Back II Basics - WK1 Importance of core skills

Its never a nice feeling in life having to admit that in order to progress sometimes you must actually take a step backwards and re acquaint yourself with fundamental skills. Music making is an art which demands this regularly. Its true to say that no matter how many different ways you know how to break down a piece of music there is always another way to look at it.

To understand music you must understand that it isn't a 2 dimensional object it is more like a 3 or 4 dimensional object. Imagine the way the earth itself is made up, many separate layers that lead down to the inner core. Most listeners may be able to "hear" whats on the surface, they may have an awareness of the function of the lower layers but not an understanding of them. A student of music or an amateur musician may be able to hear a few more layers down and so find extra meaning in a piece. An experienced professional though will be able to hear all the layers down and have a total understanding of the given piece of music. They may be a proficient improviser and have total freedom to play any note over the given piece or they may be arranger capable of turning the piece into a performance for any type of ensemble from Jazz Band to Orchestra. Either way the freedom they posses from the total understanding should be every producers ideal.


Art or Science?

This leads me on to my next point; how do you gain "Total Understanding"? Are some people just born gifted and the rest of us have to make do? Or, can we all achieve this creative status with the correct work?

It is my opinion that anyone with a love of music and a strong desire to create can achieve total understanding and posses freedom in a given area of music making. The key is in the work put in. John Coltrane was one of the greatest musicians of last century, he wrote and recorded music revered by people all over the world. To say he was born great undermines the well documented fact that he used to practice all the hours of the day. Winton Marsalis once said on a TV documentary that not one day goes by without practicing the trumpet including Christmas day!

The hard work of practice and study is what gives the freedom and understanding. This means that the creative mind is free to express itself without boundaries. So the science is the window into the art.

Steps Forward

Through attending workshops and independent research it is possible to gain a wide level of knowledge. Organising yourself so you give time to working on your weaknesses as well as developing your strengths will give you the right balance and help your progression to be consistent and steady.

In my next entry I will outline a brief skills breakdown so you can develop your own strategy for success!

Day One

Welcome to this new Blog page for anyone interested in the art of music production. I have set this up primarily to discuss topics and issues raised in my workshops at The Roundhouse but I welcome anyone who may have stumbled on this page who doesn't find this content in any way geeky.

Check back soon for my first official post.

Ben