Need for Speed

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged. I've been awfully busy the past couple months. I finished up my first year as music director at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation, I was busy wrapping up several music engraving projects, I've played some gigs, and I'm in the middle of a short run at Act3 Productions. My schedule isn't letting up anytime soon. The final show of this Act3 run is July 7. The very next day, I'll be in the studio, recording with InTown Band, and I have a solo gig the same week. I'll also be preparing to lead a music service at NWUUC, I'm still diligently practicing piano in addition to guitar, and I'm trying to recruit more guitar students. My music engraving schedule is a little lighter right now, so I have a little more time for guitar practice.

I have a lot on my plate, but my number one goal is still to be the best guitarist I can be. Right now, my main focus is increasing my speed. For someone who hasn't been playing long, I have a pretty deep knowledge of jazz guitar chords. My improvisation is solid (although this is something I'm always striving to improve). I have a healthy repertoire of solo arrangements. The one thing that I feel is holding me back right now is my picking speed.

I'm not interested in playing fast just for the sake of playing fast. I've watched plenty of YouTube guitar wizards who can play at blazing speed but still bore me, because they're only regurgitating scales and arpeggios. I want to be able to play fast so that I have the technical ability to play whatever I need to play, whether it be a flourish in an improvised solo or a difficult guitar book for a musical production.

While my speed will naturally increase over time, it'll increase more quickly if I focus on it. I learned jazz chords by reading through the Real Book, forcing myself to learn unfamiliar chords, and subbing in big bands. I'm only going to learn to play fast by, well, by playing fast.

I've been sifting through YouTube, looking for videos with tips on increasing my picking speed. There's a lot of garbage on YouTube, but I've found a few useful videos. The credible ones all offer slightly different advice, but there are some common themes:

• Use a thick pick.
• Hold the pick so that very little of it is showing.
• Keep your hand relaxed and hold the pick softly. If you hold it softly and are using just the tip of the pick, it glides more easily over the string without getting caught.
• Economy of motion is more important than pure speed. You only want to move the pick enough to pluck the string. Any distance beyond a millimeter or two is wasted motion.
• The picking motion comes from the wrist, and some players like to use circular picking, in which your thumb and forefinger pick in a small,  circular motion.
• If you hold the pick at about a 45 degree angle from the string, the pick slices through the string easily without getting stuck.
• ALL instructional videos recommended using a tremolo to develop a fast, economical picking technique. When you play a tremolo, you repeatedly play one fast note on a single string.
• Fast playing develops as a result of coordinating the fretting hand with the picking hand. It doesn't matter how fast you can pick if you can't put it together with the moving notes of your fretting hand.

So, with all this advice, here's my plan:

• I just spent two weeks focusing on single string tremolo. This is what many musicians call a "TV exercise." It's a pure motor skill, and it's sometimes helpful to turn on the TV so you don't get bored. I like to fire up NetFlix, watch Star Trek episodes, and practice my tremolo. It's probably a good thing that I'm single, because I've been practicing my tremolo for a total of at least an hour a day.
• This week, I'm practicing my tremolo while moving from string to string.
• Next, I'll start playing the tremolo to a metronome so that I can control the tempo and use the same technique whether I'm playing fast or slowly.
• After I have more control over my tremolo with the right hand, I'll start adding notes with the left hand, playing different patterns on a single string to improve my right/left hand coordination. My goal will be to be able to cleanly play the patterns as quickly as I can play single note tremolos.
• Then I'll start playing the same patterns, moving from string to string.
• Then I'll practice melodic patterns, first on single strings, then moving from string to string.
• After that, I'll start adding more musical licks and patterns that I can incorporate into my improvisation.
• Eventually, I'll add full scales and longer licks, with the goal of being able to play them as fast as I can play a tremolo.

Throughout this process, I want to be sure to focus on making music and not just spewing out a flurry of notes. This is going to take a lot of effort, but it'll be worth it once I reach my goal, which is to gain greater mastery of the guitar and possess the technique to play whatever I need to play. This is not going to happen overnight. It took about four years to develop a real comfort with jazz guitar chords, and I imagine that this will require a similar effort. We'll see! I'll continue to write guitar arrangements, explore improvisation, and learn new songs, but speed practice will be part of my daily routine for some time to come.

I don't pretend to be an expert in the area of speed picking. If you have some tips, add a comment!

