Musical Advice
I have noticed that I tell a LOT of the same stories - and give the SAME musical advice over and over and over again - and I've started copying and pasting these things in my journal. I need to eventually organize them into a guide of some sort . . . .
I just started practicing even more meticulously than I ever have. . .not because I'm any more driven - but because I kind of figured out a better way by accident. I have this song I have been working on and I wrote all the words - re-arranged them - found the beat a little better with my delivery . . .and I usually try to do it all in one take and just get it right - but the problem with that is . . . what sounds right to me in an "all at once" isn't always right . . . and my ear, mind, muscles learn it that way and stick to it - but I parsed it out. I did each 2 bar phrase by itself over a loop of the beat until it sounded right in the pocket - and then recorded it. I have a recording of like 16 pieces that plays straight through. Its not all correct in terms of timbre and emotion - but the rhythm is near perfect. . . so now when I practice to that - it'll be more tight. I find that the more I repeat a phrase over the beat in a loop - the tighter my timing becomes - and once the timing is locked - I can "play" with it and alter my tone/pitch/timbre a little at a time. For me - when I play something live - its so automatic - that if first thing in the morning after a VERY groggy start - someone said any phrase from a song - I would automatically finish it without thinking about it - its so much more fun - when its automatic and all you have to do is channel the emotion. Not worry at all about messing up.
I just started practicing even more meticulously than I ever have. . .not because I'm any more driven - but because I kind of figured out a better way by accident. I have this song I have been working on and I wrote all the words - re-arranged them - found the beat a little better with my delivery . . .and I usually try to do it all in one take and just get it right - but the problem with that is . . . what sounds right to me in an "all at once" isn't always right . . . and my ear, mind, muscles learn it that way and stick to it - but I parsed it out. I did each 2 bar phrase by itself over a loop of the beat until it sounded right in the pocket - and then recorded it. I have a recording of like 16 pieces that plays straight through. Its not all correct in terms of timbre and emotion - but the rhythm is near perfect. . . so now when I practice to that - it'll be more tight. I find that the more I repeat a phrase over the beat in a loop - the tighter my timing becomes - and once the timing is locked - I can "play" with it and alter my tone/pitch/timbre a little at a time. For me - when I play something live - its so automatic - that if first thing in the morning after a VERY groggy start - someone said any phrase from a song - I would automatically finish it without thinking about it - its so much more fun - when its automatic and all you have to do is channel the emotion. Not worry at all about messing up.