Category: practice

How we practice music.

Smart Music Creation

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

What's meant by "Smart Music Creation"?

"Smart" often means that technology has been added to something that previously had not had it. With 'music', the term 'digital' has been used for the distribution of consumer music in a 'digital form' - Audio-CD, mini-discs, DAT and later the revolution of online distribution through the iTunes Music Store. 'Smart Music Creation' could perhaps be considered to be where computerized devices help with the creation of music - the synthesizer, the drum machine, and MIDI generally. Drum Machines and Synthesizers are really new musical instruments lending themselves to new musical sounds and therefore new genres of music. That's not smart really, it is just a different type of instrument.

Enter - Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI</str

Who are Song Rhythm Tracks for?

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

All Musicians!   New Musicians;    Experienced Musicians;     Great Musicians; Really, any musician including Pianists, Guitarists, Horn Players, Singers and even Drummers. The tracks can be used for practice, jamming, gigging and cutting a release. They cover a wide selection of musical genres with 1000's of rhythms available. They are best for musicians who play songs or 'numbers'  and wish to have an inspiring rhythmic accompaniment that fits the song they are playing, both rhythmically and the musical form. They are particularly useful for music teachers and students a

Why do these Song Rhythm Tracks sound so totally great?

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

These Song Rhythm Tracks do sound totally great, don’t they?

This is one of the most frequent things I hear.  The great sound quality often comes as surprise, perhaps because of the widespread familiarity everybody has with 'Midi Drum Machines', which don't satisfy in the same way as Song Rhythm Tracks.  Midi Drum Machines and Song Rhythm Tracks are two very different products; we summarize their differences in the comparison section below.

The Song Rhythm Tracks Way

<img class="size-large wp-image-29898" title="iPhone 8 Plus 03 MainTableScreen framed"

The Primacy of Rhythm in practicing popular music

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

When learning a new piece of music, when should a musician work on getting right the rhythm and feel of the piece?

Introduction

I have long believed it has to be the very first thing to get right and there's little point playing notes at all unless they are in the desired rhythm and feel.   Tempo, however, is a whole other subject - there's a lot to be said for precision and even playing tunes at markedly different tempos to internalize the piece better. Timing is the bedrock of music:  "When a note is struck at the wrong time, it's the wrong note".  Getting playing in the right rhythm as soon as possible is why I've always sought out structured and inspiring rhythmic backing.  This ultimately lead to  "Song Rhythm Tracks".

Rhythm and Timing</h

Who are Song Rhythm Tracks for?

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

All Musicians!   New Musicians;    Experienced Musicians;     Great Musicians; Really, any musician including Pianists, Guitarists, Horn Players, Singers and even Drummers. The tracks can be used for practice, jamming, gigging and cutting a release. They cover a wide selection of musical genres with 1000's of rhythms available. They are best for musicians who play songs or 'numbers'  and wish to have an inspiring rhythmic accompaniment that fits the song they are playing, both rhythmically and the musical form. They are particularly useful for music teachers and students a

Why do these Song Rhythm Tracks sound so totally great?

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

These Song Rhythm Tracks do sound totally great, don’t they?

This is one of the most frequent things I hear.  The great sound quality often comes as surprise, perhaps because of the widespread familiarity everybody has with 'Midi Drum Machines', which don't satisfy in the same way as Song Rhythm Tracks.  Midi Drum Machines and Song Rhythm Tracks are two very different products; we summarize their differences in the comparison section below.

The Song Rhythm Tracks Way

<img class="size-large wp-image-29898" title="iPhone 8 Plus 03 MainTableScreen framed"

How to practice, then how to jam?

Alive DrummingLeave a comment

Here are my views on how to go about practicing and jamming.

This is such an important part of the journey of becoming a musician. I wrote this down for the benefit of a musician just setting out on his journey, wanting to know what the key things were that would determine their success.  I know I certainly did not go about it the right way for many years.  I had not had any musical education as a child, but as an adult when learning music for the first time, had the benefit of a private teacher but never really addressed this important issue.

Learning Melodies in Private Practice

If you are learning a new, perhaps challenging, melody for the first time, in private practice, then sure, do count out the meter and use a metronome /