MONTHLYMONTHLY

VOL. 16 • NO. 5 FEBRUARY 2019

Rising Brit Singer-Songwriter Who Has Turned the Heads of Drake, Bruno Mars & Kendrick Lamar

TECHNIQUESEXPLORING THE HARMONIC MINOR

MODERN BANDPLAYING THE FRAY’S “HOW TO SAVE A LIFE”

JORJA SMITH

SPECIAL REPORTBEST MUSIC

SCHOOLSPart 2

THE YOUNG MUSICIAN’S TEXTBOOK

✦ Insights for Music Teachers – from Music Teachers✦ How to Teach with In Tune Cover Stories✦ Using Synthesizers to Sculpt Sonic Worlds✦ Student Edition of In Tune Monthly✦ Website and Subscription Information

✦ T E AC H E R’ S E D I T I O N ✦

Every Music Student Needs to Get In Tune! To get subscriptionsfor your class, see the back cover

F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 ○ V o l . 1 6 , N o . 5

Student subscriptions available at InTuneMonthly.com

In Tune creates only a few annual special features. This past September, we

produced a first annual Music Educators Buyer’s Guide (available all year long at

InTuneMonthly.com/BuyersGuide), and our March issue will present our

annual report on the marching arts. This month, we offer “part two” of our annual

Best Music Schools feature (the first part being our October package under the

same rubric) about studying music in college; by the way, we always qualify the

feature’s title by stating our position that there actually are no “best” music

schools, per se. Our idea of the “best” is the school that’s best for you.

The buyer’s guide has obvious utility, and our marching story raises awareness

of an exciting, sociable musical activity. But the In Tune college stories are

especially “teachable.” A new era in the commercial music business has changed

the world of higher music education, with schools now preparing students for

more music and music-related careers than ever. Colleges have been expanding

their curricula, beyond majors in performance and music education. Along with

the creation of virtually every sort of music, students can go on to study music

publishing, arts presentation, music technology, instrument manufacturing/

retailing, digital distribution, music law, music therapy and much more – if, of

course, they’re aware of the opportunities.

A lot of these programs are new, and your school’s guidance office may be

able to help those students who are already motivated toward them. But

guidance counselors can’t gauge a young music student’s potential the way you

can, as a teacher. For our part, we’re in the business of helping you turn on some

light bulbs. Yes, the spring concert is coming, and your general music program is

probably already set. But somewhere along the way, opening young minds to

new musical futures can become part of the mix simply by connecting your kids

with the In Tune “Best Music Schools” stories in February and October. We hope

you, and they, will find the content to be valuable food for thought!

Continuing Education Teachers ordering six or more sets of

In Tune student subscriptions can go to intunemonthly.com/lessonplansfor full lesson plans and videos.

This month, lesson plans are available for the following stories:

Teacher’sediTion

Jorja SmithBrit singer-songwriter Jorja Smith is a rising star,

with fans in Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

Modern BandLearn how to arrange and play The Fray’s hit

“How to Save a Life” with your group.

TechniquesExplore the harmonic minor scale in music

such as Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.”

Best Music Schools 2018College special feature, with stories about

admissions consultants and school specialties.

i nt u nemont h ly.com

PO

P Q

UIZ

AN

SW

ER

S:

1B

, 2

C,

3D

, 4

C,

5B

, 6

B,

7C

, 8

A,

9D

, 1

0B

MA

TC

H Q

UIZ

AN

SW

ER

S:

1B

, 2

J, 3

E,

4A

, 5

F, 6

I, 7

H,

8G

, 9

C,

10

D P

HO

TO

S f

RO

M T

OP

: Ju

ST

In H

IGu

CH

I;

AF

Ar

CH

IvE

/ A

lA

MY

ST

OC

k P

HO

TO

; W

En

n u

S /

Al

AM

Y S

TO

Ck

PH

OT

O;

CO

ur

TE

SY

OF

vA

nD

Er

CO

Ok

CO

ll

EG

E O

F M

uS

IC

i nt u nemont h ly.com4 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 • I N T U N E M O N T H L Y - T E A C H E R E D I T I O N

COLLEGE MUSIC SCHOOLS, PART TWOFollowing our higher-educa-tion extravaganza in the October issue, this season’s second two-part exploration of considering colleges for studying music features a story about schools that have renowned specialties in their programs – such as music education, music industry and more. Another piece explores how entrance consultants can help students through the admissions maze, advis-ing on essays, auditions, interviews and more.

JORJA SMITHThis issue’s cover story pro-� les British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith, who – at just 21 – � nds herself on the cusp of international pop/R&B star-dom, with such songs as “On

My Mind” and “Blue Lights.” Just a few years ago, she was going to school in the Midlands of England, but she has already made famous fans in the U.S., touring with Bruno Mars and collaborating with hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

MODERN BANDDenver-based rock band The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” is a piano-led track featuring singer Isaac Slade channeling his experiences as a counselor at a summer camp for troubled teens. This feature o� ers ar-rangement and performance tips so that a young group can perform a customized version of the song, exploring what will work best for its instrumentation, skill level and creative ambitions.

