Ok so I’ve been playing for 18 years and i’m a string teacher. Can i just say how IMPORTANT it is for young kids to see a BLACK, MALE-PRESENTING PERSON playing, nae, SHREDDING on a violin? I’ve know maybe 5 black people who played stringed instruments throughout my schooling and teaching (predumably because i’m an upper middle class white woman). In districts where the population is predominantly black, funding is always low, so the instruments are crappy. Kids quit, or the program is dismantled. I’ve seen very few professional string players who are black.
Obviously there are black string players. We just don’t see them because they “don’t look like” string players.
This person is the real deal. They were clearly trained, and seems to have some fiddle training as well. How cool is that?
Look at this lad. Image: THX, Ltd.The Deep Note, the distinctive synthesized crescendo that is THX’s audio trademark, is one of the most iconic sounds in all of film. For the effects firm’s 35th anniversary, they’ve now shared the sheet music behind the sound.
thanks i hate it
how dare you i love it
I can hear this image and I’m crapping myself as is standard
Can you imagine a choir singing this and how chilling that would sound
The whoosh is in D Major!
It got better: in a capella (please make this guy famous, his talent is unmatched)
2. the conductor pays attention to you and wants to hear you
3. you actually get to use the e string
4. it is MUCH easier to count. the rhythms tend to be more straightforward than second violin parts and there’s usually less resting or holding long notes
5. less monotonous
6. a challenge, and therefore more interesting
cons of first violin:
1. the conductor pays attention to you and wants to hear you
2. notes are so high that only dogs can hear them
3. more difficult if you have recently embarked on watching a show with nine seasons and no longer have time to practice and by the way the concert is in two days
4. you have to tune all of your strings
5. depending on your seating arrangement, you might be right in front of the percussion
6. too much e string
pros of second violin:
1. you really only need to tune three of your strings to get by most of the time this is honestly a life hack
2. g string
3. it’s more likely that you’ll get to play undivided double stops and those feel powerful as heck
4. you have extra time to work on your vibrato
5. the conductor ignores you
6. first is the worst, second is the best
cons of second violin:
1. that one first violinist that passive aggressively throws it in your face. “oh, you only made it into the second violin section? I thought you were better than that.”
2. the untrue idea that even at the professional level, first violinists are more skilled than seconds
3. the conductor ignores you. (once the conductor acknowledged she was ignoring us and then told us to “just count and come in at the right time, even though I won’t cue you.” another time a conductor during a masterclass was asked to cue us and then proceeded to turn towards the first violins and cue them.)
4. you’re probably pretty close to the piccolo and percussion
5. the woodwinds and brass are right behind you, making your vulnerable to sneak attacks
a while ago in orchestra we had a trumpet dude fill in for our conductor and he told us that he once tried to get a job as a rehearsal assistant for a youth orchestra and he had to take a bowing test. they had him sit in a room and write in bowings for some symphony in an hour. he seemed bitter about it, so here is how to write bowings for any string instrument (unless you’re a composer, in which case don’t bother unless you have a good reason).
I teach little kids piano and these are some of the things I tell them and they seem to think I’m funny
“woah there buddy”
“be expressive, not aggressive”
“play staccato like you would play hot potato”
“yikes”
student: “why does posture matter?” me: “look at my hands when I’m playing with flat fingers. doesn’t that look weird? it looks kind of disturbing. don’t have flat fingers.” student: “you’re right”
“no no no don’t do that you’ll break your hand”
me: “what chord is this?” student: “g major. but can we name it carlos?” me: “…I don’t see why not”
“the man on my screensaver is dmitri shostakovich and you will learn to love his music, too”
“yeah this guy wrote angry music”
“we’re going to play this excruciatingly slowly. suffering is how we make progress”
me: “so a harp is basically just a naked piano.” my student: “so, you could say that inside a piano are the piano’s…organs.”
