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Dealing with Difficult Band Parents

Written by Sarah Lindenfeld Hall on July 31, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips. 1 Comment on Dealing with Difficult Band Parents

Michael Stone has experienced interpersonal conflicts from both sides of the podium.

Now band director at Bourbon County High School in Paris, Kentucky, Stone remembers when he was a teen and his own mother regularly argued with his music teacher over topics as simple as the timing of meals during band trips.

“My mom and my band director did not always see eye to eye,” Stone says. “She was usually one of those upset parents. I learned a lot watching my band director deal with my mom.”

Band directors work daily with students as well as with parents. Sometimes that level of togetherness can spark disagreements — between parents and directors and among parents themselves — that require finely tuned conflict-resolution skills.

Here’s what band directors should keep in mind when dealing with difficult conversations and relationships with caregivers.

Listen and Reflect

Listen before getting directly involved in a situation, says Tim Trost, director of bands at Ayala High School in Chino Hills, California. “Let them air their grievances,” Trost says. “Stay calm. Don’t get emotional. And don’t fire back because that will escalate the situation more.”

No matter what, bite your tongue. “Sometimes you just want to blow up and go off,” Trost says. “But you can’t. As a teacher, you have to remain calm and professional.”

Once you know all sides of the story, you’ll be in a better place to come up with a solution that both parties can agree to, Trost says.

While feeling defensive is human nature when your policies are questioned, self-reflection is vital, says Kathy McIntosh, director of bands and music department head at Troy (Ohio) City Schools. When she was a young band director, McIntosh spent a lot of time reflecting on whether various questioned policies were fair.

Now, three decades into her career, she’s fielded concerns about everything from chair placement and grading policies to drum major auditions. McIntosh recommends reaching out to trusted parents, mentors and professional groups to vet decisions that are causing concerns.

“Even if parents don’t like my policies, if they know that I’ve at least listened to what they’ve said and taken their thoughts into consideration, even if I don’t agree with them, at least they know they’ve been heard,” McIntosh says.

Hold a Meeting

Stone needed to handle several dust-ups with parents during one regional competition. Two parents didn’t like the mess students left. Another was angry she couldn’t sign out her daughter early. And other adults were drinking alcohol, violating school rules. During a different contest, parents were upset with each other after students were roughhousing.

After both cases, Stone held a meeting to hear the concerns and lay down the law.

Before meetings like these, Stone writes a script to cover all points. And once the meeting starts, he takes control. “I walk in and don’t let anybody else say anything at all,” he says.

Stone treads carefully between being bossy and informative. “Even when I’m trying to be in that authoritative role, I still treat people with respect,” he says.

Regular meetings with booster groups and their executive boards can also be used to head off concerns before tempers flare up. “Sometimes, if there’s an issue that needs to be brought up, we’ll bring it to the executive board, and we’ll discuss it and come up with a solution,” Trost says.

Let Time Heal Some Wounds

Sometimes parents may not see the big picture — until later. Once after a subpar performance, Stone, then an assistant band director, listed the missteps to the students. All seemed fine as they headed back to the band room, but one parent pulled Stone and the head band director aside to complain about Stone’s critique.

Stone let him say his piece, but the parent was still angry when he left the office and didn’t volunteer for some time afterward. Eventually, he changed his tune. “Once he started seeing the growth in the performance quality throughout the season, he came back to me, and he said, ‘I understand what you were saying now,’” Stone says.

Find Your Allies

Some band parents will always have your back. “It’s really important to make sure that you have a handful of band parents who are 100 percent on your side about everything,” Stone says.

The booster president for Stone’s band regularly resolves parental concerns before they ever reach him. The complaints have ranged from conflicts between students to how Stone addressed a musician.

In other cases, band directors should seek guidance from school administrators, especially if they are young teachers who are getting pushback from much older parents. “The administration probably has a little bit of a pulse on the community and what’s going on,” McIntosh says.

Consider Compassion

Parents are the glue that keeps a marching band operating. “Without the parents’ support, we couldn’t do all the things we do here at Ayala High School,” Trost says.

Conflicts, misunderstandings and differences of opinion can happen for a variety of reasons. But often, says Stone, parents are simply passionate about their children and the music program. That’s why Stone’s mom, years ago, became so vocal about his band experience.

Those memories help temper his reactions when working with his students’ parents. “I have to realize that [band parents] just care,” Stone says. “And when I look at it that way, all these parents are like my mom. They just care.”

SupportED 2020v5n2 cover with Larry Williams This article originally appeared in the 2020N2 issue of Yamaha SupportED. To see more back issues, find out about Yamaha resources for music educators, or sign up to be notified when the next issue is available, click here.

Pick the Right Drumsticks and Mallets

Written by Frank DiMaria on July 31, 2020. Posted in Percussion.

A percussionist’s gig bag brims with sticks, mallets, brushes, keys, heads and tape. When choosing the implements to include in their arsenal, drummers have important factors to consider.

Wood, Metal or Synthetic?

The most important factor is a drumstick’s composition, says Dennis DeLucia, percussion instructor and member of the Drum Corps International, Percussive Arts Society and World Drum Corps halls of fame.

Players have a variety of options like wood, metal or synthetic compounds. Because drums are a collection of metallic and skin surfaces, the implements used to strike those surfaces must be unbiased in their tactile feedback, says Tommy Igoe, drummer, educator and author.

Wooden sticks, long a favorite of most players, provide the neutral tactile feedback that drummers seek. By far the most popular wood choice is hickory, which allows the drumhead to respond at all dynamic levels, Igoe says.

Some drumstick manufacturers market and sell metal sticks. Igoe is not a fan. “Just cross them off your list,” he says. “Never use metal on a drum set or any drum.”

One school of thought suggests that metal sticks will improve a player’s strength, but that idea is a travesty, Igoe says. DeLucia agrees, saying he never considers them.

Although most players avoid metal sticks, there are some interesting wood stick made with a metal tip. “I’ve seen my students use this type of stick to go quickly from a snare drum to a cymbal and/or triangle in some multiple percussion and contemporary band literature,” says Sherry Rubins, senior lecturer and coordinator of the percussion program at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Synthetic drumsticks last forever but are horrible to play with, Igoe says, because they do not offer a player the tactile feedback of a wooden stick.

Some sticks are fashioned out of wood, then chemically treated with a liquid plastic. This process renders a more durable stick but adds weight. “Most people, if they use them at all, use them as a warmup stick,” DeLucia says.

When band directors have a choice of wooden or nylon beads, they should explore the nylon-tip model. “If I were a high school band director, I’d buy nylon-tip drumsticks because they last longer than wooden-tip drumsticks,” Igoe says.

For Quick Changes

Drummers playing in wind and percussion ensembles need to fill their gig bags with a variety of sticks and mallets, Rubins says. Some literature requires percussionists to switch from one stick to another quickly during a performance, so sticks that perform double duty are invaluable. “There are some sticks that are a marimba mallet on one end [with] a round, wooden end on the other,” Rubins says.

No player should be without a good set of concert sticks and an implement with both a soft end and a beaded end. Players also need an implement for toms and one for intricate parts on the bass drum.

Variety is not limited to indoor ensembles. Marching snare drummers should also have a number of implements in their stick bags. They should carry two sets of marching sticks as well as a set of brushes. Some marchers like to carry a set of concert sticks, which are typically shorter and thinner than marching sticks, DeLucia says.

The Right Tool for Each Player

Drumsticks are typically categorized by a letter and a number, such as 7A or 5B, to indicate weight and diameter. Historically, “A” models were drum set sticks, “B” were concert sticks, and “S” were for street, or marching, use.

“While that nomenclature still exists with some manufacturers, there are also many variations and ‘artist models.’ You must read the description of the stick, so you can choose a pair that matches the style, student and instrument,” DeLucia says.

A common problem is when students use sticks that are too large for the context in which they’re performing, Igoe says. For middle schoolers and students with smaller hands, Igoe recommends a 7A stick, which is 15.5 inches long and has a diameter of .540 inches.

DeLucia agrees. Students ages 9 to 11 should use sticks that are short enough and light enough for them to handle. Players in the same drumline can vary in the size of their sticks. “You need to find a stick that works best for each individual player.”

Igoe encourages band directors to listen intently to the sound of the drums in an ensemble. If they’re not getting the sound they want, the students are using sticks that are too large, he adds.

“I want those band directors to feel empowered to recommend that 7A or 5A stick,” Igoe says. “They’ll notice a more pleasing sound immediately rather than what can be an ugly sound coming off the instrument when the implements are too large.”

Larry Williams Encourages Representation

Written by Elizabeth Anderson Lopez on July 31, 2020. Posted in DEI.

“The world of musicians is small,” says Larry Williams, a French horn performer and teacher.

“The orchestra world is even smaller, and [for] those who play the French horn, [it] is even smaller. When it comes to Black French horn players, I know every one of us.”

Williams is half kidding but is very aware of his status — and his power. “I’m used to being the only person of color in an orchestra or sometimes one of two or three,” he says. “I came to the industry knowing that would be the case.”

Williams is involved in two projects to help change the orchestral landscape. He is the principal horn player for the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra (since 2009), where he also serves on its board of directors, and the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra (since 2004).

Black Pearl is “a shared experience of being Black and Latinx orchestra players,” Williams says. “Over the years we’ve networked and created opportunities for each other. It strives for diversity and inclusion in classical music.”

Williams appreciates other minority artists who came before him. “I understand if it wasn’t for some serious road pavers, I wouldn’t be allowed to play the French horn,” he adds. “I focus on how I can impact the next generation of horn players and create opportunities. I’ve figured out how to be authentic and be a change agent. I’m in a position now to try to open doors where I can.”

The Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, part of the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization, also wants to boost diversity in orchestras. Williams explains that the orchestra is made up of top professionals around the country, all Black or Latinx, who perform one weekend a year to support the young Black and Latinx string soloists competing at the Sphinx Competition. The professionals also teach master classes, deliver lectures as well as promote pieces by Black and Latinx composers. “It’s a very rewarding experience,” he says.

Practical Tips for Traveling with Students

Written by Christopher Ferrell on July 31, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

One of the most rewarding parts of participating in school music programs is the opportunity to travel. Whether for an invited performance or competition or as a spectator, the memories will last a lifetime.

Just like taking a trip with family or friends, many elements need to be considered in planning and execution. Knowing your students, school, district and community is vital to ensure the best experiences for everyone involved.

The Value of Traveling

Traveling provides enrichment for students in authentic performance practice as well as in real world cultural connections. Although today’s digital environment allows valuable virtual experiences, there simply is no substitute for just being there.

Travel can also improve recruitment and retention of students as well as reinforce the music program’s visibility in your school and community. Experiences for students are tangible and can be a rallying point for community

Where Should You Go?

In choosing destinations for student travel, be sure to consider the cost/benefit ratio in your decision. For adjudicated events, be sure that the feedback and quality of experience for the students are top priorities.

Prepare students and parents in advance for the level of expectations and talk about the meaning and benefits of healthy competition. If attending a parade, concert presentation or other exhibition event, consider location, audience and the visibility of your ensemble along with cost for students.

Often, pairing the main event with recreational or sight-seeing opportunities can increase participation and add chances for students to bond and form lifelong friendships.

Making informed and careful choices regarding your destination and itinerary can significantly reduce obstacles and enhance the quality of experiences for directors and students.

The Planning Stages

After choosing a destination, create a timeline. Depending on the location, size of group and type of activity (major televised parades, for instance), you may need to plan for up to a year or more. Establish milestones in your planning to ensure that funding goals are met, communication with students and parents is frequent and clear, and all required forms and information are gathered.

Consider using a reputable tour company that has experience in student travel. Its staff can provide invaluable services and advice during the planning and travel.

Be sure to explore options for trip insurance. Note any deadlines regarding deposits and cancellations and clearly communicate those with your students and families.

Decide if the trip is optional or mandatory for students. Performances and competitions usually require a minimum distribution of parts or instruments. In the case of marching band, you may require every member.

Funding

If your program has a booster club, ask the group to help raise funds for student travel. Often, it has more freedom for collecting money than school system channels.

If funding is routed through the school system, be sure to know all the rules and regulations regarding fundraising before getting too far along in the process.

Consider provisions for students who are unable to contribute financially. The benefits of their participation are worthwhile to pursue.

Types of fundraisers vary dramatically but finding one or two that work best for your program and community would be better than constant solicitations. These could include business sponsorships, car shows, “taste of ” food events, silent auctions and many others.

When raising funds, be specific in your purpose. Telling the community why you are raising money and giving them a specific target will encourage more people to participate or donate.

With proper planning and careful consideration, student and professional travel can be an invaluable part of the complete music program experience. Now get out there and have fun!

Letter to Myself: Travis J. Cross

Written by Travis J. Cross on July 31, 2020. Posted in Master Educator Collective.

Dr. Travis J. Cross is a Yamaha Master Educator and a Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Below, he writes a letter advising his younger self to always do right and to seek opportunities to grow and stretch as a musician and educator.

Dear Younger Travis:

Dr. Travis J. Cross during his college years Welcome to your first year as a teacher. You are unusually lucky to start your career at an exemplary high school with a thriving band program, strong parental support, abundant resources and an amazing senior colleague. You’ll learn a lot living in Minneapolis, a great American city with two full-time professional orchestras, two classical radio stations and a vibrant theater scene. You’ll only be a short drive from your wonderful former teachers at St. Olaf College and even closer to the University of Minnesota and its many musical offerings.

Even with those advantages, the next few years will be incredibly challenging for you, and that’s okay. Four years of college and three months of student teaching aren’t enough to prepare anyone to succeed in this profession. I urge you to seek out opportunities to stretch and grow as a musician, teacher and person.

See and hear as much great art and as many world-class performers as you can afford. Attend other high school and college band (and choir and orchestra) concerts. Join a community band.

Befriend other inspired music educators. Observe their rehearsals and invite them to yours. Share meals, drinks, rides to concerts, video reviews, ideas, frustrations, techniques and repertoire. Play recordings of your ensemble for the best musicians you know and take their advice about how to solve problems they hear. Bring your college band director to your school, even when you’re afraid you’re not doing everything as well as you could. Why wait until you can already do everything to ask for help?

While you push yourself and your students to do better, remember to exercise patience and think strategically. Whether in your program or within yourself, some things change quickly, some change slowly, and some never change — or the effort required is disproportional to the result.

Dr. Travis J. Cross with L.A. Cityscape behind him The one thing I wish I knew when I started teaching is that no rational argument, however well-reasoned or explained, will prevail on a person acting irrationally. Though sometimes it’s important to be right — and it’s always important to do right — spending hours writing the perfect email to explain why someone’s child wasn’t placed in the top band, assigned the solo, selected as drum major or why the music festival is more necessary than the winter formal usually fails to make a difference or costs more than it’s worth. Instead, invest your time and energy in what you can actually improve — for example, yourself.

If you lead with love for music and your students as well as work really hard, you’ll find a lifetime of joy and fulfillment. Now go practice the piano and learn some alternate clarinet fingerings!

Best,

Travis in 2020

SupportED 2020v5n2 cover with Larry Williams

This article originally appeared in the 2020N2 issue of Yamaha SupportED. To see more back issues, find out about Yamaha resources for music educators, or sign up to be notified when the next issue is available, click here.

Q&A with Principal Jim Kuzma

Written by Marcia Neel on July 31, 2020. Posted in Q & A.

Dr. Jim Kuzma, the principal of Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, fully credits performing arts for many of the school’s achievements.

During Kuzma’s tenure, the school’s graduation rate has grown by more than 40%, and the number of Advanced Placement tests administered has more than doubled.

Even though the school is located in the poorest ZIP Code in the state, it has a thriving arts program with almost 37% student enrollment. Chamber groups within Rancho’s band were invited to perform at The 2019 Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference and the 2020 Music for All National Concert Band Festival. (See Case Study: A Music Program Succeeds in the Inner City about the Rancho High School band.)

Q. What music programs are offered at Rancho High School currently? How many students are enrolled in your various performing arts programs?

A. Our performing arts department includes band, orchestra, choir, mariachi, ballet folklorico, dance, theater and theater technology. Our total school enrollment is 3,243, and we have an enrollment of 1,198 students in performing arts.

Q. How were you able to increase funding for staffing, facilities and materials over the years to offer such a comprehensive program?

A. Principals in the Clark County School District have been fortunate to enjoy relative autonomy in regards to their school budgets. That flexibility allowed us to make decisions concerning Rancho’s staffing, scheduling and budget that prioritized providing a variety of opportunities and experiences for our students. We offset other school expenses through grants and other funding, so that the remaining budget could be used to support fine arts and other programs.

Q. What have you discovered about the value of music education since becoming the principal of Nevada’s largest high school?

A. I have been in education since 1984 and have worked at six schools in three states. A common denominator that I have discovered is that students in music programs typically perform better in school.

When I arrived at Rancho in 2009, we had a band program with 47 students. We had a part-time orchestra teacher who spent two periods per day at our school. The choir was on the brink of extinction with only 15 students. Our mariachi program was the only one that was growing. In 2010, Rancho was designated as a “persistently low achieving” school by the state of Nevada.

Rancho was chosen to be the first high school to undergo turnaround in the state. I have witnessed countless schools that attempt to improve academically by throwing large sums of money at remedial programs. In many of these cases, there is very little gain.

Our approach to turning around Rancho was different. We started by revisiting Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, placing emphasis on “sense of belonging.” The performing arts provide an excellent venue for students to be part of something truly special and to create that “sense of belonging.”

So far, that strategy has worked well. Our graduation rates have steadily climbed from 54% to more than 96%. The number of Advanced Placement tests administered has increased from 443 in 2011 to 1,131 in 2019. We are now designated as one of Nevada’s Shining Stars Schools.

Investing in performing arts has paid off with tremendous dividends. It is no coincidence that the academic improvements that Rancho has experienced over the last 11 years have paralleled the growth and successes of our performing arts programs.

Schools embarking on the turnaround process should take a hard look at enhancing their performing arts as well as other programs that offer students opportunities and experiences prior to investing additional resources in academic remediation.

Q. How has Rancho’s music education program inspired you personally?

A. As a young person, I studied piano for seven years. I understand the time, commitment and discipline required to master an instrument. As a principal for the last 19 years, I learned early on that without great teachers, it is impossible for school improvement to take place. My standard operating procedure at Rancho has been to hire the best teachers and find ways to say “yes” to whatever they ask for.

Fortunately, I struck gold when it came to performing arts teachers. Roberto Lopez and JuanJose Cortez (Mariachi), Karen Rzendzian (Orchestra and Choir), Clint Williams and Max Feld (Band), Jacqelyn Guzman (Ballet Folklorico), Tommie Baravong (Theater) and Natalie Dey (Dance) make me look smart every time their groups perform. The relationship between the rebirth of our music education programs and the improvement as a school are directly linked. I attend almost every performance or concert, and I frequently am brought to tears when I recall what it took to get here.

Q. Given the current socioeconomic status of Rancho High School, how are students able to participate and succeed in your programs? What would you recommend to principals at similar schools?

A. Our school is located in the poorest ZIP Code in the state. All our students get free breakfast, lunch and supper. Asking the families of our students to contribute hundreds of dollars toward performing arts expenses is not an option.

There is no reason why our students should not be able to participate in performing arts at the same level as students in more affluent areas. Our instructors are judicious when organizing trips. They don’t travel just to travel, but instead they give special consideration to the overall impact of a performance or festival. We ask that the groups participate in fundraising, and we look for opportunities for student groups to raise money.

We also welcome community support and are so grateful for the many individuals and organizations that have stepped up to support our programs over the years. One example is the Wynn Resorts, which made a sizable donation to our mariachi program a few years ago, so that our students could perform at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. When an opportunity like the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago presents itself, we find a way to make it happen.

For schools that are in a similar position, I would suggest that they examine their priorities and have all decisions reflect those priorities. We know that our priority is providing opportunities and experiences for our students, often by way of the performing arts, so it is not uncommon that we forego certain niceties in order to make this happen.

Q. If you could expand your music program even further, what would you include that is not currently available to students at Rancho?

A. Part of what I would like to see in the future is more [interaction] with our feeder middle schools. I learned at the Midwest Clinic this past December that it is a common practice for high school music instructors to work directly with 6th grade students in beginning music classes. I think this would increase participation as well as improve the overall quality of the program.

Q. From your perspective, why is music important to humanity?

A. Music and dance have always been part of the human experience. It would be difficult to imagine a world without music. Music is present during times of celebration and in times of mourning. It connects the past, present and future.

Q. Which person from history, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with, and what would you discuss?

A. I want to have lunch with the person who will eventually replace me as principal. I would discuss the importance of staying the course and continuing to focus on providing opportunities and experiences for all the students at Rancho High School. Hire the best teachers available and support them.

Q. Why is it important to protect access to music education?

A. Music education introduces students to accountability. When a student does not practice in a performing arts setting, it is clear to everyone. If a student misses a math question on a test, only the teacher and student know.

With the push for more STEM and increased scores on high-stakes tests, it may seem logical to place less emphasis on performing arts. But that would be a mistake. Music education is life-altering and can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Much research has been done to link mathematical reasoning to music. In the end, the students inclined to take music classes will also engage in STEM classes and score higher on high-stakes tests.

On a personal note, I have seen firsthand the benefits of music education and its impact on our campus. Our music programs provide students with a “sense of belonging” as well as numerous opportunities and experiences that they would not have otherwise. Eliminating access to music programs would deny students access to elements of the culture and history of the human race.

Embrace Failing

Written by Savy Leiser on July 31, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

At Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, faculty and students embrace failure.

The school has adopted a principle called “failing forward,” which encourages a fearless approach to improvement. “You never truly fail unless you give up,” says principal Jason Petry.

Ryan McCorkle and James Coyne, co-teachers of the school’s music program, advise other teachers not to be afraid of challenges. “You will fail — you will fail once, twice, three times, four times,” Coyne says, “But as soon as that one thing goes right, it will push you to the next level.”

With the launch of iPad Band in 2016, McCorkle experienced one of these failures. He asked students to bring in devices from home, and they brought all different kinds of handheld devices, from Apple products to Androids. When the devices were incompatible, Coyne and McCorkle realized that they would need to reserve a set of iPads for this group.

One way to embrace failure is to start small and improve slowly. Sanders began by giving individual devices to students in higher grade levels at first, then expanding to the younger kids. “Once you expand into the lower grades, you’re growing students,” Petry says. “By the time they get into 4th and 5^th grade, you can expand it even more.”

A cultural acceptance of failure has taken pressure off of students. “When we first opened, the 5th graders were like, ‘We’re failing, and we’re mad, and we’re not doing well!’” Petry says.

However, students are now open to new challenges. A combination of rubrics, formative and summative assessments, small-group work and optional test retakes help students step outside their comfort zone.

Timeless Lessons from Larry Williams

Written by Elizabeth Anderson Lopez on July 31, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

“Being a 21st century artist is different than when I went to school,” says Larry Williams, a French horn performer and teacher.

“Being focused on one thing was pretty much demanded to be successful. Now [musicians] are expected to do multiple things and do them well.”

Williams encourages students to be entrepreneurial. “You need to know how to create opportunities for yourself,” he says. “We have so many good French horn players. … It’s a ‘who-you-know’ world. Isolating yourself in a practice room isn’t a good way to make people know you exist and want to work with you.”

Williams also cites personality, along with performance, as a factor for how students can make themselves more marketable. “Do people like sitting next to you in a section?” he asks. “What else do you bring to the table?”

However, Williams reminds students that sharing all the details of their lives in today’s social media era can work against them. “I warn students to take care when using social media,” he says. “I don’t tell them what to post, but I do tell them to be aware. I say, ‘You’re going to come across someone you want to impress someday, and you have to be cognizant of that. If you’re ranting about a peanut butter sandwich for 15 days straight and come to me interviewing for a position, I don’t know if I can deal with that every day.’”

Williams teaches another timeless lesson: Be respectful. For example, he encourages students to do some basic research on people and culture if they have the opportunity to tour abroad. “You’re not just representing yourself,” he says. “You’re representing your ensemble, your country and your culture, so it’s really important to be aware of that. You don’t need to be a scholar, but learn what people value, how they are similar and different from you. That shows respect, which has opened some doors really quickly for me.”

Williams experienced that concept firsthand when he participated in a cultural exchange while performing with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra in Russia after the Cold War. “We ran into some people who clearly didn’t want us there,” he remembers. “They didn’t know about Peabody or our orchestra. They just knew we were Americans. Showing them respect goes a long way to get people to trust you. Then when you get to the music, it’s business as usual.”

Practice Effectively: Go Slow to Go Fast

Written by Dr. Brad Meyer on July 30, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Two of the most beneficial tools to help students learn music more quickly and with a higher level of quality are slow practice and gradual increases of music difficulty.

Many young musicians focus on learning music quickly, which can develop a strong sense of motivation. However, the drive to learn quickly has some downfalls. As music educators, we must help our students learn to practice more efficiently and effectively — and that means going slow to go fast.

Extremely Challenging Music

Many students pride themselves on moving to solos that require new skillsets, advanced techniques or superior dexterity. Students enjoy learning challenging pieces because it provides them with a sense of accomplishment. However, many students do not realize that progressing to significantly harder solos requires much more time in the practice room and more attention to detail than before.

There are two ways to resolve this problem. The first is to give students pieces that are just slightly more challenging. I also recommend that new pieces be in a completely different style/genre so there is a clear sense of change as well as in difficulty level. Oftentimes, students will bring in a piece (let’s call it “Piece X”) that they want to play. You know that it will take them at least four to five months to learn Piece X. I recommend using your students’ enthusiasm to create a long-term goal for them. Instead of immediately moving them to Piece X, tell them to work on one or two pieces in between where their skill level currently is and where Piece X needs them to be. I call this the “stair method” and tell students to envision the stairs leading to the top of a football stadium. All those individual stairs make it easy to reach their ultimate objective through steady, gradual progress.

Another way to tackle Piece X is to break it into several smaller solos. Most pieces have three to four large sections, so treat each one like a separate solo. Work on one large section at a time, and do not let the student move to the next section until the first one is performance ready. This process allows students to take their time, which results in learning the music well and playing with high quality. The student will not be overwhelmed by the length of Piece X and can focus on the basics of music such as pitch, rhythm and dynamics. Too often, students wait to learn dynamics until they have learned the pitches and rhythms of a piece. This works against students because it reinforces the idea that dynamics are not important. Lack of dynamics is one of the most cited problems in student performances at solo and ensemble competitions.

Practicing Too Fast

When students first enter college, many of them will consider a piece impossible because of the written tempo. This all-too-common occurrence reminds me of one of the most valuable lessons I learned as a freshman in high school. The senior section leader at the time told me that “every piece is easy if you take it slow enough.” This taught me that I could play anything if I take it at a slow enough tempo — usually half tempo or slower — to fully understand the rhythms, pitches and dynamics of a piece.

Many students believe practicing at a significantly slower tempo means they will never be able to play the piece at the written tempo. This is not true. What students need to understand is if they do not turn the tempo down to where the piece is easy to play and understand, then they will never build the essential foundation needed to perform the piece well when they get it to tempo.

I define the foundation of every piece of music as pitch, rhythm and dynamics. If a student cannot master all three with consistency (approximately four out of five times) at the tempo they are working at, then they should move to a slower tempo (approximately 15-20 bpm).

Example: Recently, I worked with students on “2” from Jacques Delécluse’s “Douze Etudes,” which is a snare drum solo marked at 100 bpm. Students usually drop the metronome to around 70 bpm when they first start practicing, but even at that slower tempo, they struggle to achieve quality ruffs, and they usually stumble over three bars — mm. 20, 24, and 30. (Side note: We use Rob Knopper’s sticking guides for “Douze Etudes,” which is why some of the students struggle with m. 20.)

It’s important to mention that those three bars are significantly more challenging than the rest of the piece. So, students often struggle with those bars at 70 bpm, while they play the rest of the piece rather well at that tempo. Students think that if they slow the metronome way down for those few bars, they will never be able to play them at the written tempo when performing the entire solo. It is crucial to show them that if they turn the metronome way down (somewhere around 40 to 45 bpm), those three bars become easy. I make students play one of those three troublesome bars three to four times in a row. If they play them with a high level of quality, I bump the metronome up by 5 bpm. I repeat this process (unless they stumble at a certain tempo, then we will work at that tempo or a couple of bpm slower) until we reach about 90 to 100 bpm. This total process usually lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes. During this short period of time, students realize that something they thought was impossible to play at a certain tempo is not the insurmountable challenge that they had initially thought. This type of extremely slow practice with small, incremental increases in tempo is one of the most valuable and effective methods of practicing challenging sections of music.

Learning Too Quickly

The last problem I want to look at is when students learn music too quickly. This is somewhat of an expansion on the first section of this article, “Extremely Challenging Music,” but it takes a slightly different perspective.

I find that students often learn too quickly when there is a barrier or track-style curriculum. Students see that if they can pass a piece, they get to move on to the next portion of the track. The problems is that the focus becomes getting through the track rather than learning pieces well and absorbing the different techniques, styles and challenges that a piece has to offer.

I find this usually happens when a piece is marked as an “etude.” The first thing I recommend doing is to reorient your students’ way of thinking about music by talking to them about what an etude is. An etude, in my opinion, is a small piece of music. It is not meant to advance a small skillset, but instead, is a short piece of music that gives students the opportunity to be extremely musical and expressive without having to learn a lengthy solo.

Example: I usually encounter this scenario when students start to work on multi-percussion solos for the first time in their sophomore year at Stephen F. Austin State University. When my students think of multi-percussion, they typically envision huge set-ups that look like Terry Bozzio’s drumset or pieces that are aggressive and exciting like Iannis Xenakis’s “Rebonds.”

So, when my students start on a piece for two toms that’s only a page and a half long (Michael Udow’s “1” from “The Contemporary Percussionist”), they tend to either rush through it and play wrong rhythms, stickings and dynamics, or they get disheartened because the think the piece boring. That’s when I perform the piece and show them how exciting, theatrical and musical a piece for two toms can be. Hopefully, they will realize that there are many small steps they need to take before they can attack the challenging pieces they yearn to play.

I remind my students that percussionists do not start playing Andrew Thomas’s Merlin as their first four-mallet piece. There’s a reason why everyone knows Mitchell Peters’s “Yellow After the Rain” because it is a great piece of music that is appropriate for percussionists just starting out on four-mallet marimba. I add that I love hearing performances of “Yellow After the Rain” when it is played well with expression, dynamics and musicality. To prove it, I show them Jisu Jung’s fantastic performance of “Yellow After the Rain” on YouTube. I would much rather watch her impressive performance of this less technically challenging piece over someone playing Joseph Schwantner’s “Velocities” above tempo and poorly.

Slow but Sure

Going faster isn’t always better. When it comes to many aspects of learning and performing music, speed can hinder students from reaching their maximum potential. As music educators, it is our duty to show them how important slow practice and the gradual advancement of musical difficulty will benefit them in the long term.

I use these three quotes about speed with my students. I hope these quotes will resonate with your students like they do with mine.

“There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“We don’t have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. Direction is always going to trump speed.”
“It is a mistake to think that moving fast is the same as actually going somewhere.”

This article originally appeared in “Bandmasters Review,” The Texas Bandmasters Association, April 2017 issue.

The United Sound Method for Private Lesson Teachers

Written by Yamaha Staff on July 30, 2020. Posted in DEI.

Inclusion is at the heart of United Sound, a peer mentoring program that provides musical performance experiences for students with special needs (called New Musicians).

The United Sound method was created for use in a school setting, but the same training can be used by private lesson teachers.

Below are training videos that showcase United Sound’s program and resources.

Please note: These videos were created for students participating in United Sound programs in public schools around the country. We hope that the concepts will help shed light on working with students with special needs, but we acknowledge that private teachers’ experiences might vary greatly.

The United Sound Program

In this program overview, you’ll see the relationship between Peer Mentor Abby and New Musician Jessica develop and grow during the school year.

If you’d like to reflect on your own teaching while watching the video, download this worksheet. United Sound suggests thinking about the key themes of “Empower,” “Communicate” and “Modify” as it applies to each clip.

Parents’ Perspectives

Parents of New Musicians express how United Sound has positively affected their children in this video.

Teachers may find it helpful to reflect on:

What moment in the video did you find particularly interesting or surprising?
Have you had experiences with parents that were negative? How could these interactions be different with different instruction?

Curriculum and Teaching

In this video, United Sound founder Julie Duty explains how to utilize the United Sound methodology to create an inclusive environment for New Musicians, Peer Mentors and all band students.

While watching the video, reflect on how you might implement some of United Sound’s methodology in your teaching. You may find it helpful to download this worksheet to help you dig deeper on the key themes of EMPOWER, COMMUNICATE and MODIFY during the video’s pause-for discussion sections.

Pause #1: Which elements of Empower, Communicate and Modify did you see in these two classrooms? Do you think this type of celebration is more about Communication or Empowerment?
Pause #2: Think about your private lesson environment. What is one change that you could make to create a “no-fail” environment for your students?
Pause #3: What did you see that was positive in the student’s teaching? What could he have done better?
Pause #4: Do you think it’s appropriate to include “down time” in a private lesson? Could intentionally off-task moments increase the productivity of the rest (say, 25 minutes) of your lesson time? Beyond “chatting” about your day, what is one idea that you could add to your lessons to enhance the environment for a student with special needs?
Pause #5: Do you have students who struggle with traditional notation? Would you be willing to modify notation for them?
Using a single word or phrase, what is your biggest takeaway from this video?

United Sound Font Tutorial

This video shows you how to install and use the United Sound font from Finale (filmed during the ABLE Assembly at Berklee College of Music in April 2019).

You can download the Finale font here. You can download Finale font flashcards here.

Now, you’re ready to use the Finale font to write music in modified “food” notation. Good luck!

Sound Off for United Sound

Parents, students, teachers and administrators strongly endorse the United Sound program.

“United Sound has provided a new and powerful way for our daughter to communicate and given her more confidence when she does.” — a parent
“The campus-wide benefits we have received from this program are immeasurable. It’s a win, win, win for everyone involved!” — a principal
“This experience has reinforced to me the amazing power of music to reach a child in ways that classroom learning cannot. Our New Musicians and Peer Mentors have all grown as musicians, but more importantly, they have grown as humans, forging a common bond through the creation of art and beauty.” — an orchestra director
“United Sound’s real purpose is to create lasting friendships.” — a student

If you would like to learn more about United Sound or if you are interested in setting up a program at your school, visit the United Sound website.

Anatomy of a Home Theater Speaker

Written by Eric Thies on July 30, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

Achieving home theater bliss is almost entirely dependent on speakers. But there’s so much jargon, so many form factors. Two-way, three-way, crossovers, tower speakers, bookshelf speakers, subwoofers, sound bars … what does it all mean?

Here are the answers to these questions — answers that will help you achieve great performance and find the right speakers for your home theater.

Basic Speaker Components

The basic components of a speaker are:

– Drivers. There are three kinds of home theater speaker drivers: tweeters to reproduce high frequencies; mid-range speakers to reproduce vocals, dialogue and most instruments; and woofers to reproduce low frequencies — bass and “feel” frequencies such as rumble. Whether a speaker is two-way or three-way depends upon how many drivers it has. A two-way speaker will typically contain a tweeter and a woofer, while a three-way speaker contains an additional driver to handle mid-range frequencies.

In the illustration below (a cross-section of a three-way speaker), you can see the tweeter driver on top, a mid-range driver below it, and two woofer drivers on the bottom.

– Crossover. This is a device installed inside the speaker cabinet that routes the different frequencies that make up a sound to the appropriate drivers.

– Cabinet. A boxed speaker will have a cabinet that houses the drivers and crossovers. This cabinet additionally affects the overall sound quality of the speaker based on the materials used and cubic volume. In-ceiling and in-wall speakers typically use the wall cavity as the “cabinet.”

Home Theater Speakers vs. Music Speakers

Will any speaker work in a home theater system? The short answer is … not really. A typical stereo speaker designed for music has a different intention than a home theater speaker. The intent of a music speaker is to disappear and give you the feeling that you are in a concert hall or live performance — in other words, it’s designed to create a soundstage that seems bigger than the box that houses the speaker drivers.

A home theater speaker is meant to do the complete opposite — it is intended to be directional. We want to feel that Top Gun fighter plane roar from the front left of the room to the rear right of the room as it moves across the screen. We do not want those speakers to “disappear” … well, perhaps visually we do (we don’t want them serving as a distraction), but in terms of audio, we want them to be present at specific locations within the room.

Another important factor that distinguishes a home theater speaker from a music speaker is the design of its front face, called the baffle. Music speakers tend to offer a wider baffle to help create that wide soundstage, while home theater speakers benefit from a narrow baffle to create more directionality.

The Importance of Consistency

Speakers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Which form factor is best for you?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of this, I’d like to make the recommendation that each speaker in your home theater system be from the same manufacturer and have at least the same general characteristics for consistent tone and quality. This will ensure that the Fast and Furious muscle car sounds the same as it circles you from speaker to speaker. You don’t want it to roar like a high-performance vehicle in the front channels and chug like a go-cart as it moves to the side and rear speakers.

Tower Speakers

The pinnacle of performance is typically found in a floor-standing “tower” speaker like the Yamaha Soavo NS-F901. These offer full-range performance, amazing dynamics and incredible clarity. If they’re a little outside your budget, Yamaha NS-777 speakers are a great alternative.

Yamaha Soavo NS-F901.

Yamaha NS-777.

Bookshelf Speakers

What if your room cannot support the physical footprint of five or seven tower speakers? In that case, your next best option is smaller bookshelf models like the Yamaha NS-333, perhaps paired with a NS-C444, which is a bookshelf speaker that’s specifically designed to handle the center channel — a channel that normally carries mostly dialog.

Yamaha NS-333 bookshelf speaker. — *Yamaha NS-333.*

Yamaha NSC-444 bookshelf speaker. — *Yamaha NSC-444.*

Bookshelf speakers can be used to carry the left and right front channels as well as acting as rear surrounds. If used as rear speakers, they can either sit on stands or in a cabinet. A set of bookshelf speakers can give you great quality sound in a smaller footprint, although there is some sacrifice when shrinking your cabinet size. When you move from a full-range three-way speaker to a two-way bookshelf speaker, you are going to lose the bottom octave and the part of the soundtrack where all of those great chest-thumping effects lie — things like rumbling tanks, explosions and planes.

The Subwoofer

So how do we get that back? The answer is simple: Add a subwoofer (or two). The Yamaha NS-SW100, for example, is a great option for a typical large family room. Keep in mind that bass travels until it hits a boundary. If you have a home with an open floor plan, you have a lot of volume to fill. A dinky subwoofer is simply not a great option in a room like that.

Yamaha NS-SW100 subwoofer. — *Yamaha NS-SW100.*

Wireless Speakers

Wireless speakers allow you to create a surround sound setup without the bother of having to run speaker wires around the room. Instead, it uses Wi-Fi to send audio signal from appropriately equipped AV receiver such as the Yamaha RX-V685, which is MusicCast-enabled. (MusicCast is the Yamaha wireless multiroom audio solution, and its family of products includes not only speakers and AV amplifiers but sound bars and turntables too.)

Yamaha offers two wireless speaker options: the MusicCast 20, and the larger MusicCast 50, both of which incorporate unique designs (different from the bookshelf speaker) due to their need to be versatile. You can pair two MusicCast 20s together to serve as rear left and right speakers or use a single MusicCast 50 as a rear surround speaker. These speakers can also be easily moved to different rooms altogether (even out on your patio!) so you can listen to stereo music throughout your whole house.

A pair of Yamaha MusicCast 20s.

Yamaha MusicCast 50.

The Sound Bar

And then there’s the ubiquitous sound bar. This is a very popular option as it is cost-effective, easy to incorporate into any room, and solves a big problem of the generally really poor quality speakers in most of today’s flat panel TVs. A great option in this category is the Yamaha YAS-109. This all-in-one sound bar has built-in subwoofers and offers DTS^® Virtual:X™ simulated surround sound as well as Yamaha Clear Voice technology for dialog enhancement — it can even be voice-controlled by Alexa. It’s meant to be a simpler version of a full-blown surround system that is both affordable and easy to implement into any system. No, it doesn’t offer the full range of sound that you will get with a great floor-standing or bookshelf speaker system, but a sound bar is a great solution to improve the sound on any TV.

Yamaha YAS-109 sound bar. — *Yamaha YAS-109.*

As you can see, there’s a lot to the anatomy of a home theater speaker, and a lot to consider. But armed with this information, you’ll be able to make an educated choice when it comes to selecting the right speakers for your system.

Check out these related blog posts:

Home Theater Basics

Building the Ideal Home Theater

How to Recreate the Movie Theater Experience at Home

The Difference Made by Speaker Driver Materials

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 1: Starter System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 2: Intermediate System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 3: Advanced System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 4: Luxury System

How to Shop for a Sound Bar

Click here for more information about Yamaha home theater speakers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha subwoofers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha sound bars.

Pop/Rock Chord Voicings, Part 2

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on July 27, 2020. Posted in Keyboard How-to. 2 Comments on Pop/Rock Chord Voicings, Part 2

In Part 1 of this three-part series about playing pop and rock keyboards, we explored using inversions to connect your chords, as well as the use of basic passing chords. Now let’s add some interesting colors and movement to those concepts.

Adding the Second

Adding a note a whole step above the root sounds great on most chords, and since that note is the second tone in both major and minor scales, it’s called a second:

Notation showing C major and C minor scales

You can add a second to a full triad, or replace the root with it:

Note: The last two measures show the inversions of both root position voicings.

This works well for many of the scale tone chords, but not all. Basically, if the added second note (called an “add2 voicing”) occurs in that particular key or scale, it will sound good, so it will work for all the scale tone chords except the third and seventh scale tone chords (E minor and B diminished in the key of C). Here’s an example that creates a nice melodic movement for each of those chords by moving from the added 2nd back to the root for each chord:

This next example gets a little more fancy with the movement between the root, the second and the third. Pay close attention to keeping the right hand notes sustained as notated — it’s a bit like a Hanon exercise in that regard:

A variant of the add2 voicing is to leave out the 3rd of the chord, and just play the root, 2nd and the 5th. This is called a sus2 chord, and it provides a really nice color. In the example below, it’s used to move into the major key triads, where it works best:

Sixths and Suspended Fourths

Another good tone for adding color to a triad is the 6th — a whole step above the fifth step of the scale. Anywhere that a song calls for a major triad, you can opt to make it a major sixth chord instead. But you can also use it to create movement, by switching between the fifth and the sixth in your chord voicings (see bars 3 – 8 in the example below):

If this next example sounds familiar, it’s because this is a common way to voice chords when playing classic rock and roll tunes from the ’50s and ’60s:

The sixth tone also works well within a major seventh chord. And let’s not forget about the suspended chord (i.e., the suspended 4th) as a way of adding movement. Here’s a comping figure that makes use of all these concepts:

And here’s an example that keeps moving the C, D and E notes across the changing chords:

Advanced Voicings

Putting the third in your left hand creates a nice open-sounding voicing for the Sus2 chord. This can be done whether your bass player plays the root or uses the third instead:

Here’s that technique applied — perfect for a pop ballad approach:

This example employs the same type of voicings as before, but with a few cool twists. In bar 2, the moving figure uses both the 2nd and the 6th, and in the second half of bar 4, the chord is arpeggiated downward. Rolling through a chord voicing is a great way to add movement without being too busy: I do it again in the next bar with the inversion of the sus2 voicing, adding the B note for more color. Bar 6 has an especially effective chord voicing: Instead of just playing a G over an F bass, I add the C above, which creates a little tension that resolves when the triad moves down to the F major. This came from playing the same notes I had just arpeggiated, giving the performance good continuity and structure.

Starting in bar 7, I wanted a little more power, so I added the octaves in the bass, and then doubled the G in the Csus2 voicing on beat 4 so my right hand chords could get a little bigger, and have good voice leading throughout bars 8 – 9.

Voicing In Fourths

As we saw earlier when we inverted the Csus2 voicing, you can attain a nice open sound by building your chords with 4ths in your right hand. Here’s an example of how you can move things around using a mixture of 4ths and some triads. Note that I finish each chord’s climb with a colorful voicing that adds a little “crunch” on top:

I wouldn’t go too crazy using this idea in pop and rock settings, but used tastefully it can add some sophistication and color to your playing.

Click here for Part 3.

All audio played on a Yamaha P-515.

Check out our other Well-Rounded Keyboardist postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

Five Benefits of Joining School Orchestra

Written by Ken Dattmore on July 23, 2020. Posted in Strings How-to.

There are many good reasons for having your child join their school orchestra, including the fact that it’s just plain fun! But more importantly, learning about music and gaining achievements both personally and as part of a team can be the most satisfying part of a child’s journey into adulthood.

Let’s take a look at five of the benefits your child will gain from taking a seat in the orchestra.

1. Improved Social Skills

One of the biggest positives will be the connections your child makes with other students. This development of social skills happens as each student makes new acquaintances with the other members of the orchestra. Some of these interactions may develop into friendships that last a lifetime.

2. Learning Teamwork

From the day a child joins an orchestra, they become part of a functioning team that has clear goals. They learn that by playing their part, they can add to the greater goal of making fine music. This builds a strong skill set that they can use going forward in their education and beyond, into their future work and family interactions.

3. Developing a Sense of Responsibility

Joining an orchestra gives a child the responsibility of taking care of their instrument … and orchestral instruments are among the most fragile. A child learns from the start to treat their instrument with respect, not just to prevent damage but to keep it clean and in good playing condition.

It also teaches children the responsibility of learning and overcoming difficult tasks as their progress advances from beginner to skilled player. The commitment to practicing and improving can translate into their other school studies as well as helping them to cope with future life challenges.

4. Improved Cognitive Skills

Learning to read music and making an instrument do what your child wants it to do (and sound the way they want it to sound!) offers benefits to eye-hand coordination as well as increased cognitive skills such as concentration and visual recognition. Studies indicate that this tends to give kids who participate in orchestra programs higher success in other learning areas like math and reading. It also offers them the ability to increase their creativity, which opens other opportunities over the course of a lifetime — whether it be in the arts, sciences or business world.

5. Increased Enjoyment

Adults who participate in musical activities as a child often reap a lifetime of benefits as they get older. Some find increased enjoyment and relaxation by continuing to practice their instrument, or by just listening to the music that they once played. They become lifelong enthusiasts and share that passion and appreciation with others around them. Some musically talented children choose to remain actively playing, even if not as a professional. Amateur chamber groups and community orchestras offer a great deal of joy and camaraderie.

Of course, there’s even a chance that your child will decide to make music a career choice. In addition to professional orchestra players, there are lots of options, including soloists, arrangers, music educators, artist managers, performance venue management … even in the medical field as a music therapist. Whatever path your child ends up following, there’s no question that joining school orchestra can help pave the way to a better, more fulfilling life.

Is your child still not sure if this is something they’d like to do? Ask them to watch this video:

Click here for more information about the ways Yamaha can help your child’s musical journey.

How to Hide the Wires in Your Home Theater

Written by Eric Thies on July 21, 2020. Posted in Audio How-to. 3 Comments on How to Hide the Wires in Your Home Theater

You’ve made up your mind: It’s finally time to build your home theater nirvana — a place where you can spend many happy hours binge-watching your favorite TV shows and movies. You have studied all of your hardware options and subscribed to every major streaming service, and now you are ready to be wowed with immersive sound and stunning 4K image quality.

There is only one problem: How do you actually interconnect all this stuff so that your home theater doesn’t look like a spaghetti factory?

Nobody wants to see their dreams come to a crashing halt because of clutter or objections from a significant other, so let us give you a helping hand.

Tools of the Trade

When it comes to hiding wiring, the main rule of thumb is this: Always look for the path of least resistance. If you have an attic above your home theater room or crawlspace below, take full advantage of these open spaces. If that’s not an option, you will either need to open your walls to run wire or hide wiring under your baseboard and/or carpeting as it travels around the room. There are lots of tools like these to help you fish wire under carpets and through walls. If you are not the handy type, plenty of companies make paintable wire covers to hide unsightly bundles of cables. These are super easy to install.

Here’s a summary of some of the creative techniques for making those pesky wires disappear:

– Take advantage of any gaps that may already be there. Since trim elements like crown molding and baseboards run around a room, take advantage of the small gaps they can provide (i.e., behind the molding or underneath the baseboard). If the room does not have either, you can install a foam crown molding or foam chair rail to create a raceway for wires. This is actually a pretty easy DIY project and adds to your décor to boot.

– Run wiring underneath carpets, throw rugs or runners. There are all sorts of options for flat wire that can be fished underneath a carpet so as to not create an annoying bump in your rug.

– Use wall-mounted flat speaker wire. There are speaker wires on the market that can be installed onto your wall almost like a drywall repair — you simply affix the very thin wire to the wall with adhesive, then apply some joint compound to integrate the tiny bump of wire into your wall for a smooth finish. A little sanding and paint, and voila! Bonus: This type of wire will even work under wallpaper.

– Add some cord concealers. These nifty rigid raceways are a great way to hide a bundle of cables in a neat conduit that can be stuck to a baseboard or wall with dual-sided tape. They are easy to install and paintable. There are also flexible cord concealers that can be used behind your gear as it travels between shelves.

– You can never have enough zip ties! Zip ties are the installer’s best friend — kind of like duct tape to a handyman. They provide a great way to neatly bundle and manage cables. You can also use zip ties creatively to route cables neatly behind cabinets and between shelves.

– Utilize coves and light strips. If your room has a lighting cove or some other kind of design element that houses strip lighting, take advantage of these spaces to hide wire. LED light strips are very low wattage and can be very close to low-voltage wire without fear of causing a fire.

– Break down the barriers. It may sound like a desperate measure, but as a professional installer, I can tell you this is often our only viable option for hiding wires. It doesn’t actually take a lot of effort to open up a wall or ceiling and fish wires around a room — something that becomes even easier if you have an attic above or crawlspace below. All you have to do then is find someone to come and patch the holes you needed to make.

Now let’s take a closer look at the specific kinds of wiring interconnections you’ll need to make in your home theater.

Video Wiring

Hopefully you have selected the perfect size TV and mounted it at the correct height on the wall, so that your line of vision when seated in your favorite chair lands smack dab in the middle of the screen. This is a good start! If you are not lucky enough to have a power outlet behind your TV, there are some great user-installable outlet relocation solutions such as this one.

Most modern-day TVs have built-in apps, but if you want some of the additional features offered by an Apple TV^®, Amazon Fire Stick or Roku^®, those connections are simple: just plug them into an available HDMI^® port on your TV (or use an HDMI extender cable if necessary). Most of these devices are small enough to slide behind a TV so that you don’t have to run wires anywhere, even if an HDMI cable is needed.

If you want the fastest speeds possible, it is best practice to use a hard-wired Ethernet connection from your router or network switch into the back of the streaming device — even if it means running cabling in your basement or ceiling, or going through a wall. (Ethernet cabling can be run for over 300 feet if necessary without signal degradation.) If a hard-wired connection is not possible, the device should work fine wirelessly, as long as it is paired correctly to your Wi-Fi network and you have a strong signal in your home theater. (Click here for some tips on optimizing Wi-Fi.)

For best video quality, DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ players should be connected to your TV with HDMI cables instead of analog ones. Bear in mind that HDMI cabling should be as short as necessary and should never exceed 50 feet in length or you run the risk of signal degradation.

Audio Wiring

As TV manufacturers strive to reduce the bezel around the screen, the biggest casualty is sound quality — you simply cannot fit good speakers into these new designs. So add a sound bar! Even the most basic sound bar will provide audio that’s miles above the speakers built into a TV, but if you’re looking for a great one, consider the Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400. This audio gem even comes with a wireless subwoofer to provide that magical low-end rumble of a rolling tank or the Millenium Falcon. The connections for these devices could not be easier: simply use a short cable to route the TV audio output into the sound bar input (and, from there, to a subwoofer, if you have one) and you’re ready to rock.

Yamaha BAR 400 sound bar with wireless subwoofer. — *Yamaha BAR 400 sound bar.*

If you are a home theater aficionado, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the amazing surround tracks that accompany most modern movies and TV shows. This requires at least a pair of rear speakers for a basic 5.1-channel system (five main speakers and the “.1” subwoofer.) You will hear a lot of opinions on where rear speakers should be placed, but one thing is for sure: They should never be in front of you. Instead, they should be positioned off to the sides of your listening area or behind you, angled in. In a commercial cinema these are typically on the side walls but your particular room may not allow that. If you need to use ceiling speakers for the rears, this can be a pretty acceptable alternative.

*Yamaha MusicCast 20 wireless speakers.*

Of course, running wires around a room can be a hassle, despite all the great tools described above. An even better solution is to add a pair of wireless surround speakers such as the Yamaha MusicCast 20, which are compatible with all current MusicCast-enabled devices. Simply place a pair in the back of your room to get those amazing fly-over effects you crave. These speakers are available in black or white and are also compatible with music streaming services and your mobile phone so you can use them for music listening too. Bear in mind that even though you do not need speaker wire to connect these speakers, they will still need power, so you will need a power outlet somewhere in proximity. Failing that, you can always use one of the user-installable outlet relocation solutions mentioned earlier in this article.

Adding an AV Receiver

If your budget can stretch a bit further and you desire a higher level of audio performance, you should consider using a full-featured AV receiver like the MusicCast-enabled Yamaha RX-V685. AV receivers (AVRs for short) act as both the central hub and “brains” of your system, though installing it will require a little planning.

First, determine where you will place the AVR. Even if it has some wireless capability (as the RX-V685 does), there will still be some video and/or audio wiring required … and since all your home theater wires will be connected to the AV receiver, its location needs to be carefully considered. For example, you’ll need to connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable — the shorter the better. In this kind of setup, your streaming devices will also have to move to the receiver location and will connect directly to the HDMI ports on the back of the receiver (instead of your TV).

