SmarterMusic is dedicated to the exploration of music in all its forms and the promotion of musical understanding for all. Active contributors include:
Pianist, instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger, and molecular biologist based in New York City. Former Music Director of the Achordants. For arranging services, see Broze Brothers Music; for performing and lessons, see Yuri Broze.com.
Accomplished guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and photographer.
Composer, arranger, double bassist, writer, and didgeridoo builder. Music Director of Brandeis University's Rather Be Giraffes. For arrangement and other sundry music services, check out MusicaRanger.
We like InterCaps.
As far as first-time arranging tips, I’d advise against taking the basses too low. Even if they have a solid low E, the chords will ring better with the basses up the octave, and they’ll sing better, too! The same goes for the low F and frequently the low G as well.
If [...]
Don’t miss Phoenix — and get their album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Those French know what’s up!
Here’s a mashup:
If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe.
A reader wrote in requesting some pointers on arranging for his high school a cappella group, and I thought I’d post a few here: advice for writing your FIRST arrangement. These tips do not necessarily apply to ALL arrangements and are not general rules, but are good ways to make sure nothing goes too haywire [...]
It’s just been stuck in my head lately. Nota, the winners of NBC’s The Sing Off, did an amazing fusion that’s been lodged in my brain of Jay Sean’s “Down”. Watch this:
If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get [...]
Really cool news here- SmarterMusic was recently named on a list of the 100 Best Blogs and Websites for Innovative Academics by accreditedonlineuniversities.com. Cool! I’m sure there are some good ones in that list as well, and we’re happy to be included.
Stayed tuned in the coming months for a lot of activity on this site. [...]
In this article, we’ll be going through the motions of arranging a song. Instead of looking at a completed arrangement, we’ll walk through every step of the process to show how an a cappella arrangement evolves and is finally completed. Today, the tune is Happy Birthday, that old standby of yore.
Read more…
If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe.
Although the “Mother of all Funk Chords” video hits way closer to home in content, I’m going to feature this one because I CAN’T STOP LOVING the groove.
This [...]
A little while back, Public Radio did an excellent series of programs on American Music, called “American Mavericks.” Fortunately for us, you can read and listen to the great stuff online, even if you missed the radio broadcast (as many of you probably did).
Ironically enough, many of these programs were used in my American Music [...]
If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe.
If this video is as advertised, it’s fascinating to listen to. It’s got schmaltz dripping from it in ways that many would find truly cringe-worthy, especially given the [...]
To counterpoint the post below about über alto parts, here’s something that shows some excellent soprano work. This is a segment of a Cranberry cover of Wonderwall done by UGA Noteworthy.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This is a definitely a CD recording: you’ll be hard pressed to find a hall with such wonderful [...]
