MUSICAL DISCIPLINE

In Regards To The Acts Of Writing And Performing.

1) Composition and improvising should be viewed and used as entirely different exercises  and disciplines. It should be clear to all parties, before the commencement of any air movement, what the aim of the period of time is to be used for.

IMPROVISATION:

 Improvising is an excellent way of finding new ideas to develop in a separate compositional time slot, and also the perfect way to let go and tap into the pure creativity and non-analytical side of  the musicians mind. Also group improvisation is fundamentally vital to getting a unified and thoroughly coherent group, and allows individuals to learn each others creative minds and learn ,to some extent, to predict it and move together.

 Recording and cataloguing improvisations should be mandatory, as it is a perfect way of building a library of music which can be reviewed, and utilised, at leisure. It will capture any fleeting (or substantial) moments of magic, which could otherwise be lost and forgotten. Sections of these recorded improvs can then be discussed and developed  in a compositional period. A useful by product of this system is that a period of so called ‘writers block’ will never rear its ugly head, as material can always be  re-discovered, and developed, or inspire something else entirely.

 An important aspect to consider before beginning an improvisation is the level of freedom within it. All out freeform jamming is one type, and improvising around a theme/genre/mood or part is the other. Totally free improvisation is a way to push the envelope and yourselves into uncharted waters, and ultimately outside of your comfort zones. This is where the unexpected is rife, and magic and genius reside. An hour of drivel is worth it for twenty seconds of brilliance that could instigate an entire musical piece.

Improvising to some form of brief is a good way to focus on how to express a given mood or feeling. Also it will be interesting to have different musicians improvising together with the same thing in their minds. Improvising on a specific part, or section, is where the boundaries of improvisation and composition become blurred, so with no further ado………….

COMPOSITION:

 Composition is really a period of experimentation and improvising within the confines of certain parts of music, which are being collated and made into a cohesive whole, a song/piece/track/whatever… It is important to explore different possibilities, connections, and transitions between parts, and to try any suggestions - even if someone is against the idea, you never know what could work.

 Once again, recording is an invaluable tool. Modern recording software allows near instant structural changes to be made and auditioned, which allows you to compare without the thought processes involved in playing getting in the way of decision making. New ideas can be tried, discussed and  contemplated in full context with ease.

 There are no rules to structure, and any books which show you how to ‘write the perfect pop song’ etc, are written by fools, for fools. Fools; brings me to one of my favourite sayings,  ‘Who is more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him.’ Using any rules only encourages naivety and stagnates evolution. If it sounds right……

 One of the hardest things in any creative medium is to know when something is complete. No advice here, it’s all subjective. It is advisable to leave a piece for a while and return to it with fresh ears and ideas so that you do not get bogged down and lose enthusiasm. This also gives you time to listen to it in various different states of mind, and therefore be much more objective towards its composition.

 A musical piece can be thought of as graphs; time and dynamics, or time and intensity etc. Think of where you want the peaks to be and where the build ups and drop downs are in this graphical format. Imagine a mountain range! It is a great way of balancing a song and making sure it goes where it’s going at the right time, and with real purpose.

 It can be interesting, and inspiring, to try swapping instruments for a certain part. Maybe use the rhythm in the drums on the guitar, or swap a melody from guitar to keys or bass etc. The possibilities are endless (as with everything relating to the creative arts) and could offer useful variation and/or ability to evolve a section more naturally and smoothly. Ultimately experimenting and playing with things as much as possible will never be detrimental to the cause, even if what you learn does not benefit the piece in question, it could cause the right train of thought for moving forward in a later composition.

2) The practice of technique and theory is absolutely essential to maximise and release your potential, and give you the facility to move what is in your head through an instrument easily. This kind of practice should be done alone as it needs total concentration on yourself and your instrument. In relation to this, Robert Fripp wrote: ‘The two problems facing the guitarist are the guitar, and the guitarist.’ This really sums it up as concisely as is humanly possible, you need to aim for complete control of yourself and the instrument you are using.

 An instrument is, at the end of the day, no more than a tool for your expression. A very beautiful and loved tool maybe, but a tool nevertheless! As with any tool in any trade, learning and fully understanding its function, uses, and failings are paramount to mastering applying the tool for your needs.

 Improving your level of skill as a musician involves applying careful thought of how you go about improving your practice. Finding the most economical (in time) way of making the corrections and improvements you need to make relies primarily on an ability to identify your faults and  failings. These can then be individually isolated in specific exercises and resolved in bite sized chunks. Monitoring your improvement with a form of diary or log is an excellent way of keeping up motivation, as it can be an incredibly mundane task. This will be a visual interpretation of your progress which will keep you going, as you will often not notice the improvement instantly, as it is by nature a gradual refinement of skills. Noting what you have done, for how long, and at what tempo and time signature, with the date, will give you a good overview of your advancement over time.

 Keep folders or files with exercises and etudes, chord voicing’s, scales, arpeggios, charts, and theory, and add anything you come across to them. By doing this you will amass a library of resources with which to study from and use to improve your playing. Keeping all this kind of stuff in a logical manner will help a lot with finding what you want when you need it. Categorising your resources is the most obvious way of doing this.

3) Physical wellbeing is vital to your mental and physical health, and by default will have a huge impact on any area of your life including your music. This can be broken down into several defined areas:

FITNESS:

 Keeping yourself fit is essential to being healthy, it does not matter how well you eat if you do not exercise. In regards to being a musician, it will also help to minimise the risk of playing related injury and increase stamina. Warming up before any playing takes place is a ritual which should be constantly maintained, not only does it warm your muscles up to avoid strains, it makes you play better as your body will be ready to do what you are asking of it. I do not necessarily mean musicians should be body builders, but we should be fit and healthy. Obviously fitness is directly correlated to energy levels as are diet, and sleep which we come to next.

DIET:

 Making sure you eat well and healthily will give you the energy you require to apply to music. A diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fibre, and nuts will make you feel and be more energetic and clear headed. You feed your body well, you feed your mind well. They are one and the same, and must be looked after. Also try not to eat too much, or too little, and avoid snacking. Having regular main meals will give you all the energy you need and give your body a routine it will adjust to. As we are 80% water it is a good idea to keep ourselves well hydrated! Drinking lots of water throughout the day will let your body function at its best, and make you feel much better. About 3-4 litres a day is advisable. Alcohol, drugs and smoking are best avoided for obvious health reasons.

SLEEP:

 Being conscious to maintain a regular sleeping pattern has a direct impact on your ability to function and focus. Getting eight hours of sleep is the perfect amount, not too much and not too little. This has been an amount that doctors have recommended for a long time, and seems to work very well. Too much sleep has a negative affect as bad as not sleeping enough and feeling tired and lacking in energy. It makes you strangely lethargic and apathetic, which are inadvisable states of body and mind. A regular pattern will stabilise your body clock and let your body and mind settle into all other sub-routines of your life, giving you order and stability.

LIFESTYLE:

 This is really how everything discussed above fits together and becomes how you live. Being conscious of everything you do, and most importantly having a reason for it will become the way you exist and function day by day, year to year. It is said by science that we are creatures of habit, and that once we have been doing something for around three weeks, it becomes a habit that is very hard to break. If all your habits can be made into positive ones then your health, energy, awareness and music will only get better as time goes by. A positive outlook may help also! A lot of the above may seem very obvious, but very few people really implement it all into their lives. Having a well thought out plan for your body as well as your practice will make everything you do easier and infinitely more productive. Also it is a self perpetuating improvement which is quite literally infinite.

4) Relationships with any other musicians you work with are vial to the success of your project. Due to the nature of what music is, a relaxed, supportive and peaceful environment is of paramount importance for the product of your efforts to be consistently good. People need to feel at ease and comfortable for them to produce their best work. Inhabiting the creative space is a very vulnerable and open experience, so a good vibe is essential at all times. Positive rivalry is useful though, and helps people to push one another further forwards to the benefit of all.

 Communication is the most important factor in all of this, if people understand each other to a deep level and know what everyone’s motivations and desires are then you will be on the same page, and most importantly, a team. Something worth considering is an allocated time for discussion.  Spending a few hours a week (or month) discussing all areas of a project, and any issues that arise, will be more beneficial to the project in the long term than spending that time playing. I firmly believe this is of massive importance, as it creates a solid base for the band to do everything from, and move together as a unit at all times.

 Another vital thing relating to communication is the ability to be in contact with everyone involved at all times. This is true for the band itself and anyone you deal with whilst gigging. Having all the relevant names, numbers, addresses and details along with a working phone will save any undue delay, inconvenience, mistakes, confusion and irritation to any undertaking. This is all about acting responsibly and professionally at all times. From any promoter or venues point of view, dealing with unprofessional musicians is not wanted, and you will give a bad impression leading to the prospect of not being asked back, and unfavourable reports being passed around the circuit, thus cutting you off from further prospects and breaks. This is obviously worth avoiding, and takes only a small amount of planning and effort to ensure it does not happen. Organised people are a both easy and a pleasure to deal with. Being one will help your progress in every way.

5) Preparation for any eventuality by being organised is essential in regards to performing. This is applicable to both the performance itself, and with the equipment involved in the performance. You need to know that pretty much whatever happens, you will have a solution ready.

 For equipment, this means making sure everything is well maintained and regularly serviced (Portable Appliance Testing [PAT testing] and personal and public liability insurance are requirements to play in many venues) as well as having spares for as many replaceable parts as possible. Being disciplined towards the upkeep of your equipment makes sure thing run smoothly during a performance, and your gear will last longer. It can also help avoid expensive repairs and premature or avoidable replacement, not to mention serious accidents with electrical appliances. A toolkit is an absolute must for running repairs wherever you happen to be, so carry one with you at all times you are going to be playing. Knowing everything is working also gives you great peace of mind, so all you  are left to worry about is your playing.

 Insofar as the performance itself is concerned, there are several things to consider to make sure it all goes to plan and is a success! Everyone involved should know exactly what they are doing for every nano second of the performance, any links between songs should be well prepared be they music, samples, or even talking. It’s the little things that make a performance stand out from the crowd, and these small details are also what makes a band appear professional. This includes basic things like preparing the set list in advance, and putting the songs in that order for a reason. It helps to think of a set like an entire piece of music with peaks and dips, twists and turns, so that the whole collection of material is brought together in a way that breeds interest and keeps an audiences attention for the duration.

 Obviously this preparation involves playing through the set list before a gig, to judge how it is balanced and if there are any problems that need resolving. Any unknowns are not best left to be worked out on the night in front of paying punters!

 Spending time to familiarise yourself with every aspect of setting up and dismantling your live rigs is worth the effort, so that you can move onto and off a stage with speed, efficiency and minimal fuss. This is guaranteed to make you your sound engineers best friend. A good impression with this at a sound check will guarantee your sound man will try their best for you, if you are no hassle to him! Why should they bother with you if you don’t bother with yourself?

6) Endeavour to be well prepared and organised with your promotion and marketing. Always have things like flyers (for up coming concerts) and something with details of how people can find information about your music and activity i.e.: website address, contact information, mailing list etcetera. It should be as easy as possible for anyone interested in you to get further information, and ultimately widen your fan base.

 Have a promo pack prepared and make many of them, you never know who you will meet! Use it to give to promoters, venues, and the press in aid of selling the band. It should contain a demo on CD (Three tracks is sufficient) with an accompanying biography of the band, and any photographs, logos and artwork they can use to promote you. Having it all on a CD Rom in various common file formats as well as hard copies will make their lives easier and give off a professional impression. It should contain gigging activities (past and future) a brief background as well as a defined and concise description of your music which can be used to explain you in any released material. Also do not forget the all important contact details (phone, address, and e-mail) for their use in contacting you, and details of websites, and other resources and means for the public to access. 

 Before a gig run of gigs, or tour make sure you have put promotional materials in as many sources as possible well in advance. List the gigs in as many newspapers, fanzines, and magazines as you can, flyer at appropriate gigs where you think people going will like your music. Utilising the internet is one of the greatest means at your disposal. Keep mailing list members updated, and use social sites like My Space to inform as many people as you can. Do as much as you can to push yourselves, and let word of mouth and your music do the rest.

Copyright David Bonney 2007.