The Evolution of An Artist

It usually happens you're so busy trying to get stuff done, that you don't notice. You try and get something done everyday. You work hard at your craft and try to improve. While you may not notice, there's something happening there. You're evolving as an artist. Before we get too philosophical about this, let's take a practical look at what's going on here and see if we can help in our own evolution.


Keeping A Record

One of the things that's fun to do is to go through old pictures of yourself and your friends. A trip down memory lane reminds you of where you come from and all of the things that you've been through. In fact, you can see your own development right there. That's why it's important as an artist to keep a record of things that you've done. It's all too easy to get caught up the moment and let things slip past. As an artist you want to do the same thing. This is a little harder because as artists, we're usually working toward the future without really taking a record of where we are now. There are a couple of things that you can do on a regular basis that will help document your development and give you something to look back on from time to time.

Hit the Record Button

Of course the best way to document your development at any time is to record yourself. This can be done in a couple of ways. First of all, take the time to record your practice sessions once in a while. Either record yourself playing some of the songs in your repertoire, record some songwriting ideas, or record some of your own jams and improvisations. This is invaluable as a review to see how you're performing and see where you can use some improvement. Once you've recorded and reviewed yourself make sure to date and archive them. Recording should be something a musician does on a regular basis. It's great for self improvement and it makes for a great moment in time to take out some in the future and see where you've been. 

Rehearsals

Your band rehearsals should be recorded. Usually just placing a stereo recorder somewhere in your rehearsal space will suffice. This doesn't need to be a full multi-track studio recording situation. It's better if you just have a little recorder because there is very little set up and won't usually take anything away from the rehearsal. Most of the band will even forget it's there. Make sure you keep the recordings and date them for future reference.

Demos and Songs
 
These days, it's all too easy to get a demo (and even full CD) recorded right at home. This is another thing that should be done on a regular basis. Make it an appointment that everybody in the band has to show up to. Make it another 'rehearsal'. This way you're all recording and producing stuff on a regular basis. The great thing about today's technology is you can do all of the recording and takes that you want. If you're working on demos and songs on a regular basis, you're naturally going to get better at it. If you've recorded a song a number of times, you can all do reviews together and see what's working. This is sometimes harder to do in the heat of the moment in a rehearsal. Also, you will develop the material to the point where it's much better instead of just going into the studio once and trying to make it work.

Vids

This is another thing that used to be a special item but with today's technology, it's pretty easy to do. Not only should you be video taping your performances, you should also be recording you rehearsals. It's a good indication of how the audience will see you when you've seen yourself performing.

Hills and Plateaus

There are days when it doesn't seem like we're getting anything done. Then there are times when can actually see our growth. The truth is that if you're continuously working at your craft, practicing and trying to to improve, there is progress there. We usually don't see the progress though. There seems to be the same repeating pattern. We learn a new skill, we practice that skill, and depending on the difficulty of the exercise and where you are your development, at some point you will actually see some improvement. There is the initial learning, practice and execution, then (hopefully) there is improvement. Your progress doesn't seem to be continuous, there seems to be a lot of plateaus. This is how we learn. The fact is though, there is some development and learning while still in the plateau, we just don't see it. There are small changes being made within us that moves us closer to executing the skill.

Getting Past The Plateaus

If you've been keeping records of your practice sessions and practicing on a regular basis, there will be improvement. Like we mentioned before, it won't always seem like it, but there will be progress. What happens if it really seems like there isn't any progress? What happens if you feel like you've been on the same plateau for a really long time? One of three things may be happening here.

1. You're not using your practice time very effectively. (Or not practicing regularly, or worst, not practicing at all). Either you're going over the same material over and over or you're simply not paying attention to what you're learning at the moment. You may be going through the motions with certain exercises and not really trying to get the most out of them. It's like working out without breaking a sweat; there's something happening there, but not much.
2. You've bitten off more than you can chew. If you've been playing the same 3 chord songs for the past couple of years and then suddenly get into learning jazz, it may be a while before you really see any improvement. In fact, in these cases, you will actually appear to get worst before you get better. A good way to go about this and still see improvement (and keep motivated!) is to learn in smaller chunks. For example if you've been playing the same 3 chords and then want to get into playing some jazz standards, you will want to take some intermediary steps. A good way to go about this would be to start with a 12 bar blues and then start learning that in different keys. Once you have that, then you can learn some of the alternate chord changes in some blues tunes. Since the blues is the lifeblood of jazz, this is a step in the right direction without getting into anything too advanced to start. 
3. You're well into your development. When you first start learning a new instrument or skill, the improvement in your development may almost seem like a daily event. As you get better though, those plateaus seem to creep in more and more. Not only that, but you seem to be staying on those plateaus even longer. This is simply a part of being good at any skill. One reason for this is that at a higher level, the skills trying to be mastered are usually difficult and simply take longer to learn. The biggest problem is to keep motivated and trying to improve once you've reached a high level of achievement.Once again, keeping the practice regimen and notes helps a lot with this.

It's in the Details

There is a timeline to what you're doing. Hopefully, there is a plan. What you do everyday are the details. They seem inconsequential, but in the big picture they're huge. It's these little things that you do everyday that makes up who you are as an artist. It's these little things that you do everyday that is the reason for your success. That's why it's important to plan. It's easy to lose track of these little details. It's easy to lose track of where  you are and where you want to go. Even if you don't follow it to the letter, it gives you some sense of direction and some sense of what you've accomplished in the past.

