Life is making mistakes

[LazerBeakShiek]

Start with , are you needing to look at where your hands are?

 

[ecc83]

I was taught to read music early on. We had it in grade school. I was taking guitar lessons at 11, had my music book with all the notes and dots. I knew EGBDF and FACE, sharps and flats, rests, treble and bass clefs. It just never clicked. It just would not go from eyes to brain to fingers. It might as well have been Egyptian hieroglyphics for me. Reading music is, in essence a language. I just suck at languages.

Let me listen to it and BINGO. It all made sense. It was music. Ear to brain to fingers works much better.

FWIW, I took French in high school and two semesters in college. That didn't take either.

I too was taught basic notation at secondary school (11-16) I never got very far with it because I did not play an instrument at the time Then dad made me a Spanish guitar and I got Bert Weedon's song book and learned a few chords. Bit later, local mates formed a group. I was bass player and electronics. We bought piano copies for the hit songs for chords and lyrics. Most were written in e flat or another awkward key for guitar or/and wrong key for singer. I worked out how to transpose into C or G but I never got any further reading the dots.
Son does, brilliantly and knows all the theory as well.

Dave.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

you read music and play. Fine. Me too , but..

Rock and roll, doesn't need or really have sheet music. It is just played. There are a few patterns that are just repeated, or rematrix'd.. like 4 scales used in all of it.

Best way I found to learn instruments is against/with your friends. You will try to keep up with each other, and pushes you to be better. It accelerates learning. Take turns on the different instruments. Learn what to use and where to place it.

Don't play something you have no interest in. Sucks all the fun out.

wanna sing, go sing along with the car radio to/from work. It's practice 5 days a week.

 

[ecc83]

"Rock and roll, doesn't need or really have sheet music." Not now Laser but pre Google it did. I grew up with radio and such UK stars as Dickie Valentine, Vera Lynne and Billy Cotton. Not much to interest a teen* there but then we got the Shadows and later the Beatles...the rest is history.

The only way to learn the songs was to buy a piano copy (could not afford all the 45s!) And SOME pop songs are bloody tricky! Look at the chord changes in S&G's The Boxer!

*But I absorbed them. Son would be strumming a standard, Smoke Gets in your Eyes say and I would start singing it. "You e***g know this song dad?!" Did that a lot. I still have a vast store of tunes and words in my head from "Workers Playtime" and other radio shows.

Dave.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

"Rock and roll, doesn't need or really have sheet music." Not now Laser but pre Google it did.

what I mean , is when you get to a guitar solo the notes come so many so fast. Tablature is probably better. Easier on the eyes. For the meat of it, we play the chords and write down the words.

I can sight read pretty well. If it is that complicated Im going to need a couple times through.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

There are a few patterns that are just repeated, or rematrix'd.. like 4 scales used in all of it.

The natural minor
harmonic minor
Phrygian modal
pharygian dominant..fargin what?
blues scale(flat fifth or pentatonic)

there four. 1,2,3,4.

 

[ecc83]

The natural minor
harmonic minor
Phrygian modal
pharygian dominant..fargin what?
blues scale(flat fifth or pentatonic)

there four. 1,2,3,4.

And Bee-Bop son tells me.

Dave.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

And Bee-Bop son tells me.

Dave.

Now we changed languages? Nobody tells me nuthin. okays, I'm a lil rusty on 'crazy'..

A colored Moon shall be Quiet the knife showed.

Beak.

 

[Maya Clars]

Why do some many think to play music for competition. I dont. Some do act as if you make a mistake, you suck. That is you blow it in front of a crowd. Why cant they just appreciate the music? Not a UFC boxing match you know. You don't actually get to cut their heads off.

Making mistakes can lead you to new ground. Learn from them.

The way I see it we all play until we get to the MESA. You are so far up the mountain, and we all have better days and worse to come. No one is better just a different style. After all it is not rocket science, just rock and roll.

Mistakes can be minimalized, through practice, but will still always come down to luck.

A loud voice and a tuned guitar can 'take the day'. NO, Seize it!

I mean, I think it's just a social psychology as some people want to beat others in any kind of skill or knowledge just to be the best and better than anyone else. So it exists everywhere, in any field, even in music. I guess it really depends on what is your personal goal - if it's to have fun, then there's no point in competition. If it's indeed some kind of a musical compretition where you can win, surely it'd feel like a UFC boxing match and you'd want to be the best, maybe just to prove yourself that you develop your skill. I don't know, I don't get many things in the society, I feel like we should treat some things easier. It's not that serious. Health is first haha

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

I don't know, I don't get many things in the society, I feel like we should treat some things easier. It's not that serious. Health is first haha

Maya, I'm sure you have a fine handle on the basics. Health first you got that right. There are people who go and try to compete in Voice competitions or even karaoke. They scar themselves cause they blow a note. Its mild competition but damaging none the less. Winning shouldn't be too important in music.

