On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat, Amanda, and Garrett discuss tempo!  Detailed show notes will be available soon on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com Spotify Playlist for Episode 13

Up To Your Ears

Up To Your Ears Episode 13: Tempo

On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat and Amanda discuss intervals in music!  Detailed show notes will be available soon on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com Spotify Playlist for Episode 12: Intervals

Up To Your Ears Episode 12: Intervals

On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat and Amanda discuss form in music!  Detailed show notes will be available on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com Spotify Playlist for Episode 11: Form

Up To Your Ears Episode 11: Form

We're back!  Detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 10 - Hadestown Spotify Album - Hadestown (Full Cast Recording)

Up To Your Ears Episode 10: Hadestown

NOTE: This episode was meant to release in January but was delayed until March 16th.  Garrett and Amanda define dynamics, make listening recommendations, and announce the musical work they'll focus on for Episode 10. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com Detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 09 - Dynamics

Up To Your Ears Episode 09: Dynamics

A brief announcement about the return of Up To Your Ears!  Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com

An Unscheduled Hiatus

NOTE: This episode was meant to release on December 15th but was delayed until January 1st.  Garrett and Amanda define instrumentation, make listening recommendations, and talk about juries and what to do when they don't go that well. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com Due to a busy holiday break, detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 08: Range

Up To Your Ears Episode 08: Instrumentation

Garrett and Amanda define range, make listening recommendations, and answer questions submitted by listeners. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com Due to a busy Thanksgiving break, detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 07: Range

