Monthly Archives: October 2011

Lumpy Gravy

Posted on October 30, 2011 by midiguru

Why has the Bohlen-Pierce scale been so widely embraced? (For very small values of “widely,” to be sure — but still.) I’m not sure what the attractions of this scale may be. I’ve been trying to keep an open mind, … Continue reading →

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Star-Gazing

Posted on October 26, 2011 by midiguru

Tonight I’m bored with music. Bored with the arts in general, actually. Art, it seems to me, concerns itself mainly with the human experience — with human perceptions, aspirations, and emotions. Recent headlines have left me profoundly disgusted with the … Continue reading →

Posted in random musings | 1 Comment

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Posted on October 22, 2011 by midiguru

As we stagger out past the end of the American Century, it may be useful to contemplate what will happen next — or what may happen, if we’re willing to roll with it. The American Century lasted for about 130 … Continue reading →

Posted in music, politics, society & culture, technology | 1 Comment

Disklavier Dreams

Posted on October 21, 2011 by midiguru

This morning my friend Peter Giles — I don’t know his exact title, so we’ll call him the Communications Director for Yamaha Digital Music — announced a “strategic partnership” with a company called Zenph. I’ve been trying to decipher the … Continue reading →

Posted in media, music | 2 Comments

Rick Santorum and the Naughty Bits

Posted on October 20, 2011 by midiguru

According to an article in today’s Huffington Post, “Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum recently pledged to ‘die on that hill’ fighting against same-sex marriage, and made a similar vow to repeal all federal funding for contraception because it is ‘a … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, religion, society & culture | 1 Comment

Skewed

Posted on October 19, 2011 by midiguru

I love jazz chord voicings. But so many people have explored that turf, and for so many years, that I doubt I could do anything even remotely original. This chords in this new piece, on the other hand, I can … Continue reading →

Posted in microtonal, music | Leave a comment

Stage Fark

Posted on October 16, 2011 by midiguru

In many human cultures down through history, music was something that lots of people did. In the United States, prior to the invention of the phonograph and the radio, families would gather around the piano in the evening and sing … Continue reading →

Posted in media, music, technology | Leave a comment

Anthem

Posted on October 13, 2011 by midiguru

Today’s news about Occupy Wall Street reminded me of this song: SoundCloud was smart enough to know that I was trying to upload it in violation of copyright, so I put it up (quite illegally, I assure you) on my … Continue reading →

Posted in music, politics | 2 Comments

Let’s Get Together

Posted on October 6, 2011 by midiguru

The town where I live is not huge. It qualifies as a city only in the rhetoric of our elected officials. Even so, we have a thriving Art Association. Local painters, photographers, and jewelry makers have banded together for many … Continue reading →

Posted in cello, music, society & culture | 2 Comments