Up To Your Ears

On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat, Amanda, and Garrett discuss tempo! Detailed show notes will be available soon on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com

Spotify Playlist for Episode 13

On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat and Amanda discuss intervals in music! Detailed show notes will be available soon on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com

Spotify Playlist for Episode 12: Intervals

On this episode of Up to Your Ears, Kat and Amanda discuss form in music! Detailed show notes will be available on our website, uptoyourearspodcast.com

Spotify Playlist for Episode 11: Form

We're back! Detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP!

Spotify Playlist for Episode 10 - Hadestown

Spotify Album - Hadestown (Full Cast Recording)

NOTE: This episode was meant to release in January but was delayed until March 16th. Garrett and Amanda define dynamics, make listening recommendations, and announce the musical work they'll focus on for Episode 10. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @[email protected]! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com

Detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 09 - Dynamics

NOTE: This episode was meant to release on December 15th but was delayed until January 1st. Garrett and Amanda define instrumentation, make listening recommendations, and talk about juries and what to do when they don't go that well. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @[email protected]! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com

Due to a busy holiday break, detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 08: Range

Garrett and Amanda define range, make listening recommendations, and answer questions submitted by listeners. Follow us on Insta: @uptoyourearspodcast and Twitter: @uptoyourears or email us at @[email protected]! For more info, visit http://uptoyourears.libsyn.com

Due to a busy Thanksgiving break, detailed show notes for this episode will be available on our website ASAP! Spotify Playlist for Episode 07: Range

Episode 06 Summary

0:00 - Intro

• If this is your first time listening, feel free to start with this episode if you'd like, but we'd recommend checking out some of our earlier episodes first
• • Melody
  • Harmony
  • Rhythm & Meter
  • Timbre
  • Dvorak's 9th Symphony (Exploring all of the above)
• Texture may be a slightly difficult episode to start on because it's a little more abstract

1:35- Defining Texture

• Texture tells you how many melodic lines are present and whether there are accompaniment lines supporting the melodic line(s)
• It's like a job board that tells you how many melodic roles and accompaniment roles are available for a given piece of music
• Garrett makes a comparison to a variety of fabric textures
• • music works the same way
• To make it even simpler, try using these words:
• • Thick or thin
  • Busy or sparse
• An even simpler definition: How much is going on in the music
• Texture doesn't tell you how many players there are… just how many melodic lines there are and whether they are accompanied

4:18 Texture Classifications

• Three common ones and one uncommon one
• Common:
• • Monophonic
  • Homophonic
  • Polyphonic
• Uncommon:
• • Heterophonic
• Don't be scared of these words!
  • Knowing that's what you don't like can help you either avoid music that won't appeal to you or help you develop an appreciation for it
• • You probably have favorite textures!
  • You probably have least favorite textures…

6:03 - Monophonic Texture (Monophony)

• Literal translation: "one sound"
• A single melodic line with no accompaniment
• • If you're unsure what a melody is, head to Episode 01!
• Monophonic doesn't necessarily mean solo
• • Texture doesn't tell you about the performance forces (number of performers, what they're performing on)
  • Can be achieved by a soloist or by a children's choir singing in unison
• Monophonic examples:
• • Singing in the shower without any accompaniment (no phone/bluetooth speaker/waterproof ukulele)
  • Coworkers singing "Happy Birthday" in unison
  • Played example: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (Monophonic)

8:57 - Homophonic Texture (Homophony)

• Not "Homophobic!"
• Literal translation: "same sound"
• Most popular texture used in most music
• One melodic line supported by any number of accompaniment lines
• • Accompaniment lines don't pull for your attention nearly as strong as the main melody does
  • If there were two competing lines, that would be a different texture
• Often you'll hear a simple melody with basic chords underneath
• • Played example: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (Homophonic)
• A lot of choir music is homophonic
• • One voice type will have the melody (often sopranos) and everyone else's lines will be slightly less interesting
  • Played example: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (Soprano line)
  • Played example: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (Alto line)
  • The alto line has less movement and interest (melodically) but it supports the soprano part
• A lot of choir music is also homorhythmic
• • When the lines use different notes but the same rhythms
  • They're on the same words at the same time, and they change to new words together
  • Played example: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (Soprano and alto line together)
• Remember: Homophony can be achieved by a soloist, not just a group
• • A guitarist playing a melody and chords beneath it (or singing a melody and playing chords underneath it)
• This is the most popular texture in both popular styles and classical music
  • Doesn't pull your as much as polyphony
  • More substance than monophony
  • You can see all of your notes neatly organized in front of you on the score
  • Multiple melodic lines get a little hairier on paper
• • In Garrett's opinion, it's easier to listen to
  • It's easier to write

