The Good Musician is hosting this group project and here’s my personal list:

1. Billy Joe Armstrong

Seriously, the kid has to play the same 4 chords in over 30 sngs at a concert. He’s got fame and money, but musical monotony will catch up sooner or later.

2. Janet Jackson

Besides having your name pulled into dirt by your brother, having to play second fiddle all the time whilst reminding everyone of Mister popstar pedophile thanks to inherited resemblance ain’t no sweet life.

3. Michael Jackson

Need I say more?

4. Britney Spears

Sigh.

5. Amy Winehouse

You know, I actually appreciate people who just are “themselves”, but Amy Winehouse has never shown me the necessary respect for her own music. She may have it, but she sure doesn’t make me feel that she takes anything in life seriously. And thus again we spin into discussion about childish musicians.

6. Joseph Haydn

This fine man lived through the entire span of the Wiener Klassik era of music and beside Mozart, heavily influenced it. The poor guy worked for the count of Esterhazy, who was one wicked guy: He’d have an orchestra ready to play at all times, and he never wanted to hear the same symphony twice. So Mr. Haydn here ended up composing over 100 symphonies, only the last few of his being highly remembered as the London symphonies (which he didn’t write for the count). Mr. Esterhazy desperately needed an iPod.

7. Ringo Starr

Being one of The Beatles is probably in itself a torture, as you can prepare for getting your hair torn out upon landing in America. But being a Beatle and being that guy in the back who plays the drums and no-one cares about anyway – that’s probably no fun.

8. Sean Callery

I think life as Sean Callery could be a happy one. Yet I fret from the notion of having to handyman together a fresh background score for every episode of 24 as much as I do from playing a guitar with no frets and only one string. Life can get heavily boring and tension-packed at the same time if you have to keep on mixing down electronic foreboding sounds to make people anxious about terrorist attacks on Jack Bauer. Still, great music, Sean. But dontcha get tired?

9. Scott Weiland (right)

I used to listen to a lot of Velvet Revolver when they published their first album. Yet, now, after having heard Mr. Weiland sing live (ugh) and read his drug stories, AND seen how thin he is with his slightly anorexic problem, I think I don’t want to be him. I’d like to be Slash though.

10. This guy playing guitar hero

Post from: The Good Musician

Frankly speaking, I’m elated. The woman has messed up her life, and it’s time higher forces took care of the poor girl.
Loyal readers of TGM will know how much I despise this “Good Musician”, and here’s why. She doesn’t exhibit the least of respect for her own music.

I’ve never seen play a single instrument (show me if I’m wrong), her concerts and records are always heavily computer-assisted with strange effects, so I won’t go as far as to call her “music-making” real singing. Like many a pop idol, she doesn’t write her songs herself, and is (or was) basically a marketed little “cutsie” that got thrown out there for the bears to eat.

Little girls’ lives have been manipulated to focus around this woman, so badly that they end up destroying their own vocal chords at concerts screaming, their eating habits and dress code. Such people, who adversely affect society and project no relevance to music in their daily lives simply belong under psychological care.

My two cents, go rip me apart.

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In the new year, I have a few goals I want to achieve, to keep my musician-being going at a healthy rate.

Here are The Good Musician’s new year’s resolutions:

1. Practice at a fixed time daily.

I get time in the mornings only, and I used to practice daily from 5-6. But those days are gone, and I want them back.

2. Play regular concerts at a local hospital.

This is a great way to stay in the practice of concerts. In old age homes I’ve come across the most charming and appreciative audiences for classical music ever.

3. Start a jazz band.

This is a big project and I want you to join me on this endeavor. I’ve launched and crashed a few groups in my life before, but this time I’m looking for something fun, and lasting.

4. Improve my technique.

My main focus this year shall be on technique. I’ve played many a complex piece before, but in order to advance to a new plateau, I think my technique is what’s holding me back the most right now.

5. Listen to more music.

I need to explore more music. I’ve been stagnating on the same 72 artists for much too long now, and oughta find some fresh inspiration. Maybe my own recommendations will come in handy for that…

These goals, though large and hard, are what I aspire to be and what I should be building this year’s musical antics around. What are your goals as a musician this year?