Second, map out all of your endpoints. Your center channel dialogue speaker will go immediately below your TV. The left and right speakers will go on your TV wall or in your entertainment center, and your goal is to create an equilateral triangle between you (at your seated location) and each speaker. If you failed geometry in school, this just means that the distance between the left and right speakers should be the same as the distance between you and each speaker.

Placing the subwoofer is a lot easier since low frequencies are not very localized, meaning that it’s hard to hear where they come from. Your sub should simply go somewhere along the front (screen) wall of your room, preferably in a corner so you can take advantage of the energy those adjacent walls help create. For a truly chest-pounding audio experience, consider using two subwoofers and place one in each corner.

If you want to ratchet up the immersion factor, you might want to make the move to a 7.2-channel system, which requires two additional speakers mounted in the ceiling or on the rear wall of your room. (The “.2” is just an indication that there are two subwoofers in the system, although you can actually run a 7.1 system with a single subwoofer … but .2 is definitely recommended.)

The ultimate surround set-up is Dolby Atmos^® — the holy grail of movie sound. This adds two or four speakers in the ceiling to a 7.2 channel setup to fill the gap between the side and rear surround speakers. If you use two ceiling speakers, these are typically slightly forward of the seating area. If you choose four speakers, then you would mount an additional pair in the ceiling between your seating area and the back wall.

Once you’ve decided on all your speaker locations, you need to choose the wire you’ll be using to connect them. I recommend a minimum of 16-gauge, but 14-gauge or 12-gauge wire will perform better. (Bear in mind that if you intend to run the wire through walls or in the ceiling, you will need wiring that is CL-rated for safety.) In addition, unless you’re using wireless subwoofers, you’ll need to run line-level cables from the AV receiver to each sub.

Now it’s time to start unboxing your AV goodies and get your room wired up for an amazing home theater experience … without any unsightly clutter!

Check out these related blog articles:

Home Theater Basics

How to Recreate the Movie Theater Experience at Home

Building the Ideal Home Theater

Top Five Things You Should Know When Hiring an AV Installer

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV products.

10 Guidelines for 1st-Year Directors

Written by Dr. Brad Meyer on July 20, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Being a first-year music teacher is challenging. A big hurdle is applying the knowledge you gained during your formal education while building practical knowledge, which is usually learned on-the-fly once you enter the workforce.

Below are 10 helpful tips from my experience that I hope will help make your first year of teaching a little easier, more effective and more time efficient, so that you will not have to figure things out “the hard way” as I did.

1. Take Care of Yourself

Eat healthy, sleep at least six to eight hours every night and exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself takes time, but the time you put into keeping yourself healthy will allow you to stay more mentally focused and physically energized throughout your day.

Make time for yourself. Plan free time and vacations the way you schedule your rehearsals. Free time helps you recharge and re-energize, and it will help you avoid burnout at your job.

2. Communicate Safely and Effectively

Learn which way students and parents receive communication best (GroupMe, Remind, etc.) and use it. Take the time to become proficient in whatever method of parent/student communication your school uses, and use it consistently – whether it is weekly Charms emails, regular Google Classroom announcements or nightly Remind101s. Always remember that group communication is much safer for you as an instructor than one-on-one messages, which can lead to the appearance of inappropriate communication or behavior. A good rule of thumb for any written communication is to never write anything you would not feel comfortable discussing in a deposition.

3. Schedule Wisely

Use calendars (and calendar apps) constantly, consistently and effectively. Your iCal/Google Calendar/Fantastical 2/Calendars 5/Outlook/Timepage should look like a piece of art. Schedule in classes, rehearsals, meetings and travel times. Color coordinate your calendars (personal vs. professional vs. school-related), and put in deadlines for submissions to your local music education association, deadlines for competitions, grant/funding deadlines, etc. Many calendar apps can be shared with students/parents/administrators/colleagues to help avoid rehearsal/performance conflicts.

4. Make Lists … Lots of Lists

Use a list-making or task-management app or program (Evernote/Trello/Todoist/Microsoft To Do) that you can access on your computer and phone and create separate categories to keep track of your various responsibilities. I have separate categories for current concert repertoire, future concert repertoire, future chamber ensemble repertoire, conference clinic topics, article topics, possible future clinicians, potential students (with all their contact information and family names), instrument needs, to-do lists and ensemble goals (1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year). Having your lists organized and easily available at all times will allow you to record ideas and any “ah-ha” moments no matter where you may be. Tracking ideas, goals and tasks will help you and your ensemble progress more quickly. The more you can plan ahead for your ensembles and yourself, the more direction and focus you and your program will have.

5. Learn to Delegate

In the beginning of your job/career, you will need to do a lot of things yourself, but the more you can delegate small tasks (restringing marimbas, loading cases, setting up chairs and stands, etc.), the more attention and energy you can give to big-picture items. Establish easy-to-follow systems for how you want your program to work. Also, relying on student leaders can be an effective way of getting tons of small tasks accomplished while giving students a hierarchy that allows them to advance among their peers.

6. Don’t Let a Bad Lesson/Rehearsal/Concert Ruin Your Day

Always try to learn what you could have done better from negative situations, but do not bring your work home (especially the negative aspects) because this will only hurt you and your relationships. Everyone needs to vent and doing so in small amounts infrequently can be healthy. However, try to avoid consistently discussing only the negative aspects of your job. This will result in you having a negative outlook on your job. Use friends and family as a healthy sounding board, but then move forward. Focusing on the negative can easily become a living feedback loop of self-pity.

7. Be Students’ Mentor, Not Their Friend

Students need a mentor much more than another friend. It is difficult to put students’ long-term goals over their immediate need for validation and attention, especially if they are having problems at home or in their personal lives. Focus on helping your students/young adults learn how to be dedicated, have a consistent work ethic and overcome hurdles (emotionally, mentally and physically) so they can become successful, independent adults.

Never give out your personal phone number or email to students and be aware of your school and district’s rules regarding text messaging and social media contact with students. This is important to protect you from any damaging ramifications.

8. Share Your Group’s Success

If you do not promote your group, who will? Use all the available types of media (newspapers, local radio/cable stations, blogs) and social media (your band’s or school’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) to get your program noticed in the public’s eyes and ears. Make sure you are an advocate to all shareholders. Reach out to administration, colleagues, parents, and past and future students to share news of the growth, success and accomplishments of your program. Many schools/districts have media outlets that can be harnessed for your program’s benefit as well.

9. Be Kind to Everyone

It is easy to keep in mind the people you are directly involved with – students, parents, colleagues, administrators, etc. However, some of the most important people to your program’s success are the ones who work behind the scenes, sometimes known as “support staff.” Be kind and show respect to the transportation director, custodial staff, maintenance department, IT people, administrative assistants, etc. These people are the backbone of any great organization and can either make your day run smoothly so you can stay focused on music-related aspects of your job, or they can make your day a logistical nightmare. Being kind to everyone is just a good rule of thumb for life, but it can be easy to overlook the support staff who make your day-to-day life easier.

10. Find a Mentor

Almost every young ensemble director has huge aspirations, and it can be easy to let your personal goals overshadow the actual needs of your program. Find an older, knowledgeable mentor, a seasoned veteran music educator who can advise you and help you avoid obstacles. Not only can you toss ideas around with your mentor, but you can get advice about practical things like how to juggle deadlines for marching competitions, find funding for band trips and schedule marching band rehearsals (that often involve numerous administrators and athletic coaches). Fortunately, most musicians and music educators enjoy helping each other. Your “rival band” might have a director who could be your most helpful mentor because “rival programs” often do similar activities because you are in the same district with the same deadlines and policies.

This article originally appeared in “Bandmasters Review,” The Texas Bandmasters Association, Volume 20, Issue 2, pp. 21-22.

Positive Mental Health Strategies

Written by Dr. Brad Meyer on July 20, 2020. Posted in Self-Care.

The beginning of the school year is a good time for music educators to create a better routine for good mental health for themselves and their students.

Below, are several strategies that come from mental health research. While I am not a mental health specialist, many of the suggestions below come from professionals who have significant experience and research in the field of mental health. Much of what is presented below applies to high school and college musicians, but the concepts can be applied to other ages and professions.

Statistics

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),

75% of lifetime cases of mental conditions begin by age 24.
One in four young adults between 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness.
Students cited depression and anxiety among the top impediments for academic performance in 2011.

Therapy/Counseling

Therapy is a great way to improve numerous aspects of both personal and professional life. Many schools and colleges offer free or significantly reduced rates for therapy/counseling. Historically, there has been a stigma associated with therapy, and it was only sought out by a narrow segment of the population. But now, going to therapy is not only accepted but encouraged.

Seeing a therapist on a regular basis helps people learn how to manage anxiety and set reasonable goals; it also helps them deal with situations when their brain turns small issues into big issues.

To locate the health services department at a school, simply type the name of the school along with “mental health counseling” into a search engine. One of the first results will most likely list where you can find the mental health center, its contact information and much more.

Goal Setting

People are easily overwhelmed when they are given a huge goal to accomplish over a long period of time, such as the typical senior recital in college. With goal setting, this large goal is chopped up into smaller, bite-sized chunks that are more easily attainable. When a person reaches a goal, even a tiny goal, he or she is more likely to continue onto the next goal with more energy and excitement. Here is an example of how to break down a large goal (40-minute senior recital) into smaller tasks:

End Goal:40 minutes of music consisting of five pieces with three months (12 weeks) until the recital.
Smaller (Biweekly) Goal:Learn one piece every two weeks; reserve the last two weeks for cleaning and “confidence runs.”
Smaller (Weekly) Goal:Break each piece down into two one-week goals; first week to learn the solo, and the second week to get the solo worked up to tempo and cleaned.
Smaller (Daily) Goal:The first solo is seven pages, so learn one page a day and review any material already learned.
Smallest Goal:On the first day, devote two hours to practice the solo. The first page is divided into four small sections, so set a timer and learn one section every 30 minutes.

This breakdown of a recital into biweekly, weekly, daily and a two-hour practice session will focus your efforts to meet the larger end goal. Every solo takes different amounts of time to learn/perfect, and every individual learns at a different pace. You know yourself better than anyone. So when you are goal setting, consider as many factors as possible that pertain to you and your work habits to create a realistic timeline that will lead to a great, confident recital.

The same process can be applied to any task that involves deadlines. When people break down the tasks to meet a big deadline, they feel like they are getting things done and moving toward their goal by completing small tasks on a daily or weekly basis. This idea is similar to how marathon runners think of running one mile 26 times, rather than thinking about running all 26 miles once.

Eat, Sleep and Exercise

Also known as the “Big Three,” eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly have all been linked to improving people’s mental health.

I recommend meal prepping at night to create nutritious meals that are easily accessible, so that things like fast food can be avoided.

Consider using an alarm to tell you when to go to bed so you get a good night’s sleep. For example, iPhones have a “Bedtime Alarm,” which can be helpful if you lose track of time at night watching Netflix, playing on the computer or scrolling through social media.

Lastly, schedule exercise into your weekly calendar so that it is not overlooked as something to “fit in when possible.” Everyone is different — some people work out better at night, some prefer the mornings and others mid-day. Try different workout times until you find the one that works best for you.

Reduce/Eliminate Electronics Time

There are numerous articles and studies that say reducing or eliminating social media and other electronics (gaming, video apps/services, etc.) can improve your mental health. It’s difficult to do this because social media and other electronics are specifically designed to be addictive. Netflix’s chief executive, Reed Hastings, said, “… You know, think about it, when you watch a show from Netflix, and you get addicted to it, you stay up late at night. We’re competing with sleep, on the margin. And so, it’s a very large pool of time.”

Quitting or reducing time with electronics can help you get into a regular sleep routine. But it can also boost self-esteem. People use social media as a way to show off the highlights of their day, but they generally do not include the regular, boring and sometimes negative things in their lives. By looking as their social media accounts, you may have negative feelings of self-worth because your life does not seem as amazing as theirs with their new relationship, fancy car, professional achievements, new clothes, etc.

Reducing or eliminating the constant barrage of thousands of people’s singular highlights will help you keep a level head and improve your ability to know what is truly important instead of simply superficial.

Build Your Financial Health

Another major cause of mental anguish is money. With the rise of student debt, it is common for many young adults to feel overwhelmed by financial insecurity.

The best thing to do is to get started with a singular task. Just like preparing for your senior recital outlined above, you can easily get overwhelmed when you just focus on your debt. A common way to get a handle over your finances is to create a budget (income vs. expenses). After that, make smaller, manageable financial goals, such as building an emergency fund by saving $50 a month or eliminate debts one at a time. Then make longer-term financial plans like starting a retirement savings, buying a house or car, starting a family, etc.

There are many great resources about building your financial knowledge. You can start by reading my article “Financial Advice for Young Percussionists,” which was published in the May 2018 issue of Percussive Notes. You can also check out Dave Ramsey’s “Seven Baby Steps” or his “Financial Peace University” (a fee is required).

Time Management

One of the best ways to feel in control of your mental health is to be in control of your schedule. Use calendars (iCal, Google Calendars, paper calendars, etc.) to map out days, months, weeks and even years. Musicians are known to have complex schedules that can vary drastically from week to week, so having a schedule that is constantly updated will give you a sense of healthy control for your mental health.

A detailed calendar allows for planning of academic, professional and personal events. Scheduling times to eat, sleep, relax, hang with friends/family and other personal things will allow you to plan each day to be maximally productive without being overwhelming. Calendars are a great place to put practice times (with practice goals), study times (with study goals) and other things that are not fixed like classes, rehearsals, concerts and lessons.

Do not feel as if you are a slave to your calendar; instead, treat your calendar as a tool that helps you build a great day, every day. Try mixing up your practice and study times to find out what works best. Some people find they practice better at night, but as they grow older, they may prefer the morning. Remember, your calendar/schedule does not have to be the same from day to day.

Lastly, don’t forget to add mental health activities into your calendar, such as therapy, mindfulness practice, meditation, yoga, body scans, etc.

One Thing at a Time

The hardest thing about starting down the road of self-improvement is taking that first step. A lot of change in a short period of time can cause you to abandon the idea of change at all, even though you know it is for the best.

Try taking one thing — therapy, goal setting, time management, “the big three” or reducing/eliminating electronics — and start working on it one day at a time.

Creating a positive environment to improve mental health is a life-long process. There are always setbacks, so expect them, deal with them and learn from them because you will become stronger from these setbacks.

If things get too hard, schedule an appointment with a therapist, talk with a close friend or family member, or if it is a life-threatening emergency, contact the appropriate authority like 911, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) or Crisis Text Line (text “CONNECT to 741741).

Everyone needs help from time to time, so make sure to watch out for fellow musicians, music educators and your students by being observant and available to help, even if it is just to listen.

This article originally appeared in Percussive Notes, Percussive Arts Society, Volume 58, Issue 1, pp. 47-49.

9 Strategies to Combat Burnout

Written by Dr. Brad Meyer on July 20, 2020. Posted in Self-Care.

When it comes to teaching and/or performing in the field of music, almost everyone has or will have to deal with “burnout,” which is a mental collapse due to stress.

Oftentimes, people are afraid to discuss mental issues like burnout because many infer that if someone is burned out, then he has lost his love of music. However, that is not the case at all. Burnout is a natural experience in the extreme ebb and flow of being in a creative, passionate and demanding field.

Here are nine ways of reducing burnout utilizing both academic research and from my personal experience.

1. Have a Routine that Includes Quality Rest and Breaks

Musicians often forget to take real breaks because of the relentless nature of their field. Music is inherently something that you can never perfect; it can always be better with more practice. Nonstop practice without breaks and/or rest can result in the law of diminishing returns where the time being spent on a project is more than the benefits gained. One way to make sure you get good rest is to schedule breaks so that they are a mandatory part of your day.

Get consistent sleep. Sleep is one of those things that everyone knows is important, but it is one of the first things that people do less of during stressful times. There have been numerous studies on the detriment of reducing one’s sleep schedule, especially in regard to mental efficiency. (One study is “Patterns of Performance Degradation and Restoration During Sleep Restriction and Subsequent Recovery: A Sleep Dose-Response Study” from the Journal of Sleep Research.) Not getting enough sleep can make the time you are awake less productive. To fix this, go to bed at a consistent time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. When you go to bed, turn off all distractions – do not get on your smartphone/tablet or watch TV. Dedicate that time to trying to relax and falling asleep. In the beginning, you may find yourself lying awake in bed, but if you stay consistent with your schedule, your body will learn that it can shut down and sleep at a consistent hour. Apply these same “rules” to when you wake up. Trying to “catch up” on sleep by sleeping in on the weekends can ruin your sleep cycle by pushing back the time your body is used to being awake, which then pushes back the time your body will want to go to sleep.
Take real breaks. Sometimes when we do get a break, we continue to ruminate on what we should be doing instead of enjoying the break. A good way to take a real break is to remove yourself from the work situation. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a resource titled “Tooling and Studying: Effective Breaks,” which offers several methods for making breaks effective, including studying in blocks of time (50 minutes of study/10 minutes for a break), getting up and moving around, scheduling meal breaks, turning off your phone during study (turn it on only during breaks). I recommend that if you are practicing in an office, practice room or rehearsal space, go outside and either walk around or sit on a bench. Be present in your moment outside by experiencing the break. Listen to the sounds of nature (or traffic) or look up and notice the trees, clouds, birds or the people around you. Finding ways to get your mind mentally focused away from the task/job that is making you feel burned out will help you return to the task at hand with more mental energy and concentration.

2. Exercise

It is universally agreed that exercise is good for the body and mind. Developing an exercise routine can help balance hormones in your body and help increase energy throughout the day. Many people have the misconception that working out will rob them of energy that they could have used later, when in fact working out has the opposite effect. Exercise will increase your mental awareness while boosting your level of physical energy for the day, which is why many people recommend working out in the morning.

Researchers have found that “individuals who exercised at least two to three time a week experienced significantly less depression, anger, cynical distrust and stress … and higher levels of coherence and a stronger feeling of social integration …” (from “Physical Exercises and Psychological Well-Being: A Population Study in Finland” by Peter Hassmén, Nathalie Koivula and Antti Uutela). You do not need to become a body builder or an endurance athlete, just enjoy the exertion that will improve your physical and mental health.

3. Rely on Friends

Friends are an invaluable resource when you experience burnout. You can vent to them, cry on their shoulder and use them as a healthy distraction from your current dilemmas. Do not be afraid to share issues with your friends. One of the best ways to deal with difficult issues is to talk through them out loud. When you think through problems in your mind, you tend to focus on issues that would sound preposterous when said out loud.

Talking to someone gives you the opportunity to explain your situation and to get a response you might not have considered. Friends also provide sympathy and laughter. Both of these can make us feel less overwhelmed by the difficulties and stress of being a music educator or performer.

The Mental Health Foundation has a great article titled “Friendship and Mental Health” about how people can utilize their friends to strengthen their mental health and how to be a good friend by listening to others who are having problems/mental health issues.

4. Do Something Completely Different

Some people make music their one and only focus in life, which is easy to do because there are so many ways to become more and more involved in music. However, having a nonmusical activity in your life can give you the mental release you need so that when you return to your musical activities, you will be refreshed and energized.

Consider joining an athletic team, finding a hobby (gardening, painting, wood working, model building, etc.), start exploring new places where you live (hiking, camping, biking, etc.) or something else that is not related to music. The point is to get away from music to stave off burnout so when you return to it, you will have a fresh and open mind.

5. Mental Health Strategies (Mindfulness and Meditation)

Burnout is often fed by negative mental actions like rumination and repetitive “what if-ing,” which can exacerbate problems. The best thing you can do is to learn how the brain works so that you can calm down negative mental responses to stress. Things like mindfulness and meditation are great tools to help you deal with stress at all levels. There are numerous podcasts and books on both of these topics, but one podcast on mindfulness I recommend is UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center’s “Weekly Podcast at the Hammer.”

An additional step in helping create strong mental health strategies is to see a licensed therapist regularly. Charles (Chuck) Bryant from the podcast and video series, “Stuff You Should Know,” is paraphrased as saying, “I’m not concerned for people in therapy, I’m concerned for those who aren’t in therapy.” This is a great slogan for mental health services because it conveys that people who are in therapy are actively trying to get better, while people who are not don’t have the guidance or instruction to know where to start to get better.

Everyone could use a little help from time to time, so do not be afraid to see a therapist/counselor. Even if you feel that you are mentally healthy, it would not hurt to develop new strategies to deal with life’s problems and stresses while they are manageable and before they become overwhelming.

6. Reshape Your Mental Perspective

Sometimes your mental attitude about a task or assignment is the reason for burnout. This tends to be the case with students. Many people view their jobs/work/practicing/assignments as something that must be done so they can move on to the next item at hand. However, this often creates a sense of moving forward for the sake of moving forward.

Instead, focus on the exercise/etude/piece as an opportunity to become better in that moment. It is great to be motivated to progress in your studies/education, but progressing should be a natural part of the learning curve. Viewing tasks as opportunities to get better at certain skills or concepts will be much more fulfilling in the long term, rather than moving through material just to say that you have done it. You often see this with students who run through exercises just to say that they have completed their work instead of doing exercises with a mental focus to become better at a skill or group of skills that is being isolated. A good motto I use is: “Work on the quality, and the quantity will come.”

7. Do Something New and Invigorating Within Music

Many times, we get stuck doing the same types of things over and over in music. If you are known for playing timpani, you might play in orchestras all the time. If you are known as being a good drum set player, you may play in jazz combos all the time. But doing the same thing can lead to burnout.

What might get your “creative juices flowing” is to try something new musically. For example, try playing a different style of music, start a chamber group, research new ways to perform/teach, organize a performance in a place you have never played before or learn a new instrument. As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life.” Varying your musical activities can help create a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.

8. Play Something Challenging or Easy

If all you do is perform difficult music, the challenge can become the reason why you are experiencing burnout. Just because a composition is touted as being difficult, does not necessarily mean it will be personally fulfilling. Constantly performing pieces like this can make you feel like a modern-day Sisyphus — continually struggling to roll that boulder uphill, just to get there and realize that you have to do it again.

The same is true on the other end of the musical spectrum. If you play easy music all the time, you can feel unfulfilled. This is especially common with percussionists who play regular gigs where the music does not seem particularly varied.

In either case, try pursuing something significantly more musically and/or technically demanding or easy outside of your regular gigs. This new challenge may lead to a sense of renewed musical growth and self-expression.

9. Push Through

Sometimes burnout happens at a time where you cannot stop and take a break to recharge your mental batteries the way that you would like. This can be one of the hardest situations when dealing with burnout. But sometimes you must push through or persist in order to keep your job to pay bills or fulfill a musical obligation where quitting is not an option.

It will be difficult, but you need to stick to a routine that you have developed in the past that you know works for you. Sometimes you will have to plan your day down to the minute and then force yourself to stick to that schedule. Even though it can feel like you are “going through the motions,” utilizing your time toward a goal can eventually give you some sense of direction.

The worst thing you can do in a situation like this is to constantly think about what you have to do. Instead, like Nike’s motto exclaims, “Just Do It!” I have met many people who, when they get overloaded or feel burnt out, spend more time talking about what they need to do rather than just doing those things. Pushing through burnout with a sense of brute force can sometimes help overcome burnout.

On the other hand, pushing through immediate burnout can also lead to long-term burnout. Pushing through can be beneficial when you are in a tough situation, such as meeting a tight deadline. When you complete the task at hand, it can give you a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment that leads to breaking away from feelings of burnout. However, pushing through can also increase feelings of burnout once the task has been completed. Pushing through can be a temporary fix, but it is most likely not a permanent solution.

These nine strategies are not the only ways to deal with burnout, but they are a good place to start. One of these strategies may work for you the next time you have feelings of burnout, but the same strategy may not work the next time. It is important to find different ways of dealing with mental stress because you change throughout your life and how you deal with stress. Just know that you are not alone. Everyone deals with stress and burnout throughout life. Without the difficult times, the great times would not be as great!

This article was originally published in Percussive Notes, Percussive Arts Society, Volume 54, Issue 1, pp. 16-17.

Does Your AV Receiver Need an Upgrade?

Written by Joy Frye on July 17, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

Your AV receiver is the heart of your home entertainment system. That means it’s also the gatekeeper. If it’s not up-to-date with the latest technology, you could be missing out on important audio and video advancements and not getting the best experience possible.

Most of us can’t afford to get a new receiver every year. As with cars, it’s important to consider what new features are available, or will be available soon, then decide when it’s worthwhile to buy the latest model. For example, a tailgate that you can open with your foot may not be a priority, but an onboard blind spot warning system might be something you really would like to have.

Let’s take a look at some key features you’ll find in current Yamaha AV receivers so you can decide which might be must-haves for you.

4K, 8K and Ultra HD

Most Yamaha receivers released from 2015 to 2019 support the latest HDMI^® standards for 4K Ultra HD, which is defined as 3840 x 2160 pixels. The latest standard, HDMI 2.1, supports 8K, which has an aspect ratio of 7680 x 4320 pixels.

For comparison, high definition (which was previously the highest standard) is 1080 or 1920 x 1080 pixels. More pixels means greater resolution of fine details with greater contrast, which enables you to sit closer to the screen while still enjoying a clear image. Video that originates in 4K can be downscaled by some AV receivers (including many Yamaha models) and still retain high-definition resolution. Blu-ray Discs™ used to be the only place to find 4K movies, but now it’s much more commonly available, with streaming services like Netflix^® offering movies and programs in 4K. Most TVs are now also 4K.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

HDR TVs have much more contrast and many more colors than non-HDR TVs, which gives them more vivid, realistic images. AV receivers that support HDR video formats (such as Dolby^® Vision^® and Hybrid Log-Gamma [HLG]) give you a full, high-definition experience with exceptionally realistic and natural picture quality. But don’t forget that, in addition to an HDR-capable TV and AV receiver, you need HDR content to enjoy the amazing contrast and lifelike colors. Luckily, like 4K, many streaming services are now offering HDR content.

eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel)

A feature called ARC (Audio Return Channel) allows audio to be sent from your TV to your AV receiver through the same HDMI cable that carries the video signal from your AV receiver to the TV. Enhanced ARC (eARC) increases bandwidth, which enables signals from high-res audio (like Dolby TrueHD^® and DTS-HD Master Audio™) as well as 3D surround sound formats (such as Dolby Atmos^® and DTS:X™) to be sent uncompressed, so you can enjoy movie theater-quality experience at home.

Artificial Intelligence

Yamaha receivers were the first to incorporate artificial intelligence with Surround:AI™, a technology that analyzes the DSP parameters for each scene of a movie five times per second — essentially, in real time. By focusing on distinct sound elements (such as dialogue, background music, ambient sounds and sound effects), Surround:AI automatically optimizes the overall surround effect for your home theater, making intimate dialogue-heavy scenes just as engrossing as raging battle scenes.

Whole-Home Audio

No receiver should be an island. If your AV receiver is part of a larger family of devices designed to work together, like Yamaha MusicCast-enabled products, then you’re able to enjoy whole-home audio. Being able to wirelessly share music from a variety of sources to sound bars and speakers in other rooms — even in your backyard — is a music lover’s dream come true.

Voice Control

Chances are you already have a voice assistant in your home, whether it be Alexa, Google Assistant™ or Siri^®. But if you want to ask for music, you’re not limited to talking to your smart speaker. Many modern AV receivers can be controlled by voice too — just ask for your favorite music (or turn the power on and off) without having to hunt for the remote control!

So should you replace your old faithful AV receiver that still sounds great, but can’t take advantage of the latest audio, video and smart home technologies? The choice is yours, but if you already have an AV receiver, chances are you value high-quality sound and immersive entertainment … and there’s no question that the latest features can be very tempting!

Check out these related blog articles:

What’s a Receiver? Part 2: AV

Top Five AV Receiver Features

HDMI^® 2.1: What It Means for Gear and Gamers

The Perfect Pairing: Yamaha MusicCast and Home Automation

Smart Home Integration — From DIY to CI Guy

Enjoy Music Outdoors with Zone 2

How to Use Alexa with MusicCast

How to Use Actions on Google with Yamaha MusicCast

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV receivers.

Mastering engineer in studio sitting in front of mixing console.

The Loudness Wars

Written by Pete Lyman on July 15, 2020. Posted in Recording.

I’m often asked my opinion about the so-called “loudness wars.” To me, it’s not a “war” and I don’t have a stance either way. I prefer to make the best-sounding record I can, without sacrificing any quality for the sake of loudness.

Sure, there have been times that I’ve felt pressured to make records louder than I normally would … some of which have gone on to win multiple Grammys^®. I’ve also worked on plenty of records that weren’t mastered super-loud yet were really well-received. But it’s hard to say whether or not some of the projects I’ve worked on would have been as successful without having that loudness push. In the end, it really just depends on the project and what the artist is going for.

Keep It Clean

If the artist’s goal is to make a loud record, it’s important to try to figure out a way to get that loudness as clean as possible. This all starts in the mix phase and can either make or break your ability to push a track to its limits in the mastering stage. For example, most mixing engineers that understand that a track needs to be “competitive” will compress the individual elements in the song so that, by the time it comes to be mastered, that sound is already baked in. On the other side of the coin, if I have a mix come in that I’m trying to push to -6 or -7 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) with transients spiking, I would have to compress the entire mix, which would change the balance of the entire track. There is always a compromise.

To Remix or Not to Remix

I rarely ask for remixes. I’m always happy to give clients feedback on their mixes if they ask for it, but otherwise I usually assume the mix has been approved by the team and is ready to be mastered.

In fact, one of my biggest pet peeves is mastering engineers sending back mixes and asking for new ones without bus processing or limiting. If a mixing engineer uses either of those tools as part of their process, then the mastering engineer needs to deal with that. However, it’s important to be aware of the fact that if a track comes in too hot, it limits (pardon the pun) the amount of processing a mastering engineer is able to apply to the track (which isn’t always a bad thing). I think there’s a common misconception that mastering engineers are supposed to put their fingerprint on every mix and do a ton of manipulation and bus processing, when in fact sometimes our job is to do very little. In fact, one of the biggest parts of our job is to know what a track does or doesn’t need. If I receive a mix that is virtually perfect, then I need to send it back as is. Like doctors, the first credo of mastering engineers should be: “First, do no harm.”

Less Is Always More

My philosophy on making tracks louder can be summed up in four words: “Less is always more.” Use the least amount of tools possible to get the job done. You’ll start getting into trouble when you start stacking twenty different plug-ins on a track. If it already sounds good, all you should need, ideally, is an equalizer and a limiter.

For instance, if you’re using the Steinberg WaveLab MasterRig to master a well-balanced mix, you should be starting with the EQ and limiter modules. Ninety percent of the time that’s going to get the track exactly where it needs to go.

If you get a mix that isn’t quite working dynamically, you can start adding a little compression to get some movement in the song. I think the idea of using compression in the mastering stage is oftentimes approached incorrectly. You should be using it to add life and vibe, not to compress the life out of the mix.

In general, loudness can be achieved using many different tools, including saturation and even sometimes clipping, but the most important one is equalization — something people often forget! You can use EQ to emphasize the areas of a track that your ears will hear first. For example, I might go in and sweeten up the mid-range, or tighten up the low end. EQ can also be a major problem solver if, say, you have a track that has an excessive amount of low or even sub-audible frequencies that need to be rolled off because they are eating up all the headroom.

Be Flexible When It Comes to the Order of Operations

The order of operations is completely dependent on the project. Let’s say you’re using EQ, compressor and limiter plug-ins on a mix. I would typically start with the EQ, then compression, and finally limiting. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes if I really need to compress a track, but want to add some life into it, I might use an EQ to add a high “air” band after compression. This adds back some of the highs that might have gotten sucked out during the compression stage. It’s important to experiment with equalizers both before and after the compression stage, instead of assuming it should always happen in the same flow.

Trust Your Monitors

In general, mastering engineers don’t have multiple versions of speakers, because we’ve spent a ton of resources tuning our rooms so mixes translate as flat as possible. (I also have a small speaker that I occasionally listen back on when I’m printing a “real-world” listening experience, but never for the actual mastering process.) It’s so important to learn your monitors. You should spend hours and hours listening to music you love, as well as music you’ve worked on. That’s the only way you’ll be able to trust them.

Whether you’re controlling your volume from a DAW, or from a monitoring system, having a calibrated level is just as important. You need to understand where your speakers are the flattest and how they are loading your room. The sound pressure level (SPL) at my listening position is usually between 83 and 86dB, C-weighted, but sometimes I’ll crank things up to 90dB to feel the energy and get the room moving. This also helps you understand what’s going on with the low end. However, when I print a final pass, I always listen really low in volume.

Make Sure Your Metering Is Accurate

One of the best things about WaveLab is the metering. The level meter is particularly versatile, because it can be modified to your liking and your scale. And since I’m a vinyl guy, I use the phase scope all the time too. Phase coherence is incredibly important, especially when it comes to low frequency content.

I also really like using the WaveLab loudness and spectrum meters. The latter (both the spectroscope and spectrometer, shown below) can be especially helpful if you don’t have a full-range monitoring system. They provide a perfect way to see what’s going on in the sub frequencies even if you can’t necessarily hear them in your environment.

The key thing to understand is that the loudness potential of a track is largely built in at the mix stage. Once you listen to the mix, you pretty much know how far you can push the track without destroying it — something to be avoided at all costs!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out Pete’s other blogs.

Click here for more information about Steinberg WaveLab.

Silhouette of a man playing piano with the moon behind him.

The Saddest of All Keys

Written by Shelly Peiken on July 13, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

“D minor … is the saddest of all keys, I find.”— Nigel Tufnel

Spinal Tap guitarist Nigel Tufnel grinning innocuously. — *Nigel Tufnel in a pensive moment.*

In This is Spinal Tap, the 1984 mockumentary about a fictional heavy metal band, fictional guitarist Nigel Tufnel proclaims that Dm is not only the saddest of all keys, but that “it makes people weep instantly.” I don’t know about the “saddest” or “weep instantly” parts, but Dm is indeed a sad key.

The idea that key signatures evoke certain emotional responses has been widely accepted by musicologists (and many musicians, too) for literally centuries. Jared H., founder of LedgerNote, posits that all 24 commonly used musical key signatures have a distinct personality. For example, A major is “youthful cheerful,” Bm is “patient and calm,” D major “triumphant,” etc. (Check out music theorist John Mattheson’s full list of keys and their corresponding characteristics here, and Howard Massey’s blog on the subject here.)

It certainly is a fascinating thing to consider. And to my ears (and I think the ears of most people), if you play pretty much any song in two or three different keys, you can hear a subtle shift in nuance. So shouldn’t we keep that in mind when sitting down to write a song?

Well, I have to be honest: I’m just not the kind of writer who asks herself how I’m feeling in order to determine the key in which I’ll write about those feelings. My hands have an inner accord with my emotions and they fall where they may on the ivories. I trust them. If I’m feeling melancholy, they know better than to aim for G major. Maybe this is due to the fact that they’ve been doing this for so long, they know the drill. That said, when I’m writing on guitar, there are certain keys I default to simply because the fingerings are so easy to play — E or Em, for example. I can just throw a capo on if I need to go higher — one of the things I love about guitar. (Try doing that with any other musical instrument!)

Perhaps adhering to a key’s corresponding characteristics is a more useful tool when composing instrumental music only — that is, when one isn’t also using their voice as part of the writing process. For me — someone who invariably sings while they write — it helps if a key and its tonal center are compatible with my vocal range. Where does my voice sound most expressive? Where are my sweet spots? Of course, singing/writing/demoing in my optimum key isn’t necessarily the best solution if my goal is to get that song covered by a particular artist. If that’s the case, it behooves me to do some research to determine where that artist’s voice shines, then record the demo accordingly.

Which is not to say that an artist only listens for songs they can sink their lungs into; many will connect, even if the recording is in a less than optimum key for them, and then transpose it to suit either their vocal range or the emotions they felt. Take Adele choosing to cover Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” which he recorded in D♭ major — “grief, depressive.” I can only assume that the song itself obviously and understandably pulled hard at Adele’s heartstrings. When she recorded her own version in the key of B♭ major (“hope, optimistic”), it made me cry even more.

Speaking of covers, there are many people who believe that cover songs should always be performed in the key in which they were written — the familiar, accepted and wholly embraced key. I disagree. Isn’t a cover supposed to be a different take on the same song? In fact, I think the ear perks up when it hears a song in a different key with a fresh tonal center.

I don’t doubt that there is some credence to the idea that key signatures evoke certain emotional responses. But must that absolutely dictate how we write? I don’t think so. It’s just not as simple as pairing a wine with an entrée. (Of course, that’s a matter of taste too … ☺)

Like beauty is to the eyes of the beholder, music is — to the ears of the beholder — subjective. And as with most things music, there are no rules, just different considerations to ponder.

(On a personal note, if you haven’t seen “This Is Spinal Tap,” what are you waiting for? It’s required viewing for anyone in the music business. I’ve seen it at least a dozen times and I think I may watch it again tonight.)

Photo by Robert Knight Archive/Redferns.

Check out Shelly’s other postings.

Seven Things About Chimes You May Not Know

Written by Troy C. Wollwage on July 10, 2020. Posted in Percussion. 1 Comment on Seven Things About Chimes You May Not Know

Orchestral chimes, also called orchestral bells or tubular bells, are a series of tuned brass tubes of different lengths, suspended within a frame by thin wire or cord. These tubes are struck with mallets to produce a sound.

But there’s a lot more to this unique instrument! Here are seven facts about chimes that you may not know.

1. They’ve Been Around a Long Time

Ancient Chinese bronze bell. — *Ancient Chinese bell.*

In early civilizations, the sound of bells was thought to avert danger and other trouble. The Chinese culture used bells of various sizes over 4,000 years ago. In 1978, archaeologists discovered a cache of 65 bronze bells of various sizes in a 1,400-year-old tomb in China, although these bells did not have the rounded form of today’s chimes.

The first bronze bells of a large size were cast in Mesopotamia and Egypt in the 9th century BC. In 1884, John Harrington, of Coventry, England, patented the first clock-chime of tubular bells. It won gold medals at Invention Expeditions held in 1885 and 1886.

Tubular bells as a substitute for church bells were first used by Giuseppe Verdi in his operas Il trovatore (1853) and Un ballo in maschera (1859). Arthur Sullivan is believed to have been the first composer to score for tubular bells, for an 1886 orchestral performance of the cantata Golden Legend. The composer Giacomo Puccini also used them in his 1900 opera Tosca.

2. They’re Used in Popular Music Too

Over the past fifty years, chimes have become increasingly used in pop music. The most famous example is multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield’s use of the instrument on the 1973 mega-hit album Tubular Bells (followed in later years by other “Tubular Bells” releases, including Tubular Bells II, Tubular Bells III, The Orchestral Tubular Bells and Tubular Bells 2003).

Tubular bells also appear on Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (on the song “Brain Damage”) and as part of a rally scene in the movie adaptation of the group’s The Wall. In addition, Rush drummer Neil Peart used tubular bells on the songs “Xanadu” and “Closer to the Heart.”

3. Chimes Were Part of the First Sonic Patent

In 1950, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) filed with the U.S. Patent Office to make their three-note chime a registered audible service mark. It was the first time a “tune” was filed with that office.

Here’s what it sounded like:

4. The Hardness of the Mallet Influences the Sound

A chime is struck with a mallet hammer made of rawhide or a hard plastic. A softer mallet brings out the fundamentals (the lower tones) and higher partials are not so noticeable, making for a darker tonality. When chimes are struck with a harder mallet, the higher overtones predominate, making the sound brighter and more incisive.

5. It’s a What?

Chimes are considered an idiophone type of musical instrument. An idiophone is one that creates sound primarily by the vibration of the instrument itself, without the use of air (as is the case with wind instruments, which are known as aerophones), strings (chordophones) or membranes such as drum skins (membranophones).

An idiophone is designed to vibrate by being struck either directly with a stick or hand (like the wood block, singing bowl, steel tongue drum, triangle or marimba) or indirectly, by way of a scraping or shaking motion (like maracas or flexatone).

6. They Have a Unique Dampening System

A set of chimes is tuned chromatically and arranged in two rows in keyboard fashion, with the back row containing pitches that correspond to the black keys of the piano. The back row of tubes is set higher than the front row to allow the player to play each note with ease.

In the middle of the chime stand is a damper, shown here:

This is connected to a foot pedal by a rod, as shown below.

This pedal affects all the chimes at the same time and works the same way as on a piano. If the pedal is depressed, the damping system does not touch any of the tubes, allowing each to vibrate freely. If the pedal is not depressed, the damper is closed, and none of the tubes can freely vibrate.

7. Chimes Have a Totally Unique Sound

Unlike any other musical instrument, the human ear perceives the sound of a chime as a pitch that is actually one octave below the fundamental. (The pitches written in any given score refer to the strike note, not the note we hear.) Its overtones also depart from the more usual linear set of harmonics, where each is a multiple of the fundamental pitch. Together, this serves to give chimes a unique timbre.

Even within the dense sound of an orchestra, concert band or percussion ensemble, chimes are clearly audible because their timbre is so different from that of other instruments. The initial attack is a short, forceful, metallic sound followed (if undamped) by a long, resounding note in which the pitch of the chime is more prominent. Like all metal idiophones, the notes of a chime decay slowly — that is, they resonate for a relatively long time unless they are dampened.

Click here for more information about Yamaha chimes.

How to Prepare Your Child for School Orchestra

Written by Dale Ramirez on July 9, 2020. Posted in Strings How-to.

For many children, the music classroom serves as their first introduction to playing an instrument. It is an exciting, challenging and beneficial endeavor, and being part of a school orchestra has been shown to increase confidence, decrease stress and improve cognitive function.

But for many parents who are new to the world of music, when your child says, “I want to play violin,” the next steps may not be clear. Let’s take a look at how you can best prepare your child for their first orchestral experience.

Adopt the Right Mindset

The first thing is to make sure you (and your child) know that joining an orchestra is not an easy endeavor — it takes time, patience and dedication to get to a place where you hear improvements in your child’s sound. Frustration is guaranteed, but that’s okay. Everyone goes through the same process when trying to master something new, and learning how to play a violin or a cello is much more than the actual notes. Endless encouragement is needed from you. Walk with your child through this journey by celebrating every step of their success. Did they just learn how to hold their bow correctly? Great! Did they just learn how to play on an open string? Celebrate that. Applaud your child for every little bit of learning.

The important thing to keep in mind is that your child’s first days on an instrument are priming them for a lifetime of music-making. Whether those days are filled with hope and excitement is largely determined by the support they receive. So bolster their inherent musicality by making sure they have fun. Encourage them to play the music they like — even if it doesn’t sound all that great at first — because it will improve the odds that they are enjoying themselves.

Arrange for Private Lessons If Possible

Young boy studying violin with virtual lesson.

One of the big questions that will likely emerge at some point in the course of starting any new instrument is whether or not to take private lessons. In just about every case, it’s a good idea, since these kinds of lessons are designed to promote musical learning in a one-on-one environment.

Beginning books have their place, but they are not able to teach correct technique. Only a teacher can reinforce safe hand and posture positioning, so if at all possible, make arrangements for private lessons to help your child develop healthy habits sooner rather than later.

Choose the Right Instrument

Display of many violins against the wall.

The last piece of the puzzle is choosing the right instrument for your child. There are many different types of beginner instruments, and they often come in several sizes to suit the growing student.

If you are looking for a violin, Yamaha has created a Student Violin Finder that can help you make the best selection. Yamaha also offers student-level violas and cellos. For the young student interested in viola, the AVA5S is the most economical and sturdy option. If your child is looking to learn cello, the AVC5 is a great place to start because of its warm sound and availability in different sizes.

Yamaha AVA5S.

Yamaha AVC5.

Your local music dealer will be able to assist in choosing the right instrument and can also help you explore affordable rental options. Renting is a great way to start since it allows your child to easily move on to larger instruments as they grow, and also enables them to switch to a different instrument altogether if they want to make a change at some point down the road.

Yamaha has created useful resources that explain what parents need to know when their child joins orchestra or band. Click here for more information.

Click here for the Yamaha Student Violin Finder.

Click here to find an authorized Yamaha music retailer near you.

Click here for more information about Yamaha string instruments.

Piles of CDs in their cases stacked haphazardly on a shelf.

Fall in Love with CDs All Over Again

Written by Mike Levine on July 6, 2020. Posted in Music and Streaming.

Do you have a collection of CDs that are gathering dust on a shelf or in a storage box at home? If you’re like most of the music-consuming public, you may have switched over to streaming music services like Spotify^® or Apple Music^® because of their convenience, low price and breadth of offerings.

But while compact discs might seem to be headed for obsolescence, there are actually plenty of reasons to consider dusting off your collection and bringing them back into your music-listening rotation. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages they offer over other types of media.

CDs vs. Vinyl

For some people who are looking for an alternative or supplement to streaming, CDs might make more sense than vinyl, despite vinyl’s recent resurgence. CDs may lack the “hipness” factor of vinyl, but they offer a noise-free listening experience without the hiss, scratches and crackle that are endemic to records.

CDs are also much less delicate than vinyl. They don’t warp, are harder to damage and rarely ever skip. They offer pristine digital audio reproduction that’s more consistent than what you get with vinyl, whose fidelity is highly dependent on the quality of turntable and cartridge in your sound system.

Plus, as their name implies, CDs are more compact than vinyl, so even an extensive collection will take up less space. And if you’ve already accumulated a lot of CDs over the years, repurchasing everything on vinyl will cost a fortune.

CDs vs. Streaming

CDs also have some pluses when compared to streaming services. They deliver uncompressed audio, whereas most streamed music uses data-compression formats that entail removing some digital information to make song files small enough to stream.

True, you won’t notice much difference if you’re listening on your earbuds while walking down the street, or over small computer speakers while in your home office. But most people would probably choose the sound of a CD over that of compressed streaming audio if listening over a typical home system with good quality speakers.

These days, some services (such as Qobuz) allow you to stream uncompressed high-resolution files, but you’ll need a fast internet connection to do so. And for any kind of streaming, you’re restricted to where you have internet service. With CDs, you can listen anywhere, whether or not there’s Wi-Fi.

In addition, CDs come with printed sleeves that are superior to the images provided by streaming services. These also have musician credits and liner notes, which are very hard to find online. If you’re a music aficionado — particularly if you’re into jazz or classical, you want to know who the musicians are on the recording.

Another plus for CDs is that you may have discs in your collection from obscure musicians or bands that aren’t available on streaming services and probably never will be.

Last but not least, CDs can give you the best of both worlds. Using your computer, you can burn them as MP3s (or even in uncompressed WAV format) and put the resulting files into your smartphone or tablet music library for listening on the go, while still enjoying their sound when playing the original disks through your home audio system.

Expand, Revive and Store Your Collection

You can find plenty of online music stores that still sell new CDs, and, since they rarely degrade or scratch, you can also consider buying used collections at significant discounts. You may also have friends or acquaintances who have boxes full of CDs that they’d love to find a good home for!

If your discs are dirty or dusty, you can find kits that provide a CD-cleaning solution and a specialized cloth. You can also make your own DIY disc-cleaning kit with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and distilled water, and a microfiber cloth. Simply dampen the cloth with your cleaning solution (don’t put it directly on the disc), then gently wipe from the center of the disc outward.

Microfiber cleaning cloth on cd. — *Microfiber is the best type of cloth for CD cleaning.*

Even though CD popularity is not what it used to be, the discs themselves are the same size as DVDs and Blu-ray discs™ (12cm in diameter and 1.2mm thick), so storage units made for those formats will work just fine. Search online for “media storage,” and you’ll find a vast assortment of choices available. You can get freestanding shelf units in myriad shapes, sizes and materials. You’ll find wooden units that look like bookshelves, tall tower units that spin, and even portable cases made of plastic, vinyl or metal that cleverly hold large numbers of discs for their size.

Your Sound System

If you have a home stereo that you’ve owned for many years, it may well already include a CD player. But if you don’t, you can still find plenty of players on the market. If you’re looking for the highest quality sound and performance, consider the Yamaha CD-S1000. It’s built with high-grade components, offers both analog and digital outputs, and can play both standard CDs and higher-resolution Super Audio CDs (SACDs).

If you need an amp too and want to go for premium sound, the Yamaha A-S1200 will complement the CD-S1000 (or any CD player) well. It’s got a cool retro look, but its technology is entirely contemporary. This integrated amplifier produces plenty of power with 90W per side at 8 ohms or 150W per side at 4 ohms, giving you plenty of headroom for loud and clean reproduction of your CDs or other audio sources.

The final touch would be a pair of high-quality speakers such as the Yamaha NS-777. These 3-way floor-standing tower speakers feature 8″ woofers for superior bass reproduction, along with midrange horns and 1″ aluminum dome tweeters. They’re even internally wired with Monster Cable™ to ensure optimal sound quality.

Together, these components make for an awesome CD-listening system, and one which is easily expandable for other formats.

Rumors about the death of the CD format have been greatly exaggerated. Your CDs will continue to offer you a high level of audio performance for years to come. So before you throw out or give away your collection, think instead about making CDs part of your music-listening experience. You may be glad that you did!

Check out these related blog posts:

How to Develop Critical Listening Skills

What is an Integrated Amplifier?

Are Expensive Speaker Cables Worth It?

Click here for more information about Yamaha CD players.

Click here for more information about Yamaha stereo amplifiers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha home speakers.

Small round metal disc held in place against a wooden frame with a metal bracket.

Which TransAcoustic Guitar is Right for Me?

Written by Mac Randall on July 3, 2020. Posted in Acoustic Guitars. 2 Comments on Which TransAcoustic Guitar is Right for Me?

The first time you play a Yamaha TransAcoustic guitar can be a surreal experience. It certainly was for me! A couple of years ago, I was visiting the recording studio of a friend who had just come into possession of an FG-TA model (I’ll explain the differences between the various models shortly). I picked the instrument up and inspected it. To my eyes, it simply looked like a really nice acoustic guitar. That’s what it sounded like too, as I began playing. But with one press of a small button on the guitar, everything changed; that very same instrument now sounded like it was being played in a concert hall, with a lush, almost tangible reverb lingering after each note.

I’d read a bit about the company’s TransAcoustic technology, so I wasn’t completely unprepared for this. But even so, I found myself looking around the room for a hidden amplifier or a wireless connection to a remote pedalboard. Of course, there was none to be found: What I was hearing was coming straight from the guitar’s body. Not that TransAcoustic guitars can’t be plugged into an amp (they can, via a handy jack that carries the signal from an onboard piezo pickup). But the only thing a guitarist has to do in order to access that reverb and an equally lovely chorus effect is to simply play the instrument.

The secret of the TransAcoustic sound is a device called an “actuator” that’s attached to the inner back of the instrument. When you play the guitar, the actuator picks up the vibrations of the body and adds its own — vibrations that, through a kind of sonic translation process, become effects. Knowing this secret, however, doesn’t do anything to diminish the strange magic being produced.

As surreal as that first experience is, you quickly get used to it. And being able to aurally expand the size of the room you’re playing in, with no cables or plugs involved, is a pretty cool trick. But if you want to have that experience for yourself (and I heartily encourage it), you may be wondering where to begin. That depends on where you’re at as a player and what you prefer in your guitar. Here’s a rundown of the six current TransAcoustic models, so you can make a more informed decision.

LL-TA and FG-TA

Standard-size acoustic guitars (also known as Western-body guitars or dreadnoughts) are bright and loud, with a pronounced bass resonance, perfect for strumming out big chords in rock, folk, and country music. Yamaha offers two standard-size TransAcoustic guitars: the LL-TA and the FG-TA. The differences between them mainly come down to the types of wood used and the way their bodies are braced (the bracing allows the top to vibrate while still keeping it stable).

LL-TA.

FG-TA.

The LL-TA has a solid Engelmann spruce top that’s been treated with a Yamaha process called A.R.E. (Acoustic Resonance Enhancement). One reason why vintage acoustic guitars can be so highly prized is that the tone produced by many woods tends to get richer over time. A.R.E. aims to replicate that quality in a new instrument. The LL-TA has a rosewood back and sides, and its bracing is non-scalloped, meaning that the pieces of wood used to brace the top are fairly uniform in their dimensions; these features equal a brighter, more direct sound. (Here’s a video of the LL-TA in action.)

The FG-TA has a solid spruce top (with no A.R.E. treatment), a mahogany back and sides, and scalloped bracing. Mahogany tends to impart a dark tone, and scalloped bracing — created by shaving away or even simply removing parts of the wood braces inside the instrument — allows the top to vibrate more, creating a kind of halo around notes and chords. The result is a deeper sound; one might even call it a little mysterious.

LS-TA and FS-TA

Concert-size models are my personal favorite type of acoustic guitar. Their bodies are smaller than standard size, and they’re more suited for music that’s intricate and detailed. Bluegrass, blues and folk players — particularly guitarists who like to fingerpick — often have a special relationship with concert-size acoustics.

Yamaha makes two concert TransAcoustics: the LS-TA and the FS-TA. The differences between them are the same as those between the LL-TA and the FG-TA: Engelmann spruce top with A.R.E. versus standard spruce top, rosewood versus mahogany back and sides, and non-scalloped versus scalloped bracing. The bodies of both instruments are about an inch shorter than their standard-size counterparts.

LS-TA.

FS-TA.

CSF-TA

A parlor guitar is even smaller than a concert-size guitar. Considerably smaller, in fact — the fingerboard of the CSF-TA is 23 5/8″ long, as opposed to just over 25″ on all other TransAcoustic models, and the instrument’s total length is 37″, at least two inches shorter than any other TransAcoustic. As you’d probably expect, the sound produced by a parlor guitar is more intimate than that of its larger brethren. If you’ve got big hands, the CSF-TA may not be for you, but if you prefer your guitars quiet, cute and easily embraceable, there’s no better choice. Like the FS-TA, the CSF-TA has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides.

