...things were a lot simpler.
I first started getting serious about playing the guitar when I was about 17 around 1974. It seemed resources for learning guitar - especially popular music were pretty slim. Not to mention growing up in a small town didn’t really help matters on that account either. Other than buying sheet music arrangements for popular tunes, there wasn’t much in the way of tutorials around. If you wanted to learn popular or rock music accurately, by gosh you had to do it the old fashioned way - by ear.
My first instrument wasn’t guitar - it was cello and I had been indoctrinated into a formal way of learning classical instruments - even the Suzuki method was not popular yet - so there was very little “ear” playing experience for me. Consequently, all of my guitar playing peers and buddies were far ahead of me in the playing by ear department.
I remember the first time I saw a Guitar Player magazine. Holy cow, a magazine just for guitar players? I couldn’t believe it! A drummer friend of mine who also played guitar gave it to me. There was a lesson in there by Joe Pass. I memorized that little lesson and still use it to this day.
I also remember when to my knowledge the first accurate transcription of rock guitar soloing was published - the Led Zeppelin “Complete” songbook had solos by Jimmy Page actually written out. I seem to recall a general feeling at the time that blues and rock guitar soloing couldn’t really be notated. Yet magically someone had pulled it off.
Curiously, it seemed to me that most of my local guitar playing buddies had an attitude that if someone learned a piece of music by reading it instead of by ear they were somehow cheating. Just seemed like a means to an end to me. How else was I going to learn “Mood For A Day” by Yes’ Steve Howe? Heck I was just starting on guitar. And, there was no guitar arrangement available. I ended up learning it off of a combination of reading a piano reduction on sheet music and listening to the recording. Piano reductions with little guitar chord grids above the legit notation was the popular way of publishing at that time. Leave it to music publishers to take a solo guitar piece and publish it as a piano reduction. Ah, 1974.
With the proper tutelage I came to better understand how music composition worked and what to listen for and gradually after much practice got pretty good at learning songs by ear. Definitely something every guitarist should do. It’s turned out to be handy to have as many tactics for learning as I could get together.
I guess what I’m getting to is that now, there is a virtual flood of guitar information available. How in the world is any 17 year old supposed to wade through all that’s available and figure out what’s worth spending time on on their own? It was easy for me, there practically wasn’t any. Problem solved!
I brought in some recent issues of Guitar Player magazine to my teaching studio recently and had one of my students pick one for himself. It’s been weeks now - he hasn’t even looked at it. I wonder if when he does, will he find a timeless treasure that he uses for a lifetime like I did when I was his age, or will it be one more piece of information overload he doesn’t select to absorb?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Self Taught
What does it mean when people claim to be “self taught”? I’ve heard this from and about musicians of all calibers throughout the years. I think non-musicians may have a different view of what it means than musicians do.
A lot of the world’s greatest musicians have claims of being self taught. It applies all the way from world class musicians from the past. I’ve heard that such classical music luminaries as guitarist Andres Segovia and cellist Pablo Casals were self taught as well as Eric Clapton, your “uncle who can play anything” and that kid that lives on your street who’s starting a garage band. Yet what do we find when we look deeper?
Eric Clapton reported to Guitar Player Magazine in 1970 that “The way I learned to play was, I picked up the guitar and pieced together a chord out of the sounds without knowing they were chords that had names like E and A. I was inventing those things when I first started to play.” It’s not something that seems that unusual to me. I think a lot of musicians, guitarists in particular, do a lot of experimentation. Maybe it’s the nature of the instrument.
Both Segovia and Casals had some formal study if only for a short while and sometimes on different instruments than than the ones they were famous for. One of the key elements of these outstanding musicians, as true now as then, is originality. They both made major original breakthroughs in music by assessing the current state of their respective instruments and finding new and better ways to do things.
In the case of Segovia, among other breakthroughs, he introduced they idea of using the right hand fingernails to get a bigger tone. No classical guitarist today would even consider playing without nails but yet until he saw the need and addressed it, it was uncommon. He also asked for bigger guitars and better strings. Seems pretty obvious now, but he had enough influence, insight, and originality to ask for those things and get them.
Where would our current crop of rock guitarists be without Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, etc.? Listening to these past guitar heroes now, the uninitiated may wonder, what’s so special about those cats? The thing is, the styles they brought to the table were original at the time, and so well liked, that now there influence is ubiquitous and taken for granted.
Everyone has influences and early on, musicians tend to mimic their heroes. I used to joke that I learned to play from Billy Gibbons of Z.Z. Top. Never having had the honor of meeting the man however, I made do with learning from his recordings. Wes Montgomery studied and memorized the solos of Charlie Christian - yet later on he managed to develop his own style. When Chet Atkins was getting started in the record business he was told he sounded too jazzy - his early influences included the original gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt - yet Atkins turned things around for himself devoting himself to creating and developing a new style of playing (based on a different artist - Merle Travis).
Wes and Chet, Hendrix, Page, Clapton and probably Billy Gibbons too, were undoubtedly all self taught (as were their main influences Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt) yet they had to learn from somewhere, if only by observation. Clapton recounts “I did a lot of listening—particularly to blues. I never took lessons, but I always wanted to jam a lot.” Jamming can be thought of as a trial and error means of learning and something that goes on a lot in music that is traditionally improvised to some degree like blues and jazz. A form of discovery and self-teaching.
We listen, we observe, we get together and trade licks and information with our friends, and read and apply articles from guitar magazines, from the web, etc. If we have the benefit of formal lessons from competent instructors then all the better. In a way all of my students over the years have all been self taught. Some learned a lot and still others learned little. I’ve just given them information and tried to open their eyes to possibilities. Led the horse to water if you will. If anything was actually learned they’ve done it all themselves. Plus they’re the ones who got the ball rolling with guitar lessons.
