The Good Musician

I have a 1977 Sankyo Prima flute, sterling, low B foot. I love it. It has been my faithful companion for three decades. Flutes can be made out of wood, metal, stone, clay, most any material you can fashion into a long tube. The sound is made by the air spiraling through the tube, usually with finger holes to change the pitch of the notes. Instruments that are played by blowing air into or over them are called aerophones.
Cornell Kinderknecht plays several kinds of flutes, sometimes with Tibetan bowls.
Paul Horn plays an alto flute, among other woodwind instruments, sometimes in …read more

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Here is a video which is significant in that

the cellist was one of my longest-standing, dearest friends
it’s an excellent example of a jazz-classical-pop ’60’s mashup
that’s my black cat, Saturn, in the window
shows our corner of Topanga Canyon
great example of John Martin’s classical guitar
great example of Wilson Fisher’s writing/singing for 12-string guitar
that was my life

Listen to all the Green cuts, accompanied by photo-montages of the band and what the life of a musician was like in the ’60’s

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Our good friend Lara at Crooner Culture is kicking off the festivities leading up to her first birthday at b5media with a contest to give away a $25 iTunes gift certificate. Should you prefer, she’ll make it an amazon.com certificate–either way, you can pick up some tunes you’ve been waiting to get.
The very modest rules to get your gift certificate are in Lara’s announcement. While you’re there, check out her post on Hairstyles of the ‘40′s. There’s even a tutorial on how to style an authentic hairdo just like the fabulous Andrews Sisters.

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I was thrilled to see that my new friends, the White Oak Trio, now have two videos up. This is exciting, because now every Good Musician can hear what a piano trio is supposed to sound like. Not only that, one of the videos interposes an interview with the group and live performances. Listen, and you’ll learn oodles about what goes in to making good music, and good music being made! This is a group to follow closely…

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If you take musical instruction, here are five tips to keep your teacher happy.
1. Show up. This should go without saying, but you’d be surprised at how ditching just one lesson can mean the difference between a so-so musician and a good musician. Even if you can’t play or sing, you can talk through the music with your teacher.
2. Be prepared to play or sing on the dot. Arrive early enough to soak your reed, warm up your instrument, or vocalize–whatever you need to do to be prepared to get right to the music. Make the most of your …read more

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Jazz violist, arranger, educator, and musical entrepreneur Will Taylor specializes in very tasty arrangements of popular musicians’ songs and albums. He teams with one or more artists to arrange their original tunes, orchestrating them for string quartet. A sort of instrumental The Bobs.
Will is committed to music education as well, and when enough folks sign up, he leads a music summer camp, and teaches privately. Will’s spring intern, Michael Lengefeld, produced some cool videos for the WT&SA Sgt. Pepper’s Band CD, which features Papa Mali and Will Walden.
If you act soon, you can reserve a seat for a house concert …read more

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Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald represent the ultimate in jazz. These two icons had a long career that impacted several generations of musicians. Every Good Musician library should have pretty much their entire discography.

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Whether you are a vocal or instrumental musician, you want to get the most from those times you perform with other musicians. Here are ten tips to make your rehearsals more productive and enjoyable.

1. Print a copy of your contract or schedule including dates, times, and locations of rehearsals.
2. Look at your music ahead of time—mark unusual events, such as key and meter changes, tricky intervals—anything that might …read more

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Looking for new sound experiences? Want to learn how to prepare for an audition? Which theory would you use to analyze a modern composition? Or do you just want to listen to some good, funky grooves? The Good Musician explores the world of music–old and new, classical to indie, with exotic influences and practical tips along the way.
Check out the bands from the recent 2008 SXSW in the Austin Chronicle online. Austin’s new Long Center for the Arts inaugural season includes Kathleen Battle, the Rude Mechs, and a Tribute to Texas Music with Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett alongside Ray …read more

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