Lichty Guitars – Jay Lichty, Luthier
Lichty Guitars - Jay Lichty, Luthier The connection between the wood and the luthier is a vital and necessary part of the creation of a beautiful custom built musical instrument and Jay Lichty of Lichty Guitars and ukuleles is an excellent example of this connection. Lichty Guitars - Tryon, NC There is a special kind of magic that happens when you combine a fine woodworker, with a passion for music and the dream of building custom guitars and ukuleles. Careful hand selection of each piece of wood, from domestic and exotic tonewoods to premium bracing materials, to taking great care in the hand ...
The Components of Musicality
The Components of Musicality Musical or not musical, that is the question. How is being musical or having musicality achieved? What tools within the principals of music theory are available to a composer for achieving this? Just exactly what is musicality anyway? Within this series of articles we will be discussing the components of musicality with the intention of conveying the importance of each component, the interactivity among the different components and referencing other existing articles or adding additional articles which expand our overall presentation about the components of musicality. The Goal of the Composer In preparation for moving into several presentations on ...
Musical Instruments
All musical instruments provide us human beings a way or method to produce sound by which we as composers and performers can express both our creative, unique and individual musical ideas. Our efforts result in giving everyone who listens a great musical pleasure and enjoyment, making this a better world for all of us. As you are likely aware there are many musical instruments that have been produced and perfected through advanced engineering designs, manufacturing techniques and materials. The greatest advancement of all however is not in tools, designs and manufacturing techniques rather it is the well trained hands of ...
Luthier – The Master Instrument Makers
Master hand-crafted musical instrument makers, better known as luthiers, perform the magic of transforming select pieces of wood into the most incredible musical instruments known to mankind. World famous Italian luthiers such as Andrea Amati (1520-1611), Guiseppe Guarneri (1579-1630) and of course Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737) are widely recognized as having produced absolutely amazing instruments of enduring and profound beauty and quality. Through the instruments created by these and many other master luthiers throughout time (about 600 years), as performed by world class instrumentalists, much of the beautiful music we all listen to today is performed on the hand crafted instruments ...
Music and Mental Health
Music and Mental Health Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the 21st century is as challenging if not more so than in years past. Diet, exercise, good sleep habits and excellent hygiene all play a vital role in living a life full of energy, vim and vigor. An area which is often overlooked is the overall state of one’s mental health especially regarding the affects of stress and the toll it takes on the human body and how music can play a vital role in improving a person’s ability to manage stress more effectively thereby improving one’s overall mental health. Further still is ...
Tim Callobre – Exclusive Interview
Tim Callobre Composer and Multi-Instrumentalist Exclusive Interview Tim Callobre – Guitarist - Photo Credit - Howard Pasamanick Tim Callobre and music, somehow, as fate would have it, at the ripe old age of 6 these two became one. Now, after eleven years of practice, performance, composition and now teaching, Tim remains thankful that his mother Salina Chinn urged him to begin his life with music as his primary focus. As the years unfold I get the feeling we will be hearing a lot more from Tim and his instruments and compositions. Tim was just nominated to be a Presidential Scholar in the Arts by the ...
Christopher Tin – Exclusive Interview
Christopher Tin – Exclusive Interview Calling All Dawns Don: First, let me say that I am truly and deeply honored that you have agreed to do this interview. It is with humility and great pride in your fantastic work that I am especially honored as you have done an absolutely amazing job on “Calling All Dawns", your debut album! Many people discover new artists long after they have spent years developing their craft. When did you first know in your mind and in your heart that music was to be a primary factor in your life? Christopher: This may sound strange, but... I'm ...
Time Signatures – Music Theory – Part 22a
Scales in Music – A Tonal System Music Theory Section – Level 2 Time Signatures – Theoretical Time – Part 22a Welcome to our new article series about the topic of Time Signatures as used in music. What is presented here includes several articles covering such specific subjects as; time itself, what time signatures are, how to use them and the differences between the different commonly used time signatures in both simple meter as well as compound meter. Multi-media presentations, specifically graphics and sound clips, will be used to demonstrate these ideas. Overview In my opinion, understanding time signatures requires a certain amount of ...
