Instruments and Listening
Listening to the cimbalom, from the first strike to the fading note
The cimbalom’s ringing sound comes from strings struck with small beaters. Learn what to watch and listen for when the instrument appears in an ensemble.
LIVE MUSIC · FESTIVALS · CULTURE
There is more to a good night than the headline act.
Independent notes on festival planning, live music and getting more out of the shows you choose.
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Live Performance
Stage left and house left describe opposite sides of a performance
Stage left is defined from the performer’s view, while house left follows the audience. Use the distinction to read stage plans and avoid confused directions.
Listening to instruments
A concertina and an accordion organise their buttons differently
Buttons and bellows do not identify a playing system on their own. Learn what to ask when listening to a concertina or accordion.
Listening to instruments
A drum brush can make rhythm without leaving the drumhead
Listen for the sweep as well as the tap when a drummer plays brushes: continuous contact can carry a pulse of its own.
Instruments and Listening
The clarinet register key opens a route to a twelfth, not an octave
Hear why the clarinet moves into a higher register by a twelfth, and use a short listening exercise to separate register from volume.
Instruments and Listening
A mandolin’s paired strings shape the way one note rings
A standard mandolin’s eight strings form four paired courses. Learn why the pairs matter when tuning, reading music, and listening for a wavering note.