Drop the Bass

Issue 1 May 2013

DROP

where

MOZART

BASS

meets

METALLICA

WE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION? A look into how music benefits students

DROP THE ASS WHERE MOZART MEETS METALLICA

Street/stage music literacy DRO HE BASS where mozart meets metallica How to make a living by Perfect your knowledge performing of clefs and sight reading

Shopping smart

Cover songs

Learn where to buy your The newest adaptation of rock music next instrument Drop the Bass 1

2 Drop the Bass

5201 Beakers Street off 101 North. (512)435-789 musicmania.com

Drop the Bass 3

A

ue from the onductors

Bianca really wanted to start playing the electric guitar, but she had no idea where to start. Having a classical background, she wanted to break the barrier and get into different genres of music.

The first step was getting the right instrument. In our experience, the instrument choses the musician, and it’s the key to bring out your ­inner genius. We are so excited about having an article in this issue writen by Bianca Srivastava on the top ten music stores in Austin, which will make shopping for instruments so much easier!

All of us have an inner musician which needs to be ­cultivated at an early age. Schools focus on academics so much that they forget the to bring out a personality and help children find their inner ­passion. Learning music allows determination and d ­ edication to evolve and become stronger, which Ella learned throughout her many years of musical education. ­Having “Clapping in the ­Classroom” (pg 8) in this issue was great fun for us because music has always had a dear place in our hearts, and having the facilities to share it means a lot to us.

Drawn by Ella Pettichord

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When you start out from scratch, it’s hard to get your footing in the musical community. Professional jobs aren’t an easy thing to land when you first get out of music school, or when you’re still a high school student. But despite this, we wanted to show that it’s not all that bad, and that there are still plenty of o ­ pportunities to put yourself out there, even if you don’t know where to start. If you’re in orchestra, then you have friends that are also ­musicians, which is the first step to finding a group to busk with. And if you busk, there’s a chance that you could make it big, especially if you use all of the skills that your teachers and instructors have taught you over the years that you’ve been playing.

As you may be seeing, music means a lot to us. Having the opportunity to share this with you through this m ­ agazine is a real treat. The stories in this issue cover a variety of p ­ roblems, from sight reading to playing in a school orchestra, and from choosing where to buy an instrument to how to tell the ­instrument you may be buying apart. The “Drop the Bass” staff hope that this issue will be enjoyable to everyone and will help teach people a couple tricks, so have fun reading!

iographies

Me e t t h e Te a m

Ella Pettichord

Cellist, Vocalist

E

lla has been an enthusiastic musician since a young age. She began choir when she was six years old, after her mother saw her singing an excerpt of the Queen of the Night Aria from Mozart’s Magic Flute, and is currently in the top level of the Conspirare Youth Choir. She has been a member of the Austin Children’s Choir, the Austin Girls Choir and was a founding member of the HSS Harmonizers in middle school. She took piano lessons from third to seventh grade, but stopped in order to learn the cello in eighth grade. She plays in the non-varsity school orchestra, and has been a member of the Austin String Project, the Austin Cello Choir, and the HSS String Ensemble and Honors Trio in the past. She has utilized many of these skills to do original covers of songs. In her spare time, she enjoys reading science fiction novels, Isaac Asimov in particular. Her favorite subject is math, and she aspires to be a pathologist when she grows up.

Photo Courtesy of Leslie Smart

Bianca Srivastava

Pianist, Ballerina

B

ianca started playing classical piano at the age of four and continued for seven years, switching to the keyboard for two years. She has completed three Trinity exams for classical piano and one for the keyboard. She began to dance when she was nine, and uses her knowledge of classical music to advance her skills. Currently, she is an intermediate ballet student at the Slavin Nadal school of ballet.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading a wide variety of fiction novels, painting and listening to 90’s alternative and 80’s rock ‘n’ roll music. Her favorite bands include The Runaways, The Cranberries, Queen, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Green Day and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. She hopes to learn how to play the electric guitar in the near future. She aspires to become an artist and own a beagle puppy when she grows up.

Photo Courtesy of Arushka Gandhi

Julia Cocco

Violist, Pianist

J

ulia, more commonly known as Coco, is an avidly participates in many musical events of all kinds.

She the 3rd chair violist of the top group in her high school orchestra as well as the violist in multiple chamber groups including Chamber Music in Public Schools (CHAMPS) and Chamber Music For the World (CMFW). She was one of the two violists that played the original score to “The Phantom of the Opera” during her high school theater’s production of the musical. She is the violist in an unnamed quintet that busks for money in downtown Austin, sometimes using her keyboard skills for privately playing the piano. A consecutive entry-level winner of the United States Independent Duo Piano Competition (USIDPC), Julia constantly seeks to be more involved with the musical community in any way that she can. While she isn’t buried in a music score, she writes ficition stories with friends.

