instrumental music

i originally enrolled at the university of wisconsin for music performance.  i had a violin scholarship and felt confident that i'd done the right thing.  by mid-freshman year i had changed my mind about one thing.  i didn't want to perform for a living, but i also didn't want to leave music behind.  not ever.  i switched to music ed. and haven't turned back since.

there's something really special to me about people making music together.  i haven't found that same feeling anywhere else.  i've played sports (really poorly), i've taught non-performing music classes, and nothing comes close.  i can't say that my students at the middle school are achieving the feeling that adult musicians who have been playing forever feel, but they have to try at least.  this thursday they have a concert.  they'll have to try.

so many bands don't need to do it anymore.  god bless les paul and all of his fabulous inventions, but with multi-track recording came the tendency to separate a group's musicians in order to achieve perfection.  i have a lot of admiration for bands who still try to play all together in the studio. 

one of my favorite ways to find this feeling (other than playing live with other musicians myself) is through "live in the studio" clips that i find.  you get the live effect without the screaming girls.  i don't know why people scream at concerts.  all i ever want to do is stand and absorb everything like a sponge.  but i suppose the screamers paid the same kind of money that i did.  i suppose they have a right.

anyway, here are a few studio clips i enjoy.



death cab in the studio performing brothers on the a hotel bed






margot & the nuclear so and sos live on pctv performing jolene, we almost never met