February 2008

Fascinatin' Banjo Rhythm

There is something inherent in the banjo sound that is also present in several other instruments ( balalaika, shamisen) that emit a hard percussive "strike" when played. It presents the listener with a rhythmic element that is equal in importance to the melodic content. At least in my mind, being a good banjo player (in the traditional sense) is like being a good tap dancer. They are able to punctuate the song with rhythmic interest.

The fugues that Bach wrote and the Glenn Gould recordings of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos have also given the same emphasis to the rhythmic elements. Bach has been a favorite of mine for the contrapuntal qualities. It is not to everyone's liking, of course, but I think the lines of preference of Bluegrass music over Country, for me, hinge on the promotion of rhythmic complexities of one over the other.

This is My Quote (It think)

In speaking with some friends about the ideas of health care and social services, I said:

"Some people fear that a social safety net will become a hammock."

Of course, I don't feel that our current social programs anywhere approach that state. Our health care system is broken and there is a poor set of priorites in the public sector, but I just want to capture that statement for comparison. It should be noted that I also thought that I coined the word "mindset", but that seems to be a false impression (after some etymological research). It is usually quite true that "everything said has already been said."

A Blog Does Not a Blogger Make

Am I really a blogger? I would say not, if that definition requires constant updating of my blog (and it probably does). I don't think I have a topical outlook that works well within a daily deadline. Rather, thoughts come to mind that roll around and then germinate for a time. If I don't kill them because they are not close to original (web search!) then I may put something up here.

Of course, my daily activities don't qualify (in my mind) for public discussion, but I think a lot about the state of the state, plight of the world, and very little thought to why someone is or is not a popular celebrity. My blogsphere may change in the future, but at this point it will have the same vanity of a blog with the frequency of a utility bill.