Happy 2014 "Mix Tape"

I used to make real mix tapes for friends when I was in high school.  I had a little stereo with tape-to-tape recording capabilities and I would spends hours in my bedroom making what I thought was the perfect mix.  We all had tape decks in our cars and mix tapes were a much better jam than anything on the radio.  Not only that, but before the internet, this was the best way to find out about new bands and underground bands.

There is something that still charms me about making mixes.  I love the idea of sharing something as personal as, "This is the song I can't stop listening to right now!"  I also love playing DJ in my bedroom, painstakingly choosing the exactly perfect song to go after this other song - the process of mixing and matching beats, moods, and musical ideas.

So, to kick 2014 off in style I made the modern version of a mix tape - a YouTube playlist.  I spent hours picking out just the right songs and finding a way to seam them together in a cohesive manner.  Please check out my mix.  It's filled with music that I have found to be inspiring to me as a singer and musician.  I hope it's interesting and inspiring to you as well.  Here's to a new year filled with creativity and passion!

Link: HAPPY 2014 "Mix Tape" on YouTube

Bookmark This! 7 Music Blogs for Musicians

There are several music blogs I like to visit regularly because they are both interesting and inspiring.  Check them all out; bookmark them!

1.  Joyce DiDonato Video Blog

Joyce DiDonato is one of the most successful living opera singers in the world.  I beg you to listen to her doing anything Baroque.  It will melt all of your sensibilities and leave you tingling for no apparent reason.  Such a visceral reaction can only occur when beauty inhibits rationale.  But I digress.  In addition to her busy schedule of singing with, for example, The Met, Joyce has an active video blog on YouTube.  She tackles all sorts of topics from how to deal with loneliness on the road to advice on breathing technique.  This is an excellent opportunity for us to receive vocal advice from a premiere performer at a reasonable rate: free.  Here is her video of breathing technique:

2.  The Bulletproof Musician
This is a blog focusing on practicing practices for musicians. Dr. Noa Kageyama is on the faculty of Julliard and has combined his knowledge of music with psychology to break down how we can make the most of our time in the practice room.  One of the articles I particularly liked was: Why the Progress You Make in the Practice Room Seems to Disappear Overnight  I've since embraced a random sequence of tasks while practicing - trust the Dr. on this one.

3.  Do The Math
This is a great, all-around blog by musician Ethan Iverson.  He is the pianist of The Bad Plus - a band I'm really digging these days.  He writes about musicians he respects, and musical ideas or techniques he's working on.  It seems as though lately he's been lamenting his poor trills.  Something I wholeheartedly relate to.  If he thinks trills are difficult on the piano, perhaps he should try vocal trills - an entirely different beast.  Here is a video of The Bad Plus, because they're just wonderful to listen to:

4.  The Talk House
A blog where musicians write about music.  So obvious it's brilliant.  The range of albums that are reviewed is broad and the writing superb.

5.  Jessica Hopper's tumblr
Jessica Hopper is one of my favorite music journalists.  She writes for Spin, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and various other online publications.  Her observations are always trenchant and she seems to know everything about music you wish you did.  Her tumblr account is particularly entertaining and random, albeit somewhat colorful.

6.  Music History in gifs
Exactly what is sounds like.  A perfect way to waste time on the internet - when that's your goal, of course.

7.  French Torch Singer Radio
This may be the only station that Pandora is unable to provide you.  A 24/7 stream of classic, French torch singers singing classic French torch songs.  It's makes a lazy weekend morning feel decadent.  An added bonus if you can read in French are the factoids throughout the website about various French musicians.

8.  Sybil Vane's Twitter Feed
Ok, an extra recommendation - my own twitter account.  Follow my stage personality, Sybil Vane, on twitter @sybilvanesings .  I'm figuring out this whole hashtag thing, posting about gigs, band goings-on, and other musical things of interest.