A Musical Mind

30 Hands Challenge

2012-01-27T15:16:00.001-06:00

In line with my last post about getting Beyond Boredom, I have been making a point to slow down my life and focus on a small handful of tasks. Instead of trying to do everything under the sun and getting nothing done, I am focusing on doing a few things and doing them often and well. There are 5 elements and I am trying to do this for 30 consecutive days, so I am calling it my 30 Hands Challenge (cause there are five fingers in a hand and it is easier for me to remember that way).

The 5 Elements:
1) Sleep - this may seem obvious, but often I get too little sleep. And then I go the other direction and get too much. Since sleep is an important daily routine I want to be mindful and consistent. 6-8 hours per night. Not stay up too late, not sleep in too late.
2) Lots of Water/Good Food - When I am drinking lots of water I feel better. I have heard that the majority of Americans are clinically dehydrated, and I can tell the difference when I make a point to drink lots of water. Half of my body weight in ounces (I weigh about 170 pounds, so that is 85 ounces of water every day). Minimal sweets, minimal coffee, no alcohol. Lots of fruits and vegetables. This is not a diet but a lifestyle challenge.
3) Write - For me this applies mostly to words. Most of my day is spent writing music, so I do not feel the need to create time for it. But words: spend at least an hour every day writing letters to family, friends. Write essays, articles, blog posts. Tweets do not count.
4) Read - This is the biggest change for me. Read at least an hour every day. The internet does not count even if it is the NY Times. I am talking about books. Even good magazines will get the job done. Do not watch TV or movies. 30 days without movies is a challenge.
5) Exercise - For me this is yoga. It takes care of my body, calms me and focuses me. Again, this is not a diet or an exercise regimen, but our bodies are important and we should take care of them. Take care of your body every day.

I made this little chart to document how long I have been going. Each day I cross out another number at the top. (Feel free to download and/or print this sheet for your own use.) I have already done 10 days in a row of this lifestyle challenge. I have noticed a shift in my ability to generate longer threads of thought and sustain ideas over time. The hardest part has been not watching movies, which I normally do regularly at the end of the day. Now I read instead which is usually very peaceful and not really a sacrifice.

This may seem like a small challenge, but I mainly want to do what is best for my ability to create. I feel that the abundant stimulation in the forms of TV, movies and the internet is distracting and detrimental to coherent and extended thought. This is a search for my higher self.

Beyond Boredom

2012-01-17T10:45:00.000-06:00

It is hard to imagine being bored in this day and age. Between radio, television, video games, smart phones, twitter and youtube we are constantly bombarded with information from all sides. How does this affect our creativity?

The creation of something where there was nothing requires significant perspective and vision, both of which are difficult if not impossible to achieve when we are distracted. Yes, while the many stimuli of today’s world are interesting and exciting, they are also distracting.

The beauty of the internet and smart phone apps are that they give us endless choices of surroundings and stimulation. If one web page is uninteresting, we simply click to another and another until we find something to stimulate us.

The big problem is that the more we seek stimulation externally, the less we seek it or even recognize it from within. If we are used to reading about great ideas in the New York Times we will have difficulty seeing a great idea that comes from our own mind.

Boredom is not a problem. It is the hole in which a building is built. It may seem like a step backward at the time: “I want to build up, why am I digging this hole down?!” But without the hole your building will have no stability.

Take a day or two away from the constant stimulation of the internet and television. Let yourself become bored. You will soon find that boredom is not the end, it is the beginning of individual creativity. When you create the vacuum in your mind, it will fill itself with ideas and thoughts. You will be overwhelmed with things to create.

Picasso said “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” Let your mind wander. Let it be quiet. That is the road to creativity.

Namaste: Recognizing Myself and Others

2012-01-12T13:27:00.000-06:00

For the past year I have practiced yoga regularly - about 6 times per week. I have done lots of vinyasa in the Baptiste style, lots of Bikram, and a little bit of Yin stretching. Regular yoga practice is an empowering and humbling endeavor. Many things that I thought I was capable of turned out to be untrue. But I also found strength in myself, body and mind, that I never knew was there. The physical exertion - the strength and flexibility - is hard to pretend. Some days are effortless. Some days are a struggle. Each day is different, and that is a lesson too.

Each day of practice ends with an Indian greeting and show of respect - Namaste. We place our hands together as if in prayer next to our hearts. We bow our heads. Some say the word Namaste. It is an act of recognition of the self and those around us. Many describe Namaste as saying “the divine in me salutes the divine in you.”

Namaste requires, above all, a recognition and respect for the self. We must believe that there is value and even “divinity” within ourselves. Once we can recognize our divine self, we start to see others more clearly. When we bow our heads in Namaste at the end of a class, I remind myself that no matter how different we all are and no matter why we are here, we are all here together in the same place so we can't be that different. One person might be here to relax, another to focus, another to exercise, another to heal her back. Despite our seemingly different intentions we are in the same place at the same time when we could be anywhere doing anything. We are more similar that we may recognize. Any strength that I imagine to be within myself is also within those around me.

Namaste works the other way too. When there are days that I am feeling weak or depressed, I use Namaste to remind me of the divinity within myself. If I am in the same place at the same time doing the same practice as the strong and dedicated people around me, I too must be strong and dedicated. It is a powerful phrase. A powerful idea.

Book Worth Reading - Music By Philip Glass

2011-12-31T08:36:00.000-06:00

Philip Glass' autobiographical book Music By Philip Glass covers the period between 1965 and 1985. It starts with his involvement in progressive theater in New York in the 60s, especially with the Mabou Mines theatre group. After this brief introduction, the three main sections of the book regard Glass' three large-scale operas from the period: Einstein On the Beach, Satyagraha, and Akhnaten. He writes in-depth about the development process, the rehearsals and somewhat about the musical material that went into each work.

