http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html One Man Mormon Blues Band: Journal Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:09:10 -0700 http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#103 and the permissible delights of the soul."
Johannes Sebastian Bach

Let’s try to play together today. How about we try this number from a few months ago. You take the lead, I’ll play accompaniment.

That was good. Isn’t it interesting how easily a number is played when you haven’t played it for awhile? And isn’t it fun to play together? Two people making music together is one of the joys in life that only a select few experience. But there is something more to be learned in playing this duet.

Those who nurture music must learn to provide background music. Just as an accompanist must play to the soloist and provide the background without being obtrusive. The soloist doesn’t sound interesting alone. But if the accompanist stands out too much, it distracts from the performance as a whole. How does one accomplish this? The background volume must not be too loud. But if it is played too softly, the soloist's notes will not have a pleasing harmony. If the accompaniment comes in too early, it will harm the soloist's sound. All the skills of the musician must be called into play when playing accompaniment, but they must be directed towards making someone else look good. The ego must be gone. The trick is to play so that the performance is pleasing and the soloist receives the credit. Of course, the soloist, and other musicians, know the importance of the accompanist's contribution.

I have a friend who is a painter. I watched him working once and watched as he laid down a solid canvas of blue. That was to be the sky, and the painting was going to be mostly about sky. The sky filling the upper two thirds of the painting. Then he began to fill in the other colors of the sky and rough out the shapes of the foreground with the colors reflected from the sky. The colors in the sky influenced the colors and hues of the foreground. Slowly the scene took shape as he used broad brush strokes with heavy oil on the foreground, and smooth, seamless brush strokes for the sky . . . .

In the same way, the accompanist lays down the background color that is to dominate the song. The soloist adds the detail. One of the things the background artist must consider is how the sound is heard when it is played next to another note because every sound has a different color depending on the sound next to it. Sometimes coming in early or late can change the whole color of the melody. Sometimes when the melody is choppy and the background must remain seamless. The parts go together to make the whole, and the nuances of change the accompanist makes are an integral part of the whole.

You see, when you become the teacher and the parent, it is your job to make the student look good. It becomes your turn to arrange the background and the support so that the child can succeed. Now the child is the one struggling with the lessons you have mastered: tune, melody, discipline, taste and collaboration. This is very serious art! For you are no longer just making music. Now you are making a person! Can you see why learning the music was so important these many lessons ago?]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#103 Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#102 Go together like a horse and carriage.
Dad was told by Mother,
You can't have one without the other.
Sammy Cahn

The mature artists stride onto the stage, erect, bold, and with confidence. They play through, even when mistakes are made. They acknowledge applause with grace and sincere dignity, giving credit to those who accompany them. Though carriage may be misconstrued as arrogance the audience quickly comes to the realization that these are masters of music

But what should a teacher look like? Remember, this is someone who now wishes to nurture the next generation. Of course, the teacher must be confident and sure of self. But the teacher needs to move with economy of motion, a sureness that comes from long experience. All must be accomplished in a gentler manner, one that will not intimidate the student. The teacher no longer needs to prove his expertise. It is now his role to inspire confidence in others.

By the time a musician has become a teacher, he will have become what he will become. Anyone who cares to look closely will see the grace and bearing of the musicians training. His carriage will inspire trust and confidence in others, not just as a musician, but as a person. The musician's ego has been satisfied as to who they are. He is no longer concerned with categories, styles, pigeonholes or rank. It is time for you to realize what you are. Those with eyes to see, let them see.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#102 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#101 Homer

"Once upon a time . . . ." These may be the most powerful words in the English language. They compel the listener to be involved in a story, and stories fulfill our dreams while teaching us how the world works. Through stories we can know the meaning of events. In living life, we are always in the middle of events and cannot know their final meaning until later. But in stories, we can see the end, determine a moral, and glimpse the meaning. There can be closure. Stories compel us through time and space in a way that's similar to life, but yet very different. The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner begins, “There was a ship . . . .”, and the men on the way to the wedding can do nothing but stop and listen to the old man.

