Got 10 minutes to learn about the history of the drum kit as we know it today? We talk about how individual drums, players, and genres helped the kit evolve.
Tag: music history
Emulating Boards of Canada’s Classic Synth Sound Without Breaking Your Bank or Brain
Boards of Canada’s classic sound is the result of some pretty rare vintage synths and hardware, but we can come close with digital options like these.
Bach’s Worldview Was Way Different from Ours – On “Musical Theology”
In Bach’s pre-Enlightenment time, understanding how and why he composed his music might lead contemporary composers to new and exciting areas. Learn more.
On This Day in 1971, Pink Floyd Received a Bill for Thousands of Dead Fish
Today marks the anniversary of an outdoor concert to remember — one that proved deadly for thousands of pond-dwelling fish. Read to learn more.
What the “Tristan Chord” Is and How to Use It
An in-depth exploration of one of the most storied chords in opera, what makes it so influential, and how to use it yourself in your compositions.
Hearing the “Bo Diddley Beat” in Everything
A powerful OpEd on hearing familiarity through artificial musical boundaries and what happens when we look at our own aesthetic tastes under a microscope.
“Woven” Medieval Welsh and Celtic Chord Patterns Look a Lot Like Binary Code!
These historic patterns made up the basis for medieval lyrical songform. How do these strange numeric codes work to convey harmonic information?
Why Are There No Saxophones in Orchestras?
A quick historical deep dive on the journey of the saxophone from French military pride to jazz band spotlight, but never the symphonic orchestra.
The Lasting Legacy of the Slave Trade on American Music
Today is the UN International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade, we honor this day by charting the legacy of African diasporic music in America.
What We Learned from ‘Composers or Types of Pasta’
Thanks to a hilarious internet quiz, we’ve discovered works from 8 spectacular Italian composers that we definitely thought were types of pasta.