Classical Made Easy (Making Things Easy)

2/7/2016

Classical music is on the rise, with a little help from the digital magic of synthesised orchestras and at home recording software as good as it was in the studio not many years ago. We don't even need to learn how to play the traditional instruments, as the keyboards of today are more than capable of replicating the real thing to such a quality degree that only hardcore musos could tell the subtle variations. Of course we cannot absolutely re-create the organic wood and warmth that a cello played by human hands would resonate with as it was played but we can have a good shot at it.

Technicians of the sound wave spend a lot of time, money, and effort on honing in their algorithms to match that of a naturally played instrument. Their art has been in progress for many years and will be for many more to come. Some of us can remember the lack-lustre half hatched efforts of these sounds from not too long ago. Now considered as instruments of themselves, retro attempts to replicate the real life orchestra provide an edge that throws us straight back in time.

An intimate knowledge of the keyboard can be gained over time, and anyone with experience on piano has an instant head start, with the main work being in the learning the technical side. If learning a classical instrument is a long shot, and it is for many of us for sure, a keyboard is a much easier instrument to get the basic grips with, only once we go beyond does it suddenly become a bit complicated. Even then, it's OK to have a slow and stead slog into the realms of mastery, over time.

Learning synthesisers and keyboards is a fantastic way to open up the world of music, as with the versatile nature of the equipment, we can reach for any goal and make a decent sounding record. If we're prepared to work hard, and use real skills and training, it's possible to produce extremely good music at home that a hundred years ago would only have been possible in a concert hall and a lot of money.

This is a great thing, classical music that uses a range of varying instruments is renowned for improving mental ability, by giving the conscious awareness multiple focus points with their own pattern and flow, it trains the mind in thinking and analysing while enjoying and thus links pleasure to learning and paying attention. One of my favourite modern classical artists is Blurry Lights. Rather than write a review, I'll just leave it here.