Is anyone self taught? In a way both everyone is and no one is. No one is because no man is an island, we all work from our influences to some degree, but in the end, everyone is because it’s all up to the individual.
A lot of the world’s greatest musicians have claims of being self taught. It applies all the way from world class musicians from the past. I’ve heard that such classical music luminaries as guitarist Andres Segovia and cellist Pablo Casals were self taught as well as Eric Clapton, your “uncle who can play anything” and that kid that lives on your street who’s starting a garage band. Yet what do we find when we look deeper?
Eric Clapton reported to Guitar Player Magazine in 1970 that “The way I learned to play was, I picked up the guitar and pieced together a chord out of the sounds without knowing they were chords that had names like E and A. I was inventing those things when I first started to play.” It’s not something that seems that unusual to me. I think a lot of musicians, guitarists in particular, do a lot of experimentation. Maybe it’s the nature of the instrument.
Both Segovia and Casals had some formal study if only for a short while and sometimes on different instruments than than the ones they were famous for. One of the key elements of these outstanding musicians, as true now as then, is originality. They both made major original breakthroughs in music by assessing the current state of their respective instruments and finding new and better ways to do things.
In the case of Segovia, among other breakthroughs, he introduced they idea of using the right hand fingernails to get a bigger tone. No classical guitarist today would even consider playing without nails but yet until he saw the need and addressed it, it was uncommon. He also asked for bigger guitars and better strings. Seems pretty obvious now, but he had enough influence, insight, and originality to ask for those things and get them.
Where would our current crop of rock guitarists be without Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, etc.? Listening to these past guitar heroes now, the uninitiated may wonder, what’s so special about those cats? The thing is, the styles they brought to the table were original at the time, and so well liked, that now there influence is ubiquitous and taken for granted.
Everyone has influences and early on, musicians tend to mimic their heroes. I used to joke that I learned to play from Billy Gibbons of Z.Z. Top. Never having had the honor of meeting the man however, I made do with learning from his recordings. Wes Montgomery studied and memorized the solos of Charlie Christian - yet later on he managed to develop his own style. When Chet Atkins was getting started in the record business he was told he sounded too jazzy - his early influences included the original gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt - yet Atkins turned things around for himself devoting himself to creating and developing a new style of playing (based on a different artist - Merle Travis).
Wes and Chet, Hendrix, Page, Clapton and probably Billy Gibbons too, were undoubtedly all self taught (as were their main influences Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt) yet they had to learn from somewhere, if only by observation. Clapton recounts “I did a lot of listening—particularly to blues. I never took lessons, but I always wanted to jam a lot.” Jamming can be thought of as a trial and error means of learning and something that goes on a lot in music that is traditionally improvised to some degree like blues and jazz. A form of discovery and self-teaching.
We listen, we observe, we get together and trade licks and information with our friends, and read and apply articles from guitar magazines, from the web, etc. If we have the benefit of formal lessons from competent instructors then all the better. In a way all of my students over the years have all been self taught. Some learned a lot and still others learned little. I’ve just given them information and tried to open their eyes to possibilities. Led the horse to water if you will. If anything was actually learned they’ve done it all themselves. Plus they’re the ones who got the ball rolling with guitar lessons.
Is anyone self taught? In a way both everyone is and no one is. No one is because no man is an island, we all work from our influences to some degree, but in the end, everyone is because it’s all up to the individual.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Unexpected Influences
They come from all over. Sometimes it’s a performance. Sometimes you know right away. Sometimes it takes some looking back.
Once when I was probably somewhere between the ages of 17 or 18 (around 1974-75) the local university (NSU of Louisiana) sponsored a concert featuring the Buddy Rich Big Band. Everyone had heard of the famous Buddy Rich and I was anticipating the concert with great excitement. It was really a good experience for me - I had never seen anything like that before. The way he worked his playing into the arrangements was so exciting! And the way he connected the tunes to each other setting up segues so that the music didn’t stop. The tunes just flowed right into each other. Around that time I was starting to get passionate about guitar playing and being unfamiliar with big band jazz I was anxious to see if they had a guitarist and what his role might be.
There was a little guy with a big guitar and when his turn came to solo - wow! The notes came out of the guitar like it was on fire. Long phrases of incendiary lines but with none of the rock sounds I was used to hearing. Who was this guy? No one I knew had any idea. What I did know was that I had never seen or heard anything like that before and it introduced me to a whole different way to think about guitar and music.
I can imagine the band rolling from town to town playing hundreds of these little gigs on campuses everywhere never giving a thought to much else besides making it through this gig and heading for the next. What they probably never imagined is the impact they may have on one person and what a difference it can make, even at a university or a whole community.
To my delight when I graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1980 who was on stage to shake my hand and give me my diploma? Along with composer John Williams, it was Buddy Rich! Yes!
Years later in my forties, I discovered the music of a guitarist Jimmy Bruno. As I learned more about him, I found out he had played with The Buddy Rich Big Band. It was him! He was the guy tearing it up in the Buddy Rich band when I was a kid! When Jimmy Bruno started his Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute (JBGI) a few years ago, an online approach to guitar study, I was eager to see what I could learn from him. In that first round of study, I stayed with it for only about 3 months, but in that time I learned critical information that I now incorporate into my playing all the time, and also share with my own students. My students at the university. Where the Buddy Rich Big Band played. So long ago. When I was seventeen.
I guess one of the morals of this story is when you’re performing, whether you’re touring the country or just playing locally, your never know who you’ll influence or what that will lead to. So try to be your best whenever you perform.
I’ve had a whole host of influences, and there are many people I need to say thank you to. In this case - thank you Jimmy Bruno. Your dedication has personally affected me and those I influence as well.