Her favorite subject is science, and she loves cats.

Photo Courtesy of Gerry Cocco All illustrations by Ella Pettichord

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Table of ontents Performing:

Street or

Stage?

22

By Julia Cocco

Clapping in the Classroom

10

Clef Catastrophy

12

From Music Lords to Music Hoarders

20

by Ella Pettichord

By Julia Cocco

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by Bianca Srivastava

18

Instrument Idiosyncracy

by Ella Pettichord

14

Classic Rock: Taking it to a New Level

By Bianca Srivastava

Illustration by Ella Pettichord

Drop the Bass 7

clapping

in the

Classroom

A look into the workings of the school system’s music education

S

tephanie Nesseth’s classroom is hard to find at first. It seems ­hidden, and they only ways in or out without leaving the building are through the cafeteria and down a dark hallway that ­emerges near the front office. ­Despite the eerie ­placement, inside the classroom is ­bustling. ­Middle and ­ elementary schoolers are standing up, c­ lapping along as they sing. ­Nesseth is s­tanding at the piano, playing and ­conducting with her head at the same time. Nesseth created this after-school choir as a response to lack of youth music ­education and cuts to public schools.

Many of the ­older grades have had the arts removed e­ ntirely in order to make room in their schedules for extra computer, math or ­English classes.

“We’ve panicked and chosen to only f­ ocus on [science, ­technology, ­engineering, and math, or] STEM,” Stephanie Nesseth, a music teacher at the ­ ­ Harmony School

of Science in ­Austin said. “Of course, we need more scientists and researchers and ­engineers in our ­society and our schools haven’t been producing enough. That is true. But we’ve lost the balance and we’ve lost sight of ­research that shows definitively that p ­ eople who learn an instrument are better at math, science and other high-level thinking skills.”

In 2001, the College Entrance ­Examination Board found that students who ­participated in music scored about 44 points higher in the math section and 63 points ­higher in the verbal, now called ­reading, section in the Scholastic ­Assessment Test, or SAT, than students that don’t have any arts education. Despite this fact, many ­aspects of music which help other skills grow are forgotten when people consider how valuable it is to a student’s education.

By Ella Pettichord Nesseth has been teaching music for 14 years. She is most used to teaching in small groups, or to individuals. Her most recent conquest has been an after school choir for all the kids at her joint elemen-

“We’ve ­panicked and chosen to only focus on STEM.”

-Stephanie Nesseth tary and middle school that either want more ­music, or don’t get any at all during

The Conspirare Youth Choir performs in concerts four times a year. The choir is composed of two smaller groups, Allegro and Kantorai. Allegro, depicted above,is made up primerily of high school student, with some middle school kids, while Kantorai ismade up primerily of elementary and middle school students.

Photo Courtesy of Leslie Smart

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Arts Credits Needed in High School to Graduate State

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi

Credit Needed 0.5 0 1* 0.5 1* N/A 1* 0 1* 1* 2* 1* 1* 2.5* N/A 1 1 1** 1 1 N/A 1 1 1

State

Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin

Credit Needed 1 N/A 1* 0.5 1 0 1 1 N/A 1* 1* 3* N/A 0 0 1 1** 1** 1.5 1 1* 1 1 0

*= Credit can be gained by a variety of means, such as CTE or **= Credit only applies to recommended or University speech headed graduation plans Source: http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=735

the school day.

“I knew that there were many s­tudents who wanted more than [just ­music class],” ­Nesseth said. “They really ­wanted to sing.”

Not only is music a break from ­ other ­clsses, but also helps students in o ­ ther aspects of life.

“We do a lot of a­cting in my c­lasses at school,” Nesseth said. “This is good practice for when they have to give ­ presentations for their classes. The ­ principles are the same: speak clearly ­ and louder than normal and engage your ­audience.”

“This is good practice for when they have to give presentations at school.”

-Stephanie Nesseth

Chart by Ella Pettichord

But ­­­students have learned more than just presentation skills. ­ “Compromise,” Nesseth said. “Is another skill that’s learned within a group of musicians.”

Lizzie Eller is a viola player in the L ­ BJ/ LASA Philharmonic orchestra. Her parents decided that she need to play an ­instrument when she was young.

“I started p ­ laying piano in first grade, and I played that through fifth grade,” Eller said. “In sixth grade, I switched to the

Drop the Bass 9

viola, and played that ever since.”

Eller shares a similar idea with ­Nesseth. “[Through music, I have learned] concentration and focus.” Eller said. ­ ­“Because you kind of have to focus to be able to play an instrument, which is kind of helpful for homework. Otherwise, I would never get any homework done.

