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I have been thinking about Music and Painting lately. These are two Arts that I have let slide, the Painting for decades, the Music since the last time I had a group to play with. To start painting again, that’s just a matter of doing it, it may happen or it may not. But I know from experience that I won’t really play my guitar very much unless I have an interacting group of people to play with.
I want to do things differently this time. Mostly because no previous attempt at hosting a regular music session has lasted, but also because I never felt like any of the groups that played together really gelled.
I think I need a new paradigm. I have an idea, or the glimmering of an idea: first, I don’t want to have to teach people to play. I want to have instrumentalists gather who know at least the basics of their instruments. Doesn’t have to be more than basics, since that’s all I have really, the basics. Then, I don’t want to ‘learn songs’ or ‘practice’. I want to play. I had the idea of starting with just one chord, say ‘G’, and everyone improvise until we get to know one another. Tune the drums, even. Look for common ground. I think of a band like Jefferson Airplane, where they often approached improvised counterpoint. To do that, you have to just play. A lot, and in ways that will really bore any listeners that might be nearby.
I don’t think I want to think about vocals at the start. If there are to be words and vocal melody or shouting in key, then let that grow organically from who is there and what we are playing.
I am not attached to the drums-bass-guitar-keyboards thing either. I have those things in the basement, so it would be easy to start there. But if somebody plays the fiddle or the oud or the oboe, well, so? I believe I’m more interested in some level of commitment to the project than I am in details like instrumentation.
I wonder if there is anyone else out there interested in such a meandering road to musical expression. In the Eugene-Springfield area, I mean.
So, then. To quote V. Lenin vastly out-of-context: “What is to be done?”
1. Clean up, dust, and vacuum the music ‘room’.
2. Plug in and smoke test all the amplifiers and the P.A.
3. Get some people to help me set the levels on all the instruments, so that is not a distraction when we start to play.
4. Buy a digital tuning device, to shortcut the fiddling around with tuning.
5. Seek out fellow travelers.
I suppose that by posting this, I am doing the last thing first. Guess I should get out the vacuum. After all, one never knows. eh?
I want to do things differently this time. Mostly because no previous attempt at hosting a regular music session has lasted, but also because I never felt like any of the groups that played together really gelled.
I think I need a new paradigm. I have an idea, or the glimmering of an idea: first, I don’t want to have to teach people to play. I want to have instrumentalists gather who know at least the basics of their instruments. Doesn’t have to be more than basics, since that’s all I have really, the basics. Then, I don’t want to ‘learn songs’ or ‘practice’. I want to play. I had the idea of starting with just one chord, say ‘G’, and everyone improvise until we get to know one another. Tune the drums, even. Look for common ground. I think of a band like Jefferson Airplane, where they often approached improvised counterpoint. To do that, you have to just play. A lot, and in ways that will really bore any listeners that might be nearby.
I don’t think I want to think about vocals at the start. If there are to be words and vocal melody or shouting in key, then let that grow organically from who is there and what we are playing.
I am not attached to the drums-bass-guitar-keyboards thing either. I have those things in the basement, so it would be easy to start there. But if somebody plays the fiddle or the oud or the oboe, well, so? I believe I’m more interested in some level of commitment to the project than I am in details like instrumentation.
I wonder if there is anyone else out there interested in such a meandering road to musical expression. In the Eugene-Springfield area, I mean.
So, then. To quote V. Lenin vastly out-of-context: “What is to be done?”
1. Clean up, dust, and vacuum the music ‘room’.
2. Plug in and smoke test all the amplifiers and the P.A.
3. Get some people to help me set the levels on all the instruments, so that is not a distraction when we start to play.
4. Buy a digital tuning device, to shortcut the fiddling around with tuning.
5. Seek out fellow travelers.
I suppose that by posting this, I am doing the last thing first. Guess I should get out the vacuum. After all, one never knows. eh?
