Here’s a closer look at a cappella, where it comes from, how it works, and what it sounds like in today’s modern music era.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eN9kiyIv-Q[/embedyt]

Origins of A Cappella

A cappella is Italian for “in the manner of the chapel,” referring to pre-15th century chants (like the Gregorian Chant) that was sung in churches. In the Jewish faith, hymns were sung in a cappella from its earliest days because the religion forbids musical instruments to be used on the Sabbath and High Holidays. A cappella was an obvious solution for infusing music into these holy days without breaking the Jewish traditional law. 

A cappella evolved over the centuries, with great names such as Bach, Monteverdi, Schutz, and Tchaikovsky making use of the style.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QvryC7tp6k[/embedyt]

A Cappella in Modern Time

The early 1940s brought a cappella out of the church pews and into a more modern light. The AFM (American Federation of Musicians) was boycotting US recording studios, so there was a gaping hole in the industry. The Song Spinners stepped in to fill the void, and the public went gaga over the fresh new sound. They just couldn’t believe it was coming from the mouths of these talented artists. 

The 50s and 60s continued the a cappella trend with a modern twist, introducing jazz tunes to the mix. 

But things really exploded in the 80s. 

From the 1980s onward, a cappella became as familiar a genre as rock, pop, jazz, and classical music, with artists such as Boyz II Men, Huey Lewis and the News, Backstreet Boys, and All 4 One popularizing the sounds and making a cappella the next hottest thing to hear. Today you can enjoy the self-made melodies of groups like Rockapella, Pentatonix, and Maccabeats.

The Sounds of A Cappella

The most fascinating thing about a cappella is that when done well, you cannot differentiate between an a cappella performance and an instrumental one. Artists are so skilled at mimicking the sounds of each instrument that the performance comes across as flawlessly as a guitar, drums, saxophone, or other instrument being played.

Best of all, a cappella is the most economical form of making music because it utilizes the only musical instrument that is totally free…your voice. So if you aren’t quite ready to learn piano, or if you’re looking to supplement your piano lessons with additional musical fun, you can turn to this uplifting musical form. Go ahead and give it a try. 

The post A Tribute to A Cappella  appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

The 7 Best Songs With Unique Time Signatures

Time signatures and measures make the difference between being an awesome musician and knowing how to play a bunch of notes in a row. By changing the timing of our notes, we create that “musical” sound that gives what we play a unique personality.

Unusual time signatures can help musicians even further, combining familiar notes and beats in crazy new ways to make incredible new sounds and songs. Some of the most legendary artists and bands in history have used these time signatures to make one of a kind beats that are recognizable for their unique sound. Check out our 7 favorite songs with unusual time signatures!

Rush – Tom Sawyer (⅞ time)

Rush is one of the most famous Canadian bands in history, and “Tom Sawyer” is arguably their best-known song, featuring a great combination of standard 4/4 beats and a great instrumental breakdown in a ⅞ time signature that makes the song a powerful and exceptional rock anthem.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auLBLk4ibAk[/embedyt]

Pink Floyd – Money (7/4 time)

Featuring what is easily one of the most recognizable bass riffs in classic rock, Pink Floyd’s “Money” is a perfect example of unusual measures. The song’s bouncy bassline leads the band on a great 7/4 time signature that gives “Money” an unmistakable swagger, and a great jazzy feel.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0kcet4aPpQ[/embedyt]

The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun (4/4, 5/5, 9/8, 10/8, and on and on)

This is undoubtedly one of the Beatles’ most eccentric songs, featuring mood changes and musical styles that range from doo-wop to rock to pop.  The track features a dizzying series of changing time signatures that give each section of the song such a distinct feel from the others.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zei3xnivwFk[/embedyt]

Outkast – Hey Ya! (Emulates an 11/4 time)

While this is actually cheating, since “Hey Ya!” is technically in a 4/4 time, Andre 3000’s masterful use of a standard time signature actually gives “Hey Ya!” it’s catchy, unforgettable beat. The song uses what’s known as a cadential phrase, which combines a series of measures to create what seems like a continuous measure on a distinct signature.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw[/embedyt]

Radiohead – 15 step (5/4 Time)

The opening song to Radiohead’s classic In Rainbows, “15 Step” applies a rarely utilized 5/4 time signature that gives the song a strangely syncopated sound. The song maintains the beat throughout, making for a high-energy romp in electronic rock.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7UKu8s84S0[/embedyt]

MGMT – Electric Feel (6/4 time)

MGMT’s laid back “Electric Feel” uses a non-standard 6/4 time signature, creating some great effects. The unusual measure gives the song a bouncing that feels like taking a walk down 70s disco lane while the drums keep it strongly grounded in modern electronica.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmZexg8sxyk[/embedyt]

