#sad ukulele cover of creep also

[cliveguy]

the test of a good classic 2010-2016 era ship is how hard the 8tracks playlist would go

[borvooven]

not to sound like mr brown, but creep is actually one of radiohead's worst songs, and that's exactly why it's the most famous. it's simple and very radio friendly, so a lot of people know this one song, but they don't listen to the rest of radiohead's songs which are actually good. also, every white girl who owns an ukulele has fucking covered this song on youtube at least once, sitting on her perfect bed in her perfect bedroom, letting it sound like an even sadder, even more depressed and even more modern song which is currently on the radio, it sounds like everything but radiohead, and that's the problem. many people think they know radiohead because they know fucking creep and i experienced people like that myself so i know what im talking about. radiohead wasn't radiohead in the 90's, maybe ok computer is more radiohead than pablo honey and the bends, but creep isn't radiohead. there are so many genius radiohead songs like wolf at the door or ideoteque but of course creep had to be the most famous, just because it's simple and easy to play. i understand that songs like the national anthem aren't very radio friendly, imagine you turn on the radio and the first thing you hear is some weird sounding out of context fucking saxophone solo, but there are other songs that aren't creep that are great and not as simple as fucking creep, let's take anyone can play guitar as an example: it's more fun to sing along to than creep, it's better than creep, it's happier than creep and it white girls with ukes can't cover it and still it's less known than fucking creep and why? because creep is simple and boring and nothing special, but it represents radiohead for the majority of younger generations and that's sad. this is song is such a mess even thom yorke himself wrote a song about how it sucks to be reduced to this shit song (my iron lung "this is our new song, just like the last one (creep), a total waste of time" but the whole song is about it actually) so it really is a piece of crap. do me and thom yorke a favour and fucking listen to kid a and hail to the thief before you tell me you know radiohead. if you don't like the rest: delete creep from your head and please disappear completely, thank you.

[inkofamethyst]

June 17, 2021

So!  As it turns out, the boob issue is not uncommon among women who decide to pick up the ukulele.  I’m thinking about potentially getting a simple strap sling thing because apparently that helps :)

Anyway I also now want to learn how to play Safe Ship, Harbored by The Crane Wives on the uke too :D  AGH I LOVE THIS BAND SO MUCH WOW

Speaking of music, I’m going through all of Petals for Armor (Hayley Williams) right now, and I’m on Cinnamon right now, and I’m... I’m not sure if I like it like it?  It’s groovy and feels like something I’d listen to and want to just dance to.  It feels like a song to accompany a montage of a woman enjoying her own company.  I’ve added it to my Current playlist... we’ll see how long it stays.  I think it belongs on a different type of playlist though, something less for daily listening and more for those days when I need to just breathe and dance.

I haven’t listened to so much new music in a short span of time since... well, since never, really.  I mean, it makes sense that I would listen to other songs by an artist if I happen to like one son by them a lot (,, maybe I should look at more of Eliza Rickman’s stuff because I really like Pretty Little Head, and Delta Rae, and... actually, I’m going to listen to Melodicka Bros right now because why not!), it’s just that I’ve never really done that before.  Not ever.  The only albums I’ve listened to straight through are probably Hamilton and Joseph... Dreamcoat.  Yeah, musicals. OH WAIT Brand New Eyes (Paramore), duh.

Oh my God.  So I’ve been listening to the Celtic version of Take on Me by them (it was during my bardcore phase bro) and the artist legit just does music genre changes and I’m so here for it???  “Weird covers for weird people.”  Lol yeah, that tracks.  YMCA but Sad (definitely fun).  I’m Blue (Da Ba Dee) but make it Gothic Metal (cool).  I Will Always Love You but Metal (okay... this one is weird).  Bring Me to Life but make it Jazz (...as someone who loved this song in middle school (yeah, you heard me),,,, this cover really makes me smile??).  Creep but Happy (okay this one actually made me laugh out loud it’s just so ridiculous but in such a loveable way like what on earth am I listening to omg).  Take Me Home, Country Roads but make it Cyberpunk (this one makes me smile because the genre switch is basically a complete 180 and I adore it).  Nothing Else Matters but you’re high (LOLL).  Et cetera, you get the point.  It’s all very irreverent and I like that a lot for some reason.