13:47 Polyphony

• Literal translation: "Many sounds"
• Multiple melodies happening at once
• If you've ever heard of a "countermelody…"
• • counter means "against," so it's a melody against another melody
• Both melodies compete for your attention
• • You have to pick your moment with this texture because it can be overwhelming!
  • Played example: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (Polyphonic)
• Polyphony is often saved for the end of pieces after homophony or monophony
• • to build tension or
  • to give a big ending where everything comes together
• Musical theater loves to use polyphony!
  • It doesn't annoy in that moment you because you've heard the tunes (and often the lyrics) before
  • If you try to listen to all the singers at once, it can overwhelm you
  • They often won't say anything that hasn't been said already
  • "One Day More" from Les Miserables
  • "Christmas Bells" from RENT
  • These each close Act I respectively
• • They'll play many different melodies throughout the musical
  • In key moments, they'll combine them
  • Two examples:
• There are a set of rules for how to write polyphony well:
  • Polyphony is the type of writing
  • Counterpoint refers to the rules of how to write it well
• • This is called counterpoint
  • Music majors learn these rules in rules
  • Adjective form: contrapuntal
  • For our purposes, you can think of them as the same thing

17:28 Heterophonic Texture (Heterophony)

• Literal translation: "Different Sound" (not that helpful, really)
• Popular in lots of Asian, Middle Eastern, and even Gaelic music
• When a melody is doubled but ornamented and changed up very slightly by one of the players
• Garrett brings up an example from "The Jerk" (a great movie!)
• Rare in both popular styles and classical styles
  • Link: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/heterophony/
• • Debussy and Stravinsky took a whack at it
  • Sweetwater article recommends the "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" by The Chieftains
• Amanda calls upon musical theater to start using this texture more often

20:02 Considerations to make about texture

• Texture shifts multiple times in a single piece of music
  • Even in a 3 minute pop tune!
• • If you keep the same texture for too long, you get bored
• It takes a lot of practice to get good at identifying different textures
  • Garrett points out that a lot of bass lines in pop music are very melodic, so that's an example of a common musician texture argument
  • See: "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
• • Music students often struggle to learn these classifications
  • Musicians sometimes argue about these classifications
  • Don't expect to master this in one day… but listening for texture differences can help you appreciate different pieces (especially longer ones)
• Types of music can have characteristic textures
  • Earliest type of jazz
  • Not all styles of jazz sound like Dixieland, but it's a very important style of jazz
• • Lullabys won't include really busy accompaniment parts or multiple melodies because that won't soothe babies
  • Rhythm guitar parts in rock music are another example of a characteristic texture
  • Dixieland jazz is characteristically polyphonic
• The inclusion of non-tonal percussion is not figured into texture
  • "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Benny Goodman features a very important drum texture, but there's no classification for it
  • One sustained low note under a melody that either never changes or changes very rarely
  • • Music featuring a drone can still be considered monophonic
    • Garrett's example is Amazing Grace on bagpipes (which you can simulate using a microwave… thanks, Joseph!)
• • Amanda calls this percussive erasure
  • Definite pitch instruments such as xylophone or vibraphone DO count towards texture
  • Another device that gets left out is a drone
• If at the end of the episode, you don't feel confident about the classification names, that's okay!
• • "Thick or thin," "Lots going on," or "Not much accompaniment" are all fine ways to describe texture
  • This is something to add to your toolkit when you want to describe music
  • You can also impress music majors at parties by using these words
• Listeners don't necessarily need to understand texture really deeply… just enough to appreciate composers and musicians
• • Like of a musician "rises out of the texture"
  • Or if someone "can't bend" (doesn't fit the texture)
• For everything texture tells you, there's a lot of stuff it doesn't tell you
  • Percussion
  • How many performers
  • What instruments
  • How they're playing their instruments
  • Dynamics (volume)
  • Timbre (tone color)
  • Much more!
  • Amanda compares this to gravity because everyone has sort of a practical knowledge of it, but not all of us can explain how it works in depth
• • Does not include:
  • Hopefully you see why performers, composers, and conductors need to know all about it

32:02 - Recap

• Texture tells us how many melodic lines there are in music and whether or not they are accompanied
• Three common classifications: Monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic
• One uncommon texture: heterophonic
• Textures usually shift in pieces of music multiple times

32:34 - Listening Recommendations:

• (32:48) Garrett's 1st Monophonic Example: "Die Easy" by Rag'n'Bone Man (2017)
• (33:47) Amanda's 1st Monophonic Example: "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran (2013) from the Hobbit soundtrack
• (34:48) Garrett's 1st Homophonic Example: "Taking Care of Business" Bachman Turner Overdrive (1974)
• (36:12) Amanda's 1st Homophonic Example (also homorhythmic): "Come and Get Your Love" Redbone (1973)
• (38:06) Garrett's 1st Polyphonic Example: "A Man's Gotta Do" from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)
• • Also we did realize it's Captain Hammer, not Hammer Man
  • Also also, her name is Felicia Day, and she's awesome
• (39:45) Amanda's 1st Polyphonic Example: "Tiger Rag" recorded by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2009)
• • First recorded by the ODJB (Original Dixieland Jazz Band) in 1917
  • Louis Armstrong and His Allstars "Tiger Rag" is great, too (YouTube)
  • Amazing Bob Havens rendition of "Tiger Rag" (YouTube)
• (41:16) Garrett's 2nd Polyphony Example: "The Cleaner" from the Toy Story 2 soundtrack (Randy Newman, 1999)
• (43:33) Amanda's 2nd Polyphony Example: "Ave Maria… Virgo Serena" by Josquin des Prez (ca. 1475)

46:48 Listener Question from Michael M: What are our goals for the podcast and why did we start it?

• Garrett: Wants to support Amanda, wants to have fun, and misses talking about music
• Amanda: Thinks a lot of musicians are bad at talking about music and wants to help with that
• Amanda: Wants everyday people to be able to talk about their favorite music and why the love it just as intelligently as they can tell you about their favorite TV shows, sports teams, other hobbies, etc.
• Hopefully this podcast gets you interested in concerts you may not have gone to otherwise
• Hopefully it gets parents to encourage their kids to participate in music
  • Participating in something new helps create more well-rounded people

49:32 Sign-off

• Thanks for listening
• Have a great day!

Spotify Playlist

Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us. Special thanks to you, our listeners, too!

Visit our Website!

Follow us on social media!

Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast

Twitter @uptoyourears

Email us!

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Episode 05 Show Notes

0:00 - Intro

• Thanks for listening! We've enjoyed your feedback and would welcome more!

1:18 - Introducing a New Format

• Our typical format is to:
• • Define a musical term
  • Make listening recommendations based on that term
  • Answer a question from a listener
• Every 5th episode, we'll take a slightly deeper dive into just one piece of music
• • This could be an album, a musical, the score of a film, etc.
  • Today's piece is a symphony
  • Our goal is to give you a few things to listen for in each movement of this symphony focusing on principles from our first four episodes:
  • • Melody
    • Harmony
    • Rhythm & Meter
    • Timbre

2:37 - Introducing Dvorak's 9th Symphony: From the New World

• Written by Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904), a Bohemian (Czech) orchestral composer
• Premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1893
• • Dvorak traveled to America to be the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York
  • • Wrote some of his most famous works while in the states (American String Quartet, his cello concerto, and this symphony)
    • Dvorak opened the conservatory to African American students
  • Dvorak believed that composers interested in capturing the American sound should study the music of Native Americans and African Americans
  • • Not very many people agreed with him at the time
• Dvorak wrote original themes inspired by Native American and African American traditions, not exact replications of themes from these cultures
• • With the exception of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
  • Garrett compares Dvorak's goal to the Foo Fighters' concept behind their album/documentary "Sonic Highways"

7:31 - What is a symphony?