What has this to do with music? As you turn your attention to teaching and composing, you need to realize that you are telling stories, and your stories have meaning that perhaps you never even intended. That is because stories mean different things to every listener. What is heard depends as much on the listener's experience as on what the teller has to say. Each listener hears a different story. Now, the same is true of your music and your lessons. Every student learns different lessons, and they are often not even the lessons that you thought you'd taught. Every song you write will mean something different to every listener because communications requires a sender and a receiver. The process is not complete until both sender and receiver come together to complete the story.

The living of your life tells a story. Your story, set to music, becomes an opera.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#101 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#100 look straight. All you have to do is look straight and see
the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it - walk."
Ayn Rand

Today, let’s begin by hearing you play your assignment.

That was well done, and you got the difficult part in the middle much better this week. Maybe we should put this music aside for awhile and start a new piece. But, tell me, where do you practice and when?

Why do I ask? I guess I ask because I believe that we all play the way we practice. You sound very soft, tentative, and unsure of yourself even though you are doing very well. I would guess that you practice in your room, with the door closed, and very softly so no one will hear. Let me tell you about something that was hard for me to learn.

When I first started teaching music, I wanted to be a good teacher. I worked long hours in preparation and thought carefully about what I was doing so that I could help my students. I tried all kinds of new things in the classroom thinking it would help my students learn. But it became obvious to me that some of my students didn’t like me and didn’t appreciate how I was teaching. I worked even harder. I questioned my techniques and abilities. I tried being nice and making things easier. To my surprise, some students actually acted even worse towards me. I became a bit defensive and unsure of myself. I even thought about quitting.

It has taken several years, but I eventually made a discovery that is obvious, yet obscure. Not everyone will like me and appreciate what I do. Most of the time their reasons have nothing to do with me personally. It may be that they are trying to achieve some kind of advantage. They may be having personal problems and I am their scapegoat. They may struggle with authority, or sense a weakness in me that they think they can exploit. In the case of a college classes, they are often doing poorly because of their own study habits, but they feel a need to focus blame elsewhere. It may even be that they sincerely disagree with me. Of course, there are many issues upon which reasonable people can disagree!

At the same time, I discovered that there were others in the class who appreciated what I did. They learned and made progress. Through experience with them I learned to have confidence in my ability, preparation, judgment, skill, and desire. I don’t suppose we are ever completely able to ignore criticism. It wouldn't even be wise if we could because so often we can learn from our mistakes. Making mistakes is a major avenue of learning. But when criticized, we come to the realization that much of it is based on other situations and is groundless.

You are wondering what all this has to do with your practice sessions. Let's bring it together. You have decided to play your instrument. You have decided to play a song. You have prepared the best you could in the time available. Now, no matter the instrument, the song, or the preparation, someone isn’t going to like what you do. They might even make fun of, or criticize, what you do. How they respond probably has nothing to do with you, your instrument, your song or preparation. It is simply them. The fact is that many of music’s greatest critics are people who cannot play an instrument or sing a song, and they have never even tried to stand in front of a group of people and do so. There is no reason for you to be timid!

Death is one of the things men fear most. As I have talked to older people, I find that many fear their own death less than they fear losing a loved one. The loss of another person who has been dear in your life is one of life’s main challenges. But the only way to avoid such pain and heartbreak is to never love. I believe most people wouldn't want that trade off. Without personal relationships, life would be far less fulfilling. Now, the same is true of our personal passions and activities. Would we give these up simply because we fear rejection or criticism? The only way to avoid criticism and rejection is to never play before others.

I love the bag pipes. Their sound can increase my heart rate and send funny feelings through my stomach. I know not everyone appreciates their wailing call and base drones. In my mind I have analyzed my attraction, and one of the things I believe attracts me to their sound is "boldness". When we hear the pipes, it's almost impossible to imagine anything other than a person standing erect, eyes straight forward, bold and brave. Whether in battle, sorrow, or joy, the piper plays with conviction. There may be cannon shells going off and men being hewn down by sword, claymore and pike. But the piper plays on.

