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Topic: Musical Serendipity |
Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 5 Aug 2013 3:29 am |
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My theory is that many modern sounds, musical arrangements and recording techniques have come about by accident, technical limitation or by sheer luck.
DRUMS:
Drums were most likely the earliest instruments invented. (hitting things with a stick comes very naturally to little boys) By taking “note†of the variety of sounds produced by striking different objects, a palette of musical sounds can be assembled into a drum kit. When music moved indoors and groups of players performed together, the drums were usually placed in the rear of the band. (Most likely because they were the loudest) In this way the whole orchestra can hear the drums and play in time. When the development of electronics allowed music to be recorded, the drums sounded distant (because they were the farthest away from the microphone) The big boom “room sound†became identified with the way drums should be heard and recorded. SEE REVERB/DELAY BELOW…
STRINGED INSTRUMENTS:
Another ancient instrument almost as primitive as the drum is the BOW. While hunting with a bow and arrow, a delightful “thunk†is produced as the string is stretched and released. While not being used to hunt the bow could be plucked in rhythm with the drums, and soon it was discovered that if one end of the bow is rested on a hollow log the sound is transferred and amplified acoustically. Eventually multi-string bows were created expressly for musical purposes not hunting, and these gave birth to the harp and all other stringed instruments
ELECTRIC GUITAR:
Before electrical amplification, the guitar could not compete with brass and woodwind volumes so it was just used as part of the rhythm section.
First microphones were used and then electronic pickups allowed the guitar to be heard and even become a solo instrument in the band. The amplifier was originally intended to just project the natural sound of the guitar, but it is my contention that one day by “accident†the amp volume was pushed up to the level of distortion, and the guitarist liked it! Tube amplifiers have a warm musical sustain and compression when overdriven. Gradually guitar distortion became a desired effect, and amplifiers were designed to allow overdrive to be adjusted and switched in and out. Today clean amplifiers are only desirable for PA systems,keyboards or Steelguitars.
REVERB/DELAY
When an instrument is played indoors, the sound is reflected by the walls, floor and ceiling. The size of the room will affect the amount of time before the echo is heard, and the floor, wall and ceiling materials will affect the length of time it takes for the reverberation to fade out. There are also resonant frequencies amplified by the wall dimensions. Early recordings were made in musical halls and theaters with natural reverberation. Then recording studios were built with soft walls and baffles to eliminate echoes. Some “live†rooms were
Created for certain effects, and echo chambers were built to add back a measured amount of reverb. Later electronic and digital reverb became available to simulate anything from small rooms to gigantic cathedrals.
SONG ARRANGEMENT
One popular style of song arrangement features a simplified intro/verse and then builds from there. Usually a keyboard or guitar and vocal will start the song, then Bass and Drums will come in together to fill out the sound and set the groove. Other vocals and instruments will then add parts and harmony. The Chorus will be powerful and provide a “hook†or signature lick that listeners will remember. I propose that this basic arrangement came about accidentally when a singer/songwriter presented a new song to the band. The other members would gradually join in as they caught on to the chord progression and melody. The “build†just naturally draws you into the music.
HIT RECORDS:
Let’s look at the standard three minute hit song… before modern recorded music, composers would write a symphony or suite of any length, and because it was performed live it did not have to fit into the limited format of a 78 RPM record. So due to the limits of recording media three to four minutes became the standard. Gradually radio stations, and the listening public got used to the three minute hit song formula and as luck would have it, our musical attention span is just about that long. After a few minutes we are ready for a different song, musical style or tempo.
SEREDIPITY means: a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 5 Aug 2013 12:56 pm
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I think Don Mc Lean's "American Pie" was one of the first hits that tore up the three minute format for a single. On albums I think it was "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" by Bob Dylan. Or was it "Desolation Row"?
I'm from the old school, anything over four minutes is a challenge for my concentration:?
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 5 Aug 2013 8:40 pm
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Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" ran 6:13 and, uncut, reached #2 on the singles charts, remaining on the charts for 12 weeks in 1965.
(source: Wikipedia) |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Leslie Ehrlich
From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 6 Aug 2013 2:54 pm Re: Musical Serendipity
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| Dom Franco wrote: |
| clean amplifiers... |
Don't want one. If it doesn't distort, I won't use it.
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Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind! |
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Robert Leaman
From:
Murphy, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 7 Aug 2013 5:44 pm SEREDIPITY - A Different Take
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| SEREDIPITY is: when you are looking for a needle in a haystack and you find the farmer's daughter. |
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Rick Schacter
From:
Portland, Or.
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Posted 8 Aug 2013 1:29 pm
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| Dom Franco wrote: |
| most hits are still in the 3-4 minute range. |
Probably so the station can fit more commercials in?
Rick |
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