Once when I was probably somewhere between the ages of 17 or 18 (around 1974-75) the local university (NSU of Louisiana) sponsored a concert featuring the Buddy Rich Big Band. Everyone had heard of the famous Buddy Rich and I was anticipating the concert with great excitement. It was really a good experience for me - I had never seen anything like that before. The way he worked his playing into the arrangements was so exciting! And the way he connected the tunes to each other setting up segues so that the music didn’t stop. The tunes just flowed right into each other. Around that time I was starting to get passionate about guitar playing and being unfamiliar with big band jazz I was anxious to see if they had a guitarist and what his role might be.
There was a little guy with a big guitar and when his turn came to solo - wow! The notes came out of the guitar like it was on fire. Long phrases of incendiary lines but with none of the rock sounds I was used to hearing. Who was this guy? No one I knew had any idea. What I did know was that I had never seen or heard anything like that before and it introduced me to a whole different way to think about guitar and music.
I can imagine the band rolling from town to town playing hundreds of these little gigs on campuses everywhere never giving a thought to much else besides making it through this gig and heading for the next. What they probably never imagined is the impact they may have on one person and what a difference it can make, even at a university or a whole community.
To my delight when I graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1980 who was on stage to shake my hand and give me my diploma? Along with composer John Williams, it was Buddy Rich! Yes!
Years later in my forties, I discovered the music of a guitarist Jimmy Bruno. As I learned more about him, I found out he had played with The Buddy Rich Big Band. It was him! He was the guy tearing it up in the Buddy Rich band when I was a kid! When Jimmy Bruno started his Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute (JBGI) a few years ago, an online approach to guitar study, I was eager to see what I could learn from him. In that first round of study, I stayed with it for only about 3 months, but in that time I learned critical information that I now incorporate into my playing all the time, and also share with my own students. My students at the university. Where the Buddy Rich Big Band played. So long ago. When I was seventeen.
I guess one of the morals of this story is when you’re performing, whether you’re touring the country or just playing locally, your never know who you’ll influence or what that will lead to. So try to be your best whenever you perform.
I’ve had a whole host of influences, and there are many people I need to say thank you to. In this case - thank you Jimmy Bruno. Your dedication has personally affected me and those I influence as well.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
My Uncle Can Play Anything
Some people have a gift, knack, or talent, call it what you will, for music. Not just music of course, as there are many skills to be considered but as we all know music is “where I live”.
I think it’s safe to say we’re all born with certain aptitudes or lack thereof and continue to develop or not develop those from early on. Science has shown we’re not really “empty vessels” but are born with certain innate characteristics. Talents are not so much like a light switch that’s either on or off. You can get none, some, or a lot. What we do with what we get is up to us. I think a lot of people (and I put myself in this category) manage to get just enough to get ourselves in trouble.
Why bring this up? As a working guitarist, I’m occasionally informed by non-musician acquaintances (and undoubtedly other musicians have this experience) about relatives and/or friends who can “play anything” meaning of course any instrument (i.e. “My uncle can play anything). These fountains of talent and giftitude can apparently pick up any musical instrument, be it piano, guitar, flugelhorn, violin or saxophone, with absolutely no previous experience or training, and draw from it limitless rivers of impressive repertoire. By all accounts they just “know” what to do without ever thinking about it. They’ve never spent any time practicing. They’ve never considered studying music theory. Why should they? They just have a gift.
Invariably these freaks of nature are never actually musicians. Why do I say this? I’ve been hanging around musicians for well over forty years and have performed in more different kinds of ensembles that I care to list, and have never met one of these prodigies that have never practiced. Now I’m not talking about musicians who are multi-instrumentalists who work hard at their craft(s) - no, no, no. These wonders of mankind have apparently never given their gifts a second thought nor paid for or attended one music lesson, and never spent an hour practicing, yet by all accounts they are absolutely terrific at playing any music on any instrument at professional levels.
These bits of information that are passed on to me, along with comments such as “you should check out so and so...he’s REALLY good” serve to point out to me things which I am not. Naturally gifted and “really” good. That’s okay with me. I know where I stand in the world. I’ve met, seen, and heard, and even a few times been on stage with real world class musicians. I never kid myself about what I can and can’t do. I tend to think of myself as just a guy who likes to play guitar...maybe a little too much.
That there are people in the world with more musical talent than myself is not news to me. The world is loaded full up with prodigies and talented people. Just a visit to a few local churches will show you that along with the ordinary folks there are a few who can really sing their butts off. They’re not musicians. They’re not tending and feeding and exploiting their talents. They’re not paying their dues in the music world or reaping the rewards. They just can sing well and enjoy doing that in church. I’m totally cool with that. More power to them and their ilk. Even I can say I’ve known two sisters, who even at a very young age of maybe 6 or 7 would sing duets that would knock you off your chair. Precocious as hell (neither went on to become a musician by the way).
What I want is for one of these mystery talents, who are some miraculous musical multi-instrumental prodigies that I’m not, to show themselves dammit. Where are you hiding? Reveal your awesome unstudied musical gifts to me!
And while your at it I’d like you stop by one of my gigs and bring forth your guitar, violin, and saxophone so that you may blow me away with how well you can improvise through the changes of “Cherokee”, “Ornithology”, and “All The Things You Are” without ever having studied or practiced even a single minute. Afterwards you can regale anyone within earshot with your rendition of “Giant Steps” or maybe dazzle listeners with a Paganini Caprice or two. All. Without. Ever. Practicing.
See you then...I’ll be waiting! I long for it. It’ll be a pleasure to meet you. And if you turn out to be some long lost uncle of mine - even better! Because I’d like to be one of those who can say “I’ve got an uncle who can play ANYTHING!”.
I think it’s safe to say we’re all born with certain aptitudes or lack thereof and continue to develop or not develop those from early on. Science has shown we’re not really “empty vessels” but are born with certain innate characteristics. Talents are not so much like a light switch that’s either on or off. You can get none, some, or a lot. What we do with what we get is up to us. I think a lot of people (and I put myself in this category) manage to get just enough to get ourselves in trouble.