The book is clearly presented and without fluff. We are shown behind the curtain of one of the great composers of our time. It is invaluable to read Glass' own words and perspectives about music and theatre.

A Culture of Accord

2011-11-28T12:44:00.000-06:00

Have we lost the ability to disagree? Is there only room in the world for one right answer?

I am struck recently by a lack of respect for diverging opinions and ideas. When there is disagreement about any topic - politics, art, food - the conversation turns toward reaching agreement. There is an underlying belief that we all must believe the same things. Perhaps it is our own insecurity that leads us to want affirmation of our beliefs.

Can't we hold different beliefs and different opinions? Are there so few who believe in what they say enough to hold their ground; and who are willing to let others believe differently? My father always said "if both of you agree, one of you is irrelevant."

If all of us are in agreement, has our culture lost its creativity and its potency?

Book Worth Reading - The Story of B

2011-08-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick post about The Story of B by Daniel Quinn. It was recommended to me by friend and musician Lucas Cates. The book is essentially an alternate look at human history. How did we get to be the society that we are today?

This book is thought provoking and refreshing, especially to someone (like me) who is often confused and unsettled by the culture we live in. Western culture is both rich and powerful, but it seems consistently to be headed down the wrong path. Were we destined to be this way? What is the role of humans on this planet?

The Story of B explores these questions and many others. It is an easy and engaging read. Well worth the time.

What Politicians Can Learn From Musicians

2011-08-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

The recent political situation here in the United States involves heated debate over raising the debt ceiling. Both sides are treating compromise as a dirty word, which is just downright foolish. They could take some tips from us musicians (how often do we get to say that) who are used to working together to making a product that is better than the sum of its parts. I even saw a poll about whether politicians should stick to their ideology regardless of the consequences. An alarming number of participants, though thankfully not a majority, said that ideology should not be compromised. Let me introduce you to the real world.

Compromise is not something to fear nor something to shy away from. It is a way for more people to get a piece of what they want, so more people can benefit. Speaking from an artistic point of view, ideology is a wonderful place to start. A starting point - that’s all. Ideology exists in a vacuum. All bets are off once an idea enters reality. In the immortal words of Mike Tyson, “Everyone has a plan ’til they get punched in the mouth.”

Once an idea enters the real world, it undergoes a whirlwind process of adjusting, editing, refining and yes, compromising to turn the idea into reality. The stronger we believe in the idea, the more refinement is necessary. Compromise is a way to get things right.

It seems that American politicians have never learned what musicians have known for hundreds of years: if we refuse to work with others, we will be lonely and our work will suffer. When we refuse to move forward because the solutions don’t completely represent our original ideology, we find ourselves with nothing to show.

This is the brother of option paralysis (where we have too many options and can’t choose). Call it Ideological Paralysis. The neighborhood kids don’t want to play your game, so you sit on the front steps rather than play something else.

Creativity and Hard Work

2011-08-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

Very few things in this life just happen to us, especially things like opportunities, talents or skills. Whenever you hear someone say “he is so naturally gifted,” chances are they are overlooking a tremendous amount of time, effort and hard work. We tend to over-simplify other people’s skills into “natural talent” to make ourselves feel better about not having the same skill or success. It is much easier to imagine that they were given to someone else and are out of our power.

But brilliance is not a gift, it is a skill. Success is not an event, it is a process. Have you ever heard the saying “he worked hard for 15 years to get famous overnight”? Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers begins with the rule of 10,000 hours: to be great at something, you need to do it for at least 10,000 hours. Simple enough.

Author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat Pray Love) gave a remarkable presentation at the TED conference about genius. Did you know that “genius” used to be considered an outside force? A person had genius. Now they are a genius. Big difference. It actually takes some of the pressure off to think of genius as something outside of the self. We need to show up for work and sometimes the genius will appear.

The one piece of advice I have heard from every single one of my heros is to work every day. Some days are magical, some days are abysmal. But, in the words of Philip Roth, “the ordeal is part of the commitment.” If we feel compelled to do what we do, any success is just a bonus. The real goal is to spend a life creating.

Planning vs. Spontaneity

2011-08-03T17:38:00.000-05:00

I have long been an advocate of planning. Preparation. “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success” said Alexander Graham Bell. But the arts, perhaps more than most other fields, rely on inspiration, fluidity, improvisation and spontaneity. Without a certain amount of planning, a project of the slightest complexity will fall into chaos very quickly. But without enough spontaneity, art turns into process and pedantry. How do we balance the two?

Creative individuals often thrive on the disorganized and the slightly chaotic. Just before tipping into the abyss they will have an epiphany. They perceive the smallest amount of planning to be profane, trusting the ether to provide them with inspiration when it is needed. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of blank stares during important moments. Too often the inspiration never comes. Preparation is the match that can start a fire. Without it we are waiting for lightning to strike.

I recently saw a documentary about filmmaker James Toback called The Outsider. Toback is a notoriously spontaneous writer and director, often waiting until the day of filming to decide in what direction the movie will go. He lets his actors improvise liberally to fill the characters with personality and realism. What he ends up with are shockingly natural and raw performances.

I don’t think that the arts could exist without a healthy dose of spontaneity, improvisation and inspiration. But there is a powerful place for being prepared. Planning is the groundwork that should be laid to take full advantage of the inspiration. Like setting out a rain barrel to catch the rain.

What Are the “Benefits” of Music?

2011-07-30T15:50:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading the wonderful The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman. It is full of clear rules and principles of business from product, value and marketing to sales and finance. It is designed as an alternative (alongside real-world experience) to the lifelong debt that is business school. Quite brilliant and revolutionary.

As a musician, I find myself wondering about how the so-called “Core Human Drives” apply to music. The Core Human Drives are basically what people want and why they take the actions that they do. Any product or service that hopes to communicate effectively with its customers had better understand their motivations.

Kaufman references powerful marketing campaigns like the iPod’s “1,000 songs in your pocket.” The campaign was successful because it highlighted the benefits of owning an iPod. Namely that you could carry way more music with you than if you use a tape or CD player. The opposite would be to highlight the features, like a touch screen or 32GB. Features are cool, but they are too cerebral and they don’t communicate as powerfully as benefits. Sadly, far too many people and businesses focus on features instead of benefits. Which of course got me thinking.

What are the benefits of music? It is easy to talk about virtuosity, cleverness, production value, even beauty when we discuss music. But those are features. What are the benefits? I go back and forth between believing that music is entertainment (and therefore dispensable) and believing it is fundamental to human understanding of existence (read this speech and you will never think about music the same way again).

Why do people listen to music? My closest guess, referring back to the Core Human Drives, is The Drive to Learn coupled with The Drive to Feel. And music concerts certainly fall into The Drive to Bond category. Does that mean that we should market concerts as “a great place to meet people”?

As a bit of an existentialist, I can’t help but think there is also a more ethereal drive, like The Drive to Understand Why We Are Here. Does music help with this? It certainly informs my need to create music, because I feel more at peace when I am writing and playing music. Perhaps it doesn’t tell me why I am here, but it makes me truly happy for awhile. Do other people feel this unrest?

Those Who Can't Teach... Do

2011-03-26T18:40:00.000-05:00

We've all heard the condemnation of teachers and teaching in general claiming that people who can not actually do an activity or an art form are resigned to teaching it. I am not a teacher, but a doer, and I find the statement both inaccurate and insulting.

Teachers are the cornerstone of our knowledge. I would not know what I do if it were not for teachers I have had. I assume the same is true for you and for everyone.

I am not someone who is naturally inclined to teaching. I struggle to cross the divide that separates those who know (teachers) from those who do not (students). Teaching is a profession of communication; transferring knowledge and inspiration from one person to another. It is completely separate from the actual doing of a task. Sure, a certain amount of understanding is necessary, but expertise is not fundamental to teaching.

I have known several teachers who can not practice brilliantly the skill they teach, but they understand it exceptionally well. More importantly, they understand how to communicate the process of learning it. They know how to get a student from point A to point B, even when that path is different for each one.

It seems to me that teaching - transferring knowledge - is a more nuanced and skilled profession than most arts. I strive to be a better teacher. A better communicator.

Silence

2011-02-14T22:13:00.000-06:00

We can not consider music without considering silence. Without silence, there is no sound - no way to tell the difference between sound and not sound. As musicians, we are interested in the way that sound is structured to create a spiritual, intellectual or emotional impact. And too many of us overlook silence.

Silence is to a musician what shadow is to a painter or photographer. It is a way to accentuate the bright areas. It is a way to draw attention to where you want it. But silence is something more in a temporal medium like music. It is a way to create, satisfy or foil expectation.

When we consider rhythm, is it a repetition of sound or a repetition of silence? Is silence the default state for music? That is, when the music is over, does the world revert to silence? Or is silence a constructed thing, like music. Perhaps the default sonic state of the world is chaos or noise - the hum of the computers, cars, airplanes, talking, birds. But when we enter the world of music, we have the rare ability to construct silence. People are quiet, the world is quiet.

Perhaps we composers are some of the few with the ability to create silence, not just music.

What is Music?

2011-01-24T11:39:00.000-06:00

As a musician who has composed, played and listened in many different genres, I sometimes find myself wondering what they have in common.

How does medieval polyphony relate to hip-hop? How does jazz relate to heavy metal? How does John Cage relate to Lutoslawski or Philip Glass? What do they all have in common? They have all been called music, but what is it that ties them together?

Some music can be defined by its emotional expression, but that definition falls short with much art music that is created with formulas and intellect. Some music can be defined by its use of pitches, tones and rhythms to structure sound, but that definition would include so much that isn't music, like sound design, poetry and oratory.

Perhaps it is beside the point to search for a cut and dried definition to such a varied and versatile art form. Perhaps music's elusiveness is fundamental to its magic. Perhaps it is elemental to art that it can not be defined or constricted, for the very moment you think you can grasp it, it changes and foils all preconceptions.

If music were definable or predictable, I imagine that it would lose its wonder.

Friends and Fans

2011-01-10T11:54:00.000-06:00

One of the most frustrating aspects of the music business, and one that extends into show business in general, is the tendency to try to turn your friends into your fans.

Let me make this abundantly clear: YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOT YOUR FANS! And your fans are not your friends. Do not confuse the two.

It is especially common in young artists who have yet to create a professional identity. They are forced to use their real-life identity to represent their art. But this is a mistake on many levels. While your art and real-life are closely related, they must also be kept separate. Otherwise we become confused and lose track of who we are as people.

Fans see (or hear) a miniscule part of us. They create their own perceptions of who we are as people based on the tiny snippets that they observe. But they do not know us. And usually, they do not really want to know us. Most fans prefer artists to be figments of their imaginations.

This is also why your friends are not your fans anymore than you are your own fan. They may come to hear you play in order to support you. As wonderful and necessary as that is, they will never love your work. And they will probably never understand it. And they will certainly never look to you as a brilliant artist.

