Once upon a time there was an old man.

 

All his life he had dreamed about an escape from hardship and poverty.  By day he shined shoes for a living and by night he sang.

 

He sang the old songs from his country and the new songs of the revolution.

 

Singing was his first love and his only escape.

 

But still, every day when the sun came up he found himself in his tiny, mouldy apartment that he shared with his wife and other relatives.

 

One day, he heard a knock at the door.  He didn’t know then that this knock belonged to an Angel, a very special Angel who had heard his voice singing in the evenings, and the Angel said to him, “Please come and make this record for me”?

 

“Well”, said the man, “I am old and not much good to anyone.”

 

“Once I dreamed of a having my voice heard all around the world and I worked very hard to make my dream come true but it never did.  I am afraid it may be too late for me.”

 

The Angel replied, “How will you know if you never try?”

 

“Yes, that’s true.” said the old man.  “I don’t suppose I have anything to lose.”

 

And so, off they went together and made a record.  It was the man’s first record ever and he was just happy about that.

 

But our story doesn’t end there.

 

The Angel had taken the man to make the “Afro-Cuban All Stars” CD, “A Toda Cuba Le Gusta” and it wasn’t long before the he was world famous.

 

He didn’t have to shine shoes any more and was very, very happy.

 

Instead, he toured the world with the Buena Vista Social Club and won a Latin Grammy for “Best New Artist” in 2000.

 

His name was Ibrahim Ferrer and he was 72 years old when he won this award.

 

He died six years later while on his world tour.

 

 

Yes, this does sound like a fairy tale but it is a true story.

 

Ibrahim Ferrer and The Buena Vista Social Club have sold over 1 million albums.

 

So much of the time, the music world focuses on young talent.

 

The younger the better.  If you are young AND a ‘musical genius’, we just lap it up, feeling there is nothing higher than this accolade.

 

However, many of the musicians I love are ‘old’ people.

 

Why?

 

Because there is nothing better than hearing what only age an experience can offer musicianship.  (Yes, just like a fine wine).

 

Ibrahim Ferrer developed his voice over decades.  In that time his instrument would have changed, would have mellowed.  He would have explored many different types of music.  He would have loved, he would have suffered, he would have a lot to say about living and dying.  What more can a singer offer a song than this.

 

Young people live and suffer and love and lose but they do not have the benefit of experience and growth that adds depth of character and a deeper understanding of life which can then be transferred into musical expression.

 

I want all the adult learners to realise that even if you start music at 40 or older, you have something to offer the artform.

 

If you practice and learn with positivity, you will succeed and who knows what will be waiting for you around the corner?

 

You may still have a good 40 years to hone your art.

 

I think this story also points out the importance of:

 

• Just playing music for the love of it, not for the fame or fortune it will bring.  Otherwise Ibrahim would have given up long before his “time” came.
• Being open to opportunities, even if you feel the opportunities you wanted have passed you by.
• Never stop being surprised at what life can bring you.  I always say life is much more imaginative that we could possibly be.

 

 

If you would like to know more about Ibrahim Ferrer you can visit these websites:

 

 

afrocubaweb.com

 

www.nytimes.com

 

wikipedia.org

 

And if you’d like to hear more of his music or purchase albums, please click on the links below:

 

 

 

 

What a week!

 

If I was under any illusion that I had things together, this was the week to reckon with.

 

The local Council have decided to refuse our DA after many months of waiting for approval.  A bout of tears and a well of anger and disappointment later, I now have to accept that we will have to fight for what would be a simple matter anywhere else in the world.

 

This combined with the drunken party people in the holiday let next door last night, has made me feel under attack in what I thought would be our peaceful home by the sea.

 

One positive was that after the security company and police couldn’t shut up the neighbours, a sustained burst from the belly of my frustration managed to shut them up in their tracks.

 

What’s the relevance to singing?

 

Well last night standing there in the freezing cold with my pink ugh boots on I realized that there is power in my voice.

 

Still a week of scrambling and struggle to meet any kind of progress.  So clearly I need to make more changes within myself if I’m going to be happy.

 

They say that singing brings your stuff to the surface and that certainly has been the case.

