Q. I was asked to play this at a friend's funeral and have been playing it on infinite loop and am having an extremely hard time converting it from piano to guitar. I'm blind and play by ear, but sometimes I use tabs/chords to confirm what I'm hearing. Problem? I, can't, find, them, anywhere. Heeeelp!
A. Unfortunately, Ch!cks b4 D!cks anyday!!!!, that site doesn't have the tab for this song.
And wow, this song was challenging to figure out. There are a lot of interesting modulations. I uploaded the chord sheet I made to the following site. Enjoy!
What is White Music in 20th century classical music history?
Q. It's supposed to be some kind of term used in early 20th century classical music when atonality began to emerge.
A. 'White Music' is a more general term for pan-diatonicism. You missed out on one word which helps in understanding what this is. "White KEY Music."
Pandiatonicism (pan - all, universal + diatonic) is a term for musical procedure based on use of the notes of a diatonic scale (seven pitches), the new development in the early 1900's was the composers used the diatonic materials freed from the expectations or restrictions of common practice harmony.
The term Pandiatonic is used to describe this style.
The easiest way to imagine it is a piano piece using only the white keys (hence the name). The difference is the previously normal chord functions, and expectations of where they do or don't go, is avoided.
The neo-classical music of Stravinsky has good examples wherein this style made its debut in the early 20th century:
Serenade en La for piano; Duo Concertant for violin and piano.
The music can 'modulate' to other keys, and may have accidentals. Of course it can be written in any key or signature. Part of the name 'white music' is bacause it sounds 'white-ish' no matter what key it is in. The way the harmony is handled is the fundamental criterion for 'white key music.'
Nikolai Korndorf's Hymn III is a large scale symphonic piece for orchestra and wordless soprano solo of about twenty-five minutes' duration: is entirely diatonic and there is not one accidental in the whole piece. The fact it sustains your interest and its duration is is a testament to the composer's skill.
Two more recent works are also pandiatonic:
Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3 ('sorrowful songs') and John Adams' Shaker Loops for string orchestra.
For more, look up pandiatonic / pandiatonicism in Wikipedia or a good music dictionary.
best regards, p.b.
How can I practice singing harmonies?
Q. I don't sing in a choir (but I am looking for one so if you know of any in NYC let me know please!) but when I sing with my theatre program or at theatre camp I almost always sing Soprano 1. Since I always sing the top it is hard for me to harmonize. Sorry if this doesn't make any sense. I just want to learn how to harmonize because I have a big range and don't want to be stuck singing the top.
A. "Eric the Master Musician" must not be able to read sheet music, or something. Of course you can learn to sing a harmony part! And I do know from experience that first sopranos (or any sopranos) often have trouble singing harmony--it has nothing to do with the lack of natural talent or aptitiude. It's that sopranos often get the melody parts in most choral music--not always--but most of the time. Sometimes during early practice sessions (especially in groups where there are more inexperienced singers, or ones that don't sight read very well), the entire soprano section can be thrown for a loop when the soprano part consists of some descant, and the melody goes to the tenors--and bless them--the often under appreciated altos.
Doesn't your theatre program or camp hand out sheet music to people anyway, even if they don't really read music that well? Sometimes choir directors will also do "sectionals" to help out singers who can't readily pick up the parts on their own. They might play each section parts separately and have the singers hum along until they feel more confident with the notes. Then they might add the parts together--sometimes one by own. Choral warmups often involve singing in chords as the choir goes up and down some scales.
What you can do, is try to get yourself into whatever section you want to try singing. It'll be really tempting to want to go to a higher part or the melody part--but that's more a force of habit than anything else. If you don't get a chance for part work in the rehearsal, take it upon yourself to learn your notes by yourself if you can manage to bang it out on a piano or other instrument one by one--or find someone who can play it. Eventually, you will want to practice singing that harmony part with the other parts and see if you can stay where you need to be. Some beginners plug their ears in attempt to NOT hear the other parts as they sing--but that's a terrible crutch. For one--you won't ever feel secure that you know the notes. For another--you can't blend in with the other singers if you can't hear them. And still another reason NOT to stick your fingers in your ears while you sing---it looks incredibly stupid in front of an audience.
There are lots of ways to practice singing harmony parts--but you have to start somewhere. Eventually, you will be able to be able to adlib some simple harmonies on your own (usually intervals of thirds or fifths--it helps make up a basic chord structure).
Trust me, it'll take practice and lots of hard work at first---but you can do it if you otherwise have a good ear for music and can sing in tune.
I'm a soprano too--and depending on what group I'm singing with--I've often sung alto parts because there were too MANY sopranos (though some of those sopranos really were people who never learned to sing anything but a melody--when something got too high, they simply dropped out! I really hate that!)
By the way, I don't necessarily find it vocally comfortable to sing alto, but I let's just say there were times it was easier for me to sing alto than it was for the altos that insisted on trying to sing soprano! (Besides, for choral or group singing--it wasn't as necessary for me to have the kind of volume I can produce as a soprano soloist). Interestingly enough, if I just harmonize for fun (like when friends and I sing together or if I sing along on a radio), I'll actually sing a harmony part that is ABOVE the pitch in the melody line--because sopranos can do that. :)
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Title : Any musically inclined peeps know the chords to "If I Could Be Like You" by Reba McEntire?
Description : Q. I was asked to play this at a friend's funeral and have been playing it on infinite loop and am having an extremely hard time conver...