CLASSIC ALBUM COVERSJust as the name Deutsche Grammophon has stood for the highest quality in classical music recordings for 120 years, the German label’s signature yellow logo – and evolving album cover designs – have underscored that in graphic style. The company has recorded great conductors

from old-school Herbert von Karajan to new-era Gustavo Dudamel, as well as such star soloists as violinist Anne Sophie Mutter and pianist Yuja Wang.

The Tao of In Tune

ICONThis month’s column devoted to great musical � gures in history presents jazz singer-pianist Shirley Horn. Trumpet great Miles Davis was a kindred spirit, being a big fan of her slow-burn way with a ballad. About that aspect of her art, Horn said: “Too many musicians rush… It’s important to understand what the song is saying, and learn how to tell the story.”

PLAYERSGuitarist Norman Westberg, a New York-based veteran of heavy avant-rock band Swans since the early ’80s, has lately established a cottage industry as a solo guitarist. With a combination of delay e� ects and minimal looping, he has created a hovering, mysterious, utterly distinct

brand of ambient music, with such albums as All Most Quiet, Jasper Sits Out and the new After Vacation.

WHAT YOU WILL DO?This feature of In Tune pro� les professionals work-ing in music, o� ering insights for students into potential careers. This month’s subject is art director Hadaya Turner, who designs sets for entertainment events along with creating motion-graphics for videos. Before joining the New York-based Complex Media, Turner was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for her work on Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” video.

TECHNIQUESThe harmonic minor scale is a common element of Middle Eastern music, as well as Western pieces seeking an exotic � avor. In the � rst of this two-part lesson, Nick Millevoi

explores the harmonic minor in such works as Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” and the traditional Sephardic song “Los Bibilicos.”

As the primAry guitArist in heavy avant-rock band swans, Norman Westberg has for years contributed to often over-whelming waves of volume with a mix of the rhythmically slashing and the harmon-ically sensual. solo, he has developed a sound that’s oceanic but in a much different way. Westberg makes the six strings of his guitar vibrate through delay effects and loopers to create swells of mysterious, shape-shifting resonance – a brand of ambient music that’s as evocative of as many different things as there are listeners who hear it.

to Australian electronic musician and label proprietor Lawrence english, West-berg’s solo explorations have a “topographic” dimension, as they chart “the dark contours of places unseen but imagined.” For his part, the guitarist says: “initially, i was just trying to make a quieter, inward music, since i was working in my manhattan apartment. i was also curious if i could create something with the meditative quality that we achieved at

certain points with latter-day swans, but with much lower volume. i’m having a conversation with myself.”

Westberg’s wife is a jeweler, selling her work online via etsy. she inspired him to create handmade CD packages of his solo recordings to sell on etsy and at shows. the personalized, do-it-yourself approach – plus swans leader michael gira helping to pro-mote the records via social media – paid off. A fan of swans, english was entranced by Westberg’s solo music; sensing a kindred spirit, he was moved to remaster and reissue the albums 13, MRI and Jasper Sits Out through his room40 label. that had a ripple effect. Other labels offered to put out the guitarist’s records, too, with such albums as All Most Quiet and A Chance To deepening his discography. he says: “it helps to have an association with an infamous band, but it’s amazing to me that those homemade records led to labels reaching out from the uK, switzerland, Australia.” produced by

english, Westberg’s latest release, After Vacation, sees him move beyond a one-take, “performative” process toward something more composed and crafted, with height-ened melody amid the clouds of sound.

Born in 1958 and raised in Detroit, Westberg took up the guitar at age 10, with private lessons. “i learned that not only do you have to practice, practice, practice – you have to really look into yourself,” he says. “early on, i realized that i wasn’t going to be a ‘shredder’ and that i had to make the most of what i can do. i didn’t even play other people’s music in cover bands. my aim has been to find my own voice on the guitar.”

Westberg recalls being a kid and loving his sister’s Beatles singles, with David Bowie and t-rex to follow. hanging out in a record store, Westberg heard Black sabbath’s “paranoid,” and that’s when it really hit him: “this is for me!” iconic Detroit band the stooges and such post-punk groups as public image Ltd. and the Birthday party became further influences. Later, when he was developing his solo atmospherics, it was the organic-minded ambient group stars of the Lid that made him feel “not alone.”

Westberg moved in 1980 to New york City, joining swans three years later; he played with the volatile band through the mid-’90s and then with other downtown groups. gira re-formed swans in 2010 with Westberg a key link to the early days. this incarnation of swans produced four epic albums and toured hard. such roadwork can be exhausting; yet Westberg has always relished the camaraderie of a band: “that’s the reason you want to join a band when you’re a kid – to have a crew to belong to.”

As for advice to the young, Westberg says: “it’s not an easy path being a musician, especially nowadays. it should be something that you just have to do. i mean, would you make music even if it were illegal? that’s the amount of desire you should have. Because the love of it is everything.” c

ou

rt

es

y o

f y

ou

ng

go

d r

ec

or

ds

p L Ay e r s the lives and times of Working musicians By Bradley BamBarger

intunemonthly.com20 In Tune Monthly • January 2019

P r o f i l emaiN Claim To fame: Playing in avant-rock band Swans since ‘83; a solo guitar career over the past decade.

iNflUeNCeS: David Bowie, Black Sabbath, The Stooges, Public Image Ltd., Television, Killing Joke, Stars of the Lid.

eQUiPmeNT: Customized early-’70s Fender Telecaster guitar (and MJT copy), customized Ibanez AS80, and a Gretsch Resonator G9201; plus delay pedals and loopers by Malekko, TC Electronic and MXR, among others.

“I learned that not only do

you have to practice, practice,

practice – you have to really

look into yourself.”

Norman Westberg

WELCOME TO FEBRUARY Ranging far and wide,

this issue presents stories about infl uential musicians from

pop/R&B and hip-hop to avant-rock and vintage jazz. Also

appearing is the second half of our annual series on higher

education, with a story about colleges with particular specialties

and another about what admissions consultants can offer. As

ever, there are also In Tune tips on playing techniques, band

arrangements and catchy songs from around the world.

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE AND WHY

TEACHING WITH IN TUNE

Hassle-free assesment.More time to make music.

MusicFirst Assessment is the only music education software to give you a comprehensive view of student knowledge and performance. It combines engaging, interactive content with innovative software to analyze studentprogress through the year. Now it is easier than ever to measure studentgrowth objectives and make the most of your time in the classroom.

Try it free for 30 days at musicfirst.com

 FOR THE MOST PART, In Tunewill only feature a musical act on its cover once. There are those rare instances when an artist will appear twice after making a great career change, or having revived his or career after a long hiatus; but by design, it’s a one-shot deal. Why?

Because our cover stories aren’t just about covering an artist’s latest album or tour. They’re intended to be the telling of “how I made it,” starting from the beginning. In that way, we hope to relate lessons of growth to our young readers, with the aim of giving them the con� dence that they, too, can � nd paths to success. Yes, a new album, tour or rise in popularity play a role in our selection process – a core element of In Tune is to present especially relevant, “of the moment” artists – but our cover stories, like all the stories of In Tune, are built around musical lessons. Once the lesson of an artist’s rise to success is taught, we would rather look for another artist, to teach a di� erent lesson.

Last issue’s cover artist, Taylor Swift, is the exception to our rule. When we � rst featured Taylor on the cover of the April 2008 issue of In Tune, we were pro� ling a

country music wunderkind – a woman, to boot. At 21 years old, she was already a veteran writer and recording artist, clearly having become Nashville’s sweetheart. We explored how her brand of country was updating the genre and how traditionalists were reacting, as well as how a new genera-tion of fans was becoming enfranchised along with her. Swift appeared on our cover again because so much about her, and her career, has changed. She is now an interna-tional pop star – one of the brightest. Moreover, she has become a leader in the music industry, a force to be reckoned with as a businesswoman – and still only on the cusp of her 30s. So, there’s a new story, a new lesson and a new reason to feature Swift on the cover.

For the December 2018 cover story, we pro� led the band Greta Van Fleet, discussing comparisons between the young foursome and classic-rock titans Led Zeppelin, in both music and fashion. It gave our writer the chance to explore the ways in which musi-cians can be in� uenced by one another, and the di� erence between being inspired by another artist’s music and merely copying it. We told the story of Greta Van Fleet’s start, and gave background on its members;

i nt u nemont h ly.comF E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 • I N T U N E M O N T H L Y - T E A C H E R E D I T I O N 6

country music wunderkind – a woman, to boot. At 21 years old, she was already a veteran writer and recording artist, clearly having become Nashville’s sweetheart. We explored how her brand of country was updating the genre and how traditionalists were reacting, as well as how a new genera-tion of fans was becoming enfranchised along with her. Swift appeared on our cover again because so much about her, and her career, has changed. She is now an interna-tional pop star – one of the brightest. Moreover, she has become a leader in the music industry, a force to be reckoned with as a businesswoman – and still only on the

i nt u nemont h ly.com

The classic-rock poseof GRETA VAN FLEET has earned the millennial bandworldwide buzz even as the Michigan quartet polarizes opinion.