Concentration [can help] for ­ other sports and stuff. Because I play sports, so I think it translates there.”

But Eller says she doesn’t think that m ­ usic is the most important thing.

week in orchestra rehearsal. Her ­orchestra director, Andrew Potter, says m ­ usic can help students in many ways.

“We do creative things, like when we do our cover songs, and it’ll h ­ opefully expand

Round Rock Symphony and has played many gigs.

“Music is a really social ­experience,” Potter said. “To get to play, to do that at school, I think it’s really fun.”

“Music is a r­ eally s­ ocial ­experience, and to get to play, to do that at school, I think it’s ­really fun.”

-Andrew Potter

“I think [­orchestra] should be given some priority, since they need ­ ­materials and stuff,” Eller said. “But that [doesn’t] have to be, like, the ­ highest thing.”

the boundaries of your ­thinking,” Potter said. “It gives you an a­ esthetic ­experience that you just can’t get in s­o-called core classes, like your maths and sciences.”

Eller sometimes spends over four hours a

Potter is the principal bass player in the

Potter isn’t the only music ­teacher that thinks so. Nina Revering not only ­ teaches at an elementary school, but also sings in the five time ­Grammy-Award ­nominated choir, Conspirare.

“Music is a ­joyful ­experience, so my goal with my classes a­ lways is to ­provide them that sense - that making m ­ usic is a happy thing,” Revering said. “They can ­ ­ carry that with them throughout their day in and out of school. [It can be] ­confidence-building also!”

Revering is also the director of the Conspirare Youth Choirs. It’s another ­ ­outlet where students who feel they need more music in their lives can come and

The LBJ Orchestra performing in Carnegie Hall, New York City. This orchestra is a mix of all levels of orchestra at LBJ/LASA, and it took first place at an annuel competition in NYC. Photo Courtesy of Bret Pettichord

10 Drop the Bass

Average Cost Per Student By Subject In School Foreign Language

$564

Other Electives

$512

Science

$446

English

$434

History

$408

$328

Math

$187

Music 0

100

learn.

“Students who seek music as an extracurricular activity are typically ­ more engaged and invested in the work, whereas students in school music class are more like a ‘captive audience’ - in other words,they have to be there,” ­Revering said. “As an e­ ducator, it is very rewarding to work with the students ­ who very much want to be there to learn from you. It is also an ­opportunity to build e­ nduring ­relationships that are rich and ­long-lasting. So much more can be achieved technically speaking as well - the level of skills that can be built can be huge!”

Revering said she believes that music can be a big help in many areas of life. “­ Music is ­ fundamental in ­ bilateral brain ­development, ­coordination, ­spatial ­reasoning, ­auditory processing, and many other d ­evelopmental skills,” ­Revering said. “Socially and ­emotionally, children ­ ­ participating in school music learn and practice ­cooperation, patience, and ­building a sense of community and ­teamwork.”

200

300

400

500

600

Sources: http://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/study-first-detail-costs-comprehensivemusic, http://educationnext.org/breaking-down-school-budgets-2/ Graph by Ella Pettichord

“Fine Arts ­programs should be fully funded and seen as just as ­important as other ­subjects.”

- Stephanie Nesseth

At her elementary school, art, physical ­education and music rotate e­ veryday, so that c­hildren will have music twice one

week, and once the next.

“I believe music is so ­fundamental, that it should have equal priority to art and physical education in schools,” Revering said. “Thankfully, in my district it does.“ Nesseth whasn’t had the same e­ xperience.

After sixth grade, no music classes are ­offered during the day, and once they hit eighth grade, they have no arts at all at her school.

“It should not be a t­ hrow-away ­subject or something that kids miss in o ­ rder to do test prep or tutoring,” Nesseth said. “Fine Arts p ­ rograms should be fully funded and seen as just as important as o ­ ther subjects, because if we stop p ­ roducing ­musicians, who will play the music we hear? What will happen to us as a people if art in all forms disappears?”

Illustration by Ella Pettichord

Drop the Bass 11

C LE F

PUT IN THE SPOTLIGHT WHILE READING A FOREIGN CLEF? IT’S A MUSICIAN’S WORST NIGHTMARE...

C ATAST ROPH E

BY JULIA COCCO

What is a Clef ?

T

he word clef comes from the French word for

key. Essentially, a clef is a representation of

what range a particular staff covers (as there is

Transposition?