Up To Your Ears Episode 07: Range

Episode 06 Summary   0:00 - Intro If this is your first time listening, feel free to start with this episode if you’d like, but we’d recommend checking out some of our earlier episodes first Melody Harmony Rhythm & Meter Timbre Dvorak’s 9th Symphony (Exploring all of the above) Texture may be a slightly difficult episode to start on because it’s a little more abstract 1:35- Defining Texture Texture tells you how many melodic lines are present and whether there are accompaniment lines supporting the melodic line(s) It’s like a job board that tells you how many melodic roles and accompaniment roles are available for a given piece of music Garrett makes a comparison to a variety of fabric textures music works the same way To make it even simpler, try using these words: Thick or thin Busy or sparse An even simpler definition: How much is going on in the music Texture doesn’t tell you how many players there are… just how many melodic lines there are and whether they are accompanied 4:18 Texture Classifications Three common ones and one uncommon one Common: Monophonic Homophonic Polyphonic Uncommon: Heterophonic Don’t be scared of these words! Knowing that’s what you don’t like can help you either avoid music that won’t appeal to you or help you develop an appreciation for it You probably have favorite textures! You probably have least favorite textures… 6:03 - Monophonic Texture (Monophony) Literal translation: “one sound” A single melodic line with no accompaniment If you’re unsure what a melody is, head to Episode 01! Monophonic doesn’t necessarily mean solo Texture doesn’t tell you about the performance forces (number of performers, what they’re performing on) Can be achieved by a soloist or by a children’s choir singing in unison Monophonic examples: Singing in the shower without any accompaniment (no phone/bluetooth speaker/waterproof ukulele) Coworkers singing "Happy Birthday" in unison Played example: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (Monophonic) 8:57 - Homophonic Texture (Homophony) Not “Homophobic!” Literal translation: “same sound” Most popular texture used in most music One melodic line supported by any number of accompaniment lines Accompaniment lines don’t pull for your attention nearly as strong as the main melody does If there were two competing lines, that would be a different texture Often you’ll hear a simple melody with basic chords underneath Played example: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (Homophonic) A lot of choir music is homophonic One voice type will have the melody (often sopranos) and everyone else’s lines will be slightly less interesting Played example: “My Country ’Tis of Thee” (Soprano line) Played example: “My Country ’Tis of Thee” (Alto line) The alto line has less movement and interest (melodically) but it supports the soprano part A lot of choir music is also homorhythmic When the lines use different notes but the same rhythms They’re on the same words at the same time, and they change to new words together Played example: “My Country ’Tis of Thee” (Soprano and alto line together) Remember: Homophony can be achieved by a soloist, not just a group A guitarist playing a melody and chords beneath it (or singing a melody and playing chords underneath it) This is the most popular texture in both popular styles and classical music Doesn’t pull your as much as polyphony More substance than monophony You can see all of your notes neatly organized in front of you on the score Multiple melodic lines get a little hairier on paper In Garrett’s opinion, it’s easier to listen to It’s easier to write 13:47 Polyphony Literal translation: “Many sounds” Multiple melodies happening at once If you’ve ever heard of a “countermelody…” counter means “against,” so it’s a melody against another melody Both melodies compete for your attention You have to pick your moment with this texture because it can be overwhelming! Played example: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (Polyphonic) Polyphony is often saved for the end of pieces after homophony or monophony to build tension or to give a big ending where everything comes together Musical theater loves to use polyphony! It doesn’t annoy in that moment you because you’ve heard the tunes (and often the lyrics) before If you try to listen to all the singers at once, it can overwhelm you They often won’t say anything that hasn’t been said already "One Day More" from Les Miserables "Christmas Bells" from RENT These each close Act I respectively They’ll play many different melodies throughout the musical In key moments, they’ll combine them Two examples: There are a set of rules for how to write polyphony well: Polyphony is the type of writing Counterpoint refers to the rules of how to write it well This is called counterpoint Music majors learn these rules in rules Adjective form: contrapuntal For our purposes, you can think of them as the same thing 17:28 Heterophonic Texture (Heterophony) Literal translation: “Different Sound” (not that helpful, really) Popular in lots of Asian, Middle Eastern, and even Gaelic music When a melody is doubled but ornamented and changed up very slightly by one of the players Garrett brings up an example from “The Jerk” (a great movie!) Rare in both popular styles and classical styles Link: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/heterophony/ Debussy and Stravinsky took a whack at it Sweetwater article recommends the “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” by The Chieftains Amanda calls upon musical theater to start using this texture more often 20:02 Considerations to make about texture Texture shifts multiple times in a single piece of music Even in a 3 minute pop tune! If you keep the same texture for too long, you get bored It takes a lot of practice to get good at identifying different textures Garrett points out that a lot of bass lines in pop music are very melodic, so that’s an example of a common musician texture argument See: "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson Music students often struggle to learn these classifications Musicians sometimes argue about these classifications Don’t expect to master this in one day… but listening for texture differences can help you appreciate different pieces (especially longer ones) Types of music can have characteristic textures Earliest type of jazz Not all styles of jazz sound like Dixieland, but it’s a very important style of jazz Lullabys won’t include really busy accompaniment parts or multiple melodies because that won’t soothe babies Rhythm guitar parts in rock music are another example of a characteristic texture Dixieland jazz is characteristically polyphonic The inclusion of non-tonal percussion is not figured into texture “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman features a very important drum texture, but there’s no classification for it One sustained low note under a melody that either never changes or changes very rarely Music featuring a drone can still be considered monophonic Garrett’s example is Amazing Grace on bagpipes (which you can simulate using a microwave… thanks, Joseph!) Amanda calls this percussive erasure Definite pitch instruments such as xylophone or vibraphone DO count towards texture Another device that gets left out is a drone If at the end of the episode, you don’t feel confident about the classification names, that’s okay! “Thick or thin,” “Lots going on,” or “Not much accompaniment” are all fine ways to describe texture This is something to add to your toolkit when you want to describe music You can also impress music majors at parties by using these words Listeners don’t necessarily need to understand texture really deeply… just enough to appreciate composers and musicians Like of a musician “rises out of the texture” Or if someone “can’t bend” (doesn’t fit the texture) For everything texture tells you, there’s a lot of stuff it doesn’t tell you Percussion How many performers What instruments How they’re playing their instruments Dynamics (volume) Timbre (tone color) Much more! Amanda compares this to gravity because everyone has sort of a practical knowledge of it, but not all of us can explain how it works in depth Does not include: Hopefully you see why performers, composers, and conductors need to know all about it 32:02 - Recap Texture tells us how many melodic lines there are in music and whether or not they are accompanied Three common classifications: Monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic One uncommon texture: heterophonic Textures usually shift in pieces of music multiple times   32:34 - Listening Recommendations: (32:48) Garrett’s 1st Monophonic Example: “Die Easy” by Rag’n’Bone Man (2017) (33:47) Amanda’s 1st Monophonic Example: “I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran (2013) from the Hobbit soundtrack (34:48) Garrett’s 1st Homophonic Example: “Taking Care of Business” Bachman Turner Overdrive (1974) (36:12) Amanda’s 1st Homophonic Example (also homorhythmic): “Come and Get Your Love” Redbone (1973) (38:06) Garrett’s 1st Polyphonic Example: “A Man’s Gotta Do” from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008) Also we did realize it’s Captain Hammer, not Hammer Man Also also, her name is Felicia Day, and she’s awesome (39:45) Amanda’s 1st Polyphonic Example: “Tiger Rag” recorded by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2009) First recorded by the ODJB (Original Dixieland Jazz Band) in 1917 Louis Armstrong and His Allstars “Tiger Rag” is great, too (YouTube) Amazing Bob Havens rendition of “Tiger Rag” (YouTube) (41:16) Garrett’s 2nd Polyphony Example: “The Cleaner” from the Toy Story 2 soundtrack (Randy Newman, 1999) (43:33) Amanda’s 2nd Polyphony Example: “Ave Maria… Virgo Serena” by Josquin des Prez (ca. 1475)   46:48 Listener Question from Michael M: What are our goals for the podcast and why did we start it? Garrett: Wants to support Amanda, wants to have fun, and misses talking about music Amanda: Thinks a lot of musicians are bad at talking about music and wants to help with that Amanda: Wants everyday people to be able to talk about their favorite music and why the love it just as intelligently as they can tell you about their favorite TV shows, sports teams, other hobbies, etc. Hopefully this podcast gets you interested in concerts you may not have gone to otherwise Hopefully it gets parents to encourage their kids to participate in music Participating in something new helps create more well-rounded people   49:32 Sign-off Thanks for listening Have a great day! Spotify Playlist Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us.  Special thanks to you, our listeners, too! Visit our Website! Follow us on social media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast Twitter @uptoyourears  Email us! uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com

