Music fans can be absolutely fanatical about their favorite artists, bands, styles, or genres. I think this is wonderful, and it's what keeps guys like me in business, the notion that sometimes, we play people's absolute favorite stuff. It means we'll get return business almost every time.
In my 22 years of playing music, for money and for fun, it seems like I've been listening to certain "arguments" almost the entire time. Who's the best blues or jazz player? Who's the best guitar player period? Who has the best tone? Which band's records are the best? Is this guy any good or not? I see people waste their time arguing about this stuff and it makes me roll my eyes and walk out of the room. So I'm gonna make a short list of some common arguments that never seem to get resolved, and on what side of the fence I reside.
VAN HALEN: I listen to Van Halen records because of Eddie, period. I don't care if Pat Boone is fronting the damn band, I lie in wait for the guitar solo every time. What no one seems to remember during this argument is how wholly underrated Ed's rhythm playing happens to be. I love Dave, I love Sam, and I own every single record Eddie made with his band, or guested on. Pointless argument.
METALLICA: This one always chaps my ass a little. The whole old vs. new thing, before the haircuts or after, etc. I remember back in 1996 as a high school senior how everyone loved to use the term "sell-out" when referring to the mighty Met. Then there was Lars witch-hunting Napster and becoming the most hated cat in rock music, then the movie, etc. Metal heads in particular are especially fanatical and devoted (I know... I used to be one). I've seen them 5 times, I've heard a million bands try to do what they do, and I've played in bands trying to do what they do. No one does it better, period, than they do today. I'm 31 years old, and I would say without reservation that these guys have made themselves the Led Zeppelin of my generation. Go ahead, prove me wrong. The comment form is just below.
THE "REAL BLUES PLAYER": I laugh at this one too. This very second, I'm listening to the Butterfield blues band with Mike Bloomfield on guitar, arguably one of the best blues players (and most underrated) of all time. No one talks about him, no one talks about genius Gary Moore either. Okay, so if we play the blues let's just admit the fact that whether we know it or not we're all pretty much trying to sound like B.B. King on some level, small or large. Apart from that, I've heard people recently badmouth a lot of really significant players as "not being the real deal" when it come to the blues. I'm a lifetime fan of both Robben Ford and Larry Carlton, and apparently (according to some), they aren't real blues players either. Oh, and I'm not a real blues player either. Unfortunately for me, it happens to be maybe my favorite style to play. But he minute you throw one #11 over the IV chord you shoot yourself in the foot.
Here's the slippery slope when it comes to the blues. The initial concepts on the guitar are easy to grasp, which is why so many of us start students out there. The penatonic box-shape, the I-IV-V 12-bar progression, bending a few strings, etc. Not hard to get an early handle on. I'v seen 12 year olds and 45 year olds get it inside of a one-hour lesson. So, why are there so many two-bit hacks who claim to be blues players out there? Why is every weekly blues jam packed with a sign-up sheet full of 30 guitar players who can barely play? Because it's the easiest thing in the world to just "do", but the hardest thing in the world to do WELL. I work at it every day, and still I sound like ass. If this line of hacks in polo shirts with expensive guitars and day gigs behind a desk spent half the time practicing as they do shopping for a relic strat, maybe the blues artform might not seem so trivialized. If Muddy or Albert were around I think they'd think the scene was pretty damn jive.
CARLOS SANTANA: This one's one of my favorites. The guy plays three licks on a pop tune with some flavor-of-the-hour dipshit and gets 40% writing credit and sweeps the Grammys. Must be nice Carlos. I see so many guys who have to plead their case for Carlos to me. First of all, you don't need to sell me on Carlos, I am well-aware of the guy's contributions and relevance. I just don't like him. I've actually met the man, which was a great honor for me, and I told him so, but I don't listen to anything he made past about 1975. I play "Europa" with my band, I'm playing "Soul Sacrifice" at another upcoming gig, those are spectacular tunes that are two tons of fun to play. I can't tell you how many times some bandleader has called "Black Magic", "Evil Ways", "Oye", or the all-time stinker of Santana turds, "Smooth", (the one tune that every guitar player in America is expected to know how to play and sing on any top 40 gig. It's impossible to avoid this pile, as much as I'd like to), and I've deliberately, with all my heart, tried to sound as LITTLE like Santana as possible. But every single time, I come off stage after playing one of these and some guy with a cheap beer in his hand comes to me and says, "Wow man, you sound EXACTLY like Carlos!!!" I politely say thanks and shake his hand. Gotta love the American public, they only like what they get fed. They her a guy who can play, and they hear Santana.
And, last but not least, my absolute least favorite:
ERIC CLAPTON: It seems as though many of my fellow pickers at different levels love to bash Clapton as overrated lately. I am not gonna sit here and defend my childhood hero, my first-ever musical influence, and one of the business's greatest artists in history. He doesn't need me to do that for him, his career speaks for itself quite well. He's the most commercially successful guitarist in the history of our instrument, and there is no more significant and important guitarist walking God's green earth today. Period. Leave the guy alone.
The point of this entire soapbox is this. The privelege (not the right) to have an opinion has to be earned, through thorough and active listening, historical investigation, and respect for all music. Once that privelege has been earned, it is our job as musicians, out of respect for the standard at which our art must be maintained, to NEVER DENY RELEVANCE. Have an opinion, sure, we all do, but please show some of these guys the respect they deserve for the work they've done.