The Next Step

There are times in every artist's life when they try something new. Either they've been doing the same thing for quite a while and want to try something different, or they may be just exploring to see what develops. Some artists are immediately recognizable and any changes they make are seen as a mistake. Other artists can make many changes without ruffling many feathers. As an artist, you will be exploring many avenues. Some people try as many things as they can and hope to find some success. Others try different avenues of the same type of style. For others, there doesn't seem to be any path at all; it's just dabbling in one thing after another without really exploring the possibilities. There are better and worst ways to go about your development.

Dabble This!

If you don't ever want any success of any kind, just simply try things just once or twice and then abandon them. Don't worry about developing any skill or knowledge in the endeavor, Just try it a couple of times and as soon as you get bored, move on.

As Always, Focus

Most musicians love to try lots of different things.One day you may try playing some jazz, the next it may be some reggae. This is normal, this is something most musicians do. There is a difference though between trying something for fun and really developing some skill at it. You want to focus most of your time on your most important projects and your main style of music. Because we all like to try different styles, it's good to do this now and again, just make sure that you're spending most of your time on the most important things. It's a variation of the old 80/20 rule. Make sure you spend 80% of your time on that most important 20%. That means if you have a gig this weekend, it's not time to start exploring free jazz. If you do develop a real interest in another style, integrate that into your practice regimen along with your usual stuff.

There is a difference here for instrumentalists and composers. Being fluent in a number of styles is part of your expertise and as such, should be part of your usual regimen.

The Evolution of An Artist

We're all on a journey. There are many paths and experiences for you to enjoy.There is an evolution taking place and you want to make sure that it's heading in the direction that you want. To know where you are and have been it's important to keep records of what you've done. Do this on a regular basis and review it when making plans for the future. Second, make plans on a regular basis. They may not always come to fruition but it gives you a goal and road map. Third keep focused and work through the hills and plateaus. Finally do it all over again. One day, you'll be able to sit down and actually see your evolution as an artist.

Effective Memorization In Music

One of the most important parts of learning music is memorization. Whether it's a small piece. a couple of licks, scales, chords, or an entire performance, memorization is something that musicians have to deal with on a daily basis. Yet this is rarely mentioned in textbooks and music courses. One thing that should be part of every musical education is how to effectively use your memory. Simply learning a piece isn't enough: memorizing the piece is another process entirely. It must be dealt with accordingly. If you don't believe me, just look at how you would approach trying to remember a phone number. If you had a pen and paper, you would simply write it down and forget about it. But, if you had to memorize it on the spot, you would probably go through a couple of exercises or techniques to help you remember the number. You know that simply repeating it to yourself just once isn't going to work*

*Unless there was a memorable pattern or special characteristic in the number. Marketing companies are well aware of this fact. Just see how many times a number is repeated on an infomercial or how companies like to make their phone numbers into simple, easily memorized sequences.

It's the same with music. Learning something and memorizing something are two separate brain functions and two separate processes.Once you decide to learn a piece, you go about learning the fingering and different sections of the song. Some parts may become part of your internal memory through simple repetition. Musicians will rely on this most of the time. They figure that if they repeat the piece enough times, it will be internalized. This is only half true.

Like the phone number exercise above, if the number is repeated enough times, it will be memorized. But what happens if you suddenly forget it? Or, what if you remember the first part but can't remember the rest? What happens if there is a long time between uses and the memory gets lost? This is where the memory needs help.

Stuck in the Middle

One thing that happens to a lot of musicians is the 'stuck at the bridge syndrome'. They'll have the verse and chorus down no problem. But when it comes to the bridge or a separate section, the mind will suddenly go blank. This happens a lot with the bridge but also happens with sections that are complicated, or obscure parts that occur at just a single part of the song. There are a couple of reasons for this. The usual reason is that since it's a part that isn't played as much, it's easier to forget. Another reason is because parts like this are easily overlooked when learning a song. If a song has a unique section or part. it must be noted in the memory. Or, they may have the lick memorized but missing other parts. The lick may be memorable in its own right whereas you might be saying to yourself 'how does that bridge go again?' because it's not in your musical memory.

Going Blank

Most musicians have been through this. Sometimes when playing a piece, (usually with longer pieces) your mind will simply go blank. For the life of you, you can't remember the next part, Sometimes you can even 'hear' the part in your head, but for some reason, the fingering just isn't coming to you. Of course, if you're relying solely on your physical memory (more on this later), you won't remember the part that comes after that either. There may be many reasons for this but the biggest reason is because you've memorized the piece based solely on the physical. You've memorized the fingering or how it looks on your instrument and nothing else. The problem with the physical memory is that it's based solely on feel. If something changes in the feel, you lose focus, or the picture in your mind changes, then you completely lose your place. There is nothing else to fall back on.

Two Planes

When it comes to memorizing, there are two different planes that we're dealing with here; there is the mental plane and the physical plane. You want to have both at your disposal. All too often musicians will depend completely on the physical and ignore the mental. They will memorize a piece based solely on the fingering and how the piece looks and feels on their instrument. The biggest problem with this method is that it's too linear. The way one section feels is completely dependent on the section that proceeded it. Have you ever tried and started a song from a completely illogical point? By this I mean not at a new section but right in the middle of a phrase? If you have, you'll know what I mean about memorizing based on the physical. Sometimes it's impossible  to remember (or even play) a piece from a completely arbitrary point. The tactile method also becomes problematic when looking ahead. If you've mentally memorized the piece, it's easy to see the whole piece or separate sections. If you're going completely by the physical, it's a lot harder to see one part without the part that proceeded it.

Memory Techniques

Memory techniques have been around forever. The Romans were famous for their ability to remember facts and dates. The reason for this was the Romans had many different techniques that stimulated the brain to remember facts (and the fact that pen and paper weren't usually handy!). Some of the methods used were association, patterns, chunking, and repetition. 

Ripping It Apart

When memorizing a piece, one of the first things you're going to have to do is organize the piece (or whatever you're trying to memorize) into a logical thought or progression. That means dissecting the piece; separating pieces into sections, separating sections into phrases and parts, and creating highlights and milestones within the piece. Most orchestras will do this automatically when rehearsing a new symphony. The score arrives with all of the relevant sections separated and the bars will be numbered. The musicians will make notes within the score to remind themselves of special phrases and performance notes. If it was a song, you would analyze the different sections. You would then write it down on a single piece of paper so you could see the entire song at a glance. You would then be able to memorize the entire song, along with any special notes at once. The same process would apply to anything that you're trying to learn. The breakdown and organization must come first, because this is what your memory techniques are going to be based upon.

Chunk King

Much like trying to memorize a phone number, memorizing pieces of music becomes a lot easier when using the 'chunk' method. It's simply a matter of taking pieces and memorizing them in chunks instead of trying to memorize the entire piece at once. Also, like the phone number, it's better to piece the chunks together in a logical fashion. That would mean memorizing separate sections, highlighting certain parts, noting milestones and special characteristics, and putting the piece together in a logical fashion.

Shout It, Shout It Loud

If you've ever spent a night trying to memorize facts before a big test, you know the value of verbalizing. You simply want to take what you've learned and verbalize it into a coherent idea. For example if trying to memorize a song, after you've organized it into the different sections, you should verbalize out loud the order of the song complete with notes and special sections. For example; verse and chorus repeated twice with a tag at the end of the second chorus. C F Am G in the verse, C G Dm in the chorus. A 12 bar bridge in Em and the chorus repeated twice. Most songs can be organized and memorized in this way. If there are special sections or parts, take a second to make a note and remind yourself about these parts.

Games Without Frontiers

There are a couple of ways we can get our mind working and tricking it into remembering things. One thing that humans do well is patterns. Whenever learning a new piece of music or trying to memorize something, look for patterns. It's much easier to remember a 5 figure number repeated 3 times than it is to remember 15 individual numbers. If a section is repeated, or a pattern is repeated, take note. There might be a slight difference on the repeat of the section; just remember ' the A section with a ii V at the end of the repeat'. Another technique that works well is association. If the song you're trying to remember has a chord progression similar to another song you know well, it's much easier to remember the chord progression based upon that association. Jazz musicians do this all the time. They're famous for knowing hundreds of songs (in fact, it's part of their education). Quite often they will associate certain chord progressions with certain songs. Once you're familiar with the chord progression, it leaves up a lot of room to improvise within that tune. Every jazz musician knows the 'Rhythm changes' and can spot them easily within a tune. Jazz musicians also use this technique to memorize the 'B' sections of jazz tunes since these can sometimes be problematic. Also, if there are any changes or substitutions within that framework, having the entire progression committed to memory makes it easier to keep track of where you are.

Messing With the Order

One thing that happens a lot is you'll often remember the first part of a section only to fail to remember the end. One technique that helps the memory a lot is breaking up the song. Try playing a section from the middle. Try playing the last part, then the middle and lastly the first. What this does is make our brain remember each part in its own right instead of the logical linear progression. With this method, if you get lost on one section, it makes it a lot easier to pick it up at the next with no hesitation. Also, if you practice the piece this way, you'll end up practicing the end just as much as the beginning, breaking the 'forgetting the end' syndrome.

Lose the Paper

I have met quite a few musicians who don't read music. While this can be a handicap in certain situations, it can help in memorization because the music must be memorized immediately. I usually will write the music down. I'll have most of the parts there and all of the different sections of the tune marked down. This usually comes in handy when discussing separate parts with other musicians or trying to remember the tune the next day (since it's written down, it's usually pretty accurate). It's really important though, that if you have the music on paper, to get it off of the paper as soon as you can. The musicians who I mentioned earlier, while at some of a disadvantage, had something over the musicians who had written things down. Since they don't have the option of writing things down, they must memorize the different parts immediately. They were usually pretty good at memorizing long complicated parts because that's what they have to do all of the time. There is no other choice. Therefore all of the repetition, association and memory techniques listed here, are things that they had to do all of the time.

Don't rely too much on the printed page.  Try to get it off of there and into your head as quickly as possible. Have the advantage by being able to memorize something immediately but also having the choice to write it down if necessary.

Using All of Your Senses

There is a whole process that jazz musicians go through when learning new tunes. It usually starts with learning the melody. Not just playing the melody but being able to sing it. They will then go through the bassline, chord progression, different voicings within that progression etc. (We'll go into this more in a later post). The point is that there is more going on than just learning the fingering for your part. If you've got the lyrics memorized, you know the bass part and any other extras, it makes it a lot easier to memorize the tune. It then becomes the difference between knowing how to play your part in a tune, and knowing the tune inside out. If you can, try this approach with everything that you learn on your instrument.

