Boomer Music

That’s ridiculous. They’re parked way too close for that to be a plausible gig load in…

Indie can also use ukulele if a banjo is unavailable...

Fractional Violas: Just Small Violins?

Fractional or downsize violas may seem like violins with slightly different strings, but there is more than meets the eye. Check out this Orchestral Minute from our friends at for the lowdown.

Fractional Violas vs. Violins: What's the Difference? Tune in for another Orchestral Minute! In this episode, we dive into the intriguing differences between fractional violas and fractional violins.While both i...

Technically this is not wrong...

“Beethoven Was Half Right” an Essay Rewind originally published on the Podcasting Store Medium page December 17, 2021
By Drew Holmes

Ludwig Van Beethoven is quoted as saying “It is the power of music to carry one directly into the mental state of the composer.” I think he is half right.

At the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, I attended a performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass. Having worked extensively in orchestra production, I’ve been in many of the great concert halls in the United States but never Orchestra Hall. This was a must-attend show.

Finding my seat in the balcony I scanned the program for the evening’s repertoire. Two pieces immediately jumped off the page for the special memories they held: The Queen of the Night Aria from Mozart’s Magic Flute and the Resurrection from Mahler’s Symphony 2.

Junior year at Drew University I started my second brass quintet. We had some performances (including a poorly publicized Christmas tree lighting where we outnumbered the audience) but mostly it was for fun. When the time came to plan my senior recital, I knew the second half had to feature my quintet. We prepared a challenging but fun set which included The Queen of the Night Aria.

Unfortunately, the day before the recital our trombone player had a severe asthma attack and ended up in the emergency room. We had a friend on campus who was an accomplished euphonium player, so we held an impromptu rehearsal that afternoon to get him up to speed to perform the next afternoon.

Was the performance perfect? Of course not, not even top professionals will claim that. But it was good, and it was a good time. My mom had had mugs emblazoned with our names made for the members of the quintet, which meant our last-minute sub did not have one. My grandfather corrected this near faux pas, discreetly shaking hands post performance and slipping him an honorarium for his heroic efforts.

I spent only one season as Librarian for the Brooklyn Philharmonic before leaving for the Principal Librarian position in Naples, FL, but our performance of the Mahler Symphony 2 left an indelible mark in my mind. I had worked professionally as an orchestra librarian, but this was the first opportunity to prove myself independent from my mentor in Philadelphia.

I was not familiar with the piece before that production and was (and still am) awed by Mahler’s vision. The symphony is a tour de force of orchestration, combining one hundred individual performers to sound like one, with perfect tonal color from each instrument. It is easily one of my favorite pieces in the repertoire.

Hearing the CSO Brass play Mahler 2 transported me to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Bob Spano conducting. I was sitting at my folding table in the wings, stage right, just out of view of the audience. Mere feet away from the orchestra, I was in awe at the magic of the offstage banda and how lucky I was at age 22 to be a part of a production at such scale.

Back to Beethoven. I agree that music has the power to transport us to another time or place. While I have experienced the pull the composer intended to the destination of their choice, I usually end up visiting a memory. To me that is the power of music to transport us, whether that is directed by us or by the composer.

As I stood, applauding enthusiastically, at the end of the performance I came back to the present. To an in-person performance at Orchestra Hall. To a concert by the best in the world, once again part of in-person music making.

That is a memory I will be visiting again.

https://medium.com//beethoven-was-half-right-c128d817b29e

Read more essays like this:
https://medium.com/

Dealing With Drama as a Freelance Musician

Making a living as a performing musician is difficult, but the challenges faced by freelance players sometimes are excessive. Julia Richter () relates a story where she was called out for something she did not do but handled it like a professional. Check out her reel for a peek behind the curtain of a world where if you upset the wrong person you may never get called to play again.



https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_blYIKyCdp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

A peace offering to all the violists out there...

Compartmentalizing Stress in Teaching

Managing stress as a music educator involves recognizing that stress is inevitable when working with people and accepting that a completely stress-free environment doesn't exist. This article by Don Stinson offers suggestions and insights of how to successfully manage these predictable stressors.