And stop arguing about some of this shit, it drives me crazy.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
What I've learned from my students
When I moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles a couple of years ago, I decided I was going to take a break from teaching. I've never taught full-time, but I've always prided myself in keeping one foot in education, if for no other reason than to keep the standard high and pass along this artform that has done so much for me and my life. I started teaching in 1995 while still in high school, and continued for the better part of 11 years. Duties included teaching at music stores and an academy or two for elementary and junion high kids, teaching adults privately, teaching in my home studio, doing clinics for different companies and organizations, co-founding a music camp, teaching at other camps, and mostly in the last several years, teaching at the college level, for either non-guitar majors or mostly for the guitar majors themselves.
I consider it a priveledge to teach guitar, and I've ran into all kinds of students who have gone on to do many, many different things. Some I'll never see again, others are now working professionals who I've known for years and sent on jobs. I am very proud of some of these guys, like Collin Levin, John Hatfield, Rosh Roslin, and Kenny Echizen. They've all done the right work. Another great example is my old friend Logan Weichers, who in 2000 came to me not even knowing how to hold a guitar, and has since gone on to make his own full-length record as a solo artist.
However, I've come to realize something about this new generation of guitar student, and it has turned out to be quite a disappointment for me personally. I don't want to get on some tirade about how culturally bankrupt our country has become, yadda yadda yadda, but I will say that due to the circumstances of recent times, today's guitar student is suffering from a debilitating case of dilusion.
In my most recent teaching experiences, I have noticed a very disturbing pattern. Students who have come to me recently seem to only want one thing: to be validated. They want ME to tell them how talented they are, how right they are, and how wonderful I think they're playing is. When I don't, and I offer suggestions for growth and improvement, most of them leave to go find someone else who can offer the kind of sunny, ass-kissing compliments that I refuse to offer.
In other words, my students, for the most part, are full of shit. So full of shit that they need a paddle to wade through the gigantic steaming pile of shit that's drowning them. They need to know how great they sound, yet they do not want to do the necessary work to break through to the next level. It makes me feel ill.
Another disturbing end result... this one is really heavy. This generation is not the first, they are much like the generation before them, but a bit worse. The effect of this artistic bankruptcy has trickled all the way up to the top level music education institutions and conservatories. They now are forced to give out B's with a lot more leniency than before, and these B's are given to students who may not deserve them. Know why? Because if they can't get a B at school number 1, they're gonna leave for school number 3 or 4,who WILL hand them that B, and then schools 3 and 4 make the money, not school 1. We can't have that, now can we? Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we see the schools detaching themselves further from the street.
The way I see it, that's what the schools get for caring about nothing but God and the bottom line, and that's what the students get for being so full of shit. Good, screw 'em, let 'em get out there with sub standard skills and try and take my work. I dare them. They'd better be prepared to put up with one dirty fight though. Believe me, I don't need any more competition, so if the next group of players are mostly hacks, all that does is further my job security. I am actually relieved. You disagree, you say? Okay, prove me wrong.
Here's something else, and this has been happening since long before any of us got a gig. I'm talking about the guys in it to be rich and famous, to get laid, etc. Look, ALL of us have used some of these things as motivation to play well in the past, and some of us still do. But getting in this business for reasons like this couldn't be more wrong.
The creme eventually rises to the surface on this one. The guys who are in it for the wrong reasons eventually disappear after 5 minutes, and those of us who are in it for the MUSIC end up with our heads above water. With that sort of love for our art, eventually we find a way to make a living at it, and some of us find a way to make a GREAT living at it, the kind of living that allows us to raise families and live in a really nice home, drive a nice car, have some savings, and have several choice instruments hanging on the walls at home. The work never ends, and neither does the hustle, or the ups and downs of the business, but the business itself will eventually show us who's who and what's what.
So, my message to young players is this... shut your fucking mouth, tune up, open your ears, and play like your serious. Do the work we discuss, and come back to me showing real results. Otherwise, pack your gig bag and hit the road smart guy, and find some other teacher who'll coddle your ass a bit more, because I don't open my studio to people who are here to fuck around. It disrespects and trivializes my life's work.
All this being said, I've decided to include a prominent student or two as a guest blogger here, to talk about their recent work and how they've developed their own careers in the business. Stay tuned.
I consider it a priveledge to teach guitar, and I've ran into all kinds of students who have gone on to do many, many different things. Some I'll never see again, others are now working professionals who I've known for years and sent on jobs. I am very proud of some of these guys, like Collin Levin, John Hatfield, Rosh Roslin, and Kenny Echizen. They've all done the right work. Another great example is my old friend Logan Weichers, who in 2000 came to me not even knowing how to hold a guitar, and has since gone on to make his own full-length record as a solo artist.
However, I've come to realize something about this new generation of guitar student, and it has turned out to be quite a disappointment for me personally. I don't want to get on some tirade about how culturally bankrupt our country has become, yadda yadda yadda, but I will say that due to the circumstances of recent times, today's guitar student is suffering from a debilitating case of dilusion.
In my most recent teaching experiences, I have noticed a very disturbing pattern. Students who have come to me recently seem to only want one thing: to be validated. They want ME to tell them how talented they are, how right they are, and how wonderful I think they're playing is. When I don't, and I offer suggestions for growth and improvement, most of them leave to go find someone else who can offer the kind of sunny, ass-kissing compliments that I refuse to offer.
In other words, my students, for the most part, are full of shit. So full of shit that they need a paddle to wade through the gigantic steaming pile of shit that's drowning them. They need to know how great they sound, yet they do not want to do the necessary work to break through to the next level. It makes me feel ill.
Another disturbing end result... this one is really heavy. This generation is not the first, they are much like the generation before them, but a bit worse. The effect of this artistic bankruptcy has trickled all the way up to the top level music education institutions and conservatories. They now are forced to give out B's with a lot more leniency than before, and these B's are given to students who may not deserve them. Know why? Because if they can't get a B at school number 1, they're gonna leave for school number 3 or 4,who WILL hand them that B, and then schools 3 and 4 make the money, not school 1. We can't have that, now can we? Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we see the schools detaching themselves further from the street.
The way I see it, that's what the schools get for caring about nothing but God and the bottom line, and that's what the students get for being so full of shit. Good, screw 'em, let 'em get out there with sub standard skills and try and take my work. I dare them. They'd better be prepared to put up with one dirty fight though. Believe me, I don't need any more competition, so if the next group of players are mostly hacks, all that does is further my job security. I am actually relieved. You disagree, you say? Okay, prove me wrong.
Here's something else, and this has been happening since long before any of us got a gig. I'm talking about the guys in it to be rich and famous, to get laid, etc. Look, ALL of us have used some of these things as motivation to play well in the past, and some of us still do. But getting in this business for reasons like this couldn't be more wrong.
The creme eventually rises to the surface on this one. The guys who are in it for the wrong reasons eventually disappear after 5 minutes, and those of us who are in it for the MUSIC end up with our heads above water. With that sort of love for our art, eventually we find a way to make a living at it, and some of us find a way to make a GREAT living at it, the kind of living that allows us to raise families and live in a really nice home, drive a nice car, have some savings, and have several choice instruments hanging on the walls at home. The work never ends, and neither does the hustle, or the ups and downs of the business, but the business itself will eventually show us who's who and what's what.
So, my message to young players is this... shut your fucking mouth, tune up, open your ears, and play like your serious. Do the work we discuss, and come back to me showing real results. Otherwise, pack your gig bag and hit the road smart guy, and find some other teacher who'll coddle your ass a bit more, because I don't open my studio to people who are here to fuck around. It disrespects and trivializes my life's work.
All this being said, I've decided to include a prominent student or two as a guest blogger here, to talk about their recent work and how they've developed their own careers in the business. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Working with Keyboard Players... Part I
Okay, this one's big... really big. A very sensitive subject for me, probably more so than other guitar players, but for some reason working with keyboard players is something I've thought about constantly, ever since my friend, keys wizard Hans Zermuehlen told me, "Baldoni, you play too many f----- chords! Cool it." It was not just one time either, he was disgusted with my over-playing, and he was right. I went on to work with some more prominent keyboardists in the Contemporary Jazz world, talked to them about the same, and so began by upward journey/lifelong WAR with the keyboard player.
First of all, there are some things to remember about common keyboard player duties in the commercial gigging world today. Some of these things they are expected to do, some they are hired to do, and some they volunteer for. These may include:
So let's go down the list. If any of these apply to the keyboard chair, each one equals what I call a different "loyalty" you must adhere to. Listen to the tune on the recording or during the rundowns/rehearsal, follow the chart at your best, and play the ink. See how it sounds, and see if the guy is happy. If you've done the job right, he will be happy. Don't ever ask the guy however if there's anything else he needs you to do, some of these guys get an inch from you and take a mile. Just smile and don't play too loud or too much.
The nature of the keyboard instrument presents many undeniable truths for the guitarist. First, they can play more notes than us, which leaves us with less options the more notes they play. Also, there are some idiosynchrasies according to the cat's origin. The cats that come from the legit world tend to have "swimmy" time sometimes, the jazz guys tend to take a lot of harmonic liberties, and the B3 guys tend to have a generally more heavy-handed approach. There are different approaches to the guitar part both texturally and harmonically that have to be discovered depending on which instrument/patch the keys chair is using (piano, rhodes, clav, organ), each sound will delineate a different approach for them, just as turning on different overdrive (or other) pedals will do it for us. All this depends on how much time you've had to get to know that particular player.
Scenario one: The keyboard player is a great musician with all the right tools and sounds, and is open to an honest and forthright adult discussion as to how you and him, along with the bass player, will approach the texture, and above all, the harmony. Remember my fellow pickers, you are no less important of a harmonic contributor than the keyboard player, even though no one ever says that. It's as true as the day is long. This guy will be sensitive to that and you will discuss voicing, bass notes, and rhythmic figures together to make the music right for the gig. Everyone's happy, the curtain goes up and the show goes down like gangbusters.
Scenario two: He's a great player and leader, his charts are good but there happen to be some physically impossible chords to play on our particular axe. Whether they be polychords, slash chords, or chords with maybe a few too many extensions. You are generally ignored, until you play something he doesn't like, then you are reprimanded. You have now officially been relegated to a percussion instrument, and the only thing left to do is turn your amp off. Meanwhile all any of the audience chooses to remember as they're walking out is the badass solo you carved out. That, my friends, is the nature of OUR instrument.
Okay, these are but two scenarios, with a million variables in between. I wish I could say I've seen more of #1 than I have of #2, but unfortunately I have not. There is one simple solution that will keep these guys at bay and ultimately allow you to be more of yourself as the time goes on, so repeat after me:
the 3rd and the 7th.
Read it down, play the lines, hit the figures, but even if the chord is notated out for you, or if it's impossible to play, just stick with 3 and 7, they are the two solitary notes that define the basic quality of every chord. Stick with that, and these guys won't bitch, because you've given them nothing to bitch about. They have all the freedom in the world because you've just handed it to them on a platter by only playing 3 and 7. That's the best place to start. Like I said, later, you'll get your freedom. You'll find your ways to sneak in the hip shit like a pro.
