Maybe you've learned arpeggios, but not jazz. Glad to hear you've learned it all though. At least one person on this forum has it all in their head.
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 4:53 PM
all I will say is, I have learned things from some of the very best musicians in the world, so you can do it your way and create bad habits and more work or you can do it the way that was taught to me which I believe is why I am often regarded as a world class musician.
Music as a whole is taught backwards and it's generally not a good way to learn.
I dunno what to say MAL, you can take your info from a book that has created millions of mediocre musicians or perhaps you can think a little bit about the info that is given to you by a true out of the box thinker.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 4:57 PM
BTW, Buddha, could you post a video or clip or something of yourself playing harp to seven come eleven or just the generic rhythm changes? Preferably on a C...Zack too, if you want. I think that would be educational and cool to see.
Buddha, I think you are a world class musician because you put in the time to practice. Anybody who mindfully practices for 10,000 hours will become world class, but the simple truth is, it is NOT the fault of Abersold or my posting that people would learn bad habits or not become world class. MOST people are NOT willing to devote so much time to practice. It is because they didn't practice 5-10 hours a day for years to develop their artistry. Charlie Parker wouldn't be bird if he didn't put in impossible practice hours. If he was mediocre its because he didn't practice, not that jamey abersold didn't teach him correctly. Often world class players are so good that they don't know HOW to conceptualize and teach things to beginning players because things are so ingrained that it is all intuitive and they can't possibly understand WHY or HOW someone couldn't know what they are talking about. Maybe you are that type of world class player? IDK. But I thank you for your input, it WILL have an impact on my approach.
You would be astounded at the amount of time I actually practice.
I believe my approach and my perspective on things in general is what makes me a world class harmonica player.
ften world class players are so good that they don't know HOW to conceptualize and teach things to beginning players because things are so ingrained that it is all intuitive and they can't possibly understand WHY or HOW someone couldn't know what they are talking about. Maybe you are that type of world class player? IDK."
I most definitely am NOT that kind of player/teacher. thanks
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 5:30 PM
"You would be astounded at the amount of time I actually practice." @ Buddha Is that a lot or a little? Are you saying an approach can make up for little practice time?
For me, I am practicing 5 hours a day on average. In a year or so I will be able to take 2 years off and practice 12 hours a day. I know that the more I have practiced, the more relationships I see and the deeper my understanding of music. I think this is only accomplished by actually practicing and discovering things over time.
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 5:48 PM
Jazz is music, it isn't some secret language. All music theory applies to all styles, at least in the western world. I know my diminished scales, whole tone scales, major, minor,blues, pentatonics, and I know the modes. There isn't a way of 'learning' Jazz. It just doesn't work that way.
Also, before you challenge me to something (and I do not believe I will succeed. I NEVER stated I was a pro harmonica player, but I know my music theory) why don't you post yourself playing it?
@ ZackPomerleau, this isn't a debate about what you know. Frankly, I could care less. This has turned into a debate on how people learn jazz, or how they SHOULD learn. There is a way of learning jazz, regardless of what you think, or think you know. There is a way of learning blues and all styles of music because there are certain intricacies that must be learned, and mastered to play these styles. The way to learn a certain dialect of music, just as in learning a dialect of language, is to study it and experiment with, and practice it until you can play it. Music is not just one all encompassing genre, there ARE differences.
I wasn't challenging you I was inviting you to post something. If it is challenging to you, then I'm sorry you feel that way. As for me, I don't have a clarinet any more. Sold that sucker cause harmonica is too kicka**. I DO have some old clarinet videos which are sadly not very good cause they were me trying to get back into the swing of things after a year or so off from any practice. These were right before I started playing harmonica if you wanna take a look.
When I get my custom harmonica I will post myself playing "seven come eleven". I promise! :)
That's some nice footage. Especially the jump from the plane. However, it can't hide the fact that you had your pants fully soiled... c'mon admit it! ;)
Btw. that's a nice mouthpiece you got there.
---------- germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 7:13 PM
"I rarely practice. I can't remember the last time I actually sat down to practice."
I don't think this is a very fair example, I seem to remember (although I may be wrong) that you have said that you use to practice and play all the time. You said you use to fall asleep with a harmonica in your hand and wake up the next morning and begin to play.