Why bring this up? As a working guitarist, I’m occasionally informed by non-musician acquaintances (and undoubtedly other musicians have this experience) about relatives and/or friends who can “play anything” meaning of course any instrument (i.e. “My uncle can play anything). These fountains of talent and giftitude can apparently pick up any musical instrument, be it piano, guitar, flugelhorn, violin or saxophone, with absolutely no previous experience or training, and draw from it limitless rivers of impressive repertoire. By all accounts they just “know” what to do without ever thinking about it. They’ve never spent any time practicing. They’ve never considered studying music theory. Why should they? They just have a gift.
Invariably these freaks of nature are never actually musicians. Why do I say this? I’ve been hanging around musicians for well over forty years and have performed in more different kinds of ensembles that I care to list, and have never met one of these prodigies that have never practiced. Now I’m not talking about musicians who are multi-instrumentalists who work hard at their craft(s) - no, no, no. These wonders of mankind have apparently never given their gifts a second thought nor paid for or attended one music lesson, and never spent an hour practicing, yet by all accounts they are absolutely terrific at playing any music on any instrument at professional levels.
These bits of information that are passed on to me, along with comments such as “you should check out so and so...he’s REALLY good” serve to point out to me things which I am not. Naturally gifted and “really” good. That’s okay with me. I know where I stand in the world. I’ve met, seen, and heard, and even a few times been on stage with real world class musicians. I never kid myself about what I can and can’t do. I tend to think of myself as just a guy who likes to play guitar...maybe a little too much.
That there are people in the world with more musical talent than myself is not news to me. The world is loaded full up with prodigies and talented people. Just a visit to a few local churches will show you that along with the ordinary folks there are a few who can really sing their butts off. They’re not musicians. They’re not tending and feeding and exploiting their talents. They’re not paying their dues in the music world or reaping the rewards. They just can sing well and enjoy doing that in church. I’m totally cool with that. More power to them and their ilk. Even I can say I’ve known two sisters, who even at a very young age of maybe 6 or 7 would sing duets that would knock you off your chair. Precocious as hell (neither went on to become a musician by the way).
What I want is for one of these mystery talents, who are some miraculous musical multi-instrumental prodigies that I’m not, to show themselves dammit. Where are you hiding? Reveal your awesome unstudied musical gifts to me!
And while your at it I’d like you stop by one of my gigs and bring forth your guitar, violin, and saxophone so that you may blow me away with how well you can improvise through the changes of “Cherokee”, “Ornithology”, and “All The Things You Are” without ever having studied or practiced even a single minute. Afterwards you can regale anyone within earshot with your rendition of “Giant Steps” or maybe dazzle listeners with a Paganini Caprice or two. All. Without. Ever. Practicing.
See you then...I’ll be waiting! I long for it. It’ll be a pleasure to meet you. And if you turn out to be some long lost uncle of mine - even better! Because I’d like to be one of those who can say “I’ve got an uncle who can play ANYTHING!”.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Art Is Like A Coin
...there are two sides, don’tcha know?
Let’s talk art as related to music and guitar playing because that’s my only comfort zone.
Let’s call one side of the coin technical and the other side expression. They’re entirely different yet infinitely adhered. Each unable to exist without the other, yet always at odds.
The technical side enables the expression side to express freely and the artistic side always needs to disregard the technical side. The artist requires two mindsets, one to build up technical ability (the practicing side of things) and another to forget about all that practicing and just play (the performing side of things). It's quite the dichotomy and all very, very human.
Performing is no fun when I’m willing things to happen on the guitar that don't come true because there's not enough practice time behind me. It's always a struggle to some degree, but as long as I can keep it on the positive side of things then overall it is fun. Sometimes my performances feel like one long struggle, and other times when every note I will into being materializes just the way I imagined. I guess that's art. You never really know what you're going to get. Just prepare as much as you can and roll the dice.
I sometimes tell my students it takes a dedicated artist to play beautifully - any schmuck can play aggressively. When we can achieve beauty we're mastering the instrument instead of the instrument mastering us. That allows a much broader range of expression.
Practice is practice and performance is performance. Let’s not get the two mixed up. It’s best when like a coin - one side can’t see what the other is doing but can exist in comfort knowing it’s there.
Let’s talk art as related to music and guitar playing because that’s my only comfort zone.
Let’s call one side of the coin technical and the other side expression. They’re entirely different yet infinitely adhered. Each unable to exist without the other, yet always at odds.
The technical side enables the expression side to express freely and the artistic side always needs to disregard the technical side. The artist requires two mindsets, one to build up technical ability (the practicing side of things) and another to forget about all that practicing and just play (the performing side of things). It's quite the dichotomy and all very, very human.
Performing is no fun when I’m willing things to happen on the guitar that don't come true because there's not enough practice time behind me. It's always a struggle to some degree, but as long as I can keep it on the positive side of things then overall it is fun. Sometimes my performances feel like one long struggle, and other times when every note I will into being materializes just the way I imagined. I guess that's art. You never really know what you're going to get. Just prepare as much as you can and roll the dice.
I sometimes tell my students it takes a dedicated artist to play beautifully - any schmuck can play aggressively. When we can achieve beauty we're mastering the instrument instead of the instrument mastering us. That allows a much broader range of expression.
Practice is practice and performance is performance. Let’s not get the two mixed up. It’s best when like a coin - one side can’t see what the other is doing but can exist in comfort knowing it’s there.
Friday, May 21, 2010
School Music Programs Are Important
Occasionally (okay...hardly ever) a student signs up to study guitar with me that is not only talented but is serious about pursuing guitar. Those that do, usually want what I have for them and if they don't we find out pretty quickly where we stand on that aspect.
