Recently a student asked for a precise definition of “tone”. Since people use the term rather loosely, after defining it for him I decided to consult Webster’s Dictionary and other sources, where I discovered incredibly vague definitions: “quality of sound” doesn’t tell us much. When I looked up the words used in the definitions, IContinue reading “Terminology of Tone”
Author Archives: rileylaurie
Expressive Playing: Installment 3
Expression Without Fear Reluctance to play emotively may come from a societal taboo against “being emotional”. But music is a safe venue through which it is considered acceptable to express emotion; in fact, if you don’t, the music isn’t very interesting to listen to. A tune’s emotion might simply be happiness or pensiveness, but itContinue reading “Expressive Playing: Installment 3”
You’ve gotta see this!
I hope this link works. You’ll love it. http://www.flixxy.com/bird-flies-onstage-to-join-the-band.htm#.T6C3kPen9-Y.facebook
Expressive Play…
Expressive Playing – Second Installment: Melding Technique and Expression Accuracy without expression is just organized sound, and expression without accuracy is just disorganized sound. Notes are just notes, and feeling is just feeling; neither by itself is sufficient. But when you put the two together, you get music. A musician must be both a technicianContinue reading “Expressive Play…”
Expressive Play…
Expressive Playing – First Installment In good instrumental music there is much more going on than just the notes and the rhythm; the musician creates an image through music, letting it tell a story that affects the emotions of the listener. This is musical expression. Expression isn’t a measurable thing; it can’tContinue reading “Expressive Play…”
Laurie Riley at the harp
Teaching at Dusty Strings Harp Symposium 2011
