Musicality

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by rllink

You are right.

Venting a little here, but there's a monumentally gifted singer/songwriter here in LA who got into it a lot later than most people do, and never played in school ensembles or garage bands or any of those usual things. He hired me and a player I work with a lot and two more pros to do an hour livestream show, all originals, plus I'd be preparing the charts. After the first rehearsal, in which he was completely unfollowable and played all the songs differently enough from the mp3's he provided that the charts became moot, he fired us all and hired a new band which will rehearse once, the day before the show.

Point being, the gift is one thing and this guy has it. But when the "arteest" is a grownup with some money who long ago forgot what the student-mind is, he can't be told what he doesn't know, even if the folks telling him have his best interests at heart. And even if they're more tactful than I tend to be.

In normal times, I help out and mix FOH at a great LA open-mic venue, and see variations on this theme all the time.

[Doug Young]

Seems to me that theres a difference between playing a tune your own way - making it your own, rather than trying exactly mimic someone else, and being consistent. You can play with others and still have your own take on a tune, play with your own style, your own arrangement. The problem you seem to be describing, Brett, seems to be describing is a bit different, right? People who arent used to playing with others often have this problem, anything from changing structure to uneven tempos, even changing the lyrics. (Pretty hard to sing harmony to that.) and so on. But a person, or even a group can certainly have their own style and not have to copy someone else.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Seems to me that theres a difference between playing a tune your own way - making it your own, rather than trying exactly mimic someone else, and being consistent.

Of course.

[mc1]

Amongst all the other good tips, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned dynamics. Having certain lines stand out, while other parts are reduced, and certain sections stand out, or be quieter, can be the difference.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by mc1

Amongst all the other good tips, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned dynamics. Having certain lines stand out, while other parts are reduced, and certain sections stand out, or be quieter, can be the difference.

Certainly a big part for use in phrases, accents, various string voices, melody against harmony...

[JHey!]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

I realize he’s got years of playing compared to my one (minus the false start in my twenties) but we’re essentially playing the same notes.

I’m constantly reminded of my limitations when I listen to others. I believe the players I hear who have that certain something have put in a lot of time to get there. Everyone gets better with practice.

[Doug Young]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but I'd say one important thing is that what you play has to be easy for you - you can't play musically (at least not usually), if you're struggling physically or mentally with the piece.

Two anecdotes:

I attended a workshop with Martin Simpson years ago. Someone asked him why he used alternate tunings. No one would accuse Martin of lacking technical ability, but what he said was that he (or anyone) had a finite limit on their physical and mental strength. He could either use that ability on difficult fingerings, holding down barre chords and the like, or he could find an alternate tuning that allowed him to use less effort on the basics, so that he could use his technique to play musically, focus on phrasing, tone, vibrator, etc. Tho he was talking about alternate tunings, I'd take this as broader statement - whatever you play has to be easy for you so that you are able to expend energy and focus on the musical aspect. I've gotten a lot of tips from players over the years, but this one stands out to me as one of the most memorable.

I just read a book called "The Laws of Brainjo: The Art & Science of Molding a Musical Mind". As a $5 e-book, I wasn't expecting much, bought it on a lark, but I highly recommend it. The author is a neuroscientist who plays banjo (hmm....) and it's all about how we learn and how to practice efficiently. I think a lot of what he talks about applies to playing musically. Again, he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built. At that point, you won't be focusing on fingerings or remembering how the tune goes, or worrying about timing, etc, you'll be able to play automatically, while your mind focuses on something else - like playing musically. He has various concrete suggestions for how to get to this point. It was a pretty quick and easy read, but I found it to be food for thought, and I plan to read it a second time.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

The author is a neuroscientist who plays banjo (hmm....) and it's all about how we learn and how to practice efficiently. I think a lot of what he talks about applies to playing musically. Again, he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built.

My classical guitar teacher back in my college days (concert guitarist David Grimes: https://productionsdoz.com/nos-artis...david?lg=en_US) might work on some particular guitar piece for the better part of a year before feeling ready to add it to a concert performance.

[hazmuz]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built...

i remember that the guitar playing medical students jokingly referred to this as "getting the basics done by the spinal cord" and leaving the brain free for other things

[RodB]

I also subscribe to the view that a piece needs to be technically within a players ability - with some margin, not just achievable.

Also the structure, melody and harmonies (even choice of), options of phrasing etc. becoming familiar over time. Embellishments are incidental to the flow, not impediments to overcome.

Whilst regular practice of a piece might be necessary to get it internalised, I find I benefit from a break away from it to be able to sit down and actually enjoy listening as I play.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by mc1

Amongst all the other good tips, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned dynamics. Having certain lines stand out, while other parts are reduced, and certain sections stand out, or be quieter, can be the difference.

Yes I think that's really important when playing harmonised melodies, it helps if the listener can hear the tune louder than the accompaniment.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I just read a book called "The Laws of Brainjo: The Art & Science of Molding a Musical Mind". As a $5 e-book, I wasn't expecting much, bought it on a lark, but I highly recommend it. The author is a neuroscientist who plays banjo (hmm....) and it's all about how we learn and how to practice efficiently. I think a lot of what he talks about applies to playing musically. Again, he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built. At that point, you won't be focusing on fingerings or remembering how the tune goes, or worrying about timing, etc.

This reminds me of a story about Einstein , when the great physicist died scientists dissected his brain to see if they could find anything to account for him being so smart, only difference they could find was that one part of his brain that controlled movement in the left hand was enlarged , they put that down to his years of playing the violin.

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I just read a book called "The Laws of Brainjo: The Art & Science of Molding a Musical Mind". As a $5 e-book, I wasn't expecting much, bought it on a lark, but I highly recommend it. The author is a neuroscientist who plays banjo (hmm....) and it's all about how we learn and how to practice efficiently. I think a lot of what he talks about applies to playing musically. Again, he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built. At that point, you won't be focusing on fingerings or remembering how the tune goes, or worrying about timing, etc, you'll be able to play automatically, while your mind focuses on something else - like playing musically.

This is my sentiment, also. This is said allot better than I could say it though. I look at it from the stand point of making sounds and music you enjoy first. The rest will come in time as you continue on. And of coarse you start simply. With the first steps as any journey does. It's like I can play pretty fast when I'm making music. But when I try to play fast I can't make music.

[godfreydaniel]

One person already mentioned it but I want to emphasize it - record yourself so you can review it. You might be surprised by what you haven’t noticed when you listen to yourself while you’re playing. You can then work on your problem areas. I’ve noticed my timing on melody notes sometimes sounds rushed.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I just read a book called "The Laws of Brainjo: The Art & Science of Molding a Musical Mind". As a $5 e-book, I wasn't expecting much, bought it on a lark, but I highly recommend it. The author is a neuroscientist who plays banjo (hmm....) and it's all about how we learn and how to practice efficiently. I think a lot of what he talks about applies to playing musically. Again, he says that to play anything well, it has to be easy - so easy that you can do it effortlessly while doing other things, carrying on conversation, or whatever. What he spends lot of time on is how to make things that easy, which he describes as building new pathways in the brain. Something that was once difficult or seemingly impossible, becomes easy and trivial once the right neural pathways are built. At that point, you won't be focusing on fingerings or remembering how the tune goes, or worrying about timing, etc, you'll be able to play automatically, while your mind focuses on something else - like playing musically.

Well, excuse the phrase (and no offence intended), but this is a "no-brainer"

It's nothing more than the way the brain learns any physical task. It's not special to music. The more you repeat things, the more the activity becomes subconscious. Obvious, right?

I'm always surprised when this realisation surprises anyone! Experience tells us (or does if we think about it).

Music is maybe a little different, because it is a more complex task than many others we take for granted. The physical side of it is often obscured by the mental side, the idea that we have to learn all kinds of theory and formulas at the same time, and then we have to train our ears too.... Music is seen as an Art (capital A), so it's Serious Stuff. We're more scared of "getting it wrong" than we might be of other tasks.
But the physical actions required - on any instrument - are similar to many others we learn to perform through repetition, which start off clumsy and awkward but end up easy and subsconscious. Starting with learning to walk, moving on other stuff such as learning to type, or learning to drive, or various sport activities, or other creative tasks. While you are learning them, you have to focus, you can't be distracted. And often you have to repeat them so many times you get bored or irritated. But there comes a point (and sometimes you don't notice it go by) when you find you're doing it without thinking. And maybe you're having a conversation at the same time.