Here's the catch. The serious guitar student wants to do something big with music so they attend university in an attempt to get some formal training. They're probably thinking something like "hey, I like music, I'll study music in college!". The trouble is, by that time, it's quite likely too late to get serious about a formal music education unless they've participated in some sort of school music program.
Usually, as it is with guitarists, they have no formal music background, are a social rebel, and have eschewed all manner of institutionalized music programs. Other instruments, or school music programs, even if available, or not cool enough for the average guitar toting adolescent. Yet when they get to be college-aged they often do a little self analysis and say - "hey - I better try to learn what's going on with this" or something to that affect.
Even if a child is lucky enough to study guitar at a young age with a qualified teacher, it doesn't take the place of traditional ensemble playing. They need to play or sing in some kind of formal ensemble as soon as they can.
Entering a university guitar program without any formal music training besides "I can learn off of recordings and tab and have played in bands with my friends" is setting a pretty high goal. After all, you're at a university. Would you hope to be a math major with no formal math schooling? How about English? It would take some pretty hefty intellectual gifts to accomplish a pre-med program with no prior science classes. For whatever reason, it hardly ever occurs to young guitarists that they should take choir, or play in marching band or orchestra. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but trying to get a handle on learning to read music on your instrument, not to mention writing and analyzing at a university level with no experience can't be quite challenging to put it mildly. Just because a student has some talent, doesn't mean they can do all that too. And that's what all the other university music students will be doing.
Just as with athletics, usually it's the students who have excelled at a particular subject or activity in high school, that go on to pursue that specialty at college. All the best high school students from their separate fields are working to make the grade at university. All of the outstanding award-winning high school athletes, musicians, and academics are surrounded by their award-winning peers.
So here's the important part. If you know a youngster that's interested in singing, or playing guitar, or piano - encourage them to participate in whatever formal music training and ensemble playing is available. If they can study guitar and/or play in a school ensemble, that's fantastic. If not, any musical ensemble is better than none. That way if they do decide to get serious about music later, they'll have a better chance at succeeding at a university level.
Here's the catch. The serious guitar student wants to do something big with music so they attend university in an attempt to get some formal training. They're probably thinking something like "hey, I like music, I'll study music in college!". The trouble is, by that time, it's quite likely too late to get serious about a formal music education unless they've participated in some sort of school music program.
Usually, as it is with guitarists, they have no formal music background, are a social rebel, and have eschewed all manner of institutionalized music programs. Other instruments, or school music programs, even if available, or not cool enough for the average guitar toting adolescent. Yet when they get to be college-aged they often do a little self analysis and say - "hey - I better try to learn what's going on with this" or something to that affect.
Even if a child is lucky enough to study guitar at a young age with a qualified teacher, it doesn't take the place of traditional ensemble playing. They need to play or sing in some kind of formal ensemble as soon as they can.
Entering a university guitar program without any formal music training besides "I can learn off of recordings and tab and have played in bands with my friends" is setting a pretty high goal. After all, you're at a university. Would you hope to be a math major with no formal math schooling? How about English? It would take some pretty hefty intellectual gifts to accomplish a pre-med program with no prior science classes. For whatever reason, it hardly ever occurs to young guitarists that they should take choir, or play in marching band or orchestra. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but trying to get a handle on learning to read music on your instrument, not to mention writing and analyzing at a university level with no experience can't be quite challenging to put it mildly. Just because a student has some talent, doesn't mean they can do all that too. And that's what all the other university music students will be doing.
Just as with athletics, usually it's the students who have excelled at a particular subject or activity in high school, that go on to pursue that specialty at college. All the best high school students from their separate fields are working to make the grade at university. All of the outstanding award-winning high school athletes, musicians, and academics are surrounded by their award-winning peers.
So here's the important part. If you know a youngster that's interested in singing, or playing guitar, or piano - encourage them to participate in whatever formal music training and ensemble playing is available. If they can study guitar and/or play in a school ensemble, that's fantastic. If not, any musical ensemble is better than none. That way if they do decide to get serious about music later, they'll have a better chance at succeeding at a university level.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Three Kinds of Gigs
It's important to know, as a performer, the difference between a restaurant, a bar, and a concert, and how to treat them when you're performing. Some people I've played with could never get some of that straight, or else they didn't care, and the result was pretty frustrating on my end.
To the uninitiated, it would seem simple: just play the song stupid. Nothing could actually be further from the truth and if you're missing out on that as a performer you'd be doing yourself a disservice.
Bar Gigs
True Confessions: When I was younger (mid 20's) and playing rock music in bars, I often made what I now believe to be a big mistake. I'd come out like gangbusters on the first three tunes like it was some kind of a concert (secretly I probably was just wishing it was a concert). I've seen others do this and in my decrepit old age I've learned the error of my ways. It's a bar gig - you've got three or four hours to play. Eight or nine o'clock in the evening is definitely not the same as 11:30. Bar audiences usually want to be eased into things instead of being hit over the head. And it doesn't necessarily mean playing different repertoire. Later on playing in a variety band, I learned how to play the same songs differently in different parts of the evening ("Brick House" can definitely be played with varying amounts of enthusiasm depending on the hour - yes, I've played "Brick House" a hundred times or what seems like it anyway). Also - if you can "read" your audience and play to them, it's a big help. This is something I'm terrible at. "Reading" one person that I know well is challenge for me, much a less an audience. Being in a band who can successfully play to a bar audience and whip it into a frenzy by altering song sequence and feel, I've always thought, is a lot of fun.
Concerts
Concerts on the other hand are a whole 'nother story. Usually you've got 45 minutes to an hour to do your thing and win over anyone who's there. Pacing and a finely honed set list are definitely in order in order to showcase your best stuff. Standing on a stage in front of a festival crowd is no place for a leader to turn around to the band and say "what do you guys want to do?" and yet, this has happened to me. It's amazing to me that a leader that could be so good at bar gigs and suck so bad at concerts but I've seen it and lived and it's not pretty folks.