Led Zeppelin – The Ocean (4/4+⅞ time)

Not one of Led Zeppelin’s best-known tracks, the song still features a fascinating drum beat that perfectly complements Jimmy Page’s unorthodox guitar riffs. The song’s unusual ⅞ measures are used to build a combination of blues and Led Zeppelin’s trademark heavy rock sound.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsKJlZi04I0[/embedyt]

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Recorder

The recorder is one of the least appreciated instruments you can learn. In fact, this is one of the simplest ways to learn some of the fundamentals of playing music, making it an ideal choice for first-time music learners. It’s also easy to use, so you can see progress really quickly. For just $15, you will learn about tempo, breathing, and ensemble playing within a few weeks.

Xylophone

The xylophone is another great instrument for beginners because it doesn’t demand the same complexity as other instruments do. Players use wooden sticks to beat out sounds on metal slats tuned to the various scales for a simple and lovely melody. Xylophones can be purchased for $10-$25. What’s really nice about the xylophone is that if you enjoy this basic level instrument, you can quickly advance to learning to play the piano because the same basic principles apply.

Tambourine

If you’re a Bob Dylan fan, then you know the power of a good tambourine. For just $25, you can have your own “jingle jangle mornin’” and enjoy the playful cadence of a riveting tambourine jam. Beat out a light tune to just have fun, or get more involved with a faster, heavier rhythm that really gets the blood rushing.

Keyboard 

While this is the most expensive instrument on our list, the keyboard is a fabulous option because it gives you a taste of so many different types of instruments (and it’s still cheaper than a baby grand). You can change up the tempo, style, and sound, practice on different keys, and most importantly, see what it’s like to play the piano without spending the money on this higher ticket item. (Remember, you can always invest in the real thing later on once you’ve seen how magnificent playing the piano can be.) Low-priced keyboards will run from about $50-$150. 

Once you start playing music, you’ll see how much fun it is. And when you’ve mastered these simpler instruments, you can move on to more advanced instruments, like learning to play piano, guitar, or a full drum set.

Jump into the beauty and pleasure of learning music, and see the world with new eyes, one note at a time.

The post Learn to Love Playing Music for Less: Cheap Instruments to Get You Inspired appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

1. Bird as a flute
2. Cat as a clarinet
3. Duck as an oboe
4. Grandfather as a bassoon
5. Peter as Strings (from Peter and The Wolf)
6. Wolf as a French Horn

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I’m sure you can immediately accept the bassoon as representative of the grandfather, or the flute as representative of the bird, but why? Well, I have a few answers that might help you out. The amplitude range of the instrument, the pitch, the richness of the harmony, and the associations with life experiences among others create natural connections between instruments and animate objects.

Back when I was in music college, we completed a cool exercise where we needed to choose three animals and compose music for each. The first animal, the snake, was easy; I went with an ethnic association and used an alt flute while playing harmonic minor scales with some Arabic scales. The class immediately guessed correctly. 

You can hear the snake here:

For the second animal, the frog, I played a jumpy, rude melody with the baritone sax while in the background there was a response arpeggio played by a harp. Once again the class guessed correctly, helped by the fact that the baritone represented the frog while the harp represented the lake.

You can hear the frog here:

I imagined the sounds of the last animal, the bat, by creating a deep cave-like atmosphere with some low contrabass tones, and the bats were played by high strings doing random fast slides and staccato piccolo notes. The piece was accompanied by a strong reverb effect to enhance the cave atmosphere. This animal was a little hard to guess, but my classmates got it eventually :-).

You can hear the bats here:

After doing some research, I have found what people believe each of the following instruments represents in terms of emotions and characteristics.

• In general, live instruments are warm and electronic instruments are mostly cold and more melancholic.
• A piano can be mellow and can represent contentment or, from another angle, romance. 
• French horns represent nobility, accomplishment, loneliness, and solitude.  
• The trumpet, trombone, and other brass instruments represent excitement and energy. 
• The violin and other string instruments represent cold, sadness, tranquility, sympathy, fragility, and joy (Vivaldi’s “Spring” for instance).  
• A distorted guitar represents power, aggression, and strength, while a “clean” electric guitar is used to symbolize anguish and solitude. 
• An acoustic guitar means humility and contentment. 
• A pipe organ represents power, fury, rage, and overwhelming joy (as in various Bach compositions). 
• A square-wave synth (like the one used in Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine”) means complexity, chaos, speed, and sophistication. 
• A marimba represents happy music and, finally, a solo cello equals sadness.

And now it’s your turn: what associations and emotions do the above (and other) instruments make you feel?

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