BY CHUCK TAYLOR

TO SOME ENTHUSIASTIC opinion-shapers, young rock four-some Greta Van Fleet are the “torch-bearers of a new era in creative hard rock,” with a musicality that “captures the blood, sweat and tears of pure guitar rock at its intense best.” Others in the press are less impressed, with devil’s advocates o� ering skeptical lines about the group acting and sounding “like they were grown in the lab of some classic-rock-loving mad scientist” or, more harshly, that “they’re a tribute band who happen to write their own songs.” For a band just coming out of the gate with its � rst major-label album, such a polarized reception – positive and negative from the likes of The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Revolver and National Public Radio – means that a nerve has de� nitely been struck. In a world where it can be exceedingly hard for a rock group to get noticed, Greta Van Fleet has made a name for itself, whether the reviews have been fawning or ferocious. No publicity is bad publicity, as the saying goes.Formed in 2012, Greta Van Fleet – hailing from Frankenmuth, Mich. (population 4,944) – com-

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME?

Greta Van Fleet, left to right: Sam Kiszka (bass), Danny Wagner (drums), Josh Kiszka (vocals) andJake Kiszka (guitar)

39

38

December 2018 • In Tune Monthly

intunemonthly.com

intunemonthly.com

In Tune Monthly • December 2018

Cover Stories of In Tune

Explore and discuss some of the lessons that all musicians have to learn, in art and in life. BY PAUL IRWIN

How To Teach with the

i nt u nemont h ly.com I N T U N E M O N T H L Y • T E A C H E R ’ S E D I T I O N • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 7

TEACHING WITH IN TUNE

i nt u nemont h ly.com I N T U N E M O N T H L Y • T E A C H E R ’ S E D I T I O N • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 7

The classic-rock poseof GRETA VAN FLEET has earned the millennial bandworldwide buzz even as the Michigan quartet polarizes opinion.

BY CHUCK TAYLOR

TO SOME ENTHUSIASTIC opinion-shapers, young rock four-some Greta Van Fleet are the “torch-bearers of a new era in creative hard rock,” with a musicality that “captures the blood, sweat and tears of pure guitar rock at its intense best.” Others in the press are less impressed, with devil’s advocates o� ering skeptical lines about the group acting and sounding “like they were grown in the lab of some classic-rock-loving mad scientist” or, more harshly, that “they’re a tribute band who happen to write their own songs.” For a band just coming out of the gate with its � rst major-label album, such a polarized reception – positive and negative from the likes of The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Revolver and National Public Radio – means that a nerve has de� nitely been struck. In a world where it can be exceedingly hard for a rock group to get noticed, Greta Van Fleet has made a name for itself, whether the reviews have been fawning or ferocious. No publicity is bad publicity, as the saying goes.Formed in 2012, Greta Van Fleet – hailing from Frankenmuth, Mich. (population 4,944) – com-

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME?

Greta Van Fleet, left to right: Sam Kiszka (bass), Danny Wagner (drums), Josh Kiszka (vocals) andJake Kiszka (guitar)

39

38

December 2018 • In Tune Monthly

intunemonthly.com

intunemonthly.com

In Tune Monthly • December 2018

video, or sees him or her in the context of celebrity, they might view the artist as a musician � rst – and seek to learn lessons from their experiences, perhaps making it easier to work through the processes of learning to play, sing and write.

Our goal isn’t necessarily to dispel the carefully crafted imagery sometimes attached to a music personality. But we do want to underscore the bond between artists at what-

but the story of the band’s rise and popularity was the illustration. The larger lesson was perhaps about musical interpretation, which also applies to artists in classical music and jazz, among other genres.

In November, our cover story featured country-rocker Lukas Nelson and his band Promise of the Real. There was a variety of lessons to be taught with this one. The singer-guitarist’s dad is country icon Willie Nelson, so our writer pointed to the rela-tionship between father and son, providing a jumping off point to discuss musical families beyond blood. Lukas co-wrote songs with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga for the hit movie A Star Is Born, along with appearing in the film; this could also lead an educator to explore the subject of music for � lm, how it is written and produced.

Our cover subject for the Octo-ber issue was Billie Eilish, the 17-year-old singer/songwriter whose debut single, “Ocean Eyes,” has been streamed more than 194 million times on Spotify. Eilish began singing and writing songs when she was just 11, and she recently con� rmed via Instagram that among the challenges of her young life as a performer is living with Tourette Syndrome, saying: “I’ve taught myself ways of sup-pressing my tics and certain techniques to help [reduce] them when I don’t want to be distracting in certain situations… I’ve never mentioned [my Tourette Syndrome] on the internet because… I’ve just never wanted people to think of Tourette every time they think of me.”

The In Tune cover features aim to dig below the surface of celebrity reportage, exploring how musicians have overcome obstacles as well as taken advantage of lucky breaks. There are stories about adapting to change and � nding in� uences and inspiration. Along the way, there are lessons of music creation, production, recording and the business of art. This way, when a music student takes in the media’s coverage of an artist, or watches a music

ever stage of career. A beginner can see the trials that even the luckiest and most innately gifted artist goes through. We can be fans and enjoy the theater and pageantry of music, but it’s important that young musicians who are trying new things – practicing and inevi-tably failing before achieving – to recognize that overcoming challenges is part of develop-ing. Even the most successful have had to learn their lessons, in music and in life.

i nt u nemont h ly.comF E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 • I N T U N E M O N T H L Y - T E A C H E R E D I T I O N 8

TEACHING WITH IN TUNE

pressing my tics and certain techniques to help [reduce] them when I don’t want

and inspiration. Along the way, there are lessons of music creation, production, recording and the business of art. This way, when a music student takes in the media’s coverage of an artist, or watches a music

The In Tune cover features aim to dig below the surface of celebrity reportage, exploring how musicians have overcome obstacles as well as taken advantage of lucky breaks.

i nt u nemont h ly.com I n T u n e M o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e d I T I o n • F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 9

Co

ur

te

sy

of

Lo

ri

sC

hw

ar

tz

re

iCh

L;

Ph

an

ie /

aL

am

y s

to

Ck

Ph

ot

o

Through my years of directing musical ensembles, supervising pre-service music teachers, mentoring novice educators and adjudicating ensembles, I have encountered ensemble directors unable to quite hear discrepancies in musical phrases or who lack the confidence to acknowledge and correct the errors. Even if rhythmic inaccuracies, dynamic contrasts and tempi changes are

often heard and corrected, pitch errors may be ignored in dense harmonic lines, and even in unison pas-sages. Reflecting upon my formative years as an ensemble director, I am certain that I ignored dis-crepancies in my ensem-bles, too. Inexperienced, I might have been so intent on how the individual musicians looked and acted that I may not have focused with precision on their uni-fied sound. Even now, although I make every attempt, I know I can’t hear everything at once!

I can recall an instance with a student intern when we discussed the immediate need for correcting errors in an ensemble. While conducting the band through a performance of a scale, he didn’t acknowl-edge that the horn players were not performing in unison with the ensemble, let alone correct them. He didn’t even look at the section to make a non-verbal gesture. I asked the intern why he had not corrected the horns during the scale. He looked at me in confusion. So, I took a different approach and asked, “Did you hear that the horns didn’t perform in unison with the remainder of the ensemble during the scale?” He answered that he hadn’t. I instructed him to view the score of a specific selection that he conducted, asking him which pitch he heard a tenor

saxophone player perform in a particular measure, rather than what the composer had written. He guessed the answer correctly, but admitted that he had not heard that particular pitch error. He con-fessed that sometimes he heard discrepancies within certain sections, but did not feel confident in how to proceed with instructions for improvement. We spent the remainder of the observation discussing methods for ensuring the detection of errors while conducting an ensemble.

A method for isolating and

addressing musical phrases:

1. Do you hear an error?2. Can you discern where the discrepancy is coming

from within the ensemble? As the conductor, do you hear the error to your left, in front of you or to your right?

3. Can you detect the instrumental section or voice part that is producing the error?

4. Of the instrumental section or voice part, can you detect which divided part is producing the error?

5. Further, can you detect which individual is making the error?

If you can detect which section or voice part is pro-

Do you hear what i hear?Isolating and Attacking Musical Phrases for Accuracy

Lori Schwartz Reichl is a music educator and author. Visit her at makingkey changes.com.

tooLS foR EducAtoRSb y L o R I S c h w A R t z R E I c h L

K e y C h A n g e s : R e f R e s h I n g y o u R M u s I C P R o g R A M

i nt u nemont h ly.comF e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 • I n T u n e M o n T h l y - T e a c h e r e d I T I o n 10

ducing the error, but you can’t detect which

individual is the culprit (or do not wish to

individualize), consider this process:

1. Ask your students to acknowledge what error is occurring. Is an Fs being per-formed when it should be an F? Are eighth notes are being confused for sixteenth notes? Is a dynamic marking of piano being performed instead of forte?

2. Instruct all members of the section to use a pencil to star the exact beat or measure where the error is occurring.

3. Instruct all members of the section to circle or place a bracket around the musi-cal phrase that contains the error.

4. Speak, sing or play the phrase yourself as a model for your students.

5. Ask the section leader, or another musi-cian you are confident can perform the phrase masterfully, to do so also as a model.

6. Ask that individual to perform again while you add the next student in line, so that two musicians are now playing

tools for Educators

or singing in unison. While this is occur-ring, ask those students who are waiting their turn to perform to finger, slide, air stick or mouth along. This ensures that all members of the section or ensemble are focused, with no instruc-tional time lost.

7. Continue down the line by adding a musician each round, until all musicians are performing in unison.Also consider slowing down the tempo

in order to master the phrase, increasing speed as you add more musicians. If a stu-dent makes a mistake, restart. If the student makes the mistake more than once, ask him or her to become tacet and finger, slide, air stick or mouth along again. Encourage this musician to join in when he or she can master the phrase. This could be later in the rehearsal or sectional or another day after he or she has spent some time practic-ing the passage in question at home. Once the musical phrase in question has been isolated and attacked, add the phrases before

and after it to ensure that a smooth transi-tion can occur. During a rehearsal, once all (or most) musicians of the section can master the phrase, instruct all members to perform beginning at the phrase prior to the error. Acknowledge when the phrase has improved.