Do It Again

The best way to learn anything is through repetition; every musician knows that. The process of memorizing parts, scales and pieces also must be repeated. That means once a piece is memorized, the process must be repeated for the piece to be completely ingrained in your memory. Like mentioned in articles here before. It's best to review as soon as possible after learning something new. Another review should be done the following day, then once again in a couple of days, and then once the next week. You get the idea.

Keep It Separated

Music and musicianship absolutely depends on having a good memory. Having a good memory, much like learning to play your instrument, is a skill that can be developed and honed. When learning a new piece, scale, or technique, memorizing must be a separate process. The material must be put into a logical organization. The piece must be seen both as separate parts and as a cohesive whole. Using the different methods (chunking, verbalizing, association), the piece must be memorized. Then the whole process must be repeated and reviewed at regular intervals. Make sure this exercise is separate from the practice session.

Practicing Away From Your Instrument

Most of the time when we talk about practicing, it's usually just about sitting down with our instrument and going through some exercises. We go through some technical exercises, some scales, go through some tunes and maybe get in some improv or writing. If we're really diligent and on the ball, we'll get in some ear training and theory. Of course doing all of these things without our instrument there seems just like a waste of time. In fact, it's the opposite.

Virtuosos Do It

Famous composers, performers and virtuosos have all been know to do it; they regularly practice away from their instrument.
Virtuosos have been known to practice their entire performance while traveling or in a hotel room. They picture themselves sitting at the piano. They see all of the keys and their hands. They see and hear every note that they're going to play. It's like they're there in the practice hall but it's all happening in their mind. It's not only performers who do this. Dancers and all sorts of physical performers regularly go through their entire routine without ever leaving their chair.

Fantasy vs Reality

There's a famous experiment where a group of ordinary people are tested on their ability to shoot free throws. There are three groups of people, all inexperienced at the game of basketball. They are all tested at the beginning of the experiment to see how many free throws they can get. They are then separated into 3 groups. Group A is set up to practice shooting hoops for a half an hour everyday. Group B is not allowed to practice at all. And, Group C is instructed to 'imagine' shooting hoops for half an hour everyday.  The results were surprising. Group A scored the same or worst. Group B scored slightly better than their initial score. Most surprising was the fact that Group C had the greatest increase of shots scored . Remember this group had only practiced the exercise in their mind. They, like Group A, hadn't touched a basketball for over a month.

No Difference to Me

The fact is, when it comes to scenarios like this, the brain doesn't differentiate fantasy from reality. Imagining shooting baskets and actually doing the exercise has the same effect on our brain. The best part of doing the visualizations as opposed to the actual exercises is that in our brain, is we can execute the exercise perfectly. We can slow it down, speed it up, play the hardest parts with no effort at all. Best of all, to your mind, it's like you're really doing it. The same neural pathways and memory functions are being used. Much like reiterating your last chemistry lesson in your head, these mental exercises reinforce what you've already learned. It's one of the best ways to review and get the material completely ingrained in your mind.

The Practice Session

Obviously one of the best applications of this technique would be running through an upcoming performance, but there are other great uses. If a scale or some new chords have just been introduced, playing through them in your head is a great way to remember them. If you're having trouble with a difficult part, it's useful to go over it without your instrument. It may shorten the time it takes to learn it, eliminating the problem of practicing your mistakes. If you're learning new a new solo, being able to 'hear' and 'see' the solo in your head, makes it a lot easier to play it the next time you head to rehearsals. It's great for memorizing scales, chords, chord progressions, theory and of course, entire songs and performances. The applications really are unlimited.

Songwriting

One thing that may not be obvious is writing songs away from your instrument. After all the instrument is integral isn't it? In fact, you may find some interesting things happening when you start writing songs without any instrumentation. First of all it makes you focus entirely on the melody and lyrics. There is no harmony initially, there is only the melody. Instead of trying to find a melody to another framework, you focus entirely on the melody, making it as memorable as you can. You may find that after a while you may hear the harmonies and chords in your head. If fact, you may envision the entire arrangement before even touching an instrument. Initially you may want to start with something simple and work from there. I'm even suggesting that you start with no accompaniment at all, not even a beat. I mention the beat because it's so important in our music and there is a whole way of working where you write melodies and songs with only beats, and work on the chords and accompaniment later. It's important to note here that I'm talking about a bare beat and nothing with implied harmonies.

Not An Option

If you really want to make the most of your practice sessions, if you want to improve on your instrument and get better in a shorter time, this is something you have to do, The results can be amazing. Suddenly, things that were 'alright' and 'sort of there' are much more concrete. You'll find yourself getting a lot better between practice sessions. You may be able to practice a lot more and make use of time that would otherwise be wasted. Start simple. Try playing through your scales in your head. Then try your chords. Try and 'see' everything you would in your practice session; your hands, your instrument, the music in front of you, and the sound of your instrument. The more detail, the better. Try and hear as much as you see. If you're not used to visualizing, it may be tough to start. Find some material on doing visualizations and use those techniques in your sessions. Who knows, you're greatest performance, your greatest song, may be one visualization away.

