Have you ever been in a place where it seems like the world is against you, and you’re too old to start over? When you feel lost, like you just need a little extra push in the right direction? Like you have just lacked the booster rockets to help you achieve escape velocity from the… Continue reading Commencement
Author: Seth
Practicing Without an Instrument
It’s not always possible to have your instrument with you when you travel, so these are times that you’ll have to find creative ways to practice and keep your mind focused on music. Here are a few tips to help you make it through the dark times. 1. Get a good ear training system. I… Continue reading Practicing Without an Instrument
Bi-Triadic Hexatonic Scales
Take two triads, any two triads. Preferably, two triads that don’t have any notes in common. When you arrange them so that they form a scale, that scale is a Bi Triadic Hexatonic Scale. As an example, let’s take A Minor and G Major. First, in Example 1, I write the triads out as chords.… Continue reading Bi-Triadic Hexatonic Scales
Practicing Reading
Lately, I have started to get up early in the morning, and before doing anything else, I take out a classical music piece and read it down as a musical warm up for the ears, eyes and fingers. One per day. When I was going to school, my teacher, Bruce Bartlett, told me to get… Continue reading Practicing Reading
September Music Suggestions
Here are some things I’ve been listening to this month that you might enjoy: Curtis McMurtry I have long been a fan of both Curtis’s father (James McMurtry), and grandfather (Larry McMurtry), and I knew that Curtis had played trombone, of all things, on one of his father’s records, but I wasn’t really aware of him… Continue reading September Music Suggestions
Old No 1
I’ve been keeping my eye out for this one for a long time, but it has become increasingly more difficult to see this one in the wild. I searched for it on eBay, found a few people selling the 4 Men with Beards reissue on 180 gram vinyl, and immediately put it in my watch… Continue reading Old No 1
August Music Suggestions
Lately, I’ve been having a good time seeing what old Berklee friends have been up to. It’s been inspiring and interesting. based on this week’s listening, I’d like to offer these suggestions: Jim Bianco One of my college roommates, who introduced me to early Tom Waits, including Nighthawks at the Diner, Pink Floyd’s The Final Cut,… Continue reading August Music Suggestions
Goals and Sub-Goals
Sometimes I set goals for myself that seem insurmountable at first blush, but I’ve found that the best strategy is to chip my huge goals down into more easily attainable Sub-goals. After two weeks, I have read many books, blogs and articles, and I have a list of goals that looks something like this: Release Smoke… Continue reading Goals and Sub-Goals
First Steps
Over the last few days, I’ve been voraciously consuming articles, books, and podcasts related to web marketing in general, and music marketing specifically. Here are links to some things, and my thoughts, just to give you an idea about where I’m coming from. On the advice of several podcasts, including the soloprenuer hour, I picked… Continue reading First Steps
Zero Day
I’m about to go on an adventure. I’m getting all the things I’m going to need in order, gathering the tools and supplies and support system to go delving deep…deep into the world of trying to make a living as a musician. It seems like I’ve always known that this was what I had to do, from the… Continue reading Zero Day