tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57486464170947522482012-02-07T21:49:33.988ZReal games, involving sound and music, to play with real people. Discussion about music education in general.Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.comBlogger2071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-83751042951003630522012-02-07T21:49:00.000Z2012-02-07T21:49:34.028Z

A couple of insect related items caught my ear recently, courtesy of BBC radio.  The first concerned bees and one Huw Evans, an electronic engineer turned bee-keeper.  He has been recording the sound inside his hives and analysing it in an attempt to predict swarming.  He can also monitor the health of his bees in a non-invasive manner.  Looking inside the hives to check on the bees just upsets

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-55467177092421480542012-02-05T10:02:00.002Z2012-02-05T10:06:14.617Z

When I bought my flute from Vunugoptal I tried to teach him a tune and he tried to teach one to me.  Neither of us had much success.  I had wanted to play The Lark in the Morning - a particular favourite - but could neither remember it nor conjure it out of the Keralan air.  I settled for The Maids of Mitchelstown. I don't know what tune he tried to teach me but I distracted myself by

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-19616268545680347452012-02-01T14:41:00.000Z2012-02-01T17:21:49.221Z

As part of my work on the soundtrack for 'There's a Monster in My Piano' for Garlic Theatre I am collecting true stories about, and people's early impressions of,  pianos.  This has involved sticking a microphone in front of my interviewees and so I am learning the knack of helping them relax while keeping my own mouth shut. An excellent discipline. I didn't have much to do with pianos as a

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-38915992736425417072012-01-29T12:59:00.001Z2012-02-01T14:17:38.227Z

On the way to my first Dravidian flute lesson I was hailed by the tailor whose hut, a corrugated iron-roofed structure with a view out over the Arabian Sea, was en route to the Juice Shack where I had first met Venugoptal.  I had visited him the previous afternoon to choose material and have my flute measured for a bag.  I had arranged to collect it later in the day but, although it would

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-92042053389326336432012-01-26T22:29:00.000Z2012-01-26T22:38:35.783Z

It's good to be back in Norwich Puppet Theatre, working on a new show.  This one is called 'There's a Monster in My Piano' and is a Garlic Theatre production.  Without giving too much away, it's about a piano with a mysterious monster inside.  Touring with a real piano would be a nightmare but this show uses a toy piano.  And I don't mean from Woolworths.  More on the piano later.  Meanwhile,

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-72582402440408366052012-01-23T14:48:00.000Z2012-01-23T15:17:08.658Z

There was no way of knowing the going rate for a hand-made flute in Kerala. I just had to go on Venugopal's open-hearted demeanour.  I believed him when he said he didn't really care whether or not he sold a particular flute to a particular customer.  Anyone who has visited a bazaar in the 'developing world' and shown even the most cursory interest in an item has probably, also, been pursued

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-7544803849002952992012-01-20T19:34:00.000Z2012-01-22T16:15:50.237Z

We left Fort Cochin by taking the ferry across to Ernakulam.  From there we took a train south to Varkala, a small town with an important Hindu shrine on the coast, just a short rickshaw ride from the station. The temple and shrines are about 300 metres from the beach.  At the beach itself the devout spread the ashes of the deceased and then return in subsequent years to do puja (prayer/

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-11031965555586043572012-01-18T11:02:00.000Z2012-01-18T11:20:08.257Z

Another article from the Beeb's news site.  "Wings", the first film ever to win a 'best picture' Academy Award, is to be re-released with a live soundtrack provided by cinema organist Clark Wilson.  That's the good news.  The bad news? There are no plans to bring it to the UK Starring Clara Bow and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, it also gave an early outing to the great Gary Cooper.  The only

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-9174000733034338802012-01-17T21:42:00.000Z2012-01-17T21:43:50.669Z

A BBC news item caught my eye today. It concerns oceanographers in Vancouver who have an underwater listening array. Apparently the US military are unhappy about the scientists' practice of allowing anyone at all to listen, live, to the microphones, in the way that you might monitor a webcam. The US navy carries out manoeuvres in the waters off the Canadian coast and is concerned that

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-5905982934160179632012-01-14T11:41:00.000Z2012-01-15T10:19:13.574Z

I have recently returned from India; a fortnight or so in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It was a family visit so perhaps not as much music as I might have otherwise have pursued but nevertheless I encountered plenty. I left home in Norwich in the small hours on the back of a jazz gig over in Great Yarmouth. I arrived in Cochin at the end of a particularly long day at about 5.30am, local time.  Having

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-12106955067282486382011-08-31T22:26:00.001+01:002011-09-01T12:15:26.138+01:00

I have just returned from the Bristol Puppet Festival where I took part in two productions of The Chalk Giants for Norwich Puppet Theatre and two of Claytime for Indefinite Articles. It was a flying visit but I made the most of what was on offer. The name 'Hotel 24Seven' does not hold out much promise of a peaceful night's sleep but, unlike other establishments I've visited recently, it was

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-38076879492253811592011-08-26T02:42:00.007+01:002011-08-26T17:16:35.519+01:00