• A multi-movement work for the symphony orchestra
• • Movements are sort of like small pieces of music that make up a bigger piece of music
  • • Garrett asks if movements are like chewing bites of a cake instead of shoving an entire cake into your mouth
    • Amanda responds that it's more like four cupcakes decorated slightly differently but all part of the same batch or set
    • Garrett compares movements to chapters in a book
    • Amanda compares them to books in a series of books because movements are usually pretty complete unto themselves
• Symphonies typically have 3 movements (early classical) or 4 movements (standard in the Romantic period), and they have a typical order:
• • Fast
  • Slow
  • Dance
  • Fast
• A note about when to applaud:
• • If the work has multiple movements, try to follow along with the order of them and wait until the end of the last movement to clap
  • If nothing else, wait until the conductor puts his arms all the way down and keeps them down… that's usually the big ending!
  • People used to clap whenever they wanted, but now we're snobs about it

12:08 - Movement I. "Adagio - Allegro molto"

• Melody: Three important themes:
• • A bold, fanfare-like theme (with a statement and a response) that is often played in the brass
  • A minor melody with a simple accompaniment that is first played in the flute
  • • We're not sure why, but Dvorak pointed to this theme as being influenced by indigenous music traditions.
    • He may have thought the minor mode made it sound indigenous
  • A theme that seems to be a pretty direct quotation and development of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" (an important African American spiritual)
• Rhythm: the 1st and 3rd theme have very similar rhythms… almost identical!
• Sidenote: Dvorak will introduce great themes during each movement of the piece, but he'll also bring back previous movements' themes (especially the opening theme and the Swing Low theme)
• • Perhaps a drinking game could be played??? (Please drink responsibly.)
• One word description of Movement I:
• • Amanda: Exploration
  • Garrett: Outset

17:49 - Movement II. "Largo"

• The most famous movement from this piece
• • Melody: Several years after it was written and premiered, a student of Dvorak, William Arms Fisher, added lyrics to the theme from this movement ("Goin' Home")
  • Timbre: The Goin' Home theme was originally written for clarinet!
  • • Dvorak changed it to English Horn because he thought it better matched the vocal timbre of Harry T. Burleigh, the student who exposed Dvorak to many African spirituals
    • Amanda also points out that the timpani notes in this movement are another great timbre
  • Harmony: A passage of big, open chords played by the brass section multiple times throughout this movement
  • • Michael Beckerman called this the "Once Upon a Time" figure
  • One word description:
  • • Garrett: Nostalgia
    • • Dvorak was very homesick while in America
    • Amanda: Yearning

24:32 - Movement III. "Scherzo. Molto Vivace"

• Rhythm & Meter: The meter is very obvious in this movement, and this is the only movement in triple meter (3 beats per measure)
• Melody: 3 more great melodies introduced in this movement
• Sidenote: The opening of this scherzo matches the opening of Beethoven's 9th symphony's scherzo! They sound musically very similar.
• • Dvorak did likely did this on purpose as a nod to Beethoven
  • Even Sider Note: Amanda got the movement number wrong in the episode (womp, womp). Beethoven mixes things up, so his scherzo is Movement II, not Movement III. Idea still applies though!
• One word description:
• • Garrett: Chase
  • Amanda: Tension

28:26 - Movement IV. "Allegro con fuoco"

• Melody: One last big, bold theme
• • Dominates the movement and later signals the end of the piece
• Melody: Garrett feels that this movement is a battle of all the themes! See his list of theme battles below!
• Harmony/Timbre: The last chord of the piece
• • Unique because the entire orchestra hits a chord together, but suddenly everyone cuts out and only the very soft woodwind section sustains
• Sidenote: The opening of this movement is… Jaws!
• • John Williams borrowed this figure for his shark movie soundtrack
  • On a case by case basis, as long as you properly attribute the material you've borrowed, most people in classical music don't care about this type of borrowing...
  • • Just don't try to pass anything off as your own work if it's isn't actually your own work!
    • If Dvorak were alive at the time of Jaws, maybe he'd have wanted a writer's credit?
    • "You're only as good as who you steal from." - A tongue in cheek quote from a professor Garrett and Amanda both know
  • One word descriptions:
  • • Garrett: Argument
    • Amanda: Territorial
• Bonus: Garrett makes a claim for "Three Blind Mice" as another quotation
• • Amanda believes this is purely coincidence

35:40 - How to Enjoy a Symphony

• (35:53) If you sit down at a concert and see a symphony on the program that comes from 1815 on, get ready for a long ride
• • During the romantic period, symphonies were expanded and got longer and longer
  • • Dvorak's 9th symphony is around 42 minutes long!
    • Amanda says that if people will go to a movie theater to watch three hours of Avengers, then they definitely have the capacity to enjoy 40 minutes of great music
    • Garrett says it's one crime show episode
    • Amanda says it's three Spongebobs