A little competition from band members is helpful and accelerates learning the instruments emensly.

 

[Eric V]

I always learned by ear, and like Beak said I never felt the need for competition. I did think I was the best in the area copying Edward Van Halen back in the day, but so what? I have seen YT vids in recent years blowing me away on all sorts of styles. I changed my attitude in time. I used to envy/ignore people's sight reading capabilities. Now I totally admire them. I can read it, but very, very slowly. I just look at it all as part of the musical life experience.

 

[Old Music Guy]

I mean, I think it's just a social psychology as some people want to beat others in any kind of skill or knowledge just to be the best and better than anyone else.

People have different motivations. Many of us are self taught, or had some musical education. I doubt that any of us had been groomed for absolute greatness. Some people have. If the plan laid out for you, or the plan you have is to go to Julliard, or Berklee, or aspire to be a world renouned pianist or violinist, or singer, that path is much different. For those individuals, competition is a necessity. You need recommendations from your teachers which you have to compete for. There are jurys that you must pass to get into any reputable music school. Getting into a Tier 1 school requires even more. The resume will get you closer to a jury than a recommendation. It's cut throat.
It all depends on a point of view. I think I'm pretty good. I can hang with anyone, but I can't read, I cant write. I listen and learned by ear. That was not going to get me into the schools I wanted to go to. It depends on your goals and your dedication to your craft. It's not for everyone, but competition should not be condemned.

 

[Maya Clars]

People have different motivations. Many of us are self taught, or had some musical education. I doubt that any of us had been groomed for absolute greatness. Some people have. If the plan laid out for you, or the plan you have is to go to Julliard, or Berklee, or aspire to be a world renouned pianist or violinist, or singer, that path is much different. For those individuals, competition is a necessity. You need recommendations from your teachers which you have to compete for. There are jurys that you must pass to get into any reputable music school. Getting into a Tier 1 school requires even more. The resume will get you closer to a jury than a recommendation. It's cut throat.
It all depends on a point of view. I think I'm pretty good. I can hang with anyone, but I can't read, I cant write. I listen and learned by ear. That was not going to get me into the schools I wanted to go to. It depends on your goals and your dedication to your craft. It's not for everyone, but competition should not be condemned.

Such good words! I love your message. That's so true. Many people are self-taught but also there are some who have musical education, and ofc If you're serious about it, specially in classical music, you'll have to compete in compititions and get recommendation letters. And surely top schools require even more! What are the schools you wanted to go to, If I may ask?

 

[Maya Clars]

Maya, I'm sure you have a fine handle on the basics. Health first you got that right. There are people who go and try to compete in Voice competitions or even karaoke. They scar themselves cause they blow a note. Its mild competition but damaging none the less. Winning shouldn't be too important in music.

A little competition from band members is helpful and accelerates learning the instruments emensly.

That's true! We all need to be kinder to ourselves

 

[RFR]

The harsh reality is we’re always in a competition. In all aspects of life, not just music.
The whole game is rigged that way.

 

[ecc83]

The harsh reality is we’re always in a competition. In all aspects of life, not just music.
The whole game is rigged that way.

IMO competition is a huge driving force to the ills which beset our planet Thousands of company furiously trying to outdo the other. Strip most SUVs of their trim and badges and you would be hard put to tell them apart. "Consumer choice" means massive duplication of R&D with the result that most products converge to a standard of performance. How many different interfaces do we really need?

Dave.

 

[TalismanRich]

IMO competition is a huge driving force to the ills which beset our planet Thousands of company furiously trying to outdo the other. Strip most SUVs of their trim and badges and you would be hard put to tell them apart. "Consumer choice" means massive duplication of R&D with the result that most products converge to a standard of performance. How many different interfaces do we really need?

Dave.

Yeah, but without that competition, horses and oxen would still be pulling plows, you mud and thatch hut wouldn't have A/C or running water and your better mousetrap would just be a bigger stick! Competition leads to innovation which leads to progress.

As for interfaces, we have a whole lot more choices than I had in 1975... where my choices were zero. I could buy a mixer and a tape deck, but my computer ran via a phone coupler and a teletype machine that used reams of paper. The pink punch tape with a 6 kilobyte program was a roll about 5 inchs in diameter. Hardly conducive to recording a 24 track recording. Competition gave me 24 tracks recorded to a postage stamp size 32 gigabyte memory stick on a device that fits in a suitcase.

