I’ll never forget being introduced to this piece in my first semester of music college. It was at the weekly composition departmental, we were going to listen to a few pieces and discuss. When the professor played this it shattered my naive jazz/classical/pop perception of composition!
I am fascinated by tarantula hawks, the first time I saw one flying I thought it was a black humming bird! I’ve watched one hunt a tarantula and drag it 25 yards across a yard to it’s layer. The deep blue black and contrasting copper wings are visually stunning. Oh yeah and the second most painful sting right behind the bullet ant, right in my own middle American suburban back yard!
I like this article for what to do in the moments of practice, but for a more complete plan this post that was nested in the OP is pretty important in describing how often and in what manner you should do this.
>> I imagine that in doing so I was unconsciously reproducing one of the best impacts of certain kinds of therapy: creating the acknowledgement that yes, I feel the way I feel, that is mirrored by my environment in some way, and it’s not something I need to hide or feel shame about. The music helped me feel that without needing to reveal anything about myself.
This was/is the purpose of the blues, an acknowledgement and release from adversity.
I’ve followed HN for around 10 years now but even basic stuff like this can come across as jazz to me. Funny thing is I understand jazz at a professional level. I feel foolish because I use godaddy, because they have good customer service and their interface is easy to understand but as a HN lurker I want to have good web etiquette. I’m going to see about turning this feature off in the way the author describes but what can I do to stay clear of the Kenny Gs of tech? Full disclaimer I have nothing against Kenny G, and even respect him, just one of those jazz expressions...
Companies that do this kind of garbage don't deserve your dollars. Its not enough to apologise after the fact, or offer opt-out, or any other half measures. I'm moving my domains over to someone else this week because of this.
I see a lot of discussion here regarding the influence of listening to music but I am also curious about the influence of rhythmic training. This year I added rhythmic training as a warm up to all of my piano students lessons. I've been using an old staple 'Stick Control' (link below) to train the most basic LH/RH coordination and beat perception and have been amazed at the improvement across the board including myself since I work on this with them. I would compare the improved LH/RH coordination with improved conceptualization of a beat to a rising tide that lifts the ships of the beginner, the prodigy, the professional and the senior citizen student.
Stick Control is basically fine motor coordination and a bit of limb independence exercises, even if you are not a drummer, practicing stick control will improve your "handling" in any instrument. Or even in unexpected things, for example, while driving, I find heel-toeing very easy and natural (brake with right foot toe, press the clutch with left foot, change gear with right hand while steering with the left hand, rev-match with the right foot heel, let go of the clutch) probably because I've played the drums for almost 22 years now.
In the same note, as a fellow drummer, I can say that drummers that study melodic instruments tend to play their instruments serving the music way better. Piano is probably my second preferred instrument, I've always wanted to learn it, if you can guide to some starting material or equipment, I'd be happy to hear!
The only thing I'll add to this is the benefit of working with a metronome. With 88 keys and 10 fingers there is a lot pianists can get distracted by but when you strip it down to RH/LH eighth notes starting at 30 bpm you can really focus on generating a time feel!
A guide you say?! Funny you mention it this is what I've cobbled together for my students over the years. It's about time for me to give it another pass to further refine it but it is a reliable path towards basic keyboard proficiency. Let me know what you think.
I worked for Carnival as a pianist for a couple years after college to save money and it was an excellent physical reminder of how many people are in this world.
I saw those ships turn over ~3,000 people every 5 - 7 days and according to Carnival that would be the first and only cruise for 75% of those guests! That's across a fleet of 25 ships! Needless to say it cured my number numbness for conceptualizing the size of the 'masses.'
I agree with your momentum theory but furthermore it seems to also have a strong synesthetic element. As I mature as a musician these synesthetic experiences become more vivid while in the midst of making music.
The best unscientific metaphor I can think of to describe it would be like casting the Patronus Charm from Harry Potter.
I don't know HP enough to get your analogy. When I'm in flow, music is like surfing a multi dimensional curved space. If my body isn't tuned enough and I'm not relaxed enough I lose "sight" of the surface and energy loss occurs, otherwise you just follow the valleys or hills as you see fit.
Have you heard of the architect Christopher Alexander? His life's work seems to be close to what you are describing. I'd highly recommend the 4 volume series 'The Nature of Order.'
I've always felt that there is a whole other math based explanation to art and music, that may even bridge the two, hiding in plain site. Alexander is the only person I've read who has come close to describing this math.
I'm reading "A Pattern Language" right now and it's pretty revelatory. It certainly suggests that structural properties of natural languages are prevalent throughout culturally-transmitted behaviors