Top 10 Reasons NOT To Learn Music Theory

It's been said a million times that every musician should learn music theory. Here are ten reasons not to:

1. Music theory is for classrooms and doesn't apply to working musicians.
2. It's too hard to learn. You need a doctorate to understand this stuff.
3. It takes too long. There's a better use of my time.
4. It's a waste of time. Nobody really uses this stuff.
5. It will make me a jazz musician.
6. My playing  (performance on my instrument) won't be as good.
7. I'm a songwriter. If I learn the theory behind it, my songs and songwriting is going to lose 'that magic'.
8. I'm into rock/reggae/electronica/hip-hop musician. Music theory doesn't apply to my music.
9. I'm into hardcore metal/do beats/sound design. Music theory will make my music lose its edge.
10. Don't need it. There's software out there that will do all of the music theory for me.

Are You Kidding Me?

Of course I am, but these are excuses I hear all of the time. The wording may change slightly but the message is the same. Most people think music theory is a separate entity limited to classical and jazz musicians. If fact there is music theory in every genre of music. Theory is simply a way of explaining things that happen with regularity in music; any music.

You Know It

Whenever you learn something new on your instrument, that's music theory. When you learn a new song, that's music theory. If you've learned a solo and then use some of those techniques to make up your own solo, that's music theory. If you've taken some chords that you're familiar with and written your own song over them, that's music theory. The problem with most teaching systems is that the music theory isn't integrated right away. As soon as you learn some theory, it should be applied to your instrument immediately. Music theory needs to be used to be understood properly.

It's All In The Approach

There are many ways to approach music theory and learning. It's true that music theory is a huge subject. There are many facets to learn. It's important that you learn the parts that affect your style of music first. If you're just learning your instrument, the approach would be different if your were studying to become a composer. If you're writing pop songs as opposed to becoming a jazz musician, again, your approach would be different.

The Reality

In case you we were wondering, here are the real world answers to the excuses listed above.

1. The answer to this one is listed above. If you're playing an instrument, writing songs, performing, you're using music theory already.
2. Music theory isn't hard to learn, but it does take time. It takes time to learn and most of all, it takes a long time to apply. I'm still reviewing things I learned in university.
3. It does take time, But if you learn properly, you can start to use it immediately. In fact, you may be surprised how much you improve in a relatively short time.
4. This is a corollary of the first 3. It seems to take too long without any good reason for doing it.; therefore, it's a complete waste of time.
5. I get this a lot, especially from the rock guys. Invariably, when learning new skills, you will start to use those skills. Hence the music theory guy/girl start sounding like a jazz musician at band rehearsals. Contrary to popular belief, you can use theory when and where you want to.
6. This is another band situation that I would come across. There was this saying among rock musicians that the music theory people were usually the worst players. This was mostly because of the fact that their time was spent in the classroom instead of the bandstand. While there is no substitution for live experience, music theory won't take away anything that isn't there. Both theory and technique must be worked on.
7. This is another gem. Some songwriters feel that they get their ideas from divine intervention (or some facsimile) and learning the facts behind their creativity will make their music 'lose its magic'.
8. There are scales and pentatonic theory for solos, chord chemistry and progressions for songs, forms in music, harmony and melody. All of these and more apply to all popular music. Once you begin to learn a musical style, you're learning the theory behind that style. 
9. Some musicians feel that if they learn music theory, they're suddenly going to feel the need to interject major 7th chords into their music. Theory gives you the reasons behind the music. It doesn't make you use anything you don't want to use.
10. Photoshop has this great function that turns any photo into a beautiful painting. There is a software program for almost anything...except creativity. No matter what software is available, musicians will always feel the need to take whatever is out there and twist it into their own creations. There is no one program that will take the ideas from your brain, and make it into a perfect finished creation. Even if there was, if you're anything like me, you'll probably want to twist it even further!!

Have fun!

Measuring Your Music Talent

We go through life relatively quickly. It's easy to go through an entire day and not really remember what you've done. It's just as easy to accomplish quite a few things in a day and not realize it. It's the same with our musical progress. It's easy to just go day by day without figuring out exactly where we are, what we are doing, and what we'd like to accomplish.

We have a terrible sense of time. It's the same with a lot of areas of our life where we go with our gut feelings or some vague recollection. How many songs have you written? How many songs do you know? You may think that it may be a large number but until you sit down and actually calculate the exact number, you really don't know for sure.



Measuring Your Progress

How many scales do you know? How many songs do you know? Licks? Cliches? Chord progressions? You get the idea. I would venture to say that most musicians have no clue to most of these questions. The best thing to get an idea of where you are is to start writing things down. Start with a list of the basics. Chords, scales, songs written, songs learned, solos, etc. Make this list as comprehensive as possible. By making a list, you start to get an idea of where you are. Keep in mind though, that this isn't a list to try and put as many things on it as possible; it's just a guide. Knowing more scales doesn't make you a better player if you don't know how to use them. On close inspection, it becomes obvious what you've done. If you've thought that you've written a lot songs, but then see on your list that only a handful are actually completed, it may be a wake-up call. Initially, this list will be a work in progress. Don't worry about making a completed list right off the get go. Take some time and figure out where you are in each area. This will be our starting point.

What's The Point?

