Matt Berkeley

Audiomusical diplomat sharing joy and wonder and love through music (or at least trying my damnedest)

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

@DamonBruce @jackdwagner D Bruce….I love me some Talking Heads …but “greatest” !?!?

Aren’t you from Chicago!! #EWF

Nah I’m not mad. How can we pick one though?

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Are there any scientists who have written about this idea:

Which came first; life or the atmosphere? Is the evolution life on Earth itself symbiotically connected to the evolution of (not simply the existence of) our atmosphere?

#science #biology
#evolution #physics #chemistry

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Bass player exercise, can be applied to any instrument though:
Choose a note. Choose a slow tempo on your metronome. Play quarter notes, followed by quarter note rests. Be patient, be precise, be focused. Find a clean, clear and consistent tone and timbre.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

@iamacomeback In Jj I I I. No. Bb l

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Active listening is always important, though it should be noted that the further the music strays from a prescribed (read: established, folkloric, time-tested, etc) musical style, or effectively composed parts, the more critical that listening becomes to the outcome.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Music nerd stuff. Coincidence? Is anything really totally coincidental?

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Yo if you’re like me in that you love Bach and Chopin as much as you love Lee Perry and King Tubby, you might dig this playlist for chill background instrumental vibes. Music nerds…did you see what I did?

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Opinion: “Jazz” is way more about the way you play the notes, the feeling of the music, and the rhythmic language rather than which notes and which repertoire. “Jazz” pedagogy, however, seems to revolve almost entirely around which notes and which tunes one “should” play.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Anyone else wonder what JS Bach sounded like when he played at the pub?

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

@michaelharriot Yes, and here in Oakland, CA I can summarize as such: a flatlands school (lower income) PTA can do movie night and sell popcorn for a fundraiser, while the hills school (high net worth/income) PTA can auction art, golf trips, horseback riding in Napa…..you get the idea.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

if Jesus were at the Southern Baptist Convention right now, I’m 99% certain he’d be knocking over tables. At least tables. Probably podiums, daises, microphone stands, chairs…

Few things make me as righteously angry as religion being used to oppress, divide and de-humanize.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Cave or river bank echo was the original plug-in, the original slap back, the original delay. How long ago? 100,000 years? 200,000? 1,000,000?

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

I fear today’s music is out of balance with these ancient roots.

Computers are fun, even beautiful. But we depend on them too much - that’s the ‘out-of-balance’ part.

Something is lost when people pray to a machine rather than to each other’s heartbeat.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Music is ancient and sacred. We (humans…maybe even pre-homo sapiens) were making music probably before we were talking.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

I just saw a job posting offering music teachers ~$25/hr. In Marin County….like maybe the wealthiest county in the world?

We need to value teachers more than this.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Humans are capable, though we are arrogant too. Many of our most profound discoveries happened not ‘on purpose’ but rather by noticing something very cool that happened on accident.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

Yesterday was Paul Robeson’s 125th birthday. It was also Easter Sunday. I bet Jesus and Robeson would have really liked hanging out with each other.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

If civilization survives the next 100-150 years….I wonder if kids in Northern California will visit Silicon Valley the way they currently visit Coloma.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

World leaders should have to jam together before negotiating peace deals. Let preeminent musicians hailing from different countries and cultures supervise. Quincy, Yo-Yo, Zakir, etc….
Yeah crazy childish idealistic utopia idea, I know.

[Matt Berkeley @mattberkeley]

I’d rather play good music (that is, music I feel good about) for few people than bad music (music I don’t feel good about) for lots of people. Sometimes, we get both (playing good music for lots of people)- and maybe even make a little money.