There are things in life worth dying for, but consider this; there are things in life worth living for. Play your instrument. Practice with boldness. Sing out your song. Some will laugh or criticize, but it will never be those who have attempted it themselves. Those that love you never will. Let yours be the music of conviction! Many others will take heart and courage, and will follow your piping into battle.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#100 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#99 city, or to furnish all the energy requirements of that same city,
music too is a neutral force - and its ultimate effects, for good
or evil, may not be at all dissimilar in their potency
to those of nuclear energy."
David Tame

Have you ever wondered why people want to pay money to watch another person stand on stage and wiggle their fingers? That is what people do when they pay to watch what most musicians do. Why would people come to listen to you play? Maybe they come because some musicians sing or dance to make it more visually exciting. But many people seem willing to watch musicians play when there is nothing else to see. What makes the difference between the ones that we will pay to see and the ones we won’t?

Often it's those who care about us personally who are willing to come and sit through our recitals, helping us, and supporting us to improve simply because they care about us. But some musicians have developed a sense of energy that comes from their sound that is truly compelling! Though they may not move much physically, there is a kind of motion, and emotion, about their music that attracts us and the truth is, if the energy isn’t there, we don’t enjoy the music. We say such music has life, soul, or feeling.

Probably one of the earliest lessons of life discovered by man was that dead things don’t breath. The ancient Latin term spiritus referred to the breath of life that presumable leaves when an organism dies. The Latin root animus, which later became animal and animation, referred to the absence of motion by the dead. In a more recent concept taken from the space fairy tale Star Wars, we talk about the “force” being with us. How do these concepts relate to music? Just as it is hard to define the essence of life, it is also very hard to explain what it is about some music that makes it forcefully come alive. What is this elusive, mystical energy that attracts and excites?

When you are able to capture some of that energy in your music, you reach a new stage of musicianship. Then finally, at that higher level of teacher or parent, you have a new challenge. How can you harness your energy and transmit it to your students? How can you excite them to want what you know? How do you inspire them to practice, think, analyze, create, and play their music with energy? How do you teach with the force of your music?

Each musician must find his own energy source. Each student must learn to do the same. And, would you believe that even energy comes with practice? The trick might be in knowing what to practice. I don't always remember to do the things I should to have energy. But when I do, the energy is more likely to be there. And what is it that I do? One tangible tool is to rehearse my lessons before I give them. I even imagine myself giving the lessons with energy, excitement and enthusiasm!

I imagine myself, not giving a lecture, but spewing my ideas, thoughts and skills rapidly and with excitement. Somewhere I once read that an orator should “spray paint” his speech, like a vandal would apply graffiti. He should know beforehand exactly what the message is, and work quickly, maybe looking over one's shoulder, with the adrenalin rushing. Surely, if what we have to say or play is worthwhile, it must challenge authority just a little.

As I watch my children become parents and wonder how they can meet the demands of their little families, I have become convinced that the first pre-requisite for parenthood is energy. Children arrive with many facets of their personalities in place, and many abilities somewhat preconceived. If a young parent makes a few mistakes and lacks a little long term wisdom , it seems to cause no permanent damage to the normal child. But the amount of energy it takes to nurture and care for a child is enormous.

Parents often seem to spray their energy around like cans of spray paint: changing a diaper, caring for a bruised knee, reading a story, laughing at a funny story, and preparing meal. When these activities are done in love and the joy of the family, out of all the frantic mess, in the happy loving home, comes a wildly-exciting kind of energy. This energy attracts and compels, fascinates and exhausts. It is a dance of busy fingers that I would gladly pay money to see.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#99 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#98 "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
Lewis Carroll

When I was learning, like you, my teacher was always concerned about my “tone”. To tell the truth, at the time I wasn’t always sure what that meant. But now, as I try to teach others, I can hear them play with different tones. Listen. On the guitar you get different tones depending upon where you pluck the strings. See how it sounds more like a harp when I strum above the sound hole, and more metallic when I strum below the sound hole? If you use a pick the tone is different than if you use your fingers. Even the stiffness of the pick you use changes your tone and two people achieve different tones depending on the way they hold the pick.