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What sets Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits apart from you? Well, he was lucky.

Most famous musicians were lucky somewhere down the road. But so was Britney, and I will not begin calling here a musician just yet. As a musician, Knopfler was a heroic master of the guitar, and played so well not only because he practiced for hours a day, but because he had a great intrinsic knowledge of musical theory.

Music theory and the entire science of music is often what most hobby musicians love to shun. But it is what may set you apart, what will increase your enjoyment of music and what will in the end empower you to be creative.

We’re talking scientific competence here, and there are a few key points you need to develop:

1. Music Theory: We’ve spoken about this many times, but I will wash, rinse, repeat – knowing your music theory is knowing what you’re playing. You may want to start here.

2. Music history: The origins and development of music are equally important. Know the roots of what you’re playing, know it’s historic context. Did you know that Beethoven’s 9th was one of the first symphonies ever to include a choir? It sparked a revolution. Wikipedia often helps.

3. Practice methodology:If you practice how to practice, you’ll practice better. Methodic and systematic practice will yield results faster, more efficiently, and will thus let you advance at a higher peace with ease. Stop wasting time doodling around and work on what you’re supposed to work.

4. Instrumental Physics: Learn enough about your instrument to be able to explain how it works to someone who knows little to nothing about music. A scientific understanding for what’s going on when you make or listen to music will make your approach to music as such much more diverse and deep. A good starting point is here.

You get the general idea. Everything that’s methodic, theoretical or subject-related is of relevance to your scientific competence of music. Build your knowledge and then take personal stance towards it.

Be critical: Question your instrument and your practice methods, confront your teacher and the local guitar shop.

Post from: The Good Musician

A good musician has a great personality. Unless you can convince your crowd of your competence, you won’t convince at all.

Also, you have to be at total peace and happiness with your instrument and your progress towards mastering it.

A musician with a high personal competence needs to possess certain traits:

• Ability to self-motivate
• Desire to be appreciated
• Stand up for his/her principles
• Have a basic set of ethical norms and ideas towards music

The definition of a competence is as follows:

Knowledge + Ability + Ethical Stand-Point = Competence

Note that while Knowledge is good, and having technical abilities is even better, the lack of ethical or normative stand-points make these traits a real competence.

Why is this important?

Well, grab a pad and try to write down what your musical ethics are.

Let me help with this example: I love classical music. I respect the composers and I respect great interprets as well. But I personally think that one shouldn’t take classical music out of the context of other musical styles. I like to compare Jazz standards with Bach cantatas — that’s an ethical value.

Values make you a great personality, values define you and separate you from standard musicians. What are your true values?

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Michelle Bennett over at “A Singer’s Life” shares a thought and an anecdote on rehearsing, and when it might be too much. Notably, she mentions relaxation:

So, when is enough enough?

Perhaps when, like the singer above, you have performed a role upwards of 100 times?

I am sure each singer has their own individual strategy concerning preparation and rehearsal. However, what I am learning more and more is that it pays to relax.

Did I rehearse enough? When is enough? Why do we ask ourselves this question?

Being nervous is healthy. It brings together all your concentration and resources and focuses them to that one task. But often, nervousness can swerve into panic, and that’s when your concert turns from joy to misery. Rehearsing enough is one thing, over-rehearsing is another. Today, I will just share with you 6 things I watch out for to build my own confidence before a concert.

1. Mentally see the sheet music.

Try to imagine the piece as sheet music while you hear it mentally. This is especially important if you’re playing by heart, in which case you should sit down with just the sheet music a day or two before a concert. Read through it like a book, and hear the music in the back of your head.

2. Do a dry run for your hands

Try playing the piece without actually producing sound. This is difficult for many instruments (like vocals), but on a guitar, try playing right and left hand separately (it’s much harder than it sounds), on a piano, don’t really stroke the keys, on a trumpet, don’t blow.

3. Play the piece completely, like at the concert, around half an hour before showtime.

And then, don’t touch your instrument in that half hour. Instead, go drink water, talk to other performers, or just meditate. Don’t go near the music. 5 minutes before the beginning, run through the first few bars mentally. Not more. The rest will flow naturally.

4. Plan ahead of concerts.

If I know I have a concert in a week, I set up a game plan for that week. I usually tell myself the concert is two days earlier and try to get top form by that day. Then in the last 48 hours, I won’t play parts of the piece anymore, only the entire piece without breaks. Keeping a plan ahead of time eliminates the “I didn’t practice enough” feeling.

5. Have a drink.

This one’s tricky, but it helps me. Having a good swig of beer or champagne at the bar before a concert always gives me a more relaxed approach. But beware, results may vary.

6. Have a concert strategy.

I might go more into detail on this in another post, but laying out a strategy for your concerts is good for eliminating surprises and getting a routine. I always carry my bag packed the exact same way, I always go to the bathroom at the same time before a concert, I know exactly what dress I’ll be wearing that day. And it’ll be ironed and ready.

There are plenty more ways to prepare, these were just a few. What are yours? For more practice and concert tips, subscribe today!

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“I used to be quite haphazard with my practice routines, until I tried using a diary.”

How does your practice routine look? You get down with your instrument when you feel like it, open up the page of some piece you want to play and start playing? Do you just grab that guitar and start jamming about scales?

Well, that’s hardly efficient if you want to get anywhere. Musical practice could potentially fill your entire day, but since we’re limited with our time, you have to keep two things in front of you at all times:

1. Practice more often, in shorter blocks.
2. Be focused in your decision what to practice.

Practicing an instrument is like doing a workout. Tracking it is important, and consistency is key. I used to be quite haphazard with my practice routines, until I tried using a diary. Writing down what I wanted to practice exactly, and then tracking how many minutes each day helped me see where I was failing.

Here’s a way to design your diary page:

1. One week per page
Keep a header that holds the dates of a certain week (e.g., July 9-16).

2. Exact list of things to practice
In the main area of the page, list out the exercises and pieces you want to practice this week.

3. Log your minutes
In the bottom part of a diary page, log each weekday and the minutes practiced on that day.

This way, you will always practice the right stuff in the right order, because you wrote it down. You will also be more disciplined because you will feel obliges to fill out the diary every day. Try this, it works. It also works for workouts and diets, but I guess music is the most fun, right?

Soon, we will explore the nooks and crannies of practicing music, so until then, stay tuned and subscribe or you might miss it!

Post from: The Good Musician

But many parents go about in a very wrong way. After 10 years of playing experience, I can tell what should’ve been better in my kiddy days. Points to consider when introducing your child to music:

1. Implement the 5 Pillars of Good Musicians

Don’t just make him or her play an instrument. Show them the different aspects of music, build on the 5 pillars and explain to them how it’s these core principles that can make him the next [insert favorite musician here].

2. Listen to Music with your kid

Making music is like writing. Most good authors read tons more than they actually write. Similarly, grab a bunch of classical, jazz and modern CDs, throw in some of your child’s favorite artists and sit together and just listen.
You don’t have to be experts, but just talk about the music, what you like about it, what instruments are in there, likes and dislikes, try to explain why you like or dislike something. Exposure is key.

3. Choose an instrument wisely

Your child wants to play the guitar? Well, that’s great. But you should take a trip to the music store and look at different options. From the previous excercise you would have discovered what music your child likes and what instruments are prevalent in those styles.

So explore the options: A guitar can be a classical one, a jazz/tock guitar, a western guitar, or even a bass guitar. Orchestras have many instruments you might have never heard of, explore the options. This has two benefits: Picking a rare instrument drives up the market value of your child, and secondly, it’s simply more interesting than the “usual” guitar/piano/violin kid.

4. Practice with them

It’s important to track your child’s progress. Keeping a music homework diary is a good habit. Don’t let them practice on their own in the beginning, sit with them and encourage them strongly, but always drill them to practice slowly and with a fixed goal in mind. We will talk more about practicing techniques in other posts.

5. Stand up for better music education

Find out about the theory instruction in your school. Many schools make students pick an instrument for big band or orchestra, and rotate after a year. This is very, very bad. Your child will never really indulge in music that way. Enforce more theory lessons, solo lessons and make your child go it’s own way. Participating in school music is good, but only a tiny fraction of what your child should be doing. Solo talent is far more important and will benefit your child much more than letting it play in a big band, where the level of expertise is only as high as the weakest member.

For more tips on being a Musician, practicing, and pushing your children’s musical talent, stay tuned by subscribing today!

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Let me show you mine:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Louis Armstrong
Britney Spears
John Lennon
Mark Knopfler

Pretty strange mix there. I don’t even listen to all of them, and yet they populate some part of my mind.

That’s is the basis of personal branding. You have to give yourself a profile you’re comfortable with and which defines you as a person and as a musician. This doesn’t mean changing who you are, it just means drawing clearer lines around yourself (hence the word “profile”).

Everything you can do for your own brand is already with you, you only have to harness and package it in a smart way.

So Step 1: Who are you?

Where are you from? What are your roots?
Where in the world have you been?
What languages do you know?
What music did you listen to at age 10? Age 15? 20?
Are you religious?
Do you smoke?
What are your hobbies?
What is your political orientation?

You see, it’s not that easy to find out who you are. The questions could go on, and you will realize that you are someone unique and different. Try answering some of those questions mentally, then create a summary of what you think is interesting about you.

What would you write in your CV? What would you want to your Grand-kids to know?

I hope I got your mind churning there, stay tuned for more Personal Branding. Until then, be sure to subscribe or you might miss something!

Post from: The Good Musician

In future posts, I will explore each area deeper and try to size up digestible chunks that will join you on your career to a good musician.

1. Know Your Instrument

Every musician makes music using an instrument. Even our voice is an entire instrument by itself. When playing, we should be aware of what we are doing. We should try to learn as much about the instrument as we can gather, it’s history, it’s uses, it’s cousins, and we should develop our relationship to the instrument, why are we playing the instrument we play?.

2. Know your Music Theory

Britney Spears probably doesn’t know much about music theory, but as a self-made musician free from producers and American Idol, we should indulge in music theory. Music is a science, but an art form as well. That makes it very special, and thus we should attempt to grasp it as much as we can, which the scientific approach allows us to do easily. The artistic side of music is much more obscure and free. Many musicians fail trying to climb that high wall before getting familiar with the subject matter.

In subsequent posts, I will bring in lessons of music theory, and try to present it in a way that it’s understandable, and most of all, show the use of it, and answer that all-mighty question of “Why?”.

3. Brand Yourself

Whether you’re a classical interpret or member of a death metal band, you have to define yourself and place yourself among others. You have to develop your own uniqueness, and this is where the music ends and business begins, but it’s a part of being a musician. Even if just for your personal life, you should put a lot of thought into what you want to be as a musician, and what you can be as a musician.

Draw that mental picture of yourself you’re comfortable with and ask, what makes me so special? You’ll find a lot of things that make you unique, you just have to play them out.

4. Listen to music

Being a musician means making music, but it also means immersing yourself in music that others create. Listening to music shouldn’t only be something you do on the bus, while surfing or in the car. Listening should at times be an active process in which you slice up the music and study it. There’s so much out there, and once you develop an ear for it, there’s an equal amount to learn! Imagine if you can combine all that knowledge and create something new & wonderful!

5. Practice & Criticize

You suck. That’s what you might try pounding into your head every time you force a tortured note out of your instrument, whether a beginner or a wannabe-Hendrix. Well, the truth is: You really do suck. Everyone does. Paul McCartney sucks. Even I do. But the good part is, we can change that. With practice and constant self-evaluation done the right way, we can reduce our suckiness and create something beautiful. Remember, nothing is perfect, but with a little help, you can come a long, long, really long way.

In future posts you will be able to explore each area further, and we’ll finally get down to work. I’m sure we can learn a lot from each other, and if you think you want to join me, be sure to subscribe!

Post from: The Good Musician