Technology As A Crutch

Lately, I have been thinking about the impact that technology has on our lives. Especially as musicians. The intent of many advances is to make common tasks less difficult. The unintended consequence of many advances is that we as human beings become lazy and complacent. We tend to make the mark of acceptable achievment lower and lower. I think this is a huge problem.

Take the dreaded transpose button on many keyboards. I think that companies had novice players in mind when they made them. Eventually, you would grow to be able to play in all keys, and the need for the transpose buttons will go away. The problem is, you have people that are too impatient and lazy to go through the process of learning to play in all 12 keys. They are playing in situations that they aren't ready to handle (If you can't play the songs in the keys that are required for the gig, YOU AREN'T READY TO PLAY THAT GIG). And ego tells them that they can get by with this.

Autotune is another 'advancement' that had a completely productive purpose. I believe that it was to allow an otherwise good take to not be marred by the occasional 'pitchiness' of an otherwise good singer. But again, impatience takes hold. Instead of a potential singer (if you can't sing in tune, YOU ARE NOT A SINGER) taking the time to get lessons and go through the process of learning their instrument. They run to the nearest 'producer' (I won't go into that right now) to record a CD. The finished product may or may not come out good. But when this potential singer goes to sing live, all of the flaws that were fixed in the studio come back to bite everyone listening in the eardrum.

One day in recording school, The instructor had a copy of one of the tracks to Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin On'. He was able to solo every piece in the band and the vocals. When the lead vocal was soloed, there was a purity and precision to them. This is something that only comes from spending time learning what you are doing. Marvin Gaye was a huge talent that came up in a time when mediocrity didn't get very far. Excellence was required in the studio. If you couldn't do it quickly and without much in the way of mistakes, then you were probably not even going to be near a studio. Now, everyone, myself included, has a studio in their house. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I find that practicing in a studio environment and recording myself makes me a better player. The studio has a way of magnifying mistakes that you might not notice in another environment. I have a saying: If it's not clean in the studio, it's not clean anywhere. There is no such thing as studio clean and live clean. There is just clean and sloppy. Live situations have a way of masking some of the sloppiness. But trust me, the sloppiness is still there.

If you are one of the many musicians that has a studio, use it as a practice tool. Don't just fix problems later. Take the time to record yourself right. Work to lay down a track in one take. Listen to the subtle nuances in your playing. If they aren't there, work on developing them. Owning a studio, even if it's just going out and getting an M Box, can make you a much better player. I find that I hear more detail in my playing, also known as mistakes. This makes me work to be as clean as possible. This helps me when I go to lay down tracks at someone else's studio.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that we need to go back to the days where we record straight to wax. I am a tech head. But I think that there is a work ethic that came from previous eras that we need to embrace today. If we take the innovations of today. And the abilities that are afforded by them. And put them with the need to be excellent in our craft that was required in days gone by. I think we will be surprised by the creative things that come along. You don't get progress by making things easier and resting at that. You get progress by continuing to press along almost as if things were just as difficult as before. Keep the standards high and you can go further. If the standards are lower, you get the garbage that we have been getting as 'artists'.

Ruts and Plateaus

I have had a couple people ask me about feeling stagnant and how to stimulate passion in their playing. Well, I figure I need to give my thoughts and hopefully spark some conversation around here.

I feel like plateaus are a part of life. I have noticed that we do things in spurts. We have a time where it seems like everything comes together. You can come up on a certain task and complete it with relative ease. Then you have seasons where you don't even want to look at your instrument. Especially if you have to work a day job. I remember when I was on a day job, i wouldn't look at my bass unless i had to go play it. Which was a really sad situation for me to be in because I could have taken the time to grow my craft. I had just finished at the Atlanta Institute of Music. So I had no shortage of things to work on. But I just didn't feel like looking at my bass. I eventually stepped out on faith and decided to quit my day job and persue music for a living. 

Plateaus are God's way of making you listen to him. He could be telling you to make a change in your routine. He could be telling you to do something as simple as learn to read music. Or he could be telling you to move to a different city. Whatever it is. Listen and be open to his leading. 

I also think that Plateaus are God's way of keeping us grounded. If you could always do everything with ease, eventually, you would stop trying. You would become the world's greatest under-achiever. You would probably also have the worst attitude ever. That's not good. 

So I say enjoy the plateaus. Look for the good in them. We lose something when we are always doing things at a frantic pace. Take the time to listen and learn.  Don't always look to stimulate passion. Sometimes, you should just take time to smell the roses. Look for little things to enjoy and be passionate about. That way you can get the most out of playing. What do you think?

My Mentors

I have been on the Mentoring thing for a little bit. I figured I would share some other things that I know to be true in that regard. I will also share some people that either currently or previously have been mentors to me.

My pastor says that everyone needs 3 types of people in their life: those that they look up to (mentors), those they are on the same level with (peers), and those that look up to them (mentees). I firmly believe in this. Even my son who is almost 3 has all three of these in his life. Musicians often neglect the importance of these relationships. 

Mentors are the ones that are doing what you want to do. They share their life experiences and knowledge. Hopefully they give you the tools that you need to stand on their shoulders and do even greater things than they. I have had some people that have really poured into me. Although I haven't always acted on what they told me. My mentors have always given me a wealth of knowledge and encouragement. My first real musical mentor was Robert White. He was the first person to tell me I could make a living playing music. Even at a time when noone else wanted me doing music. I learned a lot going to hear him play. He also helped fill some holes in my knowledge of playing bass. Another mentor that I have had is Cliff Colson. Although I never took lessons from him, I learned a lot going to his gigs and sitting in on occasion. He was also real cool to talk to. Something that in hindsight, is a valuable lesson to anyone that wants to work. You have to be personable and get along with people or your phone won't ring. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with both Rob and Cliff. But I value the things I have learned from them.