Up To Your Ears Episode 06: Texture

Episode 05 Show Notes 0:00 - Intro Thanks for listening!  We’ve enjoyed your feedback and would welcome more! 1:18 - Introducing a New Format Our typical format is to:  Define a musical term Make listening recommendations based on that term Answer a question from a listener Every 5th episode, we’ll take a slightly deeper dive into just one piece of music This could be an album, a musical, the score of a film, etc. Today’s piece is a symphony Our goal is to give you a few things to listen for in each movement of this symphony focusing on principles from our first four episodes: Melody Harmony Rhythm & Meter Timbre 2:37 - Introducing Dvorak’s 9th Symphony: From the New World Written by Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904), a Bohemian (Czech) orchestral composer Premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1893 Dvorak traveled to America to be the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York Wrote some of his most famous works while in the states (American String Quartet, his cello concerto, and this symphony) Dvorak opened the conservatory to African American students Dvorak believed that composers interested in capturing the American sound should study the music of Native Americans and African Americans Not very many people agreed with him at the time Dvorak wrote original themes inspired by Native American and African American traditions, not exact replications of themes from these cultures With the exception of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Garrett compares Dvorak’s goal to the Foo Fighters’ concept behind their album/documentary “Sonic Highways” 7:31 - What is a symphony? A multi-movement work for the symphony orchestra Movements are sort of like small pieces of music that make up a bigger piece of music Garrett asks if movements are like chewing bites of a cake instead of shoving an entire cake into your mouth Amanda responds that it’s more like four cupcakes decorated slightly differently but all part of the same batch or set Garrett compares movements to chapters in a book Amanda compares them to books in a series of books because movements are usually pretty complete unto themselves Symphonies typically have 3 movements (early classical) or 4 movements (standard in the Romantic period), and they have a typical order: Fast Slow Dance Fast A note about when to applaud: If the work has multiple movements, try to follow along with the order of them and wait until the end of the last movement to clap If nothing else, wait until the conductor puts his arms all the way down and keeps them down… that’s usually the big ending! People used to clap whenever they wanted, but now we’re snobs about it 12:08 - Movement I. “Adagio - Allegro molto" Melody: Three important themes: A bold, fanfare-like theme (with a statement and a response) that is often played in the brass A minor melody with a simple accompaniment that is first played in the flute We’re not sure why, but Dvorak pointed to this theme as being influenced by indigenous music traditions. He may have thought the minor mode made it sound indigenous A theme that seems to be a pretty direct quotation and development of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (an important African American spiritual) Rhythm: the 1st and 3rd theme have very similar rhythms… almost identical! Sidenote: Dvorak will introduce great themes during each movement of the piece, but he’ll also bring back previous movements’ themes (especially the opening theme and the Swing Low theme) Perhaps a drinking game could be played???  (Please drink responsibly.) One word description of Movement I: Amanda: Exploration Garrett: Outset 17:49 - Movement II. “Largo” The most famous movement from this piece Melody: Several years after it was written and premiered, a student of Dvorak, William Arms Fisher, added lyrics to the theme from this movement (“Goin’ Home”) Timbre: The Goin’ Home theme was originally written for clarinet! Dvorak changed it to English Horn because he thought it better matched the vocal timbre of Harry T. Burleigh, the student who exposed Dvorak to many African spirituals Amanda also points out that the timpani notes in this movement are another great timbre Harmony: A passage of big, open chords played by the brass section multiple times throughout this movement Michael Beckerman called this the “Once Upon a Time” figure One word description: Garrett: Nostalgia Dvorak was very homesick while in America Amanda: Yearning 24:32 - Movement III. "Scherzo. Molto Vivace" Rhythm & Meter: The meter is very obvious in this movement, and this is the only movement in triple meter (3 beats per measure) Melody: 3 more great melodies introduced in this movement Sidenote: The opening of this scherzo matches the opening of Beethoven’s 9th symphony’s scherzo!  They sound musically very similar. Dvorak did likely did this on purpose as a nod to Beethoven Even Sider Note: Amanda got the movement number wrong in the episode (womp, womp).  Beethoven mixes things up, so his scherzo is Movement II, not Movement III.  Idea still applies though! One word description: Garrett: Chase Amanda: Tension 28:26 - Movement IV. "Allegro con fuoco” Melody: One last big, bold theme Dominates the movement and later signals the end of the piece Melody: Garrett feels that this movement is a battle of all the themes!  