Do not try to cultivate your friends as your fans. You will probably just lose your friends without gaining any fans.

Earplugs

2011-01-09T14:59:00.000-06:00

If you care about your ears as much as I do, earplugs are a must. In addition to the abusive volume of most music concerts, trains, buses, airplanes, construction, background music, even crowded conversation can be at levels that is detrimental to your hearing. If you can not have a conversation at a normal speaking volume, than the environment is loud enough to damage your ears.

There are a few ways to avoid this, and since reclusiveness can have negative effects on the career of a musician, earplugs become very important. There are two routes you can go when it comes to earplugs: expensive or simple.

Expensive:In most cities, you can go to an audiologist to get your hearing checked and molds made of your unique ear shape. Then they make custom earplugs to fit your ear perfectly. These earplugs dampen all frequencies evenly, so you do not get that muffled earplug sound when you use them. They run around $150.

I got a pair of these nice, custom earplugs a couple years back. They worked wonderfully. Comfortable and they sounded great. After about a year, I lost one of them at a gig in a city far from home. And earplugs do not work as well when there is only one of them. I think Vegas is the only other place where I could lose $75 so quickly.

Which brings me to the second type of earplugs...

Foam: You can find foam earplugs at music stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, drug stores, gas stations, pretty much anywhere. And they are dirt cheap. Less than a dollar a pair. They are easy to use - you just scrunch them up and stick them in your ears. You can just throw them away after you use them and they get wax on them. And if you lose one or both of them, it is not going to break the bank.

The biggest drawback of foam earplugs is that they create a muffled sound when you use them, especially if you get the really strong ones. Also, they tend to stick out of your ears unless you shove them way in (which is bad), causing you to look pretty goofy with orange or blue foam sticking out of your ears.

The remedy that I have found for both of these issues is a scissors. I cut my foam earplugs in half so they are only half as long. This way they do not stick out of my ears, and they give a sufficient amount of dampening without muffling the sounds too much.

A Slave To Process

2011-01-09T14:42:00.000-06:00

A lot of people wonder about the process of writing music. Do you start with the melody? The lyrics? The concept? The chord progression? The rhythm?

The answer is that you start with whatever is there. Sometimes it is a bit of melody that comes first. Sometimes it is the idea for the ending. Whatever it is, that is what you must hold on to and elaborate to create the complete work.

There is no one way to write music. As disciplined as it is, there is always give and take, improvisation and even fear about where the next idea will come from.

I had a teacher who used to say: "If you only have one way of doing things, you are a slave. If you have two ways, you have a choice. Once you have three or more ways, you start to have options."

And that is what being creative is all about - giving yourself options so that you can turn a disaster into a work of art.

Setting Goals As an Artist

2010-06-29T09:33:00.000-05:00

It is easy to mix up the ideas of artistry and absent-mindedness. We think that to be creative means being disorganized, flighty and generally unreliable. "It is the nature of the artist" we tell ourselves as we miss appointments or show up an hour late.

But being organized and setting goals for the future are of the utmost importance if we wish to actually harness our creative powers and put them to work for us. How many creative types do you know who drift with the wind, waiting for opportunities while cursing the obtuseness of a world who doesn't understand them?

These are artists who have failed to claim ownership of their lives and art. If only they were to determine what their art means to them and what it means to be successful, they would be well on the path to a full life as an artist.

What does success mean to you? Do you need to be on an episode of MTV Cribs? Do you need to win a prestigious award like an Oscar or a Grammy? Do you need to make enough from your art to support yourself and your family?

Without goals of our own - benchmarks and directions that we desire for our own progress and self-worth - we are subject to the fickle perceptions of other people. Our own sense of value is then determined by what they think of us.

When we set goals to strive toward we are basically taking ownership of our progress and success. Goals establish the rules by which we then play the game.

Transcending Your Medium

2010-04-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

Every artist is intimately involved with her medium. An oil painter will create vastly different work than a sculptor or a pianist simply due to the nature of the tools at her disposal. In the most concrete of ways, art is defined, limited and inspired by its tools of communication.

When musicians make recordings, it is easy to get caught up in the wonders of the medium - I can pan this hard left for a cool effect...what if I distort this?...I can layer twenty violins to make a haunting pseudo-orchestra...etc.

This is a classic example of not seeing the forest for the trees. We can get intoxicated by the capabilities of our immediate medium and lose track of the bigger picture. Am I communicating effectively? Is my message clear? And most importantly - is my message worth paying attention to?

Every medium has its own quirks, limitations and opportunities, but it remains only a medium of expression. We must transcend our media by communicating messages that are gripping. When we create a compelling work, the audience sees the work and not the medium.

The Idea of Success in Art

2010-03-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

Success, as defined by Miriam-Webster, is either 1)a favorable or desired outcome, or 2)the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence. With those in mind, what does it mean to be a "successful" artist?

According to the first definition, we achieve success every time that we reach the desired outcome. Anytime our art does or says what we want it to we are successful. But most would argue that this is success.

Most adhere to the second definition of success - the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence. That we are successful when we are rich or commonly lauded. The strange part is that, artistically speaking, this definition contradicts the first.

As an artist, how often do your goals and the desires of the public coincide? How often is the wealthiest the most talented?

Wealth is basically the ownership of money or things with potential monetary value. And with the ability to pursue these things as their own end (we have people who trade money, who buy and sell money), we have lost a large part of their original purpose and therefore their value.

Wealth is no longer a symbol of being good at anything other than the ability to acquire wealth. So for me, that counts out the "attainment of wealth" as a measure of artistic success.

