Vocalist.org archive


From:  Greypins@a...
Date:  Wed Nov 20, 2002  5:40 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] amplification

In a message dated 11/19/2002 8:23:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
lloyd.hanson@n... writes:

> And fewer
> young people can replicate even a short melodic fragment which is the
> best test of pitch memory. I know of no other cause for this
> phenomenon than the pops music field with its emphasis on short
> melodic fragments that seldom cover the range of a melodic fifth and
> which, by their structural nature place an emphasis on other
> parameters of music such as rhythm, timbre, and, in some cases
> texture.
>

lloyd,

how then do you explain peggy's self proclaimed inability to sort out
one of these simple melodies, despite her classical training? perhaps the
blame should be placed on the ever increasing pile of atonal crap palmed off
on us by the music academies in the last century.

there is a wide variety of 'pops' music available. some of it is
very melodic while some of it is essentially rhythmic. some of it is rap.
also, there is a wider acceptance of music from earlier periods in pop music
(i'm sure there is even room for those great melodies of yesteryear like
'three little fishes') so, there is a lot of music available. the greater
availabilty and the ease of access has brought about greater interest by a
larger number of people. as the greater masses are included, so too are
those who probably should stick to just listening.

my experience with young students who listen mostly to pop music is
that many of them have an ability to learn music very fast, without the
ability to read music. these people are used to learning everything by ear
and often have a much better sense of musical elements than those who have
grown up playing an instrument (until the ones who play instruments learn to
connect the sounds they make to the pictures they are playing, they might as
well be just typing).

the biggest problem that i see with these singer is that most of them
hold that one recording of a song, as standard. it is very hard to get them
to do their own rendition of a song as their own twists seem incorrect to
them.

mike






emusic.com