By shifting expectations and preparing mentally, educators can better handle challenges without being overwhelmed. Rehearsing potential conflicts and practicing the "Breathe, Reflect, Respond" method allows educators to approach stressful situations more calmly and thoughtfully. Additionally, planning for a few things to go wrong each day helps in maintaining composure and focusing on effective problem-solving, rather than being derailed by unexpected issues.

https://hub.yamaha.com/music-educators/prof-dev/self-care/compartmentalizing-stress-in-teaching/

Compartmentalizing Stress in Teaching - Yamaha Music - Blog All music educators deal with stress. The key is how you handle it. Here are some tips to navigate everyday stressors.

Notation Software Finale Suddenly Discontinued!

Music notation software Finale has been discontinued. What are the implications for current Finale users? What does this mean for your existing files? What software should you now use? Tim Buell does not have all the answers, but he has ideas of how to preserve your work and how to weather this enervated storm.

This Changes Music Notation Forever (and what to do about it) Get 120+ pages of Vic Firth and Zildjian transcription notation: https://www.timbuellmusic.com/vfjams/Download FREE drum lesson for 3 foot speed exercises: h...

Also playable on Accordion, Zither, and Alphorn...

Choosing My Adventure in the World of Music By Drew Holmes

Don’t get caught at rehearsal without your pencil!

What the Heck is it? The Pencil Clip Do you, your students, or your friends always forget or lose your pencil for rehearsal? If you can spare 11 seconds, we have the solution! ...

What is a graduation pattern and how does it affect the sound of your string instrument? Tune in to our friends at Maple Leaf Strings as they explain!

Orchestral Minute - Graduation Pattern Tune in for an Orchestral Minute! In this quick tip, we explore the fascinating world of graduation patterns in violins.Graduation patterns refer to the rang...

But how would it use the valves?

Fifteen Seconds, Twenty-Five Notes, and One of the Most Violated Copyrights Ever, a Musical Mystery
By Drew Holmes

It’s a simple song, made up of only 25 notes and taking about 15 seconds to perform. It holds the Guiness World Record for most recognized song in the English language and has been translated into nearly two dozen more. And until 2015 it was one of the most violated copyrights in history.

It began in a cabin in Kentucky. Patty, a schoolteacher, wanted to greet her students with a song each morning, so she penned lyrics while her sister, Mildred, wrote the melody. This version of the song was published in a volume called Song Stories for Kindergarten in 1893.

After publication this teacher led song evolved and, instead of Patty singing it to her kids, they sang it to her. The simple melody was easily adaptable for other lyrics and Patty changed the words to celebrate special occasions with her students. These alternative verses were published in 1924, eight years after Mildred’s death, but did not include an official copyright notice.

Over the next decade one of these alternate sets of lyrics became hugely popular and was included in the 1931 Broadway musical The Band Wagon. This did not sit well with Jessica, Mildred and Patty’s sister, so she did what any aggrieved American would do – she got a lawyer.

Since Mildred and Patty had never officially copyrighted the song, Jessica engaged the assistance of the Clayton F. Summy Company and secured a copyright to an updated arrangement in 1935. This began a string of legal disputes that lasted nearly a century.

The Summy Company and its copyrights changed hands numerous times, eventually becoming the property of Warner/Chappel in 1988. Warner asserted that they now owned the song in its entirety, whether live performance, audio recording, or film soundtrack, and began vigorously enforcing this claim. Disney paid $5000 just to use it in a parade. A scene from a documentary on Martin Luther King Jr. included the song, but the proposed royalty fees were so exorbitant the DVD release was abandoned altogether.

The song was one of Warner’s most valuable properties, generating estimated revenues of two million dollars annually. But one nagging question remained - did they actually own the rights to the song?

Attorney Robert Brauneis said no. He asserted not only had the original copyright expired in 1963 but it was invalid in the first place since it was unclear if Patty and Mildred even wrote the song, since it bore similarities to other greeting songs popular in the 19th century. Filmmaker Jennfier Nelson made a documentary largely based on Brauneis’ research in 2013 and was quoted a price of $1500 to include the song. So, she did what any aggrieved American would do – she got a lawyer.

Nelson’s ensuing class action suit asserted that the Warner claim to the song was false and demanded a return of all royalties collected. Since all relevant witnesses were long dead by then, the key piece of evidence was a 1922 publication, purchased for $3.00 from Amazon, which included the song and the notice “Special permission through courtesy of the Clayton F Summy Company.”

A September 2015 ruling decided that the Warner claim to the song was only for the specific 1935 arrangement Jessica had copyrighted, not the song in totality. Since there were no other claimants for ownership of it, it then passed into the public domain. Warner Brothers paid $14 million to settle the claims against them and the controversial ownership of the most recognized song ever written was settled.

But that settlement was with the people who sought to legally use the song, not the millions who for decades deliberately performed it without a thought of compensating its alleged creators, sisters Patty and Mildred Hill. People who would gather to celebrate a friend or loved one and share their well wishes for another successful trip around the sun. A celebration culminating in a song lasting about 15 seconds and encompassing 25 notes, performed as the guest of honor patiently waits to blow out the candles while the crowd sings Happy Birthday.

https://thepodcastingstore.medium.com/fifteen-seconds-twenty-five-notes-and-one-of-the-most-violated-copyrights-ever-a-musical-mystery-fefaef399d31

Read more essays like this:
https://medium.com/

Rudiments! Cascara, clave and more! The Salsa Drum Set Pattern!

In case you missed it the first time around! Check out this short from the Drums West YouTube channel in which Peter breaks down a simple Salsa pattern.

Right Hand – cascara pattern
Left Hand – 2-3 clave
Bass Drum – and of 2 the and of 2 and beat 4

Rudiments! Cascara, clave and more! The Salsa Drum Set Pattern! Peter breaks down a simple Salsa pattern.Right Hand – cascara patternLeft Hand – 2-3 claveBass Drum – and of 2 the and of 2 and beat 4 ...

Trumpet Mouthpiece Backbore Demystified!

Have you heard the term “backbore” but didn’t quite know what it meant? Our friends at Pickett Brass and Blackburn Trumpets have you covered! And if you’re ready to upgrade your mouthpiece, stop in the store and try out these great mouthpieces!

"How do I choose my trumpet backbore?" 🎺🤔

The backbore of a trumpet or cornet mouthpiece is the section of a mouthpiece extending from the throat to the exit venturi at the end leading into the leadpipe.

It offers a location in your overall instrument to adjust resistance and how tight a mouthpiece feels. Having the best resistance matched for you helps you relax and 'lean' against the mouthpiece and instrument, resulting in a much more relaxed approach to playing leading to more flexibility and endurance.

In addition, the internal volume of a backbore can greatly affect intonation. Between the throat section size and length and the subsequent taper, the overall intonation can be changed.

Typically we group backbore shapes into 3 different shapes:

Symphonic: a large volume backbore that quickly expands after the throat, offering low resistance.

Classic: A medium volume backbore shape which expands linearly from the throat to the exist venturi.

Commercial: Typically a lower volume backbore which expands slowly or gradually from the throat prior to then expanding to meet the exit venturi.

Each of these offer a different feel and efficiency, and picking which style and size depends on your chest cavity , your oral cavity, your mouthpiece cup and size, and your instrument. If you have a large, free blowing instrument, you may find yourself preferring a higher resistance, more efficient backbore that offers support but doesn't deaden the sound timbre you can achieve.

And vice versa, if you have a medium or small bore instrument, you may find yourself opening up the backbore of your mouthpiece to better match with your instrument for a very comfortable feel.

Pickett Brass offers a large number of backbore options so to be able to achieve the resistance match necessary to maximize your ease of playing and response.

Like bungee jumping, you are either a grand master or you are stuff on a rock...

My Last First Day of School by Drew Holmes

We made it to 500!

Our Boomer YouTube channel just reached 500 subscribers! If you have not yet checked out the videos we have over there take a look and, if you like it, give a subscribe! Thank you to all of you for supporting us!

5 Things to Consider when Choosing Where to Rent Your Instrument

There are many options to consider when choosing where to rent your instrument, but not all music stores are created equal. What are some of the things to know to make an informed decision? Drew breaks down five of them in this short.



https://youtube.com/shorts/70wWWfATmJI