My favourite definition of music comes from John Cage: "The music never stops; only the listening." In common with many postmodern approaches to art, that puts the emphasis on the perceiver rather than the creator, and I find that very liberating. If you listen to anything as if it were music (be it language, passing cars, or rain on the roof), it BECOMES music, and you hear it in a richer way. It also dispenses with the question "is this music?", letting one ask more interesting questions like "do I find this music interesting/pleasing/moving/inspiring?"
Hey, Adam! Classical violinist here who happens to love your channel, not only for the really interesting musical content, but for painting such an honest picture of the music business. Just a quick comment in response to the whole three hours of playing thing. I *completely* agree with you that playing for that long is taxing mentally and physically. Those breaks are necessary, which is all the more reason I have mad respect for opera musicians. Yeah, I know, I'm going all classical on you. But, seriously, I had a bunch of friends playing the full Ring Cycle this past year at the Kennedy Center and I marvel at their stamina. Nothing about that is easy, so it tends to humble me when I'm sitting in a rehearsal looking at my watch. As far as I'm concerned, that level of focus and concentration is the equivalent of 'ascended master' in musician's terms!
Adam, QTQ (Quick Thought Questions): 1) thoughts on Scott's bass lessons. 2) thoughts on Latin Jazz and Salsa. 3) phone apps to improve music reading skills. 4) for jazz, flat wounds or round wounds. Ready? Go!
I would love to hear your input on memorization! Lengthy solo concert pieces give me the most trouble. I'm interested in how to effectively use analysis to solidify understanding of form/ phrasing & how harmonic analysis can influence interpretation/ performance? How do you then incorporate this information into your practice? Maybe you could also talk about different memory types (conceptual, aural, kinesthetic, and visual) & what you find to be most effective in securing musical memory? Really love your talks, cheers!
"Language without information." Strip the words and thoughts from spoken language (and to a lesser degree, written language as well) and what are we left with? The organizational aspects such as posture, gesture, contact, such as eye or touch, volume, rhythm, timber . . . . In other words, we are left with feeling, context and intent, either embedded or meta. An idea I've only recently come up with, and which I'm still exploring, but it says more than just "organized sound in time" because lets face it, music involves far more than some random sounds which have any sort of organization. For me, this is a far more useful grasp of the idea of music than just "organized sound in time." It is communication. Thanks for the videos.
Hey Adam, I know you are more of a Jazz guy, but I want to know what is your favourite and least favourite Metal sub-genre and what sub-genres might be created in 10 years?
I love that you are releasing this as a podcast! If anyone else is already a podcast fan but doesn't use itunes, lots of apps will let you input Adam's soundcloud link and set up the feed from there.
Thoughts on punk and grunge music? At the risk of sounding elitist, it'd be cool to know your thoughts on such technically simple music given as sophisticated and elaborate your subject matter often is. Cheers from New Hampshire.
For the podcast folks, it might be good to memtion on which video the commenter was commenting. It certainly helps me with the context of your response when I can read the original video title. Probably one of my favorite channels right now, thank you!
Greatings Adam! Thank you so much for your channel! It gives me a lot of inspiration and drive to keep on learning! Regarding the "playing without breaks" topic of the Q&A. I couldn't agree more. I also play on weeding bands here in Brazil. And unfortunately, the markek makes us play 3 hours straight. That's our reality at the moment. And I can pin point where I start to lose concentration, focus and start to see my accuracy goes down the hill. It´s frustrating sometimes. We, as a band, had to develop a way to take a break without stop playing (thanks for DJ´s and eletronic music). Play on weeding bands it was on of the hardest things on my career. There´s so many style of music that we address. So many switch fliping from a song to another. So deep respect for what you do!
My somewhat mystical (late) grandmother once said to me (completely out of nowhere), "We're always singing when we speak; we just don't realize it." For personal reasons, I didn't ask her to elaborate, but I think it stands on its own in a poetic sense. That the basic definition of music, "organized sound in time," also applies to language, really fits my grandma's claim. Also, nothing important seems to have a satisfactory definition. Knowledge, time, and now I can add music - all have general working definitions, but none can be really defined with clarity. It makes a lot of sense to me as a theologian - anything approaching ultimacy is going to stretch the limits of our language as well as our understanding (and those two things are related, anyway).
3hrs playing music does get you tired (physically and mental). i was doing sessions of 4 hours in the weekend, besides of some injuries (took a month to recovery from them), the joy of playing music was escaping me.
Hi Adam! Just wanted to make a comment on the last topic. I used to be a session musician in Sweden, and whenever I was the bandleader I made it clear that the band needs breaks during the performance. However when I celebrated New Years Eve in Ghana, the band played for 6 hours straight. No breaks!! Going through different styles and groovin' the whole night through. I do think that the secret was they where switching players during the set, but I'm not 100% on that. Anyways, not for your Q&A, just a fun fact and keep up the good stuff! (just realized I need to be a patrion...)
he explained it in a stream more thoroughly, i forgot some of it but basically doesn't paint the most correct picture about that kind of lifestyle, and Adam took to heart the fact that the main character's role model was Buddy Rich (whom they've picked probably because he is more famous to most people, who was respectfully an amazing big band leader) when they could've easily picked a more influential jazz drummer, such as Elvin Jones/Max Roach
Whiplash is an outstanding movie, for what it is. As far as Adam saying it doesn't paint the most correct picture, that's interesting considering that the director based the story on personal experiences. I would imagine many musicians don't care for the film for the same reasons pro athletes hate sports movies, and IT guys like myself hate hacker movies. It takes something very few people can do and makes it accessible enough to make a movie about it.
I don't think this is about elitism in any of the cases you mentioned. It's very clear that Holywood is romanticizing the whole affair and just painting a false picture of the fields it portrays. Hacking movies don't make hacking more accessible, they make pretend it's a videogame that requires typing very fast. They completely misrepresent the field of computer security and forensics. It's also interesting that a few ridiculous hacker films were also "based on" personal experiences. Similarly, there's no way a teacher like in Whiplash wouldn't be laughed out of town. Failing to give proper tempo on start, then slapping the drummer and starting a tirade, wasting the time of 50 people in the big band on your ego? Get outta here, you're done. People didn't take this sort of crap from Charles Mingus.
Spectral Centroid is actually used in a variety of software to color peaks based on the timbre of the sound, you can see that in REAPER, Samplitube, DJ apps like Serato or rekordDJ, and Web services like FreeSound.org. Very handy feature to quickly know low/bright the sound will look just by looking at the waveform !
A lot of the gigs I play are 3 - 4 hour sets. Just last night I played a straight 3 hours with a band I had never played with before. I think I get physically tired before I cave in emotionally because I always want to play a little more. I've only ever done 1 or 2 4-hour sets straight before, mostly because the bar was empty and the bandleader just kept throwing tunes at us. The band leader is an older gentleman, about the age of ~65 (I'm in my early 20s) and he can throw down all night. Playing those kinds of gigs I think has really helped me with my stamina physically and emotionally on the drums. Especially the ones where I don't feel all that good and have to chug through a 4 hour set with a 20 minute breather thrown in somewhere in the middle.. I really learn a lot about my musical habits, and try to modify them and break them down as I play to play something I wouldn't have thought of if I just let cruise control take over. I've heard my playing improve a lot over the course of 2 years with 3 or 4 of these gigs a week along with being a full time music student juggling solo, large/chamber ensemble, and jazz rep. In retrospect, I was always tired but I think the growth was worth it. The only reason I even bring any of this up is because... well I don't think I'm burnt out.. yet. The aforementioned band leader definitely isn't burnt out, he loves playing and has been doing so since the 70's. I think some of these almost labor intensive gigs might be good growing pains for musicians..idk, what do you think? ATX. :)
Hi Adam, i just wanted to say that i like your channel a lot, it has helped me to learn new things about music that i didn't learn in music school, i'm a 'intermediate' pianist and the information you provide has helped me improve my theory knowledge, improvisation techniques, etc. Thanks! (Sorry for the bad English, it's not my main language)
What do you think is the "next big thing" genre? I'm not just talking about commercial potential, but zeitgeist impact. EDM and Trap are probably the most recent genres to have taken American pop music by storm, but both seem to be on the wane. What does the future hold?
