This is a weird day to write a blog post. This morning I launched a new Kickstarter campaign, and it’s doing better than I ever imagined. It’s been my sole focus all day (I kind of even forgot to go to the bathroom for a few hours, which was a bad idea!), and I’m a little distracted. So I thought I’d write about something that has nothing to do with the campaign: music.
I have four songs I discovered lately that I really enjoy–they’re catchy in different ways:
- Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd
- First by Cold War Kids
- L.E.S. Artistes by Santigold
- Last Night I Heard Everything in Slow Motion by Oliver Tank
The Weeknd was actually on SNL this past weekend, and something occurred to me, something that I haven’t ever given musicians credit for: How incredible is it that musicians can memorize such a vast number of songs? Not just the words, but also how to sing them on stage in front of thousands of people.
Like, imagine if I asked you right now to perform the oral report you gave in your junior year of high school. There’s no way you could do that. Granted, it’s different with musicians because they perform their songs all the time, but I bet they don’t perform ALL of their songs all the time, yet they seem to be able to start singing/playing any of them at any time. It’s amazing to me.
Anyway, it would be great to have a few song recommendations to play during my Kickstarter campaign. What’s your favorite song right now?
The song that borrows the iconic guitar melody from The Munsters (Uma Thurman). Perfect for Halloween month.
Nice! Very seasonal. 🙂
I used to be part of a big band for the Local Circus every year, I remember coming back after being in College and even though I hadn’t played some of the songs in years, I still pretty much knew them. Granted I had sheet music.
Another time I was doing a performance for piano, with no sheet music, and I remember being so nervous basically was on auto drive, complete muscle memory. To the point there was a section that you go back to and repeat, I somehow repeated it twice, then did the finishing section. No one knew what I had done, even I hadn’t until I stopped playing.
I haven’t sat down and played in years, but still have a few opening bars I can repeat whenever I see a piano.
I think for bands its a matter of repetition. They have practiced so much, and practice so often, that it comes down to muscle memory.
That’s fascinating, Sean. It’s such an interesting part of the human brain, this “muscle memory.” I’m very impressed–I don’t have that skill.
I think the entire Tabletop KS community is distracted by your campaign 😉
For me, I’m really into anything with Haley Reinhart and Postmodern Jukebox (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3lF2qEA2cw)
I love PMJ and this was one of my favorite collaborations that they did with Haley. Her voice is so beautiful and unique. Her cover of ” House of the Rising Sun ” is fabulous too.
Thanks Katie! I’ll check it out.
thanks for sharing, Allen! I’ve heard some of their stuff–they’re very talented.
“Streets of Arklow” by Van Morrison. It made me feel a little better after that Cards loss last nite.
I love me some Van Morrison–thanks Aaron!