• (37:42) Expect thematic development!
• • When you hear a melody, try to hold onto it because it will likely come back again
  • Expect the composer to transform and expand on the themes you hear

• (38:29) Don't expect to stay completely engaged and focused for 40 minutes straight
• • Amanda points out that not even the members of the orchestra are fully, completely focused for the entire length of the piece
  • • Tuba player is a great example because that person only plays the 2nd movement (and plays less than 20 notes)
  • Dvorak wrote highs and lows, so it's okay to let your attention ebb and flow a little bit
  • • Garrett compares some parts to background info/setting in a novel
    • Amanda compares it to description in a novel
    • It's all important, but it doesn't all require the same level of engagement
    • If someone falls asleep, only wake them up if they start snoring
  • Even trained pros want to be whisked away by the music
  • • This is musical storytelling! Let it take you where it wants to go

• (41:20) Expect repetition
• • Composers have to walk a fine line between variety and repetition
  • • Repetition can ground you, but too much can bore you
    • Variety is the spice of life, but too much spice ruins dinner
  • There are two types of repetition: exact and non exact
  • • Exact repetition:
    • • "This piece of music worked once… it'll work again!"
      • Tension and release (repetition can add to either)
      • The composer is saying, "I want you to remember this."
    • Non-exact repetition:
    • • A timbral change: maybe the same melodies and harmonies but played by different instruments or different groups of instrument
      • Accompaniment changes: Rhythms used might change, additional parts might come in
      • • If you hear the same melody, something might have changed elsewhere in the orchestra
        • Ask yourself if it's different and try to figure out what changed

• (44:10) Nothing beats seeing a symphony live
• • Amanda: the best sound system in the world can't compete with the weakest concert hall
  • • Amanda: I can't appreciate the difference between 20 vs 50 vs 100 in an orchestra on youtube
  • If the music isn't thrilling you too much at home, it may be that you need to go see it live
  • • Think of it as not just the music but the entire experience
    • Experience it in the right context
  • A comparison to movies
  • • You wouldn't judge a movie based off the one time you saw it using a portable DVD player and broken earbuds during a car ride
    • If you've heard someone say, "Oh, that's a movie you have to see in theaters," that's how Amanda feels about symphonies
    • • Garrett points out that Twister goes from epic to cheesy real fast when you watch it at home instead of in theaters
  • There's music that's meant to be in the studio and is hard to replicate live, but the symphony is the opposite.
  • • Witness the team effort!
    • If it's an educational group, remember that they're still acquiring the skills they need in order to become the pros
  • If you're under 80, people will be so excited to see you at a symphony concert!

• (47:33) You can enjoy this!
• • The music still has value
  • • It's up to the musicians and people involved to show you the value
  • Once you see it, there's nothing stopping you from enjoying this music
  • • Don't worry that other people are understanding the music more than you are
    • You know a lot about the music you love, and you can appreciate cool experiences! Seek them out!
    • • Garrett advises you to ask us about concert etiquette and to seek out casual concerts
      • • More and more pro orchestras are putting on less formal concerts

49:04 - Sign Off

• A reminder that we'll keep this format reserved for every 5th episode
• Feel free to recommend a piece you'd like us to dive into
• Leave us a review if you'd like!
• Shoot any questions towards our social media or gmail
• Share the podcast with a friend! We bet you know someone who loves music and would like to know a little more about it.
• Help make Garrett famous.

Spotify Playlist

Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us. Special thanks to you, our listeners, too!

Visit our Website!

Follow us on social media!

Instagram: @uptoyourearspodcast

Twitter @uptoyourears

Email us!

[email protected]

Additional Resources:

James, Jonathan. "Dvorak Symphony No 9 - From The New World: Inside the Music". YouTube video, 3:35. Posted October 2016. https://youtu.be/rjeskgwj78s.

Roitstein, Andrew, and Nichole Veach. "Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony: In Search of an American Voice." Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony: In Search of an American Voice. New York, NY: New York Philharmonic, 2017. https://nyphil.org/~/media/pdfs/education/1617/curriculum-guide-mshs-final.pdf?la=en

Supka, Ondrej. "Symphony No. 9 'from the New World.'" Antonin Dvorak. Accessed November 1, 2019. http://www.antonin-dvorak.cz/en/symphony9.