I don't seek out music-related books for holiday reading and I came across this one entirely by accident. A new vegetarian Indian cafe opened recently near Norwich Puppet Theatre and I went there for lunch a couple of times while working on Thumbelina. There's an odd assortment of books there, with hardback recipe books (dealing with food they don't serve) featuring prominently. So this one

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-65549179730141703612011-08-19T18:23:00.007+01:002011-08-31T16:07:46.350+01:00

Last year I found myself working on a project in a Great Yarmouth primary school, building up to a play written in collaboration with the children. My tasks included setting their lyrics to music playable on xylophones by 9 - 11 year olds. And then rehearsing the band with the singers. As anyone who has worked on school performances will know, the children usually give every indication of

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-38604015963382716092011-08-03T20:34:00.004+01:002011-08-03T21:11:16.207+01:00

In the UK it is possible to marry practically anywhere. I'm not sure if that includes cliff tops or not and this couple had done all the official stuff prior to the main event. But there is certainly a trend for marrying, and having unions blessed and witnessed, in unorthodox spots.Back in May Eastern Straynotes, the trio in which I play clarinet, even played for a wedding that took place in a

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-35604654340960960762011-07-23T13:41:00.006+01:002011-08-31T16:08:47.801+01:00

While performing is a real thrill, the process of creating a show can be equally exciting. Last month I was involved in R&D (research and development) for a show exploring light and aimed at very young children. It involved working with an expressive dancer who trained at the highly regarded Laban school of dance in London. Also involved were a specialist in shadow play and the director,

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-57792687108231452852011-07-16T09:33:00.013+01:002011-08-31T19:49:56.707+01:00

I was fifteen when I went to my first real gig, sneaking out of a badly run boarding school and into the back of a transit van, borrowed from his father by an older day-boy. The band was Hawkwind and I was blown away by the event. The light show featured four slide projectors, mounted on a tower, that made dragons dance on a screen behind the band. The music was driving and the flute player (

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-55188351895272928552011-07-13T21:41:00.003+01:002012-01-14T13:42:32.628Z

I snapped this with my phone the other day. I was at the house of a friend with young children. Behind the alphabet primer and numbers poster lies his CD collection. A reminder that life moves on.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-49231964781288896802011-07-10T18:59:00.010+01:002011-07-10T20:40:09.476+01:00

Last Monday saw the launch of the Sites and Sounds project in Norfolk. This will see musical practitioners including singers, instrumentalists and beat-boxers going onto traveller sites in order to share their skills with the young people who live there. The launch took place at County Hall, the seat of regional government, a 1960's Brutalist edifice, outside which had been placed a vardo, or

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-78717276560172158792011-07-01T20:41:00.002+01:002011-07-02T14:19:00.045+01:00

One item that always scores a hit is the singing bowl. Children are fascinated and thrill-seeking (but usually clean living) Five Rhythms dancers can't get enough.If, like me, you are fascinated by Tibetan singing bowls then this link to BBC News will interest you. It reports on research into the peculiar behaviour of water in the bowl when the instrument is sounded. If you have a singing bowl

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-6264933193623290042011-06-02T07:21:00.015+01:002011-06-02T12:52:41.261+01:00

I have always been fascinated by automata - toys that move when a handle is cranked or a lever pressed. So when the opportunity came up to help children create an installation for their primary school I jumped at the chance. However, the first hurdle was convincing the interview panel that I was the most suitable applicant. To this end I constructed a machine with a strong musical element.After

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-86731031961167029152011-05-08T07:34:00.013+01:002011-05-08T13:06:20.495+01:00

The best part of writing music for theatre is seeing the show for the first time with my sound fulfilling its intended purpose. I haven't made it to a performance of Luminous Tales by Ripstop Theatre, which opened last month (although was involved in the development). But yesterday I caught the first outing of Bob Percy's new act, The Boneshaker Medicine Show, which he performs as his alter ego

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-79342294769759031022011-04-14T11:36:00.005+01:002011-05-08T13:54:40.303+01:00

One of the downsides of touring on a budget is that there is no guarantee of a good night's sleep. The Travelodge at Wall's End, just north of Newcastle, was fine on Thursday and Friday nights but on Saturday night the corridor outside my room erupted at about 2am and kept bursting into sudden life until I got up at 7.30. Having taken a wrong turning on the way back from a gig I found myself

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-52157727595589265652011-03-01T06:32:00.007Z2011-03-01T07:20:45.187Z

'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.Last Wednesday all the museums in Cambridge stayed open late for an event called Twilight at the Museums. The lights were switched off and children issued with torches in order to see the exhibits in a new light. All except at the Fitzwilliam where torches were

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-44258792261520982852011-02-22T21:33:00.005Z2011-02-22T22:17:54.215Z

The best thing about being a freelancer is knowing there will never be enough food on the table to have to worry about a weight problem. A close second is choosing what sort of direction life will take at any given time. I say 'choosing' but the art of freelancing is being open to all manner of possibilities and taking the most interesting path offered.So yesterday and today found me on an

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-13065314285455032672011-02-17T07:01:00.009Z2011-02-17T09:10:19.501Z

