Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 3, 2014 12:04:13 GMT
An audio forum may not be the best place to make this confession but I have absolutely no comprehension of what music is and how it 'works'. Many many years ago we had music lessons at school but my main recollection of that was that it all related to singing and I was one of the few that the music mistress forbad to sing, just stand up with the others and mouth the words, because my voice was making a negative contribution to the whole. That aspect has got no better as I have got older and is mildly embarrassing on the rare occasions when I am expected to join in the singing at church and parties etc. I think I can sometimes tell when someone sings 'flat' but I have no real idea what 'flat' actually means, I think I can tell when someone hits a bum note in a music session but I am not really sure about either of these aspects. And when we get to talking about music in a certain key and changing key I am totally lost (bit like electronics, which is also totally alien to me - what am I doing on a DIY audio forum?? ). My daughter, many years ago, made it to First Cornet in the Sheffield Schools Brass Band so I don't think it's in the genes, it's just something that I was unable to get my brain around. Too late to correct that now but does anyone else have similar 'failings'? Dave.
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solderdude
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measureutternutter
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Post by solderdude on Aug 3, 2014 13:57:44 GMT
I don't think anyone would like to hear my singing as well ! Will leave that to those who can and simply enjoy those that can.
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Crispy
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Madrigal music is playing - Voices can faintly be heard, "Please leave this patient undisturbed."
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Post by Crispy on Aug 3, 2014 13:58:28 GMT
I don't think anyone would like to hear my singing as well ! Will leave that to those who can and simply enjoy those that can. X 2
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 3, 2014 15:45:12 GMT
I don't think anyone would like to hear my singing as well ! Will leave that to those who can and simply enjoy those that can. X 2 Well that's a bit of a relief then - it seems as though I am not alone in appreciating something I know absolutely nothing about . I sometimes think that, even with my 'affliction' I can tell the difference between HiRes files and Red Book and one cable versus another sometimes but let's not go there as I might lose some of the understanding I currently seem to have . Dave.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Aug 3, 2014 16:38:00 GMT
Flat means a fraction lowering pitch than intended. So, say for instance you're going to sing a C, you sing not a C flat (which is a B), but something in between C and a B. Sharp means slightly higher. If a singer sings permanently flat, the it is really quite nasty. If the sing permanently sharp, it's nasty, but not quite as bad as flat for some reason. Someone who just sings out of tune sings notes both slightly flat and sharp, which is painful. It is difficult to sing in a band because it's so loud. That's why we have a feedback signal sent to our iem's so we hear what we're singing more clearly. I tend to have the band turned down a bit so my voice is prominent in my ears, but the audience get a much more balanced feed. Singing in tune is really difficult and gets worse if you try harder!!! An up tight singer always sounds dreadful!!!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2014 16:39:19 GMT
Dave (and any music lover), you may well enjoy this if you haven't already seen it. It explained and clarified a few things for me at least.
Love the bit in the programme on rhythm where he hooks up a huge set of lights programmed to fire on certain drum strikes in a Stevie Wonder song. An absolutely excellent programme.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2014 23:07:18 GMT
Well that's a bit of a relief then - it seems as though I am not alone in appreciating something I know absolutely nothing about Dave, no, you're absolutely not alone there . It seems we dont have to understand music to love it. There seems to be something 'magical' about music. IIRC, in the Rhythm programme of 'How Music Works', Goodall puts forward the theory that we are all 'hard-wired' to appreciate music (or at least the rhythmic aspects of music) because for the most important nine months of our lives, our senses of sight, smell, touch, and taste are all useless, and all we can comprehend is the incessant 24 hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum, of our mothers' heartbeat while we are in the womb. Speaking personally, I have seen evidence of this in my own children, and in my neices and nephews when they were tiny. Play them a good, rousing piece of music (any style, doesn't matter) and they will 'dance' away like nobody's business!. So it seems to me that, thankfully, we don't need to know or understand the principles and technicalities of music, to be able to be moved and affected by it. It seems to be encoded (or hardwired) into our genes. I would definitely recommend watching Howard Goodall's "How Music Works". It gives a great overview of music from very early classical times, right up to contemporary music.
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gommer
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Post by gommer on Aug 7, 2014 9:55:56 GMT
Ian, I only knew the terms flat and sharp from the musical annotations b and #. OTOH, About singing/playing at a slightly lowered or raised pitch, I've always learned and experienced that a slightly lowered pitch sounds bluesy and hence it's enjoyable, whereas slightly raised pitch is more or less unbearable. Are you sure you didn't reverse both in your explanation above?
Cheers, Marc
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Rabbit
Administrator
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Post by Rabbit on Aug 7, 2014 10:51:49 GMT
Hi Marc, in Blues, certain notes are sung 'flat' on purpose and are known as 'Blue' notes. Singing flat means ALL of the notes are flat. It's really painful to listen to. Sharp is more bearable if all of the notes are sharp. Even better though, is to sing in tune!! Try this for musical pain .......... m.youtube.com/watch?v=lug8HAQhEUs
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