Skip to content

Tiger Third

23 June 2016, 12:05 pm

Sagat from Street Fighter II is known for his tiger fireballs and tiger uppercuts. The “tiger” in question is a Minor Third interval from the E-flat down to the C.

Tiger_Uppercut.wav

* * *

Does anyone remember that Street Fighter comic book from the 90s? In the second issue, Sagat sent Ken’s decapitated head in a box to Ryu. He tiger-uppercutted Ken’s head off or something. In the first panel: Ryu sees the blonde hair and then dramatically pulls his friend’s head out for a final full-page reveal. I thought it was a little extreme, like they were trying to Mortal Kombatize Street Fighter. This was before Se7en, and I think it actually inspired that climactic What’s-in-the-box? scene.

Yeah, Sagat is a pretty cool boss. As a boy, I tiger-loved him and I still tiger-do. I know it’s actually pronounced “sa-GOT,” but he’ll always be a bundle of sticks to me.

Compare Sagat’s tiger third with the same interval and key used in the Sega bumper. It’s also reminiscent of the old playground melodies.

Bob Sagat…

Tagged ,
1 Comment

Homebody (hōm’bŭd’ē) is here

22 June 2016, 11:16 am

Homebody

Well, almost. A new single is coming soon!
After that, Los is headed into a bonafide studio to record an EP.

Comments Off on Homebody (hōm’bŭd’ē) is here

myPhone

3 June 2016, 8:53 am

My phone’s message tone is the best. It plays a nice E suspended fourth arpeggio that resolves to a high major third. Click below to listen.


It sure beats some bullshit marimba or whatever you have on your phone.

The tone of my phone is so pleasant, I don’t even mind when people text me to “go fuck myself.” What phone is this? I’m not telling. It is the only one of its kind in existence, and I alone possess it.

In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t also include the tab of the above chord.

E——————–16———
B—————-12————-
G————14—————–
D——————————-
A——–14———————
E—-12————————-

It’s a stretcher, but well worth the effort.

Tagged 
Comments Off on myPhone

Pedestrian Signal

2 May 2016, 10:00 pm

The NY pedestrian signal plays a high F#, like the chirp of some mechanical cricket. It’s about 15 cents flatter than a real F#, but you can still tune to it if you’re busking by the crosswalk. The F# clashes with the usual open keys of our buskers, and even our crickets don’t go that high. Usually, the volume of the signal is such that if you were already blind you’d go deaf crossing the street, but at my intersection, they keep it on the nice crickety setting. Just look to the incandescent man. I ♪ NY

Comments Off on Pedestrian Signal

MTA Melodies

23 April 2016, 5:01 pm

the E train

There’s a place in New York City where the subway sings a recognizable tune. Since the early 2000s, commuters have noticed a musical screeching coming from certain trains like the first 3 notes of “Somewhere” from West Side Story. The first interval is a dominant seventh and resolves down to the major sixth just like in the Leonard Bernstein tune, although Bernstein stole it from Beethoven. Drag over the noteheads to listen to the MTA melody.


It begins on an F#, jumps up to a higher E, and then down to a D# to quote the Bern. The first 3 notes are in the key of B Major. Some of the trains have a few extra notes at the end, modulating down a semitone to B-flat, because this is New York City baby, and there has always been jazz underground.

The MTA says the melody is accidental. Senior subway officials claimed to had never head it before. The Canadian company responsible for the trains said that the newer trains have power choppers. These power choppers emit the tones while generating the necessary voltage to push the train forward.


Yeah, I’m sure it’s all a coincidence that the trains running through the Upper West Side sing a song from West Side Story and not some massive musical conspiracy. Just like that song we all remember by Leonard Berenstain.

Tagged 
Comments Off on MTA Melodies

Rockwood

9 April 2016, 10:36 am

flyer rockwood

We’re playing Rockwood Stage 1 next week!

Comments Off on Rockwood

Musical Video: Abracadabra

2 April 2016, 4:17 pm

Comments Off on Musical Video: Abracadabra
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »