March 27, 2009
Dear Musicians,
Sight-reading, the ability to perform an unknown piece of music at first sight, is a skill that every musician should master. It is difficult enough as a complete musician to secure enough music jobs in a saturated job market and a lack of fundamental skills such as sight-reading would most definitely make matters worse.
So here are a few tips that may help you improve your sight-reading skills. more info
Dear Musicians,
With the apps you can install on your iPhone, you can turn your phone into a flashlight, a metronome, a piano, an ocarina and even a radio. Today I’ll talk about the latter.
My favorite radio iPhone app is called “Tuner” by Nullriver.
The app is not free and compared to some of the other apps it may look expensive at $5.99 but I believe that the app is well worth the investment.
The app has four buttons, one of which is to bookmark your favorite radio station for quick access, a second lets you browse through the various genres of stations, a third lists the top 500 stations and the lets you search for a particular station.
Most importantly you can add new ones if you know the link to it.
I have found that the app is very reliable and the music doesn’t get interrupted at all, which is a feat given that the music is streamed as you go. So, if you’re getting sick of listening to the same stuff over and over, give this app a try, you won’t be disappointed.
March 19, 2009
Dear Musicians,
I had the good fortune to work for Holland America last year on board the Eurodam on her maiden voyage and thought I’d give you a quick overview of what her amenities are like. The amenities available for free on this ship are considerable. There is a television with DVD/CD player in my cabin, and DVD’s can be borrowed free. Food is free, and the quality varies from very good to excellent. There are a several restaurants on board with excellent food, and I can get a free lunch in those. more info
March 18, 2009
Playing in time is one of the fundamental aspects of musical technique. When playing with others in a group, having a great sense of time is even more critical, especially if you are laying down the foundation of a band’s groove on the bass or the drums. Bands playing in certain genres with strict, regimented rhythms might actually even use a metronome while practicing in order to make sure that no one falls behind or gets too far ahead of themselves. more info