The ideas of acquiring favor and eminence, especially from the general public, are often contrary to the goals of the artist. Art is often a progressive form of expression that relies on exploring new territory and testing the boundaries of our psyche and culture. Rarely, if ever, does this meet with public understanding and acceptance.

Is "success" possible for an artist? As soon as general understanding is reached, he is most likely on to the next thing, alienating his adoring public. But if success is defined as the achievement of a desired outcome, even unknown and never-to-be-known artists can be successful.

Thoughts Like Schoolchildren

2010-02-26T19:41:00.000-06:00

Thoughts and ideas are like schoolchildren.

For several hours a day they need to be regulated, seated in neat rows, organized and called upon to give the answers. They need the structure to develop discipline and patience.

They need recess. To go outside and run around. Free from constraints and rules. They need to yell, fall down, make new friends, climb trees.

And every child needs to rebel; to disobey just for the sake of being independent. It does not mean that they are bad kids, only that they are starting to desire autonomy.

The Importance of Being Organized

2010-02-12T09:46:00.001-06:00

More and more it strikes me that organization is a key component to greatness, even in the arts. Perhaps especially in the arts where the majority of practitioners are reclusive, egomaniacal or flighty.

Talent is comparably easy to find. As are willing parties. The tough part is the meticulous organization that is so well thought out that it is transparent. No one should ever feel the stricture of the planning other than the way in which time spent is uncommonly productive and always moving forward.

Often the talent and human assets of a production are left to their own devices, or consulting is done on the spot to decide which direction to take given the circumstances. This is a waste of time and resources.

Organization and planning should be done ahead of time with significant thought given to all potential problems. This will make the best use of everyone's time. There is no better way to keep morale high and loyalty strong.

Book Worth Reading - Making Records

2010-02-10T10:50:00.000-06:00

Phil Ramone is one of the great record producers of our time. He has made so many that are classics that it is hard to keep count. Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon... the list goes on and on.

As a recording engineer and producer, Ramone is unparalleled. The clarity and power that he brings to the instruments and voices on his records is enviable. So any nuggets of recording wisdom that he shares are ones that I am more than happy to listen to.

The book occasionally gets bogged down by excessive praise of some of the artists, though I can hardly fault him for that. The value of the book is in his technical and personal reveals throughout the book - how to deal with people and equipment to make great recordings.

He recommends separating microphones by usage. Do not use the kick drum mic on vocals, keep the string mic on the strings. He also mentions one particular time when Bob Dylan purposefully infuriated a session player in order to get an inspired performance.

These little tidbits, along with an occasional glimpse into the artistic process of people like Billy Joel and Paul Simon make the book Making Records worth the time it takes to read, which is not much. It is relatively short and quick, with accessible prose and interesting stories.

The Beauty of Collaboration

2010-02-09T09:37:00.000-06:00

There are few things more wonderful than experiencing a final product that is larger than the sum of its parts. Especially if your work is one of the parts.

As good as we may be at what we do, it is almost always beneficial to work alongside others who are great at what they do. Collaborating is how most art becomes transcendent - beyond the capabilities of one person.

The type of collaboration that is most fruitful crosses the expertise line. Make use of those who are good at something different than you. If you sing, find a great piano player. If you sing and play piano, find a great producer or engineer to work the magic on your recordings.

It can be redundant and frustrating to be in cahoots with those who have similar skill sets. It does not take much for creative people to step on each other's toes. So find people with different areas of expertise and do your part of the job exceptionally. With any luck your collaborators will do the same.

Master of None

2010-02-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

One of the disadvantages of having so much information and diversion readily available on the internet is that people use it. We are a curious species, and it has become so simple to appease ourselves by frenetically searching the internet.

Sometimes this ability is put to great use, quickly locating information and even research to forward an idea or conversation. But often it is used as a distraction and acts to prevent us from building focus or expertise.

Building expert knowledge or skill in an area takes time and focus. Years are dedicated to research, study and practice. As a generation grows who has never known life without YouTube or hand held video games, this focus is dissipating.

Expertise, especially artistically, requires either exceptional focus that usually stems from passion or neurosis. It is no wonder that artists have the stigma of being slightly insane. Most people do not understand the frame of mind and life that it takes to build expertise, much less creativity.

Creativity, whether it be in a musician, a painter or an electrical engineer, requires knowledge and confidence to try what has never been tried before. Who will build that expertise when there is such ready distraction on the world wide web.

Embracing the Shadows

2010-01-27T09:43:00.000-06:00

The other day I was looking through a large print book of Vincent Van Gogh and I could not help but notice the way that he used large dollops of paint. His strokes were unadorned and unpolished to the extent that the stroke itself became a character in his paintings. The great blobs of paint often cast shadows and created texture that were visible even in a two dimensional print.

It struck me that music has these shadows, too. Little details of the existence of humanity that can be wiped away if so chosen. Detractors will call them imperfections, proponents will call them personality.

These details range from pitch to rhythm to proximity (like the room or reverb). Much effort has been made to control every one of these aspects to controversial ends.

Pitch and rhythm are as personal as something like tone. Every musician has their own sense of in-tune and swinging. It is a large part of what makes some musicians recognizable so instantly.

I am certainly in favor of embracing the imperfections and personality of musicians and musical situations. The more we alter them with technology to the point of perfection, the more they become like so many Ones and Zeros.

Turn Down the Volume

2010-01-25T09:41:00.000-06:00

Is there a good reason why the volume of music keeps going up? Especially in the dance and rock genres - I can't enter a venue or a club without earplugs and a wince on my face.

Has acoustic music disappeared? Even songwriters with acoustic guitars feel the need to plug their instruments in and turn them up.