I did a bit of touring back in the 80s and loved the excitement of setting off for a new destination, the camaraderie, the shared sense of purpose. And of course, having my bad habits reinforced by hanging out with people who had made the same lifestyle choices.What I didn't like was sitting in the back of a windowless transit, with amps and the PA for seats, playing cards to pass the time.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-86937413935420081892011-02-12T05:15:00.007Z2011-02-12T06:20:27.742Z

Every so often I play in a very large hotel, jazz for eating to in a restaurant where the band is foisted on staff who really don't want it. Although some favourable comments come from diners I think many of them are also perturbed by music that isn't entirely bland, predictable and disembodied; piped as opposed to 'live'.So what are we doing there? Believe me, I ask myself the same question

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-80544306662956303942011-01-06T09:28:00.005Z2011-01-06T10:32:27.968Z

The decline in live music in public places dates back to the rising popularity of the phonograph early in the last century. Since then numerous inventions and developments have seen the trend continue.Pubs in the UK have also been in decline for years. The smoking ban of 2007 has been held up as a major cause but changing lifestyles and cheap supermarket booze are probably just as much to blame.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-15121316262049527462010-12-11T15:06:00.002Z2010-12-11T15:15:56.971Z

The other day a young student told me she was going to write the word 'floboe' on her flute case. My puzzled expression elicited an explanation. "There aren't any oboes in the junior orchestra," she told me, "so some of the flutes play the oboe parts. So we call ourselves floboe players."This put me in mind of a some-time pit band colleague (shows, not collieries) who is currently playing the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-38192278796341128152010-11-30T21:57:00.003Z2010-11-30T22:23:13.873Z

December's free music game has just been uploaded. Called Seven of Eight, it's one for the whole group or class. Versatile as they come, this exercise can be made simple enough for five year olds or sufficiently challenging to stretch accomplished adults. Go ahead and assimilate it.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-83964131488046880772010-11-13T08:15:00.004Z2010-11-13T12:40:17.313Z

It's not often my friend Hugh and I meet young girls who tell us we're gorgeous. And if you saw us you would instantly know why. So when I went with Hugh and a couple of others to demonstrate musical instruments on a travellers' site last week I had a pleasant surprise. The boost to my self esteem was short lived, however, as the word used was actually 'gadjos' (pronounced gorgeous). Gadjo

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-65492963206705485272010-11-08T18:23:00.009Z2010-12-19T10:33:49.756Z

It's always a pleasure to visit Cambridge, even on those occasions when, not expecting rain, I get soaked to the skin. I arrived in balmy temperatures and sat outside the rehearsal space with a cup of coffee. But when I left the Fitzwilliam just after lunch it was markedly cooler and the rain was just beginning. And by the time I got back to our rehearsal space I was wet through.I was in the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-80095227523940756772010-10-02T07:21:00.006+01:002010-10-02T09:17:16.804+01:00

I have spent a fair amount of the last two weeks writing music and creating sound effects for Garlic Theatre's new show. I have composed most of the music for the previous four Garlic shows but Iklooshar, one half of the 'husband-and-wife' company, was keen to score this one by herself. My role has been to take up any slack and advise on technical matters and, in the event, very little of my

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-78812020495520022622010-09-25T18:19:00.005+01:002010-09-26T16:31:25.402+01:00

Firstly, apologies for the picture. I took it on a walk along Salisbury Crags one afternoon and the view looks more or less north-west towards Calton Hill and I'm looking into the light. And the picture isn't really 'tourist' Edinburgh. What you see in the foreground is the Scottish Parliament and it is the modern face of Scotland. It's a 'new-build' and was beset with problems, not least of

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-87799223142528207172010-09-07T20:56:00.003+01:002010-11-30T21:57:29.322Z

This one is called Biddly Biddly Bop and I got it from an actor friend called Lucy. I usually post a game at the beginning of each month but various factors contributed to a delay this time around. It's an excellent back-to-school activity or workshop icebreaker. Enjoy.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-12024331942280587042010-09-05T20:45:00.004+01:002010-09-05T21:12:16.229+01:00

I played at the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts earlier today, a building designed by Sir Norman Foster on the UEA campus to house the Sainsbury art collection. The jazz/klezmer trio of which I am a part is not especially loud but we do amplify ourselves. And I remember playing here in a nine-piece salsa band some years ago which certainly packed a punch.It occurred to me that future

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-31176614177176898972010-08-02T10:31:00.004+01:002010-09-07T19:20:36.945+01:00

If you have yet to visit my website you may be unaware that there it hosts a number of music games that are free to use and require no special equipment, knowledge or training. And every month, in addition to that, I post a 'for one month only' game. This month's is a listening game. It is called Detective 2 and is a development of Detective which is on the free music games page.And this may

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-73750178298031948102010-07-29T14:33:00.006+01:002010-07-29T15:47:22.111+01:00

I must have spent the last four weeks or so on this show but it has been well worth it. It opened last Saturday but the four of us closest to it, meaning the two actors, the director and myself, have continued re-working it in the light of audience response. I was down at the theatre yesterday painting a screen to hide the projector from the auditorium, having my two-tiered work top measured

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-78714044707294673972010-07-17T16:02:00.013+01:002010-07-17T17:50:29.738+01:00