A veteran band director I admire has always said, “Directors who are good musi-cians will hear the errors.” Do you hear what the composer has intended? Are your musicians performing the music accurately? If not, isolate the errors and attack! T

om

Lin

ds

ey

/ A

LA

my

sT

oc

k P

ho

To

THE AMERICAN KODÁLY INSTITUTE AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

Apply Today! Courses run July 6-26, 2019. Attend a Free Saturday Workshop – Register Online!4501 N. Charles Street • Baltimore, MD 21210

SUMMER MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM• OAKE Endorsed Kodály Certification Levels I, II, III• M.Ed in Kodály Music Education• Kodály methodology based on current research

• Teaching Lab with AKI Demonstration Singers• Build and play dulcimer, guitar, and ukulele • Learn hundreds of songs, folk dances, and play parties • Elementary General or Secondary Choral Track

LOYOLA.EDU/KODALY

HOW WILL YOU DRIVE EDUCATION

?

Three days of instruction, networking, and performances for music educators interested in all aspects of popular music.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR POPULAR MUSIC EDUCATION

JUNE 12 - 15, 2019

12 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 • I n T u n e M o n T h l y • T e a c h e r e d I T I o n

a car engine seems to have a constant hum, even though it’s just individual cylinders quickly firing at different times. This is precisely how the circuits in an analog synthesizer create sound. They “oscil-late,” or bounce electricity back and forth so quickly that a tone can be produced at or around frequencies that are audible and identifiable to the ear. This is why these circuits are called “oscillators.”

oscillators can bounce electricity in different shapes, affecting the timbre of the tone generated. These shapes are usually defined as square, sawtooth and triangle. a free-to-use, browser-based example is the oscillators app offered in Google’s chrome Music lab. users can click on differently shaped oscillators to activate them, then change the frequency of the oscillation. by keeping the frequency value low enough and steady, you can hear each individual click of our “bouncing red ball.”

beware: encourage healthy headphone-wearing practices throughout all sonic exploration. The prospect of turning electric-ity into sound might be overwhelming for a novice due not only to the synthesizer’s tendency to sound shrill, loud and abrasive, but also due to the ever-tweakable depth of possibilities for both

tools for Educators

With readily available and inexpensive devices, it is more possible than ever before for students to create their own sonic worlds. In particular, the modern analog subtractive synthesizer, used by musicians and sound designers, is an incredibly powerful tool for sculpting sound; the analog synth can be a simpler yet more involving alternative to the digital synths that have been available for years, with their

preset sounds. although analog synths have sometimes been regarded as merely toys that go “beep” and “boop,” these devices can provide deeply meaningful, immediate experiences for students, who have to manipulate all the parameters of sound themselves. This sort of synth also has the power to add the elements of STeaM – Science, Technology, engineering, arts and Math – to your program, along with engaging students who may not be invested in traditional imple-ments of music in school.

synthEsis 101What is a modern analog subtractive synthesizer? Simply put, it is an instrument that converts pure (analog) electricity into sound. how? Imagine that you are standing at the beginning of an infinitely long hallway and in your hand is a red rubber ball. If you threw that ball on a diagonal angle toward the ground, it would naturally go forward and bounce against the floor and ceiling of the hallway. If you took this bouncing action, which makes a sound each time it bounces, and sped up the frequency of the bouncing, it would eventually get so fast that it would produce a single tone. If it helps, think about how

How to Teach Synthesis as a Way of Helping Kids Sculpt Their Sonic Worlds. By Zachary Gates

More Than Just

Beep Boop

& ”

”

“

“

i nt u nemont h ly.com I n T u n e M o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e d I T I o n • F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 13

the tone and timbre of the instrument. The possibilities for “beeps” and “boops” can be rewarding as well as treacherous. It is important to show students how to make the sounds more manageable and appealing to the common ear very early in the learning and exploration process.

Other forms of electronic synthesis beyond analog subtractive synthesis feature different timbral tendencies, functions and price-tags, such as pulse-code modulation (PCM), additive frequency modulation (FM) and granular synthesis. But none of these options offer such a tactile, tweakable experience with so many different and understandable packages as the analog subtractive synthesizer.

Subtractive SyntheSiSCalling synthesis “subtractive” is a way to describe the architecture of the instrument and how it produces tone. This means that each method of shaping and sculpting the sound can be systematically subtracted until you are only left with the most essential material: the oscillator. This would be comparable to how chiseling is

subtractive, in the way that a block of stone is chiseled away – pieces removed – to create a sculpture.

Subtracting and separating functions in the production of electronic tone makes “tweaking” sound immediately possible and highly engag-ing to the user. Synthesizers can also yield sudden, dramatic changes in multiple parameters of the sound that can be exciting to the ear. While cool to manipulate and hear, these changes can sometimes be stumbled upon by a novice and not be immediately replicable. Elec-tronic music-making can often be viewed as a way of just pressing a button and getting lucky. But is such exploration a bad thing? Why can’t one lucky moment turn into a powerful discovery?