Currently, I consider Al Caldwell to be a mentor to me. He is in a place where I aspire to be: a writer, producer, bandleader, as well as a highly accomplished sideman. Even though we have never met, I value his knowledge and skill. He has shared things with me about the business and production, as well as being a bass player. 

I want to encourage everyone, if you haven't already, to seek out a mentor. Actually, several mentors. It doesn't even have to be someone you talk to. I don't encourage stalking, but find someone that you can watch how they go about their business. I have learned a lot from just watching people. I have some guys that I try to catch on a gig occasionally. When I see them play, it inspires me. I think we can all do the same.

What I feel is sorely missing from the music community

Have you ever heard the phrase, these young cats don't know the old music? Why is that so true in many cases? I have a thought about it. It is because mentoring is a rare thing in the music community.

If you are one of the 'older cats', then you realize that you were either in situations where you had to play those songs on a regular basis. Or you had somebody that was tired of you butchering the songs, so they took the time to show them to you. Anybody will know songs if they are playing them all the time. And having someone stand over your shoulder is a great motivator to learn too. But most 'young cats' don't have either of those circumstances in their lives. Most old cats don't want to be bothered with young cats unless they already play at a certain level. And most young cats have such a jacked up concept of where they are musically, that they don't think that they need to sit up under anybody.

I kinda miss the days when you would see a row of kids in church with drum sticks wishing for their turn to play. Begging for the chance to play offering or the benediction. Now, you have kids that are playing the whole service. The problem is that they haven't sat up under anyone. So the novice thinks they are a professional and tries a whole bunch of stuff that doesn't work. And then you have a bunch of people that don't want the child to be corrected and figure that the child will get better and that God hears their heart. This is the biggest crock. If the child goes unchecked, the fake compliments that you give them will go to their heads, making the child confident in their sloppiness and poor execution. Then that child will try and get on someone's band stand for real and get ridiculed. That does noone any good. 

That child will also take the privilege of playing for granted. They will half learn songs because the mothers in the church say that they are so gifted. They will come to rehearsal and service late. and they won't be hungry. If they play keyboard, they will only be able to play in 3 keys and use the transpose key. And they won't practice their craft. They don't realize that Practice doesn't make perfect. PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! If you practice something sloppy. Sloppy is how you will play it. But they have noone to tell them that it is sloppy. So they continue to play sloppy. Assaulting everyone's ears that dares to enter the room. 

Sitting up under someone is a 2 way street. The mentor has a responsibility to recognize the stregnths in the mentee. As well as letting them know what they can't do. the mentor needs to give the mentee opportunities they can handle. This will build confidence. Real confidence. Not arrogance. We don't need another person picking up an instrument thinking they are better than they are. 

The problem is that many older cats see the young cats as competition. I say that there is room for everyone. If you fear the young cats taking over, you probably need to practice your craft more frequently. That way, you won't be in the rut you have been in for the past 5 years. I find that many younger cats can benefit from your experience as well as watching you play. There tends to be a seasoning on older cat's playing that is missing in most younger cats. The young cats often need to learn to groove. Whereas the older cats get it. Older cats make you bob your head.

If you are one of the old cats I am talking about, I want to encourage you to not turn away the young cats that ask you questions. I have been in the place of asking an older cat questions, and getting the blow off answers. Fortunately, I had others in my life that actually poured into my development. If you are a younger cat. First realize that you don't know it all. You probably don't know what you think you know. Ask questions of knowledgable people. Not just the ones that play fast. But the ones that work. They will have the most to offer. They get it. The cat that works the most might not be as flashy. But they get the job done. And carry themselves in a professional way. That will get you farther than any number of fast notes will.

If Dave Weckl can get a teacher after playing for a number of years on a very high level. Then I think we all have something to learn from those that have come before us.

Your Team

I was in rehearsal last night for a band called Nue Noize. They have some really good material that I urge anyone that is into modern jazz to check out. On one of the breaks, I was reflecting on how everyone in the room was a freelance musician and was called together by the bandleader to work with this unit. Several of us have our own bands that we work on as well. It struck me that the people that get things done in any area of endeavor are the ones that can convince others to get behind their vision with the best of their abilities. Whether it be music, business, or even life in general. We all have a circle of people that we call on for what we need. You may have a favorite dry cleaner, tax preparer. Yes these things are paid services. But they are things that we can all relate to. And they make our daily lives easier because they make it so we don't have to do everything ourselvs. There wouldn't be enough time in a day to do everything we need done. You wouldn't sleep much if you did them yourself.

If you are working on building something that is above the ordinary. Give some thought to the people that you have around you and how they contribute to what you are doing. Are they the best people for the function that you need. If not, you might want to consider making a change. Having the right people frees you up to expand the big picture.

I was raised an only child and a loner. I have had a mentality that I can do it all by myself. I now realize that this is foolish and am changing this. I hope anyone else in my boat does the same. It will help you go much farther in what you want to do. i am working on several teams for different things. How about you?

First Blog Post

I know I just set this up and haven't told anyone about it. But I will post a little something just because it's here.

I have been pondering setting this up for a little while. I figured noone would read what little old me had to say about anything. But whatever. I am making the plunge. I hope you like my random thoughts and rumblings.

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