It's been a while since my first post here, but I've been honestly so busy that taking to time to write would have taken more energy than I had to give to it, because there's a difference between sitting down to write with something to really say, and just writing because that's what is expected. So the time has come, and I plan to make this a regular part of my routine along with practicing, writing music, booking gigs and concerts, maintaining my home, you know, the stuff that we like doing and the more mundane stuff we have to do. But I enjoy communicating with friends and colleagues, and anyone willing to interact in a real context.
I find that the thing about starting something new is that it never stops being new, and the more you get into discovering and implementing whatever it is you are beginning, the bigger and wider the adventure becomes. More gets noticed, like issues that need to be taken care of as part of this new start, this conscious embarking on life changes that you have decided to make. For me one thing that has come to light in a big way is that if I want to continue with having a career, play,write, teach, record, and perform music for the rest of my life, then I have to change how I think and physically deal with playing my instrument. I'm not sure that people who are not musicians understand this, but playing an instrument professionally for years on end with all this entails, can be brutal on the body, especially the guitar. Body problems are inevitable for just about any guitarist throughout their careers especially the back, shoulder/neck areas, and down the arms into the wrists and fingers. But the most vulnerable places are from the elbows down into the hands. But I won't go into health issues for the working guitarist. It's just an aside which is a part of beginning anew.
Awareness. This is the word that is foremost in my mind these days. Awareness in not only music, but in everything. It is interesting how by focusing one's awareness on just one part of your life (for me it's music) that acute awareness in other parts of one's life begin to be seen. The thought of 'trying' to be aware can be overwhelming to our minds when we think of it in terms of being aware of "everything." But focusing on just one part whatever it may be, sort of just spills over into something else, then another, and on. It is in this state of being open and aware that everything begins to feel new, because in reality...it is. It's just becoming aware of it that's the issue. Like now, I'm becoming aware that I may be about to start walking in circles on this topic. So with this in mind..........
A blog. Now this is very new. How does one do a blog? What is a blog or "blogging?" I have read many, subscribe to a few, and wonder how people do it. There are so many ways to do it, so many avenues to take, so many topics to cover. I've been told by avid bloggers that like anything else, the doing of it, the practice as it were, makes you more able to do it. You get quicker, more focused on what you want to say, more relaxed in putting out your thoughts and feelings concerning what concerns or interests you on a particular day, week, or month. So, this is my second post. It's very...new. And because of this, I'm feeling just a little bit clumsy in my expression, and a bit vulnerable wondering why anyone would be interested in reading about the thoughts and meanderings of a musician they don't even know. But how else do we learn? In my experience, beginnings are always fraught with feelings of vulnerability. But at least I can relate this with putting out a new recording, or performing. The feeling of vulnerability doesn't go away with time, you can't push it away, and in fact this is not a path you want to pursue when feeling it. If you try to deny it, it will come back at you with a vengeance. I have learned this many times during my career. So, you just learn to let it run through you without it getting in the way of what it is you need to do, and just allow yourself to be aware that in the moment of the doing of what it is you are attempting, at that point where the commitment to do it is made, and assuming that you've done your preparation diligently, and everything has been done and taken care of that is needed, then the results from that point on are out of your hands. In fact with experience, you can learn to make use of it, make the vulnerability work for you. But though I've learned this in music over and over, most of the time feeling pretty relaxed in it, as far as "blogging" goes, I feel like I'm walking on stage for the very first time..........
I just completed my first music video using wonderful artwork (not mine) which may help to convey a little of what I feel about this piece of music from "Between Silence." It's called "Zarabanda"...the first piece on the CD. Hope it works for you.
I find that the thing about starting something new is that it never stops being new, and the more you get into discovering and implementing whatever it is you are beginning, the bigger and wider the adventure becomes. More gets noticed, like issues that need to be taken care of as part of this new start, this conscious embarking on life changes that you have decided to make. For me one thing that has come to light in a big way is that if I want to continue with having a career, play,write, teach, record, and perform music for the rest of my life, then I have to change how I think and physically deal with playing my instrument. I'm not sure that people who are not musicians understand this, but playing an instrument professionally for years on end with all this entails, can be brutal on the body, especially the guitar. Body problems are inevitable for just about any guitarist throughout their careers especially the back, shoulder/neck areas, and down the arms into the wrists and fingers. But the most vulnerable places are from the elbows down into the hands. But I won't go into health issues for the working guitarist. It's just an aside which is a part of beginning anew.
Awareness. This is the word that is foremost in my mind these days. Awareness in not only music, but in everything. It is interesting how by focusing one's awareness on just one part of your life (for me it's music) that acute awareness in other parts of one's life begin to be seen. The thought of 'trying' to be aware can be overwhelming to our minds when we think of it in terms of being aware of "everything." But focusing on just one part whatever it may be, sort of just spills over into something else, then another, and on. It is in this state of being open and aware that everything begins to feel new, because in reality...it is. It's just becoming aware of it that's the issue. Like now, I'm becoming aware that I may be about to start walking in circles on this topic. So with this in mind..........
A blog. Now this is very new. How does one do a blog? What is a blog or "blogging?" I have read many, subscribe to a few, and wonder how people do it. There are so many ways to do it, so many avenues to take, so many topics to cover. I've been told by avid bloggers that like anything else, the doing of it, the practice as it were, makes you more able to do it. You get quicker, more focused on what you want to say, more relaxed in putting out your thoughts and feelings concerning what concerns or interests you on a particular day, week, or month. So, this is my second post. It's very...new. And because of this, I'm feeling just a little bit clumsy in my expression, and a bit vulnerable wondering why anyone would be interested in reading about the thoughts and meanderings of a musician they don't even know. But how else do we learn? In my experience, beginnings are always fraught with feelings of vulnerability. But at least I can relate this with putting out a new recording, or performing. The feeling of vulnerability doesn't go away with time, you can't push it away, and in fact this is not a path you want to pursue when feeling it. If you try to deny it, it will come back at you with a vengeance. I have learned this many times during my career. So, you just learn to let it run through you without it getting in the way of what it is you need to do, and just allow yourself to be aware that in the moment of the doing of what it is you are attempting, at that point where the commitment to do it is made, and assuming that you've done your preparation diligently, and everything has been done and taken care of that is needed, then the results from that point on are out of your hands. In fact with experience, you can learn to make use of it, make the vulnerability work for you. But though I've learned this in music over and over, most of the time feeling pretty relaxed in it, as far as "blogging" goes, I feel like I'm walking on stage for the very first time..........
I just completed my first music video using wonderful artwork (not mine) which may help to convey a little of what I feel about this piece of music from "Between Silence." It's called "Zarabanda"...the first piece on the CD. Hope it works for you.
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