Ever Wonder if Instruments are Gender Specific?

In a world where we are technologically developed, open to every kind of ideas and where every gender get equal opportunities, there are still few stereotyped opinions that doesn't stand true. Are some music instruments only meant to be played by just one gender? It may be musical history that has played a small part in moulding these ideas but we are smart enough and have enough sources of information to know that it is not at all the reality. Let us get an idea of how these opinions have come to be and how it doesn’t hold true in this day and age.

History

In the 19th century, Musical Instruments were part of leisure for the upper classes mostly as lower classes were usually preoccupied with work. As population of that century had begun generating interest for musical instruments there was a huge gender biased notion about the instruments. Bluntly put, majority of the existing instruments were not considered feminine mainly because it wasn't considered moral for females to play it. For few instances, drums and trumpets were used in military were not considered lady-like. Also certain playing positions like distorting face while playing wind instruments, straddling the cello with your legs or making bodily movements while playing string instruments were considered immoral for the female gender. The Piano however was considered feminine in the earlier century, as you could sit gracefully and play the instrument without any unnatural movement of the body. Thus, very few men, opted to play the piano back then since the society considered it to be feminine although the trend soon began changing with geniuses like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, etc.

Breaking the Norm

It is human nature to break away from the existing norms and rules which has been the case since a time immemorial. Even though few notions were well established in the tradition and society, there were always the 'odd ones out' breaking out of stereotypes and proving everyone wrong. As we discussed the names of few geniuses like Mozart and the Beethoven, can you name few female composers of 20th century who completely proved the notion that ‘female counterparts are not good composers’ a false statement. If you cant think of one, here are few you must check out: Clara Schumann, Fenny Hensel and if you are a jazz fan you must know Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. They have got lot less attraction than their male counterparts but if you listen closely, you will understand why they should earn the same respect and recognition.

Age of Free Will

Now, in these times where most of the common notions are broken and times where what you say, is heard by everyone, we should not be bound to old opinions and traditions. Yes, there has been a huge improvement of understanding that the gender bias is completely wrong when it comes to music, but it is time to completely eradicate it. If there is something you want to learn and play, only thing is stopping you is yourself. Want to learn the drums, get one and start practicing, it doesn’t matter which gender you belong to, the one with more commitment and practice will definitely be better than the other. In these times, if you have a will you have the choice to make it true and no instrument is either male dominated or should be considered feminine.

Modern Day Geniuses

Drums: Camille Bigeault, Sarah Thawer, Senri Kawaguchi, Jessica Burdeaux, Mercedes Lander, Meytal Cohen, Kristina Schiano, Anika Nilles

Stringed Instruments: Yvette Young, Mohini Dey, Felicia Collins, Joni Mitchell, Orianthi, Anoushka Shankar

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

References:

• https://phys.org/news/2016-04-gender-based-social-conventions-musical-instruments.html
• https://rvanews.com/features/spacebomb-truth-lies-somewhere-in-between/49992
• http://www.womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/the-underlying-sexism-of-playing-an-instrument

4 Things to Follow When You are Learning to Sing

A lot of people want to be singers. It is an outlet for everything you feel. It is a stress buster, an emotional medium and an activity you can just have fun doing it. However, it requires skill, preparation and correct knowledge to fully utilise your vocal cords and be the professional you have always dreamed of. Here are some of our tips and guidelines to help you become a professional vocalist.

1. Practicing

Make sure you warm up your voice early in the morning and do all the necessary vocal exercises, as it is the time of the day when you have the most energy, your voice is strongest and can access your full capabilities. Make a habit of doing this regularly and you will see the difference in just a few weeks. Your vocal cords are a sensitive instrument, it can be really affected by simple cold, sore throat, fatigue and will suffer if you overdo it.  So take care of it, and practice early in the morning to get the most efficiency out of your voice.

2. Pitch Reference

If you know an instrument like the keyboard or the guitar, it will help you out a lot when you are singing as it will help you identify the pitch that you have to sing and also give you the idea about when to change your pitch. However if you don't, you can use recommended products to help keep a pitch reference audio when you are singing. Nowadays you have a number of free apps for pitch reference, but knowing an instrument can really amplify your singing ability.

3. Listening

A good professional musician has excellent listening skills. If you develop the skill of listening to music and relating it with the music theory knowledge, you will then able to reach the full potential of your voice. You could use this understanding to improve your vocal range,  apply the right techniques based on genres and to create melodies or tunes. Listen to as many different genres of music as you can to expand your knowledge about music and different techniques which can help you become a better vocalist and musician.

4. Eating Right

For vocalists, it is very important to regulate your food/drink intake. Control and carefully choose what you are eating or drinking to maintain the best quality in the texture and tone of your voice. While we don’t recommend completely cutting out your favourite friend foods or ice creams, taking it in moderation is key. Avoid cold things like ice cream and drinks, oily foods and foods that give you acid reflux, if you have to sing or perform in couple of hours. There are various other drinks that really help your cords, one such example is a drink made of Tulsi (Holy Basil), Turmeric, Honey and Warm Water. Although it taste bitter it really helps your cords to soothe down. You can always ask your mentor the do's and don'ts before your performance but these are the few ones you should know. Don't eat very heavy food, avoid too much spices and most importantly rest your voice before a performance. However, do ensure you warm up 30-45 minutes before your show/performance to prepare your voice to deliver its best.

These points should you give you a head start into becoming a professional vocalist or singer. Learn, Understand and Practise each of these tips regularly to see an improvement in your vocal range, capability and performance ability.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

4 Things to consider when you are learning Drums

Learning drums can be tricky. May it be the space the instrument occupies or the nuisance it may causes to your neighbour, people are always reluctant to take up drums. Also, people are under the impression that there is a lot of investment that you need to put in just to learn drums. However, if it is something you eagerly want to learn, you should find a way to make it work. Here, we talk about some of the things you should consider when learning drums and some remedies for your noise problem.

1. Introduce yourself to the instrument: First, get hold of drum sticks and practice ‘sticking’ patterns taught by your teacher. It is the basic requirement to start playing drums. You will then have to get used to playing some simple rhythms to start playing on an actual drum. Learn the musical terms which will help you understand the theory much better and will also help you talk to other musicians using the right terms and usages. To begin with, you can invest in a practice pad, a pair of drumsticks and get used to the simple rhythm patterns before you invest in an entire drum kit.

2. Instrument Space: Once your fundamentals are clear, you should think about buying a drum kit to further progress your skills. However, drums take up space and it is a must to have if you are learning it. You can consider buying an ‘electronic’ drum kit which is smaller and more compact. You can discuss with your instructor about which setup will be the best investment and how much space that would require. Have a permanent space for your drum kit which will help settle the space and a proper setup for your practice. Try to set it up in a room with less windows and openings.

3. Sound Proofing: Drums are often loud and can cause problems to your neighbour. However, there are solutions to that. First, you can opt for an electronic kit where you can control your volume levels as per required. Second, there are cheap ways to make your room sound resistant with foam blocks, heavy carpets, etc. Talk to your instructor for low-cost options on how to soundproof your drums room at home.

4. Practice time: Now once you have figured out the space for your instrument and solutions to control the volume, the kit should not be just lying there. If you are committed to learning the drums, you have to find time to practice as it requires a lot of coordination between your hand and feet which can only be mastered by repeating and practicing your exercises. Make sure you give time to practice drums as often as you can, so just fix a time on your schedule that is assigned just for practicing your instrument.

We hope this blog post has been able to address some of the things to consider when you begin learning to play the drums.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.