To help harness that teachable moment, it helps to understand the building blocks of the synthesizer. The separated functions of the instrument can vary slightly among different models, and they can be variably organized and layered. In its simplest form, there are three core functions in a subtractive analog synthesizer.

1. Oscillator – where the tone is first produced. 2. Filter – where the tone is “filtered” or shaped to be darker or

brighter. There are two main types of filter: Co

ur

te

sy

of

Mu

siC

fir

st

i nt u nemont h ly.com14 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 • I n T u n e M o n T h l y - T e a c h e r e d I T I o n

a. low Pass Filters (lPF) – used to increase or decrease the low end of the frequency spectrum of the tone.

b. high Pass Filters (hPF) – used to increase or decrease the high end of the frequency spectrum of the tone. used less frequently then an lPF.

3. amplifier – where the overall volume of the tone is managed.

each function on the synthesizer can change its rate of attack, decay, sustain and release (adSr). In fact, all sounds can be described in adSr terms. The sound of a clap of thunder would have a quick attack and slow release, for instance. conversely, a loud, long slurp of a singular noodle may have a sound that has a slow attack, but very quick release. In synthesized sounds, these parameters can be instantly changed.

In previous generations, synthesizers with these capabilities cost thousands of dollars, making them accessible to only an elite class of musicians. recent technological develop-ments have made synthesizers more afford-

Pi boards and Makey-Makey kits. For education-friendly polyphonic synthesizers, check out the Korg Minilogue and the roland boutique series.

If you’re interested in engaging pupils with new, interesting sounds, the analog synthesizer can easily be used to accompany an ensemble, help with teaching and exciting a piano class, or play an important role in student composition. by connecting to the sonic world of students and giving them the tools to sculpt that world, we can empower another avenue of learning and creativity.

tools for Educators

Zachary Gates is a middle-school choral and piano teacher, guitarist and producer for local musicians in central New Jersey. He has

performed works with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic, as well as presented on technology and arts in education at conferences throughout the U.S. c

oU

rt

eS

Y o

f z

ac

Ha

rY

ga

te

S

able and accessible. Software-based synthesis is free or inexpensive, with browser-based digital audio Workstation (daW) synthe-sizers available online that can emulate the analog synth experience. MusicFirst offers Soundation, a browser-based daW. Sounda-tion’s MIdI channels provide four different synthesizers, including a “Simple Synth” with an intuitive interface of four oscillators, two envelopes and a filter. More advanced users will appreciate Soundation’s Va (virtual analog), FM (frequency modulation) and “Wub Machine” synths. Soundation allows the immediacy of sculpting sound and the ability to record and write songs with user-created sounds in one package.

If you have the budget for hardware-based synthesizers, consider such friendly mono-phonic synths as the arturia Microbrute, novation circuit Mono Station or Korg littlebits Synth Kit. The littlebits Synth Kit is an especially exciting option, as little-bits can connect magnetically to instruments and to multiple sensors, motors, raspberry

NAMMFOUNDATION.ORG

Get InvolvedCelebrate music making with NAMM

Foundation programs, including:Music Making Day of Service,

Make Music Day, Best Communities for Music Education, GenNext and

Music Education Days.

Be a ChampionUse advocacy resources and become a champion for music education. The NAMM Foundation believes in a world

where all children have a right to a music education and where every adult is a defender of that right.

Make a GiftContribute and be part of a

community that promotes and celebrates music making.

LEARN MORE AT NAMMFOUNDATION.ORG

NAMMFOUNDATION.ORG

BE A PART OF THE NAMM FOUNDATIONThe NAMM Foundation promotes music education and music making for people of all ages and abilities

Photo credit: Rob Davidson Photography

NAMMF_NAFME_7x4.875.indd 1 11/20/18 4:14 PM

i nt u nemont h ly.com I n T u n e M o n T h l y • T e a c h e r’ s e d I T I o n • F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 15

P o P Q u i z

M a t c h Q u i z

the following quiz questions can be used to test for comprehension or for general reading of this issue of In Tune. (answers are on page 3 of the teacher’s Edition.)

Match the name in the left column to the song on the right.

