicule from his superiors and undergoes bizarre medical experiments. […]
- First Listen: 'Cantique,' With The Music Of Arvo PartThe Estonian composer's evocative music has opened a window into a world of spiritual ideals and aspirations, and attracted many fans along the way. Hear Cantique, the new CD of Pärt's music, in its entirety. […]
- Turtle Island Quartet Re-Imagine Jimi Hendrix, With StringsThe group, led by violinist David Balakrishnan, has earned rave reviews for their jazzy take on traditional chamber music. Their latest album, Have You Ever Been ... ?, features interpretations of Jimi Hendrix compositions and continues to push the boundaries of classical fusion. […]
- Renee Fleming Sings 'Lucrezia Borgia'Acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming tackles the unforgiving title role, with Placido Domingo conducting, in a Washington National Opera production of Donizetti's steamy historical drama. […]
- Photo: Lucia MicarelliA Blog Supreme is on vacation. Until we return, we are periodically leaving you with some shots from The NPR Jazz Photography Pool on Flickr. Here, Scott Bump writes about capturing a great violinist on film at the Newport Jazz Festival. […]
- Nir Felder: Introducing The Next Big Jazz GuitaristThe Brooklyn youngster has already played with John Scofield, Joe Lovano and Jason Moran. With a debut album slated for early 2011, Felder recently stopped by WBGO's The Checkout to give host Josh Jackson a taste of what's to come. […]
- Photo: Anthony BraxtonA Blog Supreme is on vacation. Until we return, we are periodically leaving you with some shots from The NPR Jazz Photography Pool on Flickr. Here, Tom Wiebe writes about capturing the great composer on film last winter. […]