I have a hard time hearing the music when it is so loud. Much less enjoying it.

There is so much depth and subtlety in the way an instrument interacts with a room - with the walls and the audience. But I haven't heard an instrument or a voice in years. All I hear is speakers.

Whenever I play, I make a point to keep things at a "listenable" volume. I have had dozens of compliments about how pleasant it is to be at a concert that doesn't make the ears hurt.

I Need to Play

2010-01-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

Though there are many reasons why music rules my life, there is one that rules all the others: There is nothing else I'd rather do. I have to make music. I need to. Every day spent without music is a miserable one.

I don't understand when people say they wish they could be a musician. That they "want" to play.

What is it that is keeping these people back? Honestly, I'd like to know. Is it fear of failure?

I think insecurity is the number one reason why people avoid writing and performing music. But I must add that if they really felt compelled to play, not just complain about it, that they would find a way.

This goes back to my article "You Are What You Do" - there is a big difference between talking about something and doing it. I talk about building things like tables and beds and bookshelves, but I rarely actually build anything.

Perhaps many would-be musicians care enough about music to talk about it and wish about it but not enough to do it.

I Can't Do What Bores Me

2010-01-09T10:03:00.001-06:00

It never fails to amaze me when people say they "lose interest" when they try to practice music. I imagine it to be the same way I feel when I try to focus on accounting or teaching. I can see the value in the process, but I can not get enthusiastic about it.

Perhaps we are inherently designed to excel at specific areas. With some exceptions, we will excel at that which can hold our interest for the longest period of time.

Many people get bored when they have to practice scales on the piano or learn chord progressions. But that stuff fascinates me and feels good and natural. I can do it for hours at a time. So I have gotten good at it.

It is important to embrace what interests you. That is the most natural way to excel.

Book Worth Reading - Million Dollar Consulting

2010-01-08T13:41:00.002-06:00

This is a book that is cover to cover with valuable information. Even if you do not consider yourself a consultant (or a person who wants to make a million dollars), Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss will help you embrace the entrepreneurial spirit.

Weiss covers everything from understanding your own value to diversification to keeping clients coming in the door. He includes a revolutionary (if logical) process for determining prices and a step by step list to building repute and awareness.

I read lots of books, 5-10 per month. Most I skim to catch the consequential parts. This book I kept for two months and read every word. It is packed with wisdom and value about running your own business.

Music: an Art of Motion

2010-01-07T18:07:00.001-06:00

Music is an art of motion. Like dance. It is always moving and relies on its motion for expression. You will never hear music that is not moving. It is a temporal art form that uses time and the perception of time.

Arts of motion (music and dance and theatre) are different from stationary art like painting or sculpture. A painting does not move. It is created and then it exists, unmoving.

Arts of motion are inseparable from their performances. A piece of music in indistinguishable from the singer or orchestra who plays it. Each performance and interpretation is unique, even when performing the same piece of music.

To relate this idea of performance to painting - it would be like watching Da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa every night. Or watching different painters paint the Mona Lisa. Every occasion would be different, the beauty in the process and performance as well as the actual painting itself.

The Press and the Public

2010-01-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

Universal awareness of you and your music does not happen overnight. It takes years of persistence. Even the musicians at the top of the food chain are continuously working to increase their visibility to new audiences.

There are two main groups of awareness that a musician needs to mind: the public and the press.

You will usually need to start with the public, because the press will ignore anything that the public ignores. It is the job of the press to write about items of interest to the public. So start there. Get the public interested.

Once a reasonable amount of the public is interested, you can likely get the attention of some smaller press. They will review your album or your concert. This has the effect of increasing the awareness of more public.

This cycle continues - the public becomes aware, the press becomes interested and notifies more of the public. It continues and grows and knows no end. There is always a new audience to introduce yourself to.

The Conflict of Music and Business

2010-01-05T13:45:00.000-06:00

The co-mingling of music (any art really) and business is a strange paradox. Paradox though it may be, it is still a reality. Music has been sold for millennia and will continue to be sold for millennia to come.

Creating music requires a very different mindset from business. Writing something new takes spontaneity, inspiration and awareness.

Business requires extensive planning and foresight. A businessman must be level-headed, logical and reasonable when making decisions. This is quite the opposite of a musician, who relies on moments of clarity and inspiration to create.

Trying to be both a musician and a businessman creates an internal conflict. Part of you wants to be flighty and inspired while another part wants to be cool and considered.

This internal conflict often causes stress. Usually both parts - the musician and the businessman suffer.

Celebrity Expectations

2010-01-04T12:15:00.000-06:00

It is important to know what you want out of your musical career.

Do you want to make a living writing or playing music? Do you want to have t-shirts with your name on them? Do you want to travel around the world playing your own songs? Do you want to be Justin Timberlake famous?

These are all different career goals and they all demand different actions to realize.

I, personally, do not care about fame, so the Justin Timberlake route is out for me. It simplifies my life by reducing publicity, travel and constantly being in the eye of the public. I do not have to worry about my meals or strolls being interrupted by someone recognizing me. Very few have reason to know my face.

If you desire the celebrity, it is important to realize that it is outside of the realm of music. Sure, you can be a celebrity in addition to being a musician, but being a celebrity does not make you a great musician any more than being a great musician makes you a celebrity.

We would all love to have the money and power to do what we want. Celebrity has its perks but comes with a lot of responsibilities that most people overlook. Public awareness and sympathy must be constantly maintained - no small feat.

Be specific about what it would take to make you happy. If you say "playing music for a living," figure out how much you need to earn and where you can earn it. Then go get it done.