I

n music, transposing a part means that, though the notes may appear to be different and are lo-

cated on different lines and spaces, they produce

only one kind of staff, but it is extremely versatile

the same pitch in different clefs. The art of trans-

in terms of what it can represent).

position is particularly useful when a musician is

Because there are many octaves that instru-

given a part that is outside of their home clef and

ments can play in and multiple ways to represent

they are obligated to play.

it, different clefs are needed in order for the notes

to be communicated properly to the reader in a

sight” (or without preparation) when they are

universal method.

performing in an ensemble. Transposition can be

from clef-to-clef (more common for entire pieces)

There can always be many miscommuni-

A musician might have to transpose “on

cations from composer to player, but the use of

or from note-to-note, such as when a musician is

various clefs can help in the process of correctly

a part of a jazz ensemble that may change keys

interpreting the music. Over time, the notation

during an improvisational solo.

of music has become more and more refined,

Tips and Tricks T

yet there are still inconsistencies and variations between the works of different composers. A clef is one of the ways such problems are mitigated, though a few problems arise with the use of them.

Any given instrument has a typical range

that it plays in, and therefore a home clef. Some ranges are shared by many instruments (such as the treble or bass) while others are less commonly applied (like the alto or tenor). When a player is given any clef aside from the one they are used to, they are typically inclined to panic. By using the tips provided in this article, you will no longer have to fear being thrust into a different clef, and you’ll know a lot more about the history of clefs, too!

12 Drop the Bass

he pros know it, and you should know it

too. The fastest, most consistent way to get

good at reading in foreign clefs is by practicing in them. While it seems tedious and impractical, it is definitely the best way to get comfortable with transposing. When you first learned your home clef, you had mnemonics and labeled the notes in the staff with their letter (or finger number).

Both are helpful and fair game when learning how to read, so don’t be afraid of looking fresh and writing in names for those really high notes.

Sources http://music-theory.ascensionsounds.com/ http://shsorchestra.weebly.com/ http://tromboneforum.org/

T

TREBLE

BASS

domain of the violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone,

T

trumpet, and guitar among many others. It has the

contrabassoon, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, and

highest range of all four commonly used clefs and is

timpani. The large dot that is the central focus of

also called the G-clef. The central spiral of the treble

the bass clef rests on the F of its staff, and therefore

clef is drawn to indicate the founding note of the clef,

warrants the name of an F-clef. It is currently the only

G, and is also a reference point for all the rest of the

F-clef still in use, as noted by David Hilly, a music

notes on the staff, confirmed by composer Robert

theorist. The piano uses it in junction with the treble

Reno. One common mnemonic for remembering the

clef, and a common mnemonic for the lines are Great

lines and spaces are, from bottom to top, “Every Good

Big Dogs Fight Animals while the spaces are All Cows

Boy Does Fine” and FACE.

Eat Grass.

he most commonly recognized and widely used of any of the clefs, the treble clef indicates the

A

he bass clef rivals the treble in terms of popularity and recognition. It is the home clef of the

cello, euphonium, double bass, bass guitar, bassoon,

C

C

F

F

G

G

B

B

trombone. It does not appear as a common musi-

Q

cal symbol to the general public (those that are not

many trombone professionals. Its triangle marking

musically inclined) and is not widely recognized, but it

lines up with the same C as the alto clef, C4, but it is

does have significance in an orchestral setting ac-

drawn a line up. This is because the entire staff has

cording to theory professor Robert Reno. The alto clef

been shifted down so that the user of that range does

is also the C-clef, as the two arches of the clef’s sym-

not have to read so many ledger lines below the staff

bol creates a triangle-like marking that aligns with the

itself. The clef is used for the upper ranges of the bas-

C line of the clef. A mnemonic for the alto clef is, from

soon, cello, euphonium, double bass and trombone.

bottom to top, “Fat Animals Call Elephants Gorgeous”

A mnemonic for this clef is GFACE for the lines, and

for lines and “Good Boys Don’t Fight” for spaces.

“Every Gentleman Ball Dances” for the spaces.

s opposed to the bass or treble clefs, the alto clef is the range of the viola, mandollin, and alto

ALTO

uite possibly the least recognized of the four clefs, the tenor clef is most often mistaken for

a poorly drawn alto clef, backed by the assertion of

TENOR

Drop the Bass 13

CLASSIC ROCK

TAKING IT TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL

by Bianca Srivastava I n the 1700’s, Beethoven composed some of the world’s ­greatest classical music. Since then, the world has seen some wide genres of music. With the Beatles in the 80’s, and Greenday and Metallica in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, music is constantly changing with technology, lifestyles and mindsets. Until now.

With Beethoven’s tools and the sound of modern music, Nathan Hutson has broken through musical boundaries. He uses the violin to incorporate pop and rock ‘n’ roll music, opening a new portal in the world of music.

“I prefer covers of modern music because that’s what I listen to. I don’t have Beethoven or Mozart on my iPod. Modern music appeals to me more because many songs have a catchy groove and I can change things when I do covers.” said Hutson.

After trying his hand at the Saxophone and the piano, he settled on the violin. Over the years, he picked up the acoustic guitar and incorporates it in some of his music. However, covering music from such wide genres isn’t as easy as it seems.

“The hardest thing about covering music with my violin is trying to make it sound appealing. The violin can have a sweet sound at times, but there are certain times where it’s difficult to make a modern piece sound great,” Hutson said .

Getting the perfect balance of sounds with such different instruments in such opposite spectrums of the musical rainbow could be challenging. Nathan also likes spicing up the tune to give a piece his personal touch, which makes using the violin even harder.

“It’s sometimes difficult to come up with ideas to change the melody if I want to spice up the music” said Hutson. ­Changing

‘One Last Glance’ [album];photo courtsey of Nathan Hutson

14 Drop the Bass

Nathan Hutson photo courtesy of Nathan Hutson

‘‘I prefer covers of modern music because that’s what I listen to. I don’t have Beethoven or Mozart on my iPod. Modern music appeals to me more because many songs have a catchy groove and I can change things when I do covers.”

-Nathan Hutson

the tune in the music is even necessary in for some pieces. Take Lady Gagas Poker face, where the same musical phrase is repeated for an electric/techno effect. “You don’t want to sit there and play the same phrase for four minutes straight” said Hutson.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the world, an Australian band is trying to make it big. Aston is a group of young people that played at the Sydney conservatorium of music and formed a group as part of a chamber music plan. They had to perform as part of their coarse work, so they decided to incorporate modern music with their instruments.

“As many of the people coming along to the concert had not necessarily been exposed to much classical music we decided to play a few pop songs Rihanna’s Umbrella and Kyle Minogue’s Confide in Me. It was a way of connecting the audience with music they already knew but in a different style” said Daniel Luscombe, a member of the band.

After the fantastic response, the group formed for a school project stuck together and became a band, making the music they loved, the way they loved.

Now days, they cover the songs they appreciate as a team, direct music videos and upload them on Youtube. They gained so much recognition that the mother monster, Lady Gaga collaborated with them to make a ‘Monster Symphony’, a ten minute orchestral version of her most popular songs.

They also look forward to collaborating with more artists and even DJ’s.

With the fast increase of technological development in music, genres like dubstep and dance music is getting more popular day by day.

However, Aston isn’t worried that this taste of music would hurt their chances.

“I think people are looking for

Daniel Luscome, photo credits: Asont a­ lternatives to techno and dance music. People’s tastes mature through time and they look for something that speaks to them at that specific time in their life. I listen to everything from techno to Tchaikovsky depending on my mood. If we can encourage and promote classical music I think it would be great for people’s lives.” Said Dan.

“People’s tastes ­mature through time and they look for something that speaks to them at that ­specific time in their life.” - Daniel ­Luscombe

With over twenty classical covers uploaded to Youtube and more than half a million views, Aston is going strong. However, probably the most important part of making their music is deciding which songs to cover.

“We are usually fans of the song

Drop the Bass 15

first. Then we see if it would on our instruments. In the arranging process there has to be a balance between tension and release, building sections up and lots of energy,” said Dan. Their music not only involves heart and soul, but innovation and imagination as well.

“Sometimes trying to find the beauty and musicality in something very simple or what sounds monotonous. There is often a lot you can do with something simple, it’s just a matter of thinking and using your imagination,” said Dan. Music is music. Instruments are just a meager part of the package, but are often a barrier. These artists have found a way to overcome these barriers and come up with new ideas and ways to formulate something so simple into something so complex.

Aalia Furniturewalla, a huge aston fan, but a die hard Lady Gaga fan had postive reviews over Aston’s interpretation of gaga’s songs as a symphony.

“I think Aston did a brilliant rendition of Lady Gaga’s most popular songs and captured the essence of not only the tunes and symphony, but the theatrecality that Lady Gaga strives to

“I think Aston did a brilliant rendition of Lady Gaga’s most popular songs.”

uphold”, Aalia said. “ The music video amalagmated with and perfectly complimented upbeat yet relaxing symphony through its dramatic interpretation. The monster symphony left me comThe monster symphony, Aston. Photo credits, Youtube

16 Drop the Bass

‘The Monster Symphony’ song cover, photo credits, Aston pletly dumbfounded!”After listening to The Mosnter Symphony, Aalia started listening to more Aston. She particulary liked Set fire to the rain, a cover by Adele and Skyfall, another Adele cover.“When i listened to Astons cover of Set Fire To The Rain, the sweeping orchestration successfully carried me into the heart of a masterpiece”, Aalia said. “The cover of skyfall however, had a looming sense of mystery and drama, while ­accompinied by perfectly modulated vocals that live up to the standards set by Adele herself. Astons tunes are bound to bring a smile to induce an almost hypnotic state to even the most cynical and critical listener.”