 

One more jaw massage and I was in bed with a migrant for two days, they surely did a job on my face and while everyone is suggesting just to leave it alone – I just so want to be able to experience a normal range of jaw movement.

 

The naturopath says it’s could be toxic levels of metals being released into the blood after the deep tissue massage, so off for another round of blood tests.

 

Interestingly the only relief I found was my singing lesson – I guess the vibrations surpass any pain.

 

Today I took all that pissed offness and frustration and sang from my belly – oh thank goodness some respite!  I really couldnt bear another struggle.

 

Using recording to hear myself I came to realize another biggy…

 

I need to know the lyrics to a song by heart, simply because I can’t be connecting with any emotion if I am reading lyrics.

 

So where I am now is a thankfulness that I have a  way to release and channel this whole array of emotions that are passing through me.

 

 

Lisa’s Reply

 

Well, yes, Joanna there is power in that voice of yours and now you know how to support it from the diaphragm, you are using it for more than singing which is good to know!

 

It does sound like you are having a bit of a tough time at the moment which is not easy but what is really good for me to know is that singing and music is providing a positive outlet for you.

 

To me, that’s the most important part of learning and playing music.

 

It’s the simple fact that it makes you feel good, and it’s so special to have that haven when everything else seems to be falling about your ears.

 

It’s very interesting regarding the physical pain that you have been experiencing with your jaw, that in your lesson you found some respite from it.

 

I believe singing does release some endorphins into the body “feel good” hormones.  So I am suggesting this could be part of the reason you didn’t feel pain in our session.

 

Next week we’ll do some more recording and hopefully hear the difference  from knowing the lyrics and not having to read them while singing.

 

Thanks Joanna!

 

 

 

 

 

This was a very interesting challenge for me.

 

I haven’t recorded for a long time but thought this the perfect opportunity as I had an audition today for the choir I was talking about on an earlier post.  So the process of recording would be a good way for me to prepare.

 

I made sure I did everything in one take, and I’m pretty happy with the result which you can listen to below.

 

This is what I discovered from the exercise:

 

• It’s much harder to keep your mind on the moment when you are recording because you want it to be good.  So, for example, in the solo, I really had to pull myself back from being ‘clever’ and remind myself, simplicity and authenticity is best!  It was hard though, because of that old ego!
• Recording to the click track also sometimes takes you away from the moment because you are concentrating so hard to be in time.  Therefore, making it so much more important to work consistently with metronome.
• Having the time limit means there is more pressure.  As I said, I allowed myself half an hour to get the recording done and another half an hour for the production, drums etc.

 

Anyway, here’s the track, let me know what you think.

 

Till next time,

 

Lisa

 

“Fragile” written by Sting and performed by Lisa Brown

 

Music Practice Sessions don’t have to be boring!

One of two things happened here. You are either a total skeptic, maybe laughing at me, or intensely intrigued by what I just said.

 

There I’ve said it. Now if you’ll quit laughing and pay attention I’ll explain why and how you can make them better.

 

The Proverbial Music Practice Order

 

“Get to practicing your piano!” or some instrument variation thereof is told to music students all over the world. But why is it so difficult to get your students to practice music? Well, it’s boring.

 

As a student, why is your music practice time boring?

 

Here’s the rub, when we sit down to practice our music several things occur. You think, I have to practice scales, or arpeggios, maybe block some chords, and play my songs. Typically our teachers just say “work on it.”

 

That leads to a mindset that just isn’t conducive of a good learning experience. It becomes rote practice, which is nothing more than repeating bad habits.

 

As students of music we need to break this mode of poor practice habits and poor attitudes.

 

A Better Way to Practice

 

When I was introduced to the Inspired Practice blog site I was thrilled to find Lisa and friends writing about practicing music.

 

At the Music Learning Workshop Awareness section, I write a about learning beliefs and practicing that can improve time spent at your instrument. Today I’d like to share with you one of my best tips on making your time more productive and valuable.

 

Creating an Outstanding Practice Scenario

 

Step 1: Changing your Mindset

Think of these exercises or song phrase as a challenge. OK…, just getting started is already a challenge. So decide to do that much, but what do I mean by challenge once you’re ready to start?

