Dave Brubeck's Fundamentals of music

By: Jerry Carson

Introduction

• Points of discussion:– What is music?– Definition– History of the Dave Brubeck– College yrs– Post life after college– Foundations of music– Styles (Dave Brubeck Octet)– Listening to changes in music– Understanding the importance of music

What is Music?

• Things to think about– A musical instrument

– Vocals

– Sheet Music

– Traditions

Definition

• An art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.

• Is a Noun

• Pronounced [myoo-zik]

History of Dave Brubeck

• born on December 6th, 1920 in Concord, CA

• Youngest of 3 children

• Mother taught him how to play the Piano

• Hated studying classical music

• Never learned to read sheet music

History contd.

• moved to a ranch in the foothills of the Sierras near Ione, California at age 11

• Only played music because he enjoyed it

• Had no intention to become a professional musician

• Wanted to pursue being a cattleman as a career

Dave Brubeck College yrs.• Veterinary science was first choice in career, but

still wanted to be a rancher.

• Decided to try music out as a career

• Almost expelled out of college for cheating, since he still never learned how to read music

• Graduated by teaching piano lessons from the University of the Pacific

College yrs. Contd.

• Played in Jazz clubs 6 nights a week

• Never performed anything rehearsed

• Listened to campus radio and met his wife Iola Maria Whitlock

• Got married during senior year in college

Post life after College

• Drafted into the military

• Was held responsible to entertain troops

• Severed 4 yrs active duty with the military

• Moved to Europe in 1944

• Went back to school after returning home

Return to School

• Studied under Composer Darrius Millhaud

• Met all the other members for the Dave Brubeck Octet in 1949

Foundations of music

• Understanding the notes

• Treble clef vs. Bass clef

• Scales

• Pitch changs

NotesFoot Taps4 taps2 taps1 tap½ foot tap¼ foot tap

Treble and bass clef differences

• Bass clef – Mostly used for instruments that play lower

notes– examples: Stand up Bass, piano (mostly Left

hand)

• Treble clef– Instruments that play medium to higher

pitches – Examples: Alto Saxophone, piano (Mostly

right hand)

Types of ScalesMajor Scale - Sounds Happy

C D E F G A B C

Minor Scale - Sounds sad

A B C D E F G A

Pitch Changes

• Frequencies– Low– High

• Tuning– Sharp– Flat

Dave Brubeck Octet Styles

• Main styles– Hybrid Jazz with various time signatures– irregular style of beats and rhythm

• Time out Album– Blue Rondo à la Turk– Take Five– Kathy's Waltz– Strange Meadow Lark

Listening to the changes

• Introduction• Verse• Bridge• Chorus • Transition• Solo • Coda

Listening to changes Contd.

• f - Loud• ff - Double the volume of Loud• fff - Extremely loud• p - Quiet• mp - Medium Quiet• mf - Medium Loud• pp - Soft Quiet• Cresc - Progressively Louder

Song:Blue Rondo A La Turk

Click on the speaker to start music

Song: Time Out

Click on the speaker to start music

Song: Strange Meadow Lark

Click on the speaker to start music

The importance of music

• Music is all around the world (Culture)

• Music is a part of something you do everyday

• Key elements of music are how music is defined (theory)

References• "American Music, 1920." United States history. 1999. Web.

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3741.html • Fishko, Sara. "An Hour With Dave Brubeck." New York: WYNC, 2004. Web.

http://beta.wnyc.org/articles/music/2004/jun/25/an-hour-with-dave-brubeck • Fred, Hall. "It's About Time: The Dave Brubeck Story." 1996: n. pag. Web. 26 Sep

2010.• Hedrick, Smith. "Rediscovering Dave Brubeck." The Man, Jazz Goes to College.

PBS, n.d. Web. 22 Sep 2010. http://www.pbs.org/brubeck/theMan/jazzGoesToCollege.htm

• Smith, Hedrick. "Rediscovering Dave Brubeck." Brubeck's Trademark Style: Odd Time Signatures, Polyrhythm’s and Polytonality (2010): n. pag. Web. 23 Sep 2010. http://www.pbs.org/brubeck/theMusic/davesStyle.htm

• "The Dave Brubeck Quartet – “1-2-3” – Time Out – Time Further Out – Time In – 3-CD Box." AvaxHome.RU. Columbia Legacy, 06 Jun 2010. Web. 22 Sep 2010. http://avaxhome.ws/music/format_bitrate/lossless/the_dave_brubeck_quartet_123.html