The point of all of this isn't to brag to your friends about knowing 1,000 chords. It's for you only. It's about seeing exactly where you are and what you need to do. The best use for me is a guide as to how many songs I know. I also use it to see how many songs I've written lately. It must be updated regularly but once a month should be enough. It's great as a review system too. A review should be done at least once a year, if not more. The review should include all of the things that you've been working on for the year. Reviewing is the best way of keeping the things you've learned in your head and on your fingertips.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat


Everything you learn, you want to remember and use. The best way we learn is through repetition. When you learn something new, the best way to remember it is to review it often. If you've gone to your lesson and learned some new skills, you should review what you've learned as soon as you get home. Try to put it into your own words. Go through the points that the teacher made and try to do the exercises on your instrument. This should be done the night of your lesson. Then, another review should be done the next day. Do the same things you did the night before. Spend some time going through the concepts in your mind. If you've done these two things, you're well on your way to retaining the lesson. Other reviews can be done but as long as the concepts where reviewed in the first place, the time between reviews can get longer.

For example:
1. review as soon as you can after the lesson
2. review the lesson again the next day
3. review once again within the next couple  of days
4. you can wait about a week before going over the material again.
5. review once at the end of the month
6. from here on out, once every couple of months and the concepts are yours for life

Once you've created your list, your going to want to put it in your practice workbook and update it regularly. I've talked about the importance of having a practice workbook here before. You may also want to keep other kinds of workbooks in helping with your learning and creativity. If you're having trouble keeping one updated, stop there. Try not to worry too much about these things. You don't need more things getting in the way of practicing and creating. But if you have tons of ideas running through your head and don't know what to do with them, the workbooks are the best idea. If you have tons of ideas and know that if one arises, you can write it down and place it in your journal, your great ideas will never get lost.

The Journal

Creating a journal is nothing new to artists. DaVinci was famous for his workbooks and journals. There are many different types of journals. There are the open ended, what's going on in my brain today type journals. There the goals and aspirations type. And there are the aforementioned DaVinci notes and ideas journal. Most artists keep journals to varying degrees. These vary as much as the artists do. For musicians, the lyric journals are popular but there are also the music ideas journals. Beethoven was famous for writing down tons of ideas and themes in workbooks. He would come back to them on a regular basis and review them, edit them, or add more. The key here is that not only would he keep the journal, he would return to them often. If it's not getting used, it's a waste of time..

Your Practice Workbook

This is the most important part of the equation. It's important to have a daily journal of what you've done. It's easy to guess that you've done this or that. Or to think that you've done more (or less) than you have. But when you have the practice workbook sitting in front of you, with all of your lists, notes on what you've done you no longer have to guess. It's all right there in front of you. You can see what you've done specifically so no matter what you may have thought, it's there in black and white. It's important that your workbook stays up to date. Make notes whenever you can. It's about a little at a time. I don't want you to lose sleep over this or use it as another thing getting in the way of your practice. If you do it regularly, it should only take a second. Whenever you do something in your practice sessions, make a note in your workbook. At the end of the month, just before the end of one of your practice sessions, take a quick look back at the past couple of weeks and make a note of what you've accomplished. If there are things that you wanted to get done but didn't, make a note. Put a star beside it if it bothers you and you want to make sure that this gets done next month.

Computer Stuff

Most of my writing these days is done on the computer. It's so easy to start writing something or try new ideas. You can save your work and come back to it later. Of course the most important part of that statement is 'come back to it later'. This is one of the main reasons for the workbook. It's all too easy to lose track of what you've done and what needs to get done. If you've got a hundred songs on your computer and none of them are done, you need to stop and get some of them to completion. Again, we come back to the workbook. Make a list of all of the songs you have on your computer and then make notes on each. Which ones are close to completion? Make separate notes on each such as what needs to be changed and what is good. Of course the list can be on your computer but make sure  you put it in it's own folder. Make a folder just for your workbook notes. I'm suggesting a folder instead of just a note taking program because you'll want to include other things  in there. I like to make mp3's of all of the songs I'm working at so I don't have to open my DAW just to hear what they sound like. I also keep pdf's and things I've copied  from the internet in there.

This Is What I Know


If you've done everything that is listed here, you'll know exactly where you are. You can see that you have all of the pentatonics memorized but need to work on soloing in different keys. Your chord knowledge is going well but you need to work on chord progressions. You have 10 songs written but want to get more of that done. You haven't worked on your theory at all lately and want to learn more to apply it to your songwriting. You want to learn about film scoring but you know that you're just a beginner and need guidance in this area. Your not sure about how many songs you know and have to get that list together. It may not be an exact measurement of your musical talent but it really gives you a good idea of where you are.

The Data-Driven Musician

More and more it's becoming easier to measure our life. Where this is taking place in every other part of your life, it's now becoming part of your musical journey. There are better ways to learn and make sure you are accomplishing your dreams. By writing down what you've done and what you are doing, you know exactly where you are heading, where you've been and where you're going to end up.The best system is automatic and gets done with very little effort. Make a small effort everyday and you'll see exactly what you've done and where you want to go.

How to Apply Your Music Theory

When learning theory, most programs take a general approach at the beginning. You learn about scales, intervals, chords and so on. Eventually you'll get to point where what you're learning about in the classroom starts to apply to what you're doing on your instrument. When I teach, I try to apply the theory as soon as I can.

One of the things that I ask a student when they first start is what kind of music they listen to and what they want to accomplish on their instrument. You should ask yourself the same questions. Most students start out with the same basic exercises and theory and get into specifics later. Most students just want to learn songs but I encourage them to learn theory along with some improvisation and writing skills.  It helps with their playing, ear training, and takes away some of the mystery away from how music is created.

But Why?