I think, once you've reached a certain mastery level on your instrument, it's possible you may reach a point where it is not as necessary for you to dedicate such large amounts of time to practice (although I think there are many great players who would disagree, Sonny Rollins comes to mind, as well as Michael Brecker). But in order to get to that point where you "know the instrument so well that you can practice by listening and thinking about music", it takes an immense amount of practice and dedication.
Jason Ricci has also said he doesn't spend much time practicing these days. But, in the past, he did use to spend an incredible amount of time practicing (thousands of hours I'm sure), and it was neccesary for him to get to the point where he's at now. There are better ways to practice things to increase ones progress, and the better you get the easier it may be to pick things up, but it still requires a large dedication to practice in order to become a great player. I don't really think there's any way around it.
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 8:07 PM
"I don't think this is a very fair example, I seem to remember (although I may be wrong) that you have said that you use to practice and play all the time. You said you use to fall asleep with a harmonica in your hand and wake up the next morning and begin to play."
When I was 14 or so I used to be like that. I believe the harmonica gave me special powers. I think practice is good but there is a point where you just need to play.
I'm working on a project with Bill Barrett and he's thrown some pretty tough stuff at me. It took me about four hours but I have it nailed. Years ago it would have taken me a week or more.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 8:11 PM
"I think practice is good but there is a point where you just need to play."
I guess I don't differentiate much between practicing and playing. I guess the only differentiation I'd make between the two is if you are just playing something that you have already "mastered" and you are not pushing yourself, then you just playing and not practicing. How would you differentiate the two? EDIT: I was also going to say that if you are playing for people you are not necessarily practicing, but now that I think about it, it can still be practice, your just practicing different skills than you would normally practice.
"I'm working on a project with Bill Barrett and he's thrown some pretty tough stuff at me. It took me about four hours but I have it nailed. Years ago it would have taken me a week or more."
I think this is a good example of how once you reach a certain point, and really know your instrument, you can pick things up much easier. So the better you get, the less practice is necessary(of course it takes alot of practice to get to that point). But I know there are a lot of world class musicians who may disagree, and who still put in lots of practice time.
Last Edited by on Feb 22, 2010 8:53 PM
"That's some nice footage. Especially the jump from the plane. However, it can't hide the fact that you had your pants fully soiled... c'mon admit it! ;)"
Hey! You know, my heart rate wasn't even up, I was just so happy to be jumping out of a plane. It really is the biggest endorphin rush/adrenaline high you'll ever get. It's SOOOO peaceful...
As for the mouthpiece, yeah, it was a custom clarinet setup for me by tom ridenour with a rovner ligature. Sold it and got a nice chunk of change to order some custom harps :) It's a shame that america dropped so many bombs on france because the extra metals in the soil in the areas that reeds are grown has ruined the reeds. Seems like most instruments have the "pre-war is better" thing going.
Very interesting discussion! Buddha makes some very good points...PAY ATTENTION. For those of you on Harmonica Space you can check out my version of "Seven Come Eleven" on diatonic. This is from a 2008 concert I did in Wisconsin. If there is a way to post an audio clip here LMK and I will do so. http://harmonicaspace.com/profile.php?profileid=54 ---------- "Life...10 Holes & 20 Reeds At A Time"
if you're speaking of learning Rhythm Changes the way I teach it is to keep a certain melody in your head. I like to use the Flintstones Theme as an example, everybody knows it. Just pretend your playing that song and you're playing Rhythm Changes.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
PT, to embed soundfile remove the * and 'insert url here'.
<****embed src="INSERT_URL_HERE" width="400" height="40" autostart="false" loop="FALSE"><****/embed> ---------- germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Feb 23, 2010 6:53 AM
Hey! Thanks PT, NEVER heard on harmonica before, which is why I asked Buddha. Now it's not just all in my head.
Yeah Buddha, or "I got rhythm" ;)
"It's like school. Solve "problems" or "equations" to help your brain get accustomed to solving them. Then as you solve more and more, you get faster. It becomes second nature."
Yes, this is exactly what I was advocating for. Start with simple problems, progressing to more complex, until you can arpeggiate the solo. Then once you know the chord tones, begin to experiment with an idea like Buddhas, playing a melody, or just creating your own.
