Contents

Performance tip: On jazz and keys

If you’re a jazz player who sometimes has trouble keeping track of keys, you're not alone. Warren Sirota reminds you why those keys are they way they are

Feature: Hero of the Pickup Bands

"One day last March, I was working in my studio when the phone rang. A woman’s voice said, ‘Hi, I’m Pam, and I loved the nylon-string guitar that you played at my friend's party last month. I’m putting together a salsa/rock dance band called Pachanga! for a couple of Cinco de Mayo gigs, and I wonder if you’d like to play in that, and also do a few of the same tunes in a smaller group at a benefit in two weeks.’"

Thus begins a saga of lust and betrayal, of violence and passion, of recording, practice and transcription in all its guts and glory. It’s a good read, and it really shows the ways that SlowGold can be used in everyday practice to solve the problems that ordinary practicing and performing musicians face.

Review: Earmaster 2.0

This is a neat and inexpensive program that you can demo for free. What more do you need to know?

The Things They Say…

SlowGold and the Woodshed are getting some notice in the press! The July/August issue of Music & Computers contains review of SlowGold and 5 other personal music empowerment tools, and Keyboard contains complementary notices about both SlowGold and Halves/Not Halves. Check 'em out if you get a chance!

You Are Invited...

to contribute to Woodsheddin’. We are interested in reviews of practice tools, ear training and notation software, comments on learning music, case studies of our products in action, or other comments or announcements that are of interest to the community. Just send a comment or letter of inquiry to editor@worldwidewoodshed.com.