CG-TA

I generally encourage beginning guitarists to start out on a classical instrument, for two reasons: First, the nylon strings of a classical guitar are easier on the fingers than steel strings in the early stages (i.e., before you develop calluses), and second, the wider neck of a classical makes for an easier transition to a narrower neck characteristic of a steel-string guitar if and when you want to move on. Not that there’s any actual need to make the change; some players never want to stop playing classicals once they’ve started. Their deep, dark tone and roomier fingerboard make them ideal for classical repertoire, of course, as well as for Spanish flamenco, Brazilian bossa nova and American folk music. The CG-TA incorporates TA technology into a classical guitar. It has a spruce top, ovangkol back and sides, and a neck that’s only about 3/8″ thicker than steel-string TransAcoustic models.

No matter which of these instruments you choose, you’re bound to enjoy the array of tones they place at your disposal — not to mention the surprised reactions those tones may elicit from listeners. If you find that members of your audience start making furtive, puzzled glances around the room as you begin playing, my advice is to just give them a big smile … and keep playing. Chances are you’ll soon find your smile returned many times over!

Check out these related blog articles:

How Yamaha TransAcoustic Guitar Technology Works

Discover Yamaha TransAcoustic Guitars

MJ Ultra and the FG-TA TransAcoustic Guitar

“Breaking Amish” With My Yamaha FG-TA

Her Name Is Ruby

A Musical Message of Healing

Slide Rules

Nylon TA on TV

How to Record TransAcoustic Guitar Effects

Click here for more information about Yamaha TransAcoustic guitars.

Delay, Part 2

Written by Mike Levine on July 1, 2020. Posted in Recording. 1 Comment on Delay, Part 2

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we covered basic delay parameters and talked about different delay types. Here, we’ll present step-by-step setups for some common delay applications. Each includes a screenshot from Steinberg Cubase and/or various Cubase plug-ins showing a setting that you can use as a starting point. (Similar settings can be applied to delay plug-ins in other DAWs.)

Thickening

If you have a vocal or instrument track that sounds thin, you can use a delay to thicken it.

1. Insert a delay plug-in directly on the track.

2. If the plug-in offers EQ or filter controls, make sure they are turned off. The idea is to make the delayed signal sound as similar to the source as possible.

3. Set the delay time somewhere between 30ms and 50ms.

4. Leave the feedback at its lowest setting.

5. Set the mix control between 20% and 30% wet, and experiment from there. The interplay between the delay time and mix settings is the key to creating this effect.

Panned Doubling

This configuration allows you to create a short delay that’s panned to the opposite side from the original signal. You’ll find this especially useful on backing vocals or rhythm guitar, particularly when you can’t record an actual double-track — something that’s usually preferable due to the slight variations in timing and/or tuning.

1. Create an aux track (an FX Track in Cubase) and insert a mono delay plug-in on it.

2. Pan the plug-in’s output opposite that of the source track. If you’re applying this to a track that’s panned to the center, move it a bit towards one side and pan the delay opposite.

3. Set the delay time somewhere between about 40 and 50ms.

4. Leave the feedback at its lowest setting.

5. If you’re not hearing the double as a distinct sound, try inserting a pitch shift or chorus plug-in after the delay in the aux track to add a subtle change to the delayed track’s pitch. This helps differentiate it from the original and adds to the illusion of it being a separate part. You can also experiment with EQ settings to further change the sound of the double.

Screenshot. — *Panned doubling using the monodelay plug-in.*

Slapback Delay

As we mentioned in Part 1, slapback (sometimes called “slap”) delays were a big part of the vocals on rockabilly recordings made back in the ’50s. (They were also a big favorite of Beatle John Lennon.) These delays are long enough that you can hear a discrete, albeit very short echo. Depending on where you set the wet/dry control, they can help give body to a sound without being overly noticeable.

1. Insert a delay directly on your track. If it’s a mono track, use a mono delay. If it’s a stereo, use a stereo delay.

2. Set the delay time in the 50ms to 140ms neighborhood.

3. Use little or no feedback.

4. If you’re using a stereo delay, use its filters or EQ controls to differentiate the sonics of the two sides, and set the delay time for the left side slightly different from the right to enhance the stereo effect. Make one side about 4 or 5 milliseconds slower or faster than the other. If you’re using the slap on a lead vocal and the delay has pan controls, try setting the left side to around 3 o’clock and the right side at 9 o’clock to keep the vocal sounding relatively centered.

Screenshot of controls. — *Stereo slap delay using the stereodelay plug-in.*

Long Delay

Here’s another setup that lets you add space to a vocal or lead instrument. This technique works especially well on songs recorded to a click because you can turn on the sync option for the delay time and set it to a rhythmic value. If you didn’t record to a click, you can still apply this effect, but you’ll have to use your ears when setting the delay time. Google “Delay Time Calculator” to find online calculators that let you figure out approximate delay times for different rhythmic values, based on your starting tempo.

1. Put a delay (either mono or stereo) on an aux track with the wet/dry set at 100%.

2. Set the feedback so you get a few repeats, and experiment with long delay times, such as a quarter-note or even a half-note. If you want to make the effect more syncopated, try using dotted or triplet settings.

3. Use the plug-in’s filters to roll off both high end and low end so that the delay is less “hi-fi” than the original signal.

4. Keep the send reasonably low, so you’re getting subtle repeats that are mostly audible at the ends of vocal or instrumental lines.

Opposite-Panned “Ghost” Delay

If you have a soloing instrument such as lead guitar that’s panned to one side (either fully or partially), it can be cool to add a “ghost” delay that’s panned opposite and only faintly audible. It gives the track a subtle spaciousness that makes it sound fuller without seeming as if there’s an actual delay.

1. Set up a mono delay on an aux track.

2. Pan the aux track’s output to be opposite that of the source track. For example, if the source is at 3 o’clock, pan the delay to 9 o’clock.

3. Set the delay time relatively short, such as a sixteenth note.

4. Start with the aux channel’s volume off, and slowly bring it up during playback until you hear the delay only slightly.

5. If you want an obvious delay effect, turn the aux channel (or the send from the source channel) up higher.

Check out our other Recording Basics postings.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase.

Woman navigating HBO Max on living room television.

How to Maximize HBO Max™

Written by Ted Goslin on June 30, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

There’s no denying that in this era of video streaming services, content is king. With people watching movies and TV shows at a voracious rate, companies like Netflix^®, Hulu™ and Amazon Prime Video are obtaining as much content as possible for subscribers to consume.

In an effort to keep up with its competitors, cable TV giant HBO^® teamed up with WarnerMedia in 2020 to establish HBO Max (now just Max), providing double the amount of programming it previously had, with more than 10,000 titles already available. Aside from HBO’s original programming, new content includes blockbusters from the DC Comics and Harry Potter™ universes, along with popular shows like Friends, Doctor Who and The Big Bang Theory, among others.

Like other streaming platforms, Max offers different ways to optimize audio and video for its content. Here are some tips on how to best configure those settings to get the most out of your Max subscription and your gear.

Audio Settings

For the best audio (and video) quality, you’ll want to start by connecting all devices with an HDMI^® cable via the connection labeled “ARC”; this is especially important when using a sound bar or an AV receiver.

Depending on the device you’re using to stream content — whether it’s a smart TV, gaming console or a hardware add-on like Apple TV^®, Google Chromecast Ultra^® or Roku^® (among others) — there are different ways to configure your audio settings.

By default, Max offers two-channel stereo at a minimum and Dolby Digital^® 5.1 as the maximum. Content that can be streamed in Dolby Digital is identified with a “5.1” symbol on the right side of the screen. Audio will automatically stream in whatever format you are currently using, which varies based on the audio device(s) you have installed in your home.

For example, if you are listening to audio through your TV’s speakers, you will hear content in two-channel stereo. But if you’re listening on a sound bar, audio is automatically optimized by all the speaker drivers built into the unit. The Yamaha YAS-109 sound bar offers six speaker drivers (including built-in subwoofers), as well as advanced features such as Clear Voice for enhanced dialogue clarity and DTS^® Virtual:X™ 3D surround sound to extend the audio beyond the capabilities of what two-channel TV speakers can reproduce.

An AV receiver expands your default audio options even further by allowing you to listen in a multitude of audio formats, sometimes also known as “sound programs.” The Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A1080 AV receiver provides program options that include Spectacle, Sci-Fi, Adventure, and Enhanced; the latter creates a sound field that emphasizes the dynamic transitions of 3D object-based audio. To get around the hurdle of being limited to using only 5.1-channels, the RX-A1080 lets you optimize the audio with CINEMA DSP™ and Surround:AI™ artificial intelligence technology.

Apple TV Audio format screen. — *Apple TV Audio Format screen.*

Currently, Max does not offer any way to alter the audio format through its app, but it does utilize whatever audio format you select on your streaming device. If you’re watching on an Apple TV, for instance, you can go to Settings > Video & Audio Format > Audio Format > Change Format and select Dolby Digital 5.1. If you notice audio issues in this format, try switching it to Stereo and see if that helps. (You can find more information at the Max Help Center website.) For other devices (i.e. Roku, Google Chromecast™, etc.), the process is similar.

Video Settings

Even though Max does not currently support HDR (High Dynamic Range) or 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) video, it does stream in high definition, and with an AV receiver capable of upscaling (such as the Yamaha RX-A1080), you can even watch movies in 4K UHD and higher.

Like other streaming platforms, the video quality adjusts based on your network bandwidth and internet connection speed, so you’ll want to have the highest connection speed possible. Most Max content is available in HD (High Definition), as indicated by an “HD” symbol on the right side of the screen.

*Apple TV Video and Audio settings screen.*

As with audio settings, manual configuration of video settings is not currently available within the Max app, but you can adjust these settings in whatever device you’re using to stream content. For example, when using an Apple TV, go to Settings and click on Resolution under VIDEO to change the format to the highest resolution possible, which is 1080p. You can also adjust frame rate and dynamic range settings if you have preferences for those; however, we recommend not adjusting them unless you are well versed in their impact on video quality. You can learn more about Max video settings here.

Once optimized, the audio and video settings you make for viewing Max content should make your home theater experience more enjoyable no matter what you’re watching. It may take a little tweaking to get to that point, but rest assured that it’s time well spent!

Photographs courtesy of the author.

Check out these related blog articles:

Home Theater Basics

How to Recreate the Movie Theater Experience at Home

Comparing Streaming Service Audio and Video Quality

What’s the Difference Between 4K Ultra HD, 8K UHD and HDR10+?

How to Get the Best Audio from Netflix^®

How to Shop for a Sound Bar

How to Shop for a Surround Sound System

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV receivers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha sound bars.

Click here for more information about Yamaha speakers and subwoofers.

Pop/Rock Chord Voicings, Part 1

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on June 29, 2020. Posted in Keyboard How-to. 2 Comments on Pop/Rock Chord Voicings, Part 1

The application of harmonic concepts, as well as your choice of chord voicings (the way you arrange the notes across your two hands), can vary significantly depending upon the genre of music you’re playing. Pop and rock styles are a good place to start, as they tend to use simpler approaches.

The Basics

In this style of music, the root of the chord is generally played by the left hand — either as a single note or as an octave — accompanied by the right hand playing basic triads.

Using this approach, we can take a common chord progression and explore how to arrange the notes in the right hand. If we only played the chords in root position (i.e., with the root note always at the bottom), we would get this:

This works, but it sounds somewhat “disconnected” since the right hand chords are not close to one another. But one of the cool things about harmony is that chords can be rearranged so the order of the notes varies, yet they will still sound much the same. These different arrangements of the notes are called inversions, as shown below:

Using inversions, we can find the closest way to move each note of the current chord to get to the second one. This concept is called voice leading. Let’s go back to our chord progression again and see how all these variations can work to make the right hand chord voicings move more smoothly.

There is no strict rule that says you must only use the closest voicing. When playing a repeating chord progression, I like to add variety by sometimes moving to a different inversion and starting the progression again a bit higher or lower on the keyboard. (A jump is fine, as long as you settle back down into good voice leading for a little while.) Here are a few variations that show how you might make some different choices:

The second bar has a slight jump up from the F to the E to make for a smooth transition to the first voicing for the A minor chord. The next variation moves downward from the F to the E, which works well to lead into the root position A minor in the third variation (bars 5 – 6). The fourth variation (bars 7 – 8) jumps up to the C root position to help climb back up the keyboard a bit and lead into the fifth variation, which also jumps up to the C (as opposed to the first two examples), leading nicely into the last variation.

Knowing your chords and their inversions gives you lots of freedom in how you voice your right hand parts. You’ll make these decisions largely based on two factors: One, what register of the keyboard you want to play in to support a singer or instrumentalist; and two, what sounds good against the given melody line or solo being played.

Got Rhythm?

The notes are only part of the solution: you’ll also want to play with rhythm and develop a feel that matches the “groove,” or pulse of the song. (This is a deep subject that I’m only going to touch on lightly here.) Simple patterns are always a good way to go, and you can either play with both hands together to set the groove, or create some back-and-forth between the hands. If you’re playing in a band, it’s usually better to play simpler, and you also need to be careful that your left hand doesn’t get in the way of the bass player (maybe play single notes instead of octaves). If you’re accompanying a singer or playing solo, you have much more freedom.

This first pattern keeps the hands mostly together and uses a simple rhythm. The left hand adds a “push” (an upbeat) into the bar that follows. This push is supported by the right hand in bars 3 and 4.

This next pattern gets a little busier, and divides up the hands more. Bar 3 especially has some nice syncopation in it: imagine you are hearing the rhythm from a drummer as you practice it.

Another approach is to play steadily repeated notes. In this example, the right hand holds down the pulse while the left hand adds strong accents.

Rhythm example with steadily repeated notes.

Creating Movement with Passing Chords

A cool way to move between chord voicings is to use a passing chord to go between two inversions of the same chord, or just to add a little more rhythmic action while on a single chord root tone. This concept is different from the one described in our two-part Functional Harmony series; since these chords all come from the scale tone chords, they can be used without affecting the bass player or other harmonic elements that might be going on.

Here are the scale tone triads for the key of C major, including their two inversion positions:

Drawing from these chords, we can create movement like this:

When played against an unchanging bass note, these examples help to move the sound around. As a bonus, they also create some melodic figures without actually reharmonizing the passage. Of course, more interesting rhythms need to be used!

You can also apply this concept when moving between two different chords when you want to stay in the key center — again, without sounding like you’re reharmonizing the song. As before, it’s not necessary to change your bass notes, although that can be done if desired.

A Bigger Sound

Rock pianists will often play bigger chord voicings to stand up to the sound of drums, bass and guitars. This is done simply by adding an octave tone either above the lowest note of the voicing, or an octave below the top note of the voicing.

Here are a few of the previous examples revisited, with the added octave to make the right hand chords sound bigger:

Click here for Part 2.

All audio played on a Yamaha P-515.

Check out our other Well-Rounded Keyboardist postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

Built-in shelving with vintage audio devices.

The History of Yamaha AV Receivers

Written by Phil Shea on June 25, 2020. Posted in History. 2 Comments on The History of Yamaha AV Receivers

The AV (audio visual) receiver is central to any home theater experience. Unlike its cousin, the 2-channel stereo receiver — which has seen steady but mostly incremental upgrades over the years — the AVR has had a number of revolutionary jumps in technology and usability in its relatively short 30-year existence.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of this crucial piece of home theater gear.

Early Days

In the mid-1980s, broadcast television began implementing standards to enhance their programming with stereo sound. If you were an early adopter, you could buy yourself a new CRT (cathode-ray tube) TV with stereo decoding capabilities that was best enjoyed when connected to your home audio system for sound reinforcement. At the time, the opening scenes of Miami Vice were a truly cutting-edge experience. Laser discs and Hi-Fi VCRs were available for the audio-video hobbyist, but stereo TV broadcasts were the catalyst for the growth and adoption of home theater by the general public.

Enter Surround Sound

Because Dolby^® Surround was compatible with these stereo TV broadcasts, it didn’t take long for surround sound hardware to begin showing up in Hi-Fi stores (and, eventually, living rooms) around the country. The first surround sound decoders of the late 1980s and 1990 were mostly integrated amplifiers, albeit without the extensive capabilities of today’s AV receivers.

In 1991 Yamaha began shipping RX-V850 and RX-V1050 receivers. These were built around a digital surround decoder integrated circuit (the YSS203) developed by Yamaha. Other Dolby Pro Logic^® decoders of the era were using analog circuitry with mediocre separation and “steering” (real-time signal routing) between the left, center, right and surround channels. The YSS203 provided digitally controlled steering for improved surround sound realism.

Back then, the two rear speakers were mono and there was no subwoofer track, so by today’s nomenclature these systems were 4.0. (Stereo rear channels and the .1, or LFE [low-frequency effects] dedicated track arrived on the scene much later with Dolby Digital^®.) In addition, the Dolby Pro Logic bandwidth specification for the rear channel was only 100 Hz to 12 kHz, so receivers of the era typically only needed 20 or 30 watts of power for the rear speakers.

The Dolby Pro Logic Enhanced surround mode (first introduced in the Yamaha RX-V850) provided enveloping DSP processing for directional sound placement, making your living room sound more like a movie theater. This was the early predecessor to today’s CINEMA DSP™ and Surround:AI™ — two groundbreaking Yamaha technologies.

CINEMA DSP

In 1993, the RX-V870 became the first Yamaha receiver to utilize CINEMA DSP, which added a newly refined soundfield process to Dolby Pro Logic Enhanced mode. The RX-V870’s 70-mm Mode produced a much larger surround presentation within the home, aiming to replicate the experience of a premium movie theater.

At the time, typical movie theaters used 35-mm film to project video onto the screen; larger 70-mm film stock and projectors, which provided a better viewing experience, were only used in premium theaters. These premium theaters also tended to have upgraded sound systems, in part because 70-mm film stock used a magnetic track on the side of the film, which produced much better audio than the two optical tracks used by 35-mm film.

Used in conjunction with Dolby Pro Logic, CINEMA DSP 70-mm Mode provided enhanced surround sound envelopment in consumer home theaters. The RX-V870 also included a greatly upgraded video switching system with the addition of five S-Video inputs to complement the five standard composite video inputs, which only supported 480i resolution.

Dolby Digital

Dolby Digital was a technological breakthrough that gave movie mixing engineers the freedom to send helicopter sounds all around the room instead of just front to back. The RX-V992, introduced in 1997, was the first Yamaha receiver with built-in Dolby Digital decoding. It offered surround sound with 5.1 channels of discrete programming, as well as full-range 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response for each main channel and a full 80 watts of power to all five main channels, including the rear speakers.

YPAO™

AV receiver calibration used to be a manual process in which you used the receiver’s remote control to cycle pink noise to one channel at a time, adjusting the volume and delay of each speaker accordingly. Essentially, this was simply a wild guess of what sounded best.

By the 1990s, the number of discrete channels offered by AV receivers grew from 4.0 to 7.1, and automated room calibration became critical. The timing, balance and equalization of so many speakers in a small room required some serious signal processing. Enter Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer (YPAO for short), first introduced in 2003 and now a staple of all current Yamaha AV receivers. With this technological breakthrough, you can be sure you are getting the maximum performance out of your system. Just plug in the microphone and let YPAO do the rest!

HDMI^®

When it was first being developed in the early 2000s, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) was intended to be the digital replacement for analog video standards, but it soon grew to become much more. For example, digital HD video switching was added with the introduction of HDMI version 1.1. Since most of the video sources at the time were still analog (composite, S-Video and component video), video up-conversion to HDMI was added to the signal flow. The Yamaha RX-V2600 AV receiver (which debuted in 2005) could up-convert analog 480i signals all the way up to 1080i or 720p. Although not up to today’s video standards, it was a good forerunner to the kind of advanced upsampling available in current AV receivers.

The Shift to Separate Components

The RX-Z11, introduced in 2007, was the last of the renowned Z-series Yamaha AV receivers. At over 74 lbs., everything about this receiver said BIG! This was also one of the last Yamaha receivers to be THX^®-certified.

The market conditions after 2008 pulled the rug out from under über high-end AV receivers, with a shift to separate components such as the Yamaha CX-5000 preamplifier and MX-5000 amplifier introduced in 2013. AV receivers at that time focused on the everyday performance needs of the home theater enthusiast: more channels, multi-room capability, video switching and processing and, of course, state-of-the-art surround sound capabilities.

AVENTAGE

By 2010, the stage was set for a new era of AVRs. Incremental improvements to receivers, while effective up until this point, were beginning to create engineering challenges. After all, you can only add so many room additions to a home before it comes time to buy a new plot of land and start from scratch. Yamaha devoted two years to developing a line of receivers by rethinking, well, everything. From chassis design to circuit layout, grounding techniques and electronic component selection, the entire design and engineering process was reset. Thus was born the AVENTAGE line of receivers, delivered on the promise of a fresh start with unlimited potential.

Dolby Atmos^® , DTS:X™ and MusicCast

In 2015 there were even more surround sound breakthroughs. Dolby Atmos 3D surround sound — the same technology used in movie theaters — became available for home use, as did DTS:X. Object-based sound placement technologies like these, in combination with in-ceiling speakers, offered complete directional envelopment in your home theater.

In addition, Yamaha MusicCast multi-room technology brought the world of streaming music and whole-home audio to AV receivers. Selecting music and sharing content with other MusicCast devices in the home, all under the control of a simple free app, was a listening breakthrough; all your audio content could be played in any room of the home … even out on the patio or in your backyard! Later firmware updates gave MusicCast products voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant™ .

The latest Yamaha AV receivers can not only decode up to 9.1 channels of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based surround sound, they can now enhance the home theater experience with Surround:AI. This proprietary Yamaha technology utilizes onboard artificial intelligence to analyze all the decoded channels five times per second and applies the optimal CINEMA DSP processing to every channel. With Surround:AI, you’re no longer confined to the small listening area of your home theater. It’s as if your speakers and room boundaries disappear, transporting you from a listener to a participant in the surround sound experience.

Things have come a long way since the first AV receivers were introduced 30 years ago. New technologies in surround sound, video formats, room calibration systems, streaming services and multi-room capability have enabled the quantum leap in capability and performance that make today’s audio-video receiver the centerpiece of home entertainment. And as new technologies emerge, rest assured that the AV receiver will continue to provide you with the most exciting home audio and video experience available.

Check out these related blog articles:

The History Of Hi-Fi

What’s a Receiver? Part 2: AV

Top Five AV Receiver Features

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV receivers.

Jake Gosling

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on June 24, 2020. Posted in Pro Audio Artists.

Jake Gosling is a producer/songwriter who has worked with Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Paloma Faith, Shawn Mendes, the Libertines and many other well-known artists. In this video, he reveals how he learned and developed his craft, and discusses the vital role that Steinberg Cubase plays in his work. He also talks about his approach to production and songwriting, and provides valuable advice for up-and-coming artists about how to get themselves heard in today’s music business.

“Experimenting … is part of my process,” Gosling explains, “but I very much come to it with an analog point of view, so my production is more about capturing the moment.” Why is Cubase his DAW of choice? “It helps with my workflow,” he says. “It’s fast, it’s cohesive, and there’s a sound to it [that’s] almost transparent. It’s certainly helped me with the music I’ve made, and still [does], to this day.”

Check out these related articles.

Click here to learn more about Steinberg Cubase.

Compact drum set in studio with SILENT Bass™.

Compact Drums: Big Sounds in Small Footprints

Written by Paul Winterhalter on June 23, 2020. Posted in Drums.

Compact products have been a fad for quite some time now. From fashion-forward kids making fanny packs cool again to sleek carry-on suitcases, it seems like everywhere you look, small is in vogue. But what about compact musical instruments?

As a drummer in my high school’s marching band, this concept was only a dream. I was always envious of the flute players who could carry their instruments in their backpack. Having to lug my drums from place to place became such a hassle that it detracted from the art form.

Fitting a complete drum set into one bag is seemingly impossible. But compact drums (sometimes called traveling or gigging drums) are a reality today. They can be used in a wide variety of applications, from practice to teaching, from playing on small club stages to busking on the streets of your city (assuming you have the proper license, of course!).

It’s important to find the instrument that will not only hold up to your playing, but also matches your lifestyle. If you’re a drummer who lives in a tiny apartment or a drum teacher looking to make the most of the limited space you have available in your studio, you need a drum set with a small footprint. (Note: If you practice or teach where sound is an issue, consider using silent heads and cymbals and pairing them with the Yamaha EAD10 acoustic electronic drum module. This can help minimize sound, while still allowing you to play and maintain the feel of acoustic drums.)

There are plenty of compact options when it comes to finding a drum set that can be used to practice when on the road or in a tight space. While pancake drums, pad sets and some entry-level electronic kits are great for keeping your chops tight, they might not give you the sound you are looking for when gigging. There are a variety of cocktail and mini kits that provide more of a punch while still maintaining a small footprint; these can be great for playing club gigs as well as for recording.

Yet when designing a compact drum set, portability and small size is not the only goal. Making compact drums sound good takes knowledge and experience.

Travel Timpani

When it comes to compact instruments, the key is having a build and design that is focused on sonics. Yamaha has been making drum and percussion products for decades, and was one of the first manufacturers to offer portable “travel” timpani. The company’s TP-3300 Series travel timpani are designed for performances in small spaces like houses of worship or recording studios, yet they deliver a big sound.

Stage Custom Hip

In early 2020, Yamaha released the Stage Custom Hip drum set. An extension of the company’s Stage Custom Birch set — complete with the same exact six-ply birch wood — this innovative product offers a small footprint that makes it ideal for teaching, rehearsal and recording, as well as performance in tight spaces.

The dimensions of the Stage Custom Hip reflect its compact design: a punchy 20″x 8″ bass drum (suitable for use on its own or even as a subkick for larger bass drums); a 13″x 5″ snare drum; a 10″x 5″ tom-tom; and a multi-use 13″x 8″ floor tom, which provides a snare bed with an on/off throw for even greater versatility. This optional snare across the bottom head allows drummers to bring different styles of playing to life.

Birch wood produces a lively attack with warm, clear overtones that “speak” openly at both high and low registers, allowing the player to create everything from a funky, tight-sounding presence to an open live jazz feel. And because the Stage Custom Hip utilizes the same tech and spec as the Stage Custom Birch, you can freely mix and match components between the two so you can plug and play different elements from either to create the setup you desire.

The entire Stage Custom Hip drum set can be packed up within a single over-sized bass drum bag with ease, though I recommend giving each drum its own bag for extra cushioning. Pair the Stage Custom Hip with Yamaha HW-3 Crosstown hardware (which includes a snare stand, two cymbal stands and a hi-hat stand, all in one bag), and you have a match made in heaven.

Beyond its advantages when it comes to travel, the footprint of the Stage Custom Hip set is perfect for any small club venue or studio layout that doesn’t have much room for drums. The entire set, including cymbals, can fit comfortably within the confines of about 3′ x 5′.

The Stage Custom Hip is available in three different finishes (Matte Surf Green, Natural Wood, and Raven Black with Two-Tone Bass Hoops) and utilizes hardware with the tom-ball receiver in the top of the kick drum. This allows the tom-tom to be adjusted to any angle so the drum set can be configured in many different ways, while still enabling the wood shells to sustain their natural vibration for maximum projection.

Stage Custom Hip in raven black finish. — *Stage Custom Hip in Raven Black finish (cymbals and hardware not included).*

The Video

Ready to hear and see the Stage Custom Hip in action? Check out this video:

Click here for more information about the Yamaha Stage Custom Hip drum set.

Her Name is Ruby

Written by Shelly Peiken on June 22, 2020. Posted in Acoustic Guitars. 2 Comments on Her Name is Ruby

All the musical instruments in my life have had names. I believe they deserve them. After all, they have souls. We don’t relate to any two guitars the same way. Each casts its own particular spell on us and each brings a unique experience.

Although I’ve had substantial success as a songwriter, I’m really only an adequate musician. In fact, I’m considerably more accomplished on the ivories than the strings. But because I feel more intimately connected to a crowd with a guitar in my hands than I do sitting on a piano bench, I’m always on the lookout for a model that can further my potential or augment my limited abilities.

That’s why I was so excited when, earlier this year, a friend suggested I check out the Yamaha TransAcoustic guitar. With reverb and chorus effects built right into the body — no effects pedal or external gizmos needed — he felt this instrument might offer me that certain “zhoosh” I’m always looking for.

And so, come NAMM^®-time, I headed straight over to the Yamaha booth, hopped on a stool and cradled a beautiful red FS-TA model in my arms. With an eager sense of anticipation, I turned the knob for the chorus effect and gave her a whirl. Nice! My sound was thicker — as if someone else were strumming along with me. Then I tried out the reverb. What I heard was ambiance expanded to church-like proportions. Finally, I blended the two effects together. It was like moisturizer on dry skin. I was radiating. My trajectory as a performer was definitely on the rise.

Shelly Peiken holding red FS-TA guitar at NAMM. — *Here I am at NAMM, trying out a TA guitar for the first time.*

Sold! The guitar arrived in early spring, and I named her Ruby. (What else? ☺)

Shelly Peiken holding red FS-TA guitar. — *Ruby arrives!*

We debuted our collaboration at a friend’s after-dinner jam where my hopes were confirmed: my presence, it seemed to me, was a little larger than real life. With that, I felt confident she’d be the perfect companion for some upcoming gigs. But alas, something unforeseen happened: all gigs for the foreseeable future (not just for me, but for everybody) were canceled.

Everyone was taking it online. Livestreaming meant there’d be no sound person — just me and my acoustic going direct into a laptop. With her built-in effects, Ruby was going to be absolutely perfect for that.

I played her at a livestream Zoom concert from my living room. I shared her story with the viewers on a She Rocks Spotlight Series, and I featured her at a virtual global birthday party for my clever tech-savvy girlfriend Kristin.

Shelly Peiken playing red FS-TA guitar during Zoom livestream. — *Ruby and I livestreaming.*

The dual effects opened up a world of possibilities. For example, they allowed a slowed-down version of “What A Girl Wants” to be less pop — more laid back and bluesy. Same girl, different dress. And “Bitch” vibrated with power.

I’ve also spent a lot of my at-home time composing (mostly by myself, since in-person collaboration hasn’t been possible), and thankfully, I find that I have a new muse. In the glow of Ruby’s performance-enhancing pick-me-ups, my writing feels more fluid. Dependably prolific. Even when I’m alone in a room, I inspire myself! I’m still the same songwriter I’ve always been, but I believe I’m better. And believing is an under-rated creative aphrodisiac.

Let’s face it. The more vibe-y our sound, the more confident we are. And getting a boost in confidence can make us feel like we’re standing in the spotlight rather than just blending into the background.

We’re only human. No matter what our level, when our sound is elevated, we’re elevated. When we feel better, we get better. We play better. We write better. It’s not all in our heads. Sometimes it’s in our guitar.

Welcome to my world, Ruby! I look forward to a lasting friendship — one that continues well into the years ahead.

No need for any of Ruby’s effects on this beachside version of “Slow Down the World” — a song I wrote about 18 years ago with my long-time collaborator Guy Roche — and one that seems more relevant now than ever before.

Click here for more information about Yamaha TransAcoustic guitars.

Group of young friends performing on stage.

Live Recording, Part 2

Written by Steve La Cerra on June 19, 2020. Posted in Live Sound. 1 Comment on Live Recording, Part 2

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we looked at ways to make live stereo recordings, which is a relatively easy way of documenting a rehearsal or performance. Unfortunately, stereo recordings don’t give you the option of changing the mix or fixing mistakes that may have been made by the musicians. In this article, we’ll see how multitrack recording can solve these issues and provide you with more professional results.

Get On Track

In a multitrack recording, each instrument or group of instruments is recorded on its own track. You can independently control the volume level, pan position and EQ of each track, as well as selectively add effects. Just as importantly, individual tracks can be edited to fix mistakes or replaced altogether to capture a better performance, plus new tracks can be added to an existing recording — a process called overdubbing.

In order to make a live multitrack recording, you’ll need a recording device that not only offers multiple tracks but multiple inputs as well. (It’s technically possible to make multitrack recordings using one input, but that would require capturing only one instrument at a time and doing tons of overdubbing — something that’s certainly not practical in live performance, or even rehearsal, for that matter.) Some portable or table-top multitrack recorders provide up to 16 inputs, but you’ll get more control over the editing and mixing process if you use a computer running DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software such as Steinberg Cubase AI, along with a connected audio interface —a device that serves as the bridge between your mixer and computer.

The most versatile multitrack recordings are the ones where each instrument is recorded to a separate track. Many professional studio recordings even go so far as to record each microphone for the drum kit onto a separate track. That kind of setup requires a mixer with a lot of outputs, and an interface with a lot of inputs — but plenty of great recordings have been made on just four or eight tracks (many of The Beatles’ records, for example), and most audio interfaces (such as the Steinberg UR44C, which comes bundled with Cubase AI) offer at least four inputs.

Group Therapy

A wide range of analog and digital mixers feature extra audio outputs that can be used to make multitrack recordings while simultaneously feeding a PA system. The Yamaha MG20XU, for example, has four group outputs as well as four aux sends.

Four Group outputs and four Aux outputs on the Yamaha MG20XU. — *The Yamaha MG20XU has four group outputs and four aux sends.*

By assigning specific instruments (or logical collections of mic signals, such as all drum mics) to each of these outputs, you can simultaneously record four or eight instruments (i.e., stereo drums, stereo keyboard, bass, guitar, lead vocal, backing vocal) onto separate tracks.

Diagram of group outputs from a mixer feeding the inputs of an audio interface. — *Group outputs from a mixer can feed the inputs of an audio interface.*

Direct Me to Your DAW

Digital mixers that have built-in USB have a distinct advantage when it comes to live recording. Yamaha TF Series mixers, for example, provide multichannel USB capabilities, and when connected to your computer, they function as 34-in/34-out USB audio interfaces … meaning you won’t have to buy external interfaces. Each input channel on a TF1 mixer has a “Direct Output” which routes that channel to a computer via USB. These outputs are exclusive for each channel, so only the signal connected to that channel is sent to a track in the DAW. Each TF1 Direct Out can be switched on or off, and can be set “Pre DG” (before Digital Gain) so that the recording is made without any EQ, dynamics or effects, providing much more control in the mixdown process. Steinberg Nuendo Live software is included with TF mixers to make multitrack recording quick and easy.

Diagram showing a USB cable connecting a Yamaha TF1 mixer to a laptop computer. — *A single USB cable can route up to 34 separate signals from the Yamaha TF1 into a computer.*

You’ll be able to go back and fix mistakes because DAW software allows recording on any or all tracks in the session — so if someone plays a wrong note at the start of the second chorus, you can fix that note while leaving the other instruments untouched.

Preparation Tips

As you prepare to make a live multitrack recording, keep these four caveats in mind:

1. Make sure that only the channels you want recorded to a track are routed to the group or aux send dedicated to that track. This prevents other instruments from “leaking” onto the track.

2. If you use a post-fader aux send or a group to route signal to an input on the interface, moving a channel fader during the show will affect the level of the recorded signal, and that can cause problems in the mixing process. When possible, use a pre-fader aux send instead.

3. Bear in mind that using an aux send to route a signal to an interface input leaves one less send available for stage monitors or effects. If the mixer has six or eight aux sends, this is less of a problem.

4. Try to keep channel processing to a minimum. EQ or compression added to a channel will be included on the recording, which may limit your options to modify the sound when mixing.

Tips for Improved Computer Performance

– When recording a large number of tracks, try to use a hard drive with a speed of 7200 RPM (or faster) or use a Solid State Drive (SSD).

– Make sure the hard drive is large enough to record the entire show. Each track will require about 500 MB for an hour of recording, so if you plan to record 16 tracks for a two-hour show, you’ll need a hard drive with at least 16 GB of storage.

– Turn off wireless networking and Bluetooth^® before you start recording.

One last piece of advice: Give yourself plenty of time to set up before recording a show. Doing a quick test recording during sound check can take a lot of stress out of the process, leaving you to concentrate on your all-important live mixing chores.

Check out our other Tools of the Trade postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha MG Series mixers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha TF Series mixers.

Click here for more information about the Steinberg UR44C interface.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase AI.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Nuendo Live.

Young man playing Yamaha Electric Violin (YEV).

SILENT™ and Electric String Instruments, Explained

Written by Dale Ramirez on June 17, 2020. Posted in Electric Strings. 2 Comments on SILENT™ and Electric String Instruments, Explained

History

Yamaha first introduced the SV-100 SILENT Violin™ to America in 1997. Since then, an entire line of SILENT and electric string instruments have become a staple of orchestra classrooms, rehearsal rooms, performance venues and everything in-between. The SV-100 was initially developed in response to the needs of string musicians in Tokyo, Hamamatsu and other large Japanese cities, where a quiet practice violin was desirable so that students and performers could rehearse and play in the tightly arranged living spaces commonly found there.

The SV-100 was a hit among Japanese violinists, but many American string players, while still appreciating the silent feature, opted to plug the instrument into amplifiers to see how loud they could make it! This demand for amplification led to the creation of the first Yamaha electric violin — the EV-204 (as well as a five-string version, the EV-205) — and soon a whole new class of instruments was born.

Over the coming years, Yamaha would introduce many new models of SILENT and electric strings. Although they might seem similar, there are actually quite a few differences between the two. Today’s versions of these instruments offer advanced technology to allow musicians to choose the best stringed instrument for their playing needs. Let’s take a look at the current lineup.

Violins

The YEV line of electric violins is designed for those who need to amplify their sound. The YEV-104/105 (four and five string versions, respectively) brings an elegant form factor to the performing musician, with electronics suited for amplified practice.

Yamaha YEV104 Electric Violin. — *Yamaha YEV-104 Electric Violin.*

The YSV104 returns to the original SILENT Violin concept and offers straightforward electronics optimized for silent practice.

String players who plan on performing live, as well as wanting the ability to practice silently, should consider the SV-200.

Yamaha SV-200 Electric Violin. — *Yamaha SV-200 SILENT Violin.*

The top-of-the-line SV-250/255 (again, four and five string versions, respectively) is designed for the professional touring and recording musician. It offers robust electronics for a clear, strong signal both onstage and in the studio.

Yamaha SV250 SILENT Violin. — *Yamaha SV-250 SILENT Violin.*

Cellos

Yamaha offers three SILENT Cello™ options. The SVC-50 is designed for silent practice through headphones, while the SVC-110SK is designed for both practice and live performance, with state-of-the-art electronics that allow it to match the sound of conventional acoustic string ensembles.

Yamaha SVC-50 SILENT Cello.

Yamaha SVC-110SK SILENT Cello.

Cello players who are itching for the edgy electronic sounds of contemporary ensembles should check out the SVC-210SK, which is designed to blend with other electric instruments and match the sound used by many newer types of performance genres.

Yamaha SVC210 SILENT Cello. — *Yamaha SVC-210SK SILENT Cello.*

Bass

The newest addition to the SILENT Bass™ family is actually not silent at all! Despite its name, the SLB300 SILENT Bass has some of the most advanced technology in string instruments today, with features such as the ability to choose a virtual microphone and Studio Response Technology that provides the sound and response you’d expect from a real, full-size acoustic bass.

Click here for more information about Yamaha SILENT Strings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha Electric Strings.

Enjoy Music Outdoors with Zone 2

Written by Joy Frye on June 16, 2020. Posted in Music and Streaming.

Summer’s here and we’re all spending more time outdoors. Whether you’re enjoying a weekend barbecue or a relaxing weeknight dinner on the patio, music is an essential part of the experience. And you don’t need to just get by with an inexpensive Bluetooth^® speaker plopped in the middle of the table, either — not as long as you have a Yamaha MusicCast-enabled AV receiver, which allows you to bring the full power of your music outdoors.

These AV receivers support multiple zones, meaning that in addition to your main listening room, you can also listen to the same, or a different, source in another room or zone. Let’s say your family room or home theater room is where your AV receiver lives. By designating that room as your main zone and the two outdoor speakers on the patio as Zone 2, you can send music from your receiver to the patio simply by pressing a few buttons.

As an example, let’s look at how you would do this with a Yamaha RX-A3080 AVENTAGE AV receiver. (Other Yamaha AVENTAGE AV receivers work in a similar fashion.)

Creating Zone 2

Yamaha RX-A3080 AVENTAGE AV receiver back panel.

1. First, connect your outdoor speakers to the receiver’s EXTRA SP1 jacks, shown in the red circle above.

2. Next, set up the receiver for Zone 2 as follows:

– Turn on your TV, then press the Settings button on the receiver’s remote. An onscreen display will appear.

– Select the Speaker menu.

– Select Power Amp Assign.

– Select 7.2+1Zone to use 7.2 channels in the main zone and 2 channels in Zone 2.

– Select a zone to assign to the EXTRA SP 1 jacks. The default is Zone 2.

Now you can use the receiver’s remote control to control Zone 2. If you’re listening to music in your main zone, all you have to do is press the PARTY button on the remote, and the same music will play on your backyard speakers. If you want to play different music outdoors (let’s say someone is watching TV in the family room), you just have to press a few more buttons:

– Switch the receiver’s remote control to Zone 2.

– Press the power button to turn on the receiver’s Zone 2.

– Use the input arrows to select the audio source for Zone 2.

Yamaha RX-A3080 AVENTAGE AV receiver controller with input, party, and zones controls highlighted.

If you have the MusicCast Controller app on your phone or tablet, you can control Zone 2 just like you would any other room or device. Just select the room — for instance, the patio — then select the source and control the volume. It’s that simple!

Zone 2 Indoors

We’ve been talking about the great outdoors, but of course Zone 2 can be used indoors as well. In fact, depending upon its capabilities, your AV receiver may be able to send audio to other rooms set up as a Zone 2 and a Zone 3. For example, you can send music to in-ceiling speakers in the hallway for true whole-home audio. (The Yamaha RX-A3080 and RX-A2080 AVENTAGE AV receivers are even capable of four zones!)

No Receiver? No Problem.

If your AV receiver doesn’t support multiple zones — even if you don’t have an AV receiver at all — there is still hope for your backyard happiness. A wireless streaming amplifier like the Yamaha WXA-50 can provide access to popular streaming services as well as your stored music and internet radio through Wi-Fi^®, Bluetooth and AirPlay^®. Simply connect your backyard speakers to the WXA-50 to enjoy these music sources and control it all through the MusicCast Controller app or via voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant™.

*Yamaha WXA-50 wireless streaming amplifier.*

The bottom line? Make the most of your receiver’s features, indoors or out, to enjoy the best possible home entertainment experience.

Find out more about outdoor awesomeness:

How to Enjoy Great Outdoor Sound Without Disturbing Your Neighbors

How to Mount Outdoor Speakers

Wireless Amp Turns Outdoor Speakers into MusicCast

Click here for more information about Yamaha MusicCast-enabled AV receivers.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha RX-A3080 AVENTAGE AV receiver.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha RX-A2080 AVENTAGE AV receiver.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha MusicCast Controller app.

Click here for more information about Yamaha ceiling and in-wall speakers.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha WXA-50 wireless streaming amplifier.

Focus Like A Laser

Written by Rich Tozzoli on June 15, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

Think about shining a flashlight at night. You can light up an area and have a pretty good idea of what you’re seeing … sort of. Compare that to shining a laser instead. While you may not see as much of the surrounding environment, it’s highly focused and, if powerful enough, can literally cut through steel. Each has their need and purpose, but the laser is much more piercing and accurate.

This is an analogy I’ve often used in my professional life. When I first began my career in music after getting a business degree at college, I taught myself the art of audio engineering. That led to developing the skill of mixing, which in turn led to surround sound production. All the while, I continued to study guitar, simply because I loved to play, and began writing original music too. While I enjoyed it all, I can see now (with the benefit of hindsight) that I was a bit unfocused as to what I really wanted to do, as well as what might be viable in terms of making a living. It was almost like I was shining a flashlight as I walked along my career path, trying out various things, looking here, looking there.

It took some time, but eventually all these skill sets dovetailed to enable me to become a successful television composer. It was as if I took the broad beams of that flashlight and finally focused them on one area.

A little internet research reveals that the light from a flashlight cannot travel a long distance, because the light is unfocused and diverges as the traveled distance increases. Laser light, however, can travel a long distance, even to the moon and back. The fact that a laser can hit the moon is testament to power of being focused with a coherent goal. (Physicists, in fact, refer to the photons emitted by a laser as forming “coherent” light.)

Another good analogy is that of shooting an arrow at a target. If you pull a bow back just a little and use several arrows, when you release them, they will fly all over the place. Maybe one or two might find the mark … if you get lucky. But if you pull the bow back with intent and use one single arrow carefully aimed, you have a much better chance of scoring a bullseye.

When I work in my home studio, I have only one monitor screen at my mixing desk. This is a conscious choice I made years ago because it helps me stay focused. While some find it useful to have multiple screens, I personally find all the additional colors and light to be distracting. Having a single screen allows me to better concentrate on the big picture, which is delivering great-sounding tracks. A side benefit of the single screen approach is that the speakers have less surface to reflect off, which helps direct the audio into the “sweet spot” where I sit.

There are many other ways to create a focused work environment as you write, play and mix music. For one thing, how about shutting your phone off? Sure, there are times where you need it handy to communicate while working, but let’s be honest, most of the time it’s not necessary — it’s just a force of habit. This is actually one of my pet peeves and something that I make clear ahead of time when I’m asked to do a session at an outside facility. If you are working with me and want my time, don’t waste that time by talking or texting on the phone. I’ve found far too many people checking social media during sessions, and I’m not afraid to politely insist that they shut it off (OK, maybe not always so politely) — not just because it bugs me, but because I know that it’s a powerful sensory distraction that can detract from the end result.

Since we all have more time on our hands these days, why not use this overall “laser-like” approach to look at your own professional and/or musical objectives? What skills can you combine by synthesizing them together into a singular focused effort? It may take a little thought and considerable effort, but the end result could be well worth it. Stay focused and shoot for the moon!

Check out Rich’s other postings.

Bring Administrators Plans, Not Problems

Written by Dr. Dave Gerhart on June 13, 2020. Posted in Advocacy.

Over the past two months, it feels like I have watched more webinars than I have in the last two years. I am sure that is the case for many of you.

There have been many educational and informative webinars that are sharing advocacy resources. These resources are so important for all educators, especially music educators. After watching these webinars, two main points kept coming to the forefront.

Music educators need to open a line of dialogue with administrators and school board members.
Do not wait for administrators to bring you their plan for next year. Start your own plans now!

As advocates of music education, we must talk with our administrators. Yes, they are constantly bombarded with problems and questions, but don’t let that deter you. How do you open the door to these conversations? How can you be solution-oriented? If we offer plans and back them up with current information and up-to-date data, the easier it will be for our administrators and school board members to advocate and support our music programs.

During the “CDC Guidelines for Music Educators” webinar presented on May 27 by Amro Music, Barry Trobaugh, the director of bands at Munford High School in Tennessee, emphasized that “the decisions for your future are being made right now.” While you must be understanding about the “horrible” positions your administrators are in, you also need to be in daily contact with your principal.

“If nothing else, talk about the weather. Tell them how much you miss them,” Trobaugh said. There will come a time when you will have a conversation about your program, and you can talk about “your problems, but you also need to have a resolve,” he said.

Where Do I Start?

“One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever.” — Linda Lambert, author and professor emeritus, California State University, East Bay

The first thing to do is to have a conversation with your principal, superintendent or other administrators. Keep the dialogue open and positive. Ask questions and come up with solutions to teach music next school year. As stated earlier, you must bring plans to your administrators.

A good place to start is the Center for Disease Control (CDC) document “Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019” and the “College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Covid-19 Response Committee Report.” As you read these documents, start brainstorming solutions.

How can you setup your classroom to teach next school year?
Can you use technology to teach theory and/or music history?
How about purchasing recorders and/or pianicas for all of your elementary students so they don’t have to share instruments?
Can you teach your students about composition or arranging in small groups?
Is it possible to setup a virtual ensemble?
Can you or your students conduct guest artist interviews via video conferencing software?
How about putting together a bucket drumming ensemble?
Can you teach your students about entrepreneurship? Could they build a musical website? How about some instructional YouTube video?
See the resource list below for more ideas and examples.

What Do I Do Next?

“Be Proactive. Be Prepared. Be Vigilant.” — Cordelia Istel, Director of Organizing, Arts for LA

The next step is to open up communications and advocate to your school board. Your school board is made up of individuals who represent the public. They do not work for the school district. They represent the needs and interests of the public, and they are tasked with making the school environment better for students. How can you start to create a dialogue with your school board? Your school board members may not specialize in the arts, so they may not be aware that music and arts are part of a “well-rounded education” as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act). In the “Arts for LA/California Alliance for Arts Education“ webinar, they outlined the following steps:

Download the Advocacy Dashboard and Rapid Response Plan. (These documents from Arts for LA will help you determine who is making the decisions, when the decisions are being made and how you can influence these decisions.) Do your research and get members of your community to help advocate for the arts.
Go to your school board’s website and find out the date for the next meeting. Put this information into the Advocacy Dashboard and Rapid Response Plan documents.
Download the school board meeting agenda, which is usually available 72 hours prior to the meeting. Are there any agenda items related to the arts or music?
Create an action plan. Adapt the formula on the Rapid Response Plan, to create your action plan — “Goal → Target → Strategy → Tactics.”
1. “In order to [GOAL], we will influence [TARGET], by [STRATEGY] using [TACTICS].”
Attend the meeting. To speak at the school board meeting, you can either:
1. Make comments during the public comments portion of the board meeting.
2. Contact the board and ask to be added to the agenda.

According to Summer McBride, the president of the board of education for Culver City, CA, adding an item to the agenda is more effective. “When the public comments on items [that are] not on the agenda, board members are not allowed to respond,” said McBride. Once an item is added to the agenda, there can be a dialogue with the board.

McBride also pointed out that all school boards govern these five areas: facilities, budget, curriculum, personnel and student discipline. Curriculum and budget are the areas where you can influence the board to ensure that the arts are part of the conversation.

Why We Do the Thing We Do

“Arts education supports the social and emotional well-being of students, whether through distance learning or in person.” – From Arts Education is Essential, a unified statement put out by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) on May 27 and endorsed by national arts organizations and music industry corporations across the United States

Music educators are often asked to justify their music programs. There are many research studies and surveys that support the importance of including music and the arts into a well-rounded education. Arts for LA has a simple way to justify arts education. It is the 5-4-3 method, which is students with an arts education are:

5 times more likely to stay in school
4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
3 times more likely to get a bachelor’s degree (from Public Comments Talking Points)

We must not forget that social and emotional learning (SEL) is critical as we re-engage with our students. SEL will help us restore relationships and create a foundation for academic learning. In the NAfME webinar “Advocating for Music Education Utilizing Social Emotional Learning,” Dr. Scott Edgar stated that our music programs help foster “school connectedness, resiliency, self-awareness, diversity, high standards and cultural necessity.” SEL is more important than ever and will help us advocate for our programs.

Now is the Time to Form the Team!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Building a group of like-minded individuals will help you put your plan into action. Why not set up a meeting with the other arts and music teachers in your district or surrounding communities? Come together (virtually or in person while being mindful of social distancing, of course) and start brainstorming for the next year school year. Maybe one of the other teachers has a connection that will help your cause. You won’t know until you start networking and talking.

Use social media to get ideas from music educators across the country. Engage in positive conversations about solutions. We are all in this together, and we need to support our fellow arts educators. Ask questions and see what others are doing. Something that works in New Jersey may work in your district. There are numerous Facebook groups where you can post your ideas and get a lot of great feedback, including:

Expand your network to include community-based arts organizations, city council members who believe in the arts, and your state’s arts-specific organizations. A list of state associations can be found on the NAfME website. Research how these arts organizations are advocating for the arts and how you can partner with them to help support your program. Follow them on social media and keep up to date on what is happening in your state.

Take Action

“Advocacy is not something that you do … it is something that you are.” — Bob Morrison, founder of Quadrant Arts Education Research

Advocating for your program is more important than ever. With inevitable budget cuts and the uncertainty surrounding next year’s guidelines for the classroom, you must remain positive. Your students need you. You see your students more than any other faculty member on campus. You are a constant in their lives. No matter what comes your way, approach it with an “I can make it work!” attitude

I hope this article will ignite you to make connections, start conversations and build an advocacy toolkit to support you, your students and your program.

Resources

Books
- “Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music“ by Scott N. Edgar
Reopening Resources
- Music Education Consultants’ Roundup of Reopening Recommendations
- Arts Ed NJ’s “September Ready” Guidance
Social Media
- Yamaha Music Educator Community
- Music Educators Creating Online Learning
Tools
- Amro Music’s Google Drive Documents: COVID-19 Music Educator Resources
- Amro Music’s Considerations for a Safe Return to the Instrumental Music Classroom (PDF)
- Arts for LA: Local Arts Advocacy Toolkit (also available in Spanish)
- CreateCA’s Declaration of the Rights of All Students to Equity in Arts Learning
- CBDNA Covid-19 Response Committee Report
- An Initial Guide to Leveraging The Power Of Social And Emotional Learning (PDF) from Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
- Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (PDF) from the CDC
- NAfME: A rts Education is Essential unified statement
- NAMM Advocacy Summit Resources
Webinars
- Amro Music “After Hours” webinar series
- Amro Music: “CDC Guidelines for Music Educators” webinar and presentation slides
- “Arts for LA/California Alliance for Arts Education“ webinar
- NAfME: “Advocating for Music Education Utilizing Social Emotional Learning“ webinar
Websites

Acknowledgments

There have been several great webinars over the past couple of months. I want to acknowledge three that influenced the materials outlined in this article.

The “Arts for LA/California Alliance for Arts Education” webinar was the catalyst for this blog post. After seeing their Local Arts Advocacy Toolkit, I immediately saw the value of this information for music educators across the United States. A Spanish language version of the toolkit, Recursos Locales de Abagacia, is also available.
Amro Music (based in Memphis, TN) has produced a series of “After Hours” videos hosted by Nick Averwater, Amro’s band department manager, who interviews music educators and experts from across the United States. Topics include advocating, CDC guidelines for music educators and more. Amro has also created a great Google Doc folder with resources. Be sure to check out its “CDC Guidelines for Music Educators” webinar and presentation slides.
In the NAfME “Advocating for Music Education Utilizing Social Emotional Learning” webinar, Dr. Scott Edgar and Bob Morrison provide insight into how SEL can be used to advocate for your program. Morrison introduced a new website called SEL ARTS, which offers tools to foster connections between the standards, SEL and advocacy. If you haven’t read Edgar’s book, “Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music,” add it to your summer reading list.

Yamaha is an active advocate for music education. We want to empower you as music educators to strengthen your programs in any way we can. Please register for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to read up on advocacy, professional development, instruments, resources, partnerships in education. Join the Yamaha Music Educator Community on Facebook. Email us at educators@yamaha.com.

What to Do When Your Wi-Fi Goes Down

Written by Ted Goslin on June 11, 2020. Posted in Audio How-to.

We all need the internet. Whether for work, school or connecting with friends on social media, getting online is a critical part of modern living. That includes your wireless audio devices as well. But what do you do when your internet goes down?

First, don’t panic. If you’re using Wi-Fi for internet access and connected devices, there are a number of easy troubleshooting options you can try to (hopefully) get everything quickly back online. Here are some ways to restore your wireless communications to working order.

Why Wi-Fi?

The key to fixing the problem is a basic knowledge of Wi-Fi and internet. Here’s what you need to know:

– Wi-Fi stands for “wireless fidelity” — a protocol that allows for the interlinking of digital devices via radio signal (i.e., without wiring). And while these devices need to be linked to one another, they may or may not be connected to the internet.

– To get online you’ll need an ISP (Internet Service Provider), who typically provides you with a modem, a router or a combination of both. (More about these devices below.) The speed of your service will depend on the package you select, but the FCC recommends between 12 to 25 Mbps (Megabits per second) for homes with three users or devices online at once with moderate use (basic functions and one high-demand application in use simultaneously).

– A modem is the unit that connects your home to the internet via a cable or optical connection that carries the signal from your ISP. That signal needs to be transmitted either through an ethernet cable (hardwired CAT-5 cable) or through Wi-Fi, in which case you’ll need …

– A wireless router, connected to the modem.

– You can also create something called a mesh network, which lets you cover a larger home with multiple access points that are linked together. This tends to work well with wireless multi-room audio devices.

– The loss of internet could be due to a loss of service from the ISP or it could be due to an issue with your modem, router, mesh network (if you have one installed) or, in rare instances, the device(s) you’re using. To pinpoint the problem, you’ll have to troubleshoot one component at a time.

One by One

1. The first thing you should do is determine if there’s a signal coming from the ISP. This can be spotted by perusing the LEDs on the modem. Different modems use different names to identify presence of a signal, but typically you might find it labeled as “Online” or “Internet.” If this light is off, your ISP is likely the problem. At this point, you should visit their website to see if any service outages are listed in your local area (these can occur due to weather issues or other reasons). If no outage in your area is listed, you’ll need to contact your ISP and let them know you’re not getting a signal.

2. If you’ve determined that there is no outage and that your ISP is providing service, the next thing to try is to cycle the power on the modem. This involves switching off the power, then unplugging the power cord from the back of the unit. Confirm that the lights of the modem are off and wait three to five minutes until plugging the power cord back in and flipping the power switch to the ON position. Now you’ll need to keep an eye on the LEDs on the front of the modem. Most modems use different-colored LEDs to indicate various states. (Your modem’s manual will tell you what each light means.) Be patient. Depending on your modem and internet service, it can take several minutes for the power-up sequence to complete.

3. If your modem indicates you are connected to the internet, you can rule it out as the source of the issue for now. Start by connecting your modem directly to a computer via an ethernet cable. (Most computers have an ethernet port; in the unlikely event yours doesn’t, you’ll need to purchase a USB to ethernet adapter for this step.) This should get your computer online. Now run a speed test (do a search to find one that’s optimized to work in your geographic area). This will tell you what connection speed you’re getting from the ISP. If you’re getting an internet connection with good speed, hardwire your router to your PC instead of the modem (again, using an ethernet cable) and run a speed test again. Still no internet? Cycle the power on the router just as you did for the modem, then wait for it to reboot. Check to see if you’re getting internet now.

4. If not, you may need to hit the reset button on the router as a last resort. This is usually a small, pin-sized button on the back of the router; you’ll probably need a paper clip or pen tip to push it. Before you do so, however, be sure to read the instructions in the router’s owner manual carefully, as resetting the router will likely restore its factory settings, which could remove your saved network name and password. This mainly applies to smart devices you have connected to the router via Wi-Fi, including voice control devices like Google Home™, streaming devices like an Apple TV^® and wireless audio products like those with Yamaha MusicCast (which includes MusicCast-enabled products such as speakers, sound bars and AV receivers). If you used the same name and password that came with the router, then some of your devices should reconnect automatically once you reset the router, but you’ll want to test all connections regardless. Add passwords to devices as needed.

Should you discover your Mbps is running below the speed you are paying for, you’ll need to contact your ISP for instructions on what to do next. You may be asked to return your modem to the nearest office (or send it in by mail) and replace it with a new one, then follow the instructions provided with it to re-establish your network at home. Some ISPs will send a tech to your home to swap out modems, but you should check your service contract to see if this will incur an extra charge.

NOTE: These are meant merely as guidelines, and Yamaha cannot be held responsible for any damages that may occur as a result of resetting or powering your internet equipment on or off. We recommend that you read the owners’ manuals of those devices carefully before proceeding!

Back Online

After you’ve got everything working, you should run a speed test to make sure your network is working correctly. If you find that your Mbps is running below the speed you are paying for, you’ll need to contact your ISP for instructions on what to do next. You may be asked to return your modem and replace it with a new one, then follow the provided instructions to re-establish your network at home.

To add MusicCast devices back onto your Wi-Fi network, you’ll need to follow the instructions in the MusicCast Controller app by pressing the Settings icon in the top right-hand corner (as shown in the illustration on the right), then connecting one device at a time. Once each device has been added back onto your network, it should be visible in the app.

For more on how to best enjoy streaming music or movies through connected devices, check out these related blog posts:

The Smart Home Begins with Good Wi-Fi

MusicCast Wireless Surround Sound for Your 5.1 Home Theater

Five MusicCast App Features You May Not Know

How to Use Actions on Google with Yamaha MusicCast

How to Get the Best Audio When Listening to Livestreams

How to Stream Music from Your Computer

Want to learn more about Yamaha MusicCast? Visit our MusicCast FAQ section here.

Man playing guitar with vintage-style photo filter.

Slide Rules

Written by Robbie Calvo on June 10, 2020. Posted in Acoustic Guitars. 1 Comment on Slide Rules

Even in the peaceful daily moments, my mind is working overtime.

The other day, I started to wonder how many notes I play per song at a typical gig, so I did the math. A four-minute song at 100 bpm (beats per minute) contains approximately 100 measures of music.

Let’s say each measure contains one chord. That means my left hand forms a new chord shape a hundred times per song. If I’m fingerpicking eighth notes in my right hand, that’s 800 notes per song. An average gig consists of 30 songs, so that’s approximately 24,000 notes and some 3,000 chords.

At a musician’s typical pay, that works out to … hmmm. Don’t get me started!

Playing guitar is intense. We take a piece of wood strung with high-tension wires (heavy gauge string tension is around 40 pounds) and use one hand to strum, fingerpick, tap, rake and palm-mute in order to execute precise rhythms, while the other hand forms elaborate chord shapes, scales, arpeggios and double-stops … and we do all this thousands of times per song.

As if that isn’t enough, we’re called upon to improvise single notes over harmonic structures to create melodies. Sometimes we’re awesome and other times … well, other times we’re human.

One technique I know a lot of guitar players struggle with is slide guitar. In my opinion, there are two main reasons why. First, the slide needs to be placed directly over the fret-wire in order to achieve perfect intonation (not directly behind it, as we’re used to). Second, both hands need to employ muting techniques in order to reduce unwanted overtones when moving the slide.

For many, this combination can be frustrating, but if you follow the steps listed below and watch the video I’ve filmed especially for you, you’ll be well on your way to sounding like a slide master. Oh, and one more tip: You’ll find that playing a guitar with heavier strings and a slightly higher action (i.e., one where the strings are not very close to the fretboard) will help you achieve better slide tone.

Fretting Technique

Put a slide on the little finger of the hand you use for fretting — for right-handed guitarists, this will be your left hand — and place all four fingers flat across the strings, perpendicular to the frets, resting lightly on the strings to mute them. (Although some well-known slide players put the slide on their ring finger, I’m advocating placing it on your little finger so you can still form chords with your first three fingers.)

Now move your whole hand as a single unit until the center of the slide is directly over the fret of choice. Lightly muting the strings behind the slide this way prevents unwanted rogue notes from being produced when in motion.

Picking Technique

Place the thumb of your strumming/picking hand — for right-handed guitarists, this will be your right hand — on the fourth string (D) and allow it to mute not just the D string, but the A and E strings too. Then rest your index finger on the G-string, your middle finger on the B-string, and your ring finger on the top E. At this point, all six strings will be muted.

Now fingerpick the six strings, un-muting one string at a time in order to hear just that note. Adhere to this method, and your slide playing will forever be clean and cacophony-free!

Finding the Right Notes

That’s the technical side. Now we need to find an easy way to hit all of the right notes.

If you know your chord-tone arpeggios and scales, you can play licks in standard tuning. However, one of the best ways to locate chord tones for slide playing is to tune your guitar to an “open” chord (something often referred to as open tuning). This will give you six chord tones over every fret.

To tune a guitar to “Open G,” for example, detune the high and low E strings a whole-tone down to D, then detune the A string a whole-tone down to G. Playing all six strings open (i.e., unfretted) will now result in a G Major chord; the notes produced, from low to high, are D – G – D – G – B – D. Placing the slide directly over the fret-wire at the 12th fret will give you the same tones (and the same G Major chord) an octave higher.

Since open tuning results in a chord over each fret, you can play other chords (and each of their individual chord tones) by simply moving the slide. In Open G, moving the slide to the fifth fret produces a C Major chord, while moving it to the seventh fret produces a D Major chord. I’ve found that sliding into chords from a whole step below can often sound really good.

If you know your harmony and theory, you’ll also know that Major chords contain three of the tones found in the relative Minor chord. For example, G, B and D on the top three strings are the Minor third, fifth and Minor seventh of an Emi7 chord. So, we actually have Minor chords covered too!

The Video

The Yamaha CSF-TA TransAcoustic guitar I’m playing in this video is tuned to Open G, and all the reverb and chorus effects you hear are being produced by the guitar itself (more on that shortly), though I do add some drive and delay from my Line 6 POD^® Go effects processor.

After the performance, I go over all the techniques discussed here so you can see and hear how applying my method pulls it all together for super-clean and precise slide playing, even at higher gain settings.

The Guitar

The Yamaha CSF-TA TransAcoustic is an acoustic guitar with built-in reverb and chorus effects that are available even when the guitar isn’t plugged in. Its small “parlor size” (a body size that’s popular among blues and folk players) makes it the perfect instrument to take to the park, beach or gig and still enjoy ambient inspiration.

TransAcoustic guitar resting on dark leather couch.

Close-up shot of the sound hole of the TransAcoustic guitar resting on dark leather couch.

The guitar features a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, plus a stunning abalone inlay around the sound hole. It even comes with a hard gig bag, perfect for those last-minute getaways and overhead storage.

The Wrap-Up

It’s no surprise that guitar players constantly strive for better tone, technique and the ultimate instrument. I think we are just wired that way — the challenge of bending an inanimate vibrational counterpart to our will is what motivates us.

We may never achieve perfection as a musician, but we can take positive steps towards that goal with hard work, passion and an active mind for learning. Keep pushing yourself forward!

Photographs courtesy of the author.

For more information, see our two-part series “How to Play Slide Guitar.”

Check out Robbie’s other postings.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha CSF-TA TransAcoustic guitar.

How to Clean Piano Keys

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on June 9, 2020. Posted in Piano How-to. 2 Comments on How to Clean Piano Keys

Ever wonder about the best way to properly clean the keys of your piano without damaging them? Here’s how.

First and foremost, avoid cleaners (both liquid and saturated wipe-type cleaners) that contain harsh ingredients such as alcohol (isopropyl), chlorine, ethanol, benzene, peroxide or salts. These ingredients contribute to discoloration and cracking.

Instead, gather together three clean microfiber cloths and some dishwashing liquid and follow these easy steps:

1. Dampen one of the microfiber cloths with lukewarm water and a small amount of dishwashing liquid, then wring it out enough so that water does not drip on the keys. Use the cloth to gently wipe down several keys at a time in a “toward-the-player” motion (i.e., from the part of the keys farthest from you to the part closest to you).

2. Take the second microfiber cloth and dampen it with lukewarm water only, then wring it out enough so that water does not drip on the keys. Use it to wipe down the keys again in the same “toward-the-player” motion.

3. Using the third microfiber cloth (but keeping it completely dry), wipe down the keys one more time in that same “toward-the-player” motion until all the keys are dry.

Cleaning your hands before playing is recommended and will ensure a high level of playability through the life of your piano. If you use hand sanitizer that contains any of the ingredients listed in the first paragraph, make sure your hands are completely dry before touching the keyboard.

One last tip: Keeping the key cover closed at all times when the piano is not in use will help keep the keys free of dust and dirt … meaning that you’ll have to clean them less!

Please note that these recommendations do not guarantee disinfection of the keys, and many currently popular disinfectants may damage key surfaces over time. Check out our guide to disinfecting musical instruments.

Click here for more information about Yamaha pianos.

Writing for TV and Film

Written by Shelly Peiken on June 8, 2020. Posted in Creativity. 1 Comment on Writing for TV and Film

If you’re a songwriter or composer, at some point you may be asked to write for a TV show or a film. On the surface, they might seem like two sides to the same coin, but actually the processes are quite different.

Writing on assignment uses a different set of brain muscles than those we use for creating music boundary-free. I enjoy both challenges but I’m all too aware that the former calls for switching gears and listening to instructions and guidelines, rather than free-falling into creative nirvana.

Here’s how it typically goes: A music supervisor (a person who combines music and visual media) gives the composer a “brief.” This important document describes the scene for which your music will partner and also tells you a bit about the characters involved and what their motivations are.

Sometimes the scene will have been filmed already. If footage is available to you, be sure to watch it! This is like gold. Being able to actually see the moving picture come to life is always a more tangible reference than a description of it.

Fortunately for me, footage was available when I was asked to compose an opening song for the 1999 film Music From The Heart. The character on camera (played by Meryl Streep) had recently been left by her husband. She was flipping through the pages of a photo album (remember those?), missing him terribly and trying to move on. I felt her. My pen went into auto-pilot and scribbled down a title: “Turn the Page.”

Aaliyah recorded the finished piece (co-written with Guy Roche) and when I saw it put to picture I felt satisfied I had done my job — that the song captured the spirit of the emotional essence and enhanced the scene.

But footage often isn’t an option, in which case the brief usually includes bullet points or relevant keywords the music supervisor or director wants to hear in the finished song, along with “reference” material — examples of songs that could work in the scene … if the filmmaker wished to use an existing copyright.

I take this list seriously. Each song may have been referenced for its own reason. One might be lyrically on the money. Another more musically fitting.

I’ll playlist these referenced songs and consider them for some time before I actually sit down to write. This helps me connect with tone and steer my unconscious creative flow.

Then I’ll go to the piano and actually play one of those songs to establish the mood. Loosen me up, so to speak. At which point I’ll undoubtedly hear a voice in my head that says:

How on earth will I be able to come up with something better? It seems like this song was made for the scene. Plus, it’s a proven hit. Loved by millions already.

It’s OK. I let that voice have at it and then I proceed anyway! From scratch. (Such a demeaning yet necessary place to start.)

Next, I begin implementing my ideas with the chord progression of one of the referenced songs. This at least gets me in the “neighborhood” of the vibe. Now I’m in transition.

Ideally, my song will morph into its own original creation, but the references give me a template, a place from which to jump off. To me, whatever gets you going — whatever inspires — is fair game.

It’s worth pointing out that not all assignments call for a song that’s directly derived from the on-screen narrative. Sometimes a music supervisor or director is looking for something more vague — a composition with a musical texture that’s evocative of the spirit of the scene, but not at all lyrically congruous. Knowing in advance which approach they’re looking for will save you a lot of trouble.

As I get close to finishing the song, I’ve found that it’s wise to recheck the brief and ensure that I’ve covered as best I can all the elements that were suggested be incorporated. That said, just because I can check off the keywords doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve done my job. It’s not enough to hope that the song I’ve written makes the director cry. It has to make me cry too. Or give me chills, or make me laugh out loud. Aside from the elements, the song must still be effective!

I haven’t written to a brief in a long time, but it just so happens that I was tapped to do so recently, and it just so happened that I had some time on my hands. So I sat at my piano and revisited the exact process described in this posting. I heard those same voices in my head (they never go away!) — the ones that ask if I can beat the proven hit. I let them have at it, and then I proceeded.

And once again, even though I believed I captured the character of the referenced songs, checked off 90% of the keywords and felt genuinely uplifted by the final result (as was the goal), when I played back the demo one last time just before emailing it to the music supervisor, there was still that last thought right after I pressed send:

“I hope they like it!”

Check out Shelly’s other postings.

Yamaha and 50+ Organizations Unite to Support Arts Education

Written by Yamaha Staff on June 5, 2020. Posted in Advocacy.

Yamaha Corporation of America joined more than 50 other organizations to endorse the National Association for Music Education’s “Arts Education Is Essential” unified statement.

NAfME and all the endorsing organizations recognize the necessity for students to have access to arts education, which includes music, dance, theater, visual arts and media arts.

While teaching in the post-COVID-19 world may look different, Yamaha and the other organizations remain committed to supporting arts education, arts educators, community arts providers and, most importantly, arts students.

The arts were identified as part of a “well-rounded education” well before this pandemic, but as we read stories and watch videos from around the world about the healing and unifying power of music and the arts during these tough times, this designation is all the more meaningful.

The three driving principles of “Arts Education Is Essential” are:

“Arts education supports the social and emotional well-being of students, whether through distance learning or in person.” Not only do the arts emphasize team-building and self-reflection, it fosters collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication.
“Arts education nurtures the creation of a welcoming school environment where students can express themselves in a safe and positive way.” Through arts participation and partnerships among students, teachers and parents, an inclusive school and community are formed.
“Arts education is part of a well-rounded education for all students as understood and supported by federal and state policymakers.” Within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), music and the arts were repeatedly cited to be a part of a balanced education and federal funds are available to support arts education.

Read NAfME’s “Arts Education Is Essential” statement and the list of endorsing organizations here.

10 Tips to Start a Middle School Drumline

Written by Troy C. Wollwage on June 4, 2020. Posted in Percussion.

Middle school band is often where students begin their musical journey. It is a time when the three basic elements of music — rhythm, melody and harmony — begin to take shape and make sense to students.

Many middle schools, or junior high schools, have a beginning and advanced concert bands, as well as a jazz band. Some middle school music programs may also include orchestras with string instruments. Very few middle schools, however, have a drumline.

Incorporating a drumline into any middle school program presents a few challenges, such as time to rehearse, an appropriate rehearsal space, a qualified percussion teacher or having the appropriate equipment. Whether you are thinking about developing a new drumline program or continuing the program you inherited, a middle school drumline can be a fun and exciting musical outlet for your students. Whatever the present drumline situation may be, keep these 10 things in mind.

1. Determine Performance Expectations

Decide the types of performances you want for this drumline. Will the drumline perform primarily at parades, standstill exhibitions, an indoor percussion show like Winter Guard International (WGI) or a combination of these events? This decision is important because you must consider the length of marching activity required and equipment transportation needs.

A 12-to-14-year-old student, who is new to the activity may not be able to carry a drum for a 2-mile parade. You must consider heat, humidity and the weight of the drums.

You want equipment that is easy to carry, play and maintain. The weight of any drum should not tire out the students. Check the weights of your drums to ensure proper fit at each rehearsal. This will help students as they grow and practice in the activity.

2. Stay Away from Hand-Me-Downs

Old drums from the high school are often passed down to the middle school after several years of use. While this may appear to save money, these drums are designed for high school students, not middle school students. Drumline equipment for high schools are heavier, larger and designed to meet the needs of competitive performance environments. None of these are important for a middle school drumline.

It’s best to pass on the hand-me-downs. Your students will pay the price as they march down the street with drums that are too heavy for their smaller frames. A bad experience like this may lead to them leaving the program.

3. Choose Appropriate Music

Music that is too complicated for beginners in middle school will be difficult to memorize for performances where students must march and play at the same time. Whether or not you have a drumline instructor, utilize music that fits the needs of the students. Remember, this is not Drum Corps International (DCI) or a college drumline. Sound expectations must be kept in check. Music that is simple yet challenging, will give middle schoolers confidence and make the marching experience fun.

4. Drumheads Are Important

Make sure to ask what type and brand of drumhead is preinstalled on each drum — and get it in writing from the music dealer. This is important because low-cost, generic drumheads may not be usable and could lead to an expensive and unbudgeted purchase to get the correct drumheads a month or two after your drumline purchase.

For snare drums, choose a Mylar top batter drumhead and a clear Ambassador^® on the bottom or snare side. For multi-toms, select a pinstripe head. For bass drums, get a white Ambassador head with either internal or external muffling.

5. Keep a Supply of Sticks on Hand

Much like mouthpieces and reeds, sticks will get lost and forgotten by your students — usually right before a performance. Always have a healthy supply of extra sticks. Provide a list of acceptable stick options to both parents and students. Ensure your local music deal can get them in a timely manner.

Find sticks that are easy to hold, not too heavy and match appropriately. Sticks and mallets that are too heavy or wrong for a specific drum may cause damage to the drumhead and will tire out the arms of junior high school students.

6. Wear Earplugs

Ear protection at every level is important but is essential for students in the drumline because of the loud sounds they create as an ensemble. Ensure that all students always have proper ear protection for rehearsals and performances. Educate everyone — including parents — on the facts about ear protection and why it is needed. Ask your local music dealer about ear protection and have extra earplugs available for all situations because junior high students may forget to bring their earplugs. Set an example by wearing earplugs yourself.

7. Make Sure Carriers and Stands are Appropriately Sized

To make the drumline experience a rewarding one for students, you must ensure that they are comfortable marching down the street or standing in place for rehearsal. Review the different options for carriers and stands with each drum. You want hardware that are easy to adjust for students of all shapes and sizes. Check the fit of carriers on each student at every rehearsal. Don’t assume that each student understands the proper way a drum should sit on his or her body. Proper fit is key to comfort and having fun on drumline.

8. Ask Peers for Advice

Ask you high school marching band directors, percussion friends and local dealers for recommendations as to the brands they prefer. Was the company sales representative available when needed? Were the drums easy to carry? Where the carriers flexible enough to fit students of all sizes? Were replacement parts easily available? What is the manufacturers’ product warranties? The advice you get from friends and associates about the products they purchased can go a long way to ensuring your experience is a happy one.

9. Protect Your Investment

To keep your drumline equipment in tip-top shape all year, purchase accessories like covers to protect the drums from the damage of heat and moisture, as well as hard cases to protect the drums during travel and storage during the off season. Other accessories to consider include rim savers to keep bass drum hoops free from the damage of rim clicks, stick bags for snare drums and multi-toms, and tom guards to protect the bottom edges of multi-toms. An ounce of prevention goes a long way toward keeping any drumline in good working order.

10. Know Drum Sizes and Quantity

Several factors allow a drum to produce volume, but the most important ones to consider are the shell material and shell depth. When a wood shell is made properly, there are no gaps in the construction. (Some brands fill in the plies with wood putty.) The wood shell must vibrate freely to produce a full sound. A shorter shell depth is lighter, but it produces less volume.

Drums differ in size for a reason. A standard wood shell snare drum for middle school is 13 or 14 inches in diameter and 11 inches deep.

Multi-toms come in various depths and sizes, but for a middle school drumline, a small trio or small quad setup where the largest drum is 13 inches in diameter is the most appropriate option.

Bass drums are important to keep the drumline’s beat but keep the sizes close together for optimal tonal response. A middle school drumline does not require a bass drum larger than 26 inches because projecting over a large brass sound is just not needed at this level.

As with any major purchase, the key is to research your options and ask a lot of questions. That’s the best way to ensure that your students are equipped with quality instruments that will last.

Get more information about Yamaha marching drums here.

Using the Yamaha MLC-200 Lab Controller in the Classroom

Written by Lori Frazer on June 4, 2020. Posted in Educator.

Students work well in groups, particularly if the more advanced students are mentoring the others. But teaching music students in large groups can be challenging for the instructor, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, many schools have students at varying skill levels together in one class. In addition, students playing their instruments while you are trying to instruct the class can be frustrating for everyone involved … and because the student does not hear the lesson and directions, they may later be asking questions that can slow the entire class down.

Enter the lab controller — a communication system widely used in group piano and keyboard classroom settings, from K-12 all the way up to college-level. With these systems, the instructor is able to communicate with students through a headset that has an attached microphone. Students hear the instruction, as well as demonstrations from the teacher’s instrument and the sound of their own instruments, through their headsets, which also have attached microphones. This allows students to communicate with the instructor, as well as with each other — and with no outside noise to disturb either the class members or the instructor, and no noise escaping the classroom either. And because there are many different configurations the instructor can set for a wide range of activities, the dynamic of the group class becomes much more exciting, fun and interesting.

In this article, we’ll focus on the functionality of the Yamaha MLC-200 — the first ever all-digital lab controller.

What’s Included

Yamaha Music Lab components. — *Yamaha MLC-200.*

The MLC-200 utilizes the revolutionary professional digital audio platform called Dante^® (short for “Digital Audio Networked Through Ethernet”) for unparalleled flexibility and sound quality. Communication to and from students (using their included wired headphones) is crystal clear, and a set of wireless headphones is provided for the instructor so that he or she can move throughout the classroom without being tethered to their teaching instrument. Also provided are all the necessary cables to connect each instrument to a central hub.

ML Touch

The MLC-200 is controlled from the teacher’s iPad^® (not included) running a free Yamaha app called ML Touch. You can download it from the Apple^® App Store for iPad ahead of time in order to experiment with most of the features without being connected to an actual lab system, or you can check out the User’s Guide here.

ML Touch is exceptionally easy to use — just set up your class layout, and you’re ready to go:

By touching LAYOUT in the upper right corner, you can move the icons around the display until your iPad looks just like your classroom. There are templates for various setups, from two to six rows, or you can completely customize the layout to match your classroom’s exact configuration.

Personalize class layout in ML Touch app.

The “Hamburger” menu in the upper left corner allows you to insert the name of each student to appear in their instrument icon. You can even take their photo and use it to accompany their name!

Adding name of each student to roster in ML Touch app.

From the home page of the ML Touch app, touching CONNECT ALL highlights all student icons in green and allow you to communicate with the entire class. Each student can then hear their instrument as well as your instrument and microphone.

DISCONNECT ALL does the opposite, turning all instruments off at once. MUTE STUDENTS is particularly helpful: it instantly silences all student instruments, allowing you to instruct and demonstrate from your instrument, without students being distracted by the sound of their own instruments.

The GROUPING command in the main screen provides many helpful functions for teaching. For example, touching 2 PEOPLE in the lower left corner places students into groups of two. Four-person and eight-person groups can also be selected.

Grouping is especially helpful for duet and ensemble playing. By selecting the color-coded letters in the lower right corner, you can completely customize up to 12 different groups: Simply touch a letter and then touch the student icons you wish to be in that group. Even if students are sitting across the room from each other, they can still work together. While working in groups, students hear their instruments, as well as the instruments and microphones of the other students they are grouped with. Groups can also be saved for later use.

Saving groups for later use in ML Touch app.

The home screen also offers a command called BROADCAST. This allows you to share the performances of an individual student, group of students, or just your instrument, so that students won’t have to constantly be unplugging their headphones to perform out loud for each other — a feature that will save lots of wear and tear on equipment!

The MLC-200 allows you to connect auxiliary devices such as a computer, music player, tablet or smartphone. The audio from these connected devices can be distributed to student headphones by selecting the AUX device you want them to hear.

Connecting auxiliary device in ML Touch app.

Attendance can also be taken through the ML Touch app, either manually or via an Auto mode, where each student’s call light illuminates in turn at their instrument. Once they turn the light off, it will mark them as present in the app. You can later edit these records, as well as export them.

MLA-200 Interface

The MLC-200 system provides each student with a high-quality, durable MLA-200 interface for the connection of their instrument. From this box, the student can adjust the volume level of their instrument, as well as the teacher instrument, or that of duo or group partners. It also allows them to turn their microphone on and off, as well as call the teacher if help is needed.

There is also a USB port on the MLA-200 that allows even greater functionality when it is used in a classroom equipped with select Yamaha CVP Clavinovas. From the instructor’s iPad, student Clavinovas can be reset back to piano sound, MIDI files can be sent to a student’s instrument, and guide lights can be sent out to the student instruments to assist with hand position during playback and keyboard drills.

Lighted Key Mode training in ML Touch app.

Yamaha keyboards, digital pianos and Clavinovas that are compatible with the free Yamaha Smart Pianist app will also have some added features when using the USB ports on their MLA-200 interfaces. Features will vary by instrument model.

Videos

Here’s a video that provides an overview of the main MLC-200 features:

Also available for the budget-conscious classroom is the Yamaha LC4 analog lab controller, offering many of the same features as the MLC-200. With the use of an optional Wi-Fikit, the LC4 can also be controlled by a free iPad app. Like ML Touch, this app can be run in an offline mode, so you can experiment with its features while not connected to an actual lab.

Here’s a video that shows the features of the LC4:

Both the MLC-200 and the LC4 offer instructors tremendous flexibility and can greatly enhance the group learning experience. And as a bonus, the use of systems like these allow other classrooms to be situated close by, with no sound interference coming from either direction. If you haven’t incorporated a lab controller into your teaching routine before, you may find yourself wondering how you ever got along without one!

Click here for more information about the Yamaha MLC-200.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha LC4.

Click here for more information about Dante.

Quick Start Guide to Dorico

Written by Dr. Dave Gerhart on June 3, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips. 2 Comments on Quick Start Guide to Dorico

Most music educators, choir directors, composers or music students have likely used a music notation program for a variety of reasons including:

Having a clean representation of musical ideas to share with others
Getting immediate feedback from the playback function
Writing for more than one voice and hearing them played together
Creating worksheets
Transposing parts for ensembles
Re-writing a part to make it accessible to a variety of levels of students

In the last couple of years, Dorico has established itself as an incredible resource and tool for educators. If you are new to music notation software, or Dorico specifically, this article will help you get started and guide you through your first project and building worksheets.

Getting Started

First, download the trial software. Dorico comes in three versions: Dorico Pro 3.5, Dorico Elements 3.5 and Dorico SE 3.5. (Here’s a comparison chart.) I recommend that you download so you can try all of the software’s available features during your 30-day trial.

You can learn the ins and outs of Dorico by watching videos and downloading PDFs on “Getting Started with Note Input” and “Creating a Worksheet.”

Watch Training Videos

Once you have installed Dorico, head to YouTube and watch this introductory overview video of the software.

Dorico has an entire Getting Started with Dorico playlist that includes the following videos:

Overview
Installing and activating
Finding your way around
Starting your first project
Adding a second instrument
Editing and arranging
Sharing your project
Guitar & percussion
Advanced techniques
Upgrading from SE to Elements

Please note: Even though these videos are for Dorico SE 3,they introduce the basics of the software and are applicable for all versions of Dorico.

For more in-depth videos, check out these Modes Playlists that contain up to 10 videos about each mode.

BONUS DOCUMENT: Educate Yourself – For even more training videos.

Get Started with Note Input

If you are new to Dorico and want to try a directed project to learn common key commands, download the Getting Started with Note Input article. This article will teach you how create a four-bar piece of music for four string instruments and lead vocal including using voices (two simultaneous rhythms per staff), articulations, dynamics, chords and lyrics.

Create a Worksheet Handout

As an educator, you will need to make worksheets or handouts. Download the Creating a worksheet zip file that will show you what you need to do, starting either with the included time-saving Dorico project template or completely from scratch. Just unzip the file to access the PDF and the Dorico project template.

Additional Resources

Dorico Quick Reference Card
Popovers in Dorico
Import Notation Files into Dorico
Marching percussion template for Tapspace Virtual Drumline
Documentation at Steinberg.help including the popovers and tokens PDF files
Dorico YouTube channel
Dorico Facebook Community
Yamaha Music Educators Community

Delay, Part 1

Written by Mike Levine on June 3, 2020. Posted in Recording. 1 Comment on Delay, Part 1

Delay is one of the most popular effects out there, but what is it, exactly, and how can it best be utilized to enhance your home recordings?

At its most basic, a delay is a copy of the incoming signal that is repeated after a user-specified duration. In practice, it’s actually incredibly versatile, and can be used for everything from subtle doubling to long echoes reminiscent of those that occur naturally in large spaces, and much more.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we’ll take a look at the parameters you’re most likely to encounter (in both hardware delay processors and their plug-in cousins) and some of the different types of delays you’ll run across. In Part 2, we’ll give you tips for specific ways you can use delay in your home recordings.

What Time is It?

Although there are some delay processors with complicated controls — particularly those of the “multi-tap” variety, which we’ll be discussing in the next installment — the fundamental parameters common to virtually all delays are relatively straightforward.

The first and most important of these is delay time. This governs the duration between the original and delayed sounds, along with the timing of each successive repeat (sometimes referred to as “taps” or “echoes”). Note that, unless you have extreme feedback settings (see the “Time and Time Again” section below), the volume of each repeat will be softer than the one before it.

The distance between the original and delayed notes at various time settings. — *The distance between the source signal and delays at various time settings.*

Delay time is generally expressed in one of two ways: in milliseconds, or as a rhythmic value related to the song’s tempo — something that generally requires that you turn on a sync function, which automatically synchronizes the delay time to the BPM setting of the song.

Assuming you recorded your song to a click track or metronome, the latter is much easier to use, because you know it will be in time with the music. There are normally options for even-beat delays (i.e., quarter-note, eighth-note, etc.) as well as dotted or triplet ones, which add syncopation to the delay.

The delay time is critical because it dictates the type of effect you’re going to hear. Delay times up to 50 milliseconds (ms) create doubling, which act like a thickener for the sound. Set it between 50ms and about 150ms and you’ll get slapback delays, which your ears perceive as a separate echo, but only barely (the delay on rockabilly vocals — think Elvis — is the classic slapback sound). Over about 150ms, the ear perceives the echoes as being noticeably separate from the original sounds; these fall under the very loose category of “long delays.”

Time and Time (and Time) Again

The feedback parameter controls whether the effect will stop after one tap or repeat multiple times. The higher you set the feedback value, the more echoes you get. With long delay times (for example, sync settings of a quarter-note or half-note), the higher the feedback setting, the more intricate the pattern you can create.

*The higher the feedback setting, the more repeats the delay produces.*

A word of warning: If you turn feedback up too high, it can produce an oscillating, squealing sound. Quickly mute your monitors and back off the control if that happens.

Many delay processors provide stereo outputs, in which case you can use the feedback control to create “ping-pong” stereo delays in which the taps alternate between left and right. In the appropriate musical context, such delays can be quite effective, but you should use them judiciously.

All Mixed Up

When inserting a delay directly on a track, the mix control is crucial, because it governs the ratio of original (dry) sound to delayed (wet) sound. It’s a creative decision as to how high to turn it up, but usually you’ll want to keep it below about 30%.

With an insert delay, the mix knob controls the dry-to-wet ratio. — *The mix knob (circled) controls the dry-to-wet ratio.*

However, if you’re routing signal to a delay from an aux send, you’ll want to set the delay’s mix control to 100%, same as you would with a reverb. In that case, the aux send feeding the delay determines the amount of wet signal. (Click here for more information about the difference between inserts and aux sends/returns.)

If you’re sending signal to a delay from an aux send, set the delay mix to 100% as shown in the red circle on the image. — *If you’re sending signal to a delay from an aux send, set the delay mix to 100%.*

Altering the Sound of the Delay

Most delay processors (both hardware and plug-in) offer various options for changing the tone of the taps. For example, the monodelay plug-in included with Steinberg Cubase provides both low and high filters, which allow you to roll off low or high frequencies from the delayed signal.

Cutting out lows will get rid of muddy low-end signal that you probably don’t need. You might want to cut high frequencies to make a digital delay sound a little more like an analog or tape delay, where the taps are noticeably lower fidelity than the source. Plug-ins that emulate vintage hardware delay processors usually produce altered-sounding taps that are authentic to the original units.

Some delays also come with built-in effects (such as saturation or distortion) to alter the sound of the taps. The modmachine plug-in included with Steinberg Cubase Pro offers extensive modulation as well as filtering options for advanced sound-shaping.

Screenshot of the Cubase Pro ModMachine plug-in. — *The Cubase Pro modmachine plug-in.*

If you want to add effects to the delayed sound and your processor doesn’t provide such options, you can simply insert separate plug-ins or effects devices after the delay. If you’re feeding the delay via an aux send, note that the send’s output will be 100% wet, so any additional processing that you use will only impact the delayed signal, not the source sound.

Click here for Part 2.

Check out our other Recording Basics postings.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase.

View of modern living room with large flat screen and sound bar below.

How to Recreate the Movie Theater Experience at Home

Written by Eric Thies on June 2, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

Current events have had many of us spending more time at home, with lots of people thinking, “How can I make this space better”? With some movie studios beginning to embrace the idea of releasing titles the same day they are in theaters, a lot of my clients are eager to supercharge their home theaters.

In this article, we’ll explore ways that you can recreate the commercial cinema experience and make watching movies at home as thrilling as in a traditional movie theater.

1. Go Big and Bold

On the video side, you want to install a screen that is both big and immersive. The goal, after all, is to get lost in the content. A small screen makes it feel like you are watching TV at home instead of a blockbuster in a movie theater, so if possible, make that screen even bigger than you think you need. (Don’t worry: You’ll adapt to the new larger size very quickly!) The minimum distance requirement for an 85″ 4K screen is less than 10 feet, so even a screen of this size will fit in many home theaters.

Not sure just how big you can go? Simply grab a roll of blue painter’s tape and use it to mark out a screen on your wall. This will give you a good perspective on what the room will bear and where your comfort level of screen size is.

2. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Great Sound

Most folks underestimate the importance of audio, but if you don’t have great sound, you really will not have a great theater experience. It’s not just me who thinks that. “The sound and music are 50 percent of the entertainment in a movie,” George Lucas has widely been quoted as saying. Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, Yesterday) has even ratcheted things up a notch with his comment that “70, 80 percent of a movie is sound.”

So it’s important that you budget appropriately when it comes to upgrading the audio in your home theater. The goal is to install components that support and highlight sonic elements such as immersion (surround sound), dynamics (the ability of the system to make you jump out of your seat with the burst of a gunshot or sound effect), dialogue intelligibility (a great system will allow you to hear crisp and clean dialogue without turning it to full blast), and low frequency performance (nothing creates a visceral movie-watching experience like gut-punching bass). A flagship product like the Yamaha RX-A3080 AV receiver would be a great building block to help you achieve screening room nirvana. Pair this gem up with a pile of high-performance speakers and subwoofers and you’ll be giving your local multiplex a run for its money.

Like many current Yamaha AV receivers, the RX-A3080 can do Dolby Atmos^® decoding — an advanced technology that takes surround sound to the next level. Typical surround sound systems have speakers in the front of the room, on the side walls, and on the back wall. Atmos fills in that very important missing element … above your head! Picture the Millennium Falcon flying overhead or the rain hitting a car roof. The combination of the additional speakers and the enhanced processing creates a totally immersive movie-watching experience. (You can find more information on Dolby Atmos here.)

As a bonus, the RX-A3080 also offers a proprietary Yamaha technology called Surround:AI™. This uses artificial intelligence to instantaneously analyze each scene in real time in order to optimize the surround effects occurring in your home theater — which means no more raising or lowering the volume between dialogue and explosions.

3. Add Voice Control

Let’s face it, voice control is cool. It allows you to do everything from turning on coffee makers to setting thermostats to opening or closing window shades and curtains. And it’s a no-brainer for the home theater, thanks to network-friendly audio products such as the many Yamaha receivers, speakers and sound bars that incorporate wireless multi-room MusicCast technology and allow for voice control via Alexa and Apple^® HomeKit™.

4. Set the Mood

Lighting is very important anywhere movies are enjoyed, be it a cinema or a home theater. You want to make sure there is no light on the screen to interfere with the cinematic action, but just enough in the room for you to safely get out of your seat to refill your popcorn.

This is where controllable lighting is a nice addition to your system … preferably under voice control, which is handy for lighting as well as audio. I like to set a few different lighting scenes that a client can recall easily in their home theater — for example, one that illuminates the room perfectly as you enter the room, or a “Watch Movie” scene, with all lights 100% off and just some step lighting at about 10%. (If you don’t have step lighting, illuminate a fixture that is farthest from the screen at a very low percentage to avoid distractions). Some other scenes to consider are “Clean-Up” for those times that full illumination is needed (i.e., when you’re ready to vacuum up the popcorn that landed on the floor), and “Intermission,” which ramps up lights gently to about 35% so that your eyes aren’t shocked with everything coming full on.

If you don’t have the luxury of having a dedicated space for your home theater, you can still control your light levels to some degree with motorized shading — something that can also be triggered off a control system or even voice control.

As you shift to more in-home movie watching, consider all the elements that can make your experience the best it can be. The experience doesn’t end at great audio and video. Be thoughtful about lighting, motorized window treatments, voice control and control in general to fully leverage technology for your home theater set-up.

Check out these related blog articles:

Home Theater Basics

Building the Ideal Home Theater

Five Reasons Why Home Theater is Better Than Going to the Movies

Smart Home Integration — From DIY to CI Guy

Four Benefits of Having a Professional Do Your Home Theater Installation

How to Use Alexa with MusicCast

How to Use Apple^® HomeKit™ with Yamaha MusicCast Products

MusicCast Wireless Surround Sound for Your 5.1 Home Theater

The Difference Between a Writer and an Author

Written by Howard Massey on June 1, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

“What do you do?”

It’s a question we all get asked from time to time, and a pat answer is usually what’s expected. “I’m a bank teller,” for example, or, “I’m Senior VP of Finance, Acquisitions and Asset Leveraging for MegaGlobal CorpCorp.”

But for most musicians, things are not so clear-cut. A truly honest answer might be something along the lines of, “I play trumpet when a gig comes up, which isn’t all that often, so most of the time I flip burgers or work as an office temp or do pretty much anything I can to make a buck.”

“I’m an editor” is the answer I tend to give these days, but, like so many of us in today’s multi-tasking global-economy world, I’m also a lot of other things. I still consider myself a musician, for one thing. And a writer. Actually, an author. No, a writer/author.

What the heck is the difference?

Most people think that authors are writers who have written books, but in these days of self-publishing, almost anyone can write a book. (And it seems as if almost everyone does!) So there must be a better way to differentiate between the two.

Photograph of Colette by Henri Manuel. — *Colette, circa 1910.*

I think French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (better known simply as Colette) nailed it nearly a century ago when she said, “Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you’re a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.”

I have written hundreds of articles and authored more than a dozen published (not self-published) books over the course of my career, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: Writing is easy. Rewriting is hard. When I was working on my first novel, Roadie, I sought feedback from a group of peers and found myself doing as many as a dozen revisions of some of the chapters. It was a task that required a lot of time and effort, but it was worth it, since each revision represented an improvement over the previous version.

When it comes to writing music, the same holds true. With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that the earliest songs I wrote were mere outpourings of teenage angst coupled with the wonder of exploring chord changes and the way those chords could enhance (or be enhanced by) melody and harmony. I rarely if ever revisited or rewrote any of those early songs … and, almost without exception, they were truly terrible. As I matured as a songwriter, I’d spend more time tinkering and reworking things, substituting more sophisticated chords, adding variety to melodies and counterpoint so that they evolved from simple to fairly complex. While the results were still not gems, my songs were definitely getting more polished, inching closer to the work of established songwriters. A few even passed muster by others (such as producers and artists), yielding a cover here, a modest hit there, accompanied by a welcome trickle of royalties.

So the willingness to tear down what you’ve built — to not be overly precious about your creations — can clearly pay dividends, both artistically and commercially. Yet there is something to be said for immediacy. One little ditty I tossed off in a matter of minutes ended up being used as the theme song for a popular quiz show in England (still in syndication, amazingly enough). And while you could make the case that it had been percolating in my subconscious for months beforehand, the penultimate chapter in Roadie popped into my head one morning as I awoke, pretty much completely written, word for word — all I had to do was race downstairs to my computer and begin typing, and it was done in less than an hour. Even more amazingly, that particular chapter ended up needing the least amount of revision of any in the book.

Every now and then, serendipity rears its beautiful head and some lucky person is blessed with an effortless masterpiece. (Paul McCartney is said to have woken up one morning with the entire melody of “Yesterday” in his head.) But more often, great work is the result of great effort … and the willingness by its creator to destroy some or all of it. Like the sculptor removing all the parts of a block of granite that don’t belong, you may find that your best efforts come from the willingness to chip away at what you’ve created. That’s what will truly make you an author of great words, or great music.

Photograph by Henri Manuel.

Check out Howard’s other postings.

Funding Resource Roundup

Written by Heather Mansell on May 29, 2020. Posted in Funding. 2 Comments on Funding Resource Roundup

UPDATED 6/27/2022

Schools are still recovering from the pandemic as educators make plans for the future of their music programs.

Music and the arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education as defined by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and music teachers must be proactive, especially when it comes to getting grant funds for your program.

You know better than anyone what your program needs. After you have prioritized your needs, gather the necessary data and put together a compelling story – this will be the framework for all of your grant and funding applications.

Remember, you are not alone. Music educators are a close-knit group willing to help each other — reach out to them as well as to your administrators for advice. Even if your district has a specialist who handles grants, it’s good to research the many grants that are out there because you don’t want to miss an opportunity to get funding for your program.

Here are some essential resources to check out to get started:

Title IV-A Funds

Currently, the largest source of grants for music programs is Title IV-A funds, which are part of ESSA. These funds are available annually for program expansions. To learn more about Title IV-A, read our blog post, Access Title IV Funds and Build a Stronger Music Program.

Other blog posts about ESSA and Title IV-A funds:

New COVID Relief Bill

The new coronavirus relief bill that was signed into law in December 2020 extends or modifies many of the provisions from the CARES Act that passed in March. Also included in the new relief package is additional funding for K-12 education — read about it in the Update to CARES Act Funding for Your Program and Key Takeaways from FAQs on ESSER and GEER Funds blog posts.

Additional Resources

Below are other resources that we have gathered to help you. We know that navigating the legalese and juggling application forms and deadlines can be overwhelming, but the effort is worth it!

Follow the Example of Other Educators:
- Create a win-win situation for your students, district and community by understanding the funding landscape as outlined in Finding (and Funding) a Way for Music.
- In the blog post, Grant Writing: A 3-Step Game Plan, learn how the Sioux City Community School District in Iowa used data and story-telling to successfully get funding.
- Seek advice from your school service music store about Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Read How School Service Music Stores Can Help Music Teachers Access ESSER Funds.
- See what steps a music educator in Washington state takes to seek financial support for his music program in Finding Funding.
- It’s always good for your music program to have a sound and realistic budget. Read our tips in Budget for Success.

Search for Grants:
- Duke University Research Funding — Duke’s Office of Research Support’s online database of funding opportunities.
- Grant Gopher — “your underground connection” to grants for schools, nonprofits and municipalities, you can sign up for a Lite (free) or Pro (fee required) account.
- Foundation Directory Online — get funding using the Foundation Center’s database and fundraising expertise. Sign up for an Essential or Professional account (fee required for both).
- Grants.gov — search for available federal grants. Also has resources to learn about grants.
- Grants4Teachers — a free grant database; just select your educational institution and the subject/category.
- GrantsAlert.com — find current funding opportunities for your school, district or community. Also has resources for grant writers.
- NOZA Search — a searchable database of foundation grants (you can search for free) and individual/corporate giving (monthly or annual fee required).

Corporate and Private Foundations and Federal Agencies that Offer Grants, Donations and Support:
- ASCAP Foundation — provides a variety of outreach programs, scholarships and talent development to support schools, students, teachers and music creators.
- DonorsChoose.org — fulfills “classroom project” requests by partnering educators with donors. Individuals, companies and corporations can search which projects to support.
- Give a Note Foundation — offers year-round grants called Music Teacher Notes designed to support music programs.
- GuideStar — learn about the nonprofit organizations that are offering grants.
- Instrumentl — find, track and manage your grants in one place. Home to 11,000+ active grant opportunities and in-depth funder profiles.
- Kids in Need Foundation — through its SupplyATeacher program, provides classroom supplies.
- Kinder Morgan Foundation — this energy company donates more than $1 million each year to youth programs in science, math and music in cities and towns where Kinder Morgan operates.
- The Mockingbird Foundation — provides competitive, emergency-related and tour-related grants for music education for children.
- Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation — donates musical instruments to underfunded programs, giving disadvantaged youth access to the benefits of music education.
- MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Foundation Fund — offers grants for program development, community engagement and teacher enrichment. Also available are collegiate enrichment grants and collegiate travel stipends to MTNA events.
- National Endowment for the Arts — supports arts learning, celebrates America’s rich cultural heritage and promotes equal access to the arts through grants.
- National Endowment for the Humanities — promotes teaching and learning in schools and colleges, strengthens the base of the humanities, and preserves and provides access to cultural and educational resources through grants.
- NEA (National Education Association) Foundation — founded by educators for educators, the NEA offers funding and resources to public school educators, schools and districts.
- Save the Music Foundation — donates instruments, music technology and other equipment. Also supports teachers and advocates for music education at the local, state and national levels.

If you have questions about grant funding, please email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Yamaha is an active advocate for music education, and we want to empower music educators to strengthen their programs in any way we can. Please register for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to read up on advocacy, professional development, information about instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more. Join the Yamaha Music Educator Community on Facebook or email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Top photo by rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Tips for the Beginning Bassist

Written by Michael Gelfand on May 29, 2020. Posted in Bass.

You have to learn to crawl before you can walk (or run). That old saying applies perfectly to learning how to play bass. Looking back, I can see how the choices I made as a beginner — and those my parents helped me with — led me to where I am today as a bassist.

It was the 1980s. I had a mullet and a misplaced love for acid-washed jeans. Right there, someone should have planned an intervention that would’ve spared me some agony. My saving grace? A tired old bass, an equally moth-eaten amp and endless enthusiasm for practicing.

Despite the lack of style and quality gear, I figured out a way to make it all work, and proceeded to wear out cassette tapes and LPs until I could nail even fairly complex basslines note for note. Coupled with a voracious appetite for live music and college radio stations, I built up my chops, found and emulated my musical heroes, and eventually arrived at my own quirky style.

But if I had known then what I know now, it could’ve come together more readily … and that’s what this article is all about. In addition to steering you clear of the fashion mistakes I made way back when, I’m going to share some pointers to put you on the fast track to bass glory.

1. It Starts with the Right Bass

My first bass was terrible — a splintery hunk of plywood with barbed wire for strings and frets that would cut you for looking at them the wrong way. Luckily for you, many of today’s entry-level basses are light years better than my old albatross was, and with a little research, you’ll see there’s no reason to own a bass that hurts you when you play it, or one that costs too much.

Yamaha RBX170.

Yamaha TRBX174.

Take the Yamaha RBX170 and TRBX174 basses, for instance. Both deliver the goods right out of the box, with lots of swagger, gobs of tone, solid construction and an affordable price. They’re easy to play too, thanks to their low string height, comfortable neck profiles and ergonomic balance. These are the key attributes that keep aspiring players inspired, rather than deterred, by their instrument.

If you already own a beginner’s bass that doesn’t speak to you when you pick it up, you might consider upgrading to an intermediate instrument like the Yamaha BB234 (or its 5-string cousin, the BB235.) It’s a true workhorse, with classic looks, durability, sweet sounds and the kind of playability that serious musicians expect and deserve.

2. You’ll Need a Real Amplifier Too

Today’s amps and speaker cabinets are light enough to wheel around with one hand and small enough to sit next to you in the back seat of a taxi … but powerful enough to blow the doors off of any room. Bigger isn’t necessarily better, so ignore refrigerator-size rigs and look carefully for a combo (amplifier and speaker combined in a single footprint) or an amp that marries the tone-shaping capability and power you need with a high-quality 2 x 10″, 1 x 12″ or 1 x 15″ cabinet. One good option in the latter configuration is the Ampeg^™Rocket Bass RB-115. It’s got that classic beefy Ampeg sound in a portable, easy-to-transport package.

A small bass amplifier. — *Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115.*

By the way, when it comes to amplifiers, know this: Your parents or roommates won’t be disappointed if said bass rig comes with a headphone output jack.

3. Find a Good Teacher and Commit to Taking Lessons

There’s no better way to get started than under the wing of someone who knows more than you do and has the patience to guide you through the struggles you’ll encounter. The right teacher will be able to assess your strengths and weakness, show you proper techniques for playing, provide you with encouragement, and challenge you regularly with observations, insights, theory and practical exercises that feed your passion and push you to grow and achieve new heights.

4. Learn How to Read Music

See above. A good teacher can help here, as can online lessons. True, there’s no law that says you can’t play the bass if you don’t know how to read music, and in fact, there’s something commendable about taking a non-traditional path toward achieving your goals. But ideally you want to be able to balance raw genius with knowledge and ability, and illiteracy of any kind will hold you back.

Don’t wait to get started, either. It may feel like slow going at first, but once you get it down you’ll have access to a language that only other musicians can speak. Make sight reading a priority early on to speed up your growth and open up doors — both musical opportunities and creative insights — that might otherwise remain shut.

5. Purchase a Tuner

If your bass isn’t in tune, chances are you’ll get lots of sour looks from bandmates and audience alike. Fortunately, it’s easy to do, even if you don’t have a particularly good ear: Simply buy a clip-on tuner such as the Yamaha GCT1. These small, inexpensive devices attach to your bass’ headstock and provide on-the-go tuning capability whether you’re on stage, in the rehearsal room or practicing on your own.

Yamaha GCT1 clip-on tuner. — *Yamaha GCT1.*

6. Make Sure Your Bass Is Set Up Correctly

A proper bass setup includes striking the preferred balance between string height, saddle height and neck bow to make your bass play comfortably and ensure that it’s correctly intonated (i.e., so it plays notes in tune over the entire length of the fretboard). Most music stores have a luthier who can do this for you (if not, they can probably refer you to one), but if you’re handy you can consider doing it yourself. (A word to the wise: If you’re going to go the DIY route, make your first attempt on an inexpensive instrument.)

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

There is no substitute for regular, consistent practice, both alone and with others. Play until your fingers feel like they’ll fall off, and do it again the next day and the next until callouses start building up on your fingertips and your stamina increases. You can only get better by running through finger exercises and scales, as well as practicing grooves and patterns to a metronome in order to help you internalize your sense of time and accuracy.

Challenge yourself by playing along with recordings of bassists whose playing you admire, and push yourself hard to figure out complex lines in odd meters. Learn how to play the same pattern in different locations up and down the neck. And when you feel ready, take every opportunity you can to play with other people, particularly if they’re better than you are.

Check out Michael’s other blog posts.

Click here for more information about Yamaha basses.

Tips for Sharing Your Drum Performances Online

Written by Steve La Cerra on May 28, 2020. Posted in Electronic Drums.

Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you have to stop drumming. There are a number of ways to collaborate through file sharing when you can’t perform with others in person. After all, plenty of great recordings have been made where the musicians never played together in the same room!

Here are seven tips for making high-quality recordings of your drum performances at home and sharing them online with your friends, family and fellow musicians.

1. Make Sure Your Drums are Ready to Record

Recording your drums is like putting them under a microscope because microphones will pick up all sorts of sounds that you may not otherwise notice. The rule of thumb here is simple: If your drums don’t sound good in the room, they won’t sound good when recorded.

Here are some things you can do to get your drum set ready for recording:

– Check the heads to see if they need replacement.

– Always tune your drums before you record. If you’re a hard-hitting player, you may even need to retune between takes — particularly the snare drum.

– Have materials on hand for dampening your drums and removing ringing. Popular choices include O-rings, Moongel^® pads, felt strips, moleskin, tea towels (a tradition started by The Beatles) and good old reliable gaffer tape. (Be sure to use the low-residue variety.)

– Beware of squeaky foot pedals! Have some WD-40^® or lubricating oil at the ready.

– Use cymbal stands with plastic tube caps (like those found on Yamaha CS-750, CS-755, CS-850, CS-865 and CS-965 models) to prevent metal-on-metal contact from creating rattling noises which can ruin a recording.

*Yamaha CS-865/CS-965 cymbal stand plastic tube cap.*

2. Find an Isolated Space for Your Performance

Try to record in a space that’s relatively quiet and isolated from outside noise, such as a basement or garage. Since drums are loud, you won’t have to worry much about low-level sounds like water dripping from a faucet, but you don’t want a perfect take ruined because the dog next door starts barking while your last cymbal crash fades.

Ideally, you’ll also want to choose a space that’s had some acoustic treatment, so it isn’t overly reverberant. (For more information, check out our blog post “How to Practice Drums Without Disturbing the Neighbors.”)

3. Use External Microphones Instead of Your Phone

Many smartphones can record video with good results, but the built-in microphones may not be able to handle the high sound levels generated by drums, resulting in distorted recordings. An inexpensive external microphone attached to your phone can go a long way toward improving audio quality.

In an ideal recording situation, each drum would have its own microphone and the mics would be recorded onto separate tracks in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), but there are other ways to make great recordings of your drums. For example, the Yamaha EAD10 acoustic electronic drum module has high-quality stereo microphones built in (see #6 below). You can also get great recordings of your drums using just four mics: a pair of overheads positioned a couple of feet above your cymbals, plus one on the kick drum and one on the snare. Audio interfaces like the Steinberg UR44C (which comes bundled with Cubase AI recording software) provide separate inputs for up to four microphones and allow direct connection to your computer without the need for expensive extras such as mic preamps.

When placing a microphone on a snare drum, tom or bass drum, don’t be afraid to move the mic close to the drum. Microphones designed for this kind of use are equipped to handle high sound levels, so you won’t have to worry about damaging them or distorting the signal. Close placement also ensures that you’ll get less “leakage” (unwanted sound from other parts of the drum set) in each microphone — just make sure the mic is out of the “line of fire” of your drum sticks.

Microphone placed near drum head. — *Close-miking reduces leakage.*

4. Choose the Best File Format

Smartphones typically store video and stereo audio in MOV, M4V or MP4 file formats, all of which compress data to make the file size manageable. While that makes the files easy to share and upload to social media, it also means that the sound quality is not as good as it would be if you recorded full-bandwidth uncompressed files (at a 44.1 kHz sample rate or higher, with 16- or 24-bit resolution) into DAW software such as Steinberg Cubase.

5. Take Advantage of Electronic Drums

Electronic drums are a great tool for making high-quality recordings without the hassle or expense of a lot of external gear … plus they provide lots of sounds for you to choose from. Yamaha DTX6 Series electronic drums offer hundreds of sounds that can be organized into 10 kits, and the included DTX-PRO module can connect to your computer via USB, allowing you to route audio directly into DAW software and create professional-sounding drum tracks.

Rear panel of drum trigger module with USB connections circled in red. — *The USB connections on the rear panel of the DTX-PRO enable direct connection to a computer.*

6. Supplement Your Acoustic Drum Set with an Electronic Drum Module

Even if you’re a diehard acoustic drum set player, you can still incorporate electronic sounds with the use of the Yamaha EAD10 acoustic electronic drum module mentioned in Tip #3. This revolutionary device includes a sensor unit that’s designed to be mounted onto your bass drum hoop. In addition to stereo microphones, the sensor also contains a trigger that can be used to play kick drum sounds stored in the EAD10 module, and the triggered sound can also be mixed with the microphones, so you don’t have to worry about using a separate kick drum microphone.

The EAD10 allows you to get clear, distortion-free stereo recordings of your drums without the hassle and expense of placing a lot of microphones and cables around your drum set. And, since setup is a breeze, you can be ready to record a scratch track or practice session in minutes. The EAD10 also provides the ability to add a variety of effects such as reverb, delay, and compression, plus you have the option of hearing the effects while you’re playing, which can help you come up with new, creative parts that you might not have otherwise played.

Recordings made with the EAD10 can be stored onto a USB thumb drive as high-quality (44.1 kHz/16-bit) uncompressed WAV files. When you’re finished recording, you can move the thumb drive to your computer and upload or email files to your friends. (Here’s a video that explores the EAD10 in detail and shows you all it can do. You can also find video examples of drummers using the EAD10 here and here.)

Another really cool feature of the EAD10 is that it functions as a 2-in/2-out USB audio interface for your computer, enabling you to record directly into most DAW software without any additional gear. This means you can easily overdub to tracks downloaded from your friends, create new tracks, and work on songs together. The files generated by most DAWs are usually too big to email, but you can exchange files using a cloud-based file server, some of which are free as long as the files remain below a certain size.

7. Record and Share

Looking for the easiest way to collaborate online? Check out the free Yamaha Rec’n’Share app, which runs on iOS and Android™ devices. Used in conjunction with the Yamaha EAD10 or DTX6 Series electronic drums, Rec’n’Share enables you to record both audio and video of your drum performance. When you’re finished recording the track, you can edit the beginning and end of the file to remove any extraneous audio, then email it, upload it to a file sharing app, or post your performance directly to social media.

Screenshot of the Yamaha Rec’n’Share app on tablet. — *The Yamaha Rec’n’Share app.*

Remember, keep practicing to keep up your chops … and happy sharing!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out these related blog postings:

How to Practice Drums Without Disturbing the Neighbors

The Benefits of Recording Drum Practice and Performance

Electronic Drums 101

Click here for more information about Yamaha DTX6 Series electronic drums.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha EAD10 acoustic electronic drum module.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha Rec’n’Share app.

How Not to Over-Process During Mastering

Written by Pete Lyman on May 27, 2020. Posted in Recording.

My whole philosophy as a mastering engineer first and foremost is to do the least amount of processing possible to get the best result. When I know someone is about to deliver files to me for mastering, I suggest they first use whatever tools they have in their arsenal to get their mix sounding great … but without crossing the line into over-processing.

Better Safe Than Sorry

If a client is unsure of the processing that they want to apply, I tell them to print a backup without it — that way, we have options. But if they’re certain the processing is adding something to the mix, I tell them to go ahead and use it. For instance, if you’re applying a dB or two of mix bus compression and you’re making changes based upon how the song is sounding going through that compressor, don’t take that compressor off. Send it to me that way, because without that compression, I’m not going to be able to hear the mix as you hear it.

Nonetheless, I always advise clients to be careful that they are not painting themselves into a corner. Mix bus EQ and compression is usually fine, but I’m always a little leery of mix bus digital brickwall limiting, because it can place restrictions on what can be done at the mastering stage. For instance, if you’re mixing into a brickwall limiter and there are low frequency issues, that might cause the limiter to pump in an unpleasant way. Even though I might be able to EQ some of those frequency issues out in mastering, it’s really hard to fix limiter pumping; in fact, it’s usually impossible. That said, there are a lot of great engineers that mix into limiters, and if you know what you’re doing, it can be very effective.

Start Slow

For newer engineers that are experimenting with mastering at home with Steinberg WaveLab, the best way to do it is to pull up the MasterRig … but don’t activate all of the functions. Try instead by starting with just the EQ and the Limiter. Most of your mastering could potentially be done with those two modules alone. There’s no need to get fancy with a bunch of multiband compression right off the bat, for example. In fact, I would argue that multiband compression should only be used to fix any serious problems that you can’t fix with EQ. Even then, you might only need to compress one or two bands. Note also that if you pull up a preset, it may be useful for some things, but it may not apply to your specific track.

The best approach is to start with EQ and get the track sounding the way you want it. From there, start working on the overall level. As you are doing so, you may find yourself adjusting the EQ a little — things sometimes change slightly when you start making the track louder.

After that, try some limiting for loudness. Keep it simple, and try to get the result you want with just those two tools. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing, you may be doing damage, so think about every move you make, and ask yourself: Is this helping the track, or hurting it? Don’t pull out the saturation and tape emulators quite yet. Those are a bit more advanced, and frankly most mastering engineers aren’t using them, at least not on a daily basis.

Don’t Get Over-Loud

It’s also important to not make things too loud. Obviously, over the last 20 years, tracks have continued to get louder and louder as people push the envelope of what they can achieve in the digital realm. My take on this is different than people who get outraged about loudness, over-limiting and over-compression. While it’s not my first choice to set something on stun, I believe my job as a mastering engineer is to give the client what they ask for. So if someone specifically requests a really loud master, then I am going to figure out the most elegant and cleanest way to deliver that to them.

Where a lot of inexperienced people fail at this is that they assume loudness is achieved by using just one brickwall limiter and slamming their mix into it. They don’t understand that, with that kind of approach, they are not going to be able to get the clean result that I or other mastering engineers might, because it’s really all about gain staging. The key is to pick up a little bit of loudness here and there through different parts of your chain. This principle works whether you’re using a completely in-the-box software mastering chain or an analog hardware chain, or a combination of the two. It’s best to pick up a couple of dB at a time using different plug-ins or different devices to get the cleanest sound, as opposed to achieving 10 dB of gain reduction on a single limiter. It’s not as easy as a lot of people think … not if you want the result to be comparable to a commercially mastered track.

Frankly, I’m of the opinion that track loudness is simply not important. I have mastered many records that have won Grammys that aren’t loud at all. Loudness seems to be driven by artist insecurity and A&R label-based insecurity. Consumers are not getting mad that a track or a record isn’t loud. It’s not an issue to them. Everyone knows there’s a volume knob. Turn it up and let’s start making better-sounding records!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out Pete’s other blogs.

Click here for more information about Steinberg WaveLab.

Male portrait with hands touching his temples with audio equalizer on the background.

How to Develop Critical Listening Skills

Written by Mike Levine on May 26, 2020. Posted in Audio How-to. 2 Comments on How to Develop Critical Listening Skills

You might think that there isn’t much difference between hearing and listening, but that’s not the case. Although both involve the auditory system, they’re mostly different processes. Just ask legendary recording engineer, producer, inventor and educator George Massenburg.

“Hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear,” he wrote in a 2019 paper entitled “Critical Listening and Critical Evaluation.” “Listening is a conscious mental process, as much about the brain as the ear.”

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the meaning of critical listening and describe some steps you can take to develop that invaluable skill.

Critical Information

Other than covering our ears or moving to a different location, we don’t have control over what we hear. If a sound is within the range of our auditory system, we will hear it. Listening, on the other hand, is something we do for a reason.

The reason can be quite simple — for example, listening for a whistle to blow to know if a train is coming. Or it can be a lot more complex, such as wanting to concentrate on what a lecturer is saying in order to better understand the subject being explained.

When it comes to music, listening can be a visceral and straightforward process, or it can be far more complex, depending on the situation. If you’re dancing at a club, you’re probably not consciously analyzing specific aspects of the music; you’re just reacting to the beat and the groove.

But if you’re sitting down to savor a favorite album or song being played on a high-quality audio system, the ability to listen critically — to perceive and analyze the musical and sonic constituents — can make for a more rewarding experience. It gives you a more comprehensive and informed basis for understanding the music you love, from both an artistic and technical standpoint.

“For evaluating music, there are at least two basic ways to listen,” says Massenburg. “[As] an engineer and as a producer.” Although he’s referring to the listening skills required by audio professionals, the same basic concept and the same degree of focus applies if you’re a music lover listening for pure enjoyment … and while you’re at it, you should also learn to listen like an arranger.

Listen Like a Producer

The “producer” side Massenburg cites requires knowledge of the genre in order to evaluate the artistic aspects of the songwriting (both music and lyrics), as well as the arrangement and the quality of the performance. Music lovers, like producers, need to become an aficionado of the style(s) they want to listen to critically. In addition to consuming a wide range of music by artists in the genre, it’s helpful to read interviews, listen to podcasts and watch videos.

Once you’ve immersed yourself like that, you’ll be better able to evaluate the artistic aspects of a song or album from a contemporary standpoint, as well as helping you understand its roots and historical context.

Listen Like an Arranger

A big part of listening critically is being able to pick out the sound of individual instruments so you can understand what they are doing and the role they’re playing in the overall arrangement. Some people are born with this ability, but if you’re not one of those lucky individuals, there’s ample evidence that it’s a skill that can be developed over time: It’s simply a matter of playing a song repeatedly as you concentrate on one instrument at a time.

The more you do this, the better you’ll get at it, and you’ll find that you get a better sense of how the instruments all interlock with each other to create an ensemble sound. You’ll also start noticing similarities in the instrument parts between different songs of similar types. Those similarities are what help define a genre.

For example, in reggae music, the rhythm guitar parts almost always consist of short, staccato chords played on the upbeats. In EDM (Electronic Dance Music), the bass drum is almost always playing a “four-on-the-floor” pattern. That means it’s hitting on every quarter note (1, 2, 3, 4), creating a pulse in the low frequencies.

Listen Like an Engineer

The “engineer” side of critical listening entails being able to analyze a recording from a technical standpoint. This includes negative aspects like an awareness of distortion or processing artifacts such as over-compression or poor application of EQ, as well as positive aspects such as a good balance of tonalities or powerful dynamics. The good news is that you don’t need musical or studio experience to be able to do this: over time, you can learn to evaluate the technical aspects of what you’re listening to.

A good place to start is by studying panning — the way that the mix engineer or producer places the instruments in the stereo spectrum to create a virtual soundstage. This is one of the main tools used by professional mixing engineers to help give each element its own space — something that’s critical to keep a recording from sounding cluttered or muddy.

In pop music, the bass drum, snare drum, bass (whether upright or electric) and lead vocal are usually panned in the center, while the rest of the drum set, as well as most other instruments, are usually spread out to various points to the left and right. The illustration below shows a typical software mixing console a recording engineer might use, showing pan settings (L/C/R, short for “Left” / “Center” / “Right”) at the top for each instrument or vocal part.

Illustration showing a typical software mixing console a recording engineer might use, with pan settings at the top for each instrument or vocal part.

Mixing engineers can also make specific instruments or vocals seem like they’re further forward or further back. One way to bring an element forward is to make it louder. Another is to make it “drier” by putting less reverb on it.

Listen to a favorite song with the placement of the parts in mind. Which elements feel more forward? Where are the background vocals panned? Are the rhythm guitars fully left and right? The keyboards? Apply these kinds of criteria as you listen repeatedly, and you’ll soon begin to appreciate the styles and skills of various mixing engineers and producers.

The Highs and Lows

Another important aspect of critical listening is being able to discern the different frequencies (pitch ranges) in a recording. The illustration below shows a software frequency analyzer — a tool used to display the relative strengths of the different frequency areas, from the lows (bass, bass drum) to the mids (vocals, guitars, keyboards) to the highs (cymbals, shakers, breathiness).

Illustration showing a software frequency analyzer — a tool used to display the relative strengths of the different frequency areas.

This is a great tool for understanding frequency areas, but the goal here is to use your ears, not your eyes, to discern these regions. Try listening to a favorite piece of music without the benefit of this kind of aid, and ask yourself the following questions: Does the overall recording have a lot of clarity (i.e., is it easy to pick out individual instruments) or is it muddy (i.e., hard to discern individual components)? Does it sound overly sizzly, boxy, or boomy? (This would indicate a poor tonal balance, and a surplus of high, midrange or low frequencies, respectively.)

Not Just for Effect

Another facet to listen for is effects. Is there a lot of reverb on the vocals? Is there delay (echo)? It’s important to be able to differentiate between the two. (Reverb is a kind of diffuse “cloud” that follows a signal, while delays/echoes are distinguishable as being separate from the source.) Maybe there’s some subtle distortion? Does the voice sound natural or heavily processed? Is the overall recording dynamic (i.e., can you easily differentiate between the loudest sections and the softest ones) or is it static (i.e., everything sounds like it’s pretty much at the same volume)? Dynamic recordings tend to be much more interesting to the human ear than static ones, which often result from the over-application of compression and/or limiting.

Change is Good

One of the hallmarks of well-crafted music is that it changes — sometimes quite dramatically — from start to finish. When you’re analyzing the arrangement and performance on a recording, one of the fascinating things to listen for is how it changes over time.

For example, in both classical and pop music, you’ll notice that the arrangement usually builds subtly from section to section. Instruments will get added, or the intensity will vary, and the composition or song will typically reach its peak (both in level and complexity) at or near its conclusion. Well-arranged songs also have variations not only in instrumentation but dynamics, with the volume level constantly shifting to hold the listener’s interest.

Get Critical

Being a critical listener allows you to delve beyond the gut-level reaction you have when you first hear a song. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that; in fact, music is typically written to elicit an immediate response from the listener.)

But with the ability to listen critically, you can appreciate music intellectually as well. You’ll start to see how all the various aspects — writing, performance, arrangement, production and the technical aspects of the recording — come together as a whole to put a smile on your face. There’s a reason, after all, why your favorite music is your favorite music … and now you’ll be able to know what that reason is!

Check out these related blog posts:

Dialing in the Perfect Two-Channel Experience

What is an Integrated Amplifier?

Here’s What You Need to Know About Vinyl

How to Clean Vinyl Records

Functional Harmony, Part 2

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on May 25, 2020. Posted in Keyboard How-to. 2 Comments on Functional Harmony, Part 2

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we described how to add passing chords based on Dominant seventh chord resolutions. In this installment, we’ll dig a little deeper into this concept by creating longer sequences of those chords.

Taking the Long Road

Let’s assume you want to add some more color to a chord progression, and finish up with the I chord (the root chord of the key you’re playing in). In the key of C, for example, you can set up that final chord by first playing the V7 chord, which is a fifth higher (7 half-steps) from C — in this case, a G7 chord.

To set up the G7 chord, you again go up a fifth and use a D7th chord. Following this same logic, you would use an A7 to set up the D7, an E7 to set up the A7, and finally a B7 to set up the E7. If we analyze these chords based on the key of C, we get:

You may find it easiest to understand how these chords function in relationship to each other if you read backwards from the C (the root tone) in the third bar:

– The G7 is the V of the C.
– The D7 is the V of that V chord (the G7), called a Secondary Dominant.
– The A7 is the V of the D, which is the second step of the C scale (although not usually a Dominant seventh chord).
– The E7 is the V of the A, which is the sixth step of the scale.
– The B7 is the V of the E, which is the third step of the scale.

The second half of the illustration above shows the same chords, this time displaying the scale tone number of each chord’s root tone, disregarding how those scale tone chords would occur in the key (i.e., major, minor, etc.).

This progression of functional chords is based on consecutive intervals of a fifth. In music theory, this is called the circle of fifths. Here’s the full cycle, including all key signatures and relative minor relationships:

The circle of fifths allows you to easily create a longer series of chords to help connect any two chords. But you won’t always want all your chords to be Dominant sevenths. And, as we’ll soon see, they don’t have to be.

The ii – V – I Progression

As we’ve shown, when you use the circle of fifths to set up your root tone chord in the key of C, you end up with a progression that goes from D to G to C — in other words, scale tone steps ii, V and then I. If you look at the scale tone chord qualities of a major key, you’ll see that the ii chord is a minor seventh, while in a minor key the ii chord is a minor seventh with a flatted fifth, also called a half-diminished chord, indicated by the red arrows in this illustration:

You can use these qualities to give your progressions a little more variety. As the following illustration shows, the two chords preceding any chord in this cycle can be a ii – V – I progression of some sort:

Let’s examine some of the possibilities this offers. For example, here’s a common chord progression with a ii – V – I movement applied:

In the second version, I’m using a ii – V in the second bar to set up the coming Fmaj7, and in the fourth bar, I use the proper ii – V to set up the return to the Am7 at the top of the progression.

Exactly how you choose to apply these harmonic devices has to take into account the melody notes of the song. In the following example, the melody notes allow the use of the progression outlined above:

But the melody of this next example presents some issues:

In the second bar, the sustained E in the melody doesn’t sound great against a Gm7 chord, so I chose to go right to the C7, which acts as a V7 to the coming Fmaj7 chord. To add a little more interest, I chose not to use the root in the bass of the chord, using the G note as a passing tone to bring me down to the coming Fmaj7 nicely. Then I got a little more advanced, and on the last beat I used a tri-tone substitution of the C7 chord to add a little more movement on the way down to the Fmaj7th. (At this point, you might want to refer to this blog post to review the concept of tri-tone substitutions.) In the fourth bar, the G# note didn’t sound good against the B half-diminished chord, so I went right to the E7, and then brought back the ii – V for the last two beats of the bar.

The Wrap-Up

An understanding of Dominant chord resolutions, the circle of fifths, and ii – V – I chord progressions will allow you to add variety and sophistication to your playing. Once you have a firm grasp of these concepts, the next step is to decide on voicings — that is, the assignment of the notes between your two hands — to sound your best. This will largely be based on the style of music you are playing, as we’ll be exploring in future columns. Stay tuned!

All audio played on a Yamaha P-515.

Check out our other Well-Rounded Keyboardist postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

Person using MusicCast app on smartphone.

Explore the New Features of the MusicCast App

Written by Joy Frye on May 22, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

Yamaha MusicCast wireless multi-room audio technology offers a large selection of home audio components, from AV receivers and streaming amplifiers to sound bars and speakers, as well as a free MusicCast Controller app that allows you to control all your equipment from your smart device.

Now there’s a new release of MusicCast Controller (version 4.10) that’s even more powerful and user friendly. Let’s look at some of the improvements it offers.

Alexa Scenes

A scene is a set of actions you want Alexa to take in response to a voice command spoken to an Alexa device. For instance, when you say, “Alexa, I’m home” to your Amazon Echo, you might want the smart lightbulb in your lamp to turn on and adjust to a certain brightness.

The latest version of MusicCast Controller allows you to integrate the app with your other smart home devices through the use of these scenes. First, you need the Alexa app downloaded on your phone or tablet. Next, make sure you have Alexa set up in MusicCast Controller, as well as the MusicCast Smart Home skill set up in your Alexa app:

MusicCast App.

Alexa App.

A convenient feature offered by MusicCast Controller is something called Room Presets. These save a room’s link information, input and volume in a preset that can be instantly recalled with the tap of a button. For instance, say you have the input of a Yamaha RX-V685 AV receiver in the living room set to HDMI^® 1 for watching TV, and that the receiver is wirelessly linked to a Yamaha MusicCast 20 speaker with the volume set to an appropriate level. You might then save those settings as a room preset called “Late Night TV.”

When at least one room preset is created, you’ll see an Alexa button displayed beneath your room presets, as shown below. Tap the button to register a scene with Alexa. This will involve logging into Yamaha Connect — something you’ve already done when you first set up Alexa in the MusicCast Controller app. (Download our setup manual for complete instructions).

Screenshots showing how to set up Alexa in the MusicCast Controller app.

Once your preset is registered as a scene with Alexa, you can combine it with other scenes or events into a routine. First, check that your scenes are available in the Alexa app by tapping Devices, then Scenes:

Screenshots showing how you can combine scene with other scenes or events into a routine.

You can create Routines in the Alexa app that combine scenes from other smart home devices which can be triggered by voice command or events, such as time of day.

Screenshots showing how to create routines in the Alexa app.

For instance, you can create a Routine that you invoke by saying, “Alexa, turn on late night TV.” Alexa would then set your TV to the correct input and your speakers to the right volume.

AV Controller Functions

AV Controller is a free app that allows you to control legacy Yamaha AV receivers from your smart device. The most commonly used features of that app have now been integrated into MusicCast Controller to allow remote control of the latest model Yamaha AV receivers.

Note: Not all the features listed below are available for every MusicCast device. Most models require a firmware update, and some older models do not support certain features. Availability is noted after each feature.

The following sound settings have been added:

– Party Mode (all MusicCast models)

– Remote Control screen (all MusicCast models)

– YPAO™ Volume (2018 MusicCast models and newer)

– DTS^® Dialogue control (2018 MusicCast models and newer)

– Video preset (2018 MusicCast models and newer)

– Screen on/off for background video (2018 MusicCast models and newer)

– Helpful descriptions of the sound settings have also been added for all MusicCast models, as shown here:

Old sound settings.

New descriptions.

As noted above, Party Mode is now available for all MusicCast AV receivers (AVRs), with an On/off switch displayed in the Sound Settings screen. There are, however, two limitations in Party Mode, as follows:

– AVR Zone 2/3/4 can’t be selected in the Rooms screen. (The input name is shown as “Party Mode.”)

– AVR Zone 2/3/4 can’t link master/clients.

Scene functions have also been added.

Streaming Service Enhancements

Yamaha has also made a number of streaming service-related updates, as follows:

– An “HR” indicator has been added to high-res content in Qobuz. This feature is available for 2020 MusicCast models out of the box; 2018 or newer MusicCast models require a firmware update.

– A 15-second skip function has been added to Spotify^® podcast playback. This feature is available for 2020 MusicCast models out of the box.

– The ability to jump to the Spotify app by tapping the album art.

Qobuz high-res indicator.

Spotify podcast skip.

A Better User Experience

Finally, there are several additions that make MusicCast Controller easier to use:

– The volume is now displayed in percentages so that it’s consistent across all MusicCast devices:

Screenshot showing volume as a percentage in the MusicCast app.

– Your smart device’s volume button now works for linked rooms too, not just individual rooms / devices.

– You can see updated tips for using the app by tapping the Settings icon, then TIPS:

Screenshot showing the "Tips" button in the MusicCast App.

Have fun exploring MusicCast Controller’s new functionality! We’ll keep you apprised here on the blog about future updates that will include even more time-saving features and additional smart home integration.

Check out these related blog articles:

Five MusicCast App Features You May Not Know

How to Use Alexa with MusicCast

How to Stream Amazon Music from Your Smartphone or Sound Bar

The Perfect Pairing: Yamaha MusicCast and Home Automation

Doing a Firmware Update on Your AV Receiver

Click here for more information about Yamaha MusicCast.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha MusicCast Controller app.

Read other articles in our AV Technology Spotlight series.

How to Silently Practice Your String Instrument at Home

Written by Dale Ramirez on May 21, 2020. Posted in Electric Strings.

Practicing at home is taking on new meaning during these times. Regularly practicing violin always required diligence and dedication to your instrument. Now string players find themselves mostly at home, creating music for their family and neighbors and maybe the occasional livestream. But as you prepare for your big living room concert or Instagram debut, you may want to practice in complete privacy. Or maybe you want to pull out your violin for the first time in a long time and are thinking of ways to decrease your volume … at least until you get your intonation up to standard (we’ve all been there!).

Whatever reason you have for playing at a reduced dynamic level, there are solutions to make sure you can keep practicing even when you are in close quarters with family members or next-door neighbors.

Bear in mind that acoustic string instruments — that is, wooden instruments without electric components — cannot be made fully silent. That said, you can affix a practice mute (a piece of rubber or metal) under the bridge of the instrument to significantly reduce the vibration of the strings, and hence the overall volume. This is a good option for those okay with a little bit of sound emanating from the instrument.

For those looking for greater reduction in volume, there are instruments made expressly for that purpose, such as electric strings. However, even these instruments may lack the capability of true silent practice unless they allow you to plug in a set of headphones. Many electric string instruments are specifically designed to be used with amplifiers, meaning that if you want to play silently, you have to get a little creative.

Yamaha SILENT™ Series violins such as the YSV104 and SV250/SV255 are an even better option, since they allow you to directly connect headphones as well as an external audio source for completely silent play-along practice. The YSV104 also provides adjustable settings that allow you to switch the sound in your headphones between a realistic room ambience ideally suited to practice and the deep, rich reverb of a concert hall. (Click here for more information about the differences between SILENT and electric strings.)

Yamaha YSV104.

Yamaha SV250.

All kinds of music is being performed on SILENT and electric string instruments these days, so play what you like and what you want out in the world. We want to hear you!

Ready to learn more? Here’s a video that shows you how to set up an electric violin:

Click here for more information about Yamaha SILENT strings.

Express Yourself

Written by Dr. Daniel J. Levitin on May 20, 2020. Posted in Brand. 2 Comments on Express Yourself

I’ve been playing piano since I was four. One of the pieces I struggle with still is the Chopin Prelude in E Minor — which is fascinating, because I’ve been able to put my fingers in all the right places for 50 years. It’s being able to play it with true expression that has been a lifelong challenge.

The author and his Yamaha C6 grand piano.

Which Instrument?

A typical orchestra has more than a dozen different instruments, and sometimes many more if you count special use instruments such as piano, celeste, xylophone, saxophone and bass clarinet. In fact, there are seventeen different clarinets alone, and over a hundred different percussion instruments. How do people decide what to play?

The decision depends in part on what your goals are. If your aim is to play in a heavy metal band, bassoon is not the obvious choice (but not unheard of — conductor Edwin Outwater just performed a concert with the San Francisco Symphony and Metallica). The decision also likely depends on how old you are. For a young child — say under age 10 — I recommend that parents take a different approach than individuals north of 50 who are picking up a musical instrument for the first time. Yes, you can learn an instrument at any age and you can become pretty good at it, but the older you are, your choice of which instrument to play becomes more crucial to success.

The Age Factor

At a young age, one instrument isn’t necessarily more difficult to play than another, although physical factors can be relevant. A child with chubby fingers, for example, will find more success on the cello than the violin. The best way to help children choose an instrument is to let them hear as many different instruments as they can and see which ones excite them most. Artur Rubinstein, one of the great pianists of all time, knew from the age of six that he wanted to play the piano. His father had other ideas — he bought young Artur a violin, which the precocious child promptly smashed. Rewarding a tantrum is not usually a good idea, but most children who are drawn to music are very specific about the kind of sound that resonates with them. And this is an important decision, since becoming a great musician requires a minimum of 10,000 hours of practice. (There is no documented case of a master musician who achieved that in fewer hours.) If you don’t like the sound you’re making for all those hours, it can be hard to motivate yourself to practice.

Everything’s different for older adults because learning takes on a qualitatively different aspect. A child may be content to practice scales for an hour or more a day, and be resigned to the fact that it can take years to coax a pleasing tone out of some instruments, such as the violin or the oboe. Other instruments, like guitar or electric bass, require that the player develop callouses so that it isn’t physically painful to practice.

The Keyboard Advantage

For older adults, the instrument I recommend is the piano (or any similar keyboard, such as organ or synthesizer). The reason is that getting a good tone out of a keyboard is not at all difficult: anyone can sit down at a piano and play a C-sharp as well as a Rubinstein, an Alicia de Larrocha or an Elton John. Putting the notes together is the challenge, but it’s a challenge you can start addressing right away.

The other advantage of the piano is that it’s easy to visualize scales and chords — they’re all there in front of you, laid out linearly. On brass instruments, the fingering combinations, along with lip pressure, determine the notes in a way that can be difficult to visualize. And although clarinet notes are laid out somewhat linearly, the different octaves require different fingerings. Similarly, some people find stringed instruments such as violins and guitars hard to learn because each string is tuned differently — like having four (or six) pianos stacked on top of each other.

Of course, not everyone can afford an acoustic piano and others don’t have the space for one. Modern digital keyboards that can sound like other instruments are a fantastic innovation. Yamaha patented FM synthesis decades ago (based on an idea by my music teacher John Chowning) and popularized it with the release of the iconic DX7. Today’s keyboard instruments allow you to play realistic sounds of any number of instruments at the touch of a button.

From a technical standpoint, the Chopin Prelude I mentioned at the beginning of this article is fiendishly simple — even a novice can learn to put their hands on all the right keys in just a few weeks of practice. But getting the piece to sound musical is something else altogether. The subtlest variations in tempo and finger pressure, not to mention pedaling, make this a rich and hugely rewarding undertaking. And a great deal of the reward, as with the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, is that I don’t have to learn complicated fingerings, and I don’t have to worry about whether the instrument is producing a pleasing tone. Instead, I can devote all of my attention to emotional expression, getting lost in the beauty of two of the greatest works of art ever created, putting my fingers in the same configurations as Chopin and Beethoven, imagining for a moment that I am them. What better gift can be bestowed upon any musician?

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Click here for more information about Yamaha pianos.

Silhouette of man sitting in lotus position watching the sunset.

Zen and the Art of Making Music

Written by Rich Tozzoli on May 18, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”
— author Shunryu Suzuki, from his book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

This profound thought has helped me get through more than a few challenges in the course of my life. It often reminds me that it’s OK to recognize that not knowing something, or having naiveté about a topic, is perfectly fine and in certain situations can actually be helpful to the end result.

Soto Zen Monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki standing outside some windows. — *Shunryu Suzuki.*

During this time of staying at home, I’ve decided to make the best of the situation by not only catching up on long overdue reading, but to push the limits of my professional craft. One of the books I’ve been reading is Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, which is a compilation of relevant talks given by Soto Zen Monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki (1904-1971). One of the primary topics he explores is the practice of always trying to keep a beginner’s mind. While that can be taken many ways, I’ve come to recognize that I can benefit by rethinking certain elements of my music with that mindset.

Here’s how I recently put it into practice: I accepted the fact that in order to become more proficient at my guitar playing and composing (which is how I make my living), I needed to address my weaknesses. For me, that would be things like bluegrass picking, slide guitar technique and string orchestration. I decided to put focused intense effort into each aspect, and to identify qualified online teachers to help me in the quest.

I’ve been playing guitar most of my life, but bluegrass is technical, intricate and frankly, difficult. At first, I found it remarkably frustrating to learn some of the genre’s precision picking techniques that were foreign to me. To overcome this, I had to accept that it’s OK to start with a beginner’s mind. That acceptance made it easier for me to get a grasp on the basics. Next, I put time into relentlessly playing the same few licks over and over. By locking this into muscle memory, I was able to develop a modified technique that worked for me and let me move on to something slightly more complicated. Now, just a few weeks into the process, I’m able to knock out enough fast bluegrass licks to actually write a few TV cues in the genre … and sound competent at it.

The same applies to slide guitar technique. At first, I found it incredibly annoying that the slide would always bang on the frets and all the strings would buzz at once. But by adopting a beginner’s mindset, I discovered a few simple approaches that led me to understand how to mute the strings and play with my fingers, which delivers a richer tone. I also learned to set up one of my guitars with the action a bit higher, which largely eliminates the bangs and buzzes. As with bluegrass picking, taking a step backwards and starting at the beginning has allowed me to progress quite quickly.

My approach to learning string orchestration is a little different: I’ve been doing live online classes with my teacher while we both sit at keyboards in our respective rooms. We study a piece of classical music and break it down to the basic principles, then discuss how to build our own composition using what we’ve learned. With that knowledge, I found that I was able to create a cue for a tension-filled television show by using a motif based on the first few notes in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

When it comes to mixing music, I also allow myself to have a beginner’s mind. For example, when applying EQ and/or compression, I don’t worry about what order they are in or how many plug-ins I use, no matter what some say is the “correct” approach. To me, if it sounds right, it is right. If I need to use five EQs in a row and four compressors to get the sound I’m after, so be it. The same applies to my use of reverbs: On occasion, I’ve been known to apply a reverb to a reverb! Sometimes the simple act of trying something new works, and sometimes it doesn’t. The only way you will know is to try.

For some, the word naiveté has come to mean ignorance or simple-mindedness, yet the Latin root means natural, or self-taught. And here’s what I’ve learned: By taking a step backwards and starting from ground zero, I’ve been able to build a solid foundation on my weaknesses, which then allows me to keep constructing a stronger and stronger structure on top of that foundation. Try to approach your next musical endeavor with an open mind and a beginner’s mindset. You never know where it might take you!

Photograph of Shunryu Suzuki courtesy of the San Francisco Zen Center.

Check out Rich’s other postings.

Live Recording, Part 1

Written by Steve La Cerra on May 15, 2020. Posted in Live Sound.

There’s nothing more exciting than listening to a live performance, especially when it’s your band. But how do you go about making a recording of a show or rehearsal that accurately represents what the musicians are playing? In this posting we’ll cover live stereo recording; in Part 2, we’ll show you how to do live multitrack recordings.

The Basics

Live recording can be as easy as using a smartphone or a handheld stereo recorder. However, with such a simple rig, the quality of the audio will be highly dependent upon the room acoustics and the location and quality of the microphone(s) being used. The mics built into most handheld stereo recorders can handle the high sound levels typical of a gig or rehearsal, but the microphones built into phones aren’t usually up to the task (no surprise, since they were designed to handle the low levels required by phone calls), so you may need to add an external mic or two to avoid distortion and capture a wider frequency range.

Another problem with recordings made with handheld devices is that there’s no way to “remix” them, so the balance between the instruments and vocals heard in the room at the time of the performance is what you’ll get on the recording too. As a result, these kinds of recordings can sometimes contain a lot of room ambience and background noise, which make it difficult to hear the music. The bottom line is that recordings made with a phone or handheld recorder are probably best used for reference purposes only, and not for distribution to your fans.

Recording directly from the outputs of your mixer can significantly improve the audio quality while avoiding some of the issues described above. Because it’s coming from mics onstage, the signal from the mixer will have minimal room ambience and crowd noise, and (as long as you maintain correct gain structure and don’t overload the audio path in the mixer) these “board” recordings will be distortion-free.

Creating Board Mixes

One way of recording the outputs from a mixer is using the mixer’s USB port. Yamaha MGXU Series mixers all provide a 2-in/2-out USB interface that can be used to record and play back stereo files. Connecting this port to a laptop running DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software such as Steinberg Cubase AI (a free download that’s also included with MGXU Series mixers) enables you to record the digital stereo output from the mixer straight into a computer. Using an appropriate cable, this USB port can also be connected to an iPhone^® or iPad^® running the free Yamaha Rec’n’Share app.

Audio mixer connected to a laptop running Steinberg Cubase AI software — *The USB output from a mixer can be used to route digital audio to a laptop.*

Yamaha MGP24X and MGP32X mixers incorporate a USB Type A port that accepts a USB storage device such as a thumb drive, enabling you to record directly to (or play files back from) the storage device without the need for a computer.

If your mixer doesn’t have USB capabilities, you can create an analog board mix as long as it has an extra set of stereo outputs (that is, in addition to the main stereo outputs feeding your PA system); all you have to do is connect those outputs to the inputs of a handheld recorder or computer audio interface.

As convenient as board mixes are, there are some disadvantages too. The main one is that the audience may be hearing something different than what you are recording. That’s because they are listening to a combination of sound coming from the stage and the sound coming from the PA system. The smaller the room (i.e., in a club setting), the more the stage sound contributes to this blend, and so the fidelity and accuracy of board recordings made in such venues may be compromised.

Complicating this is the fact that some instruments don’t need to be very loud in the PA system due to their stage volume. For example, if the bass player’s stage amp is really loud, there may not be a need for a lot of bass in the PA. This may work fine for the audience, but when you play back a recording taken directly from the mixer, there will be a lack of bass. Ditto for massive onstage guitar stacks. That’s one of the reasons why many board recordings feature overly loud vocals and anemic bass or guitars.

Enter The Matrix

One way to solve these problems is by using a mixer that has a built-in matrix. A matrix is kind of like a mixer inside a mixer. It allows you to internally combine different mix buses (a bus is an audio path that combines multiple signals) and send them to another destination. As an example, the two matrices provided by the Yamaha MGP24X and MGP32X can be used to combine the main stereo L/R mix with signals sent to Groups 1, 2, 3 or 4. (See our Tools of the Trade posting about grouping for more information.)

These matrices are mono, so you’ll need two in order to create stereo. This is accomplished by routing the main stereo L bus into matrix 1, and the main stereo R bus into matrix 2. The USB recorder built into the MGP24/32X gives you a choice of recording either the output from the two matrices or the main L/R stereo mix. These recordings can be saved as either MP3 or WAV file formats.

Two built-in matrices on the Yamaha MGP24X and MGP32X mixers. — *Yamaha MGP24X and MGP32X mixers provide two matrices.*

It’s not actually as complicated as it sounds. Let’s take a look, for example, at that band with the loud bass player described above. If you assign the bass channel to Group 1, and route that group into matrices 1 and 2 along with the main L/R stereo mix (Left to matrix 1, Right to matrix 2), you’ll hear too much bass in the recording (though the mix the audience hears in the room will sound just fine). But if you don’t assign Group 1 into the main L/R stereo mix (which keeps the group, and therefore the extra bass) out of the PA system, you can make the bass as loud as you want in the recording by altering the Group 1 level … without affecting the house mix.

The MGP24/32X provides four groups, so you can do the same for other sounds that may not need to be as loud in the house mix — electric guitars, for example. You can also use a group to add audience microphones to the recording, while keeping them out of the PA system.

*The “ST” button assigns a group to the main stereo L/R mix.*

It may take some experimentation to determine which instruments should be routed to a matrix using a group, along with the appropriate level of those groups into the matrices. But once you have it sorted, you’ll have an easy way to make high-quality stereo recordings of your performances and rehearsals.

Click here for Part 2.

Check out our other Tools of the Trade postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha MGXU Series mixers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha MGP Series mixers.

Front face and right side of an amplifier.

What Is an Integrated Amplifier?

Written by Ted Goslin on May 14, 2020. Posted in Audio Gear Guides. 1 Comment on What Is an Integrated Amplifier?

Every music lover has a preferred way to listen to their favorite artists. Maybe it’s via a streaming service and wireless speakers, or for a more private experience, over a pair of headphones or ear buds. But for those who want to hear the artists’ music the way it was originally intended, a good quality two-channel (stereo) Hi-Fi system is the only way to go.

One of the key components in a Hi-Fi system is known as an integrated amplifier. What is it and what does it do? Let’s take a closer look.

Components of Sound

For Hi-Fi aficionados, the pinnacle of playback requires what are called “separates” — i.e., separate components. These include “source” devices (so-called because that’s where the signal originates) such as a radio tuner, phonograph, reel-to-reel tape recorder, cassette player, a CD player, and, in modern systems, network sources such as streaming services.

These are all wired to a preamplifier (sometimes called a “control amplifier”), or preamp for short. This component allows the user to switch between source devices for playback and also provides phono equalization, tone controls, balance and, of course, volume control circuitry. The output of the preamp is routed to another component called a power amplifier (amp for short), which raises the audio to a sufficient level to be sent over wires to speakers. The end result is a harmonious listening experience.

Audio hobbyists love this type of “separate” configuration because upgrading is easy and cost-effective. If you want more power, all you need to do is buy a bigger power amp — no need to replace the entire chain. This gives the hobbyist an opportunity to keep tinkering with the system without breaking the bank every time they want to change something out. A good example of a modern “separate” system is the Yamaha Flagship Hi-Fi 5000 Series, which includes four state-of-the art components: the GT-5000 turntable, C-5000 preamplifier, M-5000 power amplifier and NS-5000 speakers with stands.

The Yamaha Flagship Hi-Fi 5000 Series including turntable, preamplifier, power amplifier and speaker. — *The Yamaha Flagship Hi-Fi 5000 Series provides high-end “separates.”*

Those looking to save space with fewer components have the option of purchasing either a stereo receiver or an integrated amplifier. A stereo receiver such as the Yamaha R-N803 has most components built into one box: A power amp to drive the speakers, a preamp to control volume, tone controls, input switching and a few common sources like an AM/FM tuner and network streaming services. Everything is easily controlled by a single remote control or from your smart device running a user-friendly app. A stereo receiver connected to a set of speakers is the easiest way to enjoy Hi-Fi audio.

CAPTION: Yamaha R-N803 stereo receiver. — *Yamaha R-N803 stereo receiver.*

An integrated amplifier is very similar — minus the tuner or other sources.

Audio, Integrated

The term “integrated amplifier” refers to the integration of the preamp and power amp, plus phono EQ and tone controls, in a single component. This allows you to save space on your Hi-Fi rack without sacrificing power or capability.

*A look inside the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amplifier.*

The engineering advantage of having all amplification functions in a single box is that it allows the source signals — which are typically very low-level — to remain isolated from the integrated amplifier, which is doing some serious power boosting, with a huge transformer and massive power transistors.

Another advantage is that the source signals can be cleanly generated with the use of small low-noise power supplies that are specifically designed to not interact or interfere with one another, thus delivering low distortion audio to the preamplifier stage.

A good example of a high-end integrated amplifier is the Yamaha A-S3200, which provides inputs for an external tuner, CD player and turntable, as well as the ability to toggle between two different sets of speakers in two different rooms. There’s also a “Pre Out” that allows the A-S3200 to be used strictly as a preamplifier so you can easily add a separate amplifier to your system for more power.

*The rear panel of the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amplifier.*

You also might want to check out the Yamaha A-S1200 and A-S2200 integrated amplifiers, as well as some of our other Hi-Fi components. All will provide the kind of listening experience that will make you the envy of even the pickiest Hi-Fi fan.

Check out these related blog articles:

What’s a Receiver? Part 1: Hi-Fi

Here’s What You Need to Know About Vinyl

Ultra Hi-Fi Part 1: The Difference a Tonearm Makes

Ultra Hi-Fi Part 2: The Difference Made by Speaker Driver Materials

Ultra Hi-Fi Part 3: The Difference Made by a Balanced Signal Path

Ultra Hi-Fi Part 4: Going Beyond Perfection

Click here for more information about the Yamaha Flagship Hi-Fi 5000 Series.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha R-N803 Network Stereo Receiver.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amplifier.

Click here for more information about Yamaha Hi-Fi components.

Phrase to Amaze

Written by Robbie Calvo on May 13, 2020. Posted in Guitars How-to.

The first five years of my guitar playing life were spent studying rhythm guitar, not lead. For some reason, I had no desire to learn scales, arpeggios and melodies.

Focusing my attention strictly on harmonic structures and stylistic rhythmic variations early in my development gave me a solid musical foundation for creating cool chord progressions and a strong sense of the “groove and pocket” for layering multiple guitar parts.

I think of “groove” as the underlying rhythmic feel of a song, and “pocket” as the placement of the parts within the groove. When there are multiple instruments in a mix, finding your own pocket is essential to maintaining clarity in an arrangement.

Understanding how guitar parts lock together to create layers and harmonic interest is fascinating to me, and that may be why I hear melody and lead guitar parts as rhythms that also need to sit in pockets of their own. It’s not just a matter of playing notes over the top of an arrangement or backing track, it’s the purposeful positioning of those notes to interact with the other instrumentation and composition.

What is Phrasing?

The rhythmic delivery of your melodic message is called “phrasing.” This is one of the key elements to creating a personal identity on any instrument. After all, what would a series of musical pitches be without rhythm? A cluster of unorganized sound.

So let’s consider musical phrases to be an organized sequence of notes, arranged as pitch and rhythm. How we personally arrange those elements will have a huge impact on how our music is perceived by an audience.

I’m always looking for new ways to develop my melodic palette, and over the years, I’ve formulated several approaches to expand my musical vocabulary without deconstructing my stock phrases.

Rhythmic Displacement

One of the simplest ways to get more mileage out of your ideas is to place phrases in new locations within a bar (measure) of music — something called rhythmic displacement (sometimes referred to as melodic displacement). But before I get ahead of myself, let’s first establish a description of a measure of music that shows the downbeats as numbers and the plus sign “+” as the upbeat (the “and”). A simple bar of four beats would therefore look like this:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

As you can see, each beat has been divided into two equal parts — the downbeat (number) and the upbeat (plus sign). We can choose to start our phrases on any one of those divisions, provided we control our hands and don’t let muscle memory control us. Playing with this kind of control and intention is going to be a challenge for many guitar players, but with concentrated effort, it can change your phrasing ability forever.

For example, starting a musical phrase on the downbeat of “one” will sound immediate, while starting it on the downbeat of “three” will leave more space at the beginning of the bar, allowing the music to breathe and sound more laid back. As you move phrases further into the bar, you’ll also notice that the end of your phrases may resolve to a new location in the next measure … which can have the unintended — but often good — consequence of landing on a new chord for melodic variation.

I’ve worked with a lot of guitar students who tend to start every phrase on downbeats only. I think this is more of an unconscious thing than a deliberate approach, but it can become an obstacle in creating interesting phrases. Personally, I like to place the start of my phrases on upbeats — at all different points within each bar. I think this sounds hipper and less predictable to the listener.

The Video

In this video, you’ll hear me play two eight-bar solos. In each solo, I place my phrases on the upbeat (the “and”) of each of the four downbeats. In other words, the first phrase is started on the upbeat of one, the second phrase on the upbeat of two, etc. Count along as you listen to the solos to give yourself a solid reference of this phrasing approach. To further demonstrate this, I then play four separate solos, with all the licks of the first solo starting on the upbeat of one, all the licks of the second solo starting on the upbeat of two, etc.

I’ve also placed the backing track at the end of the video so you can try out all these phrasing ideas for yourself, using the G Blues (G Minor Pentatonic) scale. In addition to choosing where you start your phrases, you’ll want to end and resolve your phrases to the tones of the Gmi7 chord: G, B♭, D and F.

The Guitar

Yamaha Revstar 502TFM guitar with subtle flame maple top and finished with a hand-rubbed Vintage Japanese Denim.

The P90 single-coil pickups in the Yamaha Revstar 502TFM I’m playing in this video are perfect for this track. I used the neck pickup exclusively during all the solos for a smooth and creamy tone, and the jumbo frets on the 13-inch radius rosewood fretboard made string bending a breeze. The guitar is great visually, too! Its subtle flame maple top is finished with a hand-rubbed Vintage Japanese Denim, effectively eliminating glare from the camera lighting.

Note that I’m running the Revstar through a Line 6 Helix^® guitar processor in stereo, direct to the recording software via an audio interface — no amplifier is used.

The Wrap-Up

We can all learn scale shapes and the resulting chord tones and apply them to a guitar fretboard to create melodic lines and licks … but that’s only half of the musical equation.

Organizing those pitches into compelling rhythmic phrases and then placing them creatively in each bar will give you ultimate command of your instrument and the ability to express yourself fully as an improviser. Don’t just play it, phrase it!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out Robbie’s other postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha Revstar guitars.

Click here for more information about the Line 6 Helix guitar processor.

Musician playing saxophone during online concert at home isolated and quarantined.

Top 10 Tips for Livestreaming Your Music

Written by Mike Levine on May 12, 2020. Posted in Live Sound.

More than ever before, musicians are livestreaming from their homes. To make yours stand out from the crowd, you need more than a good performance — you need to optimize your technology and maximize your production values.

Here are ten tips that will help you create a livestreaming event you’ll be proud of.

1. Choose the Right Platform

All the leading social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook^®, YouTube™, Twitter/Periscope and Twitch) offer livestreaming options. Your choice will likely come down to where you have the most followers, or what’s fashionable within your genre of music.

But there are other factors to consider. For example, YouTube only allows you to stream from a mobile device if you have a channel with a thousand or more followers. (There’s no minimum follower requirement if you stream from a computer, however.) YouTube also requires a 24-hour waiting period after you verify your account (a relatively quick process involving inputting your phone number) before you can start to stream.

*Initiating a YouTube stream in YouTube Studio.*

Instagram Live is easy to start streaming on, but your content only stays up for 24 hours. If you want your performance to be available in perpetuity, you need to record it and re-upload it to Instagram or YouTube.

Check out these links for more specifics on the streaming policies of the various main social media platforms: YouTube, Instagram Live, Facebook Live and Twitch.

2. Maximize Your Audio Quality

Livestreaming, at its most basic, entails standing in front of your smartphone and using its built-in camera and mic to capture your performance. It’s easy and quick, but doesn’t offer the best results, particularly on the audio side.

