Pianos, Toys, Music and Noise

Pianos, Toys, Music and Noise

Author: Andy Hamilton

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2021-01-14

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1501366467

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Steve Beresford's polymathic activities have formed a prism for the UK improv scene since the 1970s. He is internationally known as a free improviser on piano, toy piano and electronics, composer for film and TV, and raconteur and Dadaist visionary. His résumé is filled with collaborations with hundreds of musicians and other artists, including such leading improvisers as Derek Bailey, Evan Parker and John Zorn, and he has given performances of works by John Cage and Christian Marclay. In this book, Beresford is heard in his own words through first-hand interviews with the author. Beresford provides compelling insight into an extensive range of topics, displaying the broad cultural context in which music is embedded. The volume combines chronological and thematic chapters, with topics covering improvisation and composition in jazz and free music; the connections between art, entertainment and popular culture; the audience for free improvisation; writing music for films; recording improvised music in the studio; and teaching improvisation. It places Beresford in the context of improvised and related musics – jazz, free jazz, free improvisation – in which there is growing interest. The linear narrative is broken up by 'interventions' or short pieces by collaborators and commentators.


Imperfectionist Aesthetics in Art and Everyday Life

Imperfectionist Aesthetics in Art and Everyday Life

Author: Peter Cheyne

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2022-12-30

Total Pages: 413

ISBN-13: 1000829081

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This book presents interdisciplinary research on the aesthetics of perfection and imperfection. Broadening this growing field, it connects the aesthetics of imperfection with issues in areas including philosophy, music, literature, urban environment, architecture, art theory, and cultural studies. The contributors to this volume argue that imperfection has value in being open and inclusive. The aesthetics of imperfection is typified by organic, unpolished production and the avoidance of perfect finish, instead representing living and natural change, and opposing the consumerist concern with the flawless and pristine. The chapters are divided into seven thematic sections. After the first section, on imperfection across the arts and culture, the next three parts are on imperfection in the arts of music, visual and theatrical arts, and literature. The second half of this book then moves to categories in everyday life and branches this further into body, self, and the person, and urban environments. Together, the chapters promote a positive ethos of imperfection that furthers individual and social engagement and supports creativity over mere passivity. Imperfectionist Aesthetics in Art and Everyday Life will appeal to a broad range of scholars and advanced students working in philosophical aesthetics, literature, music, urban environment, architecture, art theory, and cultural studies.


Physics of the Piano

Physics of the Piano

Author: Nicholas J. Giordano

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016-10-27

Total Pages: 374

ISBN-13: 0192506633

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Why does a piano sound like a piano? A similar question can be asked of virtually all musical instruments. A particular note-such as middle C-can be produced by a piano, a violin, a clarinet, and many other instruments, yet it is easy for even a musically untrained listener to distinguish between these different instruments. A central quest in the study of musical instruments is to understand why the sound of the "same" note depends greatly on the instrument, and to elucidate which aspects of an instrument are most critical in producing the musical tones characteristic of the instrument. The primary goal of this book is to investigate these questions for the piano. The explanations in this book use a minimum of mathematics, and are intended for anyone who is interested in music and musical instruments. At the same time, there are many insights relating physics and the piano that will likely be interesting and perhaps surprising for many physicists.


Junkyard Jam Band

Junkyard Jam Band

Author: David Erik Nelson

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2015-10-01

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 1593276117

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Making music doesn’t have to be about dropping big bucks in the guitar shop or endlessly fiddling with expensive software. You can make good noise out of bits of wood and wire, plastic and steel. When you build your own instruments, creating your own sound comes naturally. Junkyard Jam Band is a step-by-step guide to making a full array of complete musical projects—no previous carpentry or electronics experience required. Each build includes tips on how to coax the best sounds out of the instrument and encourages you to mod the project to fit your own style. Learn how to: –Bust up your old tape decks for a handheld old-skool Scratchbox –Give your voice a robotic makeover with the Droid Voicebox –Circuit-bend unsuspecting childhood toys into mutant glitching jazz-punk machines –Transform cigar boxes into thumb pianos and electric ukuleles –Build a crackling, multifunction Mud-n-Sizzle Preamp to attach to any electric music machine Along the way, you’ll explore the physics behind wind instruments, discover how harmonics work, and get your feet wet with some music theory. To top it all off, the back of the book includes a soldering primer for total beginners, along with extra circuits to customize your instruments even further. Build your own band your way!


Play and Creativity in Art Teaching

Play and Creativity in Art Teaching

Author: George Szekely

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-03-02

Total Pages: 209

ISBN-13: 1135098646

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In Play and Creativity in Art Teaching, esteemed art educator George Szekely draws on his two classic volumes, Encouraging Creativity in Art Lessons and From Play to Art, to create a new book for new times. The central premise is that art teachers are not only a source of knowledge about art but also a catalyst for creating conditions that encourage students to use their own ideas for making art. By observing children at play and using props and situations familiar to them, teachers can build on children’s energy and self-initiated discoveries to inspire school art that comes from the child’s imagination. The foundation of this teaching approach is the belief that the essential goal of art teaching is to inspire children to behave like artists, that art comes from within themselves and not from the art teacher. Play and Creativity in Art Teaching offers plans for the study of children’s play and for discovering creative art teaching as a way to bring play into the art room. While it does not offer a teaching formula or a single set of techniques to be followed, it demystifies art and shows how teachers can help children find art in familiar and ordinary places, accessible to everyone. This book also speaks to parents and the important roles they can play in supporting school art programs and nourishing the creativity of their children.


The Mothercraft Manual

The Mothercraft Manual

Author: Mary L. Read

Publisher: BEYOND BOOKS HUB

Published: 2023-06-19

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13:

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Discover a comprehensive guide to motherhood with "The Mothercraft Manual." From prenatal care to parenting advice, this invaluable resource covers all aspects of raising a child. Gain insights into nurturing, child development, and maintaining a healthy balance as a mother.