Seven 9s and 10s

Only in dreams - weezer
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Track:
Only in dreams

Artist:
weezer

Album:
steelopus

Download 60 plays

weezer - Only in dreams (steelopus version) - arranged for Mallet Percussion Ensemble

It’s been a while since I’ve reposted this…

I arranged this 8 years ago, just as I was finishing up my undergrad Music Education degree.  It is essentially a note-for-note transcription of this classic song.  I was a trumpet major and a percussion minor and I dated an extremely talented marimba player for a while.  Her talents were what originally inspired me to explore mallet arrangement.

My experience with percussion, under the direction of the fantastic Dr. Kristin Shiner McGuire, introduced me to many a varried new technique, including my favorite which was bowed vibraphone.  When you bow the bars of a vibe, they emit a pure pitch that fades in and out (youtube example).  The first time I heard the technique, I immediately thought it sounded a lot like electric guitar feedback, and decided I would find a way to use it in that sense.  That spawned this project.

Unfortunately this recording is just a somewhat unfortunate MIDI version, but it gets the point across.

For years I’ve wanted to set up a live performance. Last week I saw the Eastman Percussion Ensemble perform and ever since I have been inspired and reinvigorated to make it happen.

Please let me know what you think!

We’ve just passed the 10 year anniversary of my senior recital for my bachelors degree in K-12 Music Education.

10 years ago I performed John Cage’s 4’33” on stage in front of my family, friends, peers, and professors. 9 out of 10 of them had no idea what the hell was happening. I’m still proud of this performance.

A few thoughts:

  • My favorite thing about this video is the quiet little voice of my then-3 year old niece. “What is he doing?” It was the only moment where I lost my composure and let out a smile.
  • I wish someone who cared about me back then would’ve told me to cut my hair. I had long hair for a long time. Too long for too long. This was my poofy-curls stage. Also, terrible glasses. Also, fully buttoned-up shirt with no tie?!
  • Muted trumpet for the 2nd Movement = The  best idea I’ve ever had.
  • [Tacet]
High-res lefthandedtoons: Trumpet | Left-Handed Toons Comic URL: http://www.lefthandedtoons.com/936/ It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since I was a trumpet major in college. After graduation, I immediately went from playing 6+ hours a day to playing 0 hours a day.  I’ve played maybe 10 hours total in the last 10 years. Music school will burn you out, kids. Don’t do it unless A) you really love your major instrument, or, B) have an instrument that you’re talented enough at playing to carry through your major (trumpet) but can then put away and focus on the instrument that you really love the most (guitar) after graduation.

lefthandedtoons:

Trumpet | Left-Handed Toons

Comic URL: http://www.lefthandedtoons.com/936/

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since I was a trumpet major in college.

After graduation, I immediately went from playing 6+ hours a day to playing 0 hours a day.  I’ve played maybe 10 hours total in the last 10 years.

Music school will burn you out, kids. Don’t do it unless A) you really love your major instrument, or, B) have an instrument that you’re talented enough at playing to carry through your major (trumpet) but can then put away and focus on the instrument that you really love the most (guitar) after graduation.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Track:
La Resistance

Artist:
Stephen Lopez

160 plays

La Resistance - Stephen Lopez

File under: Shit you shat out in or around the year 2000 for MUS 321 - Orchestration and Arranging.

Also file under: 30 minutes of work that was more enjoyable than the combined 14 weeks you spent student teaching.

Additionally file under: You chose the wrong major, dummy. What made you think Music Education was a good idea?

Don’t forget to file under: Things that you wrote that were performed - on recorders - by an ensemble of your classmates.

High-res Sometimes I really miss college.  Now is one of those times. I just found my concert band arrangements of NIN’s Closer and Weezer’s Falling For You.  They were my final projects for MUS321 (Orchestration/Arranging) in April of 2001. Somewhere I’ve got recordings of the Naz concert band sight reading them. Those were good days. The life of a music major is just about the busiest life you can lead (I’ll fight anyone who tries to tell me their program was more demanding), but it was the kind of busy that I loved. I was busy making music and learning about that which I care most in the world.  I don’t know where I lost my way, but once I’m settled into my new house I think I’ll be ready to get back on the right track.

Sometimes I really miss college.  Now is one of those times.

I just found my concert band arrangements of NIN’s Closer and Weezer’s Falling For You.  They were my final projects for MUS321 (Orchestration/Arranging) in April of 2001. Somewhere I’ve got recordings of the Naz concert band sight reading them.

Those were good days. The life of a music major is just about the busiest life you can lead (I’ll fight anyone who tries to tell me their program was more demanding), but it was the kind of busy that I loved. I was busy making music and learning about that which I care most in the world.  I don’t know where I lost my way, but once I’m settled into my new house I think I’ll be ready to get back on the right track.