ClassicalCode http://blog.classicalcode.com Music, Software, Finds Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:02:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Fly Duet from Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/zF1fNS0RLIs/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/fly-duet-from-offenbachs-orphee-aux-enfers/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:50:20 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=804 To raise money for her graduate school audition tour, my girlfriend Chelsea and the amazing pianist Stephen Damonte, put on a fundraiser recital. I joined her for the Fly Duet from Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers in which Jupiter disguised as a fly (myself) seduces the innocent Eurydice (Chelsea). If you want to help her achieve her goal of going to graduate school, you can donate at her website.

Fly Duet from Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers:

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/fly-duet-from-offenbachs-orphee-aux-enfers/feed/ 1 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/fly-duet-from-offenbachs-orphee-aux-enfers/ Jazz Ukulele “Love Is a Song” from Bambi http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/sh45VOe6zfU/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/jazz-ukulele-love-is-a-song-from-bambi/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:39:14 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=793 I head an old NPR interview with Lyle Ritz about his album “No Frills” where he recorded several jazz standards in Garage Band over synthesized bass lines he entered himself. It was so clean, approachable, and free of pretension that it inspired me to fire up Garage Band and record this song I have been playing with for a while now.

“Love Is a Song” from: Walt Disney’s Bambi:

Words by: Larry Morey
Music by: Frank Churchill
Ukulele: Kala Curly Mango Soprano (Christmas present)
Drum loop: Garage Band
Bass: Recorded in Garage Band using a midi keyboard

Audio only mp3:

[See original post to listen to audio]

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/jazz-ukulele-love-is-a-song-from-bambi/feed/ 0 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/02/jazz-ukulele-love-is-a-song-from-bambi/ [Multitrack Video] “In My Room” http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/QZz8CIpUK8o/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/01/multitrack-video-in-my-room/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:01:49 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=763 On New Years Day my brother, Nate, and I spent the day relaxing with my girlfriend, Chelsea, and her room mate Joel. It was a lovely day and in the evening we decided to record a song. We decided to record (and film) The Beach Boys’ song “In My Room” by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher. We were quite lucky to find a transcription of the voice parts here.

The results:

Also available as a free mp3:
[See original post to listen to audio]
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Cast:

  • Ukulele – Jordan Eldredge
  • “Fat Congas” Cajón – Chelsea Hollow
  • Tenor – Chelsea Hollow
  • Tenor II – Joel Klein
  • Baritone – Jordan Eldredge
  • Electric Bass Guitar – Nate Eldredge
  • Videographer – Nate Eldredge
  • Millinery Supplier – Alison Sheehan

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/01/multitrack-video-in-my-room/feed/ 13 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2010/01/multitrack-video-in-my-room/ [Video] I Made a $4 Electric Ukulele http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/5jD67dWUcH0/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/video-i-made-a-4-electric-ukulele/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:40:08 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=746 While I was home for Christmas, I was watching lots of ukulele videos on Youtube. Somewhere in my wanderings I came across the Risa Uke Solid and my mind was blown. It’s a small electric ukulele made out of a single solid piece of wood and some hardware. The simplicity of the design made me think: “Hey, I could do that” and so I began thinking about how I could make a simple electric ukulele myself. Two days later, with lots of help from my dad and his tools, I have a working electric ukulele made from stuff I found around my parent’s house and a set of $4 ukulele strings. It’s currently fret-less and the pickup leaves a lot to be desired but my goal was really to create a mock-up so that I would know what I was doing when I built the actual thing.

Epilogue:

Possible improvements on this model:

  • Frets
  • Deepen groove on back

Things to learn before building next model:

  • Are there shorter tuning pegs so that I can avoid drilling the extra hole?
  • Are there better pickup solutions for my price range?

Improvements for next model:

  • Less space between tuning pegs
  • Harder wood
  • No taper
  • Strings further apart at nut
  • Narrower holes for strings at nut
  • Standard G-C-E-A strings

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/video-i-made-a-4-electric-ukulele/feed/ 15 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/video-i-made-a-4-electric-ukulele/ Mary Had a Little Lamb – Parallel Fifths http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/3UB1rushf_E/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/mary-had-a-little-lamb-parallel-fifths/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:05:27 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=735 Inspired on my previous experimentation with parallel fifth harmonies, and my new ukulele (more on that soon), my dad and I recorded this version of Mary Had a Little Lamb where I sang and played the same song a fifth above. He was playing his guitar and singing in the key of C, and I was playing my ukulele and and singing in the key of G.

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/mary-had-a-little-lamb-parallel-fifths/feed/ 3 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/12/mary-had-a-little-lamb-parallel-fifths/ Original Song: “Driving” http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/EclpauNVTik/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/original-song-driving/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:04:03 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=712 9622_166802582176_739287176_4016994_1081156_nAs of this week, Chelsea and I have been going out for three years and after countless barbershop tags, covers and miniature songs I have finally been able to write her an honest-to-goodness song song. I’ll admit it’s cheesy and trite and doesn’t properly rhyme, but it’s a song. A real song. Finally.