With each instrument tone is achieved through subtle efforts by the musician. Violins, cellos and other bowed instruments all require a lot of bow practice to achieve good tone. For piano, a percussion instrument, good tone depends on subtle skills developed in striking the keys. I always thought as a youngster that if I plucked the right string and pushed down at the right fret, that was I needed to do. But now I hear tones, and recognize how they are achieved.

Tone is to sound what hue is to color. There is more than one hue of red. But tone is even more subtle than shades of a color. It is like the same shades of red, but one is warm and the other is cold, so intensities are involved. I don't know much about the techniques used by visual artists. But I have examined paintings and can tell you when they are warm, accepting, and inviting; or when they are cold and distant. The artist is able to choose the correct “tone” for the subject.

Tone is to sound what feelings are to life. Just as one can play music correctly, but without emotion, one can live correctly, but without emotion. As a teacher listening to someone's music, it is obvious when this occurs. When a student is just plucking a string, I can't hear or feel an emotion. Just the mechanics come through. When the note evokes feelings, that is tone.

A lot of life is about emotion. We often agonize over good and bad judgment, right and wrong, when what matters most is the way we feel about something. Lacking all the information we need to make an important decision, we often base our decisions on gut feelings. Our decisions are often not based on the facts of the matter. They are based on how things are perceived. Perceptions are colored by emotions. For example, someone says something that hurts our feelings. It doesn't matter what the facts are. What matters is what we think we heard.

So it becomes important that as you become the teacher, you are aware of the range of emotions experienced by humans and are sensitive to how your students feel. When they feel accepted, good and successful, they will play with pure tone. You will be able to hear their joy. When the tone is not good look at their lives, not their technique and skills. Beginners are unable to pay attention to detailed nuances when they do not have good feelings inside. By contrast, experienced musicians may be able to play a pure tone from habit. But in this case a curious thing happens. The playing of pure tone can create in the musician a feeling of purity and peace that otherwise not have been there.

Do you see? First you must have the feelings to learn good tone. But once you have learned the skill to produce that sound, then your skill allows you to make the sound which produces the feelings. What is even better, you will be able to produce the emotion, not only in yourself, but in the lives of others. Then you become the teacher. Do you understand that all this applies to being a Father or Mother?]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#98 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#97 and disgust, magnificence and rats."
Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Today I would like to play a recording for you. Listen closely. Can you hear where the base is on the stereo? The voice seems to be in front of the guitar, but they are both center. The mandolin is on the right. Notice how the sounds blend together. It is very hard to achieve that kind of balance. In the case of a recording, the balance was mixed down after the performance. But on stage you must achieve that balance yourself, just you and your fellow musicians. You have to listen and be able to tell when you are too loud and when you are too soft, and the perfect balance is very hard to achieve.

There is opposition in all things. Philosophers do not agree on whether that is a real thing or simply the way our minds perceive the world. Opposition seems real to me; and if we all perceive it that way, then perhaps that makes it real. But consider with me for a minute. There are low notes and high. There are sharps and flats. There is melody and harmony. And when they are not in balance, the music is not pleasing. I once attended a concert and because I had purchased inexpensive seats, I was seated in front of a large bass speaker. Not only did I not hear the concert, I did not even hear the music. In fact I went home with a tremendous headache.

One problem musician's face is that we seldom play the same venue twice in a row. One night we're playing in an auditorium with great acoustics but the next performance may be in a crowded hall with low ceilings. Or, the gig is outdoors, and the sound disappears into the night sky. Sometimes you cannot hear your band members over your own sound. Wherever we go our circumstances change. You will probably play some bad concerts. Maybe you will drown out the others and they will be mad at you. Then on another occasion, you will play too softly and the audience will complain that they cannot hear the melody. But if you keep trying, you will become ever better at playing in balance with the other musicians.

We will experience excesses in our lives. Do we talk too much, act overbearing, not talk enough, talk too loud, stay home too much, go out too much, work too hard, act lazy, or sleep too long? It is very hard to live in balance, and especially hard to achieve balance in our music. Therefore, most musicians' employee a sound man. He is right up front waving a baton and telling the various sections when to come in, fade out, and when to play louder or softer. But he could also be sitting in the balcony or back of the room at a mixing board, dialing microphones up and down as he thinks it requires. I have been to shows where an entire bank of people sits controlling the sound, the lighting and the cues.

In our personal lives we sometimes need a "sound man" to signal us when we are too soft, too loud or too excessive in anything. Often this is a family members who loves us and wants us to look good. Then, in accepting criticism we should understand that our friends are sitting in front and hear us differently from the way we hear ourselves. Our sound men want us to sound good. When they turn our microphone down or signal with a baton, we should not take it personally and become defensive. We need to let them help us balance the parts we play in life’s orchestra. In proper balance.

Can you hear where the instruments are coming in from in this recording?]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#97 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#96 "Is there a meaning to music?" My answer would be "Yes".
And "Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?"
My answer would be "No."
Aaron Copland

Sometimes you can sense a thing that cannot be described in the usual way. I don’t understand how this happens. When it has happened to me, I usually cannot explain in words what I know or how I know it. It is not intellect that informs this experience. It is not skill or knowledge. It is something that you know intuitively. When playing music, it isn’t something written down on the page, and it may not be the way you experienced it the first time. But something tells you that "this" is the way it must be played, and that understanding turns out to be right.

This “knowing” of something is not restricted to music. Even in the sciences, which are sometimes thought, erroneously, to be unimaginative, this kind of understanding comes into play. The discovery of the Benzene Ring in chemistry and the structure of DNA in biology occurred as much out of inspiration and intuition as from study. Both of these realizations came to their discoverers when they were in a semi-dreamlike state. But, of course, both men had given their lives to their studies and their minds had been prepared. When we read about break-through's in science, the arts or other fields we see common patterns in how things come about.

In almost every case of discovery, the person who makes the discovery or advance has been involved in the project for a long, intense period of time. The involvement has usually been extremely time consuming, almost to the point of fanaticism, occupying every waking hour of that person. Then, usually in a moment of quiet reverie, the solution or discovery has presented itself. Frequently the breakthrough occurs when the person is in an almost dream-like condition. These kinds of experiences have been described by scientists, artists, statesmen, and most often parents. In fact, the experience may be most common among caring, nurturing parents in response to the needs of their children.

It is my belief that this extra way of knowing and learning is a result of the light of Christ working in our life. I believe that when we pursue something that is good and right, and we have given all our energy and all that we can do, that God will step in and help us discover the things we need to know. Of course, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also know that they are given the special gift of the Holy Ghost whose light and influence in our lives can work in exactly the same way. The gift of inspiration is available to the musician as much as to the scientist, but it comes at the same price or cost. There must be intense personal involvement, extended practice and skill development, a burning desire, and divine help.

In your desire to make music, if you are approaching the problem in the wrong way, or have unrighteous desires, or have not devoted yourself sufficiently, you will yourself in a stupor of thought. Let's say that you have come to a decision regarding your music, but for whatever reason you are not at peace about it. When you find yourself still worrying, feeling a lack of confidence, are unable to leave the problem or question alone, or feel a lack of enthusiasm for your decision, you are having a stupor of thought.

By now you have put in much time and energy on your instrument. This is where you shift gears and perhaps try a different role. What can you say about the experiences you have had? How can you help others learn to play their own music? You can find answers to the what and how through inspiration.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#96 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#95 what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly
disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre
and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that
this has already happened."
Douglas Adams

Well, you have learned by now that reading music is not the same as making music. You learned to read the notes easily. Sometimes you are able to play the changes or sounds you can imagine or have heard before. But now, at some point you may want to teach else what you have learned. Or you may become interested in writing down what you do so others can try it. Then that written word would allow you to communicate with other people who may be far away in either space or time. You may also want to compose, play something new of your own creation. For all these reasons you may develop a greater desire to understand the theory behind the music.

