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slap

(music) A bass guitar technique of hitting a string hard with the side of the thumb knuckle, producing a loud but brief snapping sound. Slapping is usually combined with popping, the act of pulling a string outward with the finger tip and letting it snap back. Invented by Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station).

Slap & pop bass sounds are very characteristic of disco and funk music, though around 1990 it got very popular again when bands like Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Primus, Infectious Grooves, and Faith No More hit the hard rock radio stations and Mtv.

Jazz players on upright bass (aka double bass) have a technique called "slapping", but it's a completely different technique that involves literally slapping the strings.

by Bill M. August 27, 2004


acoustic

1) A musical instrument that is not electric
2) A musical performance that uses no electric instruments (aside from microphones and similar amplification)

1) Jimi Hendrix played an electric guitar on the song "Purple Haze", but Paul Simon played an acoustic guitar on Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson". Techno and dance music uses electric drums, but rock music typically sticks to acoustic drums.

2) Eric Clapton's band did an acoustic show on "Mtv Unplugged".

by Bill M. August 28, 2004


Walmart

A store where you can buy a shot gun, ammunition, a ski mask, a baseball bat, a meat cleaver and a chainsaw, but you can't buy a CD that has a "Parental Advisory" sticker.

The local 3-generation mom & pop store was run out of town by Walmart.

by Bill M. July 28, 2004


lanyard

A cord designed to hold something around the neck, usually with a clip at the end on which to fasten the object. Used for easy exposure and/or quick access to an ID badge, keys, etc.

"We could tell who the roadies were at the rock concert, because they each wore an 'all-access backstage pass' on a lanyard."
"Oh, so THAT'S what those things are called."

by Bill M. July 29, 2004


hair metal

A band of the hard rock or heavy metal variety associated with the 1980s, even if from the early 90s (as was the case with Damn Yankees, Mr. Big, Nelson) "Hair metal" was a term not coined until well into the 90s, but roughly covers what was known in the 80s as "glam metal".

Self-proclaimed haters of hair metal try to define the genre as music with all focus on image, and contrast it with grunge. Yet in grunge, the lack of aesthetics became a trendy enforced look itself, and the scene never produced any virtuoso "musician's musicians". Many credit Nirvana and grunge with the "death" of hair metal, but this is historically inaccurate, as hair metal's loss of popularity was mainly due to 1) sudden denial by radio stations and Mtv of any airplay or promotion, and 2) unrelated pitfalls of many key bands in a very short time span: Ozzy Osbourne had announced retirement, inner conflict led to Guns n' Roses' break-up, too many years taken off in between some band's albums (Metallica, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard), while other bands lost prominent members (Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Poison).

Most hair metal bands in fact continued to put out albums and play small venues throughout the 1990s, finding promotion via the internet, college radio, and the work of loyal fans. Ironically, it then became a much more anti-corporate, "alternative" form of music than the 90s pop music that was still being called "alternative".

"Haha, look at all that hair metal. I hate anything that came out of the 80s."
"Wait a minute, didn't you just buy the latest CDs from Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and Metallica?"
"Yeah, but those bands don't count as hair metal because, um, you know. Er, uhhhh...hey what's on TV tonight?"

by Bill M. July 24, 2004


deism

The belief that God (or some form of deity or divine creator) exists, but plays no interactive role in our day to day lives

The founding fathers of the United States were largely deists.

by Bill M. July 27, 2004


pitch

1. noun The relative highness or lowness of a musical note
2. verb To throw an object in a particular direction
3. verb To get rid of; to throw away into the trash
4. noun A statement used for advertisement

1. When you inhale helium, it raises the pitch of your voice.
2. He pitched the baseball from the mound.
3. This is broken. Just pitch it.
4. He gave us his sales pitch.

by Bill M. July 28, 2004