See his list of theme battles below! Harmony/Timbre: The last chord of the piece Unique because the entire orchestra hits a chord together, but suddenly everyone cuts out and only the very soft woodwind section sustains Sidenote: The opening of this movement is… Jaws! John Williams borrowed this figure for his shark movie soundtrack On a case by case basis, as long as you properly attribute the material you’ve borrowed, most people in classical music don’t care about this type of borrowing... Just don’t try to pass anything off as your own work if it’s isn’t actually your own work! If Dvorak were alive at the time of Jaws, maybe he’d have wanted a writer’s credit? “You’re only as good as who you steal from.” - A tongue in cheek quote from a professor Garrett and Amanda both know One word descriptions: Garrett: Argument Amanda: Territorial Bonus: Garrett makes a claim for “Three Blind Mice” as another quotation Amanda believes this is purely coincidence 35:40 - How to Enjoy a Symphony (35:53) If you sit down at a concert and see a symphony on the program that comes from 1815 on, get ready for a long ride During the romantic period, symphonies were expanded and got longer and longer Dvorak's 9th symphony is around 42 minutes long! Amanda says that if people will go to a movie theater to watch three hours of Avengers, then they definitely have the capacity to enjoy 40 minutes of great music Garrett says it’s one crime show episode Amanda says it’s three Spongebobs (37:42) Expect thematic development! When you hear a melody, try to hold onto it because it will likely come back again Expect the composer to transform and expand on the themes you hear (38:29) Don’t expect to stay completely engaged and focused for 40 minutes straight Amanda points out that not even the members of the orchestra are fully, completely focused for the entire length of the piece Tuba player is a great example because that person only plays the 2nd movement (and plays less than 20 notes) Dvorak wrote highs and lows, so it’s okay to let your attention ebb and flow a little bit Garrett compares some parts to background info/setting in a novel Amanda compares it to description in a novel It’s all important, but it doesn’t all require the same level of engagement If someone falls asleep, only wake them up if they start snoring Even trained pros want to be whisked away by the music This is musical storytelling!  Let it take you where it wants to go (41:20) Expect repetition Composers have to walk a fine line between variety and repetition Repetition can ground you, but too much can bore you Variety is the spice of life, but too much spice ruins dinner There are two types of repetition: exact and non exact Exact repetition:  “This piece of music worked once… it’ll work again!” Tension and release (repetition can add to either) The composer is saying, “I want you to remember this.” Non-exact repetition: A timbral change: maybe the same melodies and harmonies but played by different instruments or different groups of instrument Accompaniment changes: Rhythms used might change, additional parts might come in If you hear the same melody, something might have changed elsewhere in the orchestra Ask yourself if it's different and try to figure out what changed (44:10) Nothing beats seeing a symphony live Amanda: the best sound system in the world can’t compete with the weakest concert hall Amanda: I can’t appreciate the difference between 20 vs 50 vs 100 in an orchestra on youtube If the music isn’t thrilling you too much at home, it may be that you need to go see it live Think of it as not just the music but the entire experience Experience it in the right context A comparison to movies You wouldn’t judge a movie based off the one time you saw it using a portable DVD player and broken earbuds during a car ride If you’ve heard someone say, “Oh, that’s a movie you have to see in theaters,” that’s how Amanda feels about symphonies Garrett points out that Twister goes from epic to cheesy real fast when you watch it at home instead of in theaters There’s music that’s meant to be in the studio and is hard to replicate live, but the symphony is the opposite. Witness the team effort! If it’s an educational group, remember that they’re still acquiring the skills they need in order to become the pros If you’re under 80, people will be so excited to see you at a symphony concert! (47:33) You can enjoy this! The music still has value It’s up to the musicians and people involved to show you the value Once you see it, there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying this music Don’t worry that other people are understanding the music more than you are You know a lot about the music you love, and you can appreciate cool experiences!  Seek them out! Garrett advises you to ask us about concert etiquette and to seek out casual concerts More and more pro orchestras are putting on less formal concerts 49:04 - Sign Off A reminder that we’ll keep this format reserved for every 5th episode Feel free to recommend a piece you’d like us to dive into Leave us a review if you’d like! Shoot any questions towards our social media or gmail Share the podcast with a friend!  We bet you know someone who loves music and would like to know a little more about it. Help make Garrett famous.   Spotify Playlist Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us.  Special thanks to you, our listeners, too! Visit our Website! Follow us on social media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast  Twitter @uptoyourears  Email us! uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com Additional Resources: James, Jonathan.  “Dvorak Symphony No 9 - From The New World: Inside the Music”. YouTube video, 3:35. Posted October 2016. https://youtu.be/rjeskgwj78s. Roitstein, Andrew, and Nichole Veach. “Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony: In Search of an American Voice.” Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony: In Search of an American Voice. New York, NY: New York Philharmonic, 2017. https://nyphil.org/~/media/pdfs/education/1617/curriculum-guide-mshs-final.pdf?la=en Supka, Ondrej. “Symphony No. 9 ‘from the New World.’” Antonin Dvorak. Accessed November 1, 2019. http://www.antonin-dvorak.cz/en/symphony9. Weilerstein, Joshua. “Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast.” Season 4 Premiere - Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", Joshua Weilerstein, 30 Aug. 2018, http://stickynotespodcast.libsyn.com/podcast/season-4-premiere-dvorak-symphony-no-9-from-the-new-world