I will say, Melodicka Bros is a bit of a cop-out, sort of how I would listen to specific songs by Insaneintherain because I was already familiar with them and wanted a cool new cover.  Not exactly what I was talking about... hm.  I’ll add some Eliza Rickman to my queue (update: Her voice is beautiful, but the five or so songs I listened to didn’t really... they don’t seem to fit the soundtrack of the movie of my life at this specific point in time, if that makes sense?  Like,, sort of what I was talking about with Cinnamon earlier, actually.  I may return to these songs in the future because they’re really pretty, just, perhaps, not for me right now.  (You know what, I’m just going to come out and say it,,, I am very lost as to the meanings of a lot of these lyrics.  I never was the best at analyzing poetry, especially if it was super figurative, in school.)).  I don’t know how long this musical adventurousness is going to last, so I need to fit in as much new music as I can.  Typically, music is more of a comfort thing for me?  I very rarely happened upon new music, but when I did I would latch on to it and it would enter my collection of ~comfort songs~.  Which like,, there’s so much good music out there to potentially discover!!  I understand having comfort music, but I suppose it’s nice to try new things out too :)

Still on the music front,,, I neglected my ukulele practice today :/.  If I recall, daily practice for sax was a bit difficult in the beginning then too.  I think I ended up setting a specific time that I’d practice every day and, well, it definitely helped because I literally never deviated, even on days when I wasn’t feeling up to it.  Maybe 5:30 pm on weekdays and early afternoons on weekends.  We’ll see.

Today I’m thankful for the random red lipstick I bought from Target that’s actually super fantastic?!  Like, I’ve got a bunch of burgundies, but I’ve wanted a red that suits my skin tone, and I think I’ve found it, and it’s not matte!!  Most of my liquid lipsticks are matte, but this one has a satiny finish that’s really nice and long-lasting and it doesn’t transfer very much either (though it does get a little smudgy under a mask which is to be expected tbh).  

You know, I have to say, one of the reasons I wish I just had a ton of money at my disposal and didn’t feel the middle class pressure to hoard as much money as possible in the hopes that one day we’ll cross the threshold into wealth is because I just sort of want to support as much of other people’s art as possible.  Like, sure, if I had tons of disposable money, I could invest in my own artistic adventures, but I also want to support artists in ways they deserve to be supported and to show my appreciation for their art and things like that, you know?  For now, I suppose, I’ll do the best I can.

[thirstyforbishiesimagines]

hey, can i request boys with s/o who really loves playing ukulele and singing, also she's like always with her ukulele and sometimes calls it "her precious child" or something xD btw, your blog is amazing, thank you for your work💕

Hi hii~ Thank you so much! Also, you didn’t specify which boy exactly… so I chose Eugene! Hope you don’t mind, but he just seemed like the perfect fit for this fic! Really loved the request ❤ Enjoy xx

.

Only One Other - Eugene x Reader

* image from LucyDream, Dangerous Fellows

Word Count: 1,394

Fluff

Song: Can’t Help Falling in Love - Twenty One Pilots (Elvis Cover) 

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.

Unwinding in the music room, you sit cross-legged upon a desk as you bask in the sunlight streaming through the window. Ukulele in hand, you strum gently – romancing the silence as you patiently wait for Eugene to arrive. Playing chord after chord, you start to harmonise a soft melody; your voice blending in naturally with the delicate sounds of your instrument.

You felt at peace.

The way your heart calms, yet enlivens your body as you vocalise in accompaniment to your ukulele, just felt… right. You never knew music would have become such a large part of your identity, and it was all thanks to him.

Sighing, your fingers come to a stop. The room fell silent once more as you’re struck with regret – never knowing when you’d be able to express your gratitude.

“Why’d you stop?”

Your body jumps from the sudden arrival of the golden-haired male. You try to hide the subtle blush creeping upon your cheeks before turning to face his handsome features. Thrumming lightly, your heart flutters in the presence of the boy you’ve fallen in love with – causing you to stutter over your words.