*miscellaneous sound effects and screeches*
*badly singing along as they play*
“composers were crazy. don’t ever let anyone tell you that mozart was sophisticated because he told some very bad jokes.”
me: “what interval is that?” student: “EL DIABLO”
“it’s going to sound bad, but that means you’re playing it right”
“please don’t play the piano with your elbows. you can try that at home”
“so the music says that it should be an f sharp but you played it as an f natural and I kind of liked that so we’re keeping it”
”if you can play this well I’ll accompany you with my plastic saxophone”
Clarification: is there a set, standard amount of time, such as “one second”, that a “measure” of music lasts…? I understand that “4/4 time” means “four beats per measure”, but unless the length of time a “measure” lasts is consistent between songs, how does that make sense?
absolutely not; timing in music is not dependent on measure length, but instead based entirely on tempo. there ARE certain time signatures that are typically faster, such as 6/8, but there is no true standard and even 6/8 can be slower than 4/4, depending on the tempo. hope that helps!
who is responsible for this
Larghissimo — very, very slow (20 bpm and below) Translation*: plenty of time to get distracted between measures. Or notes.
Grave — slow and solemn (20–40 bpm) Translation: just serious enough for nervous laughter during rests. Avoid eye contact with anyone.
Lento — slowly (40–60 bpm) Translation: it is actually possible to fall asleep while playing an instrument, to the confusion and horror of your teacher.
Largo — broadly (40–60 bpm) Translation: dramatic grand gestures while sober. Think sweeping.
Larghetto — rather broadly (60–66 bpm) Translation: dramatic grand gestures while drunk. Slightly more manic or erratic
Adagio — slow and stately (literally, “at ease”) (66–76 bpm) Translation: Julie Andrews, Queen of Genovia, is entering the room. Plenty of time to focus on hitting the right notes b/c u cannot fuck this up.
Adagietto — rather slow (70–80 bpm) Translation: the high school graduating class of 2018 is entering the room. 40% elated 70% bored. Mostly restrained by the staff, still want this over with.
Andante moderato — a bit slower than andante. Translation: a steady meander in the woods. Fast enough to be interesting, slow enough to savor.
Andante — at a walking pace (76–108 bpm) Translation: CPR speed! Do you have Stayin Alive or Another One Bites the Dust in your head? Either way good luck remembering your melody now.
Andantino – slightly faster than andante. Translation: Just saw someone you do NOT want to talk to but you don’t want to draw attention. Always feels slightly forced. That’s fine.
Moderato — moderately (108–120 bpm) Translation: Marching is the tenuous balance between comfortable speed for walking and comfortable speed for music. Much easier when not in a parade.
Allegretto — moderately fast (but less so than allegro). Translation: the piece is probably in moderato but you’re having fun! You totally got this! Everything’s a bit fast but you’re still hitting all the notes! Go you!
Allegro moderato — moderately quick (112–124 bpm) Translation: Approximately dancing speed, depending on your confidence and the degree to which you know where all your limbs are at any given time. Jam a little in your seat. It’s okay.
Allegro — fast, quickly and bright (120–168 bpm). Playful, for flirting without words. Wink as needed without losing your place.
Vivace — lively and fast (≈140 bpm) (quicker than allegro) Translation: That was probably too much coffee but it’s FINE. It’s probably not physically possible for your heart to beat out of your chest.
Vivacissimo — very fast and lively. Translation: Either you’re showing off or the composer wanted you to suffer. Probably the former.
Allegrissimo — very fast. Translation: You’re not one of those aerobic respirators are you? You can breathe when we finish this piece. Hold on for the ride.
Presto — very fast (168–200 bpm) Translation: use popcorn popping as your metronome. Doesn’t actually have a regular beat but at this speed neither do you.
Prestissimo — extremely fast (more than 200bpm) Translation: you don’t know what’s happening and neither does your conductor if you have one. Reeds are splitting, strings are snapping, wind instruments can’t feel their tongues. Flail your fingers and prey.*.
CaptainBubblebath 