Once you see how songs are created and some of the theory behind them, playing your instrument and learning songs becomes a lot easier. For instance, once you learn about the different forms in music, it becomes easier to a) figure out what you're listening to b) identify where you are in the song, c) memorize the separate parts. Once you learn about some basic chord progressions, it becomes easier a) to play them (since you've gone over them so many times), b) to recognize them (guitar players can usually tell when a D or G chord is being played), and c) easier to improvise or write your own songs (since you know the progressions in advance). Once you learn the theory behind playing solos, it becomes easier to a) learn solos off of CD's, b) extend or improvise on a given solo, and of course c) make up you own solos.

What Are Ya Into?

Beyond just learning theory, you must try and learn things that apply to your genre of music. Learning music isn't hard but it takes time, You want to use that time learning about what applies to your style of music first. After you've been playing a while, you may want to get into different styles. For example, after a while some players get into learning more complicated chords and scales. If you're into country or rock, learning 13th chords won't be of much use to you. Learning these chords are great if you've been playing a while and are starting to get into more complicated stuff. But if you're struggling to get the basic chords together, learning these chords won't be of any use to you at all. The truth of the matter is that there is a world of learning with the basic chords and if you don't know how to use these properly, the more difficult chords aren't going to help.

Country

If you're into country for example and want to learn how to pick like they do, you should spent most of your time on the basic major, minor and pentatonic theory. Also, except for some country swing, most country doesn't go beyond the basic triads (it does use 7ths on occasion). Country music likes to keep things simple; it uses these basic tools in a million of different ways. It's important that you know the basic theory behind the songs but them you have to get used to using those tools in many different ways. For example today's country uses rock scales and licks, major and minor scales, and some old school country & bluegrass idioms and chord progressions. That means not only learning songs, progressions and licks in country, but also some rock, pop and bluegrass. These all belong in today's country to varying degrees.

Rock

Rock music has a theory all it's own. It's mostly based upon blues theory (which the jury is still out on!), but also uses major and minor scales and in some cases (alternative, prog-rock) more extended harmonies and scales. Rock has been around a while, there are a lot of different styles so there are a couple of avenues to take here. You may want to start with some basic blues, some classic rock or come older metal. Within each of these you will see the roots of all of today's modern music. A lot of classic rock is based around the riff; a repeated figure that forms the basis of the harmony. Some classic rock uses variations of the 12 bar blues, while others will stick to the basic I IV V.

Just learning what a I IV V is isn't enough. You have to learn all of the various ways it's used. What chord does it start/end with? How many bars of each? What are the rhythms used most often? All music uses the basic I IV V, it's all about application.

Older metal (70's) was also based around blues chord progressions but extended into the minor scale (and model harmony) and chord progressions based around that. Today's rock uses all of these (sometimes within the same song). Modern metal is an example of taking the theories and mashing them together; riffs, modes, esoteric scales and arpeggios.

If you think there is no theory behind modern rock/metal/dance/hip-hop, you're wrong. A soon as music becomes a style, there is a theory behind it. Theory is simply an attempt to explain what's happening and the tools that are typically used. The fact that the musicians don't have a name for a certain scale or chord used is irrelevant.

Pop

Pop uses all of the above to varying degrees. Some pop uses rock idioms while some sticks to your basic major/minor harmonies.  Like rock and country, there are many variations on the basic chords. A lot of the theory is used over and over again but you have to learn the basic progressions, rhythms and forms used. Guitarists and pianists will take the same chord progression but play them in different ways. There aren't as many solos but there are a lot of things to learn about putting together parts to make an interesting arrangement. That includes chord embellishments, fills and various accompaniment styles.

So Why Though?

You may be asking yourself that if some of these musicians who are making the music don't know the theory, why should I? In fact, they do know the theory. Jimi Hendrix knew the theory. James Hetfield knows the theory. I know what you're thinking; James has said numerous times that he doesn't know any music theory. But he knows where to go when he plays chords. He knows where to go when he plays a solo. The fact that he doesn't know the name of scale or chord doesn't mean he doesn't know the theory. It was the same for Jimi Hendrix who many thought didn't know any theory. After playing with the Isley Brothers for an extended period, he said that he had every one of those songs and progressions ingrained in his head. If you stick to a certain style and have a discernable sound, there is a theory behind it.

Mimick, Learn, Apply

The fact is that all musicians learn the same way; through mimicking, memorization and application. Jimi had tons of progressions and licks at his fingertips every time he played. This was from practicing and playing these things over a period of years. James Hetfield has a sound in his head. He then searches on his instrument until he hears that sound. If you're a fan of the music, you'll notice a lot of ideas and progression are used often. If your know the theory, you can create within that style with accuracy. The same ideas are used over and over, that's why the music is its own style in the first place. If you take the time to learn the theory, the style will come quicker to you. It'll be easier to hear what's going on, know how to play it, and ultimately write and play it until it's your own.

The Art of Arrangement

One of the things that musicians don't usually think about 'practicing' is arranging. For some writers, it comes as an after-thought when recording a song. The band will write a song, practice it a couple of times, and then head into the studio. There's usually some discussion about what goes where, what to put in, and what to leave out. The parts will be put down, mixed, and that will be it. If there is time or inclination, an alternate mix may be put together.

A.K.A

In fact, arrangement is an exercise and art form of its own. In classical circles, the arranger is usually referred to as the orchestrator. In dance and popular music, it's called remixing. Jazz, big band and in formal band situations, they are referred to as arranger. Whatever they may be called, arrangement is not to be taken lightly. It is another skill that must be developed and cultivated. Some of the best producers have a knack for putting together great arrangements. 'Q' (Quincy Jones) immediately springs to mind.