Restaurants
Currently I have the pleasure of providing background music for a brunch crowd on Sundays at a fine local eatery. Many folks in the music biz call this a "wallpaper" gig. You're really just providing atmosphere for people to enjoy their food. They're definitely not there to hear me. They're there for the prime rib, oysters, etc. Surprise of surprises though - some of the restaurant crowd actually listens to what I'm playing. I know this for a fact. Really, no joke. They frequently walk up and say things like "What was the name of that tune? We've been trying to figure that out." That's how I know.
It's really kind of a funny gig - there's rarely if ever any applause. Occasionally someone will get drawn into the music and be inspired to clap but it's pretty rare. All in all I'd like to think that what I'm doing really adds value to their whole restaurant experience. As far as I know we're not chasing anyone off anyway.
In bars and restaurants, I think that the music is really an accompaniment to some other purpose (more so in restaurants, naturally). But if you ever get to play a concert or a recital where you are the only or the featured act you can be assured that whoever is there is there to see you. The pressure is on. So plan and rehearse to that end.
Keep on swingin'!
To the uninitiated, it would seem simple: just play the song stupid. Nothing could actually be further from the truth and if you're missing out on that as a performer you'd be doing yourself a disservice.
Bar Gigs
True Confessions: When I was younger (mid 20's) and playing rock music in bars, I often made what I now believe to be a big mistake. I'd come out like gangbusters on the first three tunes like it was some kind of a concert (secretly I probably was just wishing it was a concert). I've seen others do this and in my decrepit old age I've learned the error of my ways. It's a bar gig - you've got three or four hours to play. Eight or nine o'clock in the evening is definitely not the same as 11:30. Bar audiences usually want to be eased into things instead of being hit over the head. And it doesn't necessarily mean playing different repertoire. Later on playing in a variety band, I learned how to play the same songs differently in different parts of the evening ("Brick House" can definitely be played with varying amounts of enthusiasm depending on the hour - yes, I've played "Brick House" a hundred times or what seems like it anyway). Also - if you can "read" your audience and play to them, it's a big help. This is something I'm terrible at. "Reading" one person that I know well is challenge for me, much a less an audience. Being in a band who can successfully play to a bar audience and whip it into a frenzy by altering song sequence and feel, I've always thought, is a lot of fun.
Concerts
Concerts on the other hand are a whole 'nother story. Usually you've got 45 minutes to an hour to do your thing and win over anyone who's there. Pacing and a finely honed set list are definitely in order in order to showcase your best stuff. Standing on a stage in front of a festival crowd is no place for a leader to turn around to the band and say "what do you guys want to do?" and yet, this has happened to me. It's amazing to me that a leader that could be so good at bar gigs and suck so bad at concerts but I've seen it and lived and it's not pretty folks.
Restaurants
Currently I have the pleasure of providing background music for a brunch crowd on Sundays at a fine local eatery. Many folks in the music biz call this a "wallpaper" gig. You're really just providing atmosphere for people to enjoy their food. They're definitely not there to hear me. They're there for the prime rib, oysters, etc. Surprise of surprises though - some of the restaurant crowd actually listens to what I'm playing. I know this for a fact. Really, no joke. They frequently walk up and say things like "What was the name of that tune? We've been trying to figure that out." That's how I know.
It's really kind of a funny gig - there's rarely if ever any applause. Occasionally someone will get drawn into the music and be inspired to clap but it's pretty rare. All in all I'd like to think that what I'm doing really adds value to their whole restaurant experience. As far as I know we're not chasing anyone off anyway.
In bars and restaurants, I think that the music is really an accompaniment to some other purpose (more so in restaurants, naturally). But if you ever get to play a concert or a recital where you are the only or the featured act you can be assured that whoever is there is there to see you. The pressure is on. So plan and rehearse to that end.
Keep on swingin'!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Priming the Mind With Exposure - Part II (Where's my Chicken Feet?)
Where's my chicken feet?
Ever make that trip to Giant-Mart to get those oh so essential weekly essentials and go into a frustrated fit when you don't immediately find your regular brand of detergent, beans, or chicken feet, or whatever junk you normally put in your cart? In a matter of frantic moments you find your goods and all is right with the world.
One or more things may have happened. A) The Manufacturer changed the package, and/or B) Giant-Mart moved your cherished frozen tacos to the next freezer bin over. This is all designed to make you spend more time looking around in hopes that you'll see all the other cool stuff they have for you to buy. No matter how frustrating that is for you. After all, you have the mental image in your head, you know where it's supposed to be, just let me have my stuff you a-holes! In the course of all this you just may discover there really is more than one brand of macaroni and cheese. Hey...how 'bout that? You, my friend, have just been exposed and primed. Now you're an informed shopper ready to go and make a choice between something new and same old thing you'll likely buy anyway because you have no adventure in your soul.
Look Out!
So you can understand now that what you don't know can indeed hurt you. Very much. If you're not aware of the world around you, you'll be susceptible to every conniving thieving jerk out there. And...you can miss great opportunities just because you may not catch that critical word, or acronym, in someone's conversation that could make all the difference for you.
So...the more exposure you get, the more likely you won't be blindsided like the Pacific island natives. And you won't miss opportunities because you don't understand what someone is saying. If one of your cohorts is using specialized terms that you don't know, you're likely to slough those words off as being unimportant and disregard or ignore them all together. When you do know them you'll feel included.
In Conclusion
Most of what college classes are about is exposure. You learn little tidbits. Do a little bit with it and move on. Even when you specialize in biology or math or music or what have you, the object is to get exposure to knowledge that will hopefully open doors of opportunity and shield you from the great unknowns.