 

Let’s change our thought process and pick a scale or phrase of an exercise and instead of it being an exercise in practice you need to ask a new question. That question is:

 

“I’m practicing this (you fill in the blank), what can I do, right now, to make it sound better?”

 

Here are a few things to consider:

 

Rhythm, articulation, speed, expression, loudness, and anything that just doesn’t sound right to you.

 

So start asking:

 

Am I playing it slow enough to make it smooth?

 

Am I grouping notes to accent and modulate the sound of the beat or specific beats?

 

“I call this the wave. It’s like the sound of waves coming into the beach; listen to the sound of an ocean wave it gets loud and softer. The waves often build in volume before crashing into the beach; then starting all over again.”

 

Step 2: Pick Only One Thing to Focus On

At this point you may have two or three or six things you could focus on. Pick one thing that you will focus on. It may be the easiest or the hardest, but make it just one thing.

 

The idea is to ask what would make this piece of music or exercise better. Each and every time you play this exercise or phrase, you focus on one aspect of playing it better during that session. You are shooting to make an improvement or a change with your playing.

 

Step 3: Practice this Item with Intense Focus on Improvement

Take that scale, exercise, or phrase, then use intense focus to improve the quality of your playing each time you do it. You’re not just running through it 3 or 4 times; you’re engaged with how it sounds different every time you play it.

 

Even better, if you’ll try experimenting or accenting this phrase just a bit differently, each time you play it, you’ll get even more improvement.

 

Make sure you play this one phrase 10 times in a row. In the last 3 to 4 times you will listen for consistency in the change or improvement you’ve made. Experimenting with it somewhat differently with each attempt is a great way to focus on a difficult phrase.
This process is a method of owning what you’re playing.

 

Focus within your mind’s eye on how it should sound, and then work with each attempt to make it sound that way through your practice.

 

Summary – Refocus to Obtain that Outstanding Practice Session

 

You’re going to have outstanding practice session if you will just take a little extra effort to refocus your intent.

 

As a matter of fact, if you take just 10 minutes per day to practice on just one thing with this focus, you will make more progress in one week than you would practicing 2 hours a day of just getting through it.

 

How do I know? It’s what I do and it works.

 

Inspired practice starts with renewed focus. Once you’ve got that going leverage the power of music theory with 7 steps to learning a song quickly at 7 Crucial Steps to Leaning a Song Quickly.

 

Brad Chidester blogs about applied music theory as a way to better music skills and playing at MusicLearningWorkshop.com, he is the publisher of the Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course and Workshops.

 

Put up your hand if, as a teacher, you’ve tried motivating flagging students by giving them something fun and easy to play in the hope that it would encourage them to practice. My hand is definitely up and I’m certain that many other teachers have used this tactic with their own students. Although this approach may help re-engage a student in the short-term, it is perhaps not as successful in the long run as we might first think.

 

My rethinking of this technique has come from a book called Talented Teenagers: The Roots of Success and Failure, an unexcitingly-titled but incredibly informative research report. The contents of this book were the result of a four-year longitudinal study of over 200 US teenagers aged 13 to 17 years, comparing those considered talented (in arts, music, sports, maths and science) with those considered average for their age. It discussed in detail the causes of their success as related to family, school, their personality, their teachers and most importantly, their own motivations.

 

The research says that teachers should strive to find for their students a happy medium between work that is too easy and work that is too challenging. Put another way, if a student’s practice is always pleasurable, he or she will never make any progress; if it’s too hard, he or she will get disheartened and give up. According to the book, “What characterises people who use their skills to the utmost is that they enjoy the hardships and the challenges of their task”.

 

I realise that for most teachers, this is probably not mind-blowing new information, but despite this, I often find it hard to keep in mind when I have a student who shows interest but makes little effort to practice. For these students in particular, repertoire choice is vital and we have to think very carefully about how we’re going to re-engage the student in his or her practice. Do we give them something quite challenging to push them, or do we give them easy stuff so they enjoy their playing again?