That’s because the built-in mics on phones are generally mono and don’t provide very good fidelity — not surprising, given that they were designed primarily for making phone calls. What’s more, you have to position yourself in such a way that your voice and instrument are correctly mixed. That usually requires you to get your mouth relatively close to the mic, which means moving your face close to the camera. That doesn’t often produce a flattering shot due to the optical distortion you get with extreme closeups.

White Yamaha AG03 mixer. — *Yamaha AG03 mixer.*

Whether you’re streaming from your phone or from your computer, you can connect higher quality audio devices such as USB microphones or external mixers. The latter allows the usage of professional quality external microphones (positioned exactly where you want) and also enables you to bring in multiple sources. They also allow you to create a stereo mix before the audio is sent to the encoder software in your computer. (See Tip #8 below.)

A good starting point would be one of the compact Yamaha AG Series mixers, which are optimized for basic livestreaming and podcasts, with features such as built-in effects and USB/iPad^® connectivity. If you need more inputs and additional flexibility, check out the Yamaha MG Series or MGP Series line of mixers, which come in a variety of sizes and offer USB outputs that make them well-suited for livestreaming applications.

*The Yamaha MG10XU mixer offers plenty of channels and a USB output.*

If you’re a solo act, you should consider using a vocal mic like the one you use onstage, plus a second mic (or a DI connection) for your instrument. If more than one person is performing, multiple input sources are imperative for getting a good blend of sound.

If you’re using your phone for a camera, you can connect USB mixers to it with the use of an inexpensive and readily available adapter cable. For iOS devices, you’ll need the Apple^® Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter; for Android™, an OTG cable.

3. Create an Appealing Visual Background

You want to make your visuals as appealing as possible, so finding the best spot in your house or apartment for your performance is critical. You’ll probably want the background to be as simple as possible — a cluttered room will be a distraction for your viewers.

Light-colored curtains make for a good background; if you don’t have any, you can always hang some fabric on the wall behind you. Or consider buying a “green screen” — a cloth backdrop in a particular shade of green compatible with the chroma key function in your broadcasting software. That’s a great way to go, since it allows you to use any kinds of images as backgrounds, giving you a lot of visual options.

4. Check Your Lighting

You’ll also need decent lighting. Unless you’re planning to stream your show during daylight hours (and assuming you have a space with good natural light), you’ll have to use artificial lighting of some type.

You may be able to get away with the existing lighting in your home, but you should think about purchasing a lighting setup designed for video since professional lighting will help eliminate facial shadows and other visual anomalies. Products and prices vary quite a bit, but you should be able to get something that does a credible job in the $200 – $300 range.

5. Use a Tripod or Stand

Whether you’re using your phone’s camera or a dedicated video camera, you’ll need a stand or tripod. Obviously, you can’t hold a camera and perform at the same time, and even if you have somebody in your house who can operate it for you, you want the visual image to be steady, not shaky, as would occur if the camera is handheld. A steady camera will provide a much more professional look and help you keep your viewers longer.

6. Consider Multiple Cameras

If you’re ambitious and have some money to spend, you might consider using more than one camera for your livestream. To do so, you’ll need to purchase either a hardware switcher or a software switcher and video capture card, which will require a minimum investment of $300 to $500. You’ll also need someone to operate the switcher during your performance. But the result is a much more captivating image, since the viewer won’t have to be subjected to the same camera angle from start to finish.

7. Maximize Your Internet Connection

Having a stable internet connection makes a huge difference when it comes to livestreaming. If your Wi-Fi is uneven in your house, it may dictate where you perform, which may not always be the best spot visually or acoustically. But if you perform where the signal is weak or unstable, your stream will be subject to dropouts and freezes, which could ruin things for your viewers.

Generally, you’ll get the best results if you set up in the same room as your router (or Wi-Fi extender, if you have one). If possible, connect your computer to the router/extender with an Ethernet cable (as opposed to wirelessly) for the most consistent — and likely fastest — service.

8. Pick the Right Encoding Software

To combine your audio and video sources for streaming, you’ll need to install broadcaster software on your computer. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend any money to do so. Two of the top freeware applications are OBS Studio (OBS stands for “Open Broadcaster Software”) and Streamlabs. Other software packages offering more extensive feature sets are also available.

Screenshot of OBS encoder software. — *OBS Studio is freeware encoder software.*

These apps allow you to configure your video and audio inputs and will stream your content directly to YouTube, Facebook, Periscope (Twitter’s live streaming service) and Twitch, among others. (Only one at a time, however. If you want to stream to multiple sources you’ll have to pay for a subscription to a multi-streaming platform such as CASTR, Restream or Switchboard.)

9. Play Original Music

Legally, you don’t have the right to play a cover song online unless you’ve arranged for a license through a licensing agent such as The Harry Fox Agency^®. If you play an unlicensed cover, your stream (or the recording of it that you post) could be taken down by Facebook, YouTube or whichever platform you’re streaming to. Don’t take that chance: Stick to original material.

Facebook’s tips on posting and copyright for livestream content. — *Facebook’s tips on posting and copyright.*

10. Test Test Test!

Before you stream to the world, you want to test your setup extensively. Check how your background looks, how the lighting is working, whether your audio is coming through with sufficient fidelity, and how your internet connection is holding up.

Do several dry runs in advance of any public performance. If you’ve decided to use YouTube, you can do a test stream that’s recorded but that only you can access. For other platforms, you might consider setting up a separate account that you use exclusively for tests and don’t publicize.

In addition, most OBS software packages offer a handy recording option. Simply use the same settings as you’re planning on using for your livestream, then record a rehearsal onto your local drive to preview how it will look and sound.

Above all, remember Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. The only way to cope is to be copiously prepared. Happy streaming!

Click here for more information about Yamaha mixers.

Headphones, guitar, notebook, electronic tablet and pen on wooden background.

Lyric or Vibe?

Written by Shelly Peiken on May 11, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

“What comes first? Melody or lyrics?” This is a question I get asked a lot.

My answer: When I sit down to write by myself, lyrics — or at least a title or a concept — come first. Then I marry it/them to a melody and a chord progression. That’s just me. Everyone has their process. There’s no right or wrong. But to me, words are the seed that initiates a new song.

So much so that I’m absolutely perplexed when someone asks me to critique their song and doesn’t include the lyrics with the MP3 they send me. As if lyrics were incidental. Gravy. Icing on the cake.

Back in the day, if you showed up to play a song for Clive Davis without supplying a hard copy lyric sheet, you’d be escorted out of his office. And that would be a shame after it took so long to get in.

Why have lyrics become so secondary nowadays? I have my theories.

For one thing, with current mainstream pop music being so electronic and beat-driven, it’s the backing track (the musical bed) that has become the star of the show, with the lyrics serving as the supporting cast. One has to wonder if all the triggering of sounds and beats — now such an integral part of the modern songwriting process — is the reason why vibe has leapfrogged all else in the hierarchy of song ingredients. Furthermore, because technology has replaced some of the more human-made musical choices, perhaps we’re simply more cavalier when it comes to other ingredients. Like the WORDS!

Don’t get me wrong. Vibe is essential. But vibe is result of the treatment used (i.e., the production) to usher lyrics and melody into the world — the clothing they’re dressed in, so to speak. The same song can be dressed in many different outfits. But a song has only one lyric. I want to know what they are, especially if you want my opinion of your song.

Yet I’ve recently discovered that when I listen to music (as opposed to creating it), it’s the vibe that initially draws me in. That’s right. It’s vibe that gets my attention. Not the lyrics. At least at first.

I realize this may sound a little hypocritical, but in my defense, it’s occurred to me that perhaps songwriters relate to music differently depending on whether we’re a music “user” — i.e., in a car getting fed random curated playlists — or we’re involved in the creative writing (or critiquing) process. Personally, I look to vibe to service my mood — to take me deeper into the one I’m in (will it enhance my hot tub experience / Sunday night cooking / two-mile run?), or rescue me from it (lift me up or calm me down).

These different behaviors make sense because I didn’t become a songwriter with the intention of enhancing mood. Rather, it was my therapy. I wanted to better understand myself. I wanted to connect with others via a universal concept with a unique point of view. It was, admittedly, all about the words.

That said, if a song’s vibe pulls me in, I’ll pay more attention to the lyric second or third time around — but should I find no substance, I move on. Thank you, next!

Because lyrics matter.

What matters most to you? What comes first when you’re writing? When you’re listening?

Whatever your response, if you’re asking someone to critique your song, please remember to include the lyrics!

Check out Shelly’s other postings.

Bring Music Into Your Home This Mother’s Day

Written by Shana Kirk on May 8, 2020. Posted in Digital Pianos.

There’s no such thing as a “typical” 21st-century mom. Some mothers engage children through clever crafts, while others explore nature or lead family yoga. Some inspire greatness through sleek professional achievements; others through detailed activity schedules or perfectly executed birthday parties. Most roll a few of these qualities into one unique force. But no matter what their style might be, moms everywhere do all they can to help their children build fulfilling lives. For many, an essential part of that fulfillment is a musical experience.

There are countless ways to include these kinds of experiences into the daily family routine. For example, plenty of children take piano lessons, either online or with a piano teacher. The time-honored practice of working toward a spring recital by learning minuets and sonatinas is a special rite of passage in many families. These families form lifelong bonds with the upright and grand pianos in their living rooms.

Beyond this traditional experience, however, today’s moms also recognize that children’s lives can be enriched in other ways. A tiny energetic explorer might not be ready for the discipline of piano lessons, but might be absolutely captivated by the fun sounds and lighted keys of a starter keyboard like the Yamaha EZ-220. And who knows when that exploration is going to turn into inspiration?

Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard. — *Yamaha EZ-220.*

Once that moment hits, the budding pop star might learn some quick chords and create dazzling backing tracks for a YouTube channel using the Groove Sampler feature in a Yamaha PSR-EW410. Or that inspiration might take an inward direction, when a burgeoning composer finds delight in exploring the richly authentic sounds of a Yamaha PSR-EW300 — an instrument with an extended touch-sensitive keyboard that allows your child to easily play duets with you. Maybe she even presses the record button and exports their musings to MP3, creating a soundscape for the mindful meditation program at school.

Yamaha PSR-EW300 keyboard. — *Yamaha PSR-EW300.*

Meanwhile, there’s a Yamaha Genos workstation supplying the beats to help a middle schooler find just the right mood for the lyrics he wrote, while a budding Broadway star uses that same instrument to plug in a microphone and creates a dazzling audition recording with authentic backing tracks and vocal harmony.

But what happens when one family includes a lot of musical paths? Moms are often also responsible for figuring out how to best include everyone in the family, even when it comes to making music. Recognizing that many families have multiple musical needs, Yamaha offers a variety of flexible hybrid instruments, nimble enough to support divergent musical tastes.

The Yamaha AvantGrand hybrid piano, for example, doesn’t just replicate the sound of an acoustic piano — it actually uses the same mechanism and parts to deliver the feel of playing a real piano … but with no strings to tune, making it the perfect no-maintenance solution.

Woman playing a Yamaha N1X AvantGrand digital piano. — *Yamaha N1X AvantGrand.*

Clavinova digital pianos offer 88 full-size keys, authentic sounds and traditional cabinets. They also include a suite of educational, recording and arranging features, making them perfect for learning. Some models offer fun entertainment features like karaoke and stream lights, turning a musical instrument into a family party hub.

Yamaha Clavinova stream lights feature. — *Yamaha Clavinova stream lights.*

Even some fully acoustic Yamaha instruments now include the flexibility to accommodate modern family life. Children practicing traditional études on a piano equipped with the company’s unique SILENT Piano ™ technology (such as a Yamaha U1SH upright, P22 SC2 upright or GC1 SH grand) can do all their listening through headphones while still enjoying the true feel of a genuine acoustic piano … plus they can connect their instrument with an iPad^® for interactive games or virtual ensembles.

So this Mother’s Day, remember: Nothing says love like music!

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

Young woman at home playing a Yamaha synthesizer.

How to Get the Best Audio When Listening to Livestreams

Written by Joy Frye on May 7, 2020. Posted in Music and Streaming. 1 Comment on How to Get the Best Audio When Listening to Livestreams

Whether you’re watching a Facebook Live event on your iPhone^® while using AirPlay^® to stream it to your AV receiver, or are watching YouTube Live on your smart TV with sound playing through your sound bar, you want the best audio possible. You may already have your home theater fine-tuned to deliver amazing 3D surround sound, but listening to a livestream can be a quite different experience than listening to a highly produced, professionally recorded and mixed movie or TV show.

That’s largely because livestreaming events use a wide variety of audio recording resources. Some may only be using a smartphone’s built-in microphone for the audio portion (sometimes even the video portion too!), while more sophisticated livestreams employ external microphones for better quality, and may also be presenting the performance in stereo. Higher production streams may even use a professional mixing board, where the vocals, instruments and room acoustics are captured by separate microphones and mixed together for a good balance of sound, sometimes even with added effects such as reverb.

Whether you’re listening with the use of an AV receiver, sound bar and/or wireless speakers, here are some tips to improve the livestreaming experience.

Tips for AV Receivers

Most AV receivers offer various preset modes (sometimes called “sound programs”) that are optimized for various types of content, from movies and sports to gaming and music. When listening to a livestreamed event, try starting with Straight Mode, which is the digital soundtrack decoded without alteration. If it’s a stereo broadcast, you’ll get left and right information. If it’s mono, you’ll get the same information through both the left and right channels, which will sound like it’s coming from between the two speakers. Straight Mode probably won’t be your final choice, but it’s a good baseline.

Multi-Channel Stereo Mode (sometimes called All-Channel Stereo Mode) will give you simulated stereo through all the speakers you have connected to the system, which is good for filling the room with sound. However, you may want to try some of the modes that use surround speakers to generate acoustics that simulate where the performance could be originating from. To create these experiences, the receiver takes the digital bitstream from the broadcast and decodes it into the original number of channels of audio being broadcast: one channel if it’s a mono broadcast, two channels for stereo or up to full 5.1 or 7.1 channels of surround, depending on the original source.

There will also usually be a variety of “DSP” (Digital Signal Processing) modes that create virtual surround sound environments such as a Jazz Club or Concert Hall. These process the original signal with additional acoustic information to recreate a tailored sound field that can emulate different listening environments in your home: everything from a baseball stadium to an intimate nightclub.

Be sure to try all the modes on your receiver’s remote, even the ones with names that don’t sound like they’re intended for music. You may be surprised at which mode is the best for your livestreaming event!

Closeup of someone's hand choosing from the items on their smartphone app with the TV on in background. — *AV receiver sound programs in the MusicCast app.*

Tips for Sound Bars

Like AV receivers, many sound bars have preset sound settings for TV, movies, sports, games, music and stereo. Even if content is streamed in stereo, your sound bar may be able to decode it into surround sound using Dolby^® Surround. So try presets other than stereo or a “music mode” and see which one sounds the best for the livestreaming event you’re listening to. You can also try turning up the volume of your subwoofer for more bass.

Clear Voice is a feature offered by many Yamaha sound bars that makes voices easier to hear and understand by bringing the dialogue and narration to the forefront. Although intended for movies, Clear Voice can have a positive effect on music too.

Tips for Wireless Speakers

Even your humble wireless speaker may have settings that will improve your livestreaming listening experience. For example, Yamaha MusicCast 20 and MusicCast 50 wireless speakers offer a Bass Booster feature for those who are all about that bottom end. You can turn on Bass Booster in the MusicCast Controller app by tapping the hamburger in the lower right-hand corner of the Now Playing screen:

Music app in use. — *MusicCast 50 Bass Booster feature in the MusicCast app.*

Remember, you are watching these musicians because you appreciate their artistry and talent. Don’t let a poor audio stream rob you of enjoying the artist’s gift to you!

Photograph by Walden Kennedy.

Check out this related blog article: How to Get Great Sound When Watching Sports on TV

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV receivers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha sound bars.

Click here for more information about Yamaha wireless speakers.

Understanding and Using Reverb

Written by Mike Levine on May 6, 2020. Posted in Recording. 2 Comments on Understanding and Using Reverb

Producers and recording engineers commonly add some degree of reverb to pretty much every song they work on. That’s because reverb provides a sense of space, giving instruments and voices more dimension and life. It can make anything sound as if it was recorded in a big concert hall, the live room of a famous studio, a club or almost any other type of space … even if it was actually captured two inches in front of a microphone in a tiny bedroom.

In this article, we’ll talk about the various kinds of reverb plug-ins available, and the ways you can use them during recording and mixing. (For information on how to use reverb in live sound, check out this blog post.)

Which is Which?

Reverb plug-ins are based on either algorithmic or convolution technology (or sometimes a combination of both). Algorithmic reverbs such as Steinberg REVelation or roomworksSE (both included with Cubase) use mathematical formulas to emulate various real acoustic spaces, such as rooms, halls, plates, and so forth. Even though they’re digital models of reality, they can be quite accurate.

Convolution reverbs use samples of actual spaces — called “Impulse Responses” (or IRs for short) — as the basis for their sounds. For example, REVerence, one of the reverb plug-ins included with Cubase Pro, offers sampled acoustics from recording studios, concert halls, cathedrals, tunnels and gymnasiums, among other places.

Screenshot of REVerence plug-in showing example of IRs from large Viennese hall. — *REVerence’s sounds include IRs from places and spaces all over the world.*

Although convolution reverbs sample real spaces, that doesn’t necessarily make them better overall. Algorithmic reverbs typically have more adjustable parameters, providing superior control and customization. They’re also more CPU-efficient, as compared to convolution plug-ins.

Configurations

Whichever type of reverb you use, the best way to apply it is as a “send effect,” using an auxiliary (“aux”) send-and-return configuration. Such a setup is usually preferable to using it as an “insert effect” — that is, inserting it directly on the source track. (For more information about aux sends and returns, check out this blog post.) There are two reasons why. First, you can send the signal to one reverb plug-in from multiple channels in your mix simultaneously, which allows you to use fewer plug-ins overall and save on CPU overhead. The second is that you can further customize the sound with other processing plug-ins inserted after the reverb. (More about this shortly.)

One note of caution: Whenever using an aux send to feed signal to a reverb plug-in, be sure to set the plug-in’s mix control (sometimes called “wet/dry”) to 100%. Otherwise, when you turn up the send, the reverb will output some dry (unprocessed) signal along with the wet (processed) signal, which can potentially cause phase issues since dry signal is already coming from the source track.

Screenshot of Cubase roomworksSE showing Mix control. — *Cubase roomworksSE Mix control.*

Spaces

When mixing, you’ll generally want to add some reverb to several tracks, unless they were recorded with enough natural ambience that it’s not necessary. How much you apply and the type of space(s) you select is an artistic choice.

For example, if you wanted to make a vocal sound like it was recorded at a live concert, you would probably want to choose a reverb based on a hall or some other large space. If you were trying to add some additional ambience to an instrument, you might want to instead go for a smaller virtual space such as a room, chamber or short plate.

Plate reverbs, in case you’re wondering, were analog devices typically found in recording studios that featured large metal plates that vibrated as audio passed through them, creating a reverberant sound that was then captured by an internally mounted microphone, with its signal then routed to the console.

Chamber reverbs simulate reverbs created in echo chambers, which were highly reverberant rooms (usually with tiled walls and/or floors, like bathrooms). The sound of an instrument or voice was pumped into the room through speakers and then picked up with a series of mics, with the resultant signal routed back to the console to be mixed in with the original sound source.

Plug-in recreations of plates and chambers often sound quite good. Plates are particularly versatile.

Falling into Decay

A reverb signal has two main sections: the early reflections and the tail. The former is the first part of the reverb signal. It reproduces the initial part of the sound being processed and is louder than the tail, which is the sustaining and fading part of the signal.

Screenshot of REVerence plug-in showing early reflections in a reverb waveform. — *The early reflections in a reverb waveform.*

The length of the entire reverb signal is a critical variable, and is often expressed as decay time, though it is also sometimes called reverb time or RT60. Some plug-ins offer an adjustable size (or “room size”) control that determines the length of the decay.

Be careful when using a reverb with a long decay time on an up-tempo song. The faster the tempo, the more quickly the next line or phrase comes around, and you generally don’t want the reverb tail hanging over it, since that can make your mix sound muddy and indistinct. On songs with slow tempos, you have more leeway to use longer decay times.

An easy way to check if the reverb is hanging over is to solo the vocal (or another track you’ve put the reverb on) and listen to whether it ends before the next line comes in. If not, try shortening the decay time.

In Advance

Another important reverb parameter is pre-delay, which is usually expressed in milliseconds. As the name implies, this adds a delay before the reverb starts.

*A reverb waveform without (top) and with (bottom) pre-delay.*

You’ll find that a short pre-delay (less than 30ms or so, depending on the song) often helps a reverb sit better in the mix. Without it, the reverb will start the instant the audio hits it, which can sound unnatural. If you set the pre-delay too high, however, you’ll hear a distinct space before the reverb begins. Unless you’re going for a rhythmic effect (where the reverb is timed to come in on a beat), that probably won’t sound very good.

Extra Goodies

Most reverbs have EQ controls of some type. It’s often helpful to attenuate (cut) some frequencies of the reverberated signal, particularly in the low end. Doing so can help avoid cluttering the mix with the low frequencies in the reverb tails, which generally can be reduced without damaging the overall tone. If you want more equalization options than your reverb plug-in provides, you can always insert an EQ plug-in after the reverb.

Screenshot of StudioEQ showing EQ plug-in inserted after a reverb. — *An EQ plug-in inserted after a reverb gives you additional frequency control.*

When it comes to processing reverb, you’re not limited to EQ, either. If you place a compressor after a reverb, for example, it will squash down the reverberated signal and change its sound — sometimes quite significantly. Similarly, saturation after reverb can add a cool graininess. If you’re going for a rhythmic effect, a dedicated delay plug-in can substitute for the pre-delay and give you more control, including locking it to the song’s tempo.

Bear in mind that, as mentioned in our blog posting The Virtual Soundstage, ambient effects like reverb make a sound recede towards the back of the mix, so factor that in when you’re deciding how much of it to put on a vocal or lead instrument. In general, it’s usually best to be understated with reverb. If all your tracks are dripping in it, it can take away the punch and clarity of your mix. That said, almost every song can benefit from some judicious application of reverb. Experimentation, as always, is key!

Check out our other Recording Basics postings.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase.

Young girl reading a book on the floor of her room.

In My Room

Written by Howard Massey on May 4, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

When I was a kid, my favorite room was the Reading Room in the Ingersoll Public Library — a massive Art Deco building in the heart of Brooklyn, where I grew up.

Ingersoll Public Library in Brooklyn at sunset.

Perched up on the second floor, the Reading Room was a large, opulent space with dark wood wainscoting, plush carpeting and sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked Prospect Park (the Brooklyn equivalent to Manhattan’s Central Park). My parents — both of whom were avid readers, a trait they passed on to me — would take me there every few weeks. It was a family outing I always looked forward to.

I remember racing through the bookshelves, picking out a dozen or more tomes of interest as quickly as possible before heading to the escalator upstairs. I’d plunk myself down in one of the Reading Room’s easy chairs and begin thumbing through the books in my lap, eager to pick out the top seven (the maximum you were allowed to check out). Once that decision was made, I’d settle back and enjoy the solemn stillness, feeling like a real grown-up. In my imagination, I was Bruce Wayne studying criminology in his private library at Gotham Manor, or Sherlock Holmes contemplating a set of baffling clues while puffing on his pipe at No. 221B Baker Street.

When I got to college, my favorite room was one of the practice rooms in the basement of the campus Fine Arts building. Behind its heavy soundproofed doors lay an old grand piano in pretty decent shape, and I’d pound away on it for hours on end, composing songs that I was convinced would be my ticket to fame and fortune. None of them did, but I wouldn’t trade a moment of the joy that uninhibited playing brought me — the perfect antidote to the pressures of academia and trying to find my way in the world.

In my senior year, I formed a rock band, playing drums at first before switching over to bass. After graduation, a group of my bandmates and I rented a house near the university, and the center of activity was our rehearsal room. With all our gear in there (plus an out-of-tune spinet I’d bought for fifty bucks from a neighbor), it was cramped, and pretty musty too, but I still recall spending many happy hours in that room, both with friends and on my own.

A few years later, I relocated to England. I still played bass with various bands and on recording sessions (as well as, sometimes, guitar or keyboards), but encouraged by some of the music publishers I’d wangled meetings with, I felt that my future lay in songwriting. So, even though my first domicile in Blighty was a tiny studio apartment in central London (something the Brits endearingly called a “bedsit,” since it had barely enough room to accommodate a bed and a single chair), I promptly rented an upright piano and placed it up against one wall, thereby depriving myself of a fair chunk of the already limited available space. No matter. As I saw things, it was a necessary part of my life.

I would move twice while living in England, and each time that piano would go with me. And indeed a few of the songs I composed on it would bring me a modicum of success (and much-needed income). It was hard to say goodbye to that old friend when I moved back to the States. I miss that piano to this very day.

Everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve had a music room, though over the years it would evolve into a well-equipped home recording studio. Today that studio does double-duty as my home office, where I find myself spending more time behind a computer keyboard than a musical one. But my old guitars and basses are still with me, even if my drum set isn’t (it was long ago replaced by electronic drum pads), and I take great comfort from knowing that they are here, still serving as my faithful companions.

Frankly, I can’t imagine life without a favorite room — a room where, as Brian Wilson once wrote, I can go and tell my secrets to. I hope you too have such a place in your life, especially these days, when positivity and inspiration have become such precious commodities.

Photograph by Jim Henderson.

Check out Howard’s other postings.

Eight Great Star Wars™ Surround Sound Effects

Written by Ted Goslin on May 1, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

One of the most significant achievements of the Star Wars™ universe is its use of sound. When the original film came out in 1977, there were few audio or visual effects companies that could create what was needed. This forced Star Wars creator George Lucas to start his own company, Industrial Light and Magic™, which is considered today to be one of the leaders in movie special effects.

We thought it would be fitting this May 4th (the official Star Wars Day) to pay tribute by presenting a list of the sound effects used in the saga that are best appreciated when heard in surround sound.

We’re providing YouTube™ links of film clips to help you identify the effects listed here, but to get the most from these moments, we suggest you go beyond your TV speakers and listen on a 5.1 (or more) channel system, using either an AV receiver and discrete speakers, or a sound bar with surround sound capabilities. You’ll enjoy even better audio if you can get your hands on Blu-ray Discs™ containing the full movies or access a streaming service that offers an option for 5.1-channel surround sound.

(Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

1. Light Sabers

Originally created by combining the hum of movie projector motors and electronic TV interference, this iconic sound can be heard buzzing through the front stage of your system in most of the original Star Wars trilogy, most notably when Luke Skywalker battles Darth Vader. A more recent example can be heard during the animated series, Star Wars: Rebels, when Vader faces off in an epic duel with his former apprentice, Ashoka Tano. Filled with the clashing of light sabers from every angle and rounded out with great music and a powerful, lightning strike-filled low end, this tense fight ends in a nail-biting climax. Watch it here.

2. Blaster Fire

While there’s no shortage of blaster fire to enjoy in any of these movies, try watching Rogue One while observing where the shots are coming from in the surround sound mix. One standout moment occurs when Baze Malbus rescues his wannabe Jedi pal Chirrut Îmwe from a bunch of stormtroopers using his heavy repeater blaster cannon. During the rescue, and in the incredible fight sequence that precedes it, you’ll notice blaster fire scattered through the soundstage, with some high-impact martial arts moves mixed in that make great use of the subwoofer as well. Watch it here.

3. Chase Sequences

Any chase sequence in Star Wars is well worth watching, but one notable recent addition happens in Solo: A Star Wars Story, when Han Solo, Chewbacca and their accomplices attempt to heist a monorail-like train on a frozen planet and are forced to contend with a group of thieves. Underpinned with rousing music, lots of blaster fire, ships crashing into things and a big explosion or two, this sequence makes great use of surround sound, with audio across the whole front stage, rear nuances from mechanical noises and full use of the subwoofer for explosions. Watch it here.

4. Space Battles

No Star Wars story is complete without epic space battles. One of the most jaw-dropping scenes takes place in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith right after the opening crawl during the Battle of Coruscant. First you’re introduced to a complete color palette of ships, lasers and explosions that fill the soundstage from front to back. Then the two Jedi fighters of Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker enter, soaring in from off-screen and zipping all around, heading towards their objective: a rescue. Watch it here.

5. Character Sounds

There are plenty of big moments in Star Wars, but what about the little ones? There’s lots of those too, from the ominous sound of Darth Vader’s breathing to the playful droid noises from R2-D2 and BB8. One of the most impactful comes in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, when Princess Leia frees Han Solo from being a carbonite wall ornament in Jabba the Hutt’s palace. Just when they think they’re safe, Jabba’s laugh creeps into the audio track, soon filling the room, along with the sounds of his lackies laughing along with him. Watch it here.

6. Pod Racing

Episode I: The Phantom Menace offers something unique: pod racing. During this thrilling sequence, Anakin Skywalker, a 10-year-old boy, is competing against professional racers to win his own freedom, along with some ship parts to help his friends. While the whole race is filled with exciting sound, pay particular attention to the moments when ships are turning corners, crashing into each other and exploding … as well as at the end, when Sebulba tries to overtake Anakin with tragic results. Watch it here.

7. Jet Packs

Large engines sound cool when they reverberate with the low-end power of a subwoofer, but smaller engines — the ones that offer more than just the gut-punch of a subwoofer explosion — can sound even cooler. The perfect example: the jetpacks (known as “the Rising Phoenix”) used by Mandalorians, a warrior creed that train from a young age to fight for noble causes. In the Season 1 finale of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, the title character launches himself towards the show’s main villain, Moff Gideon, who is flying overhead in a TIE Fighter (the solo fighter craft used by the evil Empire in aerial and space combat). The Mandalorian manages to get the upper hand and the result is a buffet of audio mayhem, from the launch of the jet pack to the sounds of the fighter and air whooshing by during the onslaught. Watch the series trailer here.

8. The Sounds of the Force

As every Star Wars fan knows well, “the force” is the invisible presence that binds all life together. One of the more shocking (and audibly powerful) moments involving the force occurs in the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order when the hero, Cal Kestis, has just defeated an Imperial Inquisitor and is about to escape when footsteps and the familiar sound of breathing signal trouble, in the form of Darth Vader. Now it’s time for you (the player) to attempt to fight the menacing Sith lord, and what ensues is a race for your life. During the battle, there’s plenty happening audio-wise, from slashing sabers in the front to the low-end rumble of the force in action. Watch it here.

Have fun … and may the force be with you!

Here are some more blog posts to help you enjoy Star Wars in surround sound:

Best Star Wars Scenes to Enjoy on Your Sound Bar

May the Fourth Be With You: The Best Moments from the Star Wars Saga

Home Theater Basics

Four Myths of Surround Sound

How to Shop for a Surround Sound System

Updated: How to Get ESSER (CARES, CRRSA, ARP) Funding for Your Music Program

Written by Dr. Dave Gerhart on May 1, 2020. Posted in Funding.

UPDATED: July 10,2023

There have been many rumors that all ESSER funds have been spent or the funds have been pulled back due to the debt-ceiling legislation that Congress passed in May 2023. These statements are not true.

Below, we have compiled resources from arts organizations and federal government websites. The purpose of federal education funding is to promote fairness among various communities and aid in increasing the availability of exceptional music and arts programs for a greater number of students. Your ongoing support and advocacy play a crucial role in advancing this endeavor!

Important Links

ESSER Funding Toolkit 2023 — COVID Relief Funding in the Music Classroom: An updated resource from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) that provides tools to initiate conversations with your administrators about the remaining ESSER funds.

The Education Stabilization Fund Transparency Portal: This website provides a transparent view into federal COVID relief funds (ESSER, GEER, EANS and HEER). It shows how much funding was allocated to school districts and the amount of remaining funds.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER): The Department of Education has compiled ESSER resources on this page. (Updated 5/17/23)

In addition to ESSER funds, there are many federal programs that can be used to support music education. The links below provide information about block grants and other federal programs to help support music education.

Federal Funds Can Be Used for Music Education: This webinar, hosted by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, discusses federal funds (Title IV Part A, SSAE, Title I and Title II) and provides success stories to expand opportunities for all students.
REPORT — The Impact of Federal Funds on Music & Arts Education, 2022 Survey: NAfME, in collaboration with the NAMM Foundation, the Educational Theatre Association (edTA), the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and the National Art Education Association (NAEA), conducted an informal survey to collect data about the use of federal funds to support music and the arts (dance, theater and visual arts) during the 2021–22 school year.

UPDATE FROM DECEMBER 20, 2021: On June 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education began releasing state plans on how each state will use their ESSER III funds to support schools, students and educators. The state plans are required for states to receive the final third of their allocated ESSER III funds. As of today, 50 states and the District of Columbia have submitted their plans.

UPDATE FROM JUNE 4, 2021: On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on ESSER and GEER funds.

This document helps educators justify how and why they can access these funds for their program. It is important to note that for the first time, the DOE states that ESSER funds can be used to implement or expand music programs, which includes purchasing instruments.

Don’t forget, if you receive ESSER funds, please email us and tell us your success story.

UPDATE FROM May 5, 2021: The American Rescue Plan (ARP) was signed into law on March 11, 2021. This COVID relief bill extends or modifies several provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed in March 2020 and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) that was passed in December 2020.

The new relief bill authorizes $168 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund. The bulk of that funding falls under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III), which will receive an additional $122 billion on top of the $54 billion (ESSER II) and $13 billion (ESSER I) that was allocated in the previous acts.

Important Links

Use of ESSER Funds, a resource from the Nebraska Department of Education
American Rescue Plan Act Fact Sheet, including a comparison of all three ESSER funds
ESSER III Allocations, a list of funding available to each state
Additional information about ESSER III from the from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
ESSER I, II and III Funding Estimates
This Funding Resource Guide Handout points you to articles and additional information about federal funds for music education.
Give a Note Foundation posted this blog about How to Get ESSER Funds for Your Music Program
Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) Program

Educator Success Stories

UPDATE FROM February 25, 2021: The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. This new COVID relief bill extends or modifies several provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed in March 2020.

The new relief bill authorizes $81.9 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund. The bulk of that funding falls under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II to differentiate it from the original K-12 funding under the CARES Act), which will receive an additional $54 billion on top of the $13 billion that was allocated under ESSER in March 2020.

ESSER II funds cannot be used until original ESSER funds are spent. ESSER funds are still available — check out this dashboard of ESSER funding that has been allocated and spent by each state and territory.

ESSER II funds must be spent within one year of allocation. All ESSER II funds must be spent by Sept. 30, 2023.

Important Links

ESSER II Fact Sheet
ESSER II Allocations, a list of funding available to each state.
Additional information about ESSER and ESSER II funding from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Information about education funding in the new Covid-19 relief package from National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
COVID Relief Funding in the Music Classroom from NAfME

Below is the original article about the CARES Act.

Get CARES Act Funding for Your Program

We are living in challenging and unprecedented times, requiring intervention from the federal government. On March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that $30.75 billion of the CARES Act will be distributed through four grant programs to address the impact of COVID-19 on students, K-12 schools and higher education institutions. This allotment is new grant money and not part of Title IV-A or other grant programs.

Only one of the CARES Act grant programs requires an application — due by July 1, 2020 — through the federal government. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) provides $13.5 billion in emergency relief funds to support continued learning for K-12 students. State education agencies (SEAs) must apply for ESSER grant money by July 1, 2020 — time is of the essence! — and local education agencies (LEAs) will have one year to use the money. See below for information about how ESSER Funds can be used and how to get started on the application.

The other three grant programs are distributed to states or directly to higher education institutions. 1) The Education Stabilization Fund Discretionary Grants (ESF) provides a portion of $307 million in grants to states most affected by coronavirus to address specific educational needs of students, their parents and teachers. 2) The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEERF) includes $3 billion of discretionary funds distributed to state governments to support K-12 and higher education needs related to COVID-19. 3) The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides $14 billion of funding directly to higher education institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted.

States have been informed of the funds they will receive. Here is the state-by-state breakdown of the GEERF, HEERF and ESSER Funds Allocations.

How Can ESSER Funds Be Used?

ESSER Funds can be used for the following:

Tools and resources for distance education/learning
Ensuring student health and safety
To give resources necessary to address the needs of individual schools
Developing and implementing plans for the next school year
Provide internet access for students struggling to learn remotely
Supporting low-income students with resources to help them with online learning
Support for special populations of students, such as those who are homeless
Children with disabilities
Racial and ethnic minorities

For a detailed list on how ESSER Funds can be used, refer to pages 7 and 8 of the Certification and Agreement for Funding under the Education Stabilization Fund Program.

How Do I Get Started?

Start with a musical needs assessment. Using the criteria above, how can ESSER Funds help your program address the projected needs of your incoming students? Write up a proposal to reflect those items.
Meet with your administrator about the proposal to address projected needs and ask about securing support from this funding source.
Principals are not always up to date on U.S. Department of Education funding programs, so it may be helpful to ask your principal/supervisor if they could advocate for your needs by checking with the district’s or school’s federal funding professional. (Most school districts have a dedicated staff member who seeks out federal funds to support educational needs.)
Ensure that your needs are advanced to the appropriate LEA department or representative to ensure that they are accounted for because it is the responsibility of the SEAs to download and complete the Certification and Agreement form and submit it.
Remember, SEAs have until July 1, 2020, to apply for ESSER Funds, so it is important to reach out to your administrator as soon as possible.
In a letter to education commissioners, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said that applications will be processed within three business days of receipt.

Additional Resources

Please be aware that this information changes daily. Refer to the U.S. Department of Education website for current information.

Music Education Policy During a Global Pandemic Webinar by the NAfME Public Policy Team (webinar slides are available here)

Press Release from U.S. Department of Education: Secretary DeVos Makes Available Over $13 Billion in Emergency Coronavirus Relief to Support Continued Education for K-12 Students

Education Week: Betsy DeVos Releases Billions More in Coronavirus Education Aid

If you know of additional ESSER Funds or CARES Act resources, please email them to educators@yamaha.com and we will share them with other music educators.

Yamaha is an active advocate for music education, and we want to empower music educators to strengthen their programs in any way we can. Please register for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to read up on advocacy, professional development, information about instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more. Join the Yamaha Music Educator Community on Facebook or email us at educators@yamaha.com.

How to Practice Drums Without Disturbing the Neighbors

Written by Steve La Cerra on April 30, 2020. Posted in Electronic Drums. 1 Comment on How to Practice Drums Without Disturbing the Neighbors

Drummers have to drum. But unless you have access to a rehearsal studio or you’re regularly gigging, it can be challenging to find ways to practice without disturbing the neighbors.

“Quiet drumming” might seem like a contradiction in terms, but there are actually several options for getting the volume down while keeping your chops up. Here are a few of them.

1. Use Practice Pads

The age-old method for quiet practice is the practice pad, which was initially developed for working on rudiments (though not necessarily beats and fills). Multi-pad kits are also available, making it possible to work on coordination and independence.

Practice pads offer a lot of advantages. They’re lightweight, easy to move and relatively inexpensive. They can be used anywhere in your home — you even take them outside and work on your flams while you work on your tan. A practice pad brings you back to the basics, forcing you to focus your concentration on a single surface. You can also easily hear a metronome while playing on a pad, which helps prevent sloppy habits and improves stick control.

A drum practice pad. — *A practice pad can help focus your attention on stick control.*

Practice pads are available with a variety of playing surfaces, ranging from rubber to real drum heads, so try various options and see what feels best to you. (Bear in mind, however, that whichever one you choose, the rebound is likely to be stronger than that of an acoustic drum.) Pads designed for tabletop use are adequate, but to maintain your playing posture, a practice pad should be placed on a stand at the same height as your snare drum.

2. Muffle Your Drums

As long as there have been drums, there have been people trying to figure out how to make them quiet! Homemade remedies have included filling drum shells with packing peanuts or moving blankets, placing towels on top of heads or cymbals, and putting sheets between the bearing edges and the heads.

These days, there are more sophisticated ways to reduce the volume of acoustic drums. For example, rubber drum and cymbal mutes can easily be placed atop your existing kit and quickly removed when it’s gig time. A downside to playing on drum mutes, however, is that sticks don’t rebound the way they would if you were playing directly on the heads, so you’ll have to work a little harder than usual — which is also a good way to build up your drumming muscles.

Mesh heads can also drastically decrease the loudness of any acoustic drum set, though a big disadvantage is that you’ll have to change back to normal heads when it comes time for a gig — unless you have the luxury of owning separate kits for practice and gigging. Mesh heads can also feel somewhat springy under normal tension and don’t play well with brushes because the wires get caught in the weave … and when tensioned high enough to feel like traditional heads, they generally don’t sound all that great. That’s where triggers like the Yamaha DT Series come in handy. Simply attach them to drums with mesh heads and connect them to an electronic module like the Yamaha EAD10 in order to practice at a low volume while hearing realistic drum sounds in your headphones.

Complementing mesh heads are the new generation of “practice cymbals” (sometimes called “low volume” or “silent” cymbals.) Essentially lightweight cymbals that have been perforated with a large number of holes, they feel and sound very much like regular cymbals, but are not nearly as loud. Since the Yamaha EAD10 has a built-in stereo mic, you’ll be able to mix in the sound of these kinds of cymbals for a realistic practice experience at a low volume. Check out this video to see how it works:

Here’s another video that shows you how to use practice cymbals along with DT Series triggers and an EAD10 to build a quiet drum set.

3. Use Electronic Drum Kits

There’s no question that an electronic drum kit keeps noise levels down, and they also provide a wide range of different sounds and features. That means you can keep reinventing your kit over and over again while sharpening your skills at the same time. (For a good example, check out this video of the Yamaha DTX6 being put through its paces.

However, keep in mind that playing on an electronic pad with a hard rubber surface can actually produce enough noise to disturb your next-door neighbors. For that reason, you should look for electronic pads with soft rubber surfaces or synthetic heads (these are also easier on your elbows than hard surface pads!). The Yamaha DTX720K electronic drum kit utilizes advanced DTX-PADs for the snare and toms. These are exceptionally quiet, but at the same time offer playability similar to that of acoustic drums.

*The Yamaha DTX720K electronic drum kit.*

4. Soundproof Your Practice Space

Soundproofing your practice space is the most effective way to play acoustic drums without disturbing your neighbors, but it’s an expensive undertaking, and few rooms (if any) end up being truly soundproof. If you can use a part of your garage or basement for practice, that’s the best way to go because they’re usually constructed from concrete, which is a very effective material for isolating sound. These kinds of spaces also have the natural advantage of no neighbors underneath — important since the thumping generated by foot pedals can easily permeate through floors and ceilings. There are commercially available sound-deadening mats and platforms that address this problem, though these kinds of products can be pricey. If you’re on a tight budget, rubber floor tiles designed for home playrooms or workout rooms can work surprisingly well. As a bonus, they usually come as locking panels, so you can custom-create a platform in pretty much exactly the size needed to accommodate your drums.

If neither a garage nor a basement is an option, fear not: There are ways to prevent sound from leaking out of any room. Start by making sure that all windows and doors are thoroughly sealed using weather stripping or caulk — but understand that sound can escape through air vents as well as holes in walls, floors or ceilings, so make sure they’re sealed too. Isolation of hollow doors can be improved by adding a layer of plywood or medium-density fiberboard (“MDF”) to each side of the door. Heavy curtains and blankets can also significantly decrease the amount of noise leaking through windows or doorways. Placing old mattresses or couch cushions against walls can also help improve isolation (even at the tough-to-control low frequencies), though you should determine whether the possible health risks of doing so outweigh the acoustic benefits. One myth to avoid: Don’t tack empty egg cartons on the walls or door. They won’t make things soundproof. In fact, they’ll do little more than make your practice room smell like a dirty grocery store.

Acoustic foam pads in a variety of colors. — *Acoustic foam.*

Bear in mind that, even if you’ve done a great job keeping sound from leaking out, the amount of sound bouncing around inside a room can be a real distraction, especially when playing a high-decibel instrument like acoustic drums. Fortunately, this can be tamed by hanging heavy drapes or moving blankets or by mounting “acoustic foam” on the wall. These kinds of treatments will also serve to slightly reduce the amount of high-frequency sound heard outside the room, though they won’t significantly improve isolation at low frequencies, such as the boom of your bass drum or floor toms.

Making your drums quiet is a challenge — but it’s not impossible. A small investment in materials and a little bit of ingenuity can help you maintain your practice routine and remain friends with your neighbors.

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Click here for more information about Yamaha drum triggers.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha EAD10 electronic drum module.

Click here for more information about Yamaha electronic drums.

Sounds of Resilience: An Interview With Dr. Barry Bittman

Written by Rich Tozzoli on April 29, 2020. Posted in Brand. 1 Comment on Sounds of Resilience: An Interview With Dr. Barry Bittman

“The solutions for our most difficult challenges often lie within us.” So says Barry Bittman, MD, Chairman and CEO of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute, a non-profit organization actively engaged in both education and research.

Dr. Barry Bittman

Dr. Bittman is an acknowledged expert in his field — a neurologist, author, international speaker, researcher and innovator who serves as a national healthcare transformation consultant. I recently had the opportunity to speak with him at length about the challenges facing us all during times like these. The information he shared was both illuminating and comforting.

RT: What are the benefits of making music during stressful times?

BB: More than two decades ago, I began what has become a remarkable journey into the relatively uncharted realm of understanding the psychobiological benefits of playing a musical instrument. Over the years, our research teams have uncovered a number of key insights and extensive evidence suggesting that expressing one’s self creatively (even without prior experience) reduces the impact of stress on many levels.

When we are stressed, there are a series of predictable biological changes that occur. If we can reverse the impact of stress by creatively expressing that which weighs upon us, we enable the healing process to begin.

This “disclosure theory” was originated years ago by the psychologist James Pennebaker. What he basically said was that the things we hold inside that we don’t express have a tendency to destroy us. If we can get those things off our chest, then we can positively transform our biology. There is a great deal of research to show that when people express themselves creatively with a musical instrument, there are positive biological benefits.

RT: Does this apply only to professional musicians, or to people who play just for fun too?

BB: We’ve performed a great deal of research on people who frankly don’t consider themselves musical at all. In fact, not being a musician was one of the conditions for the studies.

We discovered that, for individuals who don’t consider themselves musical or who aren’t trying to get to Carnegie Hall, if you give them an opportunity for creative expression musically, their biology changes in a positive manner. It became apparent that what we were really talking about was reversing or mitigating the impact on human stress, regardless of musical proficiency level.

RT: Can you get the same benefits from practicing on your own as you do from performing with others?

BB: There is an entirely different biology when you play an instrument for the sake of simply expressing what you are feeling inside versus when you are performing. You don’t have to be playing for somebody else. You can play for yourself and in doing so, you have the opportunity to inspire others. In fact, the worst reason not to play now is because you don’t have an audience. And the most important reason to play now is because you don’t have an audience.

One of my heroes is a gentleman by the name of Ray Bradbury, who was one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time. He didn’t write because he needed to make money or because he needed to publish another book. He wrote because there was no other way for him to internally make sense of everything that was happening in his life. He wrote as a form of creative expression.

As another example, take the classical composer Robert Schumann. He was what we would now call bipolar, previously referred to as manic-depressive. He didn’t compose so that he could buy a new buggy, he did so because he couldn’t survive another day without getting off his chest what he could not express otherwise. The reality is that many of the great composers composed or played for that same reason: it was their survival mechanism.

The problem today is that people, especially in competitive music, strive to play every piece perfectly. They want to play it the way Mozart did, or the way Schumann played it. But it’s absolutely impossible, because it’s inconceivable you could play it that way unless you felt precisely what they were experiencing. I sincerely doubt that even Mozart — who was truly a vessel of music — could play something twice exactly the same way.

What concerns me during times like these is that, when we are stressed and pressured, we tend to first give up the things we love most, because they don’t seem like real necessities. But if we fall back on that which has given us inner peace by allowing ourselves to express our joy, our sorrow, our frustration — if we put those things back into our lives, that’s when healing begins.

RT: How can simply playing an instrument — as opposed to composing a piece of music — be a liberating form of expression?

BB: A person playing a guitar on their couch is expressing whatever they feel. Even if you don’t know how to improvise, even if you’re playing someone else’s music, the way you play it reflects what’s within your soul, what’s in your heart and what needs to be expressed in the moment. In my younger years, I played piano seriously and then I gave it up during medical school. Yet after becoming a doctor, the very first thing I purchased when I could afford it was a piano. I would then come home at the end of a challenging day and bang away, or play gently, to enable myself to get off my chest what I didn’t even realize was inside.

Not surprisingly, I always felt better afterward. Our feelings become our biology. When we talk about blood pressure being raised, for example, it’s a complex reaction to stress — or distress — occurring at multiple levels. When our brains interpret a situation or whatever happens as stressful, a unique biological response occurs. Our experiences become woven into our memory banks — what we call our limbic system — and what follows is the turning on or off of a series switches at the DNA level, which we refer to as gene expression.

What we’ve been able to scientifically accomplish over the years is to measure that gene expression, technically in the form of messenger RNA, and look at the pathways that are associated with inducing and reversing that stress response by playing a musical instrument. Our first study focused on 47 genes that were associated with the stress axis. Later, we were able to look at the entire human genome — every single gene. We were able to measure the reversal of that stress response by actually triggering new stress-mitigating pathways. By pathway, I’m referring to a series of biological reactions in the body that can affect our immunity, and in turn, our health.

RT: What do you see as the best way of coping with the current situation?

Actually, I have a prescription. It’s one that doesn’t require a pharmacy, nor does it have any known side effects. Simply take the time to allow the creativity within you to well up in your own form of musical expression. Whether it be on 88 keys, a drum head, on any instrument of your choice — even just singing in the shower — devote a portion of your day to enabling the sounds of resilience within you to emerge. Just allow your mind to float and generate the music that extends from your instrument in a very personal way. That’s where true healing begins.

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Music Is Life: Michael McDonald, Bob James and Jon McLaughlin

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on April 28, 2020. Posted in Artists.

Music is life. It’s something that we’re born with. Your heart is a musical instrument. It beats at a tempo and a rhythm that keeps you alive. Check out these videos as three master pianists talk about the impact music has had on their lives.

Michael McDonald

“I believe that making waves is something that every single human being does, in ways they maybe don’t even imagine,” says superstar singer/pianist Michael McDonald. “The simple act of love and kindness ripples out, and music is just another form of that. Music and art are what truly make us human.”

Bob James

“You don’t have to use any words to have an emotional experience with music,” observes jazz pianist and arranger Bob James. “I can go to any country in the world and if I go to a piano and play notes, I can speak to [my audience] in this unique way with sound: it’s its own language.”

Jon McLaughlin

“Music helps me be empathetic,” pianist/songwriter Jon McLaughlin says. “It helps me understand someone else, understand myself, and feel connected. With everything I do, I want to be creating a positive wave.”

Looking for more inspiration? Check out this video:

Functional Harmony, Part 1

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on April 27, 2020. Posted in Keyboard How-to.

In a recent posting, I described how a Dominant seventh chord has an inherent tension that wants to be released by resolving into a triad a fourth above / fifth below (i.e., G7 wants to resolve to C). This comes from a scale having a Dominant seventh chord on its fifth step (i.e., G7 if we’re talking about the scale of C) that wants to resolve back to the key center of the scale, the I chord (in this case, C).

This kind of “functional harmony” can be used to add more chords to a chord progression. Such added chords are often called passing chords because they help to create logical movement between two chords that seems to set up our ears to anticipate the next chord that follows.

Setting Up Other Scale Tone Chords

Let’s look at how we can use the Dominant seventh chord to set up various scale tone chords. In this example, they are built on the C Major scale (i.e., the key of C):

Let’s say you want to go from a C Major chord to an A minor chord. If you count up a perfect fifth from A (that is, seven half steps higher), you come to E. And E is the fifth step of an A Major or A minor scale, so an E Dominant seventh chord (E7) can be used as a passing chord to set up the A minor.

Note: In this, and the following two audio examples, the chords are played twice; the second time around, I add left-hand bass notes to help reinforce the sound.

In the analysis below the notes in the above example, I am calling the E7 chord a V7 of the vi chord. In traditional music theory this is called a secondary dominant chord. Basically, it means that the chord does not come from the current key center, so it has some notes from outside the key signature, but it works well to set up the following chord.

Let’s do the same thing to move from C to F:

Here we only have to change the C Major triad to a C Dominant seventh to get the “pull” that wants to resolve to the F.

One more example, this time getting a C major triad to connect to an E minor:

Now let’s take a very common four-chord progression and show how you can use these passing chords for some additional color:

Finally, here’s an example that uses Dominant seventh chords to set up each scale tone triad, with a little melodic figure to make it more interesting:

Note that I chose to skip the seventh step scale tone chord and just finish the example with the V7 (G7) resolving back to the I (C).

Changing the Bass Note

To get some variety in these progressions, you can use notes other than the root tone in the left hand (bass) for the passing chords:

Alternate Bass Notes for the passing chords.

Let’s Get Fancy

Let’s finish up with something a bit tricky that comes from deeper jazz harmony, but is related to this Dominant seventh resolution concept. The idea is that Dominant seventh chords that are a tritone (six half steps higher) apart from each other can be used interchangeably. You can think of this tritone interval as raising the fourth step of the scale, or lowering the fifth:

Both chords share some important common tones, like their third and sevenths, which are the tension notes that want to resolve.

Let’s look at how this works when going from the I chord to the IV chord:

In the above example, the E (the third) and B♭ (the seventh) of the C7 chord are the notes that want to resolve to the F and A of the F major chord. When we change the chord to an F#7, the same tension notes are present (E is now the seventh, and A# — which is the same as a B♭ — is the third), and while they usually would want to resolve into the B and D# of a B major chord, they sound equally good resolving into the F chord. In the third variation above, I modified the F#7 chord to have a lowered fifth, which keeps a C note constant in all three chords, which is the root of the key. This sounds really good, and is a common treatment used in R&B, gospel and jazz music.