ASTON II [ALBUM]

NOW AVAILABLE ON WORLD WIDE ITUNES!

Drop the Bass 17

Instrument Idiosyncracy

By Ella Pettichord ot everyone is a trained musician. For some people, every instrument looks the same. And there’s ­nothing more embarrasing than misnaming one of your friends instruments. This article will show you the ins and outs of how to distinguish instruments, and soon, you won’t just be getting their names right - - you’ll be able to show off your knowledge of all the differences between instruments!

N 1

Height

2

Open Strings

3

Tuning

Cello vs Guitar

A standard, full size cello’s body length is 26.72 inches.

3

3

The cello’s open strings are CGDA from lowest to highest.

The cello has two locations for tuning. ­ Peg tuners are located at the top of the instrument and are tightened or loosened if the pitch is very out of tune. If the pitch is only ­slightly off, the fine tuners at the bottom of the instrument are only ­ used, and are tightened or loosened to change the pitch.

1

Open Strings

2

Tuning

3

The guitar not only has two more strings than the cello, but the open string are E ­ ADGBE from lowest to highest.

1

1 2

2

The guitar’s only tuners are ­ located at the top of the ­instrument, and they must be tightened or loosened to make the pitch go up or down.

3

Bass Clef

The cello uses two more traditional clefs, bass clef, ­ and when the notes get too high for bass clef, tenor clef, which is the same as alto clef, just on a different line..

Art Credits: All Clefs/TAB by Ella Pettichord

Photo Credit: guitariste.com

TAB

Photo Credit: .kcstrings.com

18 Drop the Bass

Height

The guitar’s standard body length is 19.5 ­inches

TAB

Guitar notation has a line next to each letter of the open strings of a guitar. Each ­number on the line represents the number of frets down the note is, with 0 meaning the open string. If a tab isn’t used, chords are printed by name.

1

Viola vsViolin

Length

The average length of a viola is 16 inches.

1

2

3

Strings

The open strings, from ­highest to lowest, on a viola are ADGC. The diameter of the viola string is thicker than the violin string, which makes viola ­ players have to put more ­pressure on the string to ­produce sound, and it takes longer for the sound to reach the ­audience.

4

4

2

2

Bow

The weight of the viola bow tends to be from 69 to 74 grams. On the viola bow, the frog is round.

Photo Credit: http://commons. wikimedia.org

Vibrato

When you play vibrato on the two­­instruments, the ­ mechanics are about the same, but a viola vibrato needs to ­ be slower and wider to make up for the larger size of the ­instrument and thicker strings.

Alto Clef

Viola primarily uses alto clef

1

Strings

2

Bow

3

Vibrato

4

1

Photo Credit: kcstrings.com

4

Length

The average length of a violin is 14 inches.

3

3

The open strings, from ­highest to ­lowest , are EADG on a ­violin. The strings are thinner in diameter ­ than viola strings, so they need less pressure to produce a sound.

The violin bow tends to be a­pproximately 10 grams l­ighter than the viola bow due to smaller strings ­needing less weight to produce sound. The ­ frog is pointed.

The vibrato that the player must use is much faster and smaller so that the smaller ­instrument won’t make a l­arger ­variation in sound.

Photo Credit: pottersviolins.com and acavalloviolins.com

Treble Clef

Violin mainly uses treble clef.

Sources: http://www.viola-in-music.com/differences-between-violin-and-viola.html, http://web.archive.org/web/20080104141444/http://www. stevensoncases.co.uk/chart.htm, http://www.guitarstringsnotes.net/, http://www.bsmny.org/exploring-music/features/iid/viola/viola2.php, http:// www.cello.org/cello_introduction/b.html, http://www.celloonline.com/notereading.htm

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PERFORMANCE:

STREET?

OR

STAGE?

E

li Chandler opened the door of his car, exiting the vehicle and entering the e­ vening air of downtown Austin. He takes a couple of minutes to unload a large black case from the trunk of the car, strapping it on like an over-sized and misshapen b ­ ackpack.

He passes by places like Antone’s and the Lucky Lounge as he makes his way down the sidewalk, bustling with crowds as the ­nightlife began. He only walks a little ­further, though, as he meets up with four other musicians, waiting outside of a small cafe, heir instruments out and ready to play. He’s the last one to arrive.

by Julia Cocco

A couple of minutes later, they’re breathing in sync, starting off their ­ playlist and ­filling the air around them with the sounds of string-arranged pop songs like “Poker Face” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. The quintet of two violins, a viola, cello, and bass play for at least two-and-a-half hours, and manage to make about $30. Split between the five of them, they each walk home with about six dollars-- and that was a good day.

