🎼 Music Studyblr 🎛

Hi! I'm 31 years old with no musical background taking a crack at learning music theory basics, piano, and even some synth/sound design here and there. This is where I'll document my progress as well as share cool music nerd things that I find interesting.

[treasures-and-beauty]

Violin by Domenico Galli, 1687

[musicbabysteps]

This is a bowed keyboard instrument called the piano-viole. It looks like a piano, but sounds like violins.

[jesmusicblog]

PIANOWRIMO 2021 #15

Or "Bell Tree" maybe!

[violin-aholic-deactivated202304]

12:29 pm

[gasparodasalo]

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Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764) - Trio Sonata for 2 Violins and Continuo in f-minor, Op. 8 No. 9, II. Fuga [alla breve]. Perfomed by Ensemble Il Profondo on period instruments.

[musicbabysteps]

Music Theory from Scratch

It started with my obsession with 80s synth sounds. I decided to buy an Arturia MiniLab MKII, which seemed like a nice introduction MIDI controller for a beginner, and with the right software I could make any synthy bleep bloop that I wanted.

I decided to begin by learning some basic music theory. I pretty much had to start at the beginning. I did make a brief attempt at the french horn in the school band at age 12, but dropped out because I didn't practise and fell way behind the rest of the class. I never learned how to read music or become proficient in the instrument, so I don't really count this as musical experience per se.

I'm taking a course on music theory basics on Coursera. It's free if you audit the class, and it's the perfect balance between being just challenging enough to make you feel like you're learning something without feeling impossibly difficult. I'm also quizzing myself daily on reading notes on the staff and key signatures in major and minor keys. I also regularly follow along sheet music, using a browser based sheet music writing program called Noteflight. With it, I can use my MIDI controller to write sheet music. I, of course, am way too new to be composing actual songs at this point, but I do find it helpful to see how the note is written on the staff as I press the key on my keyboard. I can also search for other songs to follow along with.

Naturally, all this classical music theory is exposing me to a lot of piano music, so I'm kicking myself for having bought a MIDI controller with only 24 keys. Planning on buying an inexpensive 88-key keyboard after the holidays though, so stay tuned for that adventure. I'm even considering taking piano lessons, but we'll see.

[iplaythebassoon]

Check this out. This is an octobass (that’s a violin for comparison). It’s big. It’s SO BIG, in fact, that it need keys to press the strings. Speaking of strings, it’s only got three. They’re typically tuned to C1, G1, and C2. It’s just a monstrosity.