Up To Your Ears Episode 05: Dvorak's 9th Symphony

Episode 04 Summary    0:00 - Intro  0:35 - Defining Timbre Timbre refers to color for sound Imagine you have a 128 pack of crayons, Instead of different shades of red, blue, and orange, imagine that you have “sound crayons” Each one is a different timbre One could be the sound of a violin bowing One could be a trumpet fanfare One could be muted trumpet Each of these are different crayons, and each of them are different timbres Some of the “colors” can be similar, but they’re still distinct timbres. Garrett points out that cerulean and cyan are different shades of blue. Amanda draws a similar comparison with the sounds of string instruments Garrett points out that different instruments can play the same written pitch, but they’ll still have a different tone Amanda agrees and points out that timbre is what allows you to tell different instruments and voices apart, even if they’re singing the exact same pitch Garrett does a terrible Amanda impression to illustrate that their voices are distinct Garrett does a better Mickey and Kermit Timbre is a musical term, but you can use it for any distinct sounds 6:21 - The Spelling and Pronunciation of Timbre It rhymes with amber It’s a French word Garrett casually alienates French listeners Most musicians will pronounce it the way Garrett and Amanda are in this episode. We apologize to the French for bastardizing this pronunciation. 8:10 - Human Ears The human ear is probably more attuned to voice for most people Garrett points out that it’s what we listen to the most Garrett gives examples of how dogs and cats like squeaky sounds because they sound like prey Humans have lived in communities for so long that we’re now extremely attuned to human voices It’s probably pretty easy to tell most men’s voices apart from most women’s Garrett points out the power of Mom Ears for their own babies Garrett and Amanda can even tell their cats’ meows apart The same thing that makes it easy of you to tell voices apart, that’s the human ear’s ability to tell apart different timbres. This is very helpful for music. With practice, listeners can learn to differentiate between different instruments, though some will be trickier than others. While it may be easier to differentiate vocalists, chances are you can tell your favorite musicians/bands apart from other similar bands if you’re experienced with the genre Garrett points out that many people’s preferences for or against certain genres have to do with timbral considerations Example: the twang of country music 12:08 Singing Voices We’re pretty picky with vocal styles Examples: Opera Country Music Vibrato The hours we spend talking and communicating probably greatly outweigh the hours we spend listening to music, so it’s not surprising that people get really picky with voice type 13:03 Telling Instruments Apart It takes a more trained ear to hear a difference in instruments than in voices Garrett gives the example of 1980s rock bands and how he can now pick out Brain May’s guitar playing (Queen) The more you listen to certain bands and genres, the easier it will get to tell apart different instrumentalists and vocalists Amanda gives the examples of Freddie Mercury and Louis Armstrong, and how identifiable their voices are for most people Amanda shares a story about successfully identifying an individual trumpet player (Freddie Hubbard) Garrett does his Louis Armstrong impression 15:05 Musical Timbres We Love Garrett likes: A good French horn Garrett calls this instrument “An ugly girl with a pretty voice” (and acknowledges how problematic that description is) French horn is difficult to play, but it’s a very in demand sound Amanda adds that she loves horn “rips” Garrett describes how this sound is made Example: Music at the end of Star Wars Episode I Amanda likes: Brian May’s guitar The guitar’s unique construction and Brian May’s use of a coin instead of a pick helped make his unique timbre Amanda calls this a wailing sound and attributes that common descriptor to guitarists like Brian May 18:54 Musical Timbres We Hate Garrett points out that many people pick on woodwinds Garrett dislikes the high register of the violin Amanda hates the harpsichord Amanda argues that it’s okay to have different ears from your neighbor and prefer different timbres Amanda can still appreciate good harpsichord playing even if she doesn’t like the sound of the instrument Amanda points out that the difference in sound between a harpsichord and a piano  has to do with how the sound is produced (plucking internal strings vs. striking internal strings) Amanda and Garrett lightly make fun of Bassoonists for the second time in this episode (though they do enjoy the bassoon's timbre) 23:04 Recap Timbre is the sound equivalent of color Just like there are many different shades of the colors we all know, there are many different shades that can be achieved by each instrument and by the human voice Thanks to technology, new timbres are created all the time Garrett asks if being tone-deaf is like being colorblind Amanda says yes, and a very small fraction of people are truly tone-deaf (comparable to how many people claim to have OCD tendencies) Timbre is the different sounds that different instruments and voices make and what lets you differentiate between them, even when they are playing/singing the exact same pitch    24:20 - Listening Recommendations 24:26 Amanda’s 1st rec: (Movement I from) “Symphonic Dances” by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1940) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: orchestral alto sax! (3:35 into the track) 26:53 Garrett’s 1st rec: IV. "Hoe Down" from “Rodeo” by Aaron Copland (1942) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: violin, xylophone, trumpet 29:06 Amanda’s 2nd rec: “Black and Tan Fantasy” by Duke Ellington (both 1927 and 1945 versions on Spotify) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Bubber Miley’s trumpet solo and Tricky Sam Nanton’s trombone solo (gutbucket style, mutes, growling/flutter-tongue) 32:08 Garrett’s 2nd rec: Victor Wooten’s performance of "Amazing Grace" (1999 on) Youtube Link Specific timbre(s) to listen for: melodic electric bass 34:08 Amanda’s 3rd rec: Movement I (“Turning”) from “Roda” by Elliot Cole, performed by Projeto Arcomusical (2019) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Berimbau! YouTube Link 36:27 Garrett’s 3rd rec: “Sheep Go To Heaven” by Cake (1998) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: chunky guitar, muted trumpet, distinct vocals 38:29 Amanda’s 4th rec: Louis Armstrong’s Performance of “You Rascal You” (1950) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Louis’s voice and his lead trumpet playing Youtube Link 41:27 Garrett’s 4th rec: “Human” by Rag’n’bone Man (2017) Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Rag’n’bone man’s voice   43:42 Answering Listener Questions! 44:03 Danni G wants to know: If someone was looking to dip their toes back into the music world, what would be some of your tips?  A place to find local concerts or music groups to join? 44:12 Amanda: Visit Your Local Music Store When local musicians want to promote a concert or group, they’ll do it at the music store Garrett points out that they may need their instrument repaired or maintained, so they’ll visit there Amanda says it’s a good place to stay in touch with the musical community and the employees usually know all the groups and teachers in town Consider grabbing a lesson just to refresh your skills and find out more about what’s available for you Try to find a shop that stocks your instruments if you’re looking for info on musical groups you can join.  Guitar Center might not be the best pick. Garrett points out that lessons don’t have to be a huge commitment, so don’t be afraid to take just one lesson. 46:22 Garrett: Colleges and the Elderly Hit up the local college because colleges promote music, and they often have ensembles that community members can join The senior sampler (or whatever your equivalent is) is a good resource too, since retirees often have the time and means to support/pursue the arts Community bands and orchestras will be listed in the senior sampler 47:30 Amanda: Considerations We took this as more of a band/orchestra question. If you’re trying to get into the rock scene, that might require different resources The music store is still a helpful place to start!  Grab a lesson! Also, college faculty often direct these community groups, so stopping by the university is a good first step (or e-mail if you don’t have a connection yet/you’re shy) 48:26 Amanda: It’s Never Too Late! It’s never too late to get back into your instrument or pick up a new one! Amanda mentions retirees who rock out It’s not about how good you are… music is fulfilling and fun! It’s probably more fun now that your parents aren’t forcing you to do it 49:37 Sign Off Thanks for listening and thanks for your feedback!  We appreciate you! New episodes will be released on the 1st and 15th of every month! Spotify Playlist Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us.  Special thanks to you, our listeners, too! Visit our Website! Follow us on social media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast  Twitter @uptoyourears  Email us! uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com