In two-and-a-half hours on a busy sidewalk, it’s an easy estimate to say that about 100 people pass by. On a really crowded day, it might reach 200. Among those people, however, few are willing to tip the performers that they see on the corners or street sides. Even if doing a street act, or busking, is just a hobby for a musician, it’s still hard work, pleasing a crowd while still trying to appear casual.

Musicians can get paid anywhere from $50 to $500 per professional gig, depending on where they work and what they specifically do. For instance, in a formal ­orchestra, the first chairs of eachsection are paid at least $50 more than the rest of their ­section. In theatrical settings, the ­orchestra isn’t paid as much as any of the singers or stage ­performers, but the first chair rule still ­applies. While starting out small by ­applying for local orchestras and then working your way up is a good idea, it can be hard at first, especially when ­connections are sparsely found. Andrew Potter, the o ­ rchestra ­director at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), can ­relate.

Above: The Cleveland Orchestra in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in the Miami-Dade county, performing a $100,000 concert. Photo courtesy of Roger Mastroianni

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“As a bassist who has played all over ­Austin in a lot of different orchestras, ­ getting $100 for [one performance] is a pretty sweet deal,” Potter said. “And fi ­ nding a [job] that lands you $200 without having to learn three hours worth of music is too good to be true.”

For many, professional music is an aspiration. While becoming famous can reap serious benefits, getting there is no simple task. Often, musicians can’t sustain themselves by having only one job or one group to work with, and instead loan ­themselves out to any orchestra or ­organization that wants them. In some cases, they have to go through intense ­auditions, competing against hundreds of others who want one chair.

Youths busking at a local mall in Southern Australia to raise money for a seeing-eye dog charity fund.

“I’m a pretty competitive person, and if I know someone who is better than me at sometime, I’ll try to do my best to surpass them,” said Phillip Woolley, a freshman violinist at LASA. For many musicians, the desire to be number one is a common reason to stay in the music world. Some choose to make it their daily life and primary source of income, while others prefer to keep it as a hobby or stress reliever.

“The closest I’ve ever come to considering playing the violin as a professional job was when I considered apply to [McCallum],” Wolley said. “Which I didn’t end up ­doing.”

The hard reality of becoming a musician is that there is no way to easily or quickly become famous. There is also no guarantee that greatness is achievable. ­ But some, such as the Blue Man Group, got their shot at the big leagues by s­ tarting out on the streets. Success stories are few

“Finding an [easy job] that lands you $200 for [one night] is too good to be true.”

-Andrew Potter

The Income of the Average Professional Musician Cruise Ship

Profession

Traditional Orch.

Freelance Busker

Photo courtesy of Aliade Laide

and far between, though they serve as a constant reminder that anyone can try.

Students such as Chandler, a freshman cellist at the McCallum High School for the Fine Arts, attain inspiration for their busking passion by seeing others performing around town.

“When I hear a song like ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ when I’m walking down Soco and I can tell that it’s string-arranged, I always look to see who’s playing,” said Chandler.

“When I see someone my age just ripping away on that guitar solo when playing a violin, I can’t help but be impressed and want to do it myself.”

Chandler and Woolley, along with three other students from both LASA and McCallum, are a part of an unnamed ­ chamber ensemble that busks around downtown. Though they have only ­performed a few times, the weariness has set in quickly.

“I don’t really know what it is,” said Chandler. “But when you see a lot of ­ ­people glance at you and just keep ­walking without giving you something for playing, it’s hard to stay optimistic.”

Touring Musical Theatre Cover Band (Weddings) Symphony Musician (Highest)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Money ($ thousands/year)

70

80

90

100

Source: http://www.musicianwages.com/average-income-of-a-musician/

Forrest Hammel, a sophomore in the LASA Camerata Orchestra who has had past experience as a busker, agrees.

“I mean, it’s not like people all have the

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same taste in music,” Hammel said. “Just because we’re teenagers doesn’t mean people are going to have sympathy for us. The same goes for professional music, though. If you mess up in the big leagues, there’s no paycheck at the end of the day.”

Hammel, Woolley and Chandler have all participated in groups such as C ­ hamber Music in Public Schools (CHAMPS) and the Austin chamber Music Center (ACMC), which are local Austin ­organizations that employ music instructors and professionals to teach ­ students techniques that they would ­ typically be unable to learn.

“One of the purposes of [the groups] is to get kids interested in playing ­chamber music, of course,” Wolley said. “But I guess it was also a way for the instructors to get some easy cash from teaching us.”

Another purpose of the groups, however, is to get kids to perform their pieces in ­order to get used to playing for crowds.

