Forever a Student

One thing that I especially love about being a musician is that it is a lifelong learning curve. There are steps and ladders and platforms to rest or stay at, but one could just as easily continue to climb, with the goal never being absolute perfection, because it doesn't exist. 

The goal might be to improve. The goal might be to reach a specific point of comfort and ability. The goal might be specific or it might be vague. 

For instance: for a long time, I could not accompany myself when I was hired as a soloist. I worked with incredible accompanists for specific events. There were also times where being able to accompany myself would have been useful. So that was the goal I set out for myself, years ago. I wanted to learn how to play chords well enough, and comfortably, so that I could sing and play piano simultaneously and with confidence. I can now do that. I can comfortably look at a page with lyrics and chords, in any key, and know that I can accompany myself and perform that song. I can also transpose any song in that format to fit my vocal range. This is a goal that I worked hard to reach and is a source of pride. 

I will never be perfect at it. I wouldn't consider myself an expert at this skill, because I have stuck to one or two essential styles of piano playing, but for what I have learned to do, I do well. 

I can always hop back on that ladder and branch out to multiple different styles and improve my range of skills, maybe even focus back onto classical piano pieces, or I could simply relish in the level of skill I have reached. The options are endless. 

With voice, if I had the time and the money, I would continue to have a singing coach in perpetuity. 

This is also something I love about music (and art). You are forever a student, regardless of whether or not you also become a teacher/coach yourself. 

This idea; this constant improvement that isn't linear and is based solely on the individual's motivation and personal goals isn't exclusive to music either. 

You do not have to obsess over perfection in order to be considered successful, ambitious, or even an expert. It's more a matter of having the dedication and the open-mindedness to continue learning. 

That and possessing the self-awareness to know when you are satisfied with the level you have reached, knowing that you do not need to go any further if you are perfectly content with where you are at. 

I love My Musical Life

Santa Doesn't Eat My Cookies

I was able to work on one of my own songs today - Santa Doesn't Eat My Cookies! 

This is fun!

I love my musical life! 

'Tis the Season

This year I finally got my act together and I now have a dedicated space set up to do some at-home recording. Couple that with a brand new-to-me mixer, some new gear, and updated DAW software, and I am all set to just record whenever the mood strikes me. 

Not only that, but I am getting more and more comfortable using my DAW. It's becoming less daunting and I am really enjoying the process of learning how to use the various functions. The mixing process has been really enjoyable - even though I have mountains more to learn. 

Unfortunately, I have more project ideas than I have time, so we'll see what this year brings! 

I Love This World

It's pretty incredible how many ways you can get involved with music. 

There's the standard way of growing up taking music lessons and honing specific instruments. 

There's the written part of music, focusing on music theory and composition. 

There's lyric writing - essentially poetry that can then be put to music by the same person or as a collaboration. 

There are studio musicians who add riffs and instrumentation to songs, who are wildly versatile. 

There's the music production side, where a musical ear is the focus. Mixing, mastering, finding elements and bringing them out; true artistry. 

There's the whole world of rhythm - beats, beatboxing, electronic music, layers upon layers taking what might seem like a single piece of noise and combining it with other sounds, however random, and making it musical art. 

Current social media has also cultivated collaborations that are mesmerizing, from vocal harmonies across profiles to taking the howling of a husky and turning it into a heavy metal song. 

The ideas and opportunities to play around and enjoy the world of music are truly endless. 

I love this world. 

I love My Musical Life. 

Courses

As a chronically ill musician, there are often barriers to advancing in the industry. While I have had the opportunity to engage in some really cool ventures and be part of the live music community in small doses, consistency is key, and for me it is also a physical impossibility. That doesn't mean that I have to stay stagnant though! 

While pursuing a master's degree was always the dream (or even further), it is not an option financially (even with the multitude of scholarships that I could apply for). It is also physically impossible for conventional on-site classes, and doesn't make much financial sense, so that dream has dwindled (unless, you know, the lottery...). Furthering post-secondary education has always been an investment in one's future, and while I would love to gain more knowledge and the designations to match it, it will not change my body's inability to work and provide any kind of return on that investment. 

Fortunately enough for me, though, is that there are much more attainable resources to gaining knowledge without costing an absolute fortune. 

I just finished a course through Udemy that has given me a much better understanding of the complexities of music production and mixing. I found the instructor highly knowledgeable and thorough, and I look forward to taking more classes on a variety of topics, with music being at the forefront, and hope to use these new skills on my own personal projects.

I love My Musical Life!