Scuffulans hirsutus

If you enjoy progressive rock and if you have work to do, under no circumstances visit Prog Archives. I just discovered that the site now has embedded players that let you listen to examples by the musicians discussed — entire pieces, too, not just twenty-second samples. Earlier I heard The Strawbs’ “Hero and Heroine” and “Benedictus” for the first time since my tape player died, and I’m listening to electronic music like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream right now. I had plans for the evening, too.

There’s about three and a half hours of Halloween left here, so let’s have a spooky tune. Here’s the opening theme of Ghost Hound, “Poltergeist” by Mayumi Kojima, I have no idea what the lyrics say, but the music tells you all you need to know.

(This would ordinarily go on my other weblog, but I suspect that I’m more likely to find knowledgeable musicians among the visitors here.)

One of the many distinctions of the eccentric anime Oh! Edo Rocket is the soundtrack. It’s mostly swing. Yusuke Homma (or Honma) is credited as the composer. A friend says that Homma didn’t merely use the big band numbers as models but plagiarized the tunes. Although much of the soundtrack sounds familiar to my ears, I don’t quite recognize any particular melodies. My knowledge of that musical era is slight, however, so I’m wondering if Homma can really claim to have written the music.

Here are three of the numbers, “Swing,”, “Laid Back” and “Matsuri.” Have you heard these before?

… sounds best on ukuleles.

Here are a couple of New Yorker articles of interest concerning amnesia and music, and life as an Aspie. (The former link via Fred.)

Banjo repair at Winfield.

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When I first started fooling around with music on computers, one of my projects was to make my own primitive version of Switched-on Bach. I arranged Bach’s two- and three-part inventions and a few other things for software synths and sequencer. I recently unearthed the CD I recorded five years ago. Some of it didn’t hurt my ears. I’ve uploaded some selections to my music site for the curious. (Click on the little speaker icons next to the download link to preview the tunes.)

I’m in the mood for loud music, so here’s some Steve Morse.

“Gina Lola Breakdown” (turn the sound way up for this one)

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Greg Golding, baritone horn. Photographing the chamber music concert this afternoon with my toy camera was frustrating. Pictures with the flash were harsh and unflattering, but without the flash the images were blurred and noisy. (I hope by the end of summer to have a proper DLSR and a fast lens.)

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I don’t think I’ve ever posted a picture of my dulcimer. This was the eighth one I built, back in 1993. It has a cedar soundboard, sixteen treble and sixteen bass courses, and is most playable in keys with a sharp or two.

Via From the Shattered Drum, how to create the Dr. Who theme:

Addendum: Want to play with the cool toys but can’t find or afford the hardware? Consider software emulations, e.g., this and this.

For Erik’s amusement, here is the most recent iTunes shuffle. Sorry, no piano music, though there is an accordion on the first one.

In Peace, 梶浦由記 — Noir OST II

Minna Dareka ni Aisarete — SeraMyu

Binchou Ondo, Kadowaki Mai — Binchou-tan OST

Si Habeis Dicho, Marido, Circa 1500 — Music from the Spanish Kingdoms

さようなら, Kagrra

Peach Pie on the Beach, Polysics

Desde hoy mas, me madre (Sephardic), The Boston Camerata/Joël Cohen — The Sacred Bridge - Jews & Christians in Medieval Europe

Bel m’es, quan vei chanjar lo senhoratge, Camerata Mediterranea/Joël Cohen — Lo Gai Saber - Troubadors et Jongleurs (1100-1300)

Sebrina, Paste And Plato, Jellyfish — Spilt Milk

Ondas do mar / Altas undas que venez suz la mar, Camerata Mediterranea/Joël Cohen — Lo Gai Saber - Troubadors et Jongleurs (1100-1300)

(Well, it did sprinkle a bit here this morning, though it’s partly cloudy now.)

The LLamas and the Elk think that you can rock out with the Knack and the B-52s. Bah. “Rock Lobster” is a cute kid’s song, but this is how to rock: