I have been playing guitar for around 6 years now (well sort of...off and on with little practice) but I haven't progressed a whole lot. I can play some simple things like Neil Young songs and things of that level. I really wish that I had a deeper understanding of music though because I would like to improvise over a wide variety of things eventually. I have created a mental block for myself by idolizing some musicians without acknowledging that they are so great because they have put a lot of work and practice in their music. The belief that people are naturally gifted is harmful because it can keep you from believing in yourself. You need to realize that most things are attainable with enough practice, just realize this might take A LOT of practice. This is really obvious advice, but if your self confidence is shit like mine is, you might need to be reminded a lot. Yesterday my boyfriend spent about three hours training my ear by playing intervals on piano. At first I couldn't get them right, but now I can easily do it which is something I didnt think i could do. Now music seems just a little less daunting and I feel more confident.
Speaking of musical intervals... Ella Fitzgeral is a pro. Most singers only sing notes nearby one another but she makes big jumps with her singing. She approaches vocals the same way coltrane approaches the sax. She is really great. Doesn't she make you smile?
Ralph Waldo Emerson says the main point of my post and applies it to everything in his speech, "The American Scholar", when he says, "Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries when they wrote these books." He is telling everyone that the people they idolize (for this crowd famous economists and and philosophers) started it just the same as anyone. of course we can apply this to music, art, science, and ANYTHING that you can think of. So thanks for the advice, Ralph.
It's playlist time
- Valentine -Fiona Apple
- Planet Caravan- Black Sabbath
- Wizard Turns on - The Flaming Lips
- Summertime Clothes- Animal Collective
- Two Weeks- Grizzly Bear
- 'Gangsta'- tUnE-yArDs
- Ponta De Areia - Esperanza Spalding
- Ms. Tinkle's Overture- Umphreys Mcgee
- Chameleon- Herbie Hancock
- Ritual Dance- Michael Hedges
Youtube them all you won't be sorry! They are all completely different because I like all sorts of stuff. Thanks for Reading! Also, please give me blogging advice, I'm new.