I'm currently collaborating on a new puppet show called The Chalk Giants. It's to to be premiered next weekend at Norwich Puppet Theatre where it will run for just over a week before we take it up to the Edinburgh Fringe early in August. Without giving too much away we are incorporating moving images taken at key points along the chalk escarpment that forms the geological divide between the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-72203142091149877962010-07-05T22:28:00.007+01:002010-07-05T22:58:56.196+01:00

A quick trip down to London today to record Guyana born poet John Agard. He wrote poems and lyrics for a new puppet show called The Chalk Giants for which I'm making music. John has a wonderfully sonorous voice and it is hoped that we can use his readings of some of the words in the show.I took the train to Liverpool Street and the tube to Embankment. Crossing the river I came across a steel

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-25197064472127736272010-07-02T05:53:00.008+01:002010-07-02T06:58:58.768+01:00

I have recently returned from a week of celebrations surrounding the summer solstice. We camp in circles, with about thirty people in each, around a central fire used for cooking and warmth in the evenings. Needless to say the weather can make or break this kind of activity and this year we were blessed with warmth and sunshine.I was one of three official camp musicians and one of our roles was

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-42595584996366216532010-07-01T06:54:00.005+01:002010-08-01T08:26:20.015+01:00

As regular readers will be aware, a new free music game appears on my website each month. This month's game is called Pot Luck Orchestra and is a sonic exploration of found objects. Fun for all!Meanwhile, I have been rather quiet lately, not because nothing is happening but because I have yet to get around to blogging about it. I shall rectify this situation in the next few days and share my

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-47789602375555064842010-06-18T21:56:00.005+01:002010-06-18T22:16:56.214+01:00

You may have no interest in football but I would be surprised if word of the vuvuzela has not yet reached your ears. I switched on the radio shortly before the opening game of the World Cup in South Africa and thought I must be listening to a conversation about Formula One. The commentators and pundits were having to shout above the noise of what sounded like a racetrack in the background. It

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-14252273512182974322010-06-17T10:45:00.014+01:002010-06-17T12:50:21.675+01:00

I was up with the birds yesterday morning in order to pedal off to the station and catch a train for York. At short notice I had been asked to play for Claytime at the Theatre Royal. I love places that are visibly rich in history and York is right up there with the best. The theatre was opened in 1744, having been built on the site of the mediaeval St Leonard's Hospital, some of which was

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-60607172064462444672010-06-13T21:57:00.003+01:002010-06-13T22:07:39.208+01:00

I have just watched an illustrated lecture by David Byrne, he of Talking Heads fame, entitled How architecture helped music evolve. It lasts a mere 16 minutes but seems much shorter. It's a very good introduction to the relationship between composers and the venues for which they wrote. The presenter infuses it with his own perspective and inimitable style. Recommended!

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-91356781652822209072010-06-11T14:13:00.004+01:002010-06-11T15:49:54.322+01:00

A friend of mine who teaches music to young adults gives a lecture on safety once a year as part of the course. He stresses the importance of having the electrician's sticker (pictured) on each piece of kit. The week following one of these lectures a student came in with a sheet of the labels, carefully recreated in Photoshop and printed onto sticky paper. These he was gaily distributing

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-22809822685761240912010-06-07T17:21:00.004+01:002010-06-07T18:07:21.189+01:00

I have a young student who had narrowly missed out on taking her grade 1 exam with her previous tutor about 18 months ago. Between then and becoming my student last autumn she had drifted, making little progress with a flute that was in need of some attention.We started looking at the grade material again but I quickly realised she was bored with it, having studied for an exam that never

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-56850070525079977422010-06-06T10:41:00.005+01:002010-06-06T10:47:53.456+01:00

You learn something new every day. Last night I was working with a drummer who introduced me to the concept of 'piggybacking'. To save bringing an extra stand, and indeed to save space on a crowded stage, two cymbals share the same stand. The second cymbal is mounted upside down above the first, the two being separated by a couple of felt washers. It goes without saying that the smaller one

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-35975580710512313852010-06-04T08:42:00.012+01:002010-06-04T16:07:33.276+01:00

What a wonderful thing, advice. Especially those maxims and catch phrases that roll so easily off the tongue. One of my favouites is 'stick to what you're good at' but I can never follow it myself because I am naturally curious and 'a student of life'. In particular, my aversion to DIY (an acronym for Don't Involve Yourself) is tempered by the satisfaction derived from completing a project.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-6238984406288197592010-06-02T09:00:00.005+01:002010-07-01T06:53:31.102+01:00

This month's free music game is for any number of people and is suitable for a wide age range, from about 6yrs to adult. It is particularly good for waking up your group's powers of concentration and getting brain and body working together. If you have a regular group, or are a classroom teacher, and can keep returning to the game, you will notice steady improvement over time. Once children,

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-49502881004589916972010-05-29T20:35:00.004+01:002010-05-29T21:38:07.177+01:00

Some months ago my car radio, intermittent for some time, stopped working altogether. I could get a static laden AM signal but no FM. I don't drive a lot and didn't especially miss it but a couple of weeks ago I discovered the aerial was missing. Replacing it was simple and now I can listen to clear a clear AM signal and a slightly crackly FM.Music in the car is frustrating unless I know it

