Lately, I've been doing very little except school and video games. Thank Christmas for that. One of the more time consuming games I received would be Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock. It's been on the "Games I'm Currently Playing" list for a bit (I keep that fairly updated), yet I haven't reviewed it. The reason for that is that I can't really give it rating. The review would be nearly identical to my DDR review...except with more fingers, and less jittering of the feets. Like all skill-based games, the only real way to beat it is to complete every song perfectly, or to just put down the controller (it doesn't make you a quitter, it makes you sane).
However, the game has gotten me in touch with many rock classics, both older and recent. One of the newest songs I purchased on ye ol' iTunes is "Knights of Cydonia" because it is my favorite song to play (I'm only starting Hard, so don't go telling me that it's impossible on Expert). I have a tradition of buying music on iTunes: as soon as it's done downloading, I turn my speakers up to 11 and hit the deck. Can you blame me? Anyways, the song I bought today that triggered this post is "A Night on Bald Mountain." Brilliant piece of work, and it's played by everyone and their grandmother on Halloween. I just like the bombastic parts because I am a low brass player myself. I find that in all the techno, metal, alternative, jazz, and classical music I buy (country and rap can bite me), I enjoy blasting the classical the most. There's just something exhilarating about listening to "Mars" loud enough to bother the neighbors (your neighbors). I love every second of the hearing I lose later in life from this too. Anyways, just thought I'd share with you a fun pastime of mine.
Playing trumpet parts on a euphonium now, I don't get the loud, long, eruption of violence from my horn that I've grown to love. However, technically, my sound is getting more precise, and my high range has never been better. I do miss blasting notes though, and that's the main reason I bought "A Night on Bald Mountain."
3 comments:
A night on bald mountain is awesome. I will be performing it on saturday at gpac. Check out Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet. specifically the movement, Montagues and capulets. That movement calls for the leash to be taken off the bass trombone player. another good one is hungarian march by berlioz. About halfway through the piece the low brass let fly. Make sure you get the one conducted by solti. Just about any of the symphonies by Gustav Mahler are blast worthy. Mahler 3 has a good trombone solo. Mahler 5 has a kickin trumpet solo. Bruckner 4 has some loud stuff but it quickly becomes tiresome. Strauss Ein heldenleben is also good for blasting. I have gone on long enough. Back to personal finance...
Check out www.tromboneexcerpts.org. It has a selection of audio bytes of trombones blasting. Ride of the valkyries is particularly good.
Unfortunately hearing isn't lost. It's slowly replaced by a high-pitched whine that grows louder as time passes.
Enjoy the bass while you can.
Post a Comment