Goal setting is very important. Goals are tricky in the entertainment industry because we have been inundated with celebrity images. We think that success=celebrity. But it is not so.

You Are What You Do

2010-01-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is a simple concept that confuses a lot of people.

If you wait tables but dream about being a musician, you are a waiter and not a musician. If you write songs but never perform, you are a writer and not a performer.

I have met many musicians who claim to be performers at heart but never perform.

If you are deluding yourself about who you are or what you do, there are two things you can do to change things.

You can refine your perception of yourself to fit what you do. Come to terms with how you actually spend your time and what it says about you.

Or you can change your actions to fit your perception of yourself. If you consider yourself a musician and a performer, prove it.

Talk is cheap and everyone does it. Like I have written before, actions sing louder than words.

Success is a Matter of Trust

2010-01-02T10:35:00.000-06:00

No matter how you define success - lots of people buying your records, getting hired to do the jobs you want to do, or anything really - it is largely dependent on how much people trust you.

The people who buy your records trust that you will deliver a quality product with style and personality. If you disappoint them, they will stop trusting you and will not buy the next one.

The people who hire you to work with them trust that your skills and work ethic will suit the project and benefit the final product. If they do not trust you they will not call you to work with them.

With that in mind, focus on building a reputation for quality and reliability. It will take some time, but it will be worth it. Colleagues and clients will trust you to bring value to their lives and work. You will get hired. They will buy your records.

There is no shortcut. The longer and better you maintain this trust, the more successful you will be.

The "P" Word - Be Decisive

2010-01-01T20:17:00.001-06:00

These two words will make your life better regardless of your line of work.

Indecision is the bane of musical creation, both in its composition and record production. Hours and days have been wasted by otherwise talented musicians trying to decide what to do.

"There are a million possibilities." "We could take this in so many directions." It is usually true, but you still have to pick one.

There are no right answers, only the best ones that you are capable to make. So make them. Make the best decision you are capable of in the moment and move forward.

Be decisive. Embrace your ideas and your choices.Do not ask permission and do not ask yourself what someone else would do. Do what you do.

Actions Sing Louder Than Words

2009-12-31T09:08:00.003-06:00

How many times have you heard a singer and said "I can do that," or heard a song and said "I could write a song like that," or heard a guitar solo and said "I could play like that"?

It is one thing to claim to be able to do something and quite another to actually do it. Thomas Jefferson said "Do not talk about what you have done or about what you are going to do." Simply make up your mind and do it.

Do not waste your time and words convincing yourself or others of the greatness you can achieve. Intelligent people have the ability to excel at whatever they put their mind to. The catch is putting your mind to it.

Success lies not in what you can do but what you do.

Find what you are passionate about and dedicate yourself to it. Apply your intelligence over time to accomplish things. There is a large distance between deciding to do something and actually accomplishing it.

The "P" Word - Be Quick to Throw Out Bad Ideas

2009-12-28T10:11:00.000-06:00

The easiest and quickest way to end up with an album full of good ideas is to throw out the bad ones. The quicker you can recognize and get rid of ideas that are not working the better off you will be.

Pride causes a lot of musicians to force their ideas into a song or recording. They think that just because they had the idea or they thought something would work that it should work. This is a mistake. Do not, I repeat, do not waste your time squeezing a square peg into a round hole. If the idea does not work by the third try, move on to something else.

I have known countless musicians (myself included in the early days) who thought they were doing their idea justice by beating it into submission. Hours and even days spent pounding and polishing a single idea. That is a waste of precious time.

Ideas are a dime a dozen. The brilliance of an idea is not in how hard you work to make it fit, but in the effortlessness of its perfection.

Be quick to throw out ideas that are not working. The sooner you do, the sooner you will make room for ideas that actually do work.

2 Types of Practice

2009-12-27T11:25:00.000-06:00

You can make great strides in your musical understanding and instrumental prowess if you separate mental practice from physical practice.

The mental part of music can be practiced most anytime and anywhere. You do not need your instrument. You can do it walking down the street or waiting in line at the grocery. Sing to yourself, sing scales and intervals. Familiarize yourself with the language of music. It will benefit you at all times including when you have your instrument in your hands.

The physical part of music needs your instrument. Your hands and muscles and coordination can not be improved without the physical presence of your instrument. Optimize this time to work on your physicality. Do not waste it practicing your mental music.

The physical practice can be broken down even further into right and left hands. This is especially true for instruments like piano and the string family.

If you try to practice both the mental and physical aspects of music at the same time, you will find yourself struggling to move forward. Break them apart and practice them separately and you will excel more quickly.

Focus on Your Strengths

2009-12-26T15:21:00.000-06:00

It is true for musicians as it is true for other walks of life: if you put your focus on areas of struggle, your strengths will suffer as you bring the weaknesses up to par.

If you instead focus your time and energy into further developing and building on your areas of strength, they quickly blossom into note-worthy expertise.

Figure out what you love and what you are good at. Then focus your energy on improving these traits even though you already perceive them as your strengths. It will be more enjoyable as well as professionally effective.

There is something to be said for the "jack of all trades, master of none." But in this day and age there is more to be said for doing something better than anyone else in the world.

The Wall Between You and Your Audience

2009-12-23T11:48:00.000-06:00

When was the last time you sang directly to your audience, not through a microphone and a set of speakers?

Every piece of equipment that separates your actual voice and instrument from the audience's ears is a wall between you and them. You can tear down these walls by performing to smaller audiences and in quieter venues.

Don't overlook the intimacy you can create by connecting directly with your audience. Don't resort to using a PA just because it is standard practice.

You will be surprised by the results.

The Music, the Money, the Hang

2009-12-22T10:11:00.000-06:00

The holy trinity of the performing musician.