Decisions, Decisions

How do you go about honing your arrangement skills? Like everything else, practice makes perfect. It's a matter of taking a song, piece or even a simple melody and creating different arrangements. They could be all in the same genre with different instrumentation (think string quartet verses symphony, or standard rock version verses acoustic version), different styles within a genre (pop-ballad verses dance/pop crossover, or punk verses alternative), or different genres altogether. You must decide on what you're going to do from the outset. Are you going to make some orchestrations based on a simple theme or are you going to turn a country song into a dance-floor hit? Arranging in the different styles and genres is an entire book in and of itself. Without getting into genres and specifics, lets look at some general things that you should be thinking about when starting a new arrangement:

1. Have a goal. I know you've heard this one a million times before but it really counts here. If you have a pop song, what are you going to arrange it in to? You must have a clear idea before you start because your goal will dictate a lot of your decisions. If you're going to make that pop song into a dance remix, you're going to make completely different decisions than if you were going to turn it into a ballad.

2. Decide on instrumentation. As soon as you figure out what kind of arrangement you're going to write, you're going to have to make a decision on the instrumentation. You might be thinking that this may be limiting you but in fact it's the opposite. By deciding on a set group of instruments, it makes you more creative in trying to stick with that group. Having too many choices in this area may be more of a deterrent to your creativity than an asset. Also, sticking with a set group of instruments say a basic drums, bass, guitar, makes it easier to stick with the genre that you've decided on from the outset.

3. Decide on tempo, feel. When you decide on what style your new arrangement is going to be, immediately there will be an inherent range of tempos that will suite the arrangement. Keep in mind that when deciding on the genre, it's also implied the feel of the song within that genre. For example, you don't just decide to do a jazz version but a jazz-ballad version. This automatically denotes a range of BPM that would be suitable for your arrangement. The same goes for dance, hip-hop, etc. For example if it was a hip-hop remix, a BPM above 130 would be unusual; the same goes for a dance remix below 100 BPM.

4. Decide on form. This is another decision that would be inherent in the style. For example, if you were doing a dance remix, the build and release of a dance song would be paramount to making your arrangement work. If you were doing a jazz arrangement, you would follow the AABA form and add a chorus for a solo. If it was a pop song, you would stick to the general forms using verse, chorus and bridge. There are tons written about form in the various genres. Classical music for example has tons of various forms that are essential to learn when composing for orchestra. While there are many variations of forms and many ways form can be manipulated, it's essential to know what you're doing and the reason why.

Let's take a look at the areas that you have to consider when working on your arrangement:
 
Rhythm/Groove

This one may seem obvious but there's always a lot of decisions that must be made here and they shouldn't be taken too lightly. The basic rhythms for each genre each have a set of rules and standards. Are the rhythms in strict time (like techno and club), a little more loose (like some alternative and folk), or more rubato (like classical and traditional folk music)? Some genres swing, some don't; the answer isn't always obvious. You might assume that swing is a jazz rhythm but it's used in other genres to varying effect. Blues also swings; as does rock, latin, pop and various forms of dance music. They all use it in different amounts and the application is different. Then there are the 16th note shuffle used in hip-hop and dance. There are different drum patterns and specific drum sounds for each genre. There are also different ways to phrase your melody based on the genre. Some genres play the melody straight where as others tend to make the melody more syncopated.  The instrumentation in the rhythm section would be another deciding factor. Is it a basic drum kit, Latin percussion, or an 808?

Form

Learning forms in music is another area where you would want to sit down and take some notes. You may already know the forms of some popular music that you are familiar with, but you shouldn't stop there. When listening to other styles of music, take note of the form. How many sections are there? How long is each section? What's the typical order of the different sections? What's the general feel of the different sections? If you're unfamiliar with a genre of music, it may be hard to tell where some sections end and others start (as in some classical forms). Every genre of music has forms that it uses over and over again. If you're new to writing in a certain style, start with one of these forms and go from there.

Harmony

What is the general harmony used in that particular style? Is it your basic triads as in pop, country and dance? Is the harmony a bit more involved like some house, alternative, metal, and latin? Or is the harmony a huge factor as in jazz and classical music? Are there progressions and harmonies that used more than others? If there are, memorize and get to know those first. Even beyond the basic harmony, there are idiosyncrasies that are prevalent to each style. An RnB keyboard player would play different voicings than a traditional jazz player. Are you going to change the harmony? Make it more complicated? Simpler? Change the tonality (major, minor, modal)? There are dos and don'ts to each genre. As soon as you change the harmony for a song or piece, you may unwittingly move it into another genre. If you change the harmony enough, it may become a jazz tune instead of a pop song.

A New Skill Set

As you can see within each of these decisions is a skill set of its own. Each must be taken into consideration when putting together an arrangement. There are general rules for each genre and style of arrangement that you write. These rules are never written in stone, but it's good to know them. It helps keep your arrangement genuine to the genre. As you get better at remixing and re-arranging, you may find yourself breaking a lot of the rules.  There are tons of books out there about arranging and remixing in various genres. There also tons of books on how to play the various styles on their perspective instruments. These are all useful when writing and arranging parts particular to the style. Pick up what you can, absorb and start writing.