For Chelsea, after three years: “Driving”
[See original post to listen to audio]
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Lyrics:

I had to get to UPS to pick up a pair of boots.
You offered to give me a lift if I’d buy you a beer.
So we went driving in your car, though it wasn’t very far,
We got lost and laughed at all the things we would become.

You had to wake up before dawn to help your friend catch a flight.
I tagged along just to be with you in the early morning light.
So we went driving in your car, underneath the stars.
Then we went up the hill and watched the sunrise though the fog.

Now you’ve sold your car and bought  a bike though the pedals made you sacred.
And my parents gave me their old car which I share with you.
Now we go driving in my car, which we never could before.
And it isn’t much but it’s an excuse to be close to you.

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/original-song-driving/feed/ 1 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/original-song-driving/ Twitter Bot: UkeChord http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/H6Qv3N6LARU/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/twitter-bot-ukechord/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:15:00 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=705 I would like to introduce you all to my new creation UkeChord. UkeChord is an automated Twitter robot who will send you ukulele fingerings for any chord you request. Please share your thoughts or improvements in the comments below.

Goal: To offer Ukulele chord fingerings via text message.

Preparation:

  1. Follow Twitter user “ukechord“
  2. Configure Twitter to forward direct messages to your phone.

Getting a chord fingering:

  1. Text Twitter (40404) with: “@ukechord” followed by the chord name.
  2. Receive chord fingering.

Below are the chord names it understands. C can be replaced by any note sharp (#) or flat (b):

Chord Notes
C (Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th)
C7 (Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th)
CM7 (Cmaj7) (Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, major 7th)
C6 (Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, major 6th)
C9 ([Root], major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th, major 9th)
Cm (Root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th)
Cm7 (Root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th)
Cm6 (Root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th, major 6th)
Cm9 ([Root], minor 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th, major 9th)
Cdim (Root, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, diminished 7th)
C5 (Root, perfect 5th)
Csus4 (Root, perfect 4th, perfect 5th)
C7sus4 (Root, perfect 4th, minor 7th)
Caug (C+5) (Root, minor 3rd, augmented 5th)
C7aug (C7+5) (Root, minor 3rd, augmented 5th, diminished 7th)

It may be able to figure out other chords, but it is guaranteed to understand these.

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/twitter-bot-ukechord/feed/ 2 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/twitter-bot-ukechord/ Colors of The Wind (Alice n’ The Irving Street Kidz) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/qyIauT48ADM/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/colors-of-the-wind-alice-n-the-irving-street-kidz/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:41:07 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=690 Alice n’ The Irving Street Kidz are back with another hit single. This time it’s ‘Colors of The Wind’ from the major motion picture Pocahontas. We believe that our rendition is a vast improvement on the original.

alice_n_the_irving_street_kidz

  • Vocals – Alison
  • Ukulele, chimes, backup vocals, egg shaker – Jordan
  • Epic Howl – Noah

[See original post to listen to audio]

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/colors-of-the-wind-alice-n-the-irving-street-kidz/feed/ 2 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/colors-of-the-wind-alice-n-the-irving-street-kidz/ Multitrack Barbershop Tag With Josh Beld http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/QGSrOdpCPpo/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/multitrack-barbershop-tag-with-josh-beld/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:11:21 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=672 Josh_Beld_and_Jordan_EldredgeTonight my friend and fellow baritone Josh Beld came over and naturally, things eventually devolved to multitracking babershop tags. After attempting three different tags, only the first and simplest ended up being suitable for sharing. This was Josh’s first attempt at multitrack recording and he is already better than me. Hopefully this will be the first of many.

When It’s Sleepy Time Down South:

  • Baritone and Lead: Jordan Eldredge
  • Bass and Tenor: Josh Beld

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]]> http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/multitrack-barbershop-tag-with-josh-beld/feed/ 2 http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/multitrack-barbershop-tag-with-josh-beld/ Eight-Part Barbershop Tag In Parallel Fifths http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Classicalcode/~3/SCiYqHgwzPc/ http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/eight-part-barbershop-tag-in-parallel-fifths/#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:10:46 +0000 Jordan Eldredge http://blog.classicalcode.com/?p=649 I have recently observed, on Youtube, a very interesting method of turning any barbershop tag into a jazzy eight part tag: simply double each part a perfect fifth higher. Or, said another way, have a second quartet simultaneously sing the same tag a fifth above.

Despite everything I was taught in college, I have been curious to try this myself. However, due to sound bleed-through from my upstairs neighbors, I can’t really record in my apartment these days. So I multitracked this one tonight in my car on my Zoom H4. Although I am sure I looked quite suspicious, I think it was worth it.

You can hear the original four part arrangement here.

I present to you “In Dixie Land Where I Was Born” from David Wright’s collection: Classic Tags for Men’s Voices in parallel fifths:
[See original post to listen to audio]
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Update: I have typeset the complete octet in the key of “C” as a pdf file and also generated a midi file.

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