For those who make their living playing music, especially those who are hired by others to play, there are three variables to take into account with each gig offer. Two of the three must be present to warrant gig acceptance.

The Music - not just any music. Only exciting, interesting, new, swingin', foot-stompin', mind-bending music qualifies in this category. If it is recycled, boring or amateur, this column gets a zero.

The Money - Some gigs pay, some don't. Money is the difference between being a full-time musician and working at a bookstore. No one likes to take money into account, least of all musicians who love what they do, but landladies rarely have a sense of humor.

The Hang - good people having a good time. If there will be other talented musicians present; good booze readily available; an abundance of cute girls (or boys) in the audience; one guy who tells the craziest stories... then the gig qualifies as a Good Hang.

Two of the three (the Music, the Money, the Hang) have to be present for a musician to accept the gig. If only one is present or, God forbid, none, it will be tough to find decent musicians willing to spend their time and talent.

The "P" Word - demystifying the music producer

2009-12-21T10:46:00.000-06:00

Musicians and non-musicians alike are often unclear about what a music producer does. The producer has two main functions: to provide an outside perspective and to offer studio experience and wisdom.

The most important role of a music producer is to provide an outside perspective. Lots of artists will ask their mom or their girlfriend to get a fresh opinion. The problem with this is that their mom doesn't know a thing about music.

The producer offers an educated, experienced view of the music. He brings intelligence and musical knowledge to the project while also being able to offer an objective outside opinion.

The second most important attribute of the music producer is his fluidity in the recording studio. While even the most prolific artist makes 20 records in his career, the producer makes hundreds or thousands. This extra experience in the studio allows for an effortless translation of music to recording.

The producer will know the equipment, processes and personnel of recording much better than the artist. He is basically the translator between the artist/music and the studio/recording.

Use Your Resolution

2009-12-19T10:00:00.003-06:00

We have all been overlooked and insulted, but nothing robs us of self-confidence like failing to achieve a goal we set for ourselves. We set ourselves up for short and long-term failure when we make New Year's Resolutions that we are tepid about.

When we make a lukewarm resolution, we inevitably lose interest in weeks or months. We have all made that resolution to exercise more or eat healthier that falls by the wayside at first opportunity.

Though we may not know it, we are assuring ourselves that we are powerless. Every time we set a goal and fail, especially when we fail out of apathy, it removes us from control in our own lives.

Set small goals. Set goals that you care enough about to see through. Then accomplish them. It will have the opposite effect - you will become empowered little by little. And you will realize that you are your own master and you have the power to change your own life.

Why I Miss the Big Record Labels

2009-12-18T10:56:00.001-06:00

It is not news that the internet and MySpace have upended the distribution channels of the music world. More music than we could ever wish to hear is available for free.

The big problem with MySpace is that, of all the music readily available, 99% of it is crap. Sure, there is that 1% that is brilliant and groundbreaking and creative, and if it weren't for MySpace no one would ever hear them. But the large majority is crap and vanity.

There is still great music out there, but I have to work a lot harder to find it. I am overwhelmed with requests (actual and virtual) to listen to the latest "undefinable" band.

Before the internet, there was a fairly reliable process of finding noteworthy music and recording it. The process involved seasoned musicians, producers and executives. The labels acted as our filter, doing most of the weeding work for us.

Now any 14 year old with a $60 guitar and a computer can put his music in my way. To be honest, I don't want to hear it. Sure, you may be a prodigy, but come back in 5-10 years when you have dedicated yourself and honed your craft.

In this day and age of anything goes (on the internet), we should be more demanding of the genius of our artists.

Also disturbing is the way that these changes have affected the Label process. But that is a discussion for another day.

0 to 60 with Idiot's Guide

2009-12-17T11:22:00.001-06:00

If business is a highway, there is a slow lane and a passing lane. In order to get in the passing lane and maintain a speed that leaves the competition in the dust, we need significant skill and expertise in our field - the kind of expertise that can only be achieved through experience.

(Think for a minute about who runs most companies. It is usually people in their 50s or 60s. They have been around the block and built a significant amount of experiential expertise. I am ignoring the young guns who occasionally come along and shake things up. They are the exception and not the rule.)

There is always the problem of how to even get on the road. Most jobs require knowledge and experience but there is no way to build either without the job. We need a way to obtain the functional knowledge necessary to play with the big boys. This is why our parents were so adamant about schooling - it provides functional knowledge so that we can get up enough speed to begin building our own experiences.

For a crash course in Functional Knowledge on just about any topic, I highly recommend the "Idiot's Guide" books or the "For Dummies" books. Never have I seen such a wealth of Functional Knowledge so well organized. It won't get you into the passing lane - you'll need your own experience for that. But it will get you from 0 - 60mph so that you can at least drive on the road.

Product and Process

2009-12-16T10:15:00.001-06:00

Most musicians I have met (myself included) do it because they love the process. Making music is reward in itself. But we can not overlook the fact that, as musicians, we create products. Our compositions and recordings (the remnants of the music-making process) are what the rest of the world sees when they see us.

Is it possible to focus on creating a good product and still appreciate the process? Or do we lose our joy when we begin to concentrate on making a successful product? Is there a happy medium?

I will not pretend to know the right answer to these questions. I suspect (and encourage) that the answer is different for everyone and every project.

No two projects are the same, and I have worked on some with a very strong 'product' focus and some with a 'process' focus.

Interestingly, I thoroughly enjoy the process of the product-oriented projects, though they usually include more stress including deadlines and 3rd party approvals. And the products created from the process-driven projects are always interesting and sometimes remarkable.