[Dixielandjazz] Question for musicians

[Bob Romans]

Yes, and Raphael Mendez had very humble beginnings too! We have too much 
nowadays! Every opportunity...most of them wasted!
BRomans

 Louis Armstrong was totally
> dedicated.  From his earliest years he was forced by poverty to focus on 
> the
> one thing he was good at and he became the best.  (Genius helped too) 
> While
> LA may not be the best example he had no place to go but up.  Would we 
> have
> had the Louis Armstrong we know if his family had had a lot of money?
>
> Then when you think you know it all go back to step one.  It's a never
> ending circle.
>
> There are other pitfalls too.  I was lucky.  I started to play very young
> and when I met my wife (also young) she knew that I was a musician and 
> that
> I would be traveling, working when others were off, practicing and not 
> home
> a lot of nights.  I have a friend who's wife tells him if he can take a 
> gig
> and if it's suitable for his talent etc.  Needless to say he's down the 
> call
> list even though he is a talented musician and eventually he will just 
> fall
> off the edge.
>
> I am a musician and if you can say that the art must take precedence over
> family, friends and sometimes job if you have one.  My family has always
> accepted that and we all do well.  I wonder if that guy was a bricklayer 
> his
> wife would do the same thing?
>
> A funny thing.  When I was in college my wife wanted me home more.  Well I
> had to practice a lot and my major instrument was the Oboe.  She was soon
> encouraging me to practice at school.
>
> David your response was really well thought out and I hope you don't mind 
> if
> I use parts of it with my students.
>
> Larry
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Story" <daveplaysthepiano at hotmail.com>
> To: "Ken Gates" <keng at iswest.com>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 11:38 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Question for musicians
>
>
>> How to become a very good player.
>>
>> This is a question I get from students from time to time. I might break 
>> it
>> down like this.Classical or jazz it is more or less the same.
>>
>> Formal study on your instrument with a master teacher who specializes in
>> this. (Without chops you will always be a amateur. Chops and no soul you
> are
>> just a robot. No chops, no soul, you are just a fool. Paraphrase 
>> Horawitz)
>>
>> Learn and memorize the repertoire.
>>
>> Work on ear training, allot.
>>
>> Formal study in musical rudiments, history, harmony etc.
>> Great players know what they are doing. In the old days, talent and
>> repertoire could carry the day. Those days are over.
>>
>> Always rehearse, good musicians sound like very good musicians when the
> band
>> is well rehearsed.
>>
>> Score study
>>
>> Practice daily
>> -chops
>> -repertoire
>> -scales, chords etc
>> -sight-reading
>>
>> Work on your musical philosophy, and your internal life so that you will
>> have something to say.
>>
>> Listen to music all the time, go to concerts and hear the best, hang out.
>>
>> I summarize it like this to students:
>> 1. Learn your instruments to the point that you can play whatever comes
> into
>> your thoughts.
>> 2. Work on your thoughts, cause good players think good thoughts, great
>> players are profound.
>>
>> best regards,
>>
>> David
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ken Gates" <keng at iswest.com>
>> To: "Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 9:34 PM
>> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Question for musicians
>>
>>
>> > Attn---Very good players
>> >
>> > I don't need to define what constitutes a very good player.
>> > My question will provide sufficient definition.
>> > A very good player was at one time a "good" player.
>> > The question is----What special effort did you do to elevate
>> > to the "very" good level?
>> >
>> > Ken Gates
>> >
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>>
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