 

I’ve heard it said recently that many students (studying piano at least), should probably be sitting exams for grades about two years below their current level, given how long it takes them to master the repertoire of the current grade. A student sitting sixth grade piano, for example, is likely to have little time in a year to learn anything but the six or seven pieces required for the exam. Playing music at this level is, of course, great for a personal challenge, but not the best for building an expansive repertoire. The point about challenging repertoire is this: students need to know that if they persevere when things get tough, they will ultimately turn a threatening experience into an enjoyable one. Ultimately, they’ll get much more enjoyment out of it than if they played something that was quite easy for them.

 

I experienced this just the other week at a lesson with my own teacher, Caroline Almonte. While working through the Allegro theme of the exposition of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata, she put me under enormous pressure to sort out why I couldn’t effectively play the ascending pattern of two-note chords in the RH. She fixed my fingering and broke it down to the smallest hand movements – just moving from one chord to the next, carefully, repeatedly, slowly, legato, hands separately, then together, faster and then staccato as written, before joining it to the next chord and so on. She forced me to do this in a much shorter time-frame than I would usually give to something like this and all I wanted to do was crawl under the piano and hide! It took at least 15-20 repetitions for me to get one phrase right. The next time I played it of course, it all fell apart again. So we started an abbreviated version of the same practice technique again and sure enough, I got it right more quickly. We ended up spending around 75 minutes on this one phrase and I was thoroughly worn out.

 

However I learnt an enormous amount from this experience, just as I hope my students would if I put them under the same pressure. During the lesson, the challenge seemed overwhelming; I was frustrated and annoyed that I couldn’t just play the damn thing! But she showed me that it was most definitely possible to play and that with the right focus, it was also achievable in a short amount of time. This, she told me later, was her primary goal: to make me realise how much I could achieve in a short space of time with seriously focused practice. She was right, and now that I can play the phrase easily and perfectly every time, the originally unpleasant and frustrating challenge is now a fun motivator for more practice.

 

I now realise the value of challenging my students to challenge themselves in every piano practice. Of course playing easy pieces will always be fun and may help to re-motivate a student in the short term, but they won’t achieve anything new and thus the fun will wear off. For talented students, challenges will constantly be required to avoid boredom as, “…one cannot do the same thing at the same level of proficiency for a long time and keep on enjoying it”.

 

Don’t get me wrong: playing pieces purely for fun is an enjoyable and important part of teaching and I do it with my students frequently. What I encourage is giving students a broad base of challenges – some easy and just for fun, some really challenging…also for fun, but perhaps not immediately! Overcoming manageable challenges is highly enjoyable and a great intrinsic motivator for students, just as it was for me with my Beethoven.

 

More about motivation and flow experiences in my next post!

 

Tim Topham, June 2011.

 

Tim Topham is a Melbourne based piano teacher, pianist and accompanist. He writes regularly on his blog about practice, teaching and repertoire and has a particular interest in helping other piano teachers work more succesfully with boys. He has over 10 years’ teaching experience in a variety of fields and is currently studying performance with renowned concert pianist, Caroline Almonte and theory with Louise Robertson-Glasgow.

I have to say that since I’ve been doing this blog, my practice really does feel different and a lot of that comes from doing these challenges.

 

The biggest drawback is that because I feel so focussed in my practice and because I have goals for every session, I feel I could easily practice for three hours a day.  That’s a huge change considering that sometimes I would struggle to do an hour’s practice.

 

So today I spend about a minute visualising how I wanted to feel in my practice and how I wanted the session to go.  It really helped for the following reasons:

 

• In order to visualise properly, I entered a much more relaxed and present state which continued throughout my session and the time just flew by.
• I found the right balance of ACE (Achievable, Challenging, Enjoyable).
• I aimed the hour just around technical exercises and so began to use some of my new resources (Tankard Harrison Piano Book).

 

Now baby is in bed, I can do another hour!

 

A new practice challenge will be here for tomorrow.

 

If you are enjoying this blog and wish to be informed of all information as it is posted, nice and fresh, subscribe and also sign on for the newsletter where special offers are mailed to you every month.