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-88214823010000291762010-05-24T17:42:00.003+01:002010-05-24T22:03:30.971+01:00

In the post before last I talked about writing songs with children that are to be played by children. In this instance the children are aged between 7 and 11 years old. The words were extracted from the children by a writer, of poetry rather than songs, as part of a project aimed at improving literacy. It was my task to set this words to music with the undertaking that I should not alter the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-87338487816668736152010-05-19T12:43:00.003+01:002010-05-19T21:03:59.947+01:00

It's not every day I'm asked to play in a 14th century vaulted stone crypt. Every so often I play in the a bar called Jurnets, situated in the cellar beneath Jurnets House in King Street in mediaevel Norwich. Last Friday I did this in my role as clarinetist in Eastern Straynotes and actually remembered to take my camera along.The place was 'themed' before the theme-ing of pubs became big

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-76676950752055196852010-05-17T16:36:00.007+01:002010-05-17T17:56:40.344+01:00

A project is nearing completion and that ending is being marked by an outdoor performance by the whole school next week. A play of epic proportions has been written, the content based on ideas extracted from the children, and it features no less than eight songs. The children wrote the songs too. That is to say, they wrote the words with the music being supplied by yours truly.Two weeks ago we

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-52294717384200378052010-05-11T11:34:00.009+01:002010-05-11T12:22:08.226+01:00

One of my favourite places is Norwich Puppet Theatre and I am fortunate in that my work takes me there from time to time. Not so frequently that I ever take it for granted but sufficiently often for me to feel at home. The age of the building alone, some seven hundred years or more, gives it a special atmosphere but the fact that it is a veritable museum of puppets of all kinds makes it a

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-49563360749038458312010-05-09T14:45:00.006+01:002010-05-09T16:25:12.655+01:00

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival is here again. Every spring the denizens of this city get a taste of cosmopolitan culture and last night I went to see Les Ballets C. de la B. for a little contemporary dance. The company hails from Belgium and is famous in the contemporary dance world. But I confess I knew nothing about them before I went, it being my partner's suggestion.The show begins

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-63412286399127440712010-05-03T20:58:00.006+01:002010-06-01T08:15:33.931+01:00

This month's free music game is played in pairs. It's called Count to Three and that's all you have to do. Except, of course, that it isn't quite as simple as that. The difficulty comes from alternating the count with your partner. To learn how to play it just click on the link to the page on my site.I first came across this game when working as musical director for Tiebreak Theatre's

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-79923863714949890422010-04-26T20:57:00.009+01:002010-04-26T21:44:39.152+01:00

But now they're called animations of course. And a friend of mine, Matt Reeve, recently asked me to write the music for one he was making to enter into a competition. The competition was organised by a company called Aniboom and called for a Sesame Street style animation.We opted for a counting song and Matt managed two sequences to go with the same piece of music. One is called Ten Divers and

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-19223232647814018252010-04-19T21:44:00.008+01:002010-04-20T14:45:30.347+01:00

8.45 am, the local health centre. I am still in shock at having got an appointment for the same morning I made the call and don't feel fully awake. I prefer a gentle start to the day, however early I have to set my alarm to get it, along with a second cup of tea. Some time after 9 o'clock I realise the waiting room has pop music playing. It's been a while since I've seen a doctor and this

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-87215571179858930832010-04-16T09:46:00.005+01:002010-04-16T11:52:48.188+01:00

I have blogged before on ocean drums, effusively singing their praises. My opinion hasn't changed. This is an instrument with a real wow factor. My earlier post gives you some background information along with my thoughts on the pictorial-versus-plain argument. (Personally I find the illustrations, along with the name of the instrument, too leading. Children are quite capable of

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-47652362936489063992010-04-12T22:27:00.000+01:002010-04-13T13:47:01.437+01:00

There is nothing like doing something different. I have worked for the Girl Guides before remastering material, originally recorded on mini-disc for cassette duplication, to make it suitable for release on CD. But on Sunday I found myself recording them live for the first time in order to make their fifth CD release.There were some thirty adult Guides, many of whom learnt their craft in the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-4238014061441463562010-04-10T10:52:00.004+01:002010-04-10T21:10:54.176+01:00

In the popular imagination at least, the jawbone is part of any self-respecting shaman's tool-kit. Children are always fascinated when I tell them about the animal origins of sound I am making with my factory-produced vibraslap: the skeleton picked clean by crows or vultures and the teeth loose in the jaw.The modern instrument was invented by Martin Cohen. Metal pins replace the teeth and a

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-38721643642401043662010-04-08T07:09:00.007+01:002010-04-08T14:33:52.075+01:00

Whereas there are kids who will insist, on catching a glimpse of my dulcimer, that I have brought along a guitar there is no mistaking the triangle. And while 'kokiriko' is a name that is rarely remembered, 'triangle' is never forgotten.Triangles have been used in European orchestral music since the 18th century. Like any instrument it is difficult to play well, in spite of its simple

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-52899706470141950992010-04-06T04:29:00.010+01:002010-04-06T16:22:17.228+01:00