Click here to read Part 2.

All audio played on a Yamaha P-515.

Check out our other Well-Rounded Keyboardist postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

Bolt-On vs. Neck-Through Basses

Written by Michael Gelfand on April 24, 2020. Posted in Bass. 3 Comments on Bolt-On vs. Neck-Through Basses

To a non-musician, all basses are essentially the same. Just slap a body, neck, pickups, bridge, tuners, strings and some shiny, twiddly doo-dads together and you’ve got a bass, right?

Wrong. That’s like suggesting all cars are just hunks of metal with wheels, brakes, gas pedals and seats — they all do the same thing, so what’s the big deal?

To me, the factors that distinguish one bass from another are endlessly fascinating. Some details are obvious, easily measurable and dramatically affect how a bass sounds, feels and looks. Other design choices, however, are less visible and more finely nuanced, imparting subtle characteristics that are more challenging to measure and attribute. The line between subjective preferences and clear-cut performance features can get a bit blurry.

Consider, for example, basses with bolt-on necks versus those with neck-through designs. Some players say the difference between the two are night and day, while others would argue that other design decisions — tonewoods, scale length, pickup type and position —have a much greater overall impact.

Personally, I don’t think one design is inherently better or worse than the other. I own lots of basses, with a roughly 70/30 split between bolt-on and neck-through designs, and I love them all uniquely, if not equally. That said, understanding the differences between the two can help shine some new light on what it is about a bass’ design and construction that resonates with you.

What Is a Bolt-On Design?

As the name suggests, these basses have necks that are attached to the body via bolts or screws. The design tolerances of that neck-to-body connection are critical, though. The stronger the connection, and the tighter the gaps where the neck and body touch, the less the neck will move around, which translates into more stability and better transference of string vibrations into body resonance. Most Yamaha basses utilize a bolt-on design, with the BB Pro Series BBP34 and Attitude Limited 3 Billy Sheehan signature models featuring a six-screw mitre neck joint for extraordinary stability that withstands extreme duress. (Billy talks more about the importance of the Attitude Limited 3 neck joint in our blog posting “Exploring the Yamaha Signature Basses.”)

Yamaha BBP34

Yamaha Attitude Limited 3

What Is a Neck-Through Design?

Instead of being bolted on, this type of design (as featured in the Yamaha BBNE2 Nathan East signature bass) marries the neck and body into a single uninterrupted piece. In most cases, the neck runs all the way “through” the body, end-to-end, with wings attached on either side to flesh out the rest of the bass’ shape. Unlike bolt-on necks, which can be removed if necessary, neck-through basses are permanently interconnected for maximum stability.

Bass with white finish and neck-through design. — *Yamaha BBNE2.*

Benefits of the Bolt-On Design

It’s subjective, of course, but many players say that basses with bolt-on necks have a punchier, brighter and more pronounced attack than neck-through instruments. This could be due to the nature of how the neck interacts with — rather than interconnects with — the body, but I think it’s also affected by the types of tonewoods used in the bass’ body and neck. (Read more about bass tonewoods here.)

For example, a bass with a maple neck and fingerboard bolted onto a solid ash body will likely have a very different sound than an instrument with a maple/mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard bolted onto a composite alder/maple body. One isn’t necessarily better or worse than the other, but they are surely different due to the tonal qualities of the woods being used. When you start considering all the possible combinations of bass tonewoods, it’s hard to know how much the bolt-on design starts to influence that equation.

That said, basses with bolt-on necks are almost always less complicated to build than those with neck-through designs, giving you more options to choose from. Another big plus is that if your bass’ neck ever suffers irreversible damage, bolt-on necks are easy to replace. (Mind you, most accidents are preventable! Here are some tips and tricks for the bass road dog.)

Benefits of Neck-Through Design

Basses with neck-through designs integrate the neck directly with the body to eliminate movement and maximize stability, which in turn should increase sustain — at least in theory. A couple of my neck-through basses are notable for their sustain, though it’s hard for me to definitively state whether this is due to their design or other factors such as the wood choices.

One inarguable benefit to neck-through basses, however, is that their neck “heel” — where the back of the neck meets up with the body — is more contoured, making for a more seamless feel and comfortable access to the upper register, especially when you’re at the end of the fretboard and need to move quickly around on the fatter strings. The aforementioned BBNE2 Nathan East signature bass, for example, provides effortless access up and down its 24-fret neck for sublime playing comfort.

And the Winner Is … You

There are arguments for and against every design, but to me a bass’ greatness isn’t measured by the sum of its parts, it’s measured by the experience of playing it with an open mind and your eyes closed. You can know everything there is to know about an instrument’s construction, but at the end of the day, all of that information between your ears takes a back seat to the indescribable feeling that comes when you finally pick up and plug in the bass that speaks to your soul. Bolt-on? Neck-through? They’re both great. As Stephen Stills once said, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

Check out Michael’s other blog posts.

Click here for more information about Yamaha basses.

Person holding switch controller near tv screen.

How to Connect Nintendo Switch™ to Your TV, Sound Bar or AV Receiver

Written by Ted Goslin on April 23, 2020. Posted in Gaming. 4 Comments on How to Connect Nintendo Switch™ to Your TV, Sound Bar or AV Receiver

Ask anyone on the street and they’ve likely heard of Nintendo^®. Whether it be for classic titles like Super Mario Bros.^® or one of its many consoles — such as the Nintendo Entertainment System^® (NES^®), Super NES^®, N64™ or Nintendo Wii^® — Nintendo has become a household name since its first console launched in the U.S. in 1985.

To set itself apart from rival products like Microsoft Xbox™ and Sony™ PlayStation^®, Nintendo released Nintendo Switch in 2017. This is a console with incredible versatility that allows gamers to use its interchangeable pieces to play with or without a TV and take games on the go.

Since its launch, Nintendo Switch has sold hundreds of millions of consoles worldwide. Its popularity has given rise to a steady stream of new and rereleased games of cinematic quality that practically demand players connect the console to external devices to fully enjoy the content. Wondering how to do that? Here’s how to set up your Switch with a TV, sound bar or AV receiver.

TV Setup

Nintendo Switch console in the box. — *Nintendo Switch in the box.*

If you’re new to Nintendo Switch, setup with a TV is quick and easy. Simply unbox your Switch, piece together your console, dock and Joy-con controllers, then find a place for your Nintendo Switch dock to sit near your TV. This can be a cabinet under the TV that houses your home entertainment products, for example.

Next, you’ll need to plug in the power supply, then take the HDMI^® cable that comes with the Switch and connect that directly into an HDMI input on your TV. Depending on which HDMI source you’re using, you may need to use your TV’s remote control to change to that input in order to start playing the Switch. Then all you have to do is follow the on-screen setup instructions to start playing.

*Nintendo Switch TV connection instructions, post-connection.*

Listening over TV speakers provides stereo audio but one of the best features of the Switch is that it can be used with any device that provides full 5.1-channel surround sound — more about this shortly.

The Switch works with any standard video format, including standard definition, 1080p HD and 4K UHD (click here to find out about the differences between them) but it outputs video at a maximum of 1080p. There are ways to upscale your video output to 4K, which we’ll be explaining a little later in this article.

Sound Bar Setup

To take your audio to the next level, consider adding a sound bar, which provides a boost of more speakers with extra range, along with features that can improve the audio performance of your favorite games. Sound bars can also provide surround sound capabilities with technologies like DTS Virtual:X™ virtual 3D surround sound, which simulates the sense of audio coming from all around and above you. The Yamaha YAS-109 sound bar offers this option, and comes with HDMI inputs, built-in subwoofers for deeper bass, and Clear Voice technology for enhanced dialogue clarity.

Setting up your sound bar is just as simple as connecting your TV to the Switch — just plug the HDMI cable supplied with the Switch into the sound bar’s HDMI IN jack, then take a second HDMI cable (which you can purchase online or at most electronics stores) to connect the sound bar’s HDMI Out jack to your TV’s HDMI input.

*Yamaha YAS-109 sound bar HDMI input and output.*

AV Receiver Setup

An AV receiver (AVR) can also be connected to the Nintendo Switch and your TV. If you’re unfamiliar with what an AV receiver is and what it does, think of it as an all-in-one hub for your home entertainment system that not only routes signal to and from various audio and video components but can also enhance the look and sound of the content you’re viewing or listening to.

One unit that matches well with the Switch is the Yamaha RX-V385 AV receiver, which offers 5.1-channel surround sound and four HDMI inputs for multiple game consoles, streaming devices or Blu-ray players, plus MusicCast Surround, which lets you use Yamaha MusicCast 20 or MusicCast 50 wireless speakers as wireless rears. Another benefit of using the RX-V385 is upscaling, which takes video content below 4K and converts it to 4K quality if you are playing or watching on a 4K TV.

To play the Switch using an AVR, connect your TV and Nintendo Switch console to the AV receiver the same way you would to a sound bar, using the HDMI input to connect the Switch and the HDMI Out to connect the TV.

Yamaha RX-V485 HDMI inputs and output. — *Yamaha RX-V385 HDMI inputs and output.*

Because most AVRs provide multiple HDMI inputs (something that most sound bars do not offer), there will likely be several source options for you to choose from, so you’ll need to press the Input button on your AVR’s remote control to cycle through the various inputs.

Once you’ve connected your Switch to your TV, sound bar or AV receiver, you can get to work beating your new game!

Check out these articles for more about audio for gaming:

Three Reasons to Upgrade Your Sound System for Modern Gaming

Gaming in Dolby Atmos^®: An Interview with Josh Osiris

Home Theater Gaming with Google Stadia™

Electric String Ensemble Checklist

Written by Ken Dattmore on April 22, 2020. Posted in Strings.

Electric string ensembles in school music programs are not the far-fetched idea they once were.

Hundreds of high school and middle school programs have added electric quartets, quintets and more to their existing orchestra programs. In this article, we’ll take a look at the things you’ll need to get started.

Gear

Instruments will be your largest investment in this endeavor, but it’s okay to start small. A basic quartet of two violins plus viola and cello will give you a full performing ensemble. The crucial thing to keep in mind is ergonomics. Students should not have to deal with instruments that are heavy, oddly shaped or have poor components. As students move from acoustic instruments to electric, the transition should be seamless — they should not have to make adjustments at the expense of sound quality or ease of playing.

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Sound System

Most schools will already have a basic Public Address (PA) system in their cafeteria, gym or auditorium. In a situation where such a system is not available, small amplifiers can be used instead so that the students can hear each other. Ultimately, you will need a PA with a mixer that can blend the individual instruments into a unified stereo or mono output.

In situations where it is difficult for students to hear themselves onstage, in-ear monitors (available from a variety of manufacturers) can be connected to the mixer and worn by the performers.

You’ll also need a number of cables in lengths of 8 to 12 feet to connect the instruments to the sound system. A variety of colors works best so students know which cable is theirs. In addition, color-coding the inputs to the PA helps speed up setup time during rehearsal and live performance.

Batteries are required for instruments that have internal amplifiers (i.e., those with active electronics), while those with passive electronics do not require batteries. If your ensemble is using instruments with active electronics, be sure to have a good supply of batteries on hand.

Effects pedals are not necessary, but at some point your students will probably want to use them. After all, one of the attractions of electric strings is that their sound can be processed to emulate that of electric guitars and keyboards! Start with a basic pedal with a few effects. Your students will catch on fast on how to use them.

Sheet Music

Now that you have your gear, the question is what to play? Likely it won’t be traditional acoustic repertoire. Students will want to play the music they relate to and listen to on their own time — modern songs. More and more, publishers are providing charts for these songs arranged for string ensembles. (You can find a wide selection of sheet music here.) If what you are looking for is not commercially available, you or your students can write their own transcriptions, which becomes another valuable learning experience.

Performers

Your final component are the performers. An electric ensemble is an exciting addition to a program and there will be no shortage of students who want to be part of it. More advanced players will sound great immediately, and less experienced players will find inspiration to stay in a program and get better. The performers who have the most fun are the ones that will do best!

Click here for more information about Yamaha electric strings.

Alan Silvestri

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on April 22, 2020. Posted in Artists, Pro Audio Artists. 1 Comment on Alan Silvestri

Alan Silvestri is the composer of some of the most memorable film soundtracks of the last three decades, from Romancing the Stone and Back to the Future to his recent work on the 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame — the highest-grossing movie of all time.

In these two videos, filmed at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, Silvestri describes his scoring workflow in detail, starting with loading the film into Steinberg Cubase and composing the music to play in time with the picture. From there, he adds different instrument parts to create a basic arrangement, and then exports the timeline to Steinberg Dorico to complete the final scoring. “It’s always about getting the technology out of the process,” he explains. “I’ve just found a kind of resonance with Cubase and Dorico — they just feel so comfortable and forward-thinking, and made for what I’m trying to do.”

Check out these related articles.

Click here to read an in-depth interview with Alan Silvestri.

Click here to learn more about Steinberg Cubase.

Click here to learn more about Steinberg Dorico.

The Modern Drum Set, Part 5: Cymbals and Hardware

Written by Steve La Cerra on April 21, 2020. Posted in Stage Drums, Studio Drums.

In previous installments of this series of blog postings about The Modern Drum Set, we discussed the snare drum, bass drum, toms and foot pedals. In this, our last installment, we take a look at the metal of the drum set: cymbals and hardware.

It’s Ancient History

Cymbals are some of the oldest known percussion instruments, dating back to the Bronze Age (around 3000 to 4000 B.C.) and originating in Central Asia. They made their way to Europe in the Middle Ages, and in the late 1700s, were used in orchestral works. All these years later, a cymbal is still essentially the same thing: a bronze or brass disc with a hole in the center.

Small cymbals, 10 to 12 inches in diameter, became a part of the drum set during the early 1900s; known as “sock” cymbals (the predecessor to the hi-hat), they were used mostly for special effects — often, songs ended with the drummer delivering a sharp smack on one. In the mid-1940s, bebop drummer Kenny Clarke switched his cross-rhythms from the hi-hat to a larger cymbal that we now call the “ride” cymbal. By the early 1950s, cymbals were available in diameters up to 26 inches, with thicknesses ranging from paper-thin to heavy. At the same time, hi-hat cymbals grew to diameters of 13 to 15 inches.

When rock music emerged in the mid-1960s, rock drummers initially used the same cymbals that were produced for jazz, even though those cymbals weren’t intended for this new style of hard playing. Manufacturers responded with cymbals that were louder, heavier and larger than their predecessors, and the assortment of cymbals available today is mind-boggling.

The three main types of cymbals are ride, crash and hi-hat. Ride cymbals range in diameter from 18 to 24 inches, while crash cymbal sizes run from 14 to 22 inches. Hi-hats vary in size from 12 to 16 inches, with 13 and 14 inches being the most popular. There are also a wide range of “special effect” splash, China, trash and stacked cymbals.

In general, larger diameter cymbals produce a lower pitch, more sustain and louder volume, but pitch and volume are also affected by weight and thickness — thicker and heavier cymbals produce more volume and have a higher pitch. Thinner cymbals respond faster, decay more quickly and tend to have a lower pitch.

The one thing they all have in common is that they need hardware for support.

My Arms Are Tired

When the drum set was developing in the early 1900s, cymbals were usually supported by L-shaped arms attached to the bass drum, but there were problems with this type of mounting system. For instance, the range of height and adjustment angles were limited, plus there were only so many cymbals that a bass drum could support.

Cymbal stands started to appear in the 1920s, and initially, they were lightweight devices, adequate for casual playing. But as jazz and swing became popular and drummers played harder and louder, it became apparent that these stands weren’t up to the task. Manufacturers began building heavier bases and adding support struts — though even that couldn’t prepare them for the beating that Who drummer Keith Moon would unleash on his drum sets in the mid-to-late 1960s.

Brace Yourself

Modern drum hardware comes in a wide variety of weights and configurations appropriate for any style of playing. Single-braced legs used in Yamaha HW-3 Crosstown, HW-680 and HW-780 hardware are durable, lightweight and provide stable support for all sizes and weights of cymbals and snare drums — plus they’re easy to transport at the end of a long gig!

Compact Channel legs for HW-3 hardware. — *Yamaha HW-3 hardware features Compact Channel legs for durability and reduced weight.*

If you’re an aggressive player, or if your taste leans toward large and heavy cymbals, you may need the extra support of double-braced legs like those found on Yamaha HW-680W or HW-880 Series stands.

Heavy-duty, double-braced legs on Yamaha HW680. — *Yamaha HW-680 stands feature heavy-duty, double-braced legs.*

Cymbal Stands

Cymbal stands come in two basic types: straight and boom. Smaller setups can usually accommodate straight stands, but as you add more drums and cymbals, boom stands become useful because they can reach locations that a straight stand can’t. Some cymbal stands are convertible and can be configured as either boom or straight stands. For example, the boom on Yamaha CS-665A and CS-655A cymbal stands can be telescoped into the top tube, turning them into straight stands and making them easier to pack. If you need a weighted boom for supporting heavy cymbals, the Yamaha CS-BW can be integrated with Yamaha CS-755, CS-865 and CS-965 stands. The CS-755 even has a retracting hideaway boom arm — a feature first developed by Yamaha.

Features to look for when choosing a cymbal stand include non-slip rubber feet, a plastic cymbal seat that reduces noise by preventing metal-on-metal contact and plastic plugs in the vertical tubes to prevent rattling. In addition, an infinite adjustment tilter like the one found on the Yamaha CS-850, CS-865 and CS-965 models allow virtually any angle, so you can place your cymbals exactly where you want them.

Infinite adjustment tilter on cymbal stand. — *Yamaha infinite adjustment tilter.*

Flexibility is also important. For example, an attachment clamp such as the Yamaha CSAT-924AW can be used to add a Yamaha CH-755 cymbal holder to any existing stand, while the Yamaha CSAT-940W allows a pair of closed hi-hat cymbals to be added.

Tom Stands

As we discussed in Part 2 of this series, toms can be mounted using a bracket on the bass drum. Many drummers, however, prefer to get their toms off the bass drum for versatile positioning and to ensure that the bass drum has maximum resonance. One way to do that is by using a tom stand. Yamaha offers a variety of single and double tom models. The WS-860A features double-braced legs for stability and a ball clamp system that rotates 360 degrees, so you can easily position two toms (or one tom and an additional snare drum) wherever you like.

Toms, as well as cymbals, can also be supported using a rack. Drum racks have been around almost as long as the modern drum set; initially they were used for holding cymbals and cowbells. They lost popularity in the mid-1900s, but came back in a big way (figuratively and literally) during the mid-1980s when a drummer’s kit was almost as big as their hair!

A basic rack consists of two legs and a horizontal pipe — a configuration that easily supports two toms and two cymbals while taking up less space than individual stands, and getting rid of the clutter and extra weight. The Yamaha Hexrack II is an example of a modular rack system that can be expanded if necessary by adding pipes and legs. The Hexrack II employs a unique cross-section that prevents twisting or slipping and utilizes the same pipe diameter for both tom and cymbal holders, so a Yamaha HXTCII Tom/Cymbal Clamp can accept either one, as well as a tension- and angle-adjustable Yamaha CHH-930 closed hi-hat holder.

Cross-section of the Yamaha Hexrack. — *Yamaha Hexrack II cross-section.*

Creating a rack requires a bit of planning, but once you’ve designed it, your setup will be repeatable and easier to build than if you used individual stands. (Check out this video to explore the limitless possibilities the Hexrack II has to offer!)

The Yamaha Hexrack II mounting system. — *The Yamaha Hexrack II is a sturdy and versatile mounting system.*

Snare Stands

The snare drum is probably the drum you play most, so keeping it stable and secure is a must.
Features to look for in a snare stand include a compact yet sturdy base, non-slip feet and a basket that securely clamps snare drums of different diameters. It’s also important to make sure the stand can position deep drums low enough, so the top head is at a comfortable playing height. The Yamaha SS-950 snare drum stand has a basket design that enables it to sit two inches lower than previous models, so you won’t have any trouble with an 8-inch deep snare drum. The SS-950 also has double-braced legs and a centered ball-and-socket tilter that stays put under heavy playing and allows wide ranges of adjustment.

Rubber feet on the Yamaha SS-950 snare drum stand. — *The rubber feet on the Yamaha SS-950 snare drum stand have adjustable spikes to prevent movement.*

Best Seat in the House

The drum “throne” (the seat you sit upon, as is befitting a king) is a very important component in your drum set for one simple reason: If you’re not comfortable, you won’t have any fun playing. Thrones come in three basic varieties: round, bicycle-style and bench seats. Picking the right one is a very personal decision, so try all of them to see which one is right for you!

Regardless of which style you choose, make sure there’s plenty of padding for comfort during long gigs. Seat height is usually adjusted via a smooth or threaded rod like the one used on the Yamaha DS-840 round throne. A wide base prevents the seat from rocking back and forth, and a memory clamp allows for repeatability, while also serving as a safety feature.

Small, round drum throne with threaded post for height adjustment. — *The Yamaha DS-840 drum throne uses a threaded post for height adjustment.*

Drum hardware is what makes a drum set uniquely yours. If chosen carefully, it will support your drums and cymbals safely for many years to come.

Check out the other installments in this series:

Click here for Part 1: The snare drum.

Click here for Part 2: The bass drum.

Click here for Part 3: Toms.

Click here for Part 4: Foot pedals.

Click here for more information about Yamaha acoustic drum sets.

Sun shining in beautiful blue sky with light clouds.

A Musical Message of Healing

Written by Rich Tozzoli on April 20, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” —
Pablo Picasso

For me, this simple but profound statement has never rung more true than it does today.

But how could I apply this sage advice to my own work? At first I wasn’t quite sure. I talked it over with my longtime co-composer and close friend Hernan Romero. He and I are both guitarists, and this common bond has brought us together for many years and gotten us through both good times and bad. “Music is a vibration and that vibration is a physical reaction that the notes create in your body,” Romero has told me, revealing the depths of his feelings. “When I hold and play a guitar, it is right next to my heart and it literally resonates inside of me.”

After some discussion, he and I came to the realization that, just as music is what unites the two of us, so too does music unite us all, as the recent scenes of people in Italy singing and playing to one another clearly shows. That lead us to the decision to create a series of pieces — a musical dialog between two guitars — to help others, as well as ourselves, heal in a time of need.

Creating Our First Musical Message

We came up with a plan to work independently in our respective home studios, and began by using the voice memo function on our phones to sketch out the framework of the first piece. From there, we further discussed the idea and rehearsed it using our phone’s video conferencing capabilities. This allowed us to understand what each of us was going to play, and we made sure to leave a lot of musical space for one another. By doing so we were making a conscious decision to let the chords and production “breathe” in order to create more of an open, calming sound.

Once the initial idea was agreed upon, we decided that I would record the first pass and have Romero perform the “answering” overdub. I decided to use my Yamaha FG-TA TransAcoustic guitar not only because it was comfortable and familiar to me, but also because I felt the built-in reverb and chorus effects bought additional depth and dimension that enhanced the overall spacious feel of the piece. I positioned a high-quality omnidirectional mic near the sound hole and connected the guitar’s direct output (coming from its piezo pickup) into a tube preamp, which gave me two tracks to play with. The track was recorded without a click; I decided to instead rely only on the instinctive flow of time to guide me.

Once that was done, I sent the file to Romero so he could get to work. He had also decided to use a Yamaha TransAcoustic guitar for the track — a nylon-string CG-TA model. Using just a touch of the built-in reverb for additional sonic depth, he captured his performance using the same type of omni microphone that I had used, and then sent me the file for final mixing.

All that was required was some balancing, a slight touch of EQ and a little extra reverb, and the track was ready to go. We then added some simple graphics (including a brief glimpse of my home studio) and uploaded the song — which we call “Towards the Sun” — to YouTube. Here it is:

Ever since posting this video, we’ve been touched by the deep, heartfelt reactions of those who have viewed it. The entire experience reaffirmed our belief that music truly helps heal and that the guitar in particular is a voice that speaks without words. We’re planning on continuing the series, and intend to release more musical messages of healing on Romero’s YouTube channel in the near future. Hope you can join us there!

Check out Rich’s other postings.

What Does the Phase Button Do?

Written by Steve La Cerra on April 17, 2020. Posted in Live Sound. 1 Comment on What Does the Phase Button Do?

One of the most misunderstood of all the channel input controls on a mixing console is a button called “phase reverse,” often labeled with the symbol Ø. In this installment of Tools of the Trade, we’ll take a close look at what it does, and how it should be used.

It’s Just a Phase You’re Going Through

Audio waveforms repeat in a cycle of 360 degrees. The word “phase” refers to the position of the wave in that cycle:

Graph of an audio waveform — *An audio waveform has a cycle of 360 degrees.*

When you’re listening to one audio waveform, it’s very difficult to hear changes in phase. However, phase differences between two similar waveforms can have a major impact on the way certain instruments sound in your mix.

Phase problems can occur in many ways. A common example is what happens when you place microphones on both the top and bottom of a snare drum, because those microphones will likely be pointing in different directions:

As a result, the waveforms produced by the mics are almost like mirror images — in other words, they are out of phase with one another: When the top snare wave (blue in the illustration below) moves in a positive direction, the bottom snare wave (red) moves in a negative direction:

Diagram of out of phase waveforms from top and bottom snare microphones. — *Out of phase waveforms.*

If you listen only to the top snare microphone, it will sound fine, but when you add the bottom snare microphone to your mix, the low-mids of the snare drum may disappear. This problem (which is more audible at low and low-mid frequencies) is called phase cancellation. In severe cases, phase cancellation can even cause the level of an instrument to decrease drastically when the two channels are mixed together.

Here’s where the phase reverse switch comes to the rescue. You’ll find phase reverse on input channels of all Yamaha TF Series digital mixers. Pressing the phase button on a channel reverses the polarity of the signal from plus to minus, and vice versa:

*Yamaha TF Series mixer input channel phase reverse button.*

If you reverse the polarity on one of the snare drum mics (not both of them!), the two waveforms will rise and fall at the same time. The proper phase relationship between the two signals is restored, so that when you add the mics together you don’t lose the low-mids:

Diagram of the phase wavelength of snare channel reversed. — *The phase of the snare bottom channel has been reversed.*

Notice that there’s still a slight difference in timing between the two signals, as phase is related to time. A phase reverse switch cannot correct this — it can only reverse the polarity of the signal.

Don’t Be Phased

Another common cause of phase cancellation is the use of multiple microphones at different distances capturing the same source. For example, if you have a close mic on a hi-hat and the drum overhead mic also picks up the hi-hat, those signals may be out of phase. Fortunately, the distance between the overhead mic and the hi-hat usually means that the hi-hat won’t be as loud in the overhead mic, and that often solves the problem. Or try the phase reverse control!

A mis-wired cable can also be a source of phase cancellation. As discussed in our Interconnections 101 blog post, a balanced cable has a positive (+) wire and a negative (-) wire. If these wires are mistakenly swapped at one connector, signal passing through that cable is polarity-reversed.

Another very common cause of phase cancellation can occur when you use both a mic and a DI (Direct Inject) box for the same source, as is commonly done for electric bass, due to the difference in timing between the two signals. The signal from a bass (or other electronic instrument) through a DI to the input of a mixer is purely electrical and travels almost instantaneously. The signal going through the bass amp is relatively slow compared to the DI because it travels from the speaker through the air to the microphone. For most of us, this is plenty fast, but if you compare the waveforms from the DI and microphone you’ll see that the microphone lags behind a little bit:

Diagram showing the DI signal slightly ahead of the mic signal. — *The DI signal is slightly ahead of the mic signal.*

This phase cancellation is clearly audible: The bottom end of the bass gets weaker when you add the channels together. Reversing (that is, inverting) the polarity of one channel often (but not always) solves the problem. In situations where the phase reverse isn’t helpful, try moving the microphone closer to (or further away from) the amp. If you’re having trouble hearing whether or not the phase needs to be reversed, mute all of the instruments in the mix except for the bass mic and bass DI. Watch the left/right meters while switching the phase on one channel. When you see the level increase, the phase is correct.

Phase Reverse and Monitors

Phase reverse also comes in handy when dealing with stage monitors and feedback. Raising the volume of an acoustic guitar in a wedge monitor can sometimes cause feedback. This can be due to a resonance from the guitar body or possible interaction between the guitar, the monitor and the room. The typical solution is to use equalization to cut the frequency that’s ringing (see our How To Fight Feedback blog post for more information), but the problem is that EQ also changes the sound of the guitar. Reversing the phase on the guitar microphone can sometimes cure the problem without changing the tone of the instrument.

Similarly, reversing the phase a of a vocal microphone can sometimes reduce feedback between a vocal microphone and a monitor.

Phase-Out

Phase reverse on a mixer output such as an aux send can be helpful when setting up a system with a subwoofer that’s being fed from an aux send. Sometimes the phase of a subwoofer needs to be reversed relative to the main left and right speakers. If your mixer has phase reverse on the outputs or aux sends (as is the case some Yamaha mixers), you can flip the subwoofer’s phase while listening to the system from the mix position instead of having to use a switch on the sub’s rear panel. See our To Woof or Not to Woof blog post for more info.

As you can see, phase reverse is a valuable tool that can help you with a variety of audio problems. It only takes a few seconds to try, and the results can be ear-opening!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out our other Tools of the Trade postings.

American football fans excited at a game.

Top 10 Sports Movies with Great Audio

Written by Joy Frye on April 16, 2020. Posted in TV & Movies.

Live sports provide a great escape. Sports movies take you behind the scenes by exploring the humanity behind the heroes and putting you right in the driver’s seat, the huddle or the batter’s box. And if they’re movies with great sound, the experience is enhanced further still.

Here are our picks for 10 unforgettable sports movies that bring the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat right to your home theater.

Rudy

The original underdog, Rudy is a “five foot nothing, 100 and nothing” football player whose only dream is to play for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. It may not have been critically acclaimed, but this movie about how Rudy overcomes impossible odds through hard work and sheer determination is an enduring fan favorite. Don’t be embarrassed; everyone cries at the jersey scene. Available on YouTube™, Amazon Prime, Google Play™, Apple TV+^® and Vudu^®.

Rocky

There are underdogs, and then there are underdogs. A relatively unknown actor at the time, Sylvester Stallone wrote the Oscar^®-nominated script and fought to star in this story of a small-time boxer who is given the chance of a lifetime to fight the heavyweight champion of the world. This Best Director and Best Picture winner inspired many a run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art! Number 2 on the American Film Institute (AFI)’s list of Top 10 Sports Films and available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu. (Continue the story with Creed and Creed 2 on your favorite streaming services.)

Glory Road

This dramatization of Texas Western’s (now University of Texas at El Paso) legendary win over University of Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA^® National Men’s Basketball Championship eloquently captures that moment when the game transcends the sport. TW’s coach Don Haskins boldly started an all-African American lineup and beat Adolph Rupp’s Kentucky dynasty, changing college basketball forever. Available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

Ford v Ferrari

Here’s a movie with award-winning sound to rev the heart of every surround sound lover. In a classic David versus Goliath showdown, American car designer Carroll Shelby and British driver Ken Miles team up for Ford Motors to take on perennial Italian powerhouse Ferrari in the 1966 Le Mans sports car race. This 2020 Oscar winner for Best Sound Editing will give your speakers a workout! Available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Vudu.

Hoosiers

Based on a true story, this classic about a small-town high school basketball team in Indiana (where basketball is king) earned Dennis Hopper both Academy Award^® and Golden Globe^® nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of an alcoholic assistant coach given a last-minute shot at redemption. Gene Hackman is the head coach trying to overcome his own controversial past and lead the team to the state title. Number 4 on the AFI’s Top 10 Sports Films and available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

Bull Durham

Writer, director and former minor league baseball player Ron Shelton’s tribute to baseball is a gritty, but often funny, portrayal of life in the minor leagues. Kevin Costner is Crash Davis, an aging catcher asked to school the latest rookie pitching sensation in a kind of A Star Is Born of sports. Amateur philosopher and unofficial team coach Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) sprinkles pearls of wisdom throughout and helps show that baseball is, indeed, life. Number 5 on the AFI’s Top 10 Sports Films and available on Tubi, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

The Replacements

Sometimes you have to ignore the critics and listen to your inner fan. The Replacements is just plain fun to watch. With its catchy soundtrack and hard-hitting football action, the story of a ragtag gang of washed-up football misfits given one last chance at glory as replacement players during an NFL™ strike is an entertaining ride. It’s also eminently quotable: “Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever.” Available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

Caddyshack

OK, this may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking sports movie, but this film’s roster of comedy pros is definitely championship-level. Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and Ted Knight bring their A-game to the hilarious antics of Bushwood Country Club’s golfing members and caddies. Number 7 on the AFI’s Top 10 Sports Films and available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

A League of Their Own

This story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League^® formed during World War II (when male professional players were off fighting the war) stands out as one of relatively few women’s sports movies. Tom Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan, an alcoholic ex-player asked to coach the hastily assembled team that includes two sisters — one beautiful and talented, the other doomed to live in her big sister’s shadow. After reprimanding one of his players, Hanks delivers the memorable line, “There’s no crying in baseball.” Available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Vudu.

Moneyball

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt) and Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), this movie is based on the true story of how the Oakland Athletics™ baseball team’s general manager Billy Beane ignored traditional scouting methods and picked players almost entirely by their On-Base Percentage (OBP). Change is never easy, especially in a sport as deeply steeped in tradition as baseball, but Beane’s strategy is eventually shown to be a winner. Available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV+ and Vudu.

And we’re only scratching the surface! Honorable mentions include Field of Dreams, Seabiscuit and Miracle, all available on major streaming services.

While the quality of the audio may vary by film (or the quality of the streaming service), with the right tweaks and gear, you can be immersed in the action — whether via Yamaha Clear Voice technology in a sound bar to enhance the dialogue, or via a full discrete 5.1-ch. surround sound setup to hear the action all around you.

Looking for more content to enjoy at home? Check out our blog article Stream These 2020 Oscar Nominees in the Comfort of Your Home.

Related articles about home theater:

Home Theater Basics

Home Theater In Small Spaces

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 1: Starter System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 2: Intermediate System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 3: Advanced System

Home Theater on a Budget, Part 4: Luxury System

Two electric guitars resting on leather couch with wooden backdrop.

Sibling Harmony

Written by Robbie Calvo on April 15, 2020. Posted in Electric Guitars.

Q: How many guitars does a guitarist need?

A: Just one more!

Yes, it’s a joke, but one with a ring of truth to it. I imagine most seasoned players would give that answer if they’re being totally honest.

Why do we need multiple versions of the same musical instrument? Is it because we’re addicted to their look, or their unique tonal variations? Or is it down to any of the individual variables that go into an instrument’s aesthetics or sonics? (i.e., body style, coloration, type of tonewoods, pickup configurations, strings, wiring, etc.)

In a previous blog, I shared my thoughts on the aesthetic appeal of an instrument and its ability to attract us toward it. Frankly, I have little interest in playing a guitar that I perceive to be “ugly,” whether that’s due to its symmetry or just the color and finish.

Is that a limited viewpoint on the validity of an instrument? Sure. But I wouldn’t buy a car or house I thought was “unseemly,” either. I believe the integrity of who you are should be upheld in everything you do, including your personal choices and live performances. I want to be proud of the instruments I own and play, and ultimately I think that synergy shines through both in our personality and in our musical voice.

What Goes Into the Sound of an Instrument?

The shape of a guitar is arguably the most appealing aspect of the instrument, and that body style will also have a direct effect on its tonality. A single-cut electric guitar without body contours will sound innately different from a double-cut model with arm and body chamfers. Those differences alone would justify having both types of instruments in my guitar arsenal.

The tonewood selections for the body, top, neck and fingerboard also have an effect on the overall tone of an instrument — even such seemingly minor details like the direction, density and figuring of the wood grain may have an impact. Guitar manufacturers are acutely aware of the importance of tonewood combinations. Maple tops on mahogany bodies and maple necks with rosewood fingerboards, for example, are typical, tried and trusted tonewood combinations.

In my two-part blog on resonant frequencies, I explored the entire range of frequencies we can perceive, from the audible ones that the human ear can detect to the inaudible frequencies we see as colors. Certain clear-coat finishes are renowned for their ability to let the tonewoods resonate. For example, nitro-cellulose is often lauded as the best finish on electric guitars for allowing the wood to season, breathe and patina gracefully over time.

Needless to say, the pickup configurations also have significant — sometimes even profound — effect on the tonal details, along with other physical aspects such as the type of strings being used, the fret-wire, wiring capacitance and electrical shielding.

And then there’s the human impact. Will a guitar resonate differently in the hands of two different players? Will a small-framed guitarist with long fingers make an instrument sound different from the way a large-framed player with short, stubby fingers will make it sound? In my opinion, the answer to both questions is yes.

In addition to technique, I also think intention, soul and personality affect the tone being produced by an instrument … though the end result, of course is always subjective and personal to the taste and preference of the listener.

The Guitars and the Video

I thought it would be fun and informative to record and film two of my favorite guitars to see if the viewer can hear their unique tonal qualities when played side-by-side.

The Yamaha Revstar 502TFM and Revstar 720B in this video are essentially the same guitar, with a few minor variations. The mahogany neck-through body, flame maple top, rosewood fingerboard, fret wire, hand-rubbed finish, volume and tone controls are all the same.

The differences between the two lie in the pickups, tailpiece, tuners and the subtleties in the flame maple. The RS502TFM sports cream-colored P90 single-coil pickups, a uniquely styled tailpiece and standard tuners. The RS720B features chrome and black FilterTron-style humbucking pickups, a Bigsby^™ tremolo and locking tuners. As you can see from the photo below, my 502 has a vintage Japanese denim (blue) finish, while my 720 is ash gray … and even these differences in coloration can have a resonant frequency effect on the tonality.

Here’s the video:

As you can see, I’m jamming along to a backing track, alternating 8-bar licks in a D minor pentatonic scale between the two instruments, starting with the 720. I’ve stayed in the same region of the fretboard on both guitars to keep the frequency responses within the same range and octave, and both instruments are running through the same custom tone patch in a Line 6 Helix^® guitar processor. Both guitars play the first two licks on the bridge pickup. Licks three and four are played in middle position (both pickups) and the remainder of the trading session is played using the neck pickups.

Can you hear the tonal variations, pickup selections and overall nuances between the two guitars? Do you have a preference in tone?

Play the video again and close your eyes this time while listening. I’m suggesting you do that because your visual preference for either model or color may affect your opinion of which sounds best.

The Wrap-Up

We’ve all heard the phrase “sibling rivalry.” (Those of us who have brothers have probably experienced it!) I think there’s a case to be made for “sibling harmony” too. Both guitars I used in this video are similar, but to my ears they have significant differences that serve to complement one another beautifully. The RS720B sounds warmer and more rounded to me, while the RS502TFM has a little more overdriven bite and upper-mid harmonic content. As we’ve seen, there are many factors that contribute to this rich tonal equation — all worth considering in your quest for one more guitar!

Photograph courtesy of the author.

Check out Robbie’s other postings.

Click here for more information about Yamaha Revstar guitars.

Click here for more information about the Line 6 Helix guitar processor.

Hand adjusting dial on Yamaha STAGEPAS mixer.

Fast STAGEPAS Setups

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on April 14, 2020. Posted in Live Sound.

Part 1 of this series gave an overview of the mixer functions and interconnection options offered by the Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K PA system. In Part 2, we described making Bluetooth^® connection to the STAGEPAS for wireless streaming and control. In this installment, we’ll present three videos that show you how to quickly and easily set up your STAGEPAS system if you’re a solo performer, presenter, teacher or DJ.

In this first video, Yamaha product manager John Schauer demonstrates the simple steps required to use your STAGEPAS 1K if you’re a solo performer: just connect your microphone with a single cable for vocals, and add an input for guitar or other instrument. He also discusses the functionality of the Hi-Z switch and the use of an optional footswitch to mute onboard effects between songs so you can talk to the audience without reverb or echo on your voice:

Presenters and teachers will want to check out this next video. All that’s required to use a STAGEPAS 1K system for presentations is a single cable to connect your microphone for speech, to which you can easily add a Bluetooth or computer audio connection for background or walk-in / walk-out music:

Finally, John takes you through the steps required for connecting your DJ system. As he explains, you can use a single STAGEPAS 1K for small events, or expand to dual STAGEPAS 1Ks for larger events where extra coverage is required — a setup that can also provide full stereo sound at the push of a button.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K.

Reconnecting With Your Creative Self

Written by Shelly Peiken on April 13, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

For the past few weeks I’ve found myself waking up in the morning wondering, “Is it Monday? Is it Thursday? Sunday, maybe?”

You have to be grateful, however, if you’re a self-contained worker — that is, if you don’t rely on kinetic energy to set your mind in motion. If that’s the case, nothing — creatively speaking — has changed. You’re still on your own watch.

But for those of us who depend on an exchange of ideas in close proximity to another human being, some degree of adjustment is required.

I’ve been reflecting on how the current situation may give us an opportunity to reconnect with someone special: that first person we ever wrote with, the first person with whom we fell under the spell of music, the very first person with whom we created an original melody and lyric.

Sparks of Greater Things to Come

When we were children, before we realized that there was a process in which two (or more) people could combine creative forces (“co-writing”), we songwriters-in-the-making were alone in our bedrooms with a plastic guitar or keyboard marrying chord progressions to poetry from our journals. The result: fledgling motifs, sparks of greater things to come. We couldn’t believe these promising sounds were coming forth from us! The world disappeared. We didn’t run to the table when our mother called us for dinner. We weren’t interested in playing with the other kids outside. We had this new, mad love. It was fantastic. We were alone and we couldn’t be happier.

Then we discovered we could make music with a partner. This was exciting too. We got to share our passion and tricks of the trade with fellow music freaks. We came to realize our strengths and weaknesses. We got better because there was oversight. And a lot of us never went back to the solitude of that bedroom again.

The Pleasure of Your Own Company

A friend recently suggested that since we’re all going to have to live with our own company for a while, we’re going to have to learn to appreciate it. Maybe he has a point. Have we become so reliant on external endorsement that we’ve forgotten the magic that can emerge from an army of one? Sure, collaboration is a wonderful process, but it can also dilute an idea that was divinely inspired.

In a recent piece in the Telegraph about artists creating in isolation, music critic Neil McCormick describes how, back in 2006, singer/songwriter Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver), having broken up with his girlfriend and his band, headed to the seclusion of a hunting cabin in rural Wisconsin to lick his wounds and work on new music. He surfaced with For Emma, Forever Ago (which included the song “Skinny Love”), an album that catapulted him to a household name. Food for thought.

As I sit by myself on a piano bench trying to acclimate, I’ve found that once I let myself slip into that indulgent zone — where there’s no one to impress, judge or disagree, where nobody is directing me or offering their opinion, no matter how well-meaning, constructive, productive or how right they may be (that is, if there even is a right or wrong when it comes to music) — I got comfortable. In fact, I liked it. A lot.

So we might as well make the most of things and consider reconnecting with that kid in the bedroom, with our innocence, with that budding songwriter with no expectation, just surprise. Who knows? We may discover that our new favorite collaborator is the one who was there from the very beginning: Our self.

Check out Shelly’s other postings.

Introducing the YBS-62II Professional E♭ Baritone Saxophone

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on April 10, 2020. Posted in Woodwinds.

Yamaha YBS-62 custom baritone saxophone.

The Yamaha YBS-62 Professional Baritone Saxophone has garnered admiration and respect from musicians for over 35 years. The new second-generation YBS-62II model retains the same level of playability and quality while bringing improvements in ergonomics and intonation.

Incorporating high-end features from the Yamaha YBS-82 Custom Baritone Saxophone, the new key layout of the YBS-62II allows you to play faster and more comfortably than ever before. A shorter bell design enhances playability and intonation in all registers, especially centering the notes in the low range of the saxophone. Integrated key posts (attaching multiple posts onto a single plate/rib) help to impart a moderate level of resistance while delivering a solid tonal core. And a hydro-formed neck and responsive bore design ensure a response that is quick, in-tune and rich in tone. The YBS-62II comes with a hard case with wheels, and an optional detachable peg can be used to help support the weight of the instrument.

With the YBS-62II, you can join the giants that have played the YBS-62 for decades!

Click here to learn about the Yamaha YBS-62II.

Man sits at keyboard with tablet device.

Apps to Help You Learn to Play Keyboard At Home

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on April 9, 2020. Posted in Piano How-to.

If you’ve always wanted to learn to play keyboards, or hoped to get back to practicing and improving your skills, there’s no time like the present. And, thanks to these two cool apps from Yamaha, your smart device can serve as both a helpful teacher and a musical partner in these endeavors.

Chord Tracker

I wish this app existed when I was starting to learn to play! I had a terrible ear and had to buy sheet music or songbooks to learn a song. With the free Yamaha Chord Tracker app (available for iOS^® 15.2 or higher and Android™ smart devices), those days are gone forever. This brilliant piece of software “listens” to your favorite song (as long as it’s in your device’s music library and not part of a streaming or subscription service) and quickly brings up a chart with the chords.

There are options to show the notes of the chords either in music notation, on the keys of a keyboard, or as guitar chord symbols. You have control over the volume of the song playback as well as the tempo (tip: slow it down while you’re first learning it), and you can also transpose it if the key is too hard for you to play or sing to. Loop start and end points can be set, making it easy to learn and practice each section of the song separately. You can even edit the chords to make your own arrangement of the song by choosing from two recommended chords or selecting the chord root and chord type.

Chord Tracker can be used with any kind of instrument, but if you’re playing a compatible Yamaha keyboard (such as PSR-670, PSR-SX700, PSR-SX900 or PSR-A3000 portable keyboards, a DGX-660 portable grand piano, a Genos digital workstation or selected Clavinova CVP Series models), you can listen to the song through your keyboard’s internal speakers. What’s more, if you’re using a model that has accompaniment features, the chord information can be sent to the keyboard to trigger onboard Styles. Many instruments even allow you to record yourself playing along with the song, saving it as a standard audio file that can be shared with family and friends.

For more information about Chord Tracker, read this blog article or check out the three videos posted here.

Smart Pianist

Available for both iOS and Android devices, Smart Pianist is a free app designed for use with selected Yamaha keyboards, including P-121, P-125 and P-515 digital pianos; YDP-144, YDP-164, YDP-184, YDP-S34 and YDP-S54 Arius pianos; selected CLP Series Clavinova models; and NU1X and N3X AvantGrand pianos. It’s a great tool for personal study that not only adds a graphic touchscreen interface to these instruments (yes, it knows which model it’s connected to and automatically adjusts its features accordingly) but adds lesson songs, some of which are well-known technique exercises from Hanon, Beyer, Czerny and Burgmüller, displayed in standard notation. With the ability to isolate one hand or the other, control tempo and change keys, this is a terrific tool for practice and self-learning.

Smart Pianist uses Chord Tracker technology to display the chords of the tune you want to learn, but when connected to a CVP800 Series or CSP Series Clavinova, it’s even more advanced, thanks to a feature called “Audio to Score.” This displays the chords in your choice of notation, from simple block chords to complex arpeggiated patterns.

You can find a number of postings about Smart Pianist here on the Yamaha blog, and informational videos can be found here and here.

For more ideas on learning keyboards at home, check out Jerry Kovarsky’s blog series “The Well-Rounded Keyboardist.”

Click here for more information about Yamaha keyboard instruments.

The Virtual Soundstage

Written by Mike Levine on April 8, 2020. Posted in Recording.

Among the decisions you need to make when mixing is where to place the various instruments and vocals in a virtual “soundstage.” You can actually do more than just panning elements left and right in the stereo spectrum — you can also influence how far back or forward they seem. To some degree, you can even impact the apparent height of sounds in the mix.

In this article, we’ll tell you how to craft a mix that places the listener inside the music, even in a standard stereo setup.

Listen Up

Start by trying this simple exercise: Put on a pair of headphones and listen to the mix of a professionally produced popular song, paying particular attention to the placement of the various instruments and vocals.

First, focus on the stereo panning. You’ll hear the bass and kick drum — almost always the lowest instruments, frequency-wise — in the center. The lead vocal and snare drum will also usually be centered as well, although some mix engineers like to move one or both slightly off-center. Other elements, such as guitars, keyboards, background vocals, percussion and various parts of the drum kit will typically be spread out to the left or right or to both sides simultaneously. (To do the latter, simply create a copy of the track, then pan the original hard left and the copy hard right. Be careful, however, to slightly delay the copy or phase cancellations will result!)

Next, listen for the difference in depth between the various mix elements. Some sounds will be “in your face” — that is, right up front — whereas others feel like they’re coming from further back, as if they’re behind the “front line.” Finally, focus on differences in height; you’ll find that high-frequency sounds will appear to be higher or taller than the others.

While mixing, you can adjust where an instrument or vocal sits in all three of those dimensions. Note that all the techniques discussed here can be applied in Steinberg Cubase or any other DAW.

Front or Rear

Whether a track sounds like it’s at the front edge of the mix or further back depends mainly on three factors: level, ambience and brightness. If you think about it, it’s similar to how you perceive sounds in real life. A closer sound will be louder than a distant sound. It will also be less ambient because you’re hearing more of it directly and less reflected sound — the softer, and slightly delayed reflections coming off the floor, walls or ceiling. In addition, a close sound will seem brighter, thanks again to hearing more of it directly, with fewer duller-sounding reflections.

To make bring a sound further forward, you have several tools at your disposal. These include raising its volume; reducing the amount of reverb or delay; and/or gently boosting its presence (that is, frequencies between 4 kHz and 6 kHz). Doing the opposite will cause a sound to appear more towards the back of the mix.

Screenshot of Steinberg Cubase with reverb and delay controls open. — *Ambient effects like reverb and delay help create the illusion of distance.*

Up or Down

High-frequency sounds like cymbals and shakers — as well as, to a lesser degree, the upper ranges of pianos and guitars — often seem like they’re coming from the top of the mix. For that reason, you can raise the perceived height of a mix element by boosting its high frequencies (somewhere between 4 kHz to 20 kHz) and cutting low frequencies. You can’t be too heavy-handed about this, however, because too much boost will sound harsh, and if you cut necessary lower frequencies from an instrument or voice, it will sound thin and unnatural.

Note that the opposite does not hold true: You can’t move a sound whose energy mostly lives in the lower-midrange and low end to where it will appear to be floating on top of the mix. You can, however, roll some of the upper-mid frequencies off an instrument like bass guitar to place it more in the “bottom” of a mix.

To Each Its Own

Many times, you’ll find yourself having to mix multiple sounds that are occuping the same or similar frequency ranges. For example, note the overlaps in the four instruments shown here:

Screenshot from Steinberg Cubase comparing frequency snapshots from several instruments. — *Frequency snapshots of several instruments.*

When tracks are competing for space in the same frequency area, you’ll have to deal with the phenomenon of “masking.” This not only makes one sound hard to distinguish from another, it also tends to clutter up the entire mix in the lower midrange (250 Hz to 500 Hz). Worse yet, the louder tracks in a particular range can render softer tracks in the same range inaudible.

One good way of combatting this is to carve out a discrete frequency range — essentially a sonic “hole” — for each element (something we’ve discussed in a previous Recording Basics posting).

Screenshot from Steinberg Cubase showing user making EQ cuts and boosts to common frequencies. — *EQ cuts and boosts at common frequencies give each element its own space.*

Another method is to pan various mix elements — particularly those that “live” in the same frequency range — away from one another so that each occupies a different space in the virtual soundstage you’re constructing. For example, you might want to place a rhythm guitar off to the left and a piano off to the right, or a shaker opposite to the hi-hat. Again, this rule of thumb applies mainly to multiple sounds in the same frequency range. Since a kick drum, snare drum and lead vocal all occupy distinctly different frequency areas, it’s generally fine to leave all three in the center of a mix.

Stereo Elements

These days, most synth and keyboard sounds originate in stereo and therefore take up space across the entire stereo field. They sound great on their own, but sometimes — particularly if you have other sounds in the same frequency range — they crowd out the rest of the elements due to their width. Too many stereo tracks can also reduce the punchiness of your mix.

In a mix with few components — say, just guitar/vocal or piano/vocal underpinned with maybe some synth strings and background vocals — you might want the main instrument to stretch all the way across the soundstage, from far left to far right. But when mixing a full band or ensemble, you’re usually better off reducing the width of stereo instruments so that they take up less space by sending their signal to, say, half left and half right instead of hard left and hard right.

If you’re working in Steinberg Cubase Pro, this is easily accomplished: simply change the panning mode from the default Stereo Balance Panner to the Stereo Combined Panner. (Click on the arrow to the right of any stereo track to change the panner type.) This not only allows you to independently pan the left and right signals, it lets you take a stereo image and reduce the distance between left and right — even move the whole image towards one side or the other.

Screenshot of the Cubase Stereo Combined Panner. — *The Cubase Stereo Combined Panner (circled).*

Start Panning

One effective workflow for starting your mix and creating your panning scheme is to begin with everything in the center. Get as good a rough balance as you can in terms of relative levels before you start placing the tracks across the soundstage.

User balancing a track on Cubase. — *Get the best-sounding balance before you start panning and placing tracks.*

Instead of randomly placing elements, think first about where you want them to go and how they will relate positionally to the other elements in the mix. Although there are norms, there are no absolute rules when it comes to panning and placement, so feel free to experiment. And be sure to check your mix on a variety of speakers — and on headphones too — in order to get a good sense of the way the end listener will hear the virtual soundstage you are constructing.

Check out our other Recording Basics postings.

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase.

Here’s What You Need to Know About Vinyl

Written by Rich Tozzoli on April 7, 2020. Posted in Vinyl. 4 Comments on Here’s What You Need to Know About Vinyl

These round, flat vinyl disks with spiral grooves have brought music to the ears of listeners around the world for more than a century. Even through the advent of digital technology, vinyl records remain amazingly popular, and have even enjoyed a resurgence in recent years.