Up To Your Ears Episode 04: Timbre

Episode 03 Summary   0:00 - Intro  0:51 - Introducing Rhythm and Meter Every musical sound has a pitch and a duration Melody and harmony deal with the pitch Rhythm and meter deal with the duration  1:29 - First: What Is a Pulse? Your heartbeat is an example of a pulse Humans find a regular, recurring beat comforting in music (probably because it’s a sign of life) A pulse is a series of regular, recurring sounds. When you tap your foot, you are tapping your foot to the pulse  03:16 - Defining Meter Meter is what occurs when a pulse is organized into strong and weak beats In 4/4, each measure has 4 beats: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4;  Strong, weak, slightly strong, weak When you air drum along to music, you are reflecting the meter If you are familiar with time signatures found in sheet music, those tell you what meter you’re in  Time signatures also tell you what the meter will look like on the page If you’re listening for meter in music, definitely cue into the drummer 4:58 - Garrett Asks: Would the snare drum accenting 2 and 4 be an example of meter?  Because it emphasizes certain beats? If you’re trying to hear the meter in music, you should definitely cue into the drums since drummers usually make the meter very clear However, the snare on 2 and 4 is actually an example of emphasizing weak beats something we’ll address in a future episode In any meter, the strongest beat is beat one It’s called a downbeat because it’s the only beat where the conductor’s hands come down for the other beats, they’ll move side to side or up For music in 4, the beats go: strong, weak, slightly strong, weak  7:33 - Meter Is a Structural Idea It’s sort of like beams in a wall/the framing of a building It’s a structural idea, it’s crucial to the integrity of the music, but you can’t see it unless someone wants you to see it There was a trend of industrial, deconstructed looks for rooms and buildings that made parts of the structures visible Other architectural styles hide their structures In music, most of the time, meter is very clear and obvious 8:34 - Rhythm Is More Abstract Garrett thinks of pulse as a big thing, meter as something that divides that, and rhythm as something that divides it further Amanda says this is practical, but it’s important to remember that rhythm can exist outside of meter Simple definition: Rhythm is the alternation of sound and silence There’s somewhat of a meter with human speech, but we don’t speak in a specific time signature 10:05 - Rhythms and Human Speech/Activities Certain people have distinct ways of speaking/pausing in speech, in walking, etc Amanda points out that musical phrases may be parallel to human breathing You aren’t going to say more in one phrase than you can say in one breath. Garrett does a robot impression Amanda says that you can write longer phrases for trained singers than you can for amateur singers Garrett points out that if you try to sing along with a guitar solo, you will often run out of breath because unlike the human voice, a guitar doesn’t need to breathe. Breath is a limitation for some instruments more than others  12:21 - Defining Rhythm Rhythm is the alternation of sound and silence The sounds can be long or they can be short The same applies to the silences There can be many or few sounds The sounds can help make the meter very obvious, or they can conceal the meter Most of the time, the rhythm sits nicely within a meter You can choose to put a certain number of sounds on beat one You can choose not to put a sound on beat one You can choose to put a long note on beat two We get the rhythms we get in music because of how we choose to decorate or chop up each beat Garrett points out that rhythm is the most obvious mathematic aspect of music, and this is where fractions and decimals come in Amanda compares each beat to a pie or a pizza and says that you can choose how many slices you’ll divide each pie into Depending on the instrument they play, some musicians are more aware of the fractions and ratios they’re using than others Can be very micro (beat to beat) or macro (a rhythmically active or inactive part in a piece) 15:26 Obvious Meter vs Concealed Meter Pop tunes/music to dance to requires an obvious meter so that the dancers can coordinate their footwork with the beat Horror films might conceal the meter to make jump scares more effective because this makes the music less predictable Garrett brings up the example of Jaws  16:51 Importance of Rhythm for Memorable Music Rhythm is just as important as melody for making music memorable (sometimes even more important) Jaws is a good example because the two note motive doesn’t have a lot going on melodically, but its rhythm is iconic, and the amount of space in between repetitions keeps it unpredictable  17:44 More Ways to Think About Rhythm Pitch is somewhat related to space; rhythm and meter are more related to time On a grid, pitch would be the Y axis (vertical) and rhythm/meter would be the X axis (horizontal) Musical notation is basically a very simple graph  19:45 Rhythm Can Exist Without Melody, But Melody Cannot Exist Without Rhythm Because every musical note has a duration, that means every musical sound has a rhythm The rhythm could be irregular, it could not spell out a meter, but it is present Garrett brings up the importance of playing the right notes at the right time If you don’t, even the right pitch sounds wrong!  21:25 - A Quick Review Pulse is like a heartbeat, a series of regular recurring beats, what you tap your toe to Meter is the organization of a pulse into strong and weak beats, and it’s a structural idea like framing of a building Rhythm is the alternation of sound and silence and usually fits easily into a meter Rhythm and meter exist on a horizontal plane where pitch exists on a vertical plane   22:20 Listening Recommendations 22:23 Garrett’s 1st Rhythm Pick: John Adams’s "Short Ride in a Fast Machine” (1986) 25:48 Amanda’s 1st Rhythm Pick: Giachino Rossini’s “Wiliam Tell Overture” (1829) This selection is just the end of the overture.  There's more to it! 28:04 Garrett’s 2nd Rhythm Pick: Mars, The Bring of War from the Planets Suite by Gustav Holst (1918) 31:00 Garrett’s 3rd Rhythm Pick: “Cecilia” by Simon and Garfunkel (1970) 32:25 Amanda’s 1st Meter Pick: Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” (1913) This section is entitled "The Augers of Spring"  Video Amanda referenced 36:08 Garrett’s 1st Meter Pick: “Only” by Nine Inch Nails (2005) 38:00 Amanda’s 2nd Meter Pick: “Take Five” by Paul Desmond/The Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959) 40:44 Amanda’s 3rd Meter Pick: “Bubble Dream” by CHON (2013)   42:27 Answering Listener Questions! 42:52 Steven S. wants to know: What are some things that beginning musicians overlook when it comes to rhythm?  43:07 Amanda: They Don’t Always Count the Rhythms Percussionists are taught to count rhythms very early on, but many wind players don’t focus much on that Garrett points out that wind instruments aren’t as tactile as percussion, so they don’t learn to internalize rhythm as easily Wind players also have to focus on slide position/correct fingerings, intonation, articulation, style, and technical challenges specific to their instruments Amanda points out that it’s not as if percussionists don’t have to think about these things; they do, but they can conceive of them a little differently, and some of them are basically handled automatically depending on the percussion instrument Example 1: duration of single notes on snare drum, unless rolling; Example 2: intonation, unless playing timpani  42:24 Garrett: They Need to Consider Duration   Lots of people don’t truly understand durations of rhythms they’re playing until late high school/college The ending of the note is just as important as the beginning 46:02 Amanda: The Silences Are Just As Important As the Notes The rests should be the easy part! Make sure you “don’t play” just as accurately as you “do play”  46:24 Amanda’s Soap Box: Counting triplets correctly!!! (For Musicians) Amanda does not care for tri-puh-let as a counting for three note groupings because you can easily forget which beat you’re on Try 1-trip-let, 2-trip-let, 3-trip-let, etc. This reminds you which beat you’re on so that you don’t get lost when you have many triplets to play in a row! Garrett confesses blasphemy in this regard and Amanda chastises him lightly Amanda denounces using food names to teach and count rhythms students may morph the word into a new rhythm without realizing it   49:30 - Sign Off Please feel free to submit more questions if you’d like! Thanks so much for listening! Spotify Playlist of this week's listening recommendations. Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us.  Special thanks to you, our listeners, too! Visit our Website!  Follow us on social media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast  Twitter: @uptoyourears  Email: uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com