 

So much seems to have happened lately it’s actually hard to order my thoughts long enough to reflect on anything.
Slowly I can breathe again and I can feel the strength returning to my lungs, highly recommend Chinese herbs – did the trick.
So I got dealt a big one this week…  When recording you only have one shot.

 

I mean, of course that’s not entirely true for those with loads of time and cash, yet I really now see the importance of being over prepared, and in a good space to let go and it give it your all.

 

Actually it freaked me out thinking that something less than perfect would be streaming it’s way across the Internet !

 

I give myself such a hard time for anything that isn’t absolutely my best, and it was the first time that I felt really challenged by it all.

 

It feels like I’ve slowed down in my progression. I feel as though I have to really work much harder each week as I’m not skipping out the door exctatic with my progress.

 

I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that my singing is now becoming hard work too.  To be honest I feel like my life is imploding and sometimes I can’t see how I will get through it all.

 

Am I absolutely crazy to have made this commitment?

 

Is this going to end up another great idea prematurely executed and left incomplete?  No f…ing way I just couldn’t live with myself.

 

I’ll just have to find a way through.

 

When I was 18 I had corrective jaw surgery, which left me with ally of scar tissue and other unusual aches. I have realized now that it’s been so wound up and tight for so many years that when I sing I can’t get my jaw open.  So my husband has been working with a great remedial massuse, who has started helping with my jaw.

 

Oh My God!  Words can’t describe the pain in the moment, and then afterwards it’s like I’m in a dull constant pain accompanied by a migrane.

 

Someone asked me is it worth it or should I just leave it?  I’m not really sure to be honest.

 

It was amazing last lesson to feel like I was learning to talk again, making new sounds as the muscles relax and stretch. Weird and quite disconcerting too.

 

In fact, in general it’s amazing how much ones voice changes, with time, temperature even ones cycle too.

 

Sometimes I can hardly recognize myself it’s really strange almost like an identity crisis!

 

I’ve been slack again with guitar, although each week my understanding of music theory improves.

 

I have come to realize that singing warm up in the car is ok, but that I don’t warm up my head voice very well and I also don’t get the full range of diaphragm either.

 

Lisa said at some point that practice needs to shift to a room or home so that might be coming soon.

 

Oh, it was my birthday -yeah!

 

I had a warm feeling that this could be a fantastic year for me. So I had some time out to be spoilt. My gorgeous husband bought me a beautiful keyboard which is just so exciting.  My 12 year old asked if she could write the names on the keys !?!?!?

 

While I don’t want to discourage her learning, I’m also wrenching at the thought of desecrating such a beautiful keyboard!

 

Well back to another week of juggling things- wish me luck!

 

Lisa’s Reply

 

Ok, stop!!! Right there!!

 

Tell your daughter that writing note names on the keys of your keyboard isn’t going to help her learn them as she will be reading them all the time.

 

This is a very big no no for anyone learning piano.  She needs to learn the names in relation to the pattern of the black and white keys of the piano.  Also, one must treat all instruments, (especially expensive ones), with utmost respect.  The earlier learned, the better.

 

Phew, ok….

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  I’m so glad you got your keyboard and now you can set up your practice space.

 

Now, let’s talk about what is happening for you.

 

What you have learned about recording is very valuable.

 

Yes, you need to be super prepared if you are going to enter the recording studio.  You only get one shot in the sense that the first take you do is usually the best, it’s the freshest and usually what happens is that from there, even though you are trying to improve on the recording, the emotional quality of the music diminishes because you are trying to “make it sound good” or “fix” something you didn’t like instead of just being present.

 

Always go into the studio super-prepared and you’ll get the results you are looking for.  The recording studio is not a place for learning or rehearsal.

 

However, in your case, you are using recording to analyse and learn singing.  Not to mention, to illustrate your progress over the internet, so it’s a bit different for you in that sense.  But, I think you just realised how each take gets slightly worse when you are going for something when recording.

 

You have also really started to realise another part of a cycle of learning music.

 

Anyone who cares about music or really takes on the challenge of learning it feels like you do now (i.e. downhearted and a bit p….ed off).  I take that as a good sign because it means you care and it means you are doing everything right.

 

Learning music properly is always going to be challenging at points for everyone, no matter how long you’ve been playing or how progressed you are.

 

In a sense, going through these feelings and still choosing to stay with music is something that musicians understand about each other and makes us feel part of a ‘club’.  We all have a shared sense of what we’ve been through to get where we are and there is a slight camaraderie in that among other things.

 

Learning music reflects life and it’s full of ups and downs.

 

You toyed with the idea of giving up, which just about every musician does, and you decided to keep going no matter what, just as every musician does.  It is the first time you have felt this way about music but it won’t be the last and it’s ok to feel like that.  It’s also ok to give up if you want to.

 

What you may find out is that you can’t give up.

 

There is a saying, “you don’t choose music, it chooses you.”  And I agree with that.

 

There have been many times I have wanted to give up and you can read about them in my life story but here I am and here I will stay.  You will come to understand this cycle, the more you go through it.

 

With your jaw, singing is probably a good exercise for it.  I’m sorry you’re in so much pain though and hope you will feel better soon.

 

Yes, the voice changes almost every day, or our perception of it changes, just as we look slightly different every day.

 

This is important to remember if you are going to do overdubs in the studio.  Try to do them all on the one day because your voice will sound a little different the next day, like a different shade of colour.

 

Speaking of recording, here are two recordings taken in consecutive weeks of your new song, “Just Like A Star” by Corrine Bailey Rae.

 

(For all you followers, this is a bit of a catch up, that’s why this entry is so long and why we have two recordings.)

 

 

Just Like A Star (recorded 11 June 2011)

 

 

Just Like A Star (recorded 18 June 2011)

 

 

It does sound like you need a practice space for yourself, which is warm and inviting.  That may motivate you to pick up your guitar more often too.

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Lisa

 

 

 

 

So much seems to have happened lately it’s actually hard to order my thoughts long enough to reflect on anything.
Slowly I can breathe again and I can feel the strength returning to my lungs, highly recommend Chinese herbs – did the trick.
So I got dealt a big one this week…  When recording you only have one shot.

 

I mean, of course that’s not entirely true for those with loads of time and cash, yet I really now see the importance of being over prepared, and in a good space to let go and it give it your all.

 

Actually it freaked me out thinking that something less than perfect would be streaming it’s way across the Internet !

 

I give myself such a hard time for anything that isn’t absolutely my best, and it was the first time that I felt really challenged by it all.

 

It feels like I’ve slowed down in my progression. I feel as though I have to really work much harder each week as I’m not skipping out the door exctatic with my progress.

 

I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that my singing is now becoming hard work too.  To be honest I feel like my life is imploding and sometimes I can’t see how I will get through it all.

 

Am I absolutely crazy to have made this commitment?

 

Is this going to end up another great idea prematurely executed and left incomplete?  No f…ing way I just couldn’t live with myself.

 

I’ll just have to find a way through.

 

When I was 18 I had corrective jaw surgery, which left me with ally of scar tissue and other unusual aches. I have realized now that it’s been so wound up and tight for so many years that when I sing I can’t get my jaw open.  So my husband has been working with a great remedial massuse, who has started helping with my jaw.

 

Oh My God!  Words can’t describe the pain in the moment, and then afterwards it’s like I’m in a dull constant pain accompanied by a migrane.

 

Someone asked me is it worth it or should I just leave it?  I’m not really sure to be honest.

 

It was amazing last lesson to feel like I was learning to talk again, making new sounds as the muscles relax and stretch. Weird and quite disconcerting too.

 

In fact, in general it’s amazing how much ones voice changes, with time, temperature even ones cycle too.

 

Sometimes I can hardly recognize myself it’s really strange almost like an identity crisis!

 

I’ve been slack again with guitar, although each week my understanding of music theory improves.

 

I have come to realize that singing warm up in the car is ok, but that I don’t warm up my head voice very well and I also don’t get the full range of diaphragm either.

 

Lisa said at some point that practice needs to shift to a room or home so that might be coming soon.

 

Oh, it was my birthday -yeah!

