Dischordance, pet peeves, and KaTe touring

[btd@carina.cray.com (Bryan Dongray)]

Sorry to bore a bit more, skip down a bit for the KaTe related part
if that's what you want to do...

[Violet]
> Of course, this songbook contains only lead sheets, which are all a
> musician is required to turn in for copyright.

I didn't know this. That explains a lot.

[Violet]
> When sheet music is written as such, you are expected to improvise.

I understand, but I want to improvise *JUST* like KaTe, so the sound
it *JUST* the same. OK I can make things sounds similar (oh dear am I
advertizing I do actually know a bit about theory), but not identical.
For THAT I use my computer (and IMO a most excellent wavetable soundcard,
cost me enough - so should be). This way I sequenced such pieces as
Under Ice, on which I have been complemented, that is a most nice feeling.

[Violet]
> [Bryan]
> >On your chord issue, if other tunes are to go by, the pseudo dischord of
> >an Eb AND an E
> Pssst.  In a B chord, there is no Eflat.  It's a Dsharp.  This song is
> written in the Key of E.

Yes, yes, I do know this, honest, I was using Eb to highlight that it
is just a semitone off E, ie potential dischord, as in your F and F#
example.  If I'd have said D# and E, it is not as obvious, well, OK
it is to me (and you and Len and ...).

Hint to anyone who is not musical with any instrument which can play
more than one note at a time, try playing two notes one semitone apart
at the same time. eg on any keyboard any two white notes which do not
have a black note separating them. You WILL hear that BAD sound. I can
go into technical reasons about how two freqencies when played together
produce a third frequency, which is made from the difference of the two
frequencies, and if close will produce a "beating" sound. Useful for
tuning a guitar, but a semitone is not VERY close, so the "beating"
frequency is just plain unpleasant, well to my ears anyway.

[Violet]
> This reminds me of something that one of my friends told me.  He has been
> studying music for years.  I mean STUDYING, all big letters.  So has my
> boyfriend.  Me, I was kicked out of lessons when I was 6 after it was
> discovered that I was not, in fact, reading the music, but imitating the
> teachers, also known as "playing by ear."  The teachers told my parents not
> to waste their money, that I would never be able to learn to read.  Now,
> years later, I know that it's not impossible.  I have studied on my own,
> trying to make up for lost time and lack of knowledge at this late date.  I
> still struggle greatly to read music.  I can also play any instrument I
> pick up.

Interesting! I got the same treatment, except my school music teacher
did not even let me start to learn. I too can "play by ear", my kids
often ask me how, I dunno, I hear, I play, again any instrument, including
crazy stuff, eg bit of old plumbing, cupped hands "hooting sound" I can
get just over an octave (controlled), I often surprise people by whistling
back a modem "tune" or other beeps, etc. They ask how can I imitate a
sounds I *just* heard straight away. I dunno, I hear, I copy.

I really feel you are fortunate Violet to have such friends as Neal and
your boyfriend, I seem to live in a musical vacuum, apart from the media.
Many friends/collegues have said I should join something musical, but I
just cannot find anywhere, perhaps I should get off my butt and look more!
I too have been complemented on ability, so I'm not too down about it,
once was at a lay-off employee karioke afternoon, the head of HR there,
was most pleased at my efforts, she even said so. Made my week.

[len]
> Anyone remember the old MASH episode where Charles has
> a patient whose hand was amputated, and in fact, was
> a concert pianist?

I remember this one, an excellent episode. But I guess I'm a M*A*S*H
fan, so most episodes are excellent! I prefer the later ones, ie after
Frank Burns left. I still feel sad at the finale, many places it often
brings tears to my ears too, such as the "chicken" on the bus.

[len]
> The girls who taught piano told their students that
> "blues" were not something a serious musician
> should study.  At one point, an old black composer
> came to our school and asked them, "Do you teach
> your students popular music?"  They all told him
> in unison, "certainly not!"

Sounds like my pet hated "better than you" attitude. Grrrrrr.

[len]
> Sitting in theory class one day, our wind ensemble
> professor began to rail against rock musicians
> whom he claimed "only know three chords but
> make all the money...".

Again...
I'm glad you socked it to him Len.

[len]
> "God Gave Rock 'n roll to you, gave rock 'n roll to you,
> put it in the soul of everyone...."

Quoting "Kiss" now? Or did you get it from Bill+Ted?
One of my favourite two movies. Expecially their attitude.
EVEN about the bad guy in that movie, it is said what he is
good at, they don't ever "down" anyone, a good lesson to learn.

OK, back to KaTe related issue...

[len]
> For all the good it has done us, for all the fame
> and wealth it brought her, I think the biggest
> tragedy in the life of Kate Bush was that she
> was discovered young, became famous, and
> retired from the stage.  A few more years in 
> the KT Bush Band would have done her good,

But would that have altered her to be more mainstream?
ie play what a majority of people like?

It *would* be nice to have KaTe tour, and I believe a suitible
tour manager, and a hoard of good organizers would make it a
wonderful tour, without KaTe having to get "exhausted", doing it all.
I know she'd want to dance and sing, and "put it ALL into it", for us.
But as several people have said, a nice quiet evening with KaTe at the
piano, OK probably Paddy on anything and everything else. Maybe he'd
need assistants (anyone want to apply) - it would be superb.

But hasn't many other artists done the "JUST me and my instrument" style
of tour already?

	"We're all alone on the stage tonight"

			Bryan Dongray