I've had my E break in the climatic number of a musical - not a good time! (I always try to keep a crappy emergency spare in the case for something like this)
Adam, I hope you are not taking credit for the statement at 22:00. Stockhausen defined music as organized sound and qualified it specifically as by, the organizer. Also I believe that in one of his famous lectures that he includes the listener in the equation as one who upon hearing said sound is forever changed. Stravinsky put it more eloquently when he said music is intervals and rhythms. That frees you from having to include speech in the category of music, unless of course you were to transcribe the pitches of speech and make it music.
Have you heard any "djent" songs/bands lately? Mainly newer stuff from bands like Periphery, The Contortionist, Animals as Leaders, Meshuggah, etc? If you have, what do you think of them when it comes to how they are evolving the metal genre and their musical creativity and complexity? I'm asking because I'm a huge metal fan but not really genre-bound and will listen to anything that makes my brain work hard, but these bands, especially Meshuggah, have a rhythmic and tonal quality I've never heard before in any genre of music from any era. Good example songs: Meshuggah - Nostrum The Contortionist - Integration Animals as Leaders - Cognitive Contortions
Adam, few things I would like to point about your comment about the question "what is music". First, gregorian plainchant DID have rhythm. It wasn't notated, but followed the declaratory rhythm of the text itself. It had no metric, though, but rhythm is independent on metric. About the distinction between music and language: while both are forms of sound organized in time, the difference is that music is not a language: a language imply in a signification code, like the sound of the word "chair" means chair. That's an arbitrary code. The sound of the word "Chair", phonetically speaking, doesn't have anything by itself that makes it signify the object, but it signifies because we agree it does. It's arbitrary. And without the mutual agreement the signification process just doesn't happen, like if you say "Chair" for someone who doesn't know English. Music is sound organized in time but in a auto-referential way. There is no code for signification. Even though there are some really common associations like "Minor is sad" and "Major is happy", given the extremely contextual aspect of music we can never say anything as certain. As music dialogue deeply with your subjective, it's interpretation gets subjective too. A major chord on a Tchaikovsky Symphony can be more hear-piercing and saddening than any minor chord on a Bach fugue to me, or be hopeful to another listener. Being subjective, how can we analyze it? We can't. That's because music is NOT language and has neither the obligation to function as one. And while you can't express anything for certain, you always will, and the artistic potential of music is the relation of articulated sound objects on time. It's by the delicate art of equilibrium, variation and development of materials that you reach sofisticated pieces. I recommend you to check Peirce's semiotic categories for Icon, Index and Symbol, it may be helpful. Thanks as always for the videos, stay safe!
Great insight on the completely inconvenient Murphy’s law string pop at a gig moment. I will say have a tremolo bridge on a guitar makes it impossible to keep playing in any circumstance since all the strings will fall out of tune. Been there a few times🤬 great stuff man, love the channel!
The music / language distinction is an interesting one. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that in some cultures there is no distinction between the concepts of music and language, they are parts of the same thing.
In response to the first question you answered... other jobs... I'm a paramedic for a major metropolitan fire department, as such I pull down roughly 50k a year and get every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off, as well as every other Wednesday. Since I work the night shift the odd hours of a gigging musician are no problem. I was able to maneuver my 'professional' life in such a way as to make music a purely intelectual pursuit, having done the 4 hours a night 3 nights a week bar gigs for poor pay are long behind me and I can focus on what I want because I am afforded that luxury. Think outside the box!
Addition To my previous comment, there are several people I work with who are increadible musicians in jazz and other generas, there are also several nurses who are of the same caliber, as well as firefighters who work 9 days a month. There are several jobs that afford such comforts which not only provide interesting musical connections (saving famous people) but also allow you to have the sort of lifestyle that affords purchasing necessary equipment without associated hungers of being the starving musician as well as the time to better yourself. Don't be afraid to step outside the conventional ideals of what it means to be a musician to reach your goals.
Hey, Adam I work as a cruise ship musician and sometimes my band wants me to slap, but everytime when I do it I sound too loud and they regret it. So do you have any solution for this? I am usualy pluged directly in the amp , no effects.
Hi Adam, I understand from experience what you mean about how 3-hour sets are unsustainable over long periods, but how do we account for what bands like Led Zeppelin used to do? Their shows regularly spanned 3 hours and I don't recall seeing them take any significant breaks in the recordings of the shows I've seen. To be fair, some of that may have been edited out and some accounts may be hyperbole, but by most accounts they do seem to have been a marvel in regard to their endurance. How do you feel that was achieved?
Hey adam, how could I get better at notating rhythms? I can read well, but the writing aspect of music is more difficult. Any help would be appreciated.
Ha!! Finally something I can do that Adam can't. I have a weekly gig on Wednesdays at a club that follows the "Nashville" rules. 4 hours per band, no breaks. Most of the places Memphis don't do this, but it's the standard on Broadway in Nashville.
Hello, all the best from Sweden (yes, we're still here, not a full country warzone - regardless what Fox News says)! Came back to this video, been thinking about the part about ambigous tonal centers. I followed the link to the Vox article and remember finding some other article (or comment? Can't seem to find it again) talking about how harmony (in the sense of chords and progressions) has played out its role in modern (post-2010) pop songs. I would agree as far as the chord progressions no longer having its own value in the way it may have had in a big part of pop history, many times just serving as a basic foundation for vocal lines, rythms, drops and sounds. The chords are not "the song". If that makes sense. Many times the same progression is used throughout the song, with the vocals and production outlining the different parts of the song. Still, it's not standardized like a twelve bar blues progression - even though the I-V-VI-IV pattern is kind of a staple... So...maybe this was more of a statement than a question? Sorry. But - is this anything you've occupied yourself with thinking about :) ? I could add that, in that vein, i feel like different uses of the "quasi calypso"-rythm (emphasizing eighthnotes 1, 4 and 7 in a 4/4 bar) may be more of an "expression" in modern songwriting/production than the use of a varied, or original, chord progression... So...more statement than question again. Sorry. Your thoughts? Now, back to the war zone. /Mikke
Small suggestion, given your general interest in some of the "musical cults", of sorts: I think it would be really interesting to see a video on the VGM/Chiptune music scene. Got the idea when you brought up MAGFest and I remember one of my personal favorite artists from the chip scene playing there last year.
I used to be one of those "Dang I don't respect them what don't write all their own songs" until I got more involved in Americana bluegrass, country, and early rock. In these genres, especially back in the day, many artists became famous by covering other people's songs. It was very normal in country and it was actually considered a sign of respect. There's also this English band that people might have heard of called The Beatles who initially became famous by recording covers.