New Musical

This morning, I took part in a rehearsal for an exciting project. Next month, Act3 Productions will present an original musical called By Wheel and By Wing. The script and music have been written by members of the Act3 family – mostly teens. By Wheel and By Wing is based on the true story of how one family endured, escaped, and survived World War II and the Holocaust.

Today's rehearsal was an initial read-through of the music with the full pit orchestra. Normally, the full orchestra begins rehearsing a week or two before opening night. Because this is a brand new musical, we needed to get together for an early rehearsal to work out any problems.

It was a long rehearsal. I won't attempt to recap the full rehearsal. Instead, here are some random thoughts and observations from the guitar player's point of view.

1. For this show, I only need an acoustic guitar and an amp. For the most part, we're mimicking a Gypsy family band. I'm thankful for a simple set-up…no pedals or special effects to worry about. As a matter of fact, I may not even use a pick.
2. It'll be interesting to see how (or if) we all fit into the pit. The last show was pretty tight, with two keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums. This time we have two keyboards, guitar, upright bass, drums, violin, a woodwind player, and a conductor. Should be interesting. Good thing I'm keeping my weight down. We'll need all the room we can get.
3. The guitar part was obviously written by a keyboard player. There are some sections where the notes are written out, but no chord symbols are given. This would freeze many guitar players in their tracks, or at least cause them to turn their volume down. This is a good example of why guitar players should learn to read traditional notation. There are other sections that could easily be played on, say, a piano, but are impossible on guitar, with unplayable voicings or long, extended harmonized runs. The orchestrator admitted up front that he wrote it on a keyboard. He even added the words "play something similar to" in certain sections, leaving it up to me to come up with my own interpretation. As long as I match the intent of the music, I have the freedom to play what I want. If I have the time, I may write out what I'm playing so that future guitarists will have a more guitar-friendly book to read.
4. Two of the numbers call for ukelele, which I don't know how to play. A friend let me borrow her uke, and I'll be busy learning the instrument over the next few weeks. Actually, I won't really be learning the instrument. I'll be learning the specific chords I need to know for this musical. I only brought my guitar to this rehearsal. I told the conductor that it was my "big ukelele."
5. I don't play on nearly half of the musical numbers. The musical term for this is "tacet." If you see a title followed by the word "tacet," you don't play that number. It's weird. Musicians love to play their instruments, but at the same time, there is a certain amount of joy in seeing tacet marked in your music. The orchestrator asked me if I was okay with the tacets. I told him that yes, I can do tacets. It allows me time for an extra bathroom break, and I can check my emails and text messages. While I was sitting through a few numbers, a chipmunk on the other side of the glass door offered some entertainment.
6. There is some very pretty writing in this music, and there are a few places where I get to shine playing delicate solo accompaniments, which is one of my strengths. Most musicals stretch me in new directions. I enjoy the challenge of learning new styles, but it's also kind of nice to play a book that seems tailor made for my style of playing.
7. My biggest concern was some missing guitar music. When we got to #11 in the book, it looked like I was missing at least one page of music. It turned out that I was only missing the last measure, which I didn't play. Crisis averted. On with the show.
8. One of the things I like about Act3 Productions is the mixing of generations. The pit orchestra is made of talented teens and old farts like the drummer and me. Okay, at the ripe old age of 45, I don't exactly qualify as an old fart, but I'm old enough to be the father of over 50% of the pit orchestra. It's refreshing to work with some highly talented youngsters.

Overall, I'm impressed with the music. I'm looking forward to rehearsing again after everyone has had the chance to woodshed their part, and I can't wait to see how it all works in the context of a stage production. I've been proud of every Act3 Productions show that I've played, and I think this is going to be extra special.

Performances are June 21, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and July 1, 6, and 7. Please visit www.act3productions.com for ticketing information.

Perfect Enough

I'm a perfectionist. I can easily spend 30 minutes practicing a short phrase. I proofread my emails, and I cringe if I spot a typo after sending a text. Don't even get me started on the misuse of the apostrophe with plurals.

Until recently, I've let my perfectionism get in the way of enjoying my work as a choir director at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation. In my head, I have an ideal of how I would like the music to sound, which is difficult to achieve with a small, amateur choir. You have varying degrees of musical experience, and attendance can fluctuate from week to week, making it difficult to build on previous rehearsals. This used to bother me, but it doesn't anymore.

I've discovered that perfectionism is my way of trying to control things. As a music engraver, this works pretty well. As a choir director? Not so much. As soon as you add one more person to any equation, there are certain things you're never going to be able to control.

What I'm really learning to do is to trust. I still set a high standard, and I run my rehearsals like clockwork, but I'm also trusting my choir to do their part. Every member of my choir is there because they enjoy singing. Regardless of individual skill level, they each want to make the best music they possibly can, and I do my best to show them how. Rather than trying to drill the music into my singers, I'm finding ways of coaxing it out of them.

Most of my Sunday morning rehearsals are relaxed. I rehearse my choir thoroughly on Wednesdays, and Sunday morning is simply a time to review the music and put my choir in a good frame of mind. When the service begins and it's showtime, my choir always comes through. They put in the work on Wednesdays, and they shine on Sundays.

By its very nature, live music is never perfect, but when my choir sings on Sunday mornings, it's perfect enough.

Lasts and Firsts

This has been a stressful week. I'm gearing up for a move, which is stressful enough. On top of that, my work schedule has been busier than usual, I've had to complete some rush music engraving jobs, and I have a show tomorrow night (the night before my move-in date).

I was stressed out at the beginning of the week, but I've since mellowed. I finished the last of my rush jobs this morning, I only have a few more things to pack, and I'm ready for my show. I'll pack up my office equipment tomorrow afternoon, play my gig in the evening, and then I'll be ready for the movers on Sunday.

This has been a week of "lasts"…the last laundry day in the old place, the last practice session, the last workout, the last nap, the last breakfast. These are all little things, but each "last" moves me closer to the big move-in day. Even as I look forward to living in the new apartment and setting up a home teaching studio, I'm savoring all of the "lasts."

And, of course, I'm looking forward to the "firsts"…the first laundry day, the first walk in the new neighborhood, the first practice session. Once the studio is set up, I'll look forward to my first rehearsal, teaching my first new student, and writing my first song in the new digs.

Here are photos of some empty rooms that will soon be filled with music.

This will be my teaching studio and music engraving office.
My guitars, amps, and keyboard will live here.

Plenty of storage in the garage, plus a
washer/dryer. I'll move most of these boxes
upstairs after the furniture is in place. I'll keep a
lot of musical equipment down here for
an easy load-in before gigs.

The bedroom/workout area. Not much will go in here.
Just a bed, a dresser, and a stationary bike.

Yet more storage. I actually have a place to store
my bicycle without tripping over it!
My dad made that tiny wooden chair for me
when I was 5 or 6. I'll use this cute little chair
for very young students.

I love this deck! I definitely need to get some
deck furniture. Perfect for outdoor guitar picking.
Parents may want to wait out here when the weather's nice.

The parents' waiting room. I'll also fill this room
with books and will eventually add a pull-out
love seat for house guests.

To Run or Not to Run

Around this time last year, I ran my first half marathon. About a month after the race, I developed an overuse knee injury. It was a classic case of too much, too soon. I had to stop running for a while. I walked for a couple months, tried running again, found that my knee still hurt, and then had to stop walking, too. I stopped exercising and starting bingeing again. By the time the holidays were over, I had gained 58 pounds. I've currently lost 33 of those 58 pounds, and I'm well on my way to reaching a healthy weight again. I've been pedaling a stationary bike, and lately I've been walking 2-3 times per week.

The main thing that triggered my weight gain (or my main excuse, at least) was being unable to run. I had become obsessed with running, and no other exercise would do. When I had to stop, it felt like the bottom dropped out. Rather than turn to another exercise, something flipped in my brain. Throughout most of my life, I've turned to food when stressed or depressed, and that's exactly what I did after I injured myself.

I still plan to run again, but I'm going to wait until I've reached my target weight before giving it another shot. This will allow extra time for my knee to recover, and running at a healthy weight will reduce stress on my joints. Rather than run 4-5 times a week like before, I plan on running 3 times a week, cycling 3 times a week, and resting one day. When I run, I'll mix walking and running.

There's a social website called Daily Mile, which was created for fitness buffs. It provides useful tools for keeping track of your workouts, and just like other social websites, you can find friends for mutual support. Unlike most of my Facebook friends, my friends on Daily Mile are actually interested in my workouts.

I'm a little disturbed by the number of runners on Daily Mile who are pushing through injuries. I see myself in them…amateur runners who are doing too much, too soon. While I understand their desire to run, I wish some of them would take it easy, build their distance more gradually, avoid obsessing about their pace, and cross train. I want to stress that there's nothing wrong with running, but if you overdo it, you're going to pay the price. I still have aspirations to run a marathon one day, and possibly even an ultramarathon. I'm one of those oddballs who loves propelling himself for long distances, but I have finally accepted the fact that this is something that I have to build up gradually.

If, despite all my precautions, I continue to have difficulty with my knee, then I'm prepared to discontinue running. I'll bike, walk, and work out with weights. Although I truly love running, my main goal is to be as healthy as I can be. If that means never running another step, I'll be okay with that…as long as I can fit into my skinny jeans!

New Digs

In less than a month, I'll be moving. Normally, I detest moving, but this time I'm excited about it. About 3 1/2 years ago, I moved from a two-bedroom house to a basement studio apartment. One of the reasons I moved was to live in Decatur, GA, where I often found myself playing rehearsals or gigs. Mostly, though, I needed to relocate because I was in a terrible financial hole, and I needed to find a smaller place.

I like the little studio apartment where I'm living now, and it's been a good situation. It's a basement apartment attached to a house. My landlady, Sue, is a musician, and so are her two kids. We've had a good relationship, and I've enjoyed living here.

Last week, Sue told me that her college age son is going to move into my apartment in less than three months. (We've had a relaxed, monthly lease, with the agreement that if I want to move out, or if she needs me to move out, we give each other a couple months'  notice.) I surprised myself with my lack of surprise. For the last several months, I had been considering finding a bigger place to live. When Sue gave me the news, I immediately felt invigorated and eager for a change, like the universe was letting me know that now is the time to move on.

I soon had several leads, and within a week, I found a nice little carriage house apartment only 15 minutes away from where I am now. It's small, but it's larger than my studio apartment, and it'll be nice to have more than one room. I'll have a bedroom, living room, an office, and a deck with a view of a wooded area and my new neighbor's chihuahua. The garage that the carriage house sits on is all mine to use. It has a washer/dryer and plenty of storage space. I'll keep a lot of my musical equipment in the garage for an easy load when I have gigs, and I plan on using the rest of the garage as a fitness room.

I'm especially excited about using the new place as a private teaching studio. I currently teach a handful of guitar students, driving to most of my students' homes. My current apartment isn't suitable for giving lessons to younger people, and I'm not interested in teaching in a music store. I'm looking forward to hanging out my shingle and teaching in the office space while parents wait in the living room.

I just signed the lease, and I move on April 1st.

I created a virtual tour of my studio apartment about three years ago. I'm looking forward to getting settled and posting a tour of the new place in the near future.

Airport Mode

Last night, I played a pleasant gig. It was a two-hour solo job at a birthday party for a friend from church. I enjoy playing with my bands, Tea for Two and InTown Band, but sometimes it's pleasant to play a simple solo job. Set-up is a breeze, and I can meander through my song list as I please. There were plenty of church friends at the party, so even though it was your standard background gig, more people were paying attention to the music than usual. There was plenty of good food, and there were two friendly cats, which is always a bonus.

The one strange moment came when I discovered a surprise "feature" on my iPhone.

Although I mainly played guitar arrangements and attempted to channel Frank Sinatra, I used backing tracks on a handful of instrumentals to rest my hand. I record all my backing tracks myself. It's an investment of time and effort, but it's fun, and the finished product is a backing track specifically tailored for my needs. And because I have all the files, I have complete freedom to tweak these tracks in the future.

Once I'm finished creating a backing track, I load it on my iPhone, which becomes my "band in a pocket." I just hook the iPhone up to my amp, and I'm ready to go.

When I play a gig, I always make sure to set my iPhone to vibrate only. It's annoying to have someone else's phone start ringing when you're performing. It's REALLY annoying when it's your own phone, and I have a particularly obnoxious ringtone. I've included a short YouTube clip for your enjoyment.

Little did I know that if you hook your iPhone up to an amp, the ringtone will broadcast through the amp, even if you have it set on vibrate. Just before my break, my phone started ringing. My first reaction was surprise that someone else used the same annoying ringtone. My second reaction was to glance down at my phone and realize it was my phone, blasting through my amp. When there are distractions, you usually want to keep playing, but not this time! I quickly pawed at my phone to turn it off, only to accidentally swipe the front and answer the call. Through my amp, I could hear someone saying "Hello? Hello?"

Fortunately, this teachable moment occurred in a roomful of friends. Lesson learned. If the iPhone is plugged into the amp, it's airport mode from now on.