Tag: Music

Do You Hear The People Sing, Singing the Song of Angry Men


Calm, serene and beautiful

When I look at this and consider my hometown turmoil, I am grateful but also angry. Malaysia is in so many ways, as beautiful as Australia. It is however, bogged down with such corruption, bigotry, and general bloodymindedness that I can imagine how much has been lost because of greed and selfishness.

BERSIH 2.0 is all the rage in Malaysia now and well it should be. If I were still there, I would not have required much thought – it is a no brainer, the causes BERSIH is fighting for. In a sane world, no one one would have thought it strange or in any way negative, to support it. Alas, the politicians in power in Malaysia are different. They live in a world and era well past. The rest of the world has long past this brand of bigotry. It looks like the odes of Les Miserables are waiting to be recited with gusto again come 9 July. This is the Malayia Boleh I have been waiting for.

From Les Miserables:

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!


Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of Klang (France)!

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes.

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Can You Hear The Drums Fernando?


I attempted to educate myself on the issue of drums yesterday and looked into the issue of electronic versus acoustic drums. Other than costs and logistics (electronic version has heaps more parts and wiring) experts are totally divided on which is better.

The practical and artists prefer the acoustics whereas the techno types prefer the elec because you can basically record and manipulate it on the computer to generate other works. Parents and those who live in crowded places prefer elec as you can use headphones and not disturb others.

While you can control volume better on elec, volume control isn’t the primary reason for opting for elec. The volume is also a function of playing style – naturally if you have someone who goes all out and bang away it will be louder. My cursory reading also suggests you can control volume reasonably well on the acoustics but it is an art.

The purists naturally prefer the acoustic as it allows the artist to exhibit his repertoire. They point out that it is the preferred version in concerts – from rock to jazz to classical and even Broadway.

I am sure there is more to it but I think for a total lay idiot like yours truly, I’d probably come away at the end of whatever further research I do, concluding that the jury is still out. (I think on this basis I’d stick to whatever I have now…if I had a drum set).

Regards,Ian

Sent from my iPhinity (and beyond)

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