Skilfully done, mon ami. And probably true to boot. You’re the man.

Paul. Don’t fight it. Keytars are the evil, bastardized stepchild of two respectable instruments. Because someone chooses to consort with them doesn’t make them any less unclean.

I love it here. I really do.

Thanks for correcting the scalar vs. chordal theory. If you have ever heard Joe Satriani’s Enigmatic, then you will definitely get the modal view of it. I, however, gave up linear analysis and became a vertical thinker. Glad to relate, though.

Corey,

I take excpetion to your keytar. There is a great band out called Mute Math that redeems the keytar for Christ. You should check them out. And yes Stryper is on tour and they are exactly like you would remember.

Cerise

Yes, I still have my keytar too. Brought it to the Stryper show in Nashville.

…slap! Sorry about that. Bad Bobby.

I, too, apologize for the thread hijacking. It’s really too bad I don’t have anything meaningful to add to the conversation on Monk (not the OCD detective on USA). I blame only myself and harmonicminer for taking a sabbatical the year I was scheduled for Theory II.

My exposure to classical (paricularly romantic-impressionist period) music in school was a somewhat similar awakening for me - I had been brought up on piano, french horn, pop organ, and finally rock guitar so the colors and textures that comprise the classics and realizing the impact just a few composers had on music was really eye-opening for me.

A) I apologize that the words “Casting,” and “Crowns,” were typed consecutively on this thread. I just didn’t know what I was doing. I renounce infant cannibalism. And CCM.

B) I was a theory major. I was a double with vocal performance, but my opera tone is just a little… well… you know… Smithy.

C) While the Stryper cover of Friends is something that is pretty sneerworthy, I will confess that Dave Crowder Band covering Secret Ambition might just seperate me from my $.99.

Go to iTunes Music Store and type in “ultimate friends makeover”. And you get Stryper covering MWS’s “Friends”. It’s a beautiful thing.

And yeah Corey, my key-axe weilding days are long gone… unless you think I could pull it off during worship at church… hmmm, food for thought.

Chad, you were a THEORY MAJOR! Holy nerdiness! You must’ve gotten twice the “oh, that’s nice, what kind of job can you get with that degree?” questions I got as a Piano Performance major.

Secondly, for the Stryper afficianados, I’m pretty sure they’re on tour again to support a new release. Michael, Matthew, and Oz are on board, but Tim is off doing something else. Maybe Jenny Craig commercials or something.

Chad, thanks for including something tangible for the bottom-feeders like myself. I feel like a post without d!ck & fart jokes is really no post at all.

By the way, we still - churchless and godless heathens that we are - pull out “Eye 2 (I)” (or whatever) on every road trip. And “The Big Picture” is still musically relevant today, IMO.

Cerise

Another vote for the music theory geekiness. I dig it. When do we get to Stravinsky?

I am putting you on notice. The smarter your posts get, the more asinine my comments will be. I mean, you should be ashamed of yourself. I was a theory major and I’m having trouble tracking this! Nerd.

:)

I Should Care is a great tune. I think my favorite is a toss between Rhythm-a-Ning and Ruby my Dear. The chords in Ruby are just too lush for words. I think it was maybe the best example of what he was trying to achieve with parallel brush strokes.

And, since you went all music geek on me, I’ll bust you right back. Most transcriptions write the succesive ascending notes with sharps up to the Bb (some do A# as well, even though it’s in the key signature), to emphasize that it’s the scalar motion that links together the unlikely pitches. so yes, flat 9 on F7 is Gb, but the melodic line there is pretty much always written with an F#. Also, geeking out on music theory ranks right up there as one of the coolest things that’s every happened on this blog.

And for the rest of you, shame on you for letting Chad drag you down to his level! I’m trying to get some culture on up in here!

And Chad is awarded 100 bonus points for a Stryper reference in a post about Thelonious Monk. The extra 50 for including the word “subtle” goes to Ash instead for the gentle name correction. Hey, can anyone see if Tim Gaines is still working at Gard’s on Grand Ave.?

BTW, a flat9 in F is Gb not F#.

Perhaps Monk was an early forerunner of the punk rock spirit.

I wish I could see your recital…it would be so mind-bending to hear someone play Monk who loves his work so much.

Cerise

As a student, I loved hearing and seeing my profs perform. My flute professor once began a recital with a modern piece which she began playing before she was on stage and then, while still playing, walked backwards onto the stage and sort of wandered about as she played the remainder of the piece. I’m sure there was much musicality to the wandering, but to dumb young me, it just seemed weird and cool…and made me want to keep practicing my flute.

I’m sure you’ll rock the house Mike.

Also, I’m a bit terrified. I no longer get the the share of common grace that comes from being a student, and my work now needs to be good on it’s own merits. Arranging and playing in front of all of my former teachers is a bit of a heart thumper.

10 points for hilarity…

So like, Brian (Stick) does this to me, like, all the time.

Mike, great post. Though I know I can’t keep up, I sure appreciate your musical intellect and especially the way it inspires you to more and better and deeper and cooler. Gimme some o’ dat.

True words about Monk, in terms of what people have actually gotten from him. Regardless of what might be possible, attempts to play/compose like him have mostly flopped…. the usual comment is that it’s just too formless or too “outside”. But Monk’s music just works.

And now that I think about it, that’s something of a challenge. I’m going to have to spend some quality time with his music at some point… I haven’t heard nearly all his music, or seen nearly all the transcriptions that may exist… I’m just curious.

Sounds like doctoral dissertation material for somebody…. or maybe it’s already been done, and we just don’t know about it. I’ll be happy to review it, if somebody else wants to write it… hint, hint.

I can’t wait to hear your arrangement, Mike.

I know exactly what you’re talking about Mike, exactly. I mean… the raspy voice, the geometric sweaters… the DX7 screaming in its full glory… wow. I was home. I wanted to be a CCM singer.

Lately I’ve been working my way through his catalog as well, and I encourage you all to go beyond the “Friends,” and the “Go West Young Man”s of his life’s work. Breathe in deeply the subtle nuances of “All You’re Missing Is A Heartache,” featuring guest vocals by Matthew Sweet of Stryper.

It still anoints me.

I’m glad you didn’t fizzle out babe. Go Aunt Nancy. Did you ever tell her that she changed your life? Might be a nice thing to know…