Adam, I'm not sure if you've covered this before, but if not I would like to hear your opinion on the choice to not use the grid / click in VSTs. It seems that certain grooves / feels can't be quantized. If you take some of the greatest albums it's clear that they weren't using a click / grid during the recording process, they were just done in one take, and not required to conform to the perfect time of a computer. To accomplish a truly organic groove, isn't it necessary to understand that music can't be perfect, and that the tempo must expand and contract?
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Hey Adam! I admire you so much! My question is: What are your thoughts on perfect pitch (absolute pitch)?
Hey adam, loving the channel. I'm currently learning a lot of nice jazz tunes on my uke and I'd like to ask if you know any ukulele players on the NY scene.
Most music teachers I've heard talk about brightness/darkness just mean how trebly vs bassy the sound is. Spectral analysis likely coincides with this, but it's interesting we apply those specific light related terms to harsher/sharper vs duller/thuddier sounds. Also, I wonder how dry vs wet relates to this.
I'd say that there's a difference between C# minor and E major keys (when it comes to Crawling, at least) - they're really similar and it's possible to interchange them, but the tensions align in a different way in each one. In the end (no pun intended) one of the chords releases the tension smoothly (in case of Crawling - C#m), while the other one is a slight subversion of the listeners expectations. I believe that if you played a number of people two versions of the chorus - with C#m and E added as the last, releasing chord - most of them would consider the first one as more "natural" (a fun experiment to conduct, maybe I'll give it a shot if some spare time emerges). Does it really matter? When thinking only about scales and chords, not much - but people with different perspectives on the tension will play differently :)
I don't remember who it was exactly, but I heard that there was one 20th century contemporary composer whose definition of music was "sounds heard," and his definition of harmony was "sounds heard together."
First of all really love the channel, Adam! And keep making these Q&As as long as you want man, we love them. What about opera orchestra players? I recently went to see a production of Elektra by Richard Strauss which is close to a 3 hour uninterrupted piece, where the orchestra plays at a very high level of virtuosity non-stop. Are classical players somehow 'trained' to not burn out?
Hello Adam, I have a question. I now use a spunge under my body bridge for that old school funky sound. I've also seen a lot of bassists use a hair-thingy over their neck for a (kind of) same sound. Now for me, both have a downside: the spunge dries out and that makes me have to remove and replace it often, and the hair thingies break every time I try to put them over the head (and if they make it, they're to loose for a muffy sound). So, do you know a product that fixes my problem? I've personally thought of a 'do it yourself' solution by putting a spunge on the Dunlop 71S Elastic Heavy Single Capo. Greetings from the Netherlands! (that place near Amsterdam) Would be cool if this made your Q&A vids just to hear you trying to say my username (and even nicer if you google what it means/is).
Love your videos adam!! Could you do a video where you explain the choir section you did on that cool walking bass in a minute video. It has such a unique sound combined with the vocoder sound
I've gotten very addicted to your channel as of late, because I love learning as much as I possibly can about music. Another thing I'm addicted to is a lot of late 60's and early 70's progressive rock. However, there is something I don't understand about it. For a short time it appears like it was actually in style. At that time it was really difficult to release albums through record companies unless you had a substantial enough following to turn a profit. Of coarse, now it is easier to make that style music because people who like it can find you online. Progressive music becoming a somewhat popular trend seems counter to what society has always gravitated towards (pop and dance music) I don't see what they had that is any better or more alluring than what modern progressive bands have. This might be an unanswerable question but maybe you can weigh in on this strange event in music's past.
NIce video - once again. I've particularly liked the music-language analogy. They are indeed related and overlappable (is that a word?? Now it is!) Music is indeed a language, and language is music... it's not by chance we put lyrics to songs. Throw in math in the mixture, since math is indeed a language and music in math... and we have a complete picture... or not;) You've made an excellent point when talking about directors-actors vs. artists (song)writers... you are right. Nobody raises this kind of issues in cinema.. Why? Because it is a collective work? So can be music. Not everyone is a songwriter, nor should they be. Besides, what ends up in the song's credits does not always reflect who the true author(s) of the song is are. Thanks and keep up the work... oh... and... BASS!
re: your point about music and language having a very blurred distinction, I read a sci-fi book quite a while ago about a race of aliens that employ musicians to follow them around and play an intricate weaving aria that punctuates conversations in order to facillitate communication between the sort of main race and the client race they absorbed into their empire. I'm not really sure if I have a question, but I've yet to see this idea taken up anywhere besides Hollywood film scoring where some person giving a speech is suddenly the centre of an invisible string section. It would be interesting to see a trained musician accompany a scripted conversation to see if they could add an additional layer of meaning.
Hey Adam, you've mentioned offhand before that you're not a big fan of the gamification of music - could you expand on your feelings on this! Thanks heaps, and I'm a huge fan of your videos. Churr!
I'm a guitarrist, a single man band. I used (droptune) my guitar to record bass, it's aceptable but i don't know any "bass playing style or techniques" to aply in certain songs or just a "bass part/solo"
Hey Adam, love your vids! Have you already listened to the new Watchtower album (Concepts of Math: Book One) and if so, what do you think of it and in general about Rob Jarzombek's approach to scales?
Cheers for the podcast option! How do you cope with the attention you get while doing something you love. As an adequate basement musician I sometimes get caught on people loving the music I play. You are in a different league as a musician and therefore have a hell of a lot more experience. But you have a hundred thousand TH-cam followers. And a somewhat authorital presence among those people. Does it (or an awesome gig you play) go in your head? And how do you cope with it? There is nothing wrong with being proud of your self and feeling awesome. But when it gets too much, how do you ground yourself?
Hey Adam, a quick question regarding "classical" music. I've noticed in a couple of your videos you drop some knowledge on a composer or piece (I've especially appreciated your view of the genre in your recent video with Dr. Levin where you put into question the very labeling of classical music as "classical" since only a fraction of it falls within the classical era), but with your advanced knowledge of music theory, do you find yourself appreciating the genre or feel that it has had its time in the spotlight and that better (more complex, improved overall listenability) music is being made now? I've been learning a ton from your videos and classical is my favorite genre so I'd love to get your opinion on this subject. Very cool to connect with you directly.
Hey, Adam, I have a question. Does it ever bother you when rock or metal bands mix the bass almost completely out of the songs? Obviously, this doesn't always happen, but there are times when you almost have to use your imagination to hear the bass.
I was trying to transcribe a song the other day, even after I EQ'd it to crank the lows the bass was still inaudible. I had to check the credits on the CD to ee if there even was a bass on the record. :P
Hey Adam. Would you be able to talk about using software (I think you said you use Abelton Live and Mainstage) live? Have you ever ran into any uncomfortable "hangs" playing live? How do you ensure that your computer/software/interface is rock solid and stable for a live performance? It would be amazing to see a gig vlog showing how you do song transitions... even setting up your patches or patch order for a gig. Thanks!
Adam! Happy new year an great vid! What about rewriting a musical piece in maj to a minor version or other way round. How to make it? Will you try this on one of your streaming sessions? Greets, V.
Dear Adam, I am probably the least musically talented person you can imagine. I never played any instrument, though I tried to. Anyway, I find your videos very interesting as I always found the whole theoretical part of music very appealing and you are great at explaining it (plus your passion for it is more than visible). Could possibly, in your next Q&A include an answer to a question no one ever has been able to answer: what is the role of the conductor during a concert? for me at seems as if he is just standing there waving his baton and reading the score. i mean i have been taught that this movements correspond to the tempo and represent different 'moments' within a bar, but is it really that helpful for the musicans? thank you, keep it awesome
You mentioned the New York scene having a lot of hip hop. Do you know much about that scene? If you do, I'm curious how that scene differs since hip hop is mostly individual, other than working with producers.
One of the things that blew me away about the band “The Cure” the first time I saw them was they played a solid 3 hours or so without breaks. I’m not sure how or why they did that. I wasn’t a huge fan before but after that wow. Also the first time I saw them was 2014😀
Adam, can you share your thoughts on stretch tunings. With Piano and Rhodes having stretch tunings, but Hammonds and Synths having equal temperament, Then bass guitar sound sharp with the former, and in tune with the latter if tuned to equal temperament. And instruments in the upper range, such as flute and soprano sax sound flat. How do you approach this, and what do you do when the keyboard player has a mix of keys? And what do they do? Thanks for all the info you've provided so far.
Hey Adam! Could you talk about how to build up a practicing session? (I mean kind of like, how many minutes of practicing what) I know that there is no one-size-fits-all kind of answer, just show us, how you practice. Love ya
The point about the "3 hours straight gig" is interesting. I did a 3h+ gig for the first time last month, without breaks, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It's really intense, and you really have to work your focus on a gig like that, but I guess intensity is what I seek in music (might sound funny since it was a cover gig, rock-pop oriented setlist). If I'm not exhausted at the end of a gig I feel like like I didn't commit enough to the performance. Is it stupid ?
I've been a guitarist for around 8 years and I think I'm pretty good but I've never learned any jazz or rockabilly and im interested in learning these styles. How would you recommend approaching a style you've never played before?
Hey Adam, I'm a classical musician. Played my trumpet for over 10 years and currently 2.5 years into music school. My biggest upset as a musician is rhythm. For the life of me, I can't feel rhythm as well as my cohorts. I understand I feel time slower than others, and I can hear specifically which notes others are playing slower or faster. However, after years of tutelage and practice, I still can't play in time as well as I'm demanded. I always practice with a metronome, and I try to subdivide in my head while playing. Still, it's very little improvement from before I developed those habits, but improvement nonetheless. Any other tips on how I can improve my time and rhythm? Thanks!
Actually, the electronic music or (EDM) scene is actually a huge market in LA, and I'd even bet that it's bigger there than in NYC. If you look at the amount of electronic music shows that are out there compared to the east coast it's a big difference.
Your Christmas video was in response to the Vox Christmas Chord video, and you linked to the Vox article in this video. Do you think they miss the mark often when they write about music in that way?
I might be wrong, but usually when people call autumn leaves at a jam session, even if they know it in all 12 keys, someone in the band usually vibes them for calling autumn leaves
I know what you mean by playing for 3 hours being tiring, I play a lot of market gigs where I'm allocated a 2-3 hour spot where I just stand there and provide background music. With no one to watch over my gear, and no time allocated for breaks; my break entails a sip of water between songs. Playing technically challenging pieces for 3 hours to a crowd of people who aren't listening is incredibly draining, and is one of the reasons why I I can't stand busking.
Hey Adam, I really enjoy your videos. It's very easy for me to understand and appreciate the points and arguments (for lack of a better word) that you make when addressing these very diverse topics. I have a question for you. You've mentioned that New York, LA, and Nashville have great music scenes in the United States. How do you feel about the music scene in Chicago? I'll be going to music school this fall in Chicago, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts, as you've never really talked about Chicago at all in your videos (that I've heard yet). Thanks a bunch, and keep up the good work!
What do you think makes lyrics fit together with a musical piece other than the key matching? In classical languages like Greek and Latin, poetry tends to follow a more quantitative form in metre (i.e. mixtures of long and short syllables) compared to more modern languages like English which tend to follow qualitative (stressed and unstressed). I wonder if this is the case for music too, i.e., if classical music follows a more quantitative route, and drum based music like rock a qualitative route in lyrics, to help it fit with the piece. To know your thoughts on this would be appreciated. Love your stuff.
hey, in a next Q & A, can you talk more about DJs not being musicians? What's the difference and what makes a musician. Loved the podcasts thing, I'll definitely look forward to that ;) BASS
Hey Adam I've only dabbled in guitar and bass(trombone is my main instrument), and was wondering how bass players who read sheet music know where all the notes are and where to play them? Do most professional bass players have all the notes on the fretboard memorized and use scale shapes as a guide to where to play them? Thanks
Hey adam, I recently joined/formed a band and when it came to looking for a bass player, we recruited a close friend who infact did not play bass. He's a banjo player (traditional Irish dance music), phenomenal player. he picked up the bass remarkably quickly and was able to comfortably play the kinda indie alternative rock stuff we were going for in a matter of days and was able to play some slap bass in a week or so. What do you think about people transferring instrument and developing quickly on the new instrument using skills from their other instruments etc?
Hello, I've been playing bass for a little over a year. You're channel is very helpful. I want to audition for John S. Davidson (a fine arts school in my area) and I don't know what song to play or what I'm in for. Any suggestions or tips?
Hi Adam, I'm a classical musician (pianist) who is starting to play pop/rock/jazz etc to get more gigs. I tried using lead sheets etc but I found them confusing and lacking in detail. So as a result, I started to transcribe songs using figured bass and melody (chorale style). Do you think this will be a problem re: working with others? Will there be compatibility issues?
Hey Adam, any tips for a guitar player trying to play bass? I know there a lot of little things like playing with the kick, any other tips? Like where should you not play in regards to the measure?
I love this channel because it's like sitting in the back of a class that is way over my head, but I'm just auditing it, so no pressure.
My favourite definition of music comes from John Cage: "The music never stops; only the listening." In common with many postmodern approaches to art, that puts the emphasis on the perceiver rather than the creator, and I find that very liberating. If you listen to anything as if it were music (be it language, passing cars, or rain on the roof), it BECOMES music, and you hear it in a richer way. It also dispenses with the question "is this music?", letting one ask more interesting questions like "do I find this music interesting/pleasing/moving/inspiring?"
* scrolls through comments to see who else loves you *
Your comment re: showing up to practice prepared is bang on. It's super frustrating if bandmates show up to practice unprepared. Thanks again, Mike
Hey, Adam! Classical violinist here who happens to love your channel, not only for the really interesting musical content, but for painting such an honest picture of the music business. Just a quick comment in response to the whole three hours of playing thing. I *completely* agree with you that playing for that long is taxing mentally and physically. Those breaks are necessary, which is all the more reason I have mad respect for opera musicians. Yeah, I know, I'm going all classical on you. But, seriously, I had a bunch of friends playing the full Ring Cycle this past year at the Kennedy Center and I marvel at their stamina. Nothing about that is easy, so it tends to humble me when I'm sitting in a rehearsal looking at my watch. As far as I'm concerned, that level of focus and concentration is the equivalent of 'ascended master' in musician's terms!
Adam, QTQ (Quick Thought Questions):
1) thoughts on Scott's bass lessons.
2) thoughts on Latin Jazz and Salsa.
3) phone apps to improve music reading skills.
4) for jazz, flat wounds or round wounds.
Ready? Go!