But not all vinyl is the same. In this article, we’ll look at the key factors that determine their sound quality and durability.

Speed and Diameter

Vinyl records come in three speeds: 33 1/3 rpm (often just called a “33”), 45 rpm and 78 rpm. The “rpm” is an abbreviation for “revolutions per minute” — an indication of how fast the record is meant to spin on the turntable.

In the early days, rotation speeds of records were not always consistent, generally running from around 70 to 80 rpm, but by the 1920s, 78 rpm became the standard. This had a severe limitation in that records running at such a high speed could only hold a few minutes of music. In the years after World War II, several competing formats appeared, most notably the 33 1/3 rpm LP (Long Play) record which not only had a slower playback speed but narrower grooves, followed soon thereafter by the middle-ground 45 rpm format. Interestingly, early 45s were released in different colors, depending on the type of music they held. The 33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm speeds continue to be the standards to this very day; 78 rpm records were largely phased out by the mid-1950s.

Vinyl records also come in three standard diameters: 7-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch. The larger the diameter, the longer the groove can be and the greater the possible playing times, dependent upon rotational speed. (The actual playing time is a ratio between speed and the length of the grooves.)

Since 7-inch and 10-inch records hold less information, they are usually used as “singles” (i.e., they contain one song per side) playing at 45 rpm. 12-inch records are generally employed for long-format “albums” (playing at 33 1/3 rpm) that include several tunes per side, but some of today’s singles are pressed onto 12-inch disks since the extra room on the surface allows the grooves to be further apart, which results in a louder record with a greater dynamic range (i.e., the difference between the softest and loudest sections) for better sound quality.

Most turntables can accommodate vinyl of every size, but not all offer different speeds. The Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 Wi-Fi Turntable can handle rotation speeds of 33 1/3 and 45 rpm (make sure you select the correct one before spinning your favorite tune!) and, unlike most other turntables, can be wirelessly connected to Yamaha MusicCast speakers:

White turntable with speed switch. — *Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 Wi-Fi turntable speed switch.*

Weight

Another important factor is the weight of the record. Most of the vinyl pressed in the past 20 years are 12-inch records that weigh between 120 and 140 grams. However, some newer records come in weights of 180, 200 or even 220 grams. While some may refer to these as “audiophile grade” records, it does not necessarily mean they have more sonic benefits.

The increased weight of these disks makes them sturdier and more resistant to warping; it also provides a stronger platform for the stylus to rest on and allows for more playbacks before deterioration. Some people also claim to hear more fidelity when listening to heavier records. However, this type of vinyl often commands higher prices than the standard grades, often fetching upwards of $50 or more per disk, versus the standard record price of around $10 to $30. Note that regardless of weight, the depth of the grooves is exactly the same on all releases.

Cleanliness

Because vinyl is an analog format (which means there’s physical contact required for playback, in this case in the form of a needle traveling down the groove cut into the surface of the record) as opposed to a digital one like CD or streaming audio (where there is no physical contact required for playback), it’s important to keep records clean for optimal longevity and sound. Most collectors recommend using an anti-static cleaning brush for this purpose, as shown below:

Without pressing too hard (so as not to damage the grooves), turn on the turntable and move the brush from the inside grooves to the outside while the record is spinning. Once or twice is enough, then turn the record over to clean the other side. To avoid transferring any oils or dirt from your hands, try not to touch either the surface of the record or the brush. (Records should always be held gingerly by their outside edge, as shown in the photo at the top of this posting.)

You can clean even deeper in the grooves by using a record cleaning solution with a static-free microfiber cloth. Just wet the cloth slightly with a few drops of solution and wipe in the direction of the grooves. For more information about cleaning records, be sure to check out our blog posting How to Clean Vinyl Records.

Also be sure to regularly clean your turntable’s stylus needle, since small amounts of dust may collect as the records play — something that will eventually cause damage. With a light touch, simply swipe a small, soft brush soft brush in one direction from back to front over the tip of the needle a few times to get rid of any dirt or dust particles.

Last but not least, remember to store your vinyl records in both their inner and outer sleeves, out of direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place. Try to store them vertically and don’t stack them on top of each other because they are heavy and can warp. By following these simple tips, you can keep your vinyl protected and enjoy listening to your favorite music in your favorite format for years to come.

Check out these related blog postings:

Five Reasons Vinyl Is Making a Comeback

How to Clean Vinyl Records

Jeff Coffin Video Series, Part 1: Shopping for Vinyl

Jeff Coffin Video Series, Part 2: Caring for Vinyl

Appreciating Vinyl Records … and the Best Way to Enjoy Them

Spotlight on Vinyl Subscription Services

How to Connect a Turntable to an AV Receiver

Seven Fun Places to Put Your Wireless Turntable

Get Your Party Started with the MusicCast VINYL 500

Click here for more information about the Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 Wi-Fi Turntable.

Drawing of Isaac Newton using a prism to analyze the colors in a ray of light.

We Can’t All Be Isaac Newton

Written by Howard Massey on April 6, 2020. Posted in Creativity.

In 1665, Cambridge University in England closed its doors due to an outbreak of the bubonic plague. One of those affected was a young graduate student with a then-undistinguished academic career. His name was Isaac Newton.

Painted portrait of Isaac Newton. — *A young Isaac Newton.*

Newton returned to his home in the countryside, where he would spend nearly two years indoors. During that time he would not only formulate the fundamental laws of motion and inertia that serve as the cornerstones of physics to this very day, but also greatly advance the understanding of light and write three mathematical papers that would come to define calculus. His feats of intellect during that relatively short but incredibly productive period were so prodigious, in fact, that 1666 would come to be known as Annus Mirabilis, or the “Year of Wonders.” Newton later referred to this time as “the prime of my age for invention and minded mathematics and philosophy more than at any time since.”

Admittedly, there was no Netflix^® in those days, nor was there streaming audio. (Not even — gasp! — video games.) But there were other ways of passing the time. Trimming candle wicks, for example. Plucking goose feathers. Darning socks. Tending to the fire in the hearth. Learning to play lute.

Okay, so maybe it was a bit boring. But not everyone who stayed in their homes sat idle waiting for things to abate. Some, like Newton, used the time to allow their minds the freedom to wander, and explore, and create. Supposedly it was the simple act of an apple falling from a tree, observed from a window within his cottage during that period that sparked Newton to wonder about what unseen force caused such a trivial event to occur. Something called gravity, perhaps?

So I would urge you to consider all that can be accomplished with the time you’ve gained these days. Take up a hobby. Develop a new skill. Count your blessings. Make a resolution. Read a book. Grow a plant. Play with your kids. Reach out to an old friend or a relative. Listen to your favorite music. Explore new music you may have never before considered listening to. Learn an instrument — and if you’ve got children that are musically inclined, jam with them. Allow yourself to breathe. Savor life. And above all, tell your loved ones just how much you love them … at least as many times a day as you wash your hands.

We can’t all be Isaac Newton. But if we put our minds to it, we might be amazed at what we can achieve and create in our homes during these trying times.

Check out Howard’s other postings.

Mike Block with student -- both playing the cello while standing

Cellist Mike Block’s Musical Quest

Written by Ben Nussbaum on April 3, 2020. Posted in Educator Profiles.

“The quest to explore different traditions from around the world outside of classical music has really felt like a quest to discover more about myself,” says Mike Block.

Block, an associate professor at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory, plays the cello and sings. Other than that, he’s hard to pin down.

He has released 11 albums either as a solo artist, in a pair or trio, or as the leader of a group of musicians. The music he has tackled on his albums include bluegrass, original songs, Bach compositions alternating with modern classical music, and an upcoming duo album with an Indian tabla player.

He is part of Y o-Y o Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble and has collaborated in performance or recordings with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Alison Krauss. He’s also the first cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall standing up, using a cello strap of his own design.

Roots

Block’s father, Glenn Block, is director of orchestras and a professor of conducting at Illinois State University. His mother, Nancy Cochran, is the former director of Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. Block’s siblings all play string instruments.

Classical music was the default — “it was what we played in the car,” Block recalls.

Other styles of music had a mystique to them — the allure of the unknown.

“The idea of popular music fascinated me as a kid,” Block says. “How can the same art form I’m studying, focusing on music from across the ocean from past centuries, … how can all these same skills captivate millions of people today?”

Despite his varied output, Block is not a sonic tourist, dipping into a style just long enough to take a metaphorical selfie. “Anything can be done poorly or masterfully,” Block says.

On his musical quest, he goes deep into whatever he’s playing, whether it’s Chuck Berry or Beethoven.

Block says he has seldom received pushback from his peers in the world of professional music although he jokes that the people who don’t return his emails probably don’t support his musical eclecticism. He adds with a laugh, “You never hear back from the people who don’t like what you do.”

Spotlight: Efficiency

How is it possible to teach, have a family, play with other top musicians, embrace a huge range of musical styles and have a steady recording career? There’s another quest behind Block’s musical one. Block is constantly in pursuit of efficiency.

“Whether it’s improvising on new jazz chord changes or trying to sing a new bluegrass song, there’s always an efficient way to learn something,” he says. “Efficiency holds intrinsic moral value for me. Inefficiency is a kind of sin rooted in a lack of appreciation for the preciousness of our time and other people’s time.”

Block laughs and adds, “I know I’m coming off quite harsh and dramatic. But, potentially to a fault, I’m always trying to design the quickest way to accomplish a goal, whether it’s the layout of my office or the pacing and structure of a workshop I’m presenting.”

Block explains that learning new things efficiently mattered to him from the beginning of his career. “I never felt like I had a huge natural talent,” Block admits. “My hope was always that I could try to catch up to everyone else.”

It’s all about working hard and working smart. Block has a firm idea in his mind of his end goal and observes other musicians for patterns or habits that he can build from. He also emphasizes breaking down a new skill into small, manageable components.

Block embraces efficiency as a teacher too. “Keeping students motivated often depends on how clearly and efficiently you can share knowledge,” he says.

Stand and Deliver

Block is an inventor and entrepreneur as well as a musician. He designed and patented The Block Strap for cellists to play while standing or moving.

Block’s friend Rushad Eggleston is known for playing cello while standing, but he uses a guitar strap. Block says that he was hesitant about giving it a try, even though he was “incredibly jealous” of Eggleston’s freedom to move around the stage.

Block explains that he used to think that “standing was Rushad’s thing. I won’t try that because people will think I’m copying him.”

One year, Block invited Eggleston to teach at the Mike Block String Camp in Vero Beach, Florida. “The morning after the faculty performance, four cellists showed up to class with straps,” Block says. “I don’t know where they got straps by 10 a.m., but they were inspired by seeing Rushad, and they had no hesitations about trying to stand and giving it a shot. I realized I was also inspired by Rushad, but I had mental baggage that prevented me from trying it.”

At first Block tried a guitar strap like Eggleston and then attempted to adjust his technique — but the results were not encouraging. “Then I had an epiphany that seems obvious now,” Block says.

The eureka moment was that he could just design a new strap to match his existing cello technique. From there, designing the right strap became a two-year-long process.

Block points out that cellists are trained to direct their arm weight into the instrument. When cellists are sitting, that force is transferred from the cello to the floor. But when they are standing, the force enters their body, creating what Block calls “a much more visceral, physical experience.”

Rebel with a Cause

Although he eventually broke free, Block says that he felt confined when he first started to take music seriously. “I was frustrated that even though I was identifying as a musician who was training for a professional career, I couldn’t do all the things musically that I wanted to do,” he recalls.

When he was playing only the selections his teachers assigned to him, he struggled to feel 100% invested in music.

“I didn’t feel empowered,” he remembers. “For me, self-empowerment comes with a streak of rebelliousness. But it’s not rebellion for its own sake, and it’s not directed at some outside authority. Ultimately what I’m rebelling against isn’t other people but the nagging voices in my own head. Living true to myself has meant examining assumptions I have about what I can do or what I shouldn’t be doing.”

Block works to make sure his own students have the freedom to pursue music in a way that empowers them, so that they can follow their own path. The key is to build on students’ existing passions and interests for various types of music and artists, rather than deciding all the repertoire for them.

As a teacher who wants to understand his students’ musical tastes, Block is constantly exposed to new sounds. He’s familiar with pop music, but he notes that his students arrive at Berklee with an unpredictable range of tastes and knowledge, remembering one student who had a deep knowledge of klezmer music (a tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews) and others who listen to cutting-edge jazz.

A Fine Line

Executing at a high level is the goal, no matter the type of music. “There’s no style that justifies playing at a lower level or not working on your technique or achieving a high level of mastery,” Block says.

He isn’t big on teaching the same thing over and over. “By the time we figure out how to teach something really well, it’s at that moment that the thing we’re teaching dies, in a way,” Block says with a laugh. “Maybe that’s dramatic language. But finding ways to give students structure and help them progress while giving them space to find themselves and find new things — I often feel that tension in teaching.”

Block says that it’s “a particularly fine line when teaching improvisation or working on arranging and composition — giving students the space to explore versus making sure they work on the skills that have stood the test of time.”

Block constructed his Florida camp to marry timeless technique with of-the-moment music. The camp, entering its 11th year, hosts more than 100 students each summer. Students who choose the popular collaborative track are first taught several pieces of music by ear, ranging from Celtic fiddle tunes to contemporary jazz. Then they form groups and are coached through arranging, improvising and performing music. “They’re learning from existing traditions, repertoire and skills, but making it their own,” Block says.

The Mike Block String Camp is a great distillation of Block’s approach to music: Creativity paired with timeless skills. Classical rigor applied across a range of musical styles.

Block’s musical quest continues, but his standards never change.

Mike Block At a Glance

Education
- Bachelor’s: Cleveland Institute of Music
- Master’s: The Juilliard School
Current Position: Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory
Select Projects and Recordings:
- Mike Block String Camp
- BachInTheBathroom.com
- ArtistWorks.com
- “Step into the Void: The Complete Bach Cello Suites” (2020)
- “Walls of Time” (2019)
- “Final Night at Camp” (2018)

Photos by Eric Levin Photography

SupportED 2020v5n1 with Mike Block This article originally appeared in the 2020N1 issue of Yamaha SupportED. To see more back issues, find out about Yamaha resources for music educators, or sign up to be notified when the next issue is available, click here.

Tips to Get the Most Out of a Conference

Written by Sarah Lindenfeld Hall on April 3, 2020. Posted in Conferences.

Tradeshows can be powerful ways for music educators to hone new skills, network and find inspiration. But as attendees go to sessions and roam exhibit halls, the experience can be overwhelming.

Jessica Voigt-Page, now a veteran of music education conferences, remembers feeling so dazzled and overwhelmed at the 2012 North American Saxophone Alliance conference that when she met noted saxophonist Eugene Rosseau, she failed to introduce herself.

“It was the first time I’d ever been in the same space as a lot of the really big-name performers and pedagogues of my field,” says Voigt-Page, an adjunct lecturer in saxophone at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “There was almost that starstruck nature.”

Forgetting to mention her name was a learning moment for Voigt-Page, who also teaches music entrepreneurship and professional development at Baylor. “I realized that I needed to have a plan when I met people and when I interacted with people,” she says. “I needed to know what I was going to say … and to include my name in that elevator pitch.”

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Plan and Prepare

How can you thrive at your next professional development conference?

Some conferences feature dozens of sessions, so you could easily miss a must-see program if you don’t scan the schedule before the opening keynote. Check the schedule online before the conference opens to research the sessions, speakers and performers. “It allows you to better understand the angle they are coming from and the angle they are going to be taking in that clinic or presentation or performance,” Voigt-Page says.

Many conferences, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), offer apps that let attendees browse the full events schedule and check off the sessions that they plan to attend to create a personalized conference calendar on their smartphones. Joshua Simonds, executive director of the Percussive Arts Society, recommends studying a map of the convention hall or hotel, so you can chart out your routes between programs.

Ask for Funding

Caption:Yamaha Master Educator Daniel Berard Budgets may be tight for many music educators, but often school districts have professional development funds or innovation grants. Have a conversation with your administrators and department leaders about why you want to go, what you hope to learn and, most importantly, how the new knowledge will help your students grow, says Daniel Berard, a Yamaha Master Educator and director of bands at Chatfield Senior High School in Littleton, Colorado.

Foundations or school booster groups may also be able to help cover at least part of the cost of attending a conference. If funding isn’t available, Berard doesn’t mind paying his own way. “I’ve never once regretted making a financial investment in my own personal or professional growth,” he says.

Walk the Exhibit Floor

Caption:Joshua Simonds With dozens of vendors and organizations, the exhibit hall can seem daunting. To alleviate some of that stress, scan the full space, then zero in on individual areas.

At PASIC, Simonds likes to walk the entire exhibit floor first and then return later to visit specific booths based on his needs. On his second time through, he takes advantage of the opportunity to talk with the people behind the products and services.

“You are dealing with the actual people who make the instrument or know about it more than anybody else,” Simonds says. “They want you to talk to them. They may not want you to play on the instrument for 10 minutes nonstop. But you have their full attention, which is awesome.”

Don’t be Shy

At larger conferences, you may turn a corner and run into a music education luminary or world-class performer. Resist the urge to nervously run away; instead, take the opportunity to introduce yourself, Berard says.

A turning point in Berard’s career was when he found the courage to ask legendary conductor Richard Floyd what it would take for Floyd to visit his school. “Without batting an eye, Richard said, ‘Just ask,’” Berard recalls. “That one little conversation in the hallway of The Midwest [Clinic] turned into a lifelong dear friendship. People are so willing to share information, and that’s really … the lasting impact of [going to] a convention.”

Remember to Follow Up

Making connections and gaining new ideas are often the main goals of attending a conference; however, those tasks can be difficult if your notes are scattered. Conference veterans recommend creating your own system to stay organized.

Berard types out running notes on his phone, records voice memos and snaps photos of a concert program. After the conference, he’ll take the time to go over everything.

Voigt-Page gets a new notebook for each conference and jots down highlights from different sessions and details about the people she meets. Once she gets home, she sends each individual a quick thank-you message, stating something she learned or enjoyed from the meetup.

“We don’t always get told ‘thank you’ for the things we present and the work we do at these conferences,” says Voigt-Page, who often performs and speaks at conferences. “It’s going to make them feel really great about themselves, and you’ve built a really solid connection in a positive way.”

Key Music Education Conferences

Here is a sampling of national conferences geared toward music educators. Check your state music education association for events in your area.

Introducing the YBS-82 Custom E♭ Baritone Saxophone

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on April 3, 2020. Posted in Woodwinds.

“One size fits all” doesn’t work for everyone. The new Yamaha YBS-82 custom baritone saxophone is a premier instrument that allows you to fine-tune your sound with high-quality handcrafted options. And with its introduction, Yamaha now offers a complete Custom lineup of brass and woodwind instruments, ranging from soprano to baritone voices.

The YBS-82 offers expert saxophonists a wealth of features and customizable options. Neck configurations are available in three different tapers (C, E, V) and six finishes to help you arrive at your signature sound, including gold lacquer, unlacquered, gold-plated and silver-plated. A new ergonomic key layout makes it easier to play the instrument comfortably, and a shorter, one-piece bell enhances the playability and intonation in all registers, centering low notes and providing richness across the full range of the saxophone. The bore has been redesigned (a feature that’s also been integrated into the new Yamaha YBS-480 and YBS-62II intermediate and professional baritone saxophones), and a detachable peg is included. There’s even a hard case with wheels to help you move the YBS-82 safely and easily.

Click here to learn more about Yamaha saxophones.

Click here to learn more about the Yamaha YBS-82.

Cle Elum Roslyn band members hold trophies

Case Study: Cle Elum-Roslyn is a Small District with a Big Sound

Written by Savy Leiser on April 3, 2020. Posted in Case Studies.

Cle Elum, Washington, is a small town with a population of about 2,000 and a school district serving approximately 900 students in K-12 — but that doesn’t stop the power of music flowing through it.

If anything, the town’s size has helped people form closer connections through music. “Our community is really tightknit,” says Nick Maupoux, music director for Walter Strom Middle School and Cle Elum-Roslyn High School.

The community’s closeness has helped Maupoux with everything from securing grants for the music program’s growth to finding an audience for student performances. “In Cle Elum, there are a lot of awesome organizations looking to help the school out,” he says. “[And] in a small town, people just go to more events, I feel.”

Since his hiring in 2014, Maupoux has added music as a mandatory part of the sixth-grade curriculum, revived the choir program and high school marching band, and moved the band from a one-room setup to a new music building.

Starting with Sixth Grade

Before Maupoux, the district required music only through fifth grade. Maupoux worked to add an introductory band class into the schedule for all sixth-grade students in their first semester. Afterward, students can choose to stick with band or sign up for a different elective.

Maupoux collaborates with Ted Brown Music, which has six stores in Washington, to host an instrument petting zoo each spring. At the event, incoming sixth graders try out instruments and can also sign a rental agreement with Ted Brown.

For “parents who cannot afford to rent, … we will provide [an instrument],” says Lara Gregorich-Bennett, the middle school principal, who is also a band parent.

Raising funds to have an instrument for every student has taken some effort on Maupoux’s part. “I’ve been doing a lot of grant writing since I’ve been here,” he says.

During the past few years, Maupoux has received about $18,000 in grants from local businesses to provide instruments for students.

Maupoux has seen an enthusiastic response from both parents and students who are grateful to try an activity that they may have otherwise overlooked. “We have kids whose parents are like, ‘Wow! I had no idea they were going to like this,’” Maupoux says.

A New Home for Music

Just a few years ago, the music program was busting at its seams, occupying one middle school classroom packed tight with chairs that spilled into the hallway. “The community saw that we were outgrowing our current situation,” Maupoux says.

When Cle Elum received levy funds, many members of the community prioritized a new music building. Band parents attended school board meetings to testify about the music program’s importance.

“I would go to the school board and say, ‘Can I have two of the kids that just went to state come to the board meeting and play something for you?’” says Susan Bronkhorst, a member of the committee that hired Maupoux.

At that time, the band’s drum major was also a student representative on the school board. “She was always bringing to light the fact that she was a good student going to college, and music needed to be kept at the forefront of everyone’s mind,” Bronkhorst says.

Now a dedicated music building sits between the middle school and high school. In use since 2017, the building features high ceilings, a band room with a permanent jazz setup, a choir room with risers and a piano, three practice rooms, an instrument storage room with lockers and an office with a music library.

Marching into Competition

As a former member of the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, Maupoux also revived the school’s competitive marching band, which had not been active since the 1990s.

Maupoux’s “number-one goal was to get a marching band going,” Gregorich-Bennett says. “He started, step by step, implementing different things and taking it to the next level.”

First Maupoux introduced a pep band and then slowly added drill, a color guard and other elements. “In 2014, we did just one song and some drill,” Maupoux says.

Then in 2015, the band performed in its first exhibition, and by 2016, the band was competing throughout the Washington Tri-Cities area. “Now we’re doing competitive field shows and getting trophies,” Maupoux adds.

The marching band claimed Best General Effect, Best Brass and Woodwinds, and first place in Division A at the 2019 Southeastern Washington Cavalcade of Bands as well as Best Music, Best Percussion and first place in the A Division of the 2019 Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championships.

College Connections

Although the marching band has only 24 students, running it takes a big team. Maupoux has developed a partnership with Central Washington University (CWU), his alma mater.

“I honestly couldn’t do it without the help of our [CWU] music education students,” Maupoux says. “I bring out one person per section. We have a band of 24 but have a staff of nine or 10. … The college students can practice teaching, and my kids can get more information.”

Working with CWU students also exposes high schoolers to college-level music performances. “There are concerts at Central, and it’s great to have them so close that we can attend,” says Lisa Hegg, a band parent. “My daughter wants to continue at Central after she graduates.”

Seeing those programs has motivated students to practice harder. Gregorich-Bennett recalls a conversation between Maupoux and a student last year. “One of the kids asked, ‘How did they get so good at this?’ Nick replied, ‘They practiced.’ Then the student said, ‘That’s it?’”

Gregorich-Bennett adds, “They see what other people … are able to do. That’s the point Nick stresses with the students. We can be that good; you’ve [just] got to practice.”

Community Performances

While Cle Elum’s strength doesn’t come in numbers, it does come from tightknit community bonds. “Every performance we have is in the newspaper,” Maupoux says. “The local TV station comes out and records our concert, and we can get a DVD.”

Students in the Cle Elum-Roslyn band want to perform every chance they get. Maupoux regularly organizes student performances for the school board where he hands out invitations to future shows. The music program hosts quarterly concerts as well as community performances for Halloween parades, holiday caroling and graduation, but some students hunger for more. “I had two middle school saxophone players … ask if they could play in front of a grocery store,” Maupoux says. “People started giving them money. They made it a donation to the band program.”

For all of his ensembles, Maupoux emphasizes quality over quantity. “We focus on creating the best sounds we can,” he says. “Focusing on tone quality, balance, articulation — all those details — is what makes music good.”

Assessments: Focus on Goals, not Grades

Written by Greg Scapillato on April 3, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Music educators are no strangers to evaluation. Often, these evaluations happen when a culminating activity — like a festival, concert or recital — presents a finished product for consideration.

While feedback (“how did I do?”) is certainly valuable at those points, assessments (“am I progressing toward the goal?”) throughout the learning process have significant benefits. The essential question is: are we using assessments to report learning or to inform learning?

Go with the Flow

Learning goals are the context for any assessment. Starting with general and moving to specific statements, you can create a natural flow from course objectives to learning goals to assessments, as seen in the example below.

course objective: students will demonstrate skill fluency on their instruments.
learning goal: students will perform major scales fluently on their instruments.
assessment target: students will perform 12 major scales for one octave each in eighth notes at 100 beats per minute.

The broad nature of the course objective and learning goal make them transferable to other units of study. The specificity of the assessment target allows students to focus their attention while relating to the broader goals. Throughout instruction, we keep students focused by continually referring back to these stated goals and targets.

Ready for the next level? Engage your students in developing specific targets within the broader learning goals. Get some base level data, then use guiding questions to help students “connect the dots” between their current level and the ultimate goal.

Less is More

“assessing” is often synonymous with “grading” though this correlation may have unintended consequences. Studies show that when feedback includes grades (percentages or letters, for instance), students focus on the grade and not on the feedback.

We can assess students and offer specific feedback without attaching a grade to the activity. With rubrics, try to remove any points or letter grade attributes. Include only the descriptions for each level of performance. In other words, try grading less while continuing to offer students feedback through your assessments.

Formative vs. Summative

If you can buy into the idea of grading less, the next step is to define when grading is truly needed. The “when” for the assessment will help determine its purpose, whether formative or summative.

Formative assessments give actionable feedback to students and shape instruction for the teacher while summative assessments report student achievement, usually on a grade or progress report.

Formative assessments give students the opportunity to demonstrate progress toward learning goals without impacting their overall grades. We can gather useful data measuring the progress of our classes toward mastery and offer suggestions to students for improving their performances.

Actionable Feedback

Once we have scheduled formative assessments for each student, we also want to provide meaningful feedback through a rubric. The rubric is the start but not the end. A holistic rubric will have detailed descriptions for each level of performance across several components.

Though the rubric will let students know how they performed, it doesn’t guide them as they move forward in their learning. Consider adding a section to your rubrics to answer the “how” for students. Did they miss some rhythms? Did they fall short in tone quality?

Also share practice strategies or exercises they can use. You may even choose to develop a list of frequently used comments that can still be tailored, if needed, to an individual student’s situation.

Do-Overs are Cool

If formative assessments are ungraded, students won’t need to be reassessed. They will have continued opportunities to show their growth.

But what if the summative doesn’t turn out as successful as either of you hoped? Offering the opportunity for students to redo a summative assessment can help alleviate test anxiety as well as serve your ultimate goal — for students to meet learning targets.

You can set up reasonable policies to prevent students from abusing these redo opportunities. For example, you could limit reassessments to those students who have submitted all of their formatives prior to the summative or set a specific deadline for reassessments.

Assessments are more than just grade generators. They can be powerful tools to shape our instruction and drive improvement in our students’ performances!

Create A Chamber Program

Written by Frank DiMaria on April 3, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Chamber ensembles allow students to practice and perform with like-minded musicians while providing camaraderie.

Being in smaller groups builds performance and technical skills, boosts confidence and connects musicians, says Dr. Matthew Geiger, director of percussion studies at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

In addition, teachers and coaches can better address matching, blend, balance and intonation in the intimate setting of chamber ensembles, says Dr. Heidi Radtke, an adjunct professor at Butler University in Indianapolis.

Auditions and Instrumentation

Repertoire for chamber ensembles is available for a variety of levels, making ensemble opportunities open to students with wide-ranging skills. Geiger requires students to audition, so that they work harder for spots. Typically, he writes an original piece that isolates specific skills or picks a song from an audition method book.

Directors can group students in several ways. Ensembles comprising the same instrument allow instructors to provide targeted technical advice. However, some music programs lack enough of certain instruments, so mixed-instrument ensembles are formed, which does have advantages. “They connect students with peers they may not have worked with in the past,” says Geiger, who is experienced in solo and chamber percussion.

Larger chamber ensembles benefit younger players because the parts carry less weight and thus less pressure, Geiger says. While he’s tutoring his younger students, the older ones can lead their own groups. As musicians mature, he mixes the ages, allowing younger students to play at least one piece with older students.

The Director’s Role

Chamber ensembles are not conductor-driven, so students must be self-reliant. Radtke suggests that ensembles work best when each member is able to contribute. As opposed to having one specific leader, she appoints a new leader for each rehearsal or has students take turns cueing and leading the group in different exercises.

Although ensembles are student-driven, the director still must facilitate. “If you want students to know how to rehearse, you have to teach them how to be a chamber ensemble,” says Radtke, who coaches middle and high school groups in the Carmel (Indiana) Clay Schools.

Younger and more inexperienced groups will need more guidance and supervised rehearsals or coaching sessions, Radtke says. Her ensembles initially work without instruments. Students learn to look at one another, move together and breathe together. A metronome clicks while her students count. “They get used to looking at each other in the eyes and seeing how each other moves,” says Radtke, who wrote a doctoral dissertation on saxophone chamber groups and has performed with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

All groups should spend a significant amount of time during each rehearsal focusing on fundamentals such as breathing, cueing, tuning, balance, melody passing and matching, and chorale study exercises, Radtke says. “Once a musician learns how to listen and how to read another’s body language, they’ll take those skills onto other, larger ensembles,” she adds.

Rehearsal Spaces and Times

Ensembles need rehearsal spaces and dedicated practice time. A trio or quartet can squeeze into a band practice room, but bigger groups work better in a typical classroom. Rooms with speaker systems work best, especially for younger players, so the ensemble can listen to pieces of music together.

Geiger’s college ensembles rehearse at least once a week. When he worked with middle or high school chamber players, his ensembles met after school.

Geiger likes to keep his groups on consistent schedules and blocks out an hour or two every day, booking the various ensembles within those blocks for the same time each week.

Radtke recommends that chamber groups commit to a set place and schedule to rehearse. For those working on a recital program, she says that two to three rehearsals per week, each lasting 60 to 90 minutes, would be ideal.

Performance Opportunities

The most important aspect of being in an ensemble is performing in public. Radtke’s ensembles participate in the band program’s chamber music night.

Being on Butler’s staff allows Radtke to set up workshops in which her college students teach her high school and middle school ensembles. After the workshops, they perform together.

Because they are small, ensembles travel without much baggage. “The easiest performance opportunities include presenting chamber concerts at the school and at [other] local high schools or universities,” Geiger says.

Some states host solo and ensemble festivals for additional performance opportunities. At those events, musicians receive scores and useful feedback from guest adjudicators. “Chamber music competitions are plentiful at the high school and collegiate levels and can be a great motivator,” Radtke says.

Overall, chamber groups offer their participants the opportunity to build friendships beyond the larger band program. “If you have students who really want to work together, it’s worth investing in that opportunity,” Radtke says.

Q&A with Actor Erich Bergen

Written by Marcia Neel on April 3, 2020. Posted in Q & A.

Every year I attend the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Advocacy Fly-In in Washington, D.C.

For the last two years, I have had the pleasure of spending time with Erich Bergen, an actor and singer best known for playing Bob Gaudio in “Jersey Boys.” He recently ended his role as Blake Moran, policy advisor and executive assistant to the president on CBS’ “Madam Secretary.”

Q. When did you know that you were going to make music the focus of your professional life?

A. Music has always been a part of my professional life although it’s not the thing that has brought me the most notoriety. When I was about 3 years old, I discovered MTV, and from that moment on, music was integral to every corner of my life. I didn’t care about sports, comic books or spaceships unless it was in a music video, on an album cover or part of the stage design of a pop star’s world tour. I didn’t see a future that didn’t have music in it, and I turned out to be right.

My professional career started by playing The Four Seasons’ songwriter Bob Gaudio in the stage musical “Jersey Boys,” a role that I later played in the film version. It was the perfect hybrid of musical theater, a love I discovered in my teens, and the pop music that I had always loved.

While it certainly brought me some attention, it didn’t come close to the number of eyeballs that watch “Madam Secretary” on a weekly basis. That’s where most people know me from, but most of those people don’t know I have a musical background. It’s interesting to see people connect the dots that the guy behind the keyboard in “Jersey Boys” is also the guy working in the White House on “Madam Secretary.”

Q. What book is on your nightstand right now?

A. I have a giant stack of things to get through. I buy books like they’re going to stop making them! Currently, I’m loving “The Dakota Winters” by Tom Barbash.

Q. What is your favorite guilty pleasure food?

A. Chinese food in New York City.

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?

A. Chewing sounds or certain food description words like “yummy” or “delish.” I’ve walked out of dinners before due to this. Don’t. Just don’t.

Q. Why is music important to humanity?

A. Music is the great communicator throughout the history of the human race. It transcends all languages. For example, try to watch a movie without a score. It has little to no impact.

Q. Which person from history, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with, and what would you discuss?

A. I want to talk to the guys who wrote the U.S. Constitution. I have some things I want to update them on and see if they want to make some clarifications …

Q. Why is it important to protect access to music education?

A. When it comes to education, one size does not fit all. We are not robots. Memorizing facts, figures and equations is meaningless for many people — it must be applied to something. I would never have understood math if I couldn’t apply it to music. Arts education is an equal part of a well-rounded education, and anyone who doubts that should just look at the science. It’s been proven time and time again that those with access to music education do better overall in grades and test scores. Music education gives life and saves lives. Why is this even up for debate?

Q. What is the most embarrassing musical moment of your life?

A. I think to be an actor, especially one who performs live on stage, you have to risk embarrassment on a daily basis. I fell through a trap door on stage in “Jersey Boys” one night in Los Angeles in front of about 1,500 audience members. I don’t remember falling, but I do remember coming to, realizing I was on the floor, and the audience was rumbling. I suppose somewhere in there was an embarrassing moment. … I just can’t remember it!

Q. What piece of music do you wish you had written and why?

A. I’ve seen other people asked that question, and I’ve never quite understood how anyone can answer it. I can tell you my favorite songs. I can tell you my least favorite songs. I can tell you the songs that remind me of a certain smell or year. But what song do I wish I had written? My answer is anything that was a big hit, right? So anything by Diane Warren or David Foster.

Q. Other than music, what brings you inspiration?

A. I honestly don’t know. My biggest inspiration for waking up in the morning, working out at the gym or even writing my own music is other music. So I’m really not sure. Animals, maybe?

Top photo by Corey Rivers

Mike Block Remembers the Hidden Meaning Behind a Lesson

Written by Ben Nussbaum on April 3, 2020. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Cellist Mike Block, an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, remembers a huge moment from when he was in college at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

It didn’t go as planned, but in retrospect Block sees that as a blessing.

“I was just beginning to improvise,” he recalls. “I was jamming with a couple friends, and I really wanted to play one of our improvisational pieces in our studio class.”

For Block, it was a daring move, one that he thought would impress and surprise his peers and his teacher.

“I was studying with a really fantastic, technically minded teacher, Richard Aaron,” Block says. “Richard was like, ‘That sounds really fun, but your vibrato is too tight. Let’s work on your vibrato.’ He sat with me for 10 minutes, and we worked on vibrato — after I improvised for him for the first time and played my heart out.”

Block was taken aback by his teacher’s business-as-usual response. “At the time I found it a little demotivating,” he says. “What I really appreciate about it in retrospect is that he never told me not to do non-classical stuff. It didn’t matter what kind of music I played as long as I did it at a high level and with attention to detail.”

Letter to Myself: Marcia Neel

Written by Marcia Neel on April 3, 2020. Posted in Master Educator Collective.

Marcia Neel is Senior Director of Education for Yamaha Corporation of America and a Yamaha Master Educator.

She is president of Music Education Consultants Inc., and serves as the education advisor to the Music Achievement Council. Below, she writes a letter to her younger self about the joys of music education.

Dear Younger Marcia:

Congratulations on getting your Music Education degree! You’re excited to get out there and realize your dream of becoming the next great American conductor like Robert Shaw, but before you begin polishing your conducting chops, I’d love to share some thoughts with you to keep in mind along the way.

First and foremost, you will hear that teaching is “not all about you,” but it is! The most accomplished directors always bring their best to each and every rehearsal. They are always prepared, energized, inspired and seem to create situations that bring out the best in everyone around them. They continually serve as students of the art form and role models to be emulated by their students. It is through this continuous search for excellence that you will realize your true purpose — serving others.

Marcia Neel high-fiving someone at the 2018 NAMM Fly-in You will also be responsible for teaching parents, colleagues, administrators, superintendents, school board members, politicians and the community in general. The constituents in your sphere of influence must understand the enormous benefits to music making, so start paying close attention to the research and spread the word. Embody this principle and live it to the fullest as it will serve you well throughout your entire career.

Spend time reflecting on why you are teaching music. You’ll go through phases. The dream of becoming Robert Shaw will eventually fade, and you will realize your true calling — helping young people discover the joy of collaborative music making and the sense of fulfillment, purpose and love that come with that. You’ll realize that music is the vessel for teaching about life and how so much can be accomplished when we choose to work together to achieve something special — something larger than the sum of its parts.

A few cautionary thoughts on how to deal with some challenging issues you’ll face:

Some people will not be as happy and fulfilled as you are, and they don’t choose to be. You will not be able to do anything about them. Move on!
If you get into trouble, whether it’s difficulty in choosing the right piece for your ensemble or the time you burned a 25-foot-long black gouge into the high school’s gym floor (yikes!), reach out and tell someone who can help you as soon as possible. Call a colleague or sit down with your supervising administrator. There will always be someone who can help, but you have to reach out to them.
Be a good listener. Hear what is being said between the words. You’ll perceive so much more this way.
You will change lives through what you say and do, so choose your words and deeds carefully.
Don’t take shortcuts. You’ll miss too much of the scenery along the way.
Family always comes first, so make time to watch your little ones grow. Family time will be your greatest joy.

One final word — artistic discovery is what working with young people is all about. No matter their age group, your students deserve credit for being able to achieve more than you think they can. If you believe in them, they definitely will exceed your expectations!

I’m so excited for you! Go out and change the world!

Best,

Marcia in 2020

Finding Funding

Written by Savy Leiser on April 3, 2020. Posted in Funding.

Funding is a major obstacle to growing a music program. For the past five years, Nick Maupoux, band director for Cle Elum-Roslyn School District, has overcome this hurdle by grant writing and using the following strategies.

Search Locally

Maupoux has acquired multiple grants for choir risers, new instruments and repairs from local businesses and organizations, including the Washington Music Educators Association, Shoemaker Manufacturing and Suncadia Resort.

Work with Administration

Administrators can be a source of information and support during the fundraising and grant-writing process. “Make sure you talk with your building principal first,” Maupoux advises. Many times after Maupoux talked with his schools’ principals about grants, he learned that the district could allocate funds for what he needed. Keeping administrators in the loop about funding needs can also put them on alert for new available grants. “[For] a lot of grants, I got the information from my principals,” Maupoux says.

Keep a List of Priorities

Even when no grants are in the works, Maupoux advises educators to keep a running list of what they’ll need for future expansions. “When you come upon an opportunity for money, you can say, ‘Oh, I can buy that new tuba! I can buy those risers,’” he says.

Characters descend from rope into a cave pool in scene from Gears 5.

Gaming in Dolby Atmos^®: An Interview with Josh Osiris

Written by Ted Goslin on April 2, 2020. Posted in Gaming. 1 Comment on Gaming in Dolby Atmos^®: An Interview with Josh Osiris

Gunshots are ringing out on all sides as enemies surround you, testing every ounce of your skill. Then the final boss emerges, forcing a standoff that will result in victory or defeat.

Every gamer has that transcendental moment that takes things from a form of entertainment to a mind- and time-altering experience. While video obviously plays an important part in this transformation, immersive audio has become an unsung hero, waiting in the wings to take its rightful place in gaming lore.

And TV speakers simply don’t do justice to this kind of sound design.

This is especially true for Gears 5, a console video game exclusive to Xbox™, and one of the few to utilize Dolby Atmos^® — an object-based surround sound format typically only used in cinema.

To better understand the impact that audio and technologies like Dolby Atmos have on video games, we reached out to Josh Osiris, sound designer for Gears of War 4 and Gears 5.

Bits and Pieces

A man sitting in a sound design studio. — *Josh Osiris, sound designer for Gears 5.*

Like film, video game audio is comprised of three core elements: sound effects, dialogue and music. One of the biggest parts of the sound designer’s job is to make sense of the audio in a way that brings the right moment into focus at the right time and as seamlessly as possible.

As a student at Vancouver Film School, Josh Osiris began learning his craft with the intention of working in film or TV. In his first semester, an instructor discussed the creative challenges of working in game audio, using the game Snake as an example, which caused Osiris to instead gravitate toward the ever-changing landscape of video game audio. His studies landed him an internship at EA (Electronic Arts) working on the Need for Speed series until moving on to Microsoft^® and working on the Gears of War series.

Energetic scene from Gears 5 with fiery explosion in background. — *A scene from Gears 5.*

Osiris points out that, unlike the linear audio used in film and TV, video game audio needs to be both immersive and constantly adaptive to the movements of the player. This requires the creation of an algorithm that is constantly running over the audio track to ensure that the audio being heard matches what’s onscreen at any given moment.

“I think of mixing as being a conductor in an orchestra,” he says. “The performance of sounds for one person’s experience will never exist again. You conceptualize what’s in the video and find a way to put it into games so it doesn’t overload the hardware. It’s the jazz of sound design. Game audio is a lively, dynamic thing, especially when it’s done really well. That was my goal with Gears 5.”

To gauge how it will sound on other systems, Osiris monitors mainly on TV speakers. “If I can make it work on TV speakers, it will sound good on anything,” he explains.

As a method to enhance the biggest audio moments of the game, Osiris and his team chose to work in Dolby Atmos — the first time the team used the technology as part of a game development process. (The previous release, Gears of War 4, implemented Dolby Atmos after launch.)

“One of the cool things about Gears of War 4 was that it used HRTF (Head-Related Transfer Functions),” Osiris says. [HRTF is an audio response that dictates how an ear receives a sound from a point in space.] All games on the Xbox can use HRTF for a virtual 7.1 soundscape via the “Windows Sonic™ for Headphones” or “Dolby Atmos for Headphones” setting, even if the game itself does not support vertical positioning of the sounds. “However,” Osiris explains, “when an Xbox game directly supports “Windows Sonic” and the user turns on either of the HRTF systems, they will get full Atmos 7.1.4 virtually, which simulates the appearance of vertical positioning.”

HRTF allowed the team to enhance vertical space elements such as footsteps and gunshots to work in Dolby Atmos, although other elements, like dialogue, were restricted in the mix due to the late addition of the technology. When it came time to work on Gears 5, Osiris and the team incorporated Dolby Atmos at the beginning of the process, allowing for fewer limitations and more room for creative solutions.

New Gear

One of the most important elements of any audio design is making sure the dynamic mix — that is, the volume and placement of each audio signal — is done in a way that helps focus the audio for the player.

A significant part of Gears 5’s audio was developed under the guidance of Crispin Hands of Lionshead Entertainment, who acted as Music Director, Cinematics Audio Lead, supporting composer and Music Implementation Designer on the project. (Lionshead Entertainment also provided the majority of the audio staff.)

Man in black sweatshirt stands in front of large monitors in sound design studio. — *Crispin Hands.*

“We worked closely with composer, Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Westworld) to establish key themes and explore the history of Gears and our characters,” says Hands. “Our main goal was to provide a spectacular and engrossing audio experience while advancing and reinforcing the story — both in the plot and the subtext. We wanted to make sure we delivered a sonically thrilling experience no matter what system you listen on, but really bring the thunder for the people who are passionate enough about sound to invest in great sound systems — with extra goodness for those who invested in Atmos.”

To achieve this, Osiris built a multiband sidechain compressor—a device that’s mostly just used in film and music mixing. [Standard compression keeps an audio signal within a certain volume range, while sidechain compression works by having the level of one sound controlled by the level of another, thus preventing any one sound from drowning out another at a given moment.] “The multiband approach carves out space for only the parts of the sound spectrum that the game wants to focus on, rather than the entire sound,” explains Osiris. “This method is more transparent and more natural-sounding than the traditional single-band sidechain compression that is used on most modern games.”

It’s also particularly helpful in Dolby Atmos, where different audio needs to be clearly sent to different speakers. “There’s a volume curve going up and down based on how loud the rest of the audio is,” adds Osiris. “The game is measuring the overall loudness of everything except speech, so that dialogue doesn’t get buried in the mix when explosions are happening everywhere, and isn’t blowing your head off by being too loud when the ambient audio is quieter.”

Battle Damage

Josh Osiris considers Gears 5 to be the best work he’s done to this point in his career, but it was also one of the most demanding projects he’s ever tackled. The biggest challenge, he says, was the final boss fight with a character called The Kraken.

“You fight him twice and he’s the most gigantic tentacled creature you’ve ever seen,” Osiris says. “So we gave him his own mix, with a separate ducking system [an audio processing tool that is used to selectively lower the volume of the other sound elements to help the creature stand out] than we used on the rest of the game. There were days I would just sit there, tweaking it and nothing else. It was tough because you get fatigued over time; you lose the ability to listen critically or hear all the frequency response.”

Battle scene from Gears 5 with large tentacled creature . — *The end boss battle with The Kraken.*

The process Osiris used to determine which sounds he wanted to enhance with Dolby Atmos involved calling out specific moments. In the game’s introduction, for example, players are introduced to the main characters via a scene involving soldiers traveling in a helicopter to start a mission. The soldiers, including the main character (controlled by the player), descend the chopper by rope into a cenotè (cave pool).

“Before we saw a single picture, we talked about this idea of descending near a waterfall,” recalls Osiris. “Immediately, that speaks of verticality [height]. We thought, “What can we do to make that moment shine?” We had area designer Brent Silk and Audio Director John Morgan fill that out with waterfalls, birds and other nice panorama sounds. It plays differently on speakers versus headphones.”

Similarly, Crispin Hands saw Dolby Atmos as an opportunity to add more depth to the sound stage and create some carefully chosen “wow” moments. “We knew that we couldn’t rely on more than a small percentage of players having access to it,” he explains, “but we really wanted to make sure those players felt like Gears 5 was one of the titles that really made it worth having.”

The Next Level

The importance of audio advancements in gaming cannot be overstated, as far as Osiris is concerned. Given the impact that Dolby Atmos has had on the overall gameplay experience for Gears 5, he stresses the importance of using it to advance video games in the future.

“For me, it’s all about gameplay feedback, first and foremost. With a dynamic mix, you focus on what’s most important to the player. Atmos lets you provide a level of clarity that was not previously available to the player. Being able to demonstrate how important audio is and how it improves the gaming experience is an important thing in the industry. I’m hoping to increase those expectations and resources to give better experiences for players with mix and gameplay feedback specifically.”

Hands has a similar opinion about the future use of Dolby Atmos in gaming. “As long as enough gamers adopt it, the possibilities are endless. Verticality plays a huge role in many games, so Atmos can and should become an essential part of the information-scape for players in many games. Hearing enemies above you can evoke a primal response similar to hearing them behind you. Even in games that don’t inherently have verticality, there are interesting opportunities to use the height channel for communicating information that would otherwise crowd the rest of the soundscape.”

Headphones versus Speakers

So how best to experience high-quality gaming audio? “Atmos for headphones works with anyone’s headphones,” Osiris says, “and Xbox will let you use Dolby Atmos on your headphones if you get the Dolby license. If you’re going to use speakers, the most cost-effective way to game is with a sound bar. Buy the best one you can afford and it will sound good. But if you can afford it, AV receivers with Dolby Atmos support and high-quality surround sound speakers are the best way to go. There’s no comparison.”

The work Osiris did on Gears 5 speaks for itself, but not every system is built for you to hear it in Dolby Atmos. Yamaha offers numerous Dolby Atmos-capable AV receivers, as well as many with multiple HDMI^® inputs that allow them to serve as your hub for your gaming systems. Explore and compare their features here.

Photographs and images courtesy of Microsoft, The Coalition™, Josh Osiris and Crispin Hands.

Check out these articles for more about audio for gaming:

Three Reasons to Upgrade Your Sound System for Modern Gaming

Top Gaming Trends for Home Audio from E3 2019

How We Interpret Sound: An Interview with Dr. Floyd Toole

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV receivers.

Click here for more information about Yamaha sound bars.

Click here to learn more about all Yamaha audio-visual products.

How to Lubricate Trombone Slides

Written by Matt Kerns on March 31, 2020. Posted in Brass, Winds How-to.

Trombones are a critical voice in any band or symphonic ensemble, and compared to most other wind instruments, they are actually pretty simple machines. However, if you haven’t spent much time playing trombones, they may seem like a bit of a mystery.

It’s particularly important to understand how to keep trombone slides moving lightning fast. Here are some tips for lubricating trombone slides.

Trombone Slide Cream

In the past, trombonists didn’t have the option of using special lubricants created with high-tech ingredients, so they improvised with whatever they had available. One of the most popular choices was old-fashioned facial cold cream — the kind that came in a jar and had a creamy consistency similar to yogurt or toothpaste. This may seem like an odd choice, but believe it or not, when applied properly, this greasy cream did make a pretty good lubricant for trombone slides! You probably won’t find many players using facial cream these days, but cream-style lubricants such as the one offered by Yamaha still remain popular.

Here’s the way I was taught to apply slide cream when I first learned to play trombone:

Trombone slide next to a bottle and tube of trombone slide cream. — *Apply a thin layer of slide cream starting at the bottom, then spray a fine mist of water to the slide while playing to keep the slide slippery.*

– The cream must be applied to the entire inner slide, so remove the outer slide completely and set it aside. Put the outer slide in a safe location where it won’t fall or get stepped on — it is very fragile and easy to dent or bend!

– Place a small amount of cream on your fingertip, a drop about the size of a pea. IMPORTANT: Make sure you’re using trombone slide cream, and not tuning slide grease. Grease is too thick and sticky for a hand slide and should only be used for tuning slides!

– Starting at the bottom of one of the inner slides, spread that drop of cream around the fat part of the slide (called the stocking). Then continue working that same drop of cream up the tube toward the hand section. You shouldn’t need to apply more than that one drop of cream.

– Once you have coated that entire inner slide, grab the top of the slide with the tips of your thumb and first two fingers, forming a rough triangle around the tube. Then, with one quick motion, pull your fingers down the length of the slide to wipe off some of the excess cream you just applied. Your goal is to leave behind a thin layer of greasy cream spread evenly across the metal. If you can actually see the cream, there’s too much!

– Repeat this process for the other inner slide tube, starting with a fresh pea-sized drop and again wiping off any excess.

– Once both inner tubes are coated, carefully put the outer slide back in place and work it up and down a few times to spread the cream evenly.

– At this point, the slide should feel fairly smooth, but for the best action use a spray bottle to apply a fine mist of water onto the inner slide tubes before and as needed while playing. The water will bead against the greasy layer of cream and act like tiny ball bearings to cushion the slide and make the action super-fast.

Depending on how much you play, slide cream may need to be reapplied after a few days or weeks. However, be careful — it’s easy to over-apply cream or use too much. When that happens, the slide can get gummy and slow, even with water. Remember, if you can actually see the cream, there’s too much, so clean the slide thoroughly and start over with a fresh thin layer.

Liquid Trombone Slide Lubricants

In more recent years, a variety of lubricants have been specifically created for trombone slides that are thicker than oil but still much thinner than creams. Some of these come as a two-part mixture, while others (like this Yamaha Trombone Slide Lubricant) come in a single bottle. Liquid lubricants are preferred by many professional players and are an excellent option for students and beginners because they’re easy to use. Best of all, they make your slide incredibly fast!

Applying liquid trombone slide lubricant to trombone slide. — *For liquid slide lubricants, apply a few drops at the top of the inner slide tubes.*

– There’s no need to remove the outer slide to apply liquid lubricants. Simply place a few drops of lubricant at the top of each inner slide tube and allow the liquid to run down the slide. Don’t worry about using too much — any excess lubricant will drain out through the water key, so there isn’t any risk of excess buildup.

– Work the outer slide back and forth a few times to spread the lubricant evenly.

– The slide may already be fast enough to use at this point, but for the best action, use a spray bottle to apply a fine mist of water before or as needed while playing.

That’s all there is to it! You may need to re-apply liquid slide lubricants a bit more frequently than the cream, but the process is much simpler and quicker, and your slide will still move just as fast and maybe even faster.

Oil

I don’t generally recommend using oil for trombone slides, but it is an option if you’re caught without anything else. Use a good quality valve oil — preferably something on the heavier/thicker side — and apply several drops to the top of the inner slides just like you would with a liquid lubricant. However, do not use a water spray because that will wash away the oil, and you’ll need to reapply frequently.

No matter which type of lubricant you choose, it’s important to remember that a trombone slide must be clean, straight and free from any dents or physical problems to work properly. If you know there’s a dent, or if the slide moves slowly or gets stuck even with proper lubrication, be sure to have the instrument looked at by a repair technician as soon as possible.