1. Singer Jorja Smith played which wind instrument in school?

a. ClarinetB. Oboec. SaxophoneD. Bassoon

2. Which pop star was moved to tears by a song by Maggie Rogers?

a. DrakeB. Kanye Westc. Pharrell WilliamsD. Bruno Mars

3. What has VanderCook College of Music specialized in for more than a century?

a. Music businessB. Songwritingc. Jazz performanceD. Music education

4. What genre has record company Deutsche Grammophon concentrated on for 120 years?

a. EDMB. Jazzc. ClassicalD. Euro-pop

5. Which iconic trumpeter was a devoted fan and eventually a collaborator with jazz singer-pianist Shirley Horn?

a. Clifford BrownB. Miles Davisc. Lee MorganD. Freddie Hubbard

6. The Frost School of Music is part of which university?

a. University of AlabamaB. University of Miamic. University of Southern CaliforniaD. New York University

7. Which famous Duke Ellington piece prominently employs the harmonic minor scale?

a. “Take the ‘A’ Train”B. “Sophisticated Lady”c. “Caravan”D. “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue”

8. Guitarist Norman Westberg has been associated with which avant-rock band for more than 25 years?

a. SwansB. The Bad Seedsc. Killing JokeD. King Crimson

9. Rock band The Fray, of “How to Save a Life” fame, is from which town?

a. DetroitB. Los Angelesc. New YorkD. Denver

10. Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke composed his first film score to which movie?

a. Black PantherB. Suspiriac. Bohemian RhapsodyD. A Star Is Born

a r t i s t

1. Shirley Horn

2. Maggie Rogers

3. Thom Yorke

4. Alec Benjamin

5. Deerhunter

6. Kelsey Lu

7. Jorja Smith

8. Florida Georgia Line

9. Sam Smith

10. Sigrid

s o n g

a. “Let Me Down Slowly”

B. “You Won’t Forget Me”

c. “Dancing with a Stranger”

D. “Don’t Feel Like Crying”

E. “Suspirium”

F. “Plains”

g. “People Are Different”

h. “Blue Lights”

i. “Shades of Blue”

J. “Alaska”

tools For EDucators

Books For StudentsCOOL JOBS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Jeffrey Rabhan starts from his own experience to clearly explain career paths in today’s (and tomorrow’s) music business (w/DVD).

JAZZ THEN & NOW $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________A textbook (w/CD) on jazz history and its relationship to today’s jazz.

MUSIC ALIVE!’S PERCUSSION $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Daniel Glass offers students a comprehensive introduction to drums and percussion (w/CD).

YOUR SOUND ONSTAGE $33.95 x _____ copies = $_________A textbook (w/CD) about gear, mixing live sound, onstage presentation, and more!

MARCHING MUSIC $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Everything young musicians need to know to get started–and succeed–in marching music.

Lesson Books For TeachersSOUNDS OF THE CITIES $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Explore the unique sounds and artists of famed cities such as New Orleans, Memphis, Philadelphia, and Chicago (w/CD).

MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD$39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Explore the music and culture of South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, India, China, and more! (w/CD)

EXPLORING THE BLUES $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Topics include: Birth of the Blues, Early Blues Guitarists, Women with the Blues, The Blues Begin to Rock (w/CD).

GREAT COMPOSERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY$39.95 x _____ copies = $_________With lessons about Debussy, Stravinsky, Bernstein, and others (w/CD).

CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS TO U.S. HISTORY $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Connect history and classical music with lessons on the War of 1812 (Beethoven, Schubert), the Civil War (Liszt, Brahms), and the early 20th century (Holst, Prokofi ev) (w/CD).

In Tune is accepting subscription orders for the 2018-2019 school year, so act now to get The Young Musician’s Textbook for your students. Order today to get eight issues of the magazine that addresses students’ passion for music and helps you give them a well-rounded music education.

THE IN TUNE LIBRARYPresenting a series of books for students and lesson books for teachers from the publishers of In Tune Monthly and Music Alive! magazines. Lesson books feature reproducible articles with lesson plans, activities, and a CD.

Now’s the Time to Get Your Students

Order online at intunemonthly.com,

fax this page to 914-741-1136,

or mail this page to: In Tune, 55 Larry’s Lane, Pleasantville, NY 10570

Digital Magazines for Computers, Tablets and Mobile DevicesIncluding the In Tune Teacher’s Edition

30+ Subscriptions: $11.95 per subscription*

6-29 Subscriptions: $16.95 per subscription*

1-5 Subscriptions: $24.95 per subscription(no extra charge for tax)* Access to online lesson plans and audio and video resources

* Digital copies of In Tune can be accessed by any device that can connect with the Internet.

Print MagazinesIncluding one Teacher’s Edition

30+ Subscriptions: $11.95 per subscription*

6-29 Subscriptions: $16.95 per subscription*

1-5 Subscriptions: $24.95 per subscription(no extra charge for tax, shipping, or handling)

FILL IN TO ORDER MAGAZINES AND/OR BOOKS

Name__________________________________________

School__________________________________________

Street__________________________________________

City________________ State________ ZIP ___________

E-mail______________________________________ ____

Phone__________________________________________

# of Digital Magazine Subscriptions____ incl. one Teacher Edition**

# of Print Magazine Subscriptions____ incl. one Teacher Edition**

Payment Enclosed Bill Me/PO#_____________________

For more information, call 914-358-1200 x310

** If ordering one subscription, please specify student or teacher edition ________

!