I like it when people compete. But we lost the battle of the bands back in '70. Scarred me for life!!!!

Such good words! I love your message. That's so true. Many people are self-taught but also there are some who have musical education, and ofc If you're serious about it, specially in classical music, you'll have to compete in compititions and get recommendation letters. And surely top schools require even more! What are the schools you wanted to go to, If I may ask?

Many years ago, my supervisor's daughter was learning violin and piano as a kid. I remember him talking about her Suzuki method studies which avoids auditions or aptitude testing. She excelled, majored in music at university, and is now a Grammy winner, and conducted orchestras around the world, including London Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfónica di Milano, and many others.

I don't know if competition is the path to musical success, but talent definitely helps!

 

[Maya Clars]

Yeah, but without that competition, horses and oxen would still be pulling plows, you mud and thatch hut wouldn't have A/C or running water and your better mousetrap would just be a bigger stick! Competition leads to innovation which leads to progress.

As for interfaces, we have a whole lot more choices than I had in 1975... where my choices were zero. I could buy a mixer and a tape deck, but my computer ran via a phone coupler and a teletype machine that used reams of paper. The pink punch tape with a 6 kilobyte program was a roll about 5 inchs in diameter. Hardly conducive to recording a 24 track recording. Competition gave me 24 tracks recorded to a postage stamp size 32 gigabyte memory stick on a device that fits in a suitcase.

I like it when people compete. But we lost the battle of the bands back in '70. Scarred me for life!!!!



Many years ago, my supervisor's daughter was learning violin and piano as a kid. I remember him talking about her Suzuki method studies which avoids auditions or aptitude testing. She excelled, majored in music at university, and is now a Grammy winner, and conducted orchestras around the world, including London Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfónica di Milano, and many others.

I don't know if competition is the path to musical success, but talent definitely helps!

This is awesome! She has achieved so much! I love classical music, so reading it makes me happy haha

 

[ecc83]

Yeah, but without that competition, horses and oxen would still be pulling plows, you mud and thatch hut wouldn't have A/C or running water and your better mousetrap would just be a bigger stick! Competition leads to innovation which leads to progress.

As for interfaces, we have a whole lot more choices than I had in 1975... where my choices were zero. I could buy a mixer and a tape deck, but my computer ran via a phone coupler and a teletype machine that used reams of paper. The pink punch tape with a 6 kilobyte program was a roll about 5 inchs in diameter. Hardly conducive to recording a 24 track recording. Competition gave me 24 tracks recorded to a postage stamp size 32 gigabyte memory stick on a device that fits in a suitcase.

I like it when people compete. But we lost the battle of the bands back in '70. Scarred me for life!!!!



Many years ago, my supervisor's daughter was learning violin and piano as a kid. I remember him talking about her Suzuki method studies which avoids auditions or aptitude testing. She excelled, majored in music at university, and is now a Grammy winner, and conducted orchestras around the world, including London Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfónica di Milano, and many others.

I don't know if competition is the path to musical success, but talent definitely helps!

That is the "reductio ad absurdum" argument. We are a very clever species and have always improved things long before there was an economic advantage. Someone will always strive to make a process more efficient. The ultimate way to to compete is of course to kill, cheat and steal. Most societies (sadly not all!) have eschewed such barbarism and have laws and police. So, where rabid competition is deemed unacceptable and harmful most countries outlaw it. But, the massive overproduction and duplication of effort is responsible for pouring billions of tons of CO2 into the world. AC? That is the next worst thing coming along.

Fork! Many nations cannot even conduct their politics in a civilized fashion! Some speak of "God" then bomb hundreds.

There is competition in for instance the BBC's Young Musician of the Year but those kids are highly intelligent very "nice" people.

Dave.

 

[TalismanRich]

AC? That is the next worst thing coming along.

Dave.

Living in the UK, you can get by without AC most of the year. I spent a few weeks in the UK years ago, and needed nothing more than a cracked window during the day and this was in the middle of August! When we went to Scarborough, it was about 11C and breezy and all I had were short sleeve shirts. I was freezing as we walked along the beach. When I got home, it was in the upper 90s and felt like an oven.

Live in the middle of the US where it gets into the upper 90s-100 (35-38C) for weeks at a time every year, with dew points in the mid to upper 70s, and you would feel differently. I remember lots of complaints earlier this summer where temps were above normal in UK, France and Italy. Didn't several thousand people die from the heat?