“H-how long have you been there?”

Eugene shrugs indifferently, “Long enough. I was enjoying the song by the way… Something on your mind?”

Not wanting to bore him with the story of young love, you decide to change the subject. “It’s nothing really. You wanted to see me?”

Taken aback – he looks down uncomfortably, “I um, right… I have something I need to tell you.”

Fidgeting with the string of his grey hoodie, his eyes wander restlessly before falling upon the ukulele within your hands.

“Oh! Actually… can I borrow that?” Eugene’s hand reaches out and you subconsciously shield the ukulele away from his grasp. He raises an eyebrow at your swift defence, and only then did you realise your actions. Shaking your head, you laugh at your own unexpected possessiveness and look back up to meet his inquisitive gaze.

“Ahh… I’m sorry Eugene. It’s not that I’m being selfish or anything, it’s just…” You lovingly stroke the endearing carving of a poorly drawn smiley face on the side of your instrument. “She’s my precious child.”

Eugene’s eyes suddenly go wide with surprise, his attention now occupied by the engravement.

“Where did you get that…?”

You raise an eyebrow in confusion as you hold up your ukulele, “This?”

He nods slowly in response, as if processing his thoughts.

“Oh um, I got it many years ago as a gift from the first boy I ever fell in love with…” You trail off, somewhat embarrassed to be sharing such a personal story; especially when he was unaware of your current affection towards him.

Eugene’s amber-coloured orbs stay fixated on you – eager to hear more.

Guess this story is unavoidable…

“My Mum had just announced to me that we were moving interstate. I was absolutely devastated, so I ran off to a nearby park. I was sitting on a slide, not knowing how else to deal with my grief but bawl my eyes out. There was a boy that came running over from the swings, and I distinctly remember him cocking his head to the side when he asked why I was crying… It was pretty cute, but I was too overwhelmed to respond properly; so I ended up crying even harder.”

You giggle light-heartedly. Although you’re unable to remember his face, you’ll never cease to forget the way he began to panic at your reaction – frantically looking around and praying it didn’t look as if he was to blame.

“He tried to console me, but it didn’t work. So, he ran off somewhere and came back with this ukulele a couple minutes later. He sat next to me and started playing whatever came to mind, making words up on the spot. It was quite horrible actually… They were probably the worst songs I had ever heard in my life; but his determination and passion to drown out my cries was the most touching thing anyone had ever done for me, and I found myself really enjoying it.”

You pause, the corners of your mouth curling up into a soft smile before continuing.

“He played and sang to me for what felt like hours and didn’t stop until he was convinced that I was calm enough to go back home. He also made me promise that if I was still sad tomorrow, I’d have to come back and listen to him sing again. So, I did… and we ended up meeting a couple more times before I moved away. Actually… he was the one who taught me how to play the ukulele before casually giving it to me as a gift. This smiley face here… he carved it to remind me that when times were tough, music had the power to heal.”

Eugene stays silent, his expression in slight shock.

“I moved sooner than I expected and never actually got to thank him or even learn his name, but… he changed my life for the better; and now, whenever I have difficulties in opening up to others, I hear his voice reminding me to play this ukulele and sing wh-”

“Whenever the words you wanted to convey, couldn’t be done with speech.” Eugene’s voice interrupts you, finishing off your sentence perfectly – the words rolling off his tongue like it was second nature to him.

You stare in disbelief, “Wait… How did you…?”

“So, you moved…” Eugene chuckles to himself – relieved. “By the way… I’ve gotten a lot better at singing now, just so you know.” He playfully pouts, crossing his arms over his chest.

Overcome with a flood of emotions, you simply whisper, “It’s you…”

He smiles lovingly, caressing away the tears that had formed in the corners of your eyes. “I knew there was something familiar about you… It all makes perfect sense now.”

Picking up the ukulele, you hold it out towards him reluctantly. “I should give this back…”

He shakes his head in denial, gently pushing it back to you. “Keep it. It’s yours now.”

Vibrant with joy, you beam at him, “Thank you Eugene… for everything.”

