Category: Music

Symphonic Music and the NFL, NFL’s 2012 Season Opens Today

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This a great week for sports fans as the NFL makes its 2012 debut.

It is very exciting that there is a game tonight, the first of the year, but it wont feel like football until Sunday when there will be a full ledger of games and scores to keep an eye on. Although, in San Diego we will have to wait one more day as the Chargers open the season on Monday Night Football.

For some reason over the years there has been a musical link with the NFL and symphonic music. The greatest themes all employ dramatic horns, strings and percussion to paint a picture of the weekly gridiron battles we have come to love. I am guessing NFL Films would be the originators of pairing symphonic themes with football but I would need to dig a little deeper to prove that claim. One could argue that if they were not the first they might be the best.

Perhaps the greatest gift to football fans and music lovers is the fact we are finally rid of Hank Williams Jr.’s “Are You Ready for Some Football.” If I knew all it would take was to get ol’ Bocephus to talk politics to get rid of that song I would have baited him myself!…years ago! For those of you who liked it, rest assured the brain trust at the networks have most likely found an equally horrible and annoying anthem to fill in.

Here are a couple classic sound clips to get you ready for the season! Best to your favorite team…unless they are playing my Chargers of course!

Keep an eye out for my NFL 2012 predictions is song coming very soon!

1,000,000 Sold = Platinum not Gold

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I just noticed an exponential theme in my last two posts and now am uncontrollably on a mission to see how high I can go with this!

Worlds Top 1o Richest Drummers

What Does 100 ‘Likes’ on Facebook Mean, Thank You!

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Land of 1000 Dances, Wilson Pickett

10,000 Lovers in One, TNT

100,000 Artists for Change

1,ooo,ooo is a lot of records to have sold! And 1,ooo,ooo units sold equals a Platinum Record according to the RIAA(Recording Industry Association of America). Certainly a lofty standard for all musicians.

Van Halen II, Platinum Record

100,000 Artists For Change

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I just noticed an exponential theme in my last two posts and now am uncontrollably on a mission to see how high I can go with this!

Worlds Top 1o Richest Drummers

What Does 100 ‘Likes’ on Facebook Mean, Thank You!

____________________________________________________________________________

Land of 1000 Dances, Wilson Pickett

10,000 Lovers in One, TNT

100,000 Artists for Change

Alright I had to reach out from my own experiences and hunt for 100K  but found a good one.  I like the authors take on change…with the Gandhian philosophy of change yourself to change the world not vice versa. Good luck on your event!!

10,000 Lovers in One, TNT

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I just noticed an exponential theme in my last two posts and now am uncontrollably on a mission to see how high I can go with this!

Worlds Top 1o Richest Drummers

What Does 100 ‘Likes’ on Facebook Mean, Thank You!

____________________________________________________________________________

Land of 1000 Dances, Wilson Pickett

10,000 Lovers in One, TNT

TNT was a Norwegian ‘Metal’ band from the 80’s. One of the few glam bands I actually liked Ronni Le Tekro was a great guitarist. I believe they are still going strong in 2012!

What does 100 ‘Likes’ on Facebook Mean? Thank You!

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What does 100 likes mean on Facebook?

Well to mega stars/companies it might mean it was a slow hour.

To people that use Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms just to get likes, follows, re-tweets etc for no other reason than to boost their ego…it might make their day.

What does it mean to me? Everything!

It means that I have friends, family, fans, students, colleagues and music lovers that appreciate and support my musical endeavors.

Music has always made a better world in my world and I hope to pass that same power of music to you, even if it comes from sharing a  photo, music joke, my musical journey, a gigantic symphonic work, a three chord rock song or whatever catches my ear on a daily basis!

I appreciate all the support!

Thank You by Led Zeppelin

What does a Playboy Playmate, Pussycat Doll and Big Screen Actress Have in Common With a San Diego Guitarist? A Wedding Blog

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That got your attention!

So what does a talented young lady with these celebrated credentials have in common with a classical guitarist? 364 days a year not much, but, for one day I was the wedding guitarist for just such a person.

This past summer mixed in with all my wedding playing, teaching and other musical activities I did have the honor to play for Playmate, Pussycat Doll and actress, Rachel Sterling. Her acting acclaim includes Wedding Crashers, True Blood- HBO series and a long list of other credits to her name.

So who, what, where, when was this wedding…details, details, details? Not being the National Enquirer or any other supermarket tabloid, I’m not gonna say. You can do the research if it is that important to you. I can tell you it was a typical beautiful Day at the Beach in San Diego….Sunny & 70…as always. (Two shameless plugs)

I can tell you while prepping, I was excited to have a celebrity wedding. Going over in my mind “Wow!”, who is going to attend? Will there be crazy Hollywood types with lots of hoopla? Paparazzi hiding in the bushes? Would I be interviewed by E! TV, wondering what kind of napkins they had?

Well I will tell you exactly what happened…a wedding broke out. A regular, very nice, but, regular ol’ wedding for two people in love to share their vows in front of the ones they love. There was family, friends, beautiful women ….in a nutshell…it was a wedding! A cool wedding for a cool couple! I had nothing but a good experience working with Rachel over the phone, email chats and day of, she was a great easy going bride!

The biggest difference about this wedding than my many others was my friends and families reaction. Usually, my friends say oh cool your playing a wedding this weekend…good luck. But, for this one…I never had so many offers to be my roadie, my soundman, my bodyguard…you name it.

I’m looking forward to keeping an eye out as Rachel’s career unfolds over the years and remember the day that this classical wedding guitarist from San Diego played a superstars wedding!!

Rachel and Logan thanks so much for having me play guitar for you and your guests! I wish you the best in your marriage and careers and hope to play as you renew your vows when we are old and gray.

What is a Picardy 3rd?

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Alex Trebek, “The practice of ending a piece of music in a minor key on a major tonic chord”

…I am going to win one of you a Jeopardy answer someday! Remember this!

Not sure why but while studying music in college the topic of the Picardy 3rd was something that always came up in jokes and conversations between students. It may have to do with it just being a cool musical concept, it may be that is was one of the easier concepts to grasp for most music students, I’m just not sure. All I know is every time I hear it I want to do that stupid Beavis and Butthead laugh and say, “Uhhh-huhh, you said Picardy 3rd.”

It was a practice popularized in the Renaissance period 1400-1600. The origins of the name Picardy are not known for sure although some theorize it relates to the Picardy region of France.

So other than a joke between college musicians, winning Jeopardy or impressing your friends with a relatively useless piece of trivia how does this effect your life?

Well for those of you who write music try it! You will be amazed at the stark lifting statement a final major chord has on a minor keyed song. The half step raising of one note can substantially generate a physical impression on your listeners. And after all what are we trying to do as musicians…move our listeners!

Try it you’ll like it!

Here is Glenn Gould performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude in D minor BWV926 Listen for the difference between the final major chord and the rest of the piece in minor.