It isn’t a competition

Music making.  It isn’t a competition, though you can make it one.  Sure, you can try to top the skills of another musician but most serious musicians are more interested in being better players for the reward of being able to play what you want, not to outdo someone else.  In fact, I generally see more respect in musicians for other musicians than in other groups of people.  We tend to be more healthy in attitude when we see someone better than us.  Maybe it is because we know how much effort it takes to achieve proficiency in an instrument.  We admire someone’s tone because it, to us, reflects some of who they are.  Watching someone tear it up on an instrument makes us want to try harder.

Making music isn’t a race or a game where an end is in sight.  No, music making is a journey without end and yet, with amazing sights and sounds to take in along the way.  Like life, there is always more to learn with no end to what can be achieved in music.  The best thing a parent can do is to allow their children the chance to become musicians.  While having goals like getting a spot in the school band or even entering a contest are fine, they should never interfere with the simple goal of making music for the sake of making music.  Do what you love because you love it and everything else will fall into place from there.

One of the coolest things about music is that it can’t be measured.  Is Steve Vai a faster and technically more proficient guitarist than Eric Clapton?  I think if we are analytical about it we’d have to say ‘yes’.  But, who has sold more records, touched more lives and had the longer career?  Clapton.  However, neither really matters, probably even less so to Steve Vai and Eric Clapton, because both of them don’t do it for those reasons and I suspect both of them totally respect the other’s ability.  In music you can be Keith Richards or Yngwie Malmsteen, Frank Zappa or Lawrence Welk, Brittney Spears or Elizabeth Frasier and in the end, it’s all good.

Bob Campbell at CMusicshop.com

Music Myths

A while ago I posted music truths.  Now, let’s expose some myths.

• You have to learn on acoustic guitar before electric – simply not true.  In fact, electric is easier due to the lighter strings and lower action and in the end, what we want is to make playing music easy for the beginning student.  There is no benefit to making things hard.  That being said, there is also nothing wrong with starting on acoustic.  Start on the instrument that the student is most interested in, keeping their interest is important.
• On a related point: You have to know another instrument (usually piano) or have some prior musical instruction before starting lessons – Nope, we take ‘em from complete, never touched an instrument before.  No bad habits to overcome!  Bottom line, come as you are, a good teacher will take you where you want to go.
• American instruments are more handmade than ones made overseas – Not always.  In fact, most larger US builders use CNC machines (which isn’t a bad thing) for carving out necks, bodies, etc.  Much of the process is automated.  CNC machines are often too expensive in other countries, human labor is actually more cost effective compared to the cost of human labor in the US.  So many times that Chinese or Korean guitar