Cheeks hinting a faint blush, he clears his throat awkwardly. “Do you remember the chord sequence that I taught you?”

You nod enthusiastically, smiling proudly as you begin strumming – the gorgeous mix of major and minor chords blending together seamlessly.

“Perfect.”

Inhaling deep, he focuses his gaze on you.

‘Wise men say, “Only fools rush in”. But I can’t help falling in love with you.

Shall I stay, would it be a sin? If I can’t help falling in love with you…’

Eugene’s melodic voice resonates through the room and you stare in awe, captivated by his breath-taking vocals. The heart-warming lyrics sing vibrantly within your ears, causing your cheeks to colour crimson.

‘Darling so it goes, some things were meant to be, oh…

Take my hand, take my whole life too. ‘Cause I can’t help falling in love with you.’

Placing his hand upon the strings of the ukulele, your fingers come to a stop. He reaches out to caress your flushed cheek as he finishes off the song a cappella. He sang with such love and emotion – you could feel every word.

‘But I can’t help, falling in love with you…’

Eyes closed, you nestle your face into his palm; his touch warm against your skin. Tears fall delicately upon your heated cheeks – completely moved by his confession.

You hear him chuckle softly before feeling a sudden, but gentle pressure upon your lips. Bringing your arms up and around his neck, you melt into his touch – electricity soaring through your veins as he moves against you. He pulls away, but not before giving you one more short and sweet peck.

“So… I was the “first” boy you fell in love with huh? …How many others were there?”

Giggling shyly, your fingers lightly trace along the curves of your instrument as you lock eyes with the golden-haired male.

“Only one other… but funny enough, he turned out to be the same boy.”

You watch as Eugene’s face transitions into a bright red, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment before taking your hand in his. You smile warmly, even more grateful for your ukulele as it allowed you to find your true love once more.

.

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x mod luna

[my-insanity-is-irrelevant]

The same to you - all of them 🎃

200: My crush’s name is: Ryan, Eli, Claire, several others I cant name for complicated reasons 

199: I was born in: 1997/a hospital 

198: I am really: Intense weather in my calmness or excitement 

197: My cellphone company is: T-Mobile

196: My eye color is: Light green

195: My shoe size is: 9 1/2 wide (i usually have to do like a 11 for high heals)

194: My ring size is: ??????? probably big I have chubby fingers

193: My height is: 5′ 6″

192: I am allergic to: nothing unless you count idiocy 

191: My 1st car was: A blue 2007 Ford Focus and I LOVED her

190: My 1st job was: A server for Cheddar’s Casual Cafe 

189: Last book you read: How to Ruin Everything by George Watsky 10/10

188: My bed is: A king with lots o’ pillows and blankets and is very comfy

187: My pet: 2 cats, 5 kittens, 6 dogs, 2 snakes, 1 bearded dragon, 1 leopard gecko, 4 turtles, 1 bullfrog tadpole, and bunches of fish

186: My best friend: is a boy i met a month ago because i have intimacy issues

185: My favorite shampoo is: Dead Sea’s Argon oil shampoo is so good to my poor dry curls

184: Xbox or ps3: I use an Xbox to watch Netflix but I don’t play video games

183: Piggy banks are: Cute decorations but go unused

182: In my pockets: $2, some lint, a rubber band, and something weird i took out of my dog’s mouth earlier

181: On my calendar: I have nothing written in it but it has cool pictures of bears

180: Marriage is: Cool because of the financial benefits but other than that unnecessary to prove one’s love. I want a wedding though because I want a pretty dress

179: Spongebob can: Make me hate my life a 3am

178: My mom: Died of breast cancer and smoked a lot of pot

177: The last three songs I bought were? I can’t remember ever paying for music but the last three i listened to are: Cherry Wine by Hozier, Strong As An Oak by Watsky, and San Cristobal by Mal Blum

176: Last YouTube video watched: A slam poem by Neil Hilborn called Liminality

175: How many cousins do you have? I have no clue? At least 10 on each side, but i’m sure there’s way more than that

174: Do you have any siblings? 2 older brothers, 2 older sisters, ans one younger sister 

173: Are your parents divorced? They were never married

172: Are you taller than your mom? Nope! She was like 5′10′

171: Do you play an instrument? I can play hot cross buns on the recorder and thats the best i can do

170: What did you do yesterday? I slept and ate beef jerky[ I Believe In ]169: Love at first sight: No, but i do believe in lust and infatuation at first site. I think  love takes time to grow.

168: Luck: Yes like, as in karma

167: Fate: Catch me in the right mood and i do

166: Yourself: NOOOOOPE

165: Aliens: Yes

164: Heaven: No

163: Hell: Yes, it’s called Texas

162: God: Naaaaah

161: Horoscopes: I think they’re accurate generalizations

160: Soul mates: Yeah but not like the traditional; kind of way, i think we have lots of people we’re meant to be with in various ways

159: Ghosts: Yes and No i go back and forth

158: Gay Marriage: 100%

157: War:0%

156: Orbs: Idk what this is talking about but sure, ill root for them

155: Magic: No, Im a science gal[ This or That ]154: Hugs or Kisses: Hugs

153: Drunk or High: High, drinking gives me a tummy ache

152: Phone or Online: Online

151: Red heads or Black haired: Red heads

150: Blondes or Brunettes: Brunettes

149: Hot or cold: Cold

148: Summer or winter: Winter

147: Autumn or Spring: Autumn

146: Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla

145: Night or Day: Night

144: Oranges or Apples: Apples

143: Curly or Straight hair: Curly

142: McDonalds or Burger King: Mcdonald’s

141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: White Chocolate is the key to my heart

140: Mac or PC: PC

139: Flip flops or high heels: HIgh heels even though i cant walk in them

138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: Sweet and poor

137: Coke or Pepsi: Coke

136: Hillary or Obama: Obama

135: Burried or cremated: Cremated, the idea of rotting creeps me out

134: Singing or Dancing: Dancing but im bad at both

133: Coach or Chanel: Idgaf

132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: ??????

131: Small town or Big city: Big city

130: Wal-Mart or Target: Wal-Mart

129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: I hate Adam Sandler

128: Manicure or Pedicure: Manicure

127: East Coast or West Coast: West Coast

126: Your Birthday or Christmas: Christmas all the waaaaaay

125: Chocolate or Flowers: Flowers, preferably potted

124: Disney or Six Flags: Disney i’m scared of roller coasters

123: Yankees or Red Sox: I dont sports[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War: Its stupid and bad and i hate violence 

121: George W. Bush: Okay, looook, i dig his paintings, okay???

120: Gay Marriage: gimme that shit i want that shit

119: The presidential election: I could be down for violence against trump

118: Abortion: everyone should have safe access to abortions, they save lives

117: MySpace: I never had one? Does it still exist? I may make one for fun? 

116: Reality TV: i dont ever watch it, i avoid it like the plauge

115: Parents: Mine were grade A shit

114: Back stabbers: What goes around comes around

113: Ebay: I use Amazon

112: Facebook: Its filled with my racist family, i avoid it 

111: Work: I watch my niece and nephew (twins) and i love it

110: My Neighbors: I don’t interact with them ever

109: Gas Prices: why so expensive pls give me break

108: Designer Clothes: catch me in wal-mart clothes i bough 4 years ago

107: College: I want but cant afford halp

106: Sports: no

105: My family: I love them but they fkn annoy the shit out of me with their political views

104: The future: stop.[ Last time I ]103: Hugged someone: My niece yesterday

102: Last time you ate: I am eating a bowl of mac n’ cheese right now

101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: I saw my sister’s in-laws last week and i loooooove them! I made slime with the kids

100: Cried in front of someone: When i found out my ex was cheating on me like two months ago

99: Went to a movie theater: Went on a date with a cute boi like a month ago and w saw Baby Driver it was so good

98: Took a vacation: The only vacation ive ever took in my life was with my ex and his family to Florida last summer

97: Swam in a pool: Less than a week ago

96: Changed a diaper: Yesterday, i change them for a living

95: Got my nails done:last summer

94: Went to a wedding: My oldest sister got married last week!

93: Broke a bone: when i was like 3????

92: Got a peircing: two weeks ago i got my nipples done

91: Broke the law: this morning when i got high

90: Texted: Im texting cute bbs  right now[ MISC ]89: Who makes you laugh the most: My boi Ryan who is a fkn idiot i love him

88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: I already left home and only miss having someone else cook and clean because my roomates are hopeless

87: The last movie I saw: The Last Five Years

86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: When i can move far north and start a loving and respectful communist sex cult

85: The thing im not looking forward to: Getting up for work at 5 in the morning

84: People call me: lame

83: The most difficult thing to do is: exist

82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: i sure haven’t i’m Safe

81: My zodiac sign is: Libra

80: The first person i talked to today was: Ryan

79: First time you had a crush: i liked a boy named Antonio in second grade

78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: no one? 

77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: Ryan last night when we said a stupid Ricks and Morty quote at the same time

76: Right now I am talking to: my cat Beatrice 

75: What are you going to do when you grow up: probably cry a lot

74: I have/will get a job: working with kids!

73: Tomorrow: I will be very tired

72: Today: I am very tired

71: Next Summer: I will be very hot

70: Next Weekend: Im going to tie ppl up with rope

69: I have these pets: see 187

68: The worst sound in the world: A baby crying because they’re hurt or sad

67: The person that makes me cry the most is: my ex inbox me for his url so you can tell him hes a meanie

66: People that make you happy: My nieces and nephews and also my bff

65: Last time I cried: last night because the damn dog was so cute

64: My friends are: amazing and deserve the world

63: My computer is: slow and bad but i still love her

62: My School: was down the road from a prison, which my mom was in years ago

61: My Car: is old and smells like my mom’s cigarettes 

60: I lose all respect for people who: are racist, homophobic, sexist, trans-phobic, Islamophobic, anti-semetic, ect. 

59: The movie I cried at was: the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy

58: Your hair color is: Auburn

57: TV shows you watch: Game of Thrones, Criminal Minds, Sense 8

56: Favorite web site: tumblr.com

55: Your dream vacation: stargazing in Alaska 

54: The worst pain I was ever in was: when i fucked up my siatic nerve in a car wreck in January 

53: How do you like your steak cooked: medium-well

52: My room is: cold and messy and covered in kittens

51: My favorite celebrity is: Harry Styles

50: Where would you like to be: on a beach in Iceland with a person playing a ukulele 

49: Do you want children: Only if i have more than one long term partner living with me 

48: Ever been in love: Yes 

47: Who’s your best friend: see 186 its Ryan

46: More guy friends or girl friends: no

45: One thing that makes you feel great is: when my cat comes to me and just lays where shes barely touching me 

44: One person that you wish you could see right now: My best friend from high school who committed suicide 

43: Do you have a 5 year plan: no

42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: no

41: Have you pre-named your children: I want to name my kid Coraline but id also like to do something not defined by a single gender?

40: Last person I got mad at: My sister because she left the dogs inside all day while i was at work even though shes a stay at home mom and so the poor things had accidents and no one was happy

39: I would like to move to: Canada

38: I wish I was a professional: mom[ My Favorites ]37: Candy: white chocolate truffles 

36: Vehicle: vintage beatles 

35: President: Alexander Hamilton

34: State visited: Florida

33: Cellphone provider: ?????

32: Athlete: ?????

31: Actor: Nat Wolf

30: Actress: Maise willams

29: Singer: Radical Face/Hozier

28: Band: Bad Books

27: Clothing store: Wal-mart

26: Grocery store: Joe-V’s Smart Shop

25: TV show: Game of Thrones

24: Movie: Swiss Army Man

23: Website: see 56

22: Animal:  Monitors 

21: Theme park: i dont do theme parks

20: Holiday: Halloween

19: Sport to watch: does Yuri on Ice count?

18: Sport to play: no

17: Magazine: i don’t read magazines but i heard Teen Vogue is doing wonders

16: Book: The Kite Runner

15: Day of the week: Wednesday’s Child is Full of Woe

14: Beach: wherever i was in Florida 

13: Concert attended: Warped Tour 2015 there was a band called Onwards ect. it was so good

12: Thing to cook: homemade flour tortillas 

11: Food: Cheese enchiladas

10: Restaurant: This cute little place named Marianne’s thats down the road from my house she makes the best tamales 

9: Radio station: 94.5 The Buzz

8: Yankee candle scent: Clean Linen 

7: Perfume: i dont

6: Flower: Lilies 

5: Color: pink

4: Talk show host: Steve Harvey

3: Comedian: John Mulaney

2: Dog breed: Pit Bulls

1: Did you answer all these truthfully? 100%

[makingmusicmatter-blog1]

Music Topic 6 - Music Through Time and Space!

Learning in Music 

How has music changed over time and space? What makes music endure?

When I think about Classical music, I think of my Grandpa. And not as in, old, slow, and boring. But more like, sophisticated, smart, older generation... AND yes, playing Classical music was not my first preference when I had piano or flute lessons but I knew they always sounded much prettier. And they took more effort and time - which I thought I didn’t have. 

I didn’t actually know that Classical music was Western Art music until this week! I’m not sure that that is a very good thing. Basically, Western Art music is anything that developed in Western Europe, many years ago. 

In the Old Testament, music was a tool for learning and teaching. 

As pagan influences creeped in, the church put a stop to lots of people joining in, and only let famous composers and musicians continue. Which kind of makes me a bit sad for those who wanted to learn but became discouraged by the new social norm. How things have changed! 

Click here to get an inside scoop on Western Art Music!

Image found here. 

Click here to listen to some of the most famous classical pieces ever written. 

Image found here.

Pastor John Beck spoke to us via Skype this week about his Aboriginal heritage and upbringing. Pastor Beck, told us about his family and their journey as Aboriginal people growing up in Australia. He spoke about how important education was for him and how his family didn’t value it like he did. 

In class, the girls played rhythm sticks and the boys played PVC pipe didgeridoos, because, as Pastor John said, males are the only ones allowed to play didgeridoos. 

It was interesting to hear from him, and I really had to concentrate because the audio wasn’t very good. I’m assuming it wasn’t very good on campus either. 

Listening to Pastor John reminded me that I could do the same activity in my classroom, where I would have a musician visit us over the web. Not only would it be a convenient and easy way to bring the world into my classroom, but it would also give my students a chance to learn from someone else, who can teach my students AND myself, some very special musical concepts and stories. I remember being in primary school and having people visit us from across the globe - usually my teacher’s friends or relatives, who read a story to us or who told us about what was happening in their part of the world. It was a very exciting and memorable experience.  

Below are the content descriptors that would be covered in the lesson that we just had with Pastor John. 

Identify intended purposes and meanings as they listen to music using the elements of music to make comparisons, starting with Australian music, including music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMUR087)

Practise singing, playing instruments and improvising music, using elements of music including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the local community(ACAMUM085)

Learn more about the music curriculum on the ACARA website here. 

Image found here.

Making in music this week all happened at about 6am for me. The weeks seem to just fly by and I didn’t leave myself enough time to make it perfect. I was also trying to be quiet and not disturb everyone else in the house! My big old piano is not the best sounding piano so I had to use the online keyboard to record a melody. I played my ukulele over the top of it with some simple chords. I wish my parents gave my more siblings because it would of been fun to give everyone an instrument to play, but, I had to make do. It was also raining, so hopefully the audio quality is okay! Scroll above this post to view. 

Ukulele strumming this semester has come to an end and what better way to finish than by playing our National Anthem! I modified it in a few spots to give myself an extra challenge. I added Dm and G7 to see what would happen. It’s easy to keep playing the same chords on the ukulele, so I wanted to change it up a bit and try something new. Scroll above this post to view. 

This second half of the semester spent learning more about music and how to teach it has made a lot of my musical knowledge become useful to me. I remember going to music lesson after music lesson and disliking it so much, whereas now I can see that after all those music lessons, I have a knowledge that I can share with my future students. And in my opinion, a primary teacher WITH a ukulele in hand is much more exciting than a primary teacher WITHOUT! 

Image found here.