This steel-strung dulcimer has to be one of the most popular instruments I have ever taken into a school. It's a sure-fire hit with both children and teachers. It can be sourced from Hawkins Bazaar in the UK where they give it the less than specific name of 'music maker'. Mine says it is a zitabo and was made in China. I notice the new ones are called cymbalas and appear to come from Russia.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-25434562192139454992010-04-01T07:31:00.005+01:002010-05-01T00:01:46.258+01:00

This month's featured free music game is called Duets. It's a good way introducing a collection instruments to a large group in a short space of time. It works even better with a smaller group and a longer time frame but the point is that it does work with a large group. And it works well. I have found it a very useful ingredient when running taster sessions.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-53146732224800859702010-03-23T21:03:00.008Z2010-03-23T22:09:54.935Z

A student of mine has just lent me a baritone sax and I got it out today for the first time to have a blow. The case is the size of a small car and I can't see myself peddling around with this beast under my arm like I did with the tenor. It takes up a deal of space and I can appreciate why its owner, who had another one at home, was so happy for me to take it off his hands for a while. The

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-90346412740199797132010-03-17T15:40:00.009Z2010-03-17T19:02:55.819Z

I was discussing a music-making project that aims to involve children and young adults who may be described as being on the fringes of society. It was taken, almost as a given, that the emphasis would be on 'popular' music because it is so much more accessible. We accepted that classical music, although wonderful in itself, was unlikely to be the best starting point. It is not impossible to

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-46522901682823454812010-03-13T09:22:00.004Z2010-03-13T10:45:11.238Z

I remember, aged about ten, hearing my father rail against the tuneless racket emanating from my teenage brother's bedroom. Personally I like Bob Dylan but I do have some sympathy for my father's point of view. The guitar playing is tuneful enough but the vocal style, like English ale, is an acquired taste. And Dylan's harmonica playing is worth a post of its own, if not a whole book.People

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-50249485703605464382010-03-10T10:13:00.003Z2010-03-10T10:52:49.915Z

At the end of the singing competition I went to last week the chief judge got up to speak to the audience and give her feedback to the choirs. She told us how she refused to judge competitions but enjoyed coming to Norwich to judge this one because it wasn't a competition. The problem with competitions, apparently, is that they can be very discouraging when all the choirs really want is some

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-82822123744046330462010-03-08T21:09:00.003Z2010-03-08T21:31:43.186Z

A friend of mine sent me a video yesterday. It shows an amazing machine that sends balls, presumably using air pressure, in the manner of a tennis serving machine. These hit various pieces wood and metal and even strings to produce a very listenable jazz-rock score. According to the accompanying blurb the machine is made from components used in farm machinery, is displayed at the University of

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-25156911351067748622010-03-07T20:32:00.004Z2010-03-07T21:48:55.404Z

I suppose anything that gets people singing is, by definition, 'a good thing' and therefore be spared any criticism. So I should stop there really, perhaps just pausing to express my genuine admiration for those who put their spare time into running choirs. Last week I went to see a singing competition in a church in the city centre. It wasn't supposed to be a competition but more on that

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-597769332837146122010-03-06T06:18:00.005Z2010-03-06T16:21:44.579Z

With the possible exception of John Adams I have never been a particular fan of opera. There is no denying the emotional intensity, the skill of the composers and musicians and the sheer power of the singers. Opera is truly awesome but I'm afraid it is largely wasted on me and it occupies a place in my mind adjacent to Heavy Metal.But there is hope for me yet. In the same way that an

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-14477481808662806762010-03-04T09:59:00.007Z2010-03-04T12:10:14.233Z

For years I have been promising myself a new MIDI controller keyboard. In about 1990 I was lent a Cheetah Masterseries V5 keyboard that was surplus to the requirements of its owner. This replaced a Yamaha home keyboard that had stopped working properly. My generous benefactor was of an itinerant nature and there was never a good time for him to take back the keyboard which would, after all,

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-34112951368599267182010-03-02T21:22:00.004Z2010-04-01T06:08:33.284+01:00

For those who don't yet know, I post a new music/sound game on my website at the beginning of each month. This month's is called Call My Name and is good for developing rhythm skills, good for developing listening skills and, well, just good fun. It's absolutely free so be my guest and take a look. It's aimed at players from nine years old to adult and should keep your group amused and

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-54950167150992035852010-02-26T05:29:00.003Z2010-02-26T06:34:45.544Z

The Associated Board of the Royal Colleges of Music offers exams up to diploma level in voice and various instruments. It also offers to examine people in music theory. The syllabus rarely attracts candidates for its own sake but to take a practical exam beyond grade 5 one needs to have passed grade five theory. And so I often find myself teaching grade five theory to students who have never

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-53948602135632647562010-02-22T20:53:00.004Z2010-02-23T08:53:06.431Z

Some children, on getting hold of the latest copy of The Beano, will go straight to the characters they like the best: The Bash Street Kids, Roger the Dodger or whoever. Despite the dangers of confiscation by a teacher, or appropriation by an older child, I would always start at the beginning (Biffo the Bear back then) and work my way through, enjoying the anticipation, until eventually I

