Friday, 11 March 2011

Is this another nail in . . . (?)

Do you really REALLY want to know the state of the CD ["hardcopy"] industry???

In last night's Evening Standard (UK) a most interesting article appeared called "Return to sender could put HMV in heartbreak hotel". I strongly suggest a read of this. It's here.  After your short read, come back to this blog (this page/tab will remain open), and share your thoughts.


My own thought: This does not mean that clever artists still can't make reasonable $£$£ in our whack industry by selling their product from their websites, and at live appearances. (Done skillfully the latter can produce handsome dividends.) The hypermarkets may be further exploiting the older more established artists (in conjunct with their record companies) - but today's market has plenty of room for profit - if you do it right!

Talk to me . . .


--- --- ---
E.R.'s Recommended Reading:
Al Kooper's seminal tome which I promise you, will have you rolling;
reality sandwiches all the way! I've read it more than once. E.R.
--- --- ---

Copyright 2011 Elliott Randall / ELZ Music & Multimedia   -   All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Lost Chord

As many of you know, I enjoy wearing numerous hats.  One of the true joys of my life is teaching music: guitar, theory, musicology, various music technologies (recording techniques), stage performance, and one of my faves - the demystifying of musical improvisation.

I was incredibly fortunate to have three guitar teachers who "saw me through", from little-kid-hopeful to full-fledged-pro. These men gave generously of their time, expertise, and most importantly - great spirit, and because of their selfless dedication, I realized somewhat early on, that I was destined to "pass the torch".

I began my professional teaching career in 1966, having been invited to teach in Lima, Ohio; a far cry from my native New York City. My mentor was a gentleman named Bill Smith, who owned the local music emporium, called Custom Percussion. Bill oversaw much of my early teaching; he was the kind of fellow who believed that all aspiring musicians deserved an equal shot at gaining "the knowledge'". I guess the reason I bring this up is that he 'busted' me on several occasions, for favoring those students who possessed an intuitive grasp on the complexities ...and seemed to learn more quickly.

What I learned from Bill's sometimes less-than-subtle feedback, was that in order to become a really good teacher, one required infinite amounts of patience (along with sense of humor), and that the rewards for seeing numerous guitar playing hopefuls improve their skills - and most importantly enjoying themselves, were priceless. (By the way, "infinite amounts of patience" is itself a great skill to develop.)

Fast forward to today. I maintain a small but dedicated group of students, teaching "one-on-one", and find myself consistently delighted by watching and hearing their musical skills grow. To see the "lightbulb go off" as a student suddenly grasps a concept they thought was beyond reach, whether technical (execution), or theoretical (innate grasping of a concept), is always a thrill beyond description.

There are two questions I am frequently asked:
1. How did you do that?
2. Why did you do that?

It's the second of the two that makes me happiest; while the "how" is a request to demonstrate a particular set of notes or chords, and their literal execution, the "why" indicates a further curiosity and quest for deeper meaning. Someone is in search of the Lost Chord ...or Holy Grail, if you will. That's when I know I've done my job effectively.

I will be forever indebted and grateful to Bill Suyker, Roy Smeck, and Sal Salvador for giving me the tools with which to further my own musical journey; a quest that will never end. 


--- --- ---
E.R.'s Recommended Reading:
I had the pleasure of contributing to this fine book, which totally demystifies improvisation!
--- --- ---
Copyright 2011 Elliott Randall / ELZ Music & Multimedia   -   All Rights Reserved