Up To Your Ears Episode 03: Rhythm & Meter

Episode 02 Summary 00:00 - Intro   01:00 - Defining Harmony (and Hominy) If a melody is a series of single notes, harmony refers to stacking simultaneous, different pitches. Different cultures have different approaches to harmony One example would be music that uses microtones - notes in between the keys of your piano Music exists that doesn’t use harmony   5:05 - Origins of Harmony The earliest music we have a written record of is usually religious music Church music was regarded as pretty important and worth saving Clergy members were literate and able to write down and thus preserve their music Religious music had the function of conveying important text to churchgoers since singing is louder than speaking (especially when a choir is involved) The earliest music we have a record of is usually just one melody Note: “The Church” usually refers to the Catholic church in the middle ages The church did not necessarily invent musical techniques; they just wrote them down People began to add a second melodic line to create musical interest, and they had rules about how to do it in a way that sounded beautiful The rules evolve over time, and patterns emerge for what sounds pleasing: these combinations eventually become chords This takes centuries JS Bach’s music is kind of the “how to” manual of modern harmony   13:02 - Modern Harmony a stack of different notes that support the melody Harmonic trends can change over time Individual cultures, composers, and listeners have preferences about harmony Different chords are thought to have different funcitons/tendencies One chord might pull towards another chord, and the ear won’t be satisfied until that next chord is reached Garrett uses the Simpsons Theme example and attempts to scare you with numbers Amanda uses a baseball diamond example Moving form chord to chord is called a chord progression   15:36 - Triads A triad is three notes stacked on top of each other Any three notes can be a triad, but we’re mostly used to three notes located a “third” apart from each other. Most of the music people know is built in triads A genre that decorates the triads is Jazz.  Even your most basic chords have at least one “chord extension” - added notes that give extra flavor Genres known for: harmonic complexity include classical music (especially Romantic music and 20th century classical music). Pop and Rock have a reputation for being very harmonically simple, but it should really be treated on a case by case basis.   18:41 - “Simple” Is Not an Insult! If the harmony serves its function, then that’s all it needs to do. Complex is not always good. Complicated things Garrett and/or Amanda like: Cars and engines, D&D Simple things Garrett and/or Amanda like: … a hot shower… and kayaking Don’t attach value to statements about complexity and simplicity Simple music can be every bit as great as complicated music "Horse With No Name" by America example When music is simple in one way, it tends to be complicated in another way Spaceship controls example   22:40 - Games and Sports: A Harmonic Metaphor In terms of harmonic complexity, Classical music might be chess, whereas top 40 might be more like checkers The duration of each game differs, and one is thought to require more strategy than the other to play. In terms of complexity, maybe Romantic music is like basketball, whereas 12-tone music is like billiards. Basketball has strategies that anyone can become familiar with, and fans who have studied the sport can make fairly accurate predictions about where the game is heading. Similarly, Romantic music has recognizable themes and action because the pieces are often based on recognizable stories, mythology, paintings, etc.  Listeners can begin to predict where the piece is going to go. Billiards seems much more subtle, and most every day people don’t find it nearly as intuitive a game. Twelve tone music is similarly much more difficult for most listeners to process and feels very unfamiliar.  The enjoyment (or lack of it) comes from being surprised and recognizing that you don’t know what’s going to happen. What is the musical equivalent of curling? Garrett says it’s free jazz because he knows what the main objectives are, but he has no idea what role individual team members have or how their responsibilities really work. Amanda says free jazz is like racquetball because it looks very chaotic from the outside and the objective is less clear, especially if you’ve never played it before. Garrett defends racquetball to the death   30:55 - Harmony: The Photoshop Effect Amanda recommends a YouTube video on harmony called “A Thing About Chords” by Louie Zong The video is two minutes long The creator of the video uses a photoshop metaphor: changing the chords under a melody is sort of like using effects in photoshop.  The composition of the image might stay the same, but the style of it and its mood can change a lot. The creator of the video demonstrates with a simple melody and many different chord progressions.   32:12 - A Brief Interlude (without ads)   32:18 - Listening Recommendations… Almost!   33:13 - Two Common Usages of “Harmony" Garrett primarily thinks of harmony as vocalists harmonizing lines together Amanda primarily thinks of harmony as the overall chord progression These are each common usages of the word Harmony. The chord progression is kind of the noun form of harmony.  It’s the thing. “Harmonizing” is kind of the verb form of harmony.  It’s the act of doing it.   Listening Recommendations: 35:09 - Amanda’s 1st rec: “What A Piece of Work is Man” from Hair, the American tribal love rock musical. (1967, but I’m gonna post the 2009 revival soundtrack) 39:15 - Garrett’s 1st rec: Symphony no. 3, movement 4 (The Organ Symphony) by Camille Saint-Saens (1886) 42:03 - Amanda’s 2nd rec: “Dirty Computer” by Janelle Monae (2018) 43:42 - Garrett’s 2nd rec: “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago (1972) 44:24 - Amanda’s 3rd rec: The 2nd movement of "Pines of Rome" by Ottorino Respighi (1924) 48:25 - Garrett’s 3rd rec: The entire band Fleet Foxes (cheating, obviously) but he recommends the song “Lorelai" (2011)   50:02 - Some Back to School Advice! Our next episode will be on rhythm and meter.  If you have questions for us about either of those topics or anything else, please reach out to us about them on: Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast Twitter: @uptoyourears via email: uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com Since many of our listeners are headed back to school, here’s some back to school advice for you. 51:05 - Garrett tries to convince us that writing research papers is fun and outlines a great method for making your papers better, faster, stronger, (not harder).  (Hint: it’s all about the annotated bibliography) 53:53 - Part 1 of Amanda’s advice: stop fighting your teacher’s suggestions!  Take them, and if you think you’re already taking them, try taking them again.  Your teacher isn’t necessarily the leading expert on everything, but they’re knowledgeable enough to give helpful suggestions. 56:12 - Part 2 of Amanda’s advice: try to go an entire semester without making excuses when you’re given constructive criticism or even called out by someone.  This has been really helpful for Amanda as a musician.   57:49 - Sign Off Thanks for listening!  Please tune in for episode 3 If you liked this podcast, please like, share, review, tell your friends, etc. Remember that there is a playlist associated with this episode of the podcast, so you can access all of our listening recommendations in one place.   Episode 02 Spotify Playlist    Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us.  Special thanks to you, our listeners, too!   Visit our Website!   Follow us on social media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast    Twitter @uptoyourears    Email us! uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com