And please guys, keep the volume reasonable, and by reasonable, I mean reasonable to the keys chair and the ensemble, not to you. I think we all can admit that we guitarists tend to have pretty distorted perceptions of our own volume often times, but more on that for another post. So stay quiet, play your part, don't offer too much, and play less than you think you should. Let the keys chair walk away from the first rehearsal thinking you're a great player and an asset to the organization. Again, if it's a written part or a specific part on the record that contains things beyond 3 and 7, there's nothing you can do. If the part calls for power chords, play them, but watch your noise.
Another post that'll show up here soon will be all about the guitarist's role in working with the click and the track, but for now let me say this. In a perfect world, the track is designed to make up for whatever manpower cannot be employed on the stage itself, whether that be for real estate reasons, budget reasons, or otherwise. The track enhances what the professional ensemble is already doing, and makes it even cooler. Since our world is in fact anything but perfect, you may be up against playing with a track that's got so much grease on it that you might as well be sidelining or miming. Most pop gigs are this way, I've even heard from a friend who is with a prominent pop act that told me the guitar player they hired couldn't even play, he made $5000 a week to lip sync guitar parts for 157 shows. Other times, you can't even hire a sub, because your own pre-recorded parts will sub for you. Oh well, at list you're still sort of "there".
If the guy who did the tracks is on that stage with you, he obviosuly spent many more hours than you did on this particular gig, so show respect for that. But sorry fellas, the track is their baby, and you simply just can't compete. I was once in a band with two guitar players, and for some tunes there were another three guitar parts on the track. Did I like it? No, I think it's a damn tragedy, but the check cleared. Asking the gig to make sense is usually an unreasonable request.
Working with keyboardists can be so much fun, if you both allow it to be, the discussions about harmony and music in general can be great learning experiences for the both of you. But hold your ground fellas, stick to your guitarist guns, if you think somethin' ain't right, wait for the right time to question it. Remember, sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. I know what I'd rather do.
First of all, there are some things to remember about common keyboard player duties in the commercial gigging world today. Some of these things they are expected to do, some they are hired to do, and some they volunteer for. These may include:
- Artist/leader
- Musical Director
- Conductor
- Composer
- Arranger
- Copyist/chart writer
- Producer/engineer of the track, if applicable
- General "head honcho" of some sort, liason between the artist/leader/cast and the band/orchestra.
So let's go down the list. If any of these apply to the keyboard chair, each one equals what I call a different "loyalty" you must adhere to. Listen to the tune on the recording or during the rundowns/rehearsal, follow the chart at your best, and play the ink. See how it sounds, and see if the guy is happy. If you've done the job right, he will be happy. Don't ever ask the guy however if there's anything else he needs you to do, some of these guys get an inch from you and take a mile. Just smile and don't play too loud or too much.
The nature of the keyboard instrument presents many undeniable truths for the guitarist. First, they can play more notes than us, which leaves us with less options the more notes they play. Also, there are some idiosynchrasies according to the cat's origin. The cats that come from the legit world tend to have "swimmy" time sometimes, the jazz guys tend to take a lot of harmonic liberties, and the B3 guys tend to have a generally more heavy-handed approach. There are different approaches to the guitar part both texturally and harmonically that have to be discovered depending on which instrument/patch the keys chair is using (piano, rhodes, clav, organ), each sound will delineate a different approach for them, just as turning on different overdrive (or other) pedals will do it for us. All this depends on how much time you've had to get to know that particular player.
Scenario one: The keyboard player is a great musician with all the right tools and sounds, and is open to an honest and forthright adult discussion as to how you and him, along with the bass player, will approach the texture, and above all, the harmony. Remember my fellow pickers, you are no less important of a harmonic contributor than the keyboard player, even though no one ever says that. It's as true as the day is long. This guy will be sensitive to that and you will discuss voicing, bass notes, and rhythmic figures together to make the music right for the gig. Everyone's happy, the curtain goes up and the show goes down like gangbusters.
Scenario two: He's a great player and leader, his charts are good but there happen to be some physically impossible chords to play on our particular axe. Whether they be polychords, slash chords, or chords with maybe a few too many extensions. You are generally ignored, until you play something he doesn't like, then you are reprimanded. You have now officially been relegated to a percussion instrument, and the only thing left to do is turn your amp off. Meanwhile all any of the audience chooses to remember as they're walking out is the badass solo you carved out. That, my friends, is the nature of OUR instrument.
Okay, these are but two scenarios, with a million variables in between. I wish I could say I've seen more of #1 than I have of #2, but unfortunately I have not. There is one simple solution that will keep these guys at bay and ultimately allow you to be more of yourself as the time goes on, so repeat after me:
the 3rd and the 7th.
Read it down, play the lines, hit the figures, but even if the chord is notated out for you, or if it's impossible to play, just stick with 3 and 7, they are the two solitary notes that define the basic quality of every chord. Stick with that, and these guys won't bitch, because you've given them nothing to bitch about. They have all the freedom in the world because you've just handed it to them on a platter by only playing 3 and 7. That's the best place to start. Like I said, later, you'll get your freedom. You'll find your ways to sneak in the hip shit like a pro.
And please guys, keep the volume reasonable, and by reasonable, I mean reasonable to the keys chair and the ensemble, not to you. I think we all can admit that we guitarists tend to have pretty distorted perceptions of our own volume often times, but more on that for another post. So stay quiet, play your part, don't offer too much, and play less than you think you should. Let the keys chair walk away from the first rehearsal thinking you're a great player and an asset to the organization. Again, if it's a written part or a specific part on the record that contains things beyond 3 and 7, there's nothing you can do. If the part calls for power chords, play them, but watch your noise.
Another post that'll show up here soon will be all about the guitarist's role in working with the click and the track, but for now let me say this. In a perfect world, the track is designed to make up for whatever manpower cannot be employed on the stage itself, whether that be for real estate reasons, budget reasons, or otherwise. The track enhances what the professional ensemble is already doing, and makes it even cooler. Since our world is in fact anything but perfect, you may be up against playing with a track that's got so much grease on it that you might as well be sidelining or miming. Most pop gigs are this way, I've even heard from a friend who is with a prominent pop act that told me the guitar player they hired couldn't even play, he made $5000 a week to lip sync guitar parts for 157 shows. Other times, you can't even hire a sub, because your own pre-recorded parts will sub for you. Oh well, at list you're still sort of "there".
If the guy who did the tracks is on that stage with you, he obviosuly spent many more hours than you did on this particular gig, so show respect for that. But sorry fellas, the track is their baby, and you simply just can't compete. I was once in a band with two guitar players, and for some tunes there were another three guitar parts on the track. Did I like it? No, I think it's a damn tragedy, but the check cleared. Asking the gig to make sense is usually an unreasonable request.
Working with keyboardists can be so much fun, if you both allow it to be, the discussions about harmony and music in general can be great learning experiences for the both of you. But hold your ground fellas, stick to your guitarist guns, if you think somethin' ain't right, wait for the right time to question it. Remember, sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. I know what I'd rather do.
Why the ipod is one of the greatest inventions ever... for us!
So, I fell asleep exhausted last night to the opening reel of my "Jimi at Monterey" DVD, and before I knew it, I was awoken like by an earthquake. Jimi blazing through "Rock Me Baby" on my TV, and my ipod alarm clock going off with the complex cluster harmonies of a capella vocal jazz group Take 6. It was a really frightening cacophony that practically lobotomized me before I shut them both off. I guess I set my alarm by accident... Just one of the many lessons I've learned since I've owned my ipod.So, I was a late bloomer, I held out on getting an ipod until about a year ago. I don't know why, I guess I'm just behind some people. However, I do collect a lot of music, and I mean a LOT, I have over 200 gb of a record collection alone, and I like all of it. Then there's the rest of the stuff other people have given me for gigs/shows/tours to learn, or stuff I would not otherwise seek out on my own.
So I came home with a black 160gb ipod Classic, it was the biggest at the time and seemed like the best idea to me. I started the process of orienting myself with it, we all know how friendly the interface is. My friend, genius drummer Joel Richman called me about a job, and I told him I got an ipod. He immediately told me, "Dude, it ain't gonna be any fun until you actually get ALL your tunes on there." He was right. It took the better part of the day, but once I organized my library a bit, eliminated some duplicates, and edited a bunch of the tags on my tunes, the thing was ready. I now have to walk out the door 15 minutes earlier than before to go to work so I can allow myself the proper time to decide what to listen to. And you know what? It's full. No photos, no games or b.s., no video. It's full, and it's all music. My entire library goes with me everywhere, and I can give myself inspiration at any given second of the day, anywhere in the world. I can learn tunes at any given second too. It's actually done wonders for my personal happiness, always having whatever music suits my mood in my back pocket.
But the best things it has done for me other than that are purely professional. So let's go over some ways we all can use our 'pods to help our careers.
ACCESSORIES
I don't wanna suggest a musician spend more than he has to, times are certainly tough for us and everyone else, but there are a few things I've found helpful. First, there's your "ears". Meaning your headphones, and some in-ear monitors. For cans, I choose the Bose Around-Ear headphones, recommended years ago by a picker I subbed for. They're great for isolation and they're comfy. Great for long plane rides.
In-ear monitors are something we all need from time to time, and with these, you get what you pay for. However, some pinheads spend upwards of a grand for these things, and while I admire that kid of quality, these things are so easy to lose I say find a compromise. I really like Futuresonics Atrio ears. They're price-friendly and they sound amazing. If you have a decent gig they'll probably give you a deal too. Screw the ipod earbuds, they're complete shit.
Okay, you need some protection. Here's mine. I also got a screen protector. A $3 insurance policy. My other must-have is my road alarm clock.
It goes with me everywhere, and stays at my bedside at home. I also take it backstage at local and travelling gigs to get warmed up with the guys by listening to some hip shit.LEARNING THE GIG WITH IT
Ok, so you get a call for a job. Ask for the songlist, straighten out your keys, and either they'll give you the material, or you'll hunt it down. Put the act's entire catalog into one playlist, and in the case of a tour or a production show, put them in concert order in said playlist. Okay then, go to work. In the car, on the computer at your home studio/workstation or wherever you learn tunes and practice, by your bed while you sleep, in between sets on the gig, etc. Actively listening can be almost as helpful as physically practicing the tunes on your axe, as long as you have no distractions and can carefully visualize yourself playing the parts.
So let's say you don't have the gig yet and you are out looking for work. You go see a few different bands playing in some nightclubs or wherever else, meet the guys and hand out cards. Write a list of all the tunes they play from band to band. Cross reference your lists and see which tunes the bands have in common. Take that home, and make one giant master list. My friend Mel Brown taught me to make three lists, the songs you "own" on one list, the song you "know" but haven't played that much or at all, and the songs you don't know at all. Make three more playlists and prioritize your work accordingly.
In the case of working with a recording artist, chances are before you go in you will get a board mix of the current show. Make one playlist from that, in the order of the show. Chances are you might also get the original recordings as well, so make a playlist of those as well, in the same order as the show. I've even made another playlist alternating live version/recorded version of each tune, so as to compare and make note of subtle differences, transpositions, etc.
In the case of working with some sort of broadway or production show, you may get a board mix, a cast recording, or even a recording of the guy's in-ear mix for which you are subbing. Make three more playlists and... you get the idea.
If you have to SEND a sub, ther's a handy little device here. You can plug this drectly into a mini phone out jack on your mixer, Aviom or otherwise, and record your own mix directly onto your ipod to give to your sub. It also doubles as a handy voice recorder to record lessons, or anything else. With a little editing at home, your sub will hear what you hear on the gig while practicing. The cats I've covered for have been GREAT about doing this for me.
Here's another thing... it's saved my ass many times. Vocal warmups. Invest in a good one for your particular gender and range, or do what a lot of cats I know do, and go grab a session with a vocal coach and have them make you a custom warm-up CD for gigs where singing is a big deal. Yes, make another playlist, and warm up in the shower, getting dressed, and driving to the gig. I am not a singer per se, but I do get called to do it often, and I've hurt myself by not warming up properly.
Okay guys, that's my two cents about the 'pod. I have a closer relationship with mine than I have had with most women I've ever dated, and it never lets me down. With a little research and some spare time to invest in your professional security, these things can be your best friend. Ciao, fellas.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Working With Singers, Part I
It's an old joke, I know... How do you know a lead singer's at the front door? They can't find the key and don't know when to come in.
Insulting? Yes. Partially true? Unfortunately. I've worked with singers large and small, from nightclubs with three tables of people to arenas. Many of them have things in common both good and bad, like any type of musician. When you're a guitar player in a commercial band, whether it be a touring act, a production show, or a simple nightclub band, the nature of our instrument requires us very often to become a sort-of second frontman. It's really comfortable for a singer to know that they can lean on their guitarist for not only lead and rhythm guitar duties, but also some auxiliary background and lead singing. Plus, the all-too-important guitar solo is often the singer's only chance to take a breather in the tune.
The best singers I know, male or female, also happen to be great musicians in their own right, whether that includes playing one or more instruments, writing their own charts, or just all around great bandleading and engaging entertainer-type stuff. And of course, many singers are phenomenal writers and producers too.
I don't trust a singer who can't accompany themselves at least in some minimal way as much as I trust one who does. Some can't even tell you what key they're in, and this is why jokes like the one above were created, long before any of us stepped onto the bandstand. Bottom line, our job as guitarists is to accompany these people, to support them, be the proper sideman, and do the JOB. Nothing more. Now that job may include many things, like taking on bandleading or musical director duties, copyist duties, arranging duties, and as mentioned earlier, auziliary fronting duties on the gig. There are a few things you can do when working with a new singer to help you both ease into the gig, get the job done, and minimize rehearsal time.
If it's an established artists with records out and tour dates, it's the MD's job to do this for you, that's why they get paid more and have more painful headaches. But, the rest of us, when we're not headlining the Garden and trying to ignore Madonna's knocks at the front door bugging us to play on her next record, we have to do things like play in cover bands. Corporate events, public ticketed concerts, weddings, bar mitvahs, first holy communion parties, casino showrooms, lounges, nightclubs, backyard BBQs, new year's, Xmas, Easter, valentine's, memorial day, labor day, and the list goes on. I've even played funerals and the opening of a new Pepboy's with a cover band.
So when you get called for one of these jobs, it is often times by the leader/singer themselves. They give you a list of songs, you buy/download them, and begin your work. First lesson you'll learn? Upon arriving to the job thinking you're king shit guitar sideman, all of a sudden they call the first three tunes and tune 1 is up a minor 3rd, tune 2 is down a whole step, and tune 3 is down a half step. "How come they didn't tell me?" You think as you panic to relearn "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" in Drop-D and "China Grove" in F#. Well, because you didn't ask, that's why. Many singers are famous for not advertising this crucial information.
Simple solution. Ask one question when you get the call, "So... all record keys then?" You should get a yes or no, or a yes-and-no answer after that. Then comes the process of going through at least 30-40 tunes on a list and itemizing the key for each one if it's different from the original recording. This may require you to do things like: Bring another guitar or two in a trnasposed or alternated tuning, say open D for "Black Water" or Eb (down a half step) for the frequent case where said singer can't hit the highest note on the record, or if you're playing a lot of 80s hair band stuff or anything by Jimi or SRV.
Then there are the ones who don't know exactly what key they're in. Sometimes they even think they know, and they're SOOO sure they know, but they're still wrong. Diplomacy is the key here guys, but that's another post. It never hurts to get together with the singer, apart from the rehearsal (if you're lucky enough to even GET one), and just bring a small acoustic axe for the sole purpose of getting your keys straight. Bring any charts you made/have, the master song list, and your pencil. As soon as you've got all your keys straight, get the hell outta there.
Lastly, I thought it not necessarily relevant, but at least relatively funny, to include a term coined by one of my heroes, Eddie Van Halen. Ed and his brother invented the term "L.S.D." Not the drug mind you, but Lead Singer's Disease. I'll let my fellow experienced pickers come up with their own definition of this, as I have, but I am choosing not to expand upon it now. I didn't invent the term guys, I just read it in a book. I hope you laguhed as much as I did.
Insulting? Yes. Partially true? Unfortunately. I've worked with singers large and small, from nightclubs with three tables of people to arenas. Many of them have things in common both good and bad, like any type of musician. When you're a guitar player in a commercial band, whether it be a touring act, a production show, or a simple nightclub band, the nature of our instrument requires us very often to become a sort-of second frontman. It's really comfortable for a singer to know that they can lean on their guitarist for not only lead and rhythm guitar duties, but also some auxiliary background and lead singing. Plus, the all-too-important guitar solo is often the singer's only chance to take a breather in the tune.
The best singers I know, male or female, also happen to be great musicians in their own right, whether that includes playing one or more instruments, writing their own charts, or just all around great bandleading and engaging entertainer-type stuff. And of course, many singers are phenomenal writers and producers too.
I don't trust a singer who can't accompany themselves at least in some minimal way as much as I trust one who does. Some can't even tell you what key they're in, and this is why jokes like the one above were created, long before any of us stepped onto the bandstand. Bottom line, our job as guitarists is to accompany these people, to support them, be the proper sideman, and do the JOB. Nothing more. Now that job may include many things, like taking on bandleading or musical director duties, copyist duties, arranging duties, and as mentioned earlier, auziliary fronting duties on the gig. There are a few things you can do when working with a new singer to help you both ease into the gig, get the job done, and minimize rehearsal time.
If it's an established artists with records out and tour dates, it's the MD's job to do this for you, that's why they get paid more and have more painful headaches. But, the rest of us, when we're not headlining the Garden and trying to ignore Madonna's knocks at the front door bugging us to play on her next record, we have to do things like play in cover bands. Corporate events, public ticketed concerts, weddings, bar mitvahs, first holy communion parties, casino showrooms, lounges, nightclubs, backyard BBQs, new year's, Xmas, Easter, valentine's, memorial day, labor day, and the list goes on. I've even played funerals and the opening of a new Pepboy's with a cover band.
So when you get called for one of these jobs, it is often times by the leader/singer themselves. They give you a list of songs, you buy/download them, and begin your work. First lesson you'll learn? Upon arriving to the job thinking you're king shit guitar sideman, all of a sudden they call the first three tunes and tune 1 is up a minor 3rd, tune 2 is down a whole step, and tune 3 is down a half step. "How come they didn't tell me?" You think as you panic to relearn "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" in Drop-D and "China Grove" in F#. Well, because you didn't ask, that's why. Many singers are famous for not advertising this crucial information.
Simple solution. Ask one question when you get the call, "So... all record keys then?" You should get a yes or no, or a yes-and-no answer after that. Then comes the process of going through at least 30-40 tunes on a list and itemizing the key for each one if it's different from the original recording. This may require you to do things like: Bring another guitar or two in a trnasposed or alternated tuning, say open D for "Black Water" or Eb (down a half step) for the frequent case where said singer can't hit the highest note on the record, or if you're playing a lot of 80s hair band stuff or anything by Jimi or SRV.
Then there are the ones who don't know exactly what key they're in. Sometimes they even think they know, and they're SOOO sure they know, but they're still wrong. Diplomacy is the key here guys, but that's another post. It never hurts to get together with the singer, apart from the rehearsal (if you're lucky enough to even GET one), and just bring a small acoustic axe for the sole purpose of getting your keys straight. Bring any charts you made/have, the master song list, and your pencil. As soon as you've got all your keys straight, get the hell outta there.
Lastly, I thought it not necessarily relevant, but at least relatively funny, to include a term coined by one of my heroes, Eddie Van Halen. Ed and his brother invented the term "L.S.D." Not the drug mind you, but Lead Singer's Disease. I'll let my fellow experienced pickers come up with their own definition of this, as I have, but I am choosing not to expand upon it now. I didn't invent the term guys, I just read it in a book. I hope you laguhed as much as I did.
My foray into the blogosphere, and Music Ed
So, here goes. I guess I'll do it too. Right off the bat, I want to let all other guitarists and musicians know that when sharing gig experiences there are certain things that shall remain anonymous. These may or may not include where I worked, who I worked with, what compensation was exchanged, and anything else I deem necessary. This is for several reasons. One, I wish to not directly advertise too much of my professional life. I, like all of us, have too much competition as it is. Two, it is out of respect for my co-workers and colleagues, who are working just as hard as I am to keep their heads above water in these times.
The last reason is personal. I started this blog with the primary intention of telling some of the more real TRUTHS about living and working as a professional rhythm section musician. The things that others simply won't say, even though that's what they're thinking, feelings of concern that other musicians may share with me, and feelings of accomplishment and attainment of serious goals, among many things.
The music business, and by that I mean the "business of making music for money", can often be a great metaphor for life. So hopefully we all can learn a few things with that in mind, from ourselves, and from each other. Believe me guys, the more comments and responses the better, and the more controversy the better. So... since music school was brought up, and because that's the place where so many of us begin our careers, let's start there.
THE GREAT MUSIC EDUCATION MYTH(S)
One goes to college to just as much learn what they DON'T know as they go to learn new things. Music school is a very humbling experience when you first show up, sometimes even humiliating. But it helps you move forward and get the fundamental and rudimentary skills needed to understand music as a whole.
Music academia however, like a lot of similar institutions, suffers from a serious detachment from the street. Some are better equipeed to send you out into the world than others, and I have my own opinions, but I'll let you guys dedcide for yourselves which institution is best for your own growth, if any at all. Now let me remind you, I am speaking from a professional commerical music performer's perspective, not that of a music teacher or an ethnomusicologist or a choir accompanist. For the most part, me and everyone I work with make our living playing "commercial music." Name it... rock, blues, country, funk, soul, r&b, AC, MOR, etc. Not many music schools actually show you some of these tunes and techniques, and this my friends is where the detachment begins.
See, these styles are not "old" enough to be accepted into the ivory tower just yet. Classical music is, and jazz is just reaching the age where it's getting wider acceptance. Last I checked there were but four tenured jazz guitar professors in the entire world. And while we're at it, let's take a hard look at our instrument: the electric guitar. Not exactly the most easily-legitimized axe, is it? Opera singers, tuba players, and violinists see their classmates with electric guitar gig bags on their shoulders and often think "loose cannon" immediately. Know what? In my case anyway, they were right. Bottom line, our instrument is and will remain the single most popular instrument in the entire world, and that rubs some of the legit cats the wrong way sometimes. The flipside? Our competition is pretty stiff, it seems as though everyone plays at least a little guitar.