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-33456365754009043132010-02-19T21:58:00.005Z2010-02-19T22:46:27.919Z

I posted some time ago about the bell tree, one of my favourite instruments. A couple of year three classes (7 & 8 years old) are doing some imaginative work involving magic potions and I have been developing ways of supporting this with music. The bell tree is just right for this; it gives the perfect sound for the casting of a spell.I don't have a bell tree of my own so was delighted to come

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-85341482262835878662010-02-13T19:24:00.007Z2010-02-13T22:40:24.711Z

I'm probably more a function-over-form, content-over-style person. It isn't that I don't appreciate beautiful objects but if the object has a function then I prefer something ugly but effective to something beautiful but unable to serve its purpose.I recently visited a school where I had been making shekeres with the children in the manner described in a recent post. My sole purpose had been to

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-64490740542162226242010-02-10T08:09:00.005Z2010-02-10T09:34:26.317Z

There are several ways of dividing a class of children into smaller groups. It is fun, but time consuming, to have them arrange themselves in alphabetical or age order. If you believe in star signs, and opt for the age thing, you may wish to mix them up a bit afterwards to avoid having all the leading Leos in one group and the recalcitrant Capricorns in another.My own favourite, because

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-80400492018983699432010-02-07T18:07:00.005Z2010-02-07T19:56:32.315Z

Each month I publish a free newsletter called Playing With Sound. There is always a new game or some other activity. (In February's edition, perhaps this month's highlight, I explain how to make an oboe out of a plastic straw.) Signing up is easy, as is unsubscribing if you decide it isn't for you. One aspect of it I have really enjoyed is the way it has put me in touch with people all over

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-15653060188386043812010-02-04T20:26:00.004Z2010-02-04T20:58:13.880Z

Even though most of the snail mail I get nowadays comprises bills, bank statements and unwanted invitations to insure my life and chattels, I still look forward to the arrival of the postman. Once in a blue moon, perhaps three times since 1978, he brings me something special and earlier this week he did just that. Opening an unassuming padded envelope I discovered a copy of Polynesian

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-32288603756364955232010-02-03T07:38:00.006Z2010-02-03T09:51:09.903Z

About fifteen years ago I was playing flute and sax in a trio consisting of a singer/harmoniumist, a tabla/dole player and myself. We did a mixture of ghazals and the singer's own compositions and threw in the odd Bollywood number as a crowd pleaser. As well as the gigs I remember a couple of very enjoyable outings. One was to Southall for food, culture (OK, I mean window shopping) and a trip

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-27575171977008545922010-01-31T20:22:00.006Z2010-02-01T16:29:06.662Z

Regular readers will know I post a free music game at the beginning of every month on the PlayWithSound website.This month's is called Supercar and is a rhythm and speaking game, equally suited to both music classes and drama workshops.It requires neither instruments nor any specialist knowledge but will nevertheless give your students and colleagues something to get their teeth into.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-32767004209584378802010-01-31T10:59:00.011Z2010-01-31T13:57:23.574Z

A shekere is a West African percussion instrument made from a dried gourd. A net is woven around the gourd with beads threaded into the mesh. The net is loose enough to permit movement but not so loose that it falls off. There are many different styles (this photo is from Wikipedia) but the principle is always the same.A number of different sounds can be produced by shaking, hitting with the

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-13128137532110309462010-01-26T03:47:00.012Z2010-01-26T13:44:35.505Z

Four breakages in one session last week and none in any others. Coincidence? The children were not unruly and in each case the damage could be put down to 'fair wear and tear'.This session was different in that, because the materials had not arrived for the instrument-making session I had intended, I implemented a Plan B. The session was one that is familiar to music teachers across the land.

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-43060003275082042592010-01-23T12:35:00.005Z2010-01-23T16:10:05.575Z

There's a film called Baghdad Cafe (Percy Adlon, 1987) in which a child plays a piano keyboard that makes no sound, being just a two dimensional drawing on a piece of wood. I saw the device used more recently in Honeydipper (John Sayles, 2007). The idea is that as you run your fingers over the 'instrument' you imagine the imagine the sound. It can work as a solitary activity but is not much

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-74471874430097816862010-01-20T07:20:00.004Z2010-01-20T08:26:12.329Z

In Britain many artists spent inordinate amounts of time chasing grants of one sort or another. There is a whole army of arts bureaucrats who administer this money and many's the meeting I have attended where half of us are paid to be there while the other half are effectively paying to be there by way of forced inactivity.Because I find form-filling brain-deadening and infuriating it is my

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-13130300635868987522010-01-14T20:41:00.008Z2010-01-14T22:03:55.688Z

I didn't realise how conservative (please note the small 'c') I was until brewers started messing with pub names. After I have enforced world peace, and made being hungry illegal, my next act as global dictator will be to ban the re-naming of pubs. The only exceptions will be to allow hostelries suffering under travesties like 'Slug and Lettuce' to revert to their original names. They are,

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-12705486221129106872010-01-11T14:27:00.007Z2010-01-11T15:24:45.941Z