I would love to hear your input on memorization! Lengthy solo concert pieces give me the most trouble. I'm interested in how to effectively use analysis to solidify understanding of form/ phrasing & how harmonic analysis can influence interpretation/ performance? How do you then incorporate this information into your practice? Maybe you could also talk about different memory types (conceptual, aural, kinesthetic, and visual) & what you find to be most effective in securing musical memory? Really love your talks, cheers!
"Language without information." Strip the words and thoughts from spoken language (and to a lesser degree, written language as well) and what are we left with? The organizational aspects such as posture, gesture, contact, such as eye or touch, volume, rhythm, timber . . . . In other words, we are left with feeling, context and intent, either embedded or meta. An idea I've only recently come up with, and which I'm still exploring, but it says more than just "organized sound in time" because lets face it, music involves far more than some random sounds which have any sort of organization. For me, this is a far more useful grasp of the idea of music than just "organized sound in time." It is communication.
Thanks for the videos.
Hey Adam, I know you are more of a Jazz guy, but I want to know what is your favourite and least favourite Metal sub-genre and what sub-genres might be created in 10 years?
What about New Orleans ??? Heard such great things about it (haven't been there yet myself) and wonder how it stands next to NY, LA & Nashville.
I did it many times, playing 3 hours straight, it's exhausting yes, and you feel like the gig never ends
I love that you are releasing this as a podcast! If anyone else is already a podcast fan but doesn't use itunes, lots of apps will let you input Adam's soundcloud link and set up the feed from there.
the lick for every question? perfect
One of the gig vlogs is subtitled "the one where we play the lick way too much". Definitely fun.
Thoughts on punk and grunge music? At the risk of sounding elitist, it'd be cool to know your thoughts on such technically simple music given as sophisticated and elaborate your subject matter often is. Cheers from New Hampshire.
For the podcast folks, it might be good to memtion on which video the commenter was commenting. It certainly helps me with the context of your response when I can read the original video title.
Probably one of my favorite channels right now, thank you!
The lighting failure was actually kind of cool. Gave it a bit of a surreal vibe with the room sort of ghosted in the background.
Excellent video.
Greatings Adam!
Thank you so much for your channel! It gives me a lot of inspiration and drive to keep on learning!
Regarding the "playing without breaks" topic of the Q&A. I couldn't agree more. I also play on weeding bands here in Brazil. And unfortunately, the markek makes us play 3 hours straight. That's our reality at the moment. And I can pin point where I start to lose concentration, focus and start to see my accuracy goes down the hill. It´s frustrating sometimes. We, as a band, had to develop a way to take a break without stop playing (thanks for DJ´s and eletronic music). Play on weeding bands it was on of the hardest things on my career. There´s so many style of music that we address. So many switch fliping from a song to another. So deep respect for what you do!
My somewhat mystical (late) grandmother once said to me (completely out of nowhere), "We're always singing when we speak; we just don't realize it." For personal reasons, I didn't ask her to elaborate, but I think it stands on its own in a poetic sense.
That the basic definition of music, "organized sound in time," also applies to language, really fits my grandma's claim.
Also, nothing important seems to have a satisfactory definition. Knowledge, time, and now I can add music - all have general working definitions, but none can be really defined with clarity. It makes a lot of sense to me as a theologian - anything approaching ultimacy is going to stretch the limits of our language as well as our understanding (and those two things are related, anyway).
3hrs playing music does get you tired (physically and mental). i was doing sessions of 4 hours in the weekend, besides of some injuries (took a month to recovery from them), the joy of playing music was escaping me.
I kinda screamed when I realized that the "lick" was the segue music for each question. Love your videos Adam
Hi Adam! Just wanted to make a comment on the last topic. I used to be a session musician in Sweden, and whenever I was the bandleader I made it clear that the band needs breaks during the performance. However when I celebrated New Years Eve in Ghana, the band played for 6 hours straight. No breaks!! Going through different styles and groovin' the whole night through. I do think that the secret was they where switching players during the set, but I'm not 100% on that. Anyways, not for your Q&A, just a fun fact and keep up the good stuff! (just realized I need to be a patrion...)
Could you clarify your position of Whiplash? You said a couple of videos ago that it was a "dumb movie" and I'm interested to hear why you think that.
he explained it in a stream more thoroughly, i forgot some of it but basically doesn't paint the most correct picture about that kind of lifestyle, and Adam took to heart the fact that the main character's role model was Buddy Rich (whom they've picked probably because he is more famous to most people, who was respectfully an amazing big band leader) when they could've easily picked a more influential jazz drummer, such as Elvin Jones/Max Roach
i think it's stupid because it's more like a highscool sports movie than a music oriented movie.
:/
I kinda like this film. Definitely like the sound mixing in it.
Whiplash is an outstanding movie, for what it is. As far as Adam saying it doesn't paint the most correct picture, that's interesting considering that the director based the story on personal experiences.
I would imagine many musicians don't care for the film for the same reasons pro athletes hate sports movies, and IT guys like myself hate hacker movies. It takes something very few people can do and makes it accessible enough to make a movie about it.
I don't think this is about elitism in any of the cases you mentioned. It's very clear that Holywood is romanticizing the whole affair and just painting a false picture of the fields it portrays.
Hacking movies don't make hacking more accessible, they make pretend it's a videogame that requires typing very fast. They completely misrepresent the field of computer security and forensics. It's also interesting that a few ridiculous hacker films were also "based on" personal experiences.
Similarly, there's no way a teacher like in Whiplash wouldn't be laughed out of town. Failing to give proper tempo on start, then slapping the drummer and starting a tirade, wasting the time of 50 people in the big band on your ego? Get outta here, you're done. People didn't take this sort of crap from Charles Mingus.
I sat-in for a local performance of Cabaret a few years ago. I've never had that much fun playing music.
Spectral Centroid is actually used in a variety of software to color peaks based on the timbre of the sound, you can see that in REAPER, Samplitube, DJ apps like Serato or rekordDJ, and Web services like FreeSound.org. Very handy feature to quickly know low/bright the sound will look just by looking at the waveform !
A lot of the gigs I play are 3 - 4 hour sets. Just last night I played a straight 3 hours with a band I had never played with before. I think I get physically tired before I cave in emotionally because I always want to play a little more. I've only ever done 1 or 2 4-hour sets straight before, mostly because the bar was empty and the bandleader just kept throwing tunes at us. The band leader is an older gentleman, about the age of ~65 (I'm in my early 20s) and he can throw down all night. Playing those kinds of gigs I think has really helped me with my stamina physically and emotionally on the drums. Especially the ones where I don't feel all that good and have to chug through a 4 hour set with a 20 minute breather thrown in somewhere in the middle.. I really learn a lot about my musical habits, and try to modify them and break them down as I play to play something I wouldn't have thought of if I just let cruise control take over. I've heard my playing improve a lot over the course of 2 years with 3 or 4 of these gigs a week along with being a full time music student juggling solo, large/chamber ensemble, and jazz rep. In retrospect, I was always tired but I think the growth was worth it. The only reason I even bring any of this up is because... well I don't think I'm burnt out.. yet. The aforementioned band leader definitely isn't burnt out, he loves playing and has been doing so since the 70's. I think some of these almost labor intensive gigs might be good growing pains for musicians..idk, what do you think? ATX. :)
It is exhausting to play for hours straight, but I like it. Thanks for these videos Adam!
Hi Adam, i just wanted to say that i like your channel a lot, it has helped me to learn new things about music that i didn't learn in music school, i'm a 'intermediate' pianist and the information you provide has helped me improve my theory knowledge, improvisation techniques, etc. Thanks! (Sorry for the bad English, it's not my main language)
Your videos just keep getting better and better. Keep it up!
