Serendipity
I'm not a natural musician. Some people I know think I'm great, talented, whatever - but I'm just not. I look at the fretboard of my guitar as a challenge. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes nothing I do seems to fit. I do have the following strengths as a musician:
1. An encyclopedic memory for lyrics, melodies and chords (I know over 1,000 songs).
2. A good ear. I know what fits and what makes a song sound good.
3. A talent for writing catchy, intelligent songs.
4. Conviction.
It's the 4th that makes me enjoy performing - when I perform an original song, I MEAN it.
The other night, my partner and I went to the local open mic/jam space for the Christmas free-for-all gig. There was much talent (and also much non-talent), but when it was my turn I decided to utilise some of the audience to get on stage with me to help with percussion. This is what happened:
So: me playing, 6 guys hitting things. And then the truly awesome thing happened...
Some guy I had never seen before in my life hopped on the drum kit behind me, and made everything perfect. Every tic, gesture or change in dynamic I gave, he instantly responded to to suit the tempo and mood of the song - even when we went into a rap breakdown in the middle. He even finished the song dead on with a great florish-y fill.
Now: his name was Remy, he was from France, only just arrived in Wellington and came to see what the live music scene was like. He could barely speak English! and yet he translated my musical language perfectly. I've probably only played with a couple of people in my life who are as fundamentally talented.
What I am in awe of is the way people like that can make a good sound better by something deeper than intellect, smarter than feeling - the virtuoso who plays by instinct and becomes part of the music they are creating. It goes far beyond the basis of technique to the realm of risk-taking for the thrill of creation. For me, as a songwriter who will never possess that kind of talent, I can only marvel that it's something I can at least participate in.
1. An encyclopedic memory for lyrics, melodies and chords (I know over 1,000 songs).
2. A good ear. I know what fits and what makes a song sound good.
3. A talent for writing catchy, intelligent songs.
4. Conviction.
It's the 4th that makes me enjoy performing - when I perform an original song, I MEAN it.
The other night, my partner and I went to the local open mic/jam space for the Christmas free-for-all gig. There was much talent (and also much non-talent), but when it was my turn I decided to utilise some of the audience to get on stage with me to help with percussion. This is what happened:
So: me playing, 6 guys hitting things. And then the truly awesome thing happened...
Some guy I had never seen before in my life hopped on the drum kit behind me, and made everything perfect. Every tic, gesture or change in dynamic I gave, he instantly responded to to suit the tempo and mood of the song - even when we went into a rap breakdown in the middle. He even finished the song dead on with a great florish-y fill.
Now: his name was Remy, he was from France, only just arrived in Wellington and came to see what the live music scene was like. He could barely speak English! and yet he translated my musical language perfectly. I've probably only played with a couple of people in my life who are as fundamentally talented.
What I am in awe of is the way people like that can make a good sound better by something deeper than intellect, smarter than feeling - the virtuoso who plays by instinct and becomes part of the music they are creating. It goes far beyond the basis of technique to the realm of risk-taking for the thrill of creation. For me, as a songwriter who will never possess that kind of talent, I can only marvel that it's something I can at least participate in.