Weilerstein, Joshua. "Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast." Season 4 Premiere - Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", Joshua Weilerstein, 30 Aug. 2018, http://stickynotespodcast.libsyn.com/podcast/season-4-premiere-dvorak-symphony-no-9-from-the-new-world

Episode 04 Summary

0:00 - Intro

0:35 - Defining Timbre

• Timbre refers to color for sound
• Imagine you have a 128 pack of crayons,
• Instead of different shades of red, blue, and orange, imagine that you have "sound crayons"
  • Each one is a different timbre
  • One could be the sound of a violin bowing
  • One could be a trumpet fanfare
  • One could be muted trumpet
  • Each of these are different crayons, and each of them are different timbres
• Some of the "colors" can be similar, but they're still distinct timbres.
• Garrett points out that cerulean and cyan are different shades of blue.
• Amanda draws a similar comparison with the sounds of string instruments
• Garrett points out that different instruments can play the same written pitch, but they'll still have a different tone
• Amanda agrees and points out that timbre is what allows you to tell different instruments and voices apart, even if they're singing the exact same pitch
  • Garrett does a terrible Amanda impression to illustrate that their voices are distinct
  • Garrett does a better Mickey and Kermit
• Timbre is a musical term, but you can use it for any distinct sounds

6:21 - The Spelling and Pronunciation of Timbre

• It rhymes with amber
• It's a French word
• Garrett casually alienates French listeners
• Most musicians will pronounce it the way Garrett and Amanda are in this episode.
• We apologize to the French for bastardizing this pronunciation.

8:10 - Human Ears

• The human ear is probably more attuned to voice for most people
• Garrett points out that it's what we listen to the most
• Garrett gives examples of how dogs and cats like squeaky sounds because they sound like prey
• Humans have lived in communities for so long that we're now extremely attuned to human voices
• It's probably pretty easy to tell most men's voices apart from most women's
• Garrett points out the power of Mom Ears for their own babies
• Garrett and Amanda can even tell their cats' meows apart
• The same thing that makes it easy of you to tell voices apart, that's the human ear's ability to tell apart different timbres.
  • This is very helpful for music.
• With practice, listeners can learn to differentiate between different instruments, though some will be trickier than others.
• While it may be easier to differentiate vocalists, chances are you can tell your favorite musicians/bands apart from other similar bands if you're experienced with the genre
• Garrett points out that many people's preferences for or against certain genres have to do with timbral considerations
  • Example: the twang of country music

12:08 Singing Voices

• We're pretty picky with vocal styles
• Examples:
  • Opera
  • Country Music
  • Vibrato
• The hours we spend talking and communicating probably greatly outweigh the hours we spend listening to music, so it's not surprising that people get really picky with voice type

13:03 Telling Instruments Apart

• It takes a more trained ear to hear a difference in instruments than in voices
• Garrett gives the example of 1980s rock bands and how he can now pick out Brain May's guitar playing (Queen)
• The more you listen to certain bands and genres, the easier it will get to tell apart different instrumentalists and vocalists
• Amanda gives the examples of Freddie Mercury and Louis Armstrong, and how identifiable their voices are for most people
• Amanda shares a story about successfully identifying an individual trumpet player (Freddie Hubbard)
• Garrett does his Louis Armstrong impression

15:05 Musical Timbres We Love

• Garrett likes: A good French horn
• Garrett calls this instrument "An ugly girl with a pretty voice" (and acknowledges how problematic that description is)
• French horn is difficult to play, but it's a very in demand sound
• Amanda adds that she loves horn "rips"
• Garrett describes how this sound is made
  • Example: Music at the end of Star Wars Episode I
• Amanda likes: Brian May's guitar
• The guitar's unique construction and Brian May's use of a coin instead of a pick helped make his unique timbre
• Amanda calls this a wailing sound and attributes that common descriptor to guitarists like Brian May