What do you think is the "next big thing" genre? I'm not just talking about commercial potential, but zeitgeist impact. EDM and Trap are probably the most recent genres to have taken American pop music by storm, but both seem to be on the wane. What does the future hold?
I've had my E break in the climatic number of a musical - not a good time! (I always try to keep a crappy emergency spare in the case for something like this)
Adam, I hope you are not taking credit for the statement at 22:00. Stockhausen defined music as organized sound and qualified it specifically as by, the organizer. Also I believe that in one of his famous lectures that he includes the listener in the equation as one who upon hearing said sound is forever changed. Stravinsky put it more eloquently when he said music is intervals and rhythms. That frees you from having to include speech in the category of music, unless of course you were to transcribe the pitches of speech and make it music.
Have you heard any "djent" songs/bands lately? Mainly newer stuff from bands like Periphery, The Contortionist, Animals as Leaders, Meshuggah, etc? If you have, what do you think of them when it comes to how they are evolving the metal genre and their musical creativity and complexity?
I'm asking because I'm a huge metal fan but not really genre-bound and will listen to anything that makes my brain work hard, but these bands, especially Meshuggah, have a rhythmic and tonal quality I've never heard before in any genre of music from any era.
Good example songs:
Meshuggah - Nostrum
The Contortionist - Integration
Animals as Leaders - Cognitive Contortions
Adam, few things I would like to point about your comment about the question "what is music". First, gregorian plainchant DID have rhythm. It wasn't notated, but followed the declaratory rhythm of the text itself. It had no metric, though, but rhythm is independent on metric.
About the distinction between music and language: while both are forms of sound organized in time, the difference is that music is not a language: a language imply in a signification code, like the sound of the word "chair" means chair. That's an arbitrary code. The sound of the word "Chair", phonetically speaking, doesn't have anything by itself that makes it signify the object, but it signifies because we agree it does. It's arbitrary. And without the mutual agreement the signification process just doesn't happen, like if you say "Chair" for someone who doesn't know English.
Music is sound organized in time but in a auto-referential way. There is no code for signification. Even though there are some really common associations like "Minor is sad" and "Major is happy", given the extremely contextual aspect of music we can never say anything as certain. As music dialogue deeply with your subjective, it's interpretation gets subjective too. A major chord on a Tchaikovsky Symphony can be more hear-piercing and saddening than any minor chord on a Bach fugue to me, or be hopeful to another listener. Being subjective, how can we analyze it? We can't. That's because music is NOT language and has neither the obligation to function as one.
And while you can't express anything for certain, you always will, and the artistic potential of music is the relation of articulated sound objects on time. It's by the delicate art of equilibrium, variation and development of materials that you reach sofisticated pieces.
I recommend you to check Peirce's semiotic categories for Icon, Index and Symbol, it may be helpful. Thanks as always for the videos, stay safe!
Great insight on the completely inconvenient Murphy’s law string pop at a gig moment. I will say have a tremolo bridge on a guitar makes it impossible to keep playing in any circumstance since all the strings will fall out of tune. Been there a few times🤬 great stuff man, love the channel!
The music / language distinction is an interesting one. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that in some cultures there is no distinction between the concepts of music and language, they are parts of the same thing.
what do you define as good music?
yo, you ask the good questions
and you give the good answers :_**
AqareCover Hey, you're in the video!
Frank Zappa fo sho
Yes! thanks for podcasting
In response to the first question you answered... other jobs... I'm a paramedic for a major metropolitan fire department, as such I pull down roughly 50k a year and get every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off, as well as every other Wednesday. Since I work the night shift the odd hours of a gigging musician are no problem. I was able to maneuver my 'professional' life in such a way as to make music a purely intelectual pursuit, having done the 4 hours a night 3 nights a week bar gigs for poor pay are long behind me and I can focus on what I want because I am afforded that luxury. Think outside the box!
Thanks for the recommendation on tonal ambiguity in pop music. Could you please expand on this topic further?
Addition To my previous comment, there are several people I work with who are increadible musicians in jazz and other generas, there are also several nurses who are of the same caliber, as well as firefighters who work 9 days a month. There are several jobs that afford such comforts which not only provide interesting musical connections (saving famous people) but also allow you to have the sort of lifestyle that affords purchasing necessary equipment without associated hungers of being the starving musician as well as the time to better yourself. Don't be afraid to step outside the conventional ideals of what it means to be a musician to reach your goals.
Hey, Adam
I work as a cruise ship musician and sometimes my band wants me to slap, but everytime when I do it I sound too loud and they regret it. So do you have any solution for this? I am usualy pluged directly in the amp , no effects.
Hi Adam,
I understand from experience what you mean about how 3-hour sets are unsustainable over long periods, but how do we account for what bands like Led Zeppelin used to do? Their shows regularly spanned 3 hours and I don't recall seeing them take any significant breaks in the recordings of the shows I've seen. To be fair, some of that may have been edited out and some accounts may be hyperbole, but by most accounts they do seem to have been a marvel in regard to their endurance. How do you feel that was achieved?
Hey adam, how could I get better at notating rhythms? I can read well, but the writing aspect of music is more difficult. Any help would be appreciated.
Ha!! Finally something I can do that Adam can't. I have a weekly gig on Wednesdays at a club that follows the "Nashville" rules. 4 hours per band, no breaks. Most of the places Memphis don't do this, but it's the standard on Broadway in Nashville.
Try and get the podcasts on Spotify as well! it's taken over as my music app of choice 90% of the time and the podcast organization is great
Hey Adam, have you seen Whiplash? Can you draw any parallels from the film to your experience? Did you like it?
MCR782 I can tell you he's seen it, and he's says it was a fucking stupid movie. It was in the comments of a previous video, I think last one.
Hello, all the best from Sweden (yes, we're still here, not a full country warzone - regardless what Fox News says)!
Came back to this video, been thinking about the part about ambigous tonal centers. I followed the link to the Vox article and remember finding some other article (or comment? Can't seem to find it again) talking about how harmony (in the sense of chords and progressions) has played out its role in modern (post-2010) pop songs.
I would agree as far as the chord progressions no longer having its own value in the way it may have had in a big part of pop history, many times just serving as a basic foundation for vocal lines, rythms, drops and sounds. The chords are not "the song". If that makes sense. Many times the same progression is used throughout the song, with the vocals and production outlining the different parts of the song.
Still, it's not standardized like a twelve bar blues progression - even though the I-V-VI-IV pattern is kind of a staple...
So...maybe this was more of a statement than a question? Sorry.
But - is this anything you've occupied yourself with thinking about :) ?
I could add that, in that vein, i feel like different uses of the "quasi calypso"-rythm (emphasizing eighthnotes 1, 4 and 7 in a 4/4 bar) may be more of an "expression" in modern songwriting/production than the use of a varied, or original, chord progression...
So...more statement than question again. Sorry.
Your thoughts?
Now, back to the war zone.
/Mikke
Small suggestion, given your general interest in some of the "musical cults", of sorts: I think it would be really interesting to see a video on the VGM/Chiptune music scene. Got the idea when you brought up MAGFest and I remember one of my personal favorite artists from the chip scene playing there last year.
Put your podcasts on Spotify! You can do that now!