I've never been a full-time teacher, always part time, and these days not at all, but I've ALWAYS been a full time player. I was before music school, during music school, and now after. Point being, please do not spend so much time in the practice room that you forget to actually get out there and meet people who you have the potential to work with. As mentioned earlier, the music degree does you no good unless you're using it while you getting it. I've seen many a fellow guitar student come out of school with amazing chops and skills, with not one single gig to show for it.
Also, the most important relationship you can foster as a music student will be the relationship between you and your private teacher. This person must be your coach, your mentor, your sensei. My advice is to find the best player you like to go and watch, and that you know is really busy, and bug them like hell until they take your money and give advice and share skills in return.
Anyhow, these are my personal thoughts on music education. It did wonders for me and many I know, but there's so substitute for the School of Hard Knocks, period.
The last reason is personal. I started this blog with the primary intention of telling some of the more real TRUTHS about living and working as a professional rhythm section musician. The things that others simply won't say, even though that's what they're thinking, feelings of concern that other musicians may share with me, and feelings of accomplishment and attainment of serious goals, among many things.
The music business, and by that I mean the "business of making music for money", can often be a great metaphor for life. So hopefully we all can learn a few things with that in mind, from ourselves, and from each other. Believe me guys, the more comments and responses the better, and the more controversy the better. So... since music school was brought up, and because that's the place where so many of us begin our careers, let's start there.
THE GREAT MUSIC EDUCATION MYTH(S)
- A degree or degrees in music can get you a gig: Well, it's possible, but certainly not guaranteed. In fact I myself think it's a bit on the unlikely side. I do find it necessary to further your education in music at the collegiate level, if you're serious about doing this, but don't count on any job security from it, and I mean ANY. No matter what institution you went to. If applying for some sort of collegiate teaching position, then the proper higher education will be necessary. However, I recently responded to a job announcement that shall remain nameless. I told them that I had left my M.M. program early. They told me, "If you want this tenure track job, you gotta have a Master's. We don't even care what it's in or where it's from, just so long as you have it." I wonder how many college music professors out there might have, say, MBA's or advanced degrees in basket weaving.
- The more money you pay for your music degree the better it will be: Well, unfortunately this one's B.S. too. The end result of your formal education (in any art) will always be directly proportional to what you put into it. The more you put in, the more you get out in the end. I went to one institution that was a certain amount of money per full-time semester for tuition, that's one flat fee for 12 units of study. The next one I went to, cost the exact same amount of money for ONE UNIT of graduate tuition. That's simply an astronomical amount. In hindsight, I don't see a huge amount of differences between the two, they both were great. All I do know is that they both broke my balls when I needed to leave class early for a gig. Such is life...
- I need to go to music school because I need to learn to read music: For my personal career, which is certainly no microcosm of this biz, reading is absolutely necessary. However, here's a short list of people it did not stop: Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, and on and on and on... I should also mention that half the badasses I know are music school dropouts, and you know what? I am a dropout too. I guess I'm not proud of it, but in all reality it doesn't bother me.
One goes to college to just as much learn what they DON'T know as they go to learn new things. Music school is a very humbling experience when you first show up, sometimes even humiliating. But it helps you move forward and get the fundamental and rudimentary skills needed to understand music as a whole.
Music academia however, like a lot of similar institutions, suffers from a serious detachment from the street. Some are better equipeed to send you out into the world than others, and I have my own opinions, but I'll let you guys dedcide for yourselves which institution is best for your own growth, if any at all. Now let me remind you, I am speaking from a professional commerical music performer's perspective, not that of a music teacher or an ethnomusicologist or a choir accompanist. For the most part, me and everyone I work with make our living playing "commercial music." Name it... rock, blues, country, funk, soul, r&b, AC, MOR, etc. Not many music schools actually show you some of these tunes and techniques, and this my friends is where the detachment begins.
See, these styles are not "old" enough to be accepted into the ivory tower just yet. Classical music is, and jazz is just reaching the age where it's getting wider acceptance. Last I checked there were but four tenured jazz guitar professors in the entire world. And while we're at it, let's take a hard look at our instrument: the electric guitar. Not exactly the most easily-legitimized axe, is it? Opera singers, tuba players, and violinists see their classmates with electric guitar gig bags on their shoulders and often think "loose cannon" immediately. Know what? In my case anyway, they were right. Bottom line, our instrument is and will remain the single most popular instrument in the entire world, and that rubs some of the legit cats the wrong way sometimes. The flipside? Our competition is pretty stiff, it seems as though everyone plays at least a little guitar.
I've never been a full-time teacher, always part time, and these days not at all, but I've ALWAYS been a full time player. I was before music school, during music school, and now after. Point being, please do not spend so much time in the practice room that you forget to actually get out there and meet people who you have the potential to work with. As mentioned earlier, the music degree does you no good unless you're using it while you getting it. I've seen many a fellow guitar student come out of school with amazing chops and skills, with not one single gig to show for it.
Also, the most important relationship you can foster as a music student will be the relationship between you and your private teacher. This person must be your coach, your mentor, your sensei. My advice is to find the best player you like to go and watch, and that you know is really busy, and bug them like hell until they take your money and give advice and share skills in return.
Anyhow, these are my personal thoughts on music education. It did wonders for me and many I know, but there's so substitute for the School of Hard Knocks, period.
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