Music theory encompasses the nature and mechanics of music. It often involves identifying patterns that govern composers' techniques. Why do certain chords follow others? What key is a passage in, even though there is no key signature change indicated? Why do certain guitar chord fingerings and patterns work anywhere on the neck? You might notice in these examples and questions the central element is in the working with other people in a new way, not as a collaborator in performing, but as teacher, conductor or creator. You have been picking up the theory behind your music all along. You have used and applied music theory on numerous occasions. But now you need to be able to explain the reason behind what you are doing, or in other words, communicate the intent of the poem.

Interestingly, life mimics music. Or is the other way around? These same thing happens as one grows older. For example, our Mother’s taught us that "If you can’t say something nice, don't say anything at all”. Then when you have your own children, you begin to see what kindness means in a family. You have had experiences and know first hand how it feels to have your feelings hurt by something someone said. Maybe you have even had experience with how it feels to have hurt someone with a careless remark. You now want very much for your children to learn the skills they need to live happier lives. You realize that specific rules don't always work. You realize that you won’t always be there to explain things to them. You begin to feel the necessity of passing along some wisdom. You begin seeing wisdom in old adages, in the laws, in the sacred writings of your culture.

So as you enter this phase of your life, you become more interested in general rules and theory. You seek for things that will help you achieve what you want more consistently. Bing able to teach others takes on a new significance. You have perfected the practice of your instrument, and now it is time for understanding the theory.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#95 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#94 I've always rebelled against theory."
Mark Knopfler

You have formed your band. You have rehearsed. You have gone on the road and played in the dives and the concert halls. You have perfected your skill on an instrument and learned to play harmony, to lead and follow, to play the changes. Some of the things you do can be done without much thought now, even though you may still not understand it all. You are now a creative force in the world and your ability to interpret the works of other and to create your own symphonies can be recognized and appreciated. Perhaps your work is even in demand.

In other words, you are now grown up. You are married, have children, and are suddenly the owner of many keys and responsibilities. Now other people want something from you and they are coming to you. Suddenly you are being called upon to create new arrangements. You are being asked to explain the basic skills you have spent your life developing to others who are younger and less experienced. Sometimes this is frustrating because you know how you do certain things, but you have forgotten the reason for doing them that way. You try to demonstrate the "how", but learners sometimes have difficulties following. Too, if you can’t explain yourself with confidence, some learners question you and doubt what you say. You seek to understand your own skills, at a deeper level, so that you can explain things better to others. Suddenly you find that you have to pay attention to details that before didn’t seem that important.

It didn’t seem all that urgent to play with proper posture when you were learning, though you could see that it did make a difference when you played. But now, if you play with poor posture, younger musicians will see what you are doing and think it is alright. Your life begins to take on meaning that you never knew it had. Small things like energy, timing, the meaning behind the stories, and the colors of delicate sounds suddenly seem to have a place in your life. Before they were just words and things old people talked about.

But there are satisfactions, at this musical age, that you never even thought about in your days on the road. It is easy to be a hero to the beginning musicians. All you need to do is pay attention when they play, praise them a little here and there, and correct lightly. Playing with these same people over time develops rich relationships. You find yourself wanting to relax more and just enjoy these friendships that can only be developed through shared music. You and your sideman now play so well together that you play without having to think about it. You can’t imagine playing with anyone else and enjoying it as much. These kinds of joys only come to the lucky few people who have been successful in making music together.

This section is about that time in your life when you become a mature musician and person. Your responsibilities and opportunities are greater than ever before. Much of what you do at this time in your life will be done towards perfecting the details of your musicianship and learning how to pass your knowledge and skills on to the next generation of musicians. You will likely become more interested in the theory behind what you do. You will realize more than ever the role of inspiration and the role of the spirit in your life. You will learn to balance your life better, and be able to tell interesting stories which create nuances that your students will want to emulate. You will be preparing to write your symphonies and create your masterpiece.]]> http://onemanmormonbluesband.com/news.html#94 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Mormon Blues - One Man Mormon Blues Band - Journal