You probably think I have too much time on my hands. This morning I took three cardboard tubes of different lengths: 14" (35cm), 27.5" (70cm) and 59.5" (151cm). They are all open at both ends. First I used them as didgeridoos by blowing a tasteful and prolonged raspberry down them. On the sound clip you hear the longest tube first, followed by the middle tube and then a trumpet-like note on

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-19225036757734852010-01-08T09:11:00.006Z2010-01-08T17:25:38.919Z

So now you've made your beaters let's find something to hit. At this point I should really mention health and safety. Although my own view is that health and safety policies are a curse and a kill-joy, nevertheless I realise that saying so in court will do little to reduce my penalty. I once asked a class of 12yr olds to 'bring in a home made instrument next week'. When next week came I was

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-37043536269425492202010-01-05T09:24:00.008Z2010-01-05T11:50:03.712Z

There was a time when it was considered important to teach children to sort instruments into categories such as aerophones, membranophones, idiophones and the like. It can be done in a classroom with lots of kids who, because they never get to touch (or even see more than a picture of) any of the instruments, will not disturb those trying to do maths in the classroom next door. A good five

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-37842240334574218302010-01-02T13:20:00.006Z2010-02-01T06:24:24.149Z

Regular readers will know I post a different free music game at the beginning of each month. January's is called Mind the Gap and centres on the difference between pulse and rhythm, two concepts that are often confused. This game ably distinguishes between the two in a way no theoretical explanation can manage alone.I also put out a monthly newsletter, Playing With Sound, containing other

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-15783049246038231662009-12-31T14:02:00.004Z2009-12-31T15:52:38.428Z

'Empty vessels make most noise' is a phrase I remember from childhood, along with 'Use your initiative.' I seem to remember that if I did use my initiative the words 'You thought? You THOUGHT?!' came my way soon after.But today's post is not about my happy reminiscences but about sound - the science of sound. By the end of the seasonal festivities, if indeed you haven't already, you should find

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-46015482965199343222009-12-28T17:14:00.003Z2009-12-28T17:48:12.191Z

Here, as unwisely promised yesterday, is a clip of me twanging the ring-pull of an aluminium fizzy drink can whilst simultaneously filling it with water. What do you think happens to the pitch of the note? My own, subjective and non-scientific, opinion is that the pitch stays the same. The note seems to get higher because the upper harmonic partials are increasingly favoured as the can

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-36081782325175711582009-12-27T15:35:00.006Z2009-12-27T16:32:54.217Z

Before you consign the debris from your seasonal festivities to landfill and the recycling banks why not have some fun with it first? That is certainly my own intention and I'm starting with some fizzy drinks cans. I had a grand plan which I'll reveal tomorrow but on the way I noticed a thing or two. You may know that all plastic bottles of the same size play the same note if blown like a

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-85055246044841091372009-12-22T17:14:00.002Z2009-12-22T17:47:05.864Z

Here's the second show, again just under 15 minutes long. The emphasis is on the less professional, and occasionally crazier, kind of busker.The guys in the picture aren't featured. I saw them this afternoon kicking up a storm with a kind of East European gypsy take on some well known tunes. They were certainly jolly and had tremendous stamina but their case was far from overflowing with cash

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-50548023300649364312009-12-21T09:01:00.004Z2009-12-21T09:40:28.377Z

I do enjoy carol singing and last night was perfect for it - thick snow on the ground that was still white after two days lying on city streets. On the street I moved from earlier in the year there is a tradition of singing a few verses at each door and collecting for charity. Everyone who opens their door is treated to a verse of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' at the end. It takes perhaps

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-2538118320536978742009-12-19T12:17:00.006Z2009-12-19T12:45:34.189Z

Busking in Norwich part one by The Miracle MenShortly before Christmas 2005 my friend Eamonn Burgess went out with a hand-held audio recorder interviewing buskers on the streets of Norwich. From the material he gathered we made two short (just under 15 minutes) radio programmes that were broadcast on Future Radio the following spring.If ever you've busked, considered busking or even casually

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-37921884418273348162009-12-14T19:37:00.006Z2009-12-15T09:31:04.430Z

As a woodwind teacher I have found myself occupying a unique position in the lives of some of my younger students. I am that rare thing: an adult they come to know well who is neither a family member nor a school teacher. ( Although I teach in schools it quickly becomes clear to them that I am not gunning enthusiastically for the establishment.) Perhaps if I taught something else - guitar or

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-24061140224033449832009-12-11T10:58:00.004Z2009-12-11T11:12:17.689Z

I have played for a wide range of ceremonies in my time. My own beliefs concerning the supernatural, spiritual and so on have yet to crystallise and I can’t share the convictions of those who ask me to perform. But this allows me to entertain pretty well any view and ‘try it for size’ for the duration of the event.Ceremonies are very important to the people who stage them and, one assumes, to

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748646417094752248.post-19524102031683073362009-12-10T12:54:00.004Z2009-12-10T13:36:43.814Z

Tonight Hot Mikado, by one Rob Bowman, opens at a local high school where I teach woodwind. It's a musical of the kind the school stages on a yearly basis. Based on Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, it was written in the 1980s in the style of the 1940s. This makes for an interesting libretto with its satire on the British political and imperial system of the Victorian era mixed with cultural

Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412300721454784537noreply@blogger.com0