The short answer is it depends. If, by valid, we mean always and universally true, then no. By this standard, all design rules are nonsense. The Rule of Thirds is an arbitrary line for amateurs to gaze upon while secretly learning to shift your brain’s natural tendency to center things and create symmetry. A rule…
Let’s listen to a song, watch it expand, and then understand what the artist is doing. Here’s George Benson’s version of Donny Hathaway’s “The Ghetto,” with Joe Sample on piano. Now, here is musician and teacher Rick Beato breaking down George’s work, because if we don’t know how artistry works, we devolve into believing it’s…
The Simpsons predicted this in 1996, yo. Insane in the membrane. Sometimes, reality exceeds even our fondest expectations. “Insane in the Brain.”
Music fans from the 1960s are familiar with The Kingsmen’s ballad, “Louie, Louie,” which became a surprise hit upon its release in 1963. But how many know that it was a remake? The original, performed by its composer, Richard Berry, was recorded in 1956 and released in 1957. Poor sound engineering by The Kingsmen’s studio…
“Like a Ship,” by Pastor T. L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir and “Joy and Pain,” by Frankie Beverly and Maze
Raye and Coltrane.
I once wrote 12 rules to help newcomers become prolific writers. There was some good advice there, but looking back, most of it can be boiled down to, “Be consistent and results oriented.” Being prolific isn’t about how many projects you start. It’s about how many you finish. Were I to give similar advice today,…
These Days of Art posts are not meant to be informative, but inspirational. I hope to present you with a little piece of art that you may be unfamiliar with. Take from it what you will, whether it is new or simply a reminder of something forgotten. Today’s art is presented by Louis Prima, trumpter,…
Sam Moore, the lead-tenor half of the 1960s soul duo, Sam & Dave, passed away yesterday, Friday morning. He was 89. According to NPR, “Publicist Jeremy Westby said Moore died in Coral Gables, Florida, due to complications while recovering from surgery. No additional details were immediately available.” Moore was best known for his successful partnership…
I don’t need to say much about this one. If you know music, you will hear the arrangement, the skintight musicianship, the moodmelting backing vocals, and the brainfreeze lead’s vocal range. J Paul is here, and he’s live with a remake of Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”
The Artists' Sanctum 