“But to be honest, there’s nothing that gets you ready for what busking is like,” ­Chandler said. “When you’re sitting on the same level as your audience, even below, it’s intimidating. And it’s a lot easier for them to judge you.”

When on a stage, you are naturally the center of attention. The theater is built in a way that reflects on the players in good light, and being there already i­ndicates that the audience wants to hear the ­performance. When on a sidewalk, the story is completely different.

“There’s nothing that [prepares] you... It’s [easier] to [be judged].”

-Eli Chandler

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Photo courtesy of Gerry Cocco. Students in the Austin Youth Orchestra, playing in a non-professional, unpaid group while wearing typical professional black concert attire.

“People can steal your money really ­easily,” Hammel said. “Especially if you’re not paying attention. So not only do they ignore you, but they take whatever you’ve earned, too.”

While the stress level for buskingis much lower than performing with a formal group, informal events happen much more frequently. “[People] in the fine arts are notorious for being high matinence,” Potter said.

“They participate in so many things and so many projects that, at times, it’s really hard to get a hold of them and schedule something on the fly.”

When busking, it’s vital to be flexible. If a group member fails to show up, there are two things that can be done.

“Either pack up and go home or figure out how to read their melodies,” said Woolley.

In professional groups, absentees are easy to replace. Because there typically a lot of musicians in one area, an orchestra group can often have an overflow of applicants.

“It’s like an interview process, really,” said Potter. “You get five people for some chairs and 20 or more for others... And if someone drops off the grid, they can have a replacement for you by the next day.”

...but if you think it’s impossible, think again.

The Blue Man Group, a non-uniform ­comedy, theatrical and music organization that’s widely recognized for their fullbody blue makeup, started out as a street act in Manhattan, New York.

Founded in 1987 by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, they began by busking around Central Park and the ­ Performing Garage. Their shows were noticed by the Alien Comic (Tom Murrin), who hosted one of their acts during a variety show. It was then that Meryl Vladimer (the artistic director at THE CLUB @ La MaMa) commissioned them to do a full time show.

The resulting piece, Tubes, was critiqued by theater critic Stephen Holter, and

Photo courtesy of Michael J. Solender

­began their reputation quickly grew.

Now, the Blue Man Group performs all over the world, and have been featured in the media on shows such as the Tonight Show. Tickets cost ­anywhere from $80 to $160, depending on which seat is bought, and they provide fun, e­ngaging performances.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Cocco. Various cases and equipment that are needed to busk. Cellos can’t be carried bare, especially not when being transported long distances. V ­ iola/­Violin cases can double as collection jars while busking.

Another difference between the two types of performance are the general responses of crowds.

ragtime swing might not be the best genre to specialize in while playing for Metallica fans.

“Well, of course people [in theaters] applaud,” Hammel said. “They paid ­ to see you, so you had better be good. ­Sometimes, even when you aren’t, they’ll still clap. But only because it’s polite.”

“When the conductor picks out the music, you have to play it,” said Hammel.

“Even if you don’t like it, that’s what’s on the program, and that’s what people are paying to see.”

Chandler, with his busking quintet, has had different experiences.

While being in a busking group allows more freedom in the setlist that can be played, it also adds complications. In most groups, leaders have to be determined, which can stir conflict between members.

“If you play really well, enough to stop a large-ish crowd, they’ll clap when you fi ­nish,” said Chandler. “If you’re ­unimpressive, though, they’ll just keep on walking like usual.”

In different parts of the world, different kinds of busking attracts attention. There are fire-breathers, sword swallowers, ­musicians, actors, and more.

“The amount of talent that we have just [in Austin] is amazing, though,” Potter said.

“If you walk down 5th or 6th street during a cool afternoon, you’ll see anything from a group of students on violins and c­ ellos to a marimba to a tuba. Lots of times, you’ll have singing guitarists.”

Success while busking can be highly dependent on where the performance is held. For instance, alternative rock may not be so popular at a blues bar, and

“I’m never going to stop busking... But I’m not going to leave the orchestra either... It’s my home.”

-Eli Chandler

“I know that I want to stay in an o ­ rchestra,” Wolley said. “It’s easier to judge how well I’m doing and how hard I have to work to get to the top, and I don’t have to worry about whether or not I’m first chair because somebody ‘likes’ me.”

Though making a living off music isn’t easy, it’s definitely possible to make it work. By picking up multiple groups and participating in various orchestras, a musician could be both a professional orchestra member and a busking star.

“I’m never going to stop busking,” said Chandler.

“But I’m not going to leave the orchestra either... It’s my home, and where I have my friends.”

Photo courtesy of Diana Baylor. Antonio Ponterelli, a professional rock violinist who started as a cover artist, performing an arranged rock concert at Carnegie Hall with the New York Symphony.

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