The broader your experiences - the more protections and opportunities you have. Educate yourself!
Ever make that trip to Giant-Mart to get those oh so essential weekly essentials and go into a frustrated fit when you don't immediately find your regular brand of detergent, beans, or chicken feet, or whatever junk you normally put in your cart? In a matter of frantic moments you find your goods and all is right with the world.
One or more things may have happened. A) The Manufacturer changed the package, and/or B) Giant-Mart moved your cherished frozen tacos to the next freezer bin over. This is all designed to make you spend more time looking around in hopes that you'll see all the other cool stuff they have for you to buy. No matter how frustrating that is for you. After all, you have the mental image in your head, you know where it's supposed to be, just let me have my stuff you a-holes! In the course of all this you just may discover there really is more than one brand of macaroni and cheese. Hey...how 'bout that? You, my friend, have just been exposed and primed. Now you're an informed shopper ready to go and make a choice between something new and same old thing you'll likely buy anyway because you have no adventure in your soul.
Look Out!
So you can understand now that what you don't know can indeed hurt you. Very much. If you're not aware of the world around you, you'll be susceptible to every conniving thieving jerk out there. And...you can miss great opportunities just because you may not catch that critical word, or acronym, in someone's conversation that could make all the difference for you.
So...the more exposure you get, the more likely you won't be blindsided like the Pacific island natives. And you won't miss opportunities because you don't understand what someone is saying. If one of your cohorts is using specialized terms that you don't know, you're likely to slough those words off as being unimportant and disregard or ignore them all together. When you do know them you'll feel included.
In Conclusion
Most of what college classes are about is exposure. You learn little tidbits. Do a little bit with it and move on. Even when you specialize in biology or math or music or what have you, the object is to get exposure to knowledge that will hopefully open doors of opportunity and shield you from the great unknowns.
The broader your experiences - the more protections and opportunities you have. Educate yourself!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Priming The Mind With Exposure - Part I
Right off the top of my head I can think of three reasons why it is of benefit to go to college.
Exposure to knowledge
Focus of knowledge
Connections
The one I want to talk about today is exposure to knowledge.
As far as I can tell through my own observations, peoples minds have to be ready to see things in order for them to see them. They have to be "primed" so to speak. When I say see I mean that in a literal sense as well as a figurative sense.
Let me give you some examples of what I mean.
Vocabulary Lesson
Ever learn a new word and then see it popping up everywhere? You're likely to say to yourself something like "hmmm...that's funny, I just learned that word now I'm seeing it with great frequency. What a conicidence!". It's no great coincidence. It's been there all along - you just didn't see it! The reason is that you weren't "primed" for it. As adults we can do this "priming" with exposure and that's a lot of what education is about.
Find Your Shoes
If you've ever spent any time with very young kids (maybe 3 or 4 year olds) you may notice there's a tendency to be a problem with them keeping track of their shoes. Shoes do not seem to be very relevant to them. You may say "hey kid, go to your room, find your shoes and bring 'em here". They then saunter off to their room and perhaps return with the look of helplessness alluding to something like the shoes have somehow disappeared or they're not there. At that point it's up to you to go in that room and find those shoes, no matter how deeply buried they might be under piles of toys and clothes. You walk in and there they are. Right there. Right freakin' there. "How could this child be so blind?" you say.
The answer is that the child has to be "primed" to see the shoes. He or she has to have a mental image of what they're looking for in order to match that up with the real thing. For whatever reason, if the child is not carrying a mental image of what their shoes look like, due to apathy or what have you, the shoes are not going to be discovered.
Hey, how did you get here?
I've read somewhere that the natives of the Pacific islands never, in fact, saw Captain Cook coming. For them, it was more like one day he magically just showed up on the beach out of nowhere. Just like that. Poof. Magic. Literally. Well now it doesn't take a lot for us to imagine he showed up in some kind of big sailing ship. But what if you had never seen a sailing ship? Do you think you would see it? I got news for you - not necessarily.
Next time on Part II - Where's my chicken feet?
Exposure to knowledge
Focus of knowledge
Connections
The one I want to talk about today is exposure to knowledge.
As far as I can tell through my own observations, peoples minds have to be ready to see things in order for them to see them. They have to be "primed" so to speak. When I say see I mean that in a literal sense as well as a figurative sense.
Let me give you some examples of what I mean.
Vocabulary Lesson
Ever learn a new word and then see it popping up everywhere? You're likely to say to yourself something like "hmmm...that's funny, I just learned that word now I'm seeing it with great frequency. What a conicidence!". It's no great coincidence. It's been there all along - you just didn't see it! The reason is that you weren't "primed" for it. As adults we can do this "priming" with exposure and that's a lot of what education is about.
Find Your Shoes
If you've ever spent any time with very young kids (maybe 3 or 4 year olds) you may notice there's a tendency to be a problem with them keeping track of their shoes. Shoes do not seem to be very relevant to them. You may say "hey kid, go to your room, find your shoes and bring 'em here". They then saunter off to their room and perhaps return with the look of helplessness alluding to something like the shoes have somehow disappeared or they're not there. At that point it's up to you to go in that room and find those shoes, no matter how deeply buried they might be under piles of toys and clothes. You walk in and there they are. Right there. Right freakin' there. "How could this child be so blind?" you say.
The answer is that the child has to be "primed" to see the shoes. He or she has to have a mental image of what they're looking for in order to match that up with the real thing. For whatever reason, if the child is not carrying a mental image of what their shoes look like, due to apathy or what have you, the shoes are not going to be discovered.
Hey, how did you get here?
I've read somewhere that the natives of the Pacific islands never, in fact, saw Captain Cook coming. For them, it was more like one day he magically just showed up on the beach out of nowhere. Just like that. Poof. Magic. Literally. Well now it doesn't take a lot for us to imagine he showed up in some kind of big sailing ship. But what if you had never seen a sailing ship? Do you think you would see it? I got news for you - not necessarily.
