March is a month full of the birthdays of famous music celebrities. Justin Bieber just makes it in on 1st March. Talking of just making it in… perhaps making it into the UK’s fans good books needs little more address and maturity. A few temperatures and eyebrows were raised recently with his chaotic tour of the UK so I thought I’d see what all the fuss is about. Justin Bieber was born of Canadian parentage. He is a self-taught musician with no formal academic training on the digital piano, guitar, drum kit or trumpet. He put himself ‘out there’ on YouTube after coming second in a local singing competition. It was his mother’s persistence in uploading her son’s R&B songs onto the world forum that resulted in such interest in Bieber’s internet site.
Timed Out
One cancelled concert, collapsing on stage and a bust up with the media press don’t do much to promote Justin Bieber’s artistic profile right now. Yet his fan base seems more forgiving than his grandparents who ardently suggest he should perform for free at one concert to compensate for his shenanigans.
Playing Safe With His Debut Track
In 2009 Bieber’s first single ‘’One Time’’ was released. This debut song follows the usual medium held-back tempo characteristic of R&B. The instrumental line-up gives prominence to the syncopated drum beat with a staccato synth string voice playing in a pizzicato-style on the digital piano. The vocal range is limited in the verses with a semi-spoken style coming through from Bieber. As we fall into the chorus ‘’Your world is my world, Your fight is my fight’’ etc a greater sense of key unfolds in C# minor as Bieber jumps between E and B’ to establish a melody.
‘’Never Say Never’’ On The Digital Piano
So did you think this was a one trick pony? Well, ‘’Never Say Never’’ adds a little more musicality to this dolly’s mixture. The chord progression of Am C G and D binds the track together on the guitar and synth string voice supplies once again by the digital piano. The motivic D C B C A is the basis for the melody ‘’Ne-ver say ne-ver’’ and title of the same name which intertwines around step-wise notation from the verses. It isn’t earth-shatteringly complex but gimmicky all the same.
Tidying Up His UK Act
So with his cute hoody image, immaculate ‘justin’ place hair-cut and Twitter-mania at overload – Bieber looks good to rule the planet.
But just like any musician – he needs to keep an eye on the time!
Jr