Success

The Bandstand is Sacred

Last night I played one of my venues in Austria that I first played 14 years ago…it’s a modest place….just a schnitzel, beer and good time music spot for touring acts.

It’s insane to think I stepped in that same room 14 years ago on my first European tour!

In preparation for last night’s gig, I made a list in the hotel of a bunch of tunes I either have not played recently, have not played yet, or new ones I wanted to try out.

My attitude for a moment, was that since this wasn’t a “serious” concert hall gig I could try things out and experiment.

But wait – there’s a flaw in that kind of thought…because that’s like saying “these people” in the audience don’t matter as much as “other people” in a concert hall.

Basically that’s like saying “you don’t matter”. What if you were one of the people at last night’s show, and what if I took that attitude?

As the place filled up, I saw longtime fans and friends in the room and knew they came for a great show. My adrenaline started pumping. I often think of the Billy Joel lyric to Piano Man – “he (the bartender) knows that it’s me they’ve been coming to see, to forget about life for a while.”

Like a bull that sees a red cape waving, when I see an audience, I know there is no holding back, there are no more excuses, there is nothing short of giving 10,000%! Life is not a rehearsal. Bullshit walks. Excuse my French.

The stage is the final destination for which all the sacrifices, hard work and practice hours have been put in. To squander it on “trying something” instead of really “doing something” is a waste IMHO. This is where the world class performance goes down. Not sometime in the future – but RIGHT NOW.

By the 3rd tune in to my first set, the sweat was dripping, I was soaked. I saw people out there grooving. I pulled out all the stops…humor, beatbox, chops, beauty of sound and a blues feel from hell. Of course I played the heaviest and sweatiest groove I could muster up.

I take no prisoners…I play as if it’s my last gig on planet earth, and I give thanks each and every time for the opportunity to have this blessed life of playing music. When I finish the gig and take bows, I give thanks to God, The Universe, my musical fathers and the audience again and again.

Slam dunks baby – in your face! 🙂 That’s the attitude.

What a night it was…it felt so good, so right to give give give to the audience, to bring these people joy, and it was a magical night.

And then I thought back to my mentor, Mike Longo and all the other jazz mentors…and they always said that “The Bandstand is Sacred”. Now I understand even more what he meant.

Being on the bandstand means it is time to “hit” – not to try things, not to experiment, not to give anything short of 100%, ever.

Every gig counts.
Every time you play music it counts.
Every one who listens to you counts – the most!

Music is as “serious as a heart attack”. If you are not serious about it, move over – because I am, and I’ll run you over.

The Bandstand is Sacred

I’m glad it was taught to me, over and over – and I am glad I remembered that last night.

How To Achieve Originality in Your Music

By Adam Rafferty 24 Comments

Originality in your musical expression comes unexpectedly as a by-product and is not pre-thought or pre-meditated.

Originality, or an individual sound is the result of “assembling” your music based on “un-original” but correct principles, and then focusing “flow” through the lens of your personal experience.

Throughout your life you make thousands of decisions, collect preferences in terms of what you like and don’t like…and no one has these experiences, in this combination – except you. You have a totally unique viewpoint! Celebrate that! You can’t not be you, and that is beautiful.

To “try” to be original, is just the EGO at work. There is no trying to be original involved in true originality, IMHO. In fact – you may not ever perceive your own originality the way others do. To strive to be a pure channel for music – and serve it properly is the true way of someone whom others may perceive as “original.”

In spiritual traditions, many strive to “be like a hollow reed” for spirit to flow through. That’s the idea! Be a hollow reed.

To imitate another – you deny YOUR beliefs in “sound musical principles” and barely skim the surface…it’s an okay starting point for a child, but your story, your preferences, and your rich experience carry an authenticity and tell a story in a far more satisfying, deeper and authentic way than your imitation of another could ever possibly tell. Believe in your experience and your story….don’t give it up and think someone else’s is better!

How can one avoid imitation? Just learn correct musical principles and apply them. Applying principles is a better way to go than imitating another players idiosyncrasies.

When I study rhythm, I just try to do it right. When I play a scale I try to do it right. When a melody speaks to me, it’s the melody – not me, I am just the listener…when I beatbox – it’s my love for James Brown, Run DMC and groove, and I just try to do it right, put it as deep in the pocket as I can. When I fingerpick, I try to use good technique like my teachers showed me and get a nice tone. When I practice, I go slow and play things over and over…just trying to do it right. Get it? Others say I sound original – but I am just trying to do it right, as best as I can.

Keep doing your musical homework and don’t think about originality. Just play music as well as you can – strive for beauty, tone, time, touch and technique….study harmony, rhythm and repertoire – and let listeners perceive your “originality”, after the fact. Your original voice is something which you may not perceive yourself just yet. It is the ghost between the sounds, the relation of how you get from one idea to the next. The essence carried by your music reveals itself when you simply play properly and honestly.

Long Term vs Short Term – Craft vs Overnight Success

By Adam Rafferty 1 Comment

Yesterday I had a terrific chat on Facebook back and forth with 2 of my favorite guitarists – Andy McKee and Bryan Rason and a few other good guitar friends as well.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz_hqnowzzE]

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCjHwNq0dho]

I posed a hypothetical question – “with the possibility of easy youtube success, why even bother developing a craft?”

I had seen one too many overnight sensations of meaningless musical fribble and inside – wondered whether the world, or I had gone mad 🙂

Of course the question was a conversation starter, and my circle of friends all agreed hands down that there will always be flashes of attention and front page news, but offering a deeper satisfaction, honing of one’s craft and meaningful communication will stand the test of time. It is what we all yearn for, be in musically, professionally, or personally.

This warmed my heart to know that I was not alone. And, as I woke up this morning (sounds like a blues tune) I reflected on what success guru Brian Tracy has to say, which was along parallel lines.

Of course Brian is not a musician, but here goes. (paraphrased)

“The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people plan in the long term…5, 10, 20 years ahead.”

“Successful people’s actions are necessary and disciplined fro what they want in the future rather than immediate gratification.”

“Unsuccessful people do what feels good, and is fun right now with little or no thought for future consequences.”

I think this is a really good summing up of what a musicians evolution ought to be like as well – in terms of development.

When you do the work…the scales, the technique, the practice, the creativity – and let’s not forget – the listening – you are adding to the “long term” picture of what you will offer. You are getting the skills that no one can take away from you.

Look at the towering greats of music – whomever your favorite may be. In order to be like them and not just “imitate them” – you’d have to put in the hours and do the work they did, make the mistakes they made, and listen as long as they have listened.

I raise my coffee mug on a chilly German morning and salute YOU for thinking long term, developing your craft – whatever it may be – and offering all that is YOU, through your hard work.

Time to practice.

With Easy Fame Available on Youtube, Why Bother Developing A Craft?

By Adam Rafferty 7 Comments

Do you want the red pill or the blue pill?

Red pill – you will know the truth, you will work hard, practice for years and slowly, in time become a master.

Blue pill – you will be an overnight sensation with barely passable skills.

(Is there a purple pill?)

I just read an insightful rant from guitar luthier William Cumpiano. This brings up many thoughts in me about the future of developing excellence for musicians and other artists, and how the immediacy of today’s 2011 internet “sidesteps” the old version of “paying dues.”

It’s a knife that cuts both ways. That which I find hurtful, when used by others – is also the secret success weapon I carry and use myself.

https://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Articles/Articles/pedagog.htm

He talks about how after a course of guitar building, students of his are eager to open a shop, take orders and build away.

“A master is someone who has made more mistakes than you, has made mistakes you haven’t made yet, and has learned how to embrace them–thus learning to see them coming before they happen. So you go towards mastery one mistake at a time. How many mistakes can you stand? As many as it takes to be a master. The master has persevered past the errors until he’s made all of them.”

This brings me to an interesting point. Sure, it’s easy for me to bemoan the fact that many apparently “undeserving” people skyrocket to the top – due to Youtube and Twitter’s viral possibilities.

Extreme examples are Justin Bieber, Rebecca Black – but even in my field of fingerstyle guitar, very so-so players because of their look, age, cosutme or tricks, simply “speed ahead” of the pack with their gimmick, rack up youtube hits and build a cyber following.

But – did I mention my secret weapon is that same tool that they use? I have blood on my hands too.

I’ve gotten a worldwide following, sold CDs, Books, DVDs, and gotten bookings on worldwide festivals much faster and more easily than I would have “the old way”. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I like easy.

I find too, now that with these tools – I suffer the same impatience. I love the thrill of “learn it, and get it out there quick!” just like they do.

“What? Practice a piece for a year? There’s no time for that!”

I am thankful for having had some teachers who made me go slow, put the hours in and sharpen my tools – before the web even existed. I remember the days of buying a telephone answering machine which used tape! Talk about slow….

If I was a kid today, I’d have no patience for becoming a craftsman – knowing I could be a star if I had a “gimmick”. Thank God I put the hours in, and got a habit to do so.

Sooner or later, all of us – artists and listeners WILL want excellence, melody, groove and art. What a pity it would be to spend a lifetime chasing something that Rebecca Black could do in a few months.

It’s perplexing because “excellence” may no longer be the measuring stick that young artists use for themselves. For them, excellence would slow down their career too much.

Technical Perfection Invites Spirit

By Adam Rafferty 3 Comments

There is an age old argument about music. What do we prefer, someone who is technically brilliant, or someone who “plays with feeling”?

Most all of us will say “the player with feeling”. I remember as a teenager we’d have our back-and-forth about Eddie Van Halen vs Jimmy Page, saying Jimmy had feel but Eddie had “technique”.

There’s more under the hood than meets the eye and ear though. Back when I was learning about African Rhythm from my music mentor Mike Longo, he taught me how to play a single drum rhythm to which I could perfectly count 12/8, a 3/4 a 6/8 a latin 4/4 (and 5/4 and a 7/4 too.)

The hands would stay the same, but one could perfectly sing these rhythms over the top…like gears meshing. Like a rhythmic Escher sketch, if you will.

The real magic is a focus brought about by the 3/4, 6/8 and 12/8, called a “hemiola”. When the 3 and 4’s lock up, I would experience (and still do) a profound, indescribable inner joy and a shift in perception. Words can’t describe it.

Mike would tell me the 3 and 4 are like male and female, and when they “lock” it gives birth to life. It’s called a “hemiola”.

Was I trying to put “feeling in?” No. However, a technical perfection acted as a catalyst to invite spirit into the music and bring “life” to the music.

This is not unlike a baby’s conception. Hey gang, that too is very technical…the sperm hits the egg, and a myriad of biological events need to happen…yet, soul, spirit and life (YOU) are invited to rush in, if the technical aspects line up properly.

At least that’s one way of seeing it.

So, practicing something technical, is in fact preparing and inviting something soulful and delicious to dwell within.

“The blues”, the perfect tone on an instrument, the groove that makes you dance, the melody that makes you cry, Bach’s perfect counterpoint….all do in fact have a Divinely perfect technical basis, but when they “lock” they invite spirit to rush in. When spirit comes, the music gets wings and can soar in the heavens.

So, sharpen your tools, practice – and be mindful of when Spirit rushes in.

Then, give thanks. You have just experienced a miracle.