I've always been a writer since day 1. Sure i wanted to learn how to play songs, that's a natural part of the process but really the music I liked the most was messy. You didnt know who was playing what in the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix sounded like 3 guitar players when he was playing live and once I discovered my moms Billie Holiday collection I had to learn how to make music that was that free yet that focused.
My brother Mitch and I taught each other how to physically play our instruments. He played bass, I played guitar. We had a teacher who shared a book of scales with us and from that point forward we made up songs in the moment. I couldn't be satisfied playing the same thing every day even if it's the same song, it needs to be alive.
One day, and yeah this is a typical story, there was this fine classical piano student in my high school. He was in the bandroom practicing during lunch. He was a stuffy aristocratic kid who took his weekly lesson all the way in Philadelphia. I happened to be in there playing some guitar and he asked what I was playing. I said I was just making it up which was true. He looked astonished and asked how do I do that? I asked him how does he do what he does? He blew us all away doing what he did.
To me what I was doing was easy. Lazy even, natural as the sunset.
Yet when this guy played it was music as well, lively, spirited, felt spontaneous. I don't see too much of a difference. Music is either something I like or don't like. Genre doesn't matter. It amazes me when I hear a good musician who can't improvise or write. Every day is an improvisation. There is little difference between cooking and making up a song. Too much salt and it's too salty, too much of one note and you naturally want to move.
It's no different than anything really. I couldn't do sports well cause I simply didn't wish to suck at something for a very long time. I played with terrible rhythm for a long time until I played well, it just took commitment. Writing is the same. You just have to be willing to write a lot of awful material before a gem appears. The Beatles wrote a lot of terrible songs we hopefully will never hear.
I couldn't deal with the rigors of classical music. Took some classical guitar lessons and my teacher, Bruce Casteel saw that I didn't have a genuine interest. The great thing was this allowed me to be his guinea pig for all of his ideas on improvising. We'd spend the hour playing ragas, developing techniques to play modal music. Sometimes the lesson was a walk in the woods.
I did 2 years at Berklee College O' Music in Boston. After 2 years I realized I was getting more out of studying with Bruce than I was in college. I couldn't let my folks spend all that dough any more so I left and went back to him. I have no regrets about that. Find a guide on this journey and you'll places you never imagined.
My brother Mitch and I taught each other how to physically play our instruments. He played bass, I played guitar. We had a teacher who shared a book of scales with us and from that point forward we made up songs in the moment. I couldn't be satisfied playing the same thing every day even if it's the same song, it needs to be alive.
One day, and yeah this is a typical story, there was this fine classical piano student in my high school. He was in the bandroom practicing during lunch. He was a stuffy aristocratic kid who took his weekly lesson all the way in Philadelphia. I happened to be in there playing some guitar and he asked what I was playing. I said I was just making it up which was true. He looked astonished and asked how do I do that? I asked him how does he do what he does? He blew us all away doing what he did.
To me what I was doing was easy. Lazy even, natural as the sunset.
Yet when this guy played it was music as well, lively, spirited, felt spontaneous. I don't see too much of a difference. Music is either something I like or don't like. Genre doesn't matter. It amazes me when I hear a good musician who can't improvise or write. Every day is an improvisation. There is little difference between cooking and making up a song. Too much salt and it's too salty, too much of one note and you naturally want to move.
It's no different than anything really. I couldn't do sports well cause I simply didn't wish to suck at something for a very long time. I played with terrible rhythm for a long time until I played well, it just took commitment. Writing is the same. You just have to be willing to write a lot of awful material before a gem appears. The Beatles wrote a lot of terrible songs we hopefully will never hear.
I couldn't deal with the rigors of classical music. Took some classical guitar lessons and my teacher, Bruce Casteel saw that I didn't have a genuine interest. The great thing was this allowed me to be his guinea pig for all of his ideas on improvising. We'd spend the hour playing ragas, developing techniques to play modal music. Sometimes the lesson was a walk in the woods.
I did 2 years at Berklee College O' Music in Boston. After 2 years I realized I was getting more out of studying with Bruce than I was in college. I couldn't let my folks spend all that dough any more so I left and went back to him. I have no regrets about that. Find a guide on this journey and you'll places you never imagined.
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