18:54 Musical Timbres We Hate

• Garrett points out that many people pick on woodwinds
• Garrett dislikes the high register of the violin
• Amanda hates the harpsichord
• Amanda argues that it's okay to have different ears from your neighbor and prefer different timbres
• Amanda can still appreciate good harpsichord playing even if she doesn't like the sound of the instrument
• Amanda points out that the difference in sound between a harpsichord and a piano has to do with how the sound is produced (plucking internal strings vs. striking internal strings)
• Amanda and Garrett lightly make fun of Bassoonists for the second time in this episode (though they do enjoy the bassoon's timbre)

23:04 Recap

• Timbre is the sound equivalent of color
• Just like there are many different shades of the colors we all know, there are many different shades that can be achieved by each instrument and by the human voice
• Thanks to technology, new timbres are created all the time
• Garrett asks if being tone-deaf is like being colorblind
• Amanda says yes, and a very small fraction of people are truly tone-deaf (comparable to how many people claim to have OCD tendencies)
• Timbre is the different sounds that different instruments and voices make and what lets you differentiate between them, even when they are playing/singing the exact same pitch

24:20 - Listening Recommendations

• 24:26 Amanda's 1st rec: (Movement I from) "Symphonic Dances" by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1940)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: orchestral alto sax! (3:35 into the track)
• 26:53 Garrett's 1st rec: IV. "Hoe Down" from "Rodeo" by Aaron Copland (1942)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: violin, xylophone, trumpet
• 29:06 Amanda's 2nd rec: "Black and Tan Fantasy" by Duke Ellington (both 1927 and 1945 versions on Spotify)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Bubber Miley's trumpet solo and Tricky Sam Nanton's trombone solo (gutbucket style, mutes, growling/flutter-tongue)
• 32:08 Garrett's 2nd rec: Victor Wooten's performance of "Amazing Grace" (1999 on)
  • Youtube Link
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: melodic electric bass
• 34:08 Amanda's 3rd rec: Movement I ("Turning") from "Roda" by Elliot Cole, performed by Projeto Arcomusical (2019)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Berimbau!
  • YouTube Link
• 36:27 Garrett's 3rd rec: "Sheep Go To Heaven" by Cake (1998)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: chunky guitar, muted trumpet, distinct vocals
• 38:29 Amanda's 4th rec: Louis Armstrong's Performance of "You Rascal You" (1950)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Louis's voice and his lead trumpet playing
  • Youtube Link
• 41:27 Garrett's 4th rec: "Human" by Rag'n'bone Man (2017)
  • Specific timbre(s) to listen for: Rag'n'bone man's voice

43:42 Answering Listener Questions!

• 44:03 Danni G wants to know: If someone was looking to dip their toes back into the music world, what would be some of your tips? A place to find local concerts or music groups to join?

44:12 Amanda: Visit Your Local Music Store

• When local musicians want to promote a concert or group, they'll do it at the music store
• Garrett points out that they may need their instrument repaired or maintained, so they'll visit there
• Amanda says it's a good place to stay in touch with the musical community and the employees usually know all the groups and teachers in town
• Consider grabbing a lesson just to refresh your skills and find out more about what's available for you
• Try to find a shop that stocks your instruments if you're looking for info on musical groups you can join. Guitar Center might not be the best pick.
• Garrett points out that lessons don't have to be a huge commitment, so don't be afraid to take just one lesson.

46:22 Garrett: Colleges and the Elderly

• Hit up the local college because colleges promote music, and they often have ensembles that community members can join
• The senior sampler (or whatever your equivalent is) is a good resource too, since retirees often have the time and means to support/pursue the arts
  • Community bands and orchestras will be listed in the senior sampler

47:30 Amanda: Considerations

• We took this as more of a band/orchestra question.
• If you're trying to get into the rock scene, that might require different resources
• The music store is still a helpful place to start! Grab a lesson!
• Also, college faculty often direct these community groups, so stopping by the university is a good first step (or e-mail if you don't have a connection yet/you're shy)

48:26 Amanda: It's Never Too Late!

• It's never too late to get back into your instrument or pick up a new one!
• Amanda mentions retirees who rock out
• It's not about how good you are… music is fulfilling and fun!
• It's probably more fun now that your parents aren't forcing you to do it

49:37 Sign Off

• Thanks for listening and thanks for your feedback! We appreciate you!
• New episodes will be released on the 1st and 15th of every month!

Spotify Playlist

Special thanks to OpenMusicRevolution.com for our intro and outro music and to the guys at Better Podcasting for being such great guides to us. Special thanks to you, our listeners, too!

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