Digital Pill – working musicians talk about their lives | Tag Archive

Clarinet: register jumping (Cam Robbins)

Monday, October 5, 2009

Cam Robbins demonstrates a classic device for jazz improvisation on the clarinet, rhythmic register jumping. The video contains several examples and Cam demonstrates how to use the technique over one and two chord sequences. Here’s some links to Cam’s music Cam playing with Skazz and also this is a link to all his music on iTunes Share/Save

Songwriting: lyrics and poetry (Joe Dolce)

Monday, September 14, 2009

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Joe Dolce uses several examples to make the distinction between poetry and lyrics and demonstrates how this understanding is important for songwriting. ” One of the country’s premier songwriters.” RHYTHMS MAGAZINE ” . . . the Ohio-born Dolce is one hell of a bluesman. . . . [the] guitar work is deceptively complex, weaving in and out [...]

Bec Matthews: Kora and vocals – Utopia

Sunday, July 12, 2009

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Bec Matthews playing the Kora (West African harp) and singing the song Utopia. She has also appeared previously on this post playing with AfroMandinko Click > HERE < to download a pdf of the lyrics Listen to Bec’s music here On Myspace Afro Mandinko website Share/Save

Accordion: bellows shake (Dave Evans)

Friday, July 3, 2009

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Dave Evans explains the uses of the accordion bellows shake. In this video, Dave describes the uses of the double and triple bellows shake in jazz, zydeco and cabaret music. He includes detailed instructions about how to perform the shake as well as techniques for adding accents to play with the rhythmic aspects of [...]

Trumpet: extended techniques (Peter Knight)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

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Peter Knight demonstrates improvised laptop processing of trumpet. Peter is currently researching this area of improvisation as part of a DMA at Queensland Conservatorium. Features live sampling and processing of micro sound worlds created using the trumpet – stretched and squashed with Ableton Live. Listen to Peter’s music here Peter’s solo trumpet project on myspace Peter’s jazz quartet Way [...]

Sax: bebop scales (Paul Williamson)

Saturday, January 3, 2009

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Paul Williamson explains the uses of bebop scales in jazz improvisation. In this video, Paul’s first post for Digital Pill, he describes the construction of bebop scales, jazz articulation, the use of a metronome and how bebop scales place the chord tones firmly ON the beat to create an “inside” sound in improvisation. The [...]

Sax: stratospheric sax gliss (Dean Hilson)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

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Dean explains how to slide effortlessly into the altissimo register of the sax in one long continuously ascending note. Click > HERE < to download a pdf of the lesson Listen to Dean’s music here The Pearly Shells Zydeco Jump The Vanguards Share/Save

Sax: buzzing on the mouthpiece (Leo Dale)

Thursday, September 11, 2008

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Leo gives a sax lesson on how to warm up your tone by buzzing on the mouthpiece Click > HERE < to download a pdf of the lesson Listen to Leo’s music here Leo on myspace Share/Save