Portamental is dedicated to the exploration of music in all its forms and the promotion of musical understanding for all. Contributors include:
Pianist, instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger, molecular biologist and music theorist. Former Music Director of the Achordants. For arranging services, see Broze Brothers Music; for performing and lessons, see Yuri Broze.com.
Accomplished guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and photographer.
Composer, arranger, double bassist, writer, and didgeridoo builder. Music Director of Brandeis University's Rather Be Giraffes. For arrangement and other sundry music services, check out MusicaRanger.
We like InterCaps.
Another one already, you say? Sounds great. This track was inspired in a large way by the Ben Folds Live CD — the excitement of the crowd in singing the descant part along. This is a strong arrangement, and takes a very different tack than Don’t Stop Me now. Here, the parts aren’t as difficult [...]
This is a delightful track that bears closer scrutiny. It begins in an ambiguous 6/8 and 3/4 that also has an overriding 4/2 feel in the vocals that combines two measures at once. This is already incredibly clever, but at 0:38, suddenly we’re thrown for a loop into 4/4, with syncopated melody. Then, there’s a [...]
From time to time, I’ll be posting arrangements from the Broze Brothers collection, along with in-depth descriptions of the techniques used and why. Take them as arranging tutorials. Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. TTBB, as sung by The Achordants. A firey and energetic song, to say the least! This arrangement is challenging but rewarding, [...]
Pretty tremendous work, again! This one isn’t AutoTuned, which somehow makes it more incredible. Finding the pitches in the voice is so impressive to me. If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. More here.
Not music-related per se, but certainly an important figure in the history of artistic movements. Most certainly you’ve seen some of his works of art, although I personally hadn’t been particularly aware of just what he was doing, when, or why. Well, here are the answers, in order: What: Neo-Plasticism, a Dutch style that I [...]
“As I had the good fortune a few years ago to be heard by Your Royal Highness, at Your Highness’s commands, and as I noticed then that Your Highness took some pleasure in the little talents which Heaven has given me for Music, and as in taking Leave of Your Royal Highness, Your Highness deigned [...]
Not to beat an already pulverized equine, but this is just mind-blowing to me: If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. Turns out that the world-famous 1985 hit, Take On Me, was a remixed [...]
Composers and musicians have never ever ever created new music in a vacuum. The idea that a musical genius could ever lock himself (I still struggle to find a good gender-neutral pronoun) in a dark room and produce music is flawed from the start — this refutation is not a new idea, and is bandied [...]
Literal version of the video. Oh, how these lyrics seem to match! If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. This set of sound effects are so reminiscent of certain Super Nintendo games. Especially Shadowrun, [...]
The first of many to come, I imagine. I’ll be posting on this blog various jazz tunes in the form of recordings and/or sheet music — in the near future, I’ll be sticking to some ricky-ticky jazz classics from the prewar era if possible, since this music is much more diatonic and easier to learn. [...]
