Happy birthday to Lou Barlow, b. 1966, founding member of numerous rock bands such as Dinosaur Jr. and The Folk Implosion. Rock’s lo-fi subgenre was launched with his help. He sings lead in “Natural One,” his only Top 40 hit with The Folk Implosion in 1995.
Enjoy the song to celebrate his birthday:
Most musicians will testify that practicing with a metronome helps their understanding of a piece of music. Whether you are a first year music student or a professional on world tour, you will encounter the need for a metronome in your practice or rehearsals.
How do you practice with the metronome? Isn’t it a tedious, mind-numbing clock thing that drives students nuts? The same musicians who love the metronome are the same musicians who’ll tell you that it’s a difficult tool to use.
Here are three tips to help turn this difficult tool into a trustworthy friend:
You can increase the tempo of your metronome in the smallest increments so that you won’t even notice yourself playing faster. Be careful not to use the metronome all the time; if you do, your playing might start sounding less fluid and more mechanical.
Today in Music History, 1782: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart debuts his opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail, The Abduction from the Seraglio. Italian opera at the time was popular in Vienna, Austria, and the Emperor Joseph II desired performances in German. This opera was a success.
A very funny scene arose from the celebration at the end of the performance, which was reconstructed in the 1984 film Amadeus:
Happy birthday to American musician, Marky Ramone, born 1956, best known as the drummer for The Ramones. He has played with other bands such as Dust and the Misfits, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Celebrate Marky Ramone’s birthday with this song from The Ramones’ sixth studio album:
Do you have Bose speakers? Do you know someone with Bose headphones? Aren’t they superior quality? Amar Bose, a student of electrical engineering and master of sound technology, developed the Bose audio systems for you to better enjoy music and movies.
He passed away today.
In 2011, Dr. Bose donated a majority of his company’s stock to MIT as a kind of endowment. The university doesn’t participate in the management of the company, it can’t sell the shares, and it must use the dividends to advance MIT’s educational mission. Not a bad way to make sure that the knowledge behind the sound keeps moving forward.
Rest in Peace, Dr. Bose.
On this day in 1950, American musician Eric Carr was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as the drummer who replaced Peter Criss for the rock band Kiss, he took “Fox” as his stage persona and sang, played piano, guitar, and bass guitar with Kiss for the rest of his amazing life.
Celebrate his life and music with a little 4-minute drum solo:
Happy Birthday to American musician Richie Sambora, b. 1959, best known as lead guitarist and songwriter for Bon Jovi. He has produced albums with notable artists such as Cher and has released three solo albums.
Celebrate with birthday with an acoustic version of a Bon Jovi hit.
He sings the second verse and harmonies in this one!
On this day in 1942, Ronnie James Dio was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Known for his powerful vocals, he gave credit to proper breathing techniques that he learned from playing the French horn. He performed with many bands such as Black Sabbath and Rainbow, eventually singing for his own band, Dio.
Above all, Ronnie James Dio is known for popularizing the
METAL HORNS GESTURE… C’mon, you know it…
\m/ \m/
Celebrate his life and his music with a metal favorite:
Q: My son says that he wants to quit piano. He has been taking music for a few years, but he claims to have trouble reading music and learning his assignments. I think that he has a lot of potential if he only practiced more. Should I let him quit? I regret now having asked my parents to quit piano.
A: Many parents have the same feelings when they remember that their own parents allowed them to quit music lessons. Whether he is talented, gifted, or not, unless lessons and practice are structured and goal-oriented, the energy put into instruction will be lost.
Playing music is not something that is taught and absorbed such as literature or history. The first few years, students are being shown new symbols and applying them to their assignments. New music students tend to acquire skills quickly, so they are motivated by the quick progress. This comes to a halt when the music becomes challenging. The novelty wears off, and interest is lost.
If he requires instant gratification:
Remember that patience, responsibility and dedication are taught at home. Most professionals will agree that they did not become masters of their crafts by quitting. Do not bargain with practice goals, unless you want to send signals that practice goals are negotiable.
If he has trouble reading the music, consider flashcards or notebook help.
Happy Birthday to amazingly gifted American musician Jack White, b. 1975, who is best known as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for The White Stripes. He has played in numerous bands and collaborated in the production of tens of albums.
Celebrate his birthday with a song from The White Stripes’ fourth studio album Elephant, released in 2003:
