These newly-released tracks represent a very different facet of Robin's eclectic musical personality (he's singing and playing electric guitar and keyboard on these!)
For many years Robin has been associated with the world of classical music but he has in fact played and sung in many bands, and worked as a session musician with some of the finest around.
It was a simple dinner party that provided the catalyst for Robin to return to his rock and blues roots.
When the conversation touched on illegal downloads of music and films, Robin, as the only musician present, felt he had to voice his opinions and stand his corner.
He quoted Pete Townshend's thoughts on the subject, "If you illegally download my music you might as well come round to my house and steal my kid's bike."
He also made the very salient point that other people are making money from illegal downloads.
He thought his feelings could be most articulately, and appropriately, expressed via the blues...hence "Illegal Download Blues" a slightly tongue in cheek but, nevertheless, emotional and heartfelt song...
Having written this track he decided it would be an interesting and enjoyable challenge to record a whole album of songs...the next to appear was "38459" a funky kind of rock song.
Many more are now in the pipeline and an album will surely follow.......
As it says at the end of the video, "This track is dedicated to the creative industries everywhere whose livelihoods are diminished by piracy."
Both tracks are now available from iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and many other digital outlets.
Enjoy the video for, 'Illegal Download Blues,'then have a listen to, '38459', you have to hear Vanessa Haynes on backing vocals...
Showing posts with label Musicians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musicians. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Monday, June 18, 2012
Fly With a Little Help from Lebrecht...
Getting to Norway was always going to be difficult.
Not because of the distances involved, after all Robin travels all around the world, Norway is pretty much on our doorstep.
But time was the issue.
Last Friday, the 8th of June, Robin was playing for the High Sheriff of Lancashire at lunchtime in Lancaster Town Hall.
This went very well and he then dashed off to catch the first of three flights.
That isn't exactly true, he couldn't really 'dash' to the airport as a murder had been committed on the motorway.
Honestly, you couldn't make it up....
Consequently the motorway was closed and we had to make a detour to a train station which duly delivered Robin to the airport just in time for his first flight.
Not the best of starts.
However, the journey was to get a whole lot worse.
A quick change of planes in Copenhagen and then he spent a night, or what was left of it, in a hotel in Oslo.
Early next morning he duly arrived to catch his Norwegian Air flight to Alesund.
He was met by the usual barrage of questions regarding the guitar, he was informed that under no circumstances would the instrument be allowed in the cabin but, on payment of an extra £20, could be consigned to the hold, even though we had already paid for extra hand luggage.
Robin then 'phoned his contact in America who advised that they would purchase another seat for the guitar.
He then went to the Norwegain Air desk and was informed that they did have a seat available but when he explained this was for his instrument they refused point blank.
After a Twitter exchange, Norman Lebrecht, very succinctly summed up the situation, on his blog, 'Slipped Disc'.
As Kenneth Woods highlighted during this discussion, 'Norman Lebrecht has been a real champion for musicians with airlines.'
Travelling with an instrument has been difficult for some time but the situation is getting worse, and more stressful, with every journey.
Airlines all seem to have different, ever changing policies regarding musical instruments but even then, it really depends who happens to be at the check in desk.
Some people are fine others make problems where none exist.
The fact is that a classical guitar case fits neatly into the overhead locker, still allowing space for other passengers to stow their belonings, or, within one of the wardrobes available on the aircraft.
It really isn't a problem.
But on this occasion the check in assistant wouldn't budge.
No guitar was getting on his plane.
So Robin informed them he wouldn't be getting on the plane either, and his agents booked another flight for much later in the day leaving Robin to spend the entire day back at the hotel.
The pressure was unrelenting as he didn't know if he would actually make his connection after all these delays.
Back at the airport later that evening, Scandinavian Airlines welcomed Robin, and guitar, on board without any hesitation.
Thankfully their were no further delays and Robin arrived with only 30 minutes to spare.
Travel is meant to be the easy part, it's playing the notes that is difficult.
Airlines should remember who the customer is...
The next day he was able to put all the stress behind him and deliver a great concert.
Which incidentally was filmed by a Dutch TV film crew, but that's another story....
Monday, October 19, 2009
Music Practice Tips - Classical Guitar
Today is a very special post by the man himself - Robin Hill!
It was originally written as a guest blog for the Australian violinist Ben Clapton, back in 2007.
Enjoy!
Music Practice Tips – Classical Guitar
By Robin Hill
When approached by Ben, to write a guest blog spot on ‘practice tips’ for the classical guitar, I wondered where to start.
Having written an entire book, ‘The Guitar Gymnasium, A Mental and Physical Workout, Designed to Develop Flawless Technique,’ published by Mel Bay, it seemed a difficult task to summarise into an article.
Most of my thinking on these matters has been precipitated by the ‘front line’ experiences of concertising, recording, broadcasting and teaching, and a life long passion for the classical guitar, and music in general.
Outstanding performance on any musical instrument can only be achieved through hard and painstaking work. The musician who excels above his colleagues is, generally, the one who has taken more pains.
Regular practice is essential, with technical work of high priority, and whilst students may not want to hear this, there is no escape from scales and arpeggios!
One of the most basic and important principles in guitar technique is economy of movement, not only of both hands, but, of any part of the body involved in the production of the note.
It’s worth investing in a full length, movable, mirror, as I watch myself playing frequently, not out of vanity, but to constantly check positioning and posture.
For practice, I’ll break it down into sections, and start with the arpeggio.
The Arpeggio.
The right hand should remain completely stable with the knuckles immobile and parallel to the strings. The fingers themselves move in a minimal way, pressing, rather than hitting the string.
Initially you can practice this silently by touching the string but without producing any sound.
This helps to establish playing ‘from the string’ and using the minimum amount of movement.
Silent practice should be accompanied by ‘hearing’ the notes mentally, and thus, reinforcing the inner ear.
In fact it is always good practice to ‘hear’ notes in one’s mind a split second before playing them.
Initially the arpeggio should be practiced slowly, gradually increasing the tempo, and the use of a metronome is recommended, but not all the time.
Fluency, technical command and accuracy are paramount.
Variety in practice is important, try to surprise your fingers with new challenges and studies, but always practice attentively. Be aware of the deadly routine of wading, without concentration, through studies and exercises.
The Scale.
There are many different methods of playing scales on the guitar. As a general rule, if alternating between i and m, it is undesirable to cross strings using mi when ascending and im when descending. Whilst not always possible to avoid, it should be seriously considered. So, the guitarist must learn a flexible approach to scale playing, using inventive fingering to avoid undesirable crossings.
It should be remembered, that printed fingering is never sacred, there are usually viable alternatives.
During scale playing the same principles of economy of movement and right and left hand stability apply.
I have also found that practice with the backs of the nails i.e. movement in the opposite direction to the normal stroke, is extremely beneficial. It’s a similar effect to practising rasgueados and leads to improving the right hand’s ‘feel good’ factor.
When practising major and minor scales try playing along with the metronome (on the offbeat) and also using various rhythms.
So regular technical exercises are essential. But one doesn’t need to have an instrument in one’s hands to practise, particularly in the field of memorization.
I personally derive a great deal of benefit from not only ‘playing’ a piece mentally, and hearing the sound and timbre of the notes, but also in imagining a successful concert scenario.
Even when practising with the instrument I feel it is an intellectual rather than a physical exercise.
The temptation to play a piece up to tempo should be resisted, as unless the technical and musical foundations have been laid we will not gain mastery over the music.
The repetition of, ‘hit and miss’ renditions, only serves to ingrain bad habits further.
Difficult passages must be played slowly, with phrasing and musical expression, to prevent the bad habits developing.
One never arrives at the point when one can say, ‘I can now play,’ it’s a lifetimes work for anyone, whoever they are, and one’s ideals are often subtly changing.
I am frequently asked how much practice should be done each day, but it is, of course, quality and not quantity that is paramount.
Generally I practice no more than one hour at a time, but it is a pointless exercise, unless concentration and attention are maintained.
Over an average day I would practise at least five hours, about half the time on technical work, and the other half on musical aspects (learning new repertoire, maintaining established repertoire etc.)
I strongly recommend reading and re-reading every possible tutor and manual on playing and technique. Not just for the guitar, but different instruments, particularly the violin and piano, as there are very often common principles to playing any instrument.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of going to hear and see as many first class players as possible, of any instrument, as this is one of the most exciting and inspirational ways to learn.
But it is also important not to forget one’s original inspirations and to refer back to them often. They are, after all, the reason you play, and generally, you will still find them inspiring.
Listen and luxuriate in your favourite recordings and let them fuel your enthusiasm. Although there are now many fine players of the guitar worldwide, it is still, unfortunately, rare to get the chance to see and hear them. If you do get the chance, make sure you take it and hear them live, it’s worth a million CDs.
Also play with other musicians. The guitar combines particularly well with the violin, the voice, the flute, the mandolin, the recorder, the oboe and with all manner of small chamber ensembles. This will open you up to the full musical picture and not just ‘your’ part, increasing your appreciation and pleasure on the way.
Much of the information I have discussed today, has come from my book, which also has all the technical exercises, I work through each day.
I will also be going into more detail about practice and performance over on my blog in the next few weeks and months.
But for now, many thanks to Ben for the invitation, and, happy practising!
It was originally written as a guest blog for the Australian violinist Ben Clapton, back in 2007.
Enjoy!
Music Practice Tips – Classical Guitar
By Robin Hill
When approached by Ben, to write a guest blog spot on ‘practice tips’ for the classical guitar, I wondered where to start.
Having written an entire book, ‘The Guitar Gymnasium, A Mental and Physical Workout, Designed to Develop Flawless Technique,’ published by Mel Bay, it seemed a difficult task to summarise into an article.
Most of my thinking on these matters has been precipitated by the ‘front line’ experiences of concertising, recording, broadcasting and teaching, and a life long passion for the classical guitar, and music in general.
Outstanding performance on any musical instrument can only be achieved through hard and painstaking work. The musician who excels above his colleagues is, generally, the one who has taken more pains.
Regular practice is essential, with technical work of high priority, and whilst students may not want to hear this, there is no escape from scales and arpeggios!
One of the most basic and important principles in guitar technique is economy of movement, not only of both hands, but, of any part of the body involved in the production of the note.
It’s worth investing in a full length, movable, mirror, as I watch myself playing frequently, not out of vanity, but to constantly check positioning and posture.
For practice, I’ll break it down into sections, and start with the arpeggio.
The Arpeggio.
The right hand should remain completely stable with the knuckles immobile and parallel to the strings. The fingers themselves move in a minimal way, pressing, rather than hitting the string.
Initially you can practice this silently by touching the string but without producing any sound.
This helps to establish playing ‘from the string’ and using the minimum amount of movement.
Silent practice should be accompanied by ‘hearing’ the notes mentally, and thus, reinforcing the inner ear.
In fact it is always good practice to ‘hear’ notes in one’s mind a split second before playing them.
Initially the arpeggio should be practiced slowly, gradually increasing the tempo, and the use of a metronome is recommended, but not all the time.
Fluency, technical command and accuracy are paramount.
Variety in practice is important, try to surprise your fingers with new challenges and studies, but always practice attentively. Be aware of the deadly routine of wading, without concentration, through studies and exercises.
The Scale.
There are many different methods of playing scales on the guitar. As a general rule, if alternating between i and m, it is undesirable to cross strings using mi when ascending and im when descending. Whilst not always possible to avoid, it should be seriously considered. So, the guitarist must learn a flexible approach to scale playing, using inventive fingering to avoid undesirable crossings.
It should be remembered, that printed fingering is never sacred, there are usually viable alternatives.
During scale playing the same principles of economy of movement and right and left hand stability apply.
I have also found that practice with the backs of the nails i.e. movement in the opposite direction to the normal stroke, is extremely beneficial. It’s a similar effect to practising rasgueados and leads to improving the right hand’s ‘feel good’ factor.
When practising major and minor scales try playing along with the metronome (on the offbeat) and also using various rhythms.
So regular technical exercises are essential. But one doesn’t need to have an instrument in one’s hands to practise, particularly in the field of memorization.
I personally derive a great deal of benefit from not only ‘playing’ a piece mentally, and hearing the sound and timbre of the notes, but also in imagining a successful concert scenario.
Even when practising with the instrument I feel it is an intellectual rather than a physical exercise.
The temptation to play a piece up to tempo should be resisted, as unless the technical and musical foundations have been laid we will not gain mastery over the music.
The repetition of, ‘hit and miss’ renditions, only serves to ingrain bad habits further.
Difficult passages must be played slowly, with phrasing and musical expression, to prevent the bad habits developing.
One never arrives at the point when one can say, ‘I can now play,’ it’s a lifetimes work for anyone, whoever they are, and one’s ideals are often subtly changing.
I am frequently asked how much practice should be done each day, but it is, of course, quality and not quantity that is paramount.
Generally I practice no more than one hour at a time, but it is a pointless exercise, unless concentration and attention are maintained.
Over an average day I would practise at least five hours, about half the time on technical work, and the other half on musical aspects (learning new repertoire, maintaining established repertoire etc.)
I strongly recommend reading and re-reading every possible tutor and manual on playing and technique. Not just for the guitar, but different instruments, particularly the violin and piano, as there are very often common principles to playing any instrument.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of going to hear and see as many first class players as possible, of any instrument, as this is one of the most exciting and inspirational ways to learn.
But it is also important not to forget one’s original inspirations and to refer back to them often. They are, after all, the reason you play, and generally, you will still find them inspiring.
Listen and luxuriate in your favourite recordings and let them fuel your enthusiasm. Although there are now many fine players of the guitar worldwide, it is still, unfortunately, rare to get the chance to see and hear them. If you do get the chance, make sure you take it and hear them live, it’s worth a million CDs.
Also play with other musicians. The guitar combines particularly well with the violin, the voice, the flute, the mandolin, the recorder, the oboe and with all manner of small chamber ensembles. This will open you up to the full musical picture and not just ‘your’ part, increasing your appreciation and pleasure on the way.
Much of the information I have discussed today, has come from my book, which also has all the technical exercises, I work through each day.
I will also be going into more detail about practice and performance over on my blog in the next few weeks and months.
But for now, many thanks to Ben for the invitation, and, happy practising!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Miles Davis, Stravinsky, Herrmann and The Beatles - A Musical Connection?
One of the nice parts of Robin being home for a few weeks is that we get to spend time together listening to music.
Generally the whole family is involved in this practice and occasionally some strange conversations ensue.
It's so important for everyone to listen to a variety of styles, but more so for musicians.
For centuries musicians from all genres have listened to and learnt from their predecessors. Inevitably they are influenced by the music they hear and especially those pieces which have a powerful effect on them.
The whole conversation started as we listened to the Psycho Suite by Bernard Herrmann.
The original handwritten score for this seminal piece of film music was recently offered for auction but, suprisingly, didn't reach it's minimum price.
Herrmann always will be associated with the many fabulous scores he wrote to complement some of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful films.
One of the most famous being 'Psycho'.
Most people recognise the famous dissonant violin glissandi which are inextricably linked to the famous shower scene, but in fact the entire score is an outstanding piece of music.
This brought the conversation round to George Martin and The Beatles.
Apparently, after seeing Psycho, George Martin was inspired to write the string quartet arrangement for Eleanor Rigby.
When you listen to the original Beatles track rcorded in 1966 you can certainly hear the 'Psycho' influence.
But our musical connections route continued.
Robin felt there was another connection to Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring'.
As we listened we both could hear echoes of Herrmann's Psycho Suite.
Could it be that Bernard Herrmann had been inspired by The Rite of Spring?
Then an even more unusual twist.
Robin realised there was a possible connection between the second lyrical theme from the Psycho score and Miles Davis' second contrasting lyrical theme from 'Milestones'....could it be that Herrmann was, wittingly or unwittingly, also influenced by Milestones?
We could certainly hear similarities between this and the second theme of Psycho which provides a perfect release of the tension created by the initial rhythmic and nervous twitching of the strings.
'Milestones' predates Psycho and could well have been part of Herrman's musical landscape.
No music is composed in a vacuum and influences can be very diverse and, sometimes, completely unexpected.
Generally the whole family is involved in this practice and occasionally some strange conversations ensue.
It's so important for everyone to listen to a variety of styles, but more so for musicians.
For centuries musicians from all genres have listened to and learnt from their predecessors. Inevitably they are influenced by the music they hear and especially those pieces which have a powerful effect on them.
The whole conversation started as we listened to the Psycho Suite by Bernard Herrmann.
The original handwritten score for this seminal piece of film music was recently offered for auction but, suprisingly, didn't reach it's minimum price.
Herrmann always will be associated with the many fabulous scores he wrote to complement some of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful films.
One of the most famous being 'Psycho'.
Most people recognise the famous dissonant violin glissandi which are inextricably linked to the famous shower scene, but in fact the entire score is an outstanding piece of music.
This brought the conversation round to George Martin and The Beatles.
Apparently, after seeing Psycho, George Martin was inspired to write the string quartet arrangement for Eleanor Rigby.
When you listen to the original Beatles track rcorded in 1966 you can certainly hear the 'Psycho' influence.
But our musical connections route continued.
Robin felt there was another connection to Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring'.
As we listened we both could hear echoes of Herrmann's Psycho Suite.
Could it be that Bernard Herrmann had been inspired by The Rite of Spring?
Then an even more unusual twist.
Robin realised there was a possible connection between the second lyrical theme from the Psycho score and Miles Davis' second contrasting lyrical theme from 'Milestones'....could it be that Herrmann was, wittingly or unwittingly, also influenced by Milestones?
We could certainly hear similarities between this and the second theme of Psycho which provides a perfect release of the tension created by the initial rhythmic and nervous twitching of the strings.
'Milestones' predates Psycho and could well have been part of Herrman's musical landscape.
No music is composed in a vacuum and influences can be very diverse and, sometimes, completely unexpected.
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