I used to be one of those "Dang I don't respect them what don't write all their own songs" until I got more involved in Americana bluegrass, country, and early rock. In these genres, especially back in the day, many artists became famous by covering other people's songs. It was very normal in country and it was actually considered a sign of respect. There's also this English band that people might have heard of called The Beatles who initially became famous by recording covers.
Adam, I'm not sure if you've covered this before, but if not I would like to hear your opinion on the choice to not use the grid / click in VSTs. It seems that certain grooves / feels can't be quantized. If you take some of the greatest albums it's clear that they weren't using a click / grid during the recording process, they were just done in one take, and not required to conform to the perfect time of a computer. To accomplish a truly organic groove, isn't it necessary to understand that music can't be perfect, and that the tempo must expand and contract?
Hey Adam! I admire you so much!
My question is: What are your thoughts on perfect pitch (absolute pitch)?
Hey adam, loving the channel. I'm currently learning a lot of nice jazz tunes on my uke and I'd like to ask if you know any ukulele players on the NY scene.
Most music teachers I've heard talk about brightness/darkness just mean how trebly vs bassy the sound is. Spectral analysis likely coincides with this, but it's interesting we apply those specific light related terms to harsher/sharper vs duller/thuddier sounds. Also, I wonder how dry vs wet relates to this.
I'd say that there's a difference between C# minor and E major keys (when it comes to Crawling, at least) - they're really similar and it's possible to interchange them, but the tensions align in a different way in each one. In the end (no pun intended) one of the chords releases the tension smoothly (in case of Crawling - C#m), while the other one is a slight subversion of the listeners expectations.
I believe that if you played a number of people two versions of the chorus - with C#m and E added as the last, releasing chord - most of them would consider the first one as more "natural" (a fun experiment to conduct, maybe I'll give it a shot if some spare time emerges).
Does it really matter? When thinking only about scales and chords, not much - but people with different perspectives on the tension will play differently :)
I don't remember who it was exactly, but I heard that there was one 20th century contemporary composer whose definition of music was "sounds heard," and his definition of harmony was "sounds heard together."
First of all really love the channel, Adam! And keep making these Q&As as long as you want man, we love them.
What about opera orchestra players? I recently went to see a production of Elektra by Richard Strauss which is close to a 3 hour uninterrupted piece, where the orchestra plays at a very high level of virtuosity non-stop. Are classical players somehow 'trained' to not burn out?
Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance
Helium Road never do a gig without your PPPPPPP, kids
Everyday Exercise Enables Elegant Exposure.
Preach
Do people with perfect pitch or synesthesia use those skills to help compose their music? Is there something I'm missing out?
Hello Adam,
I have a question. I now use a spunge under my body bridge for that old school funky sound. I've also seen a lot of bassists use a hair-thingy over their neck for a (kind of) same sound. Now for me, both have a downside: the spunge dries out and that makes me have to remove and replace it often, and the hair thingies break every time I try to put them over the head (and if they make it, they're to loose for a muffy sound). So, do you know a product that fixes my problem? I've personally thought of a 'do it yourself' solution by putting a spunge on the Dunlop 71S Elastic Heavy Single Capo.
Greetings from the Netherlands! (that place near Amsterdam)
Would be cool if this made your Q&A vids just to hear you trying to say my username (and even nicer if you google what it means/is).
will you talk about 12 tone music in a future lesson? i find it very interesting and have written many pieces of my own using this method.
Thanks for making regular content for years so I can watch it while the world disintegrates here in October 2020...
Love your videos adam!!
Could you do a video where you explain the choir section you did on that cool walking bass in a minute video.
It has such a unique sound combined with the vocoder sound
I've gotten very addicted to your channel as of late, because I love learning as much as I possibly can about music. Another thing I'm addicted to is a lot of late 60's and early 70's progressive rock. However, there is something I don't understand about it. For a short time it appears like it was actually in style. At that time it was really difficult to release albums through record companies unless you had a substantial enough following to turn a profit. Of coarse, now it is easier to make that style music because people who like it can find you online. Progressive music becoming a somewhat popular trend seems counter to what society has always gravitated towards (pop and dance music) I don't see what they had that is any better or more alluring than what modern progressive bands have. This might be an unanswerable question but maybe you can weigh in on this strange event in music's past.
NIce video - once again. I've particularly liked the music-language analogy. They are indeed related and overlappable (is that a word?? Now it is!) Music is indeed a language, and language is music... it's not by chance we put lyrics to songs. Throw in math in the mixture, since math is indeed a language and music in math... and we have a complete picture... or not;)
You've made an excellent point when talking about directors-actors vs. artists (song)writers... you are right. Nobody raises this kind of issues in cinema.. Why? Because it is a collective work? So can be music. Not everyone is a songwriter, nor should they be. Besides, what ends up in the song's credits does not always reflect who the true author(s) of the song is are.
Thanks and keep up the work... oh... and... BASS!
Hey Adam. What do you think of microtonal music e.g. MonoNeon and Last Sacrament?
re: your point about music and language having a very blurred distinction, I read a sci-fi book quite a while ago about a race of aliens that employ musicians to follow them around and play an intricate weaving aria that punctuates conversations in order to facillitate communication between the sort of main race and the client race they absorbed into their empire.
I'm not really sure if I have a question, but I've yet to see this idea taken up anywhere besides Hollywood film scoring where some person giving a speech is suddenly the centre of an invisible string section. It would be interesting to see a trained musician accompany a scripted conversation to see if they could add an additional layer of meaning.
Hey Adam, you've mentioned offhand before that you're not a big fan of the gamification of music - could you expand on your feelings on this!
Thanks heaps, and I'm a huge fan of your videos.
Churr!
I'm a guitarrist, a single man band. I used (droptune) my guitar to record bass, it's aceptable but i don't know any "bass playing style or techniques" to aply in certain songs or just a "bass part/solo"
good idea with the soundcloud thing! one more possibility to be entertained by you, hehe. honestly, thanks a lot!!
Hey Adam, love your vids! Have you already listened to the new Watchtower album (Concepts of Math: Book One) and if so, what do you think of it and in general about Rob Jarzombek's approach to scales?
Cheers for the podcast option!
How do you cope with the attention you get while doing something you love. As an adequate basement musician I sometimes get caught on people loving the music I play.
You are in a different league as a musician and therefore have a hell of a lot more experience. But you have a hundred thousand TH-cam followers. And a somewhat authorital presence among those people. Does it (or an awesome gig you play) go in your head? And how do you cope with it?
There is nothing wrong with being proud of your self and feeling awesome. But when it gets too much, how do you ground yourself?
Hey Adam, a quick question regarding "classical" music. I've noticed in a couple of your videos you drop some knowledge on a composer or piece (I've especially appreciated your view of the genre in your recent video with Dr. Levin where you put into question the very labeling of classical music as "classical" since only a fraction of it falls within the classical era), but with your advanced knowledge of music theory, do you find yourself appreciating the genre or feel that it has had its time in the spotlight and that better (more complex, improved overall listenability) music is being made now? I've been learning a ton from your videos and classical is my favorite genre so I'd love to get your opinion on this subject. Very cool to connect with you directly.
Hey, Adam, I have a question. Does it ever bother you when rock or metal bands mix the bass almost completely out of the songs? Obviously, this doesn't always happen, but there are times when you almost have to use your imagination to hear the bass.