 

I had a warm feeling that this could be a fantastic year for me. So I had some time out to be spoilt. My gorgeous husband bought me a beautiful keyboard which is just so exciting.  My 12 year old asked if she could write the names on the keys !?!?!?

 

While I don’t want to discourage her learning, I’m also wrenching at the thought of desecrating such a beautiful keyboard!

 

Well back to another week of juggling things- wish me luck!

 

Lisa’s Reply

 

Ok, stop!!! Right there!!

 

Tell your daughter that writing note names on the keys of your keyboard isn’t going to help her learn them as she will be reading them all the time.

 

This is a very big no no for anyone learning piano.  She needs to learn the names in relation to the pattern of the black and white keys of the piano.  Also, one must treat all instruments, (especially expensive ones), with utmost respect.  The earlier learned, the better.

 

Phew, ok….

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  I’m so glad you got your keyboard and now you can set up your practice space.

 

Now, let’s talk about what is happening for you.

 

What you have learned about recording is very valuable.

 

Yes, you need to be super prepared if you are going to enter the recording studio.  You only get one shot in the sense that the first take you do is usually the best, it’s the freshest and usually what happens is that from there, even though you are trying to improve on the recording, the emotional quality of the music diminishes because you are trying to “make it sound good” or “fix” something you didn’t like instead of just being present.

 

Always go into the studio super-prepared and you’ll get the results you are looking for.  The recording studio is not a place for learning or rehearsal.

 

However, in your case, you are using recording to analyse and learn singing.  Not to mention, to illustrate your progress over the internet, so it’s a bit different for you in that sense.  But, I think you just realised how each take gets slightly worse when you are going for something when recording.

 

You have also really started to realise another part of a cycle of learning music.

 

Anyone who cares about music or really takes on the challenge of learning it feels like you do now (i.e. downhearted and a bit p….ed off).  I take that as a good sign because it means you care and it means you are doing everything right.

 

Learning music properly is always going to be challenging at points for everyone, no matter how long you’ve been playing or how progressed you are.

 

In a sense, going through these feelings and still choosing to stay with music is something that musicians understand about each other and makes us feel part of a ‘club’.  We all have a shared sense of what we’ve been through to get where we are and there is a slight camaraderie in that among other things.

 

Learning music reflects life and it’s full of ups and downs.

 

You toyed with the idea of giving up, which just about every musician does, and you decided to keep going no matter what, just as every musician does.  It is the first time you have felt this way about music but it won’t be the last and it’s ok to feel like that.  It’s also ok to give up if you want to.

 

What you may find out is that you can’t give up.

 

There is a saying, “you don’t choose music, it chooses you.”  And I agree with that.

 

There have been many times I have wanted to give up and you can read about them in my life story but here I am and here I will stay.  You will come to understand this cycle, the more you go through it.

 

With your jaw, singing is probably a good exercise for it.  I’m sorry you’re in so much pain though and hope you will feel better soon.

 

Yes, the voice changes almost every day, or our perception of it changes, just as we look slightly different every day.

 

This is important to remember if you are going to do overdubs in the studio.  Try to do them all on the one day because your voice will sound a little different the next day, like a different shade of colour.

 

Speaking of recording, here are two recordings taken in consecutive weeks of your new song, “Just Like A Star” by Corrine Bailey Rae.

 

(For all you followers, this is a bit of a catch up, that’s why this entry is so long and why we have two recordings.)

 

 

Just Like A Star (recorded 11 June 2011)

 

 

Just Like A Star (recorded 18 June 2011)

 

 

It does sound like you need a practice space for yourself, which is warm and inviting.  That may motivate you to pick up your guitar more often too.

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just felt very sad when I saw the latest calamity from our above-mentioned singer.

 

I know many people will be having a laugh at her expense but it’s really not funny, it’s tragic.

 

Amy Winehouse is without a doubt a very talented singer and composer who has had a musical upbringing that I, and many of my students, would envy.

 

She was surrounded by music as a child, attending a theatrical school at the age of nine and forming her own band at the age of ten.

 

At 13 she received a guitar and began to write music a year later and sing with a jazz band.

 

It seems that Amy was born for her career and landed in just the right place at the right time.

 

So why is Amy Winehouse destroying herself, her music and her career?

 

My guess is, besides many other issues, that she doesn’t really feel she owns what she has achieved.  It may have been a bit too easy (and I stress, this is only in reference to her career) to achieve her musical status.

 

Many singers I teach long for a story like Amy’s;

 

1. Parents who support and encourage her talent;
2. A friend gives a tape of her singing to an A&R person;
3. Tape leads to her being signed to a record company and a publishing deal with EMI;
4. Amy is allowed to co-write her songs and work with top producer Salaam Remi;
5. Album enters the upper levels of UK charts and is nominated for BRIT award; and
6. All before her 22nd birthday.

 

Amy has been offered coveted opportunities on a plate, opportunities which many of us either never get to realise or have to work very hard to get.

 

However, she has also had to go through her twenties in the limelight.

 

For me, my twenties were a very difficult time and a time when I was easily influenced.

 

I was introduced to alcohol and other drugs by people who I looked up to in the musical field and I too, have experienced some embarrassing moments that led to loss of opportunities in my music.

 

Looking back at my career, I also realise I could have done better if I had not been sidetracked by a certain amount of partying and people who did not have my best intentions at heart.

 

However, unlike Amy I had very limited funds and a limited lifestyle.  I had to work in the ‘everyday’ world to support myself and I had to solve problems, feel lonely at times (not surrounded by ‘yes’ people as Amy would be) and have space to work things out.

 

At the time, these things did not make me happy, but given the choice between my life and what Amy is suffering now, I choose my life over and over again.

 

Why?

 

Because everything I have in music, my career and my family I have worked really hard to get.

 

I treasure every moment at the piano singing, every gig I play (there’s nothing better than earning money from doing what you love), every student I teach and every moment I get to spend with my family.

 

It’s a very difficult concept to get across to young people who dream of instant fame and fortune, that this is not the key to a happy life nor success in music.  (I don’t think we need any more proof than the above video).

 

When it comes to your music and your career;

 

• You have to make your own opportunities. ( Eg, go to auditions, start bands, look for gigs, play at parties, join a theatre group etc);
• You need to make good choices.  (Eg, you may miss out on some opportunities by choosing not to attend some function or musical event because you don’t feel like it or want to stay home or go out with friends.)
• Make positive connections with other musicians.  (The ones who are partying and taking drugs do not offer those connections.)
• Don’t worry if things don’t happen straight away.  With hindsight you will understand why.  You just need to trust that if you put in the work and stick at what you love for the right reason, life will take you where you need to be in the end.

 

Sometimes it’s good to have limited choices and to work hard to achieve our goals because then we will feel a certain amount of ownership of our lives and we will protect what we have.

 

Amy Winehouse is obviously destroying her career for a number of reasons, but one of them could be because she hasn’t had to work very hard for the opportunities which have brought her success (e.g. major backing from record companies).  Yes, I think her talent is deserving of this backing, but is it a case of too much, too soon?

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I didn’t watch a DVD of a concert. I was actually lucky enough to go to one and it was something I had never seen before.

 

Last night I attended a performance of the Soweto Gospel Choir and yes, it was truly inspirational.

 

Besides the music being authentic and with great energy, it made me really think about the human voice and how it expresses our uniqueness culturally and individually.  That’s what I really love about singing and it’s also what makes singing difficult for many people.

 

Every singer in the choir has a fantastic instrument and they blend so beautifully together.

 

These performers are also great dancers and its obvious how much each member embodies their rich heritage.

 

It just seemed amazing that I was able to witness such an authentic and vibrant performance in a small town in Australia.

 

Also, it has made me consider joining a choir myself as there is one which is auditioning at the moment and I think it will be an interesting project.

 

I haven’t been in a choir since school, so the thought of auditioning also brings up some not-so-pleasant feelings.

 

Again this Practice Challenge has proven very useful and has inspired me to consider using my voice in a different way and joining a new music project!

 

I’d love to hear if you have any experiences of your own to comment on regarding these Challenges.

 

Lisa