Next time on Part II - Where's my chicken feet?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Set Lists
Ah, the set list. A musician's master plan. Architecture for a showcase of emotional waves. Outline of tension and resolution. A showcase of repertoire that we hope will become not so much of a run down of the known, but more of a catalyst for synergy and a path to something more magical, something more than the sum of it's parts. Even when it's not followed, it can become a lifesaving document.
Some folks don't even use them...who are those people anyway? Man, I've got to have it
The way it works for me is that sometimes I wind up pouring so much into the performance of a song, I don't really have much left over to contemplate what should happen next. It's best however, when the playing of one song suggests the next, and that's the best feeling. When the set list becomes more of a safety net than a master plan. Then we're riding on the coat tails of emotions and feelings, much like the improvisations included in a jazz arrangement.
Currently I'm trying to keep about a hundred tunes in my repertoire and I'm playing a steady restaurant gig once a week gig. When I started out with this gig I wasn't making set lists - I didn't want to work that hard. Then I started to notice how stressed out I was getting instead of having a nice time. Turns out the stress of deciding what songs to play was ruining the gig for me. It turned out to be much easier to plan ahead. Plus when I don't have one, I always find that I miss out on some songs I wish I would have played. This lead me to keeping track of what tunes out of my repertoire I perform each week. I'm occasionally surprised to see how many times I've played "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" or something like that over the course of a couple of months. Is there some deep meaning in that? I don't know about that, but I do know that keeping track of what's happening every week and having a planned set list makes for a more interesting and fun gig.
Set lists - you don't have to stick to 'em and it's great to have 'em.
Some folks don't even use them...who are those people anyway? Man, I've got to have it
The way it works for me is that sometimes I wind up pouring so much into the performance of a song, I don't really have much left over to contemplate what should happen next. It's best however, when the playing of one song suggests the next, and that's the best feeling. When the set list becomes more of a safety net than a master plan. Then we're riding on the coat tails of emotions and feelings, much like the improvisations included in a jazz arrangement.
Currently I'm trying to keep about a hundred tunes in my repertoire and I'm playing a steady restaurant gig once a week gig. When I started out with this gig I wasn't making set lists - I didn't want to work that hard. Then I started to notice how stressed out I was getting instead of having a nice time. Turns out the stress of deciding what songs to play was ruining the gig for me. It turned out to be much easier to plan ahead. Plus when I don't have one, I always find that I miss out on some songs I wish I would have played. This lead me to keeping track of what tunes out of my repertoire I perform each week. I'm occasionally surprised to see how many times I've played "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" or something like that over the course of a couple of months. Is there some deep meaning in that? I don't know about that, but I do know that keeping track of what's happening every week and having a planned set list makes for a more interesting and fun gig.
Set lists - you don't have to stick to 'em and it's great to have 'em.
Friday, February 26, 2010
You Can Take It With You
Recently a couple of incidents have happened that remind me of a story from my school days.
I had made a friend at Berklee who was an extraordinary bass player and had a very expensive custom made Alembic bass (at that time all Alembics were custom made). He used to drive around in an old Thunderbird or something like that. He told me a story of how he had his bass with him and he was headed to the laundromat for well...apparent reasons, when he decided to stop along the way for quick in and out stop at a friend's house.
This was right in the city (Boston) so he parks and hesitates for a moment as he decides whether to bring his prized Alembic with him. He knows he's only going to be minute...at the last second he takes the bass with him. Fifteen minutes later he comes back and...car gone along with ALL of his clothes. He literally lost his car and every piece of clothing he didn't have on but the nightmare of nightmares was avoided. He still had his irreplaceable bass guitar.
If someone takes your car - they'll also get everything that's inside.
The other day one of my students was accompanying me to a performance at the NSU Recital Hall. We're almost to the hall and he says - maybe I'll see you in a little while? I said "Aren't you coming in?". He wanted to bring his guitar to his car or take it home as he felt awkward bringing in the recital hall. "F**k that" I said (not very smooth, I know) "it's a music hall I think it'll be alright to bring it with you". He wasn't used to the idea that he was somewhere where people would expect others to be toting around instruments.
The thing is...even when it seems awkward, I'd rather carry my guitar around with me in a mall or to a restaurant than chance losing them should someone break into or steal my vehicle. My instruments or irreplaceable. Are yours?
I had made a friend at Berklee who was an extraordinary bass player and had a very expensive custom made Alembic bass (at that time all Alembics were custom made). He used to drive around in an old Thunderbird or something like that. He told me a story of how he had his bass with him and he was headed to the laundromat for well...apparent reasons, when he decided to stop along the way for quick in and out stop at a friend's house.
This was right in the city (Boston) so he parks and hesitates for a moment as he decides whether to bring his prized Alembic with him. He knows he's only going to be minute...at the last second he takes the bass with him. Fifteen minutes later he comes back and...car gone along with ALL of his clothes. He literally lost his car and every piece of clothing he didn't have on but the nightmare of nightmares was avoided. He still had his irreplaceable bass guitar.
If someone takes your car - they'll also get everything that's inside.
The other day one of my students was accompanying me to a performance at the NSU Recital Hall. We're almost to the hall and he says - maybe I'll see you in a little while? I said "Aren't you coming in?". He wanted to bring his guitar to his car or take it home as he felt awkward bringing in the recital hall. "F**k that" I said (not very smooth, I know) "it's a music hall I think it'll be alright to bring it with you". He wasn't used to the idea that he was somewhere where people would expect others to be toting around instruments.
The thing is...even when it seems awkward, I'd rather carry my guitar around with me in a mall or to a restaurant than chance losing them should someone break into or steal my vehicle. My instruments or irreplaceable. Are yours?
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