::cough::andjusticeforallforexample::cough::
I was trying to transcribe a song the other day, even after I EQ'd it to crank the lows the bass was still inaudible. I had to check the credits on the CD to ee if there even was a bass on the record. :P
Chris McCartney it's just such a bad mix, generally.
+Joseph Brandenburg What album or artist was the song from?
Still Remains, Ceasing to Breathe. I got the intro for a couple songs tabbed out before I got frustrated, lol.
Hey Adam. Would you be able to talk about using software (I think you said you use Abelton Live and Mainstage) live? Have you ever ran into any uncomfortable "hangs" playing live? How do you ensure that your computer/software/interface is rock solid and stable for a live performance? It would be amazing to see a gig vlog showing how you do song transitions... even setting up your patches or patch order for a gig. Thanks!
Adam! Happy new year an great vid! What about rewriting a musical piece in maj to a minor version or other way round. How to make it? Will you try this on one of your streaming sessions? Greets, V.
Dear Adam,
I am probably the least musically talented person you can imagine. I never played any instrument, though I tried to.
Anyway, I find your videos very interesting as I always found the whole theoretical part of music very appealing and you are great at explaining it (plus your passion for it is more than visible).
Could possibly, in your next Q&A include an answer to a question no one ever has been able to answer:
what is the role of the conductor during a concert? for me at seems as if he is just standing there waving his baton and reading the score. i mean i have been taught that this movements correspond to the tempo and represent different 'moments' within a bar, but is it really that helpful for the musicans?
thank you, keep it awesome
You mentioned the New York scene having a lot of hip hop. Do you know much about that scene? If you do, I'm curious how that scene differs since hip hop is mostly individual, other than working with producers.
Is your pronunciation of NANcarrow correct? I'm pretty sure that Frank Zappa pronounces it NanCARrow. (Tinseltown Rebellion, Peaches III, 3:10)
It occurs to me that if you're going to answer this question on air, maybe I should tell you at least how to pronounce *my* name. Try: "Ike-howt".
One of the things that blew me away about the band “The Cure” the first time I saw them was they played a solid 3 hours or so without breaks. I’m not sure how or why they did that. I wasn’t a huge fan before but after that wow. Also the first time I saw them was 2014😀
Adam, can you share your thoughts on stretch tunings. With Piano and Rhodes having stretch tunings, but Hammonds and Synths having equal temperament, Then bass guitar sound sharp with the former, and in tune with the latter if tuned to equal temperament. And instruments in the upper range, such as flute and soprano sax sound flat. How do you approach this, and what do you do when the keyboard player has a mix of keys? And what do they do? Thanks for all the info you've provided so far.
Hey Adam!
Could you talk about how to build up a practicing session? (I mean kind of like, how many minutes of practicing what) I know that there is no one-size-fits-all kind of answer, just show us, how you practice.
Love ya
What are your opinions on the late great, Cliff Burton?
BTW Thank you for the amazing videos, always a great watch.
how would be the perfect drummer? (from a bassist POV)
Mateo García I'd love to hear that, seconded
The point about the "3 hours straight gig" is interesting.
I did a 3h+ gig for the first time last month, without breaks, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It's really intense, and you really have to work your focus on a gig like that, but I guess intensity is what I seek in music (might sound funny since it was a cover gig, rock-pop oriented setlist).
If I'm not exhausted at the end of a gig I feel like like I didn't commit enough to the performance. Is it stupid ?
I've been a guitarist for around 8 years and I think I'm pretty good but I've never learned any jazz or rockabilly and im interested in learning these styles. How would you recommend approaching a style you've never played before?
Hey Adam,
I'm a classical musician. Played my trumpet for over 10 years and currently 2.5 years into music school. My biggest upset as a musician is rhythm. For the life of me, I can't feel rhythm as well as my cohorts. I understand I feel time slower than others, and I can hear specifically which notes others are playing slower or faster. However, after years of tutelage and practice, I still can't play in time as well as I'm demanded. I always practice with a metronome, and I try to subdivide in my head while playing. Still, it's very little improvement from before I developed those habits, but improvement nonetheless. Any other tips on how I can improve my time and rhythm?
Thanks!
Actually, the electronic music or (EDM) scene is actually a huge market in LA, and I'd even bet that it's bigger there than in NYC. If you look at the amount of electronic music shows that are out there compared to the east coast it's a big difference.
Your Christmas video was in response to the Vox Christmas Chord video, and you linked to the Vox article in this video. Do you think they miss the mark often when they write about music in that way?
I might be wrong, but usually when people call autumn leaves at a jam session, even if they know it in all 12 keys, someone in the band usually vibes them for calling autumn leaves
I know what you mean by playing for 3 hours being tiring, I play a lot of market gigs where I'm allocated a 2-3 hour spot where I just stand there and provide background music. With no one to watch over my gear, and no time allocated for breaks; my break entails a sip of water between songs. Playing technically challenging pieces for 3 hours to a crowd of people who aren't listening is incredibly draining, and is one of the reasons why I I can't stand busking.
Hey Adam,
I really enjoy your videos. It's very easy for me to understand and appreciate the points and arguments (for lack of a better word) that you make when addressing these very diverse topics. I have a question for you. You've mentioned that New York, LA, and Nashville have great music scenes in the United States. How do you feel about the music scene in Chicago? I'll be going to music school this fall in Chicago, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts, as you've never really talked about Chicago at all in your videos (that I've heard yet). Thanks a bunch, and keep up the good work!
What do you think makes lyrics fit together with a musical piece other than the key matching? In classical languages like Greek and Latin, poetry tends to follow a more quantitative form in metre (i.e. mixtures of long and short syllables) compared to more modern languages like English which tend to follow qualitative (stressed and unstressed). I wonder if this is the case for music too, i.e., if classical music follows a more quantitative route, and drum based music like rock a qualitative route in lyrics, to help it fit with the piece. To know your thoughts on this would be appreciated. Love your stuff.
hey, in a next Q & A, can you talk more about DJs not being musicians? What's the difference and what makes a musician.
Loved the podcasts thing, I'll definitely look forward to that ;)
BASS
Hey Adam I've only dabbled in guitar and bass(trombone is my main instrument), and was wondering how bass players who read sheet music know where all the notes are and where to play them? Do most professional bass players have all the notes on the fretboard memorized and use scale shapes as a guide to where to play them? Thanks
I have a five string bass for the extra string, BUT I find myself not really using the B string how could I find a way to utilize that string
Hey adam, I recently joined/formed a band and when it came to looking for a bass player, we recruited a close friend who infact did not play bass. He's a banjo player (traditional Irish dance music), phenomenal player. he picked up the bass remarkably quickly and was able to comfortably play the kinda indie alternative rock stuff we were going for in a matter of days and was able to play some slap bass in a week or so. What do you think about people transferring instrument and developing quickly on the new instrument using skills from their other instruments etc?
Hello, I've been playing bass for a little over a year. You're channel is very helpful. I want to audition for John S. Davidson (a fine arts school in my area) and I don't know what song to play or what I'm in for. Any suggestions or tips?
Hi Adam,
I'm a classical musician (pianist) who is starting to play pop/rock/jazz etc to get more gigs. I tried using lead sheets etc but I found them confusing and lacking in detail. So as a result, I started to transcribe songs using figured bass and melody (chorale style). Do you think this will be a problem re: working with others? Will there be compatibility issues?
Hey Adam, any tips for a guitar player trying to play bass? I know there a lot of little things like playing with the kick, any other tips? Like where should you not play in regards to the measure?