Musical Mastery: You’ve Arrived When You Realize the Journey Never Ends
This question came from a student the other day… Q: Was there a time when you knew that you had “arrived” with your playing, in some way? Is there a definitive moment or is it just a slow gradual process with no big leaps? Photo illustration by AlicePopkorn A: The answer to this question is both complicated and likely different...
ThumbJam: A Look at the Music Performance and Creation App for iOS
I first heard about ThumbJam from Richard Bona in the Blue Note Tokyo green room while we were both working with the Jaco Pastorius Big Band. (I’m setting this up not to brag, but rather to let you know that when a master like Bona raves about a music app, we all listen!) The app has a very simple premise:...
Zero Fret: What’s the Point?
Q: What’s the point of a “zero fret”? A: I haven’t noticed much of a difference having a zero fret vs. not having one. My Skjold basses all have zero frets in them, while my Zon’s do not. However, I believe that that the zero fret serves two functions: It gives an open string the same tone as a fretted...
Dealing with Multiple EQ’s
Q: I’m an amateur bassist, and my current setup consists of an active bass, multi-effects pedal and a combo amp. All of these have equalizers built in, and I’m really unsure how to use them all to the best of their potential. The multi-effects pedal has the most versatility, having separate modules for high and low equalizers with an option...
TonalEnergy: A Look at the Tuning App (and More) for iOS
While there is no shortage of good tuners out there in the App Store, there are few that are quite as informative (and pretty) as TonalEnergy. This app is specifically designed for individuals or large ensembles in an attempt to help musicians improve their intonation and tone. Most functions of TonalEnergy’s tuner are designed to visually reward the user for...
Playing Through Chords – Continued
Q: I’ve spent a lot of time developing exercises for myself to practice connecting chords so that I’m not treating each chord as a separate entity. My goal is to voice-lead my way through the chords as if each is a slight variation on the last. I’ve been trying to solo during chord progressions, but I find myself stuck on...
On Soloing: Think Pocket, Melody, Theme, Interplay and Form
Q: During a recent performance with my band, I was given a spot to solo in a fast, up-tempo (120 bpm) funk tune. I basically have as much time as I need to “do my thing” with only the drummer accompanying me. My question: during my solo spot, should I stay in the pocket (the song’s in E) and just...
Circle Theory: A Look at the Circle of Fifths Reference App for iOS
Spending time exploring the circle of fifths is a useful exercise for seeing the relationships between notes and key signatures. Circle Theory, by Artsiness, is a great iOS app for referencing and visualizing the circle of fifths. The app’s interface has the primary circle displaying the current Tonic note/key signature. The additional information options are shown in the inner circle,...
Speakers and Power Amps: Don’t Blow That Cabinet
Q: I’ve been thinking about getting a new amp head, and I want to make sure that it will work properly with my current cabinets. How do I make sure that the head I’m getting won’t blow a speaker or ruin my shiny new head? A: While I’m not a super “techy” guy, I have learned about some of this...
Stuck On A Song: How to Finish that Composition
Q: I’m struggling with some new compositions. I have some solid parts I like, but overall I feel that the melody or changes (or both) don’t work everywhere in the tune. It also feels that it may need more movement. How do you approach fine-tuning a tune? A: While I have written and arranged music, most of my experience is...
Rhythms and Transcriptions: A How To Guide to Notating Rhythmic Patterns
Q: I have a question about transcribing. I’m a pretty skilled player and can read, but I have a lot of problems writing down the rhythms that I hear either in my head or from a particular song. Any suggestions on how I should go about learning to notate more difficult rhythms? A: Rhythms can be tricky when you’re first...
Lazy Horns and Keeping Time
Q: I’ve started rehearsing with a big band and while I’m finding it a lot of fun and a good challenge, I’ve been having a hard time keeping the time. The horns seem to play way behind the beat much of the time and it just feels uncomfortable no matter what I do. If I try and lay back for...