Up To Your Ears Episode 02: Harmony

Episode 1 Summary: Amanda and Garrett introduce the podcast! Amanda and Garrett introduce themselves! Definition of melody Listening recommendations Reach Out and Follow Us on Social Media! Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast Twitter: @uptoyourears Gmail: uptoyourearspodcast@gmail.com 0:00 - Introducing Up To Your Ears! Simplifying musical definitions so that everyone can speak easily about music 2:20 - Introductions to Hosts Amanda has her masters in percussion performance, teaches part time at the local university, and performs a lot locally (especially in pit orchestras) Garrett has a build a bear degree, a minor in music, and many hobbies. 4:25 - Additional Purposes of the Podcast Fight pretension Provide a resource to Amanda’s students Educate listeners so that they feel welcome to try new musical genres 8:25 - Outline of Podcast Segments Define a term Make some listening recommendations Answer a question 9:00 - Defining Melody A series of single notes, one right after another The headliner, what you remember about the piece The part that you whistle/hum Rules about what makes a good one, what makes a difficult one to sing Melodies can be sung or played The part that has lyrics, if there are lyrics Melody usually sticks out more 11:35 - Melody Addiction Lots of styles are all about melody, but there’s more to music than melody Hip hop is an example Spaceship controls example  Pizza example  14:05 - Leonard Bernstein Classifications Pronouncing Bernstein's name Article I Referenced Who is he??  Concerts for Young People - What is a melody? Classifications: Tunes, Themes, Motives 17:10 - Tunes Longer, closed, made up of a few small phrases.  What most people think of when they think of melody.  They easily lend themselves to lyrics. YMCA  I'm A Little Teapot Mary Had a Little Lamb Tunes are not necessarily always simple. 20:10 - Themes the next longest type and sound open-ended. John Williams examples Themes are medium long. Themes can be extended into tunes. Often around 6-10 notes… but that’s not a rule They don’t have a beginning, middle, end necessarily Darth Vader example Theme from Titanic example Indiana Jones example (around 24 minutes in) Unlike tunes, themes don’t always lend themselves as easily to lyrics. 27:10 - Motives the smallest type of melodic material and very, very open to thematic development Dark Knight example (two note motive) Beethoven’s 5th symphony (short-short-short long) 28:50 - If you find Classical music boring...  We used to think so, too! You’re not alone Something that will help is to expect to hear more themes and motives + development rather than tunes 31:40 - Melody recap Quick summary Lines that are melodic without being the melody of songs Billie Jean bass line example The shape of a melody is its contour The range of a melody is how high or how low it goes Close ranges are easier for everyday people to sing Examples: Mary Had A Little Lamb, Thrift Shop, I Will Always Love You, The Star-Spangled Banner, Danny Boy 36:45 - Conjunct vs Disjunct melodies A conjunct melody is more stepwise, so it’s easier to sing.   Disjunct hops around more and is more difficult to sing. Not every melody is meant to be easy to sing 38:40 - Listening Recommendations: Spotify Playlist for Episode 1 Garrett’s first pick: Aaron Copland’s Fanfare For the Common Man (38:55) Amanda’s first pick: Dvorak’s 8th Symphony, first movement (41:40) Garrett’s second pick: Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” (43:35) Amanda’s second pick: the chorale section of “Jupiter” from Gustav Holst’s suite, The Planets (45:40) Garrett’s third pick: “Concerning Hobbits” from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore (47:05) Amanda’s third pick: Venus de Milo from “Birth of the Cool,” performed by Miles Davis (tune written by Gerry Mulligan) (48:10) Garrett’s honorable mention: What he thought was a selection from John Williams's score of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” is actually "Leaving Hogwarts" from "Sorcerer's Stone" (50:25)  Oops! Amanda’s honorable mention: “Love of My Life” by Freddie Mercury of Queen (53:20)  

Up To Your Ears Episode 01: Melody

Up To Your Ears is a podcast that teaches you about the music you like and the music you don't like... yet. Whether you're hoping to expand your musical horizons or just get more enjoyment out of the music you already love, Garrett and Amanda want to help you level up as a listener. Their secret weapon? Simple definitions and a strict policy against musical snobbery.

hubhopper

Up To Your Ears

hubhopper