Acoustics of Music – Part 1 – Series Introduction
Acoustics of Music - Part 1 - Series Introduction Scales in Music – a Tonal System Welcome to the series introduction for the Acoustics of Music article series. It is my hope that those of you who reach to this series can invest enough of your time to review the entire collection of articles presented here. I sincerely hope that you find value and that you find this series an excellent resource to further build upon your existing knowledge or to begin establishing a solid basis for understanding the acoustical characteristics of sound. I would appreciate your efforts to suggest or to ...
Alex Shapiro
I am reminded of the incredible and thought provoking adage of "as above so below" by this image of an amazing instrumental composer, Alex Shapiro. Whether searching the heavens in anticipation of receiving that single note of inspiration or being well grounded in a barefoot Mother Earth reality, Ms. Shapiro is the type of composer who translates this special communion through the creation of her polyphonic electro-acoustic music. In a recent post of mine about music history and the related composers in different time periods, I elected to include Alex as a living composer of the modern era for many reasons. ...
Michael Brant DeMaria
Grounded in the trust of Spirit, that is what I found Michael Brant DeMaria to be. A gentle and soft spoken man on the quest for inner knowledge. He is a seeker of the continuity of life and strives to help others find the connectivity between all things. He is a guide, a healer, for others as they walk a similar path as he. From the story of his life to the creative works he has produced, Michael is an example and a teacher who provides help and guidance to others as they too journey down that pathway which leads one ...
Introduction to Violin Articulations
Introduction to Violin Articulations Although this article is titled Introduction to Violin Articulations it is more of a basic introduction to demonstrate the concept so you can more easily continue your study and review the various types of articulations available not only for the violin but for each instrument you may be employing when creating your next masterpiece. The violin has many more articulations than this article presents. We are going to look at only a few of them to get you started. The concept of articulations is fairly easy to understand in principal however it becomes considerably more complex than it ...
Composers – An Overview of Music History
Composers - An Overview of Music History Origins of music – One can only guess when music first developed. Was it the voice that started it all or was it the beating of rocks together in some basic rhythm by our prehistoric ancestors? Maybe it was simply the clapping of hands again in some rhythmic means to satisfy the urge to express ones self musically. In either case music has been and will continue to be one of the cornerstones of society. From the beginning of humankind I would like to think that music has always been a part of human ...
The Seven Keys to Creation
Over the past 35 years of writing music, poetry and other works I have come to know through self inflection and study just exactly what it takes for me to create something. What is it that enables me to move an idea into a physical expression rather than keeping these creative ideas inside my head? I’ll try to explain. Before we discuss the seven keys to creation, let me first start out by saying that what I believe is not being thrown at you with the intent of telling you to believe as I do. I would never do that. This ...
Basic Characteristics of Sound
Basic Characteristics of Sound In this information Age, the quest and journey for knowledge is something we all spend a lot of time doing. Well, I don’t know about you but sometimes I simply do not understand something when it is presented in only one way and so I search for other means to gain the understanding and knowledge I seek. As a result, I wander around scratching my head pondering and wondering, all the while not understanding what was being taught in that moment, until such time as new information comes along and all of a sudden the itch of ...
Featured Content and Articles by Don Rath Jr
Lichty Guitars – Jay Lichty, Luthier
Lichty Guitars – Jay Lichty, Luthier The connection between the wood and the luthier is a vital and necessary part of the creation of a beautiful custom built musical instrument and Jay Lichty of Lichty Guitars and ukuleles is an excellent example of this connection. Lichty Guitars – Tryon, NC There is a special kind of magic that happens when you combine a fine woodworker, with a passion... [Full Article]
The Components of Musicality
The Components of Musicality Musical or not musical, that is the question. How is being musical or having musicality achieved? What tools within the principals of music theory are available to a composer for achieving this? Just exactly what is musicality anyway? Within this series of articles we will be discussing the components of musicality with the intention of conveying the importance of each... [Full Article]
Musical Instruments
All musical instruments provide us human beings a way or method to produce sound by which we as composers and performers can express both our creative, unique and individual musical ideas. Our efforts result in giving everyone who listens a great musical pleasure and enjoyment, making this a better world for all of us. As you are likely aware there are many musical instruments that have been... [Full Article]
Luthier – The Master Instrument Makers
Master hand-crafted musical instrument makers, better known as luthiers, perform the magic of transforming select pieces of wood into the most incredible musical instruments known to mankind. World famous Italian luthiers such as Andrea Amati (1520-1611), Guiseppe Guarneri (1579-1630) and of course Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737) are widely recognized as having produced absolutely amazing instruments... [Full Article]
Music and Mental Health
Music and Mental Health Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the 21st century is as challenging if not more so than in years past. Diet, exercise, good sleep habits and excellent hygiene all play a vital role in living a life full of energy, vim and vigor. An area which is often overlooked is the overall state of one’s mental health especially regarding the affects of stress and the toll it takes... [Full Article]
Tim Callobre – Exclusive Interview
Tim Callobre Composer and Multi-Instrumentalist Exclusive Interview Tim Callobre – Guitarist – Photo Credit – Howard Pasamanick Tim Callobre and music, somehow, as fate would have it, at the ripe old age of 6 these two became one. Now, after eleven years of practice, performance, composition and now teaching, Tim remains thankful that his mother Salina Chinn urged him to begin his... [Full Article]
Christopher Tin – Exclusive Interview
Christopher Tin – Exclusive Interview Calling All Dawns Don: First, let me say that I am truly and deeply honored that you have agreed to do this interview. It is with humility and great pride in your fantastic work that I am especially honored as you have done an absolutely amazing job on “Calling All Dawns“, your debut album! Many people discover new artists long after they have... [Full Article]
Time Signatures – Music Theory – Part 22a
Scales in Music – A Tonal System Music Theory Section – Level 2 Time Signatures – Theoretical Time – Part 22a Welcome to our new article series about the topic of Time Signatures as used in music. What is presented here includes several articles covering such specific subjects as; time itself, what time signatures are, how to use them and the differences between the different commonly... [Full Article]
Acoustics of Music – Part 1 – Series Introduction
Acoustics of Music – Part 1 – Series Introduction Scales in Music – a Tonal System Welcome to the series introduction for the Acoustics of Music article series. It is my hope that those of you who reach to this series can invest enough of your time to review the entire collection of articles presented here. I sincerely hope that you find value and that you find this series an excellent... [Full Article]
Alex Shapiro
I am reminded of the incredible and thought provoking adage of “as above so below” by this image of an amazing instrumental composer, Alex Shapiro. Whether searching the heavens in anticipation of receiving that single note of inspiration or being well grounded in a barefoot Mother Earth reality, Ms. Shapiro is the type of composer who translates this special communion through the creation... [Full Article]
Michael Brant DeMaria
Grounded in the trust of Spirit, that is what I found Michael Brant DeMaria to be. A gentle and soft spoken man on the quest for inner knowledge. He is a seeker of the continuity of life and strives to help others find the connectivity between all things. He is a guide, a healer, for others as they walk a similar path as he. From the story of his life to the creative works he has produced, Michael... [Full Article]
Introduction to Violin Articulations
Introduction to Violin Articulations Although this article is titled Introduction to Violin Articulations it is more of a basic introduction to demonstrate the concept so you can more easily continue your study and review the various types of articulations available not only for the violin but for each instrument you may be employing when creating your next masterpiece. The violin has many more articulations... [Full Article]
Composers – An Overview of Music History
Composers – An Overview of Music History Origins of music – One can only guess when music first developed. Was it the voice that started it all or was it the beating of rocks together in some basic rhythm by our prehistoric ancestors? Maybe it was simply the clapping of hands again in some rhythmic means to satisfy the urge to express ones self musically. In either case music has been and... [Full Article]
The Seven Keys to Creation
Over the past 35 years of writing music, poetry and other works I have come to know through self inflection and study just exactly what it takes for me to create something. What is it that enables me to move an idea into a physical expression rather than keeping these creative ideas inside my head? I’ll try to explain. Before we discuss the seven keys to creation, let me first start out by saying... [Full Article]
Basic Characteristics of Sound
Basic Characteristics of Sound In this information Age, the quest and journey for knowledge is something we all spend a lot of time doing. Well, I don’t know about you but sometimes I simply do not understand something when it is presented in only one way and so I search for other means to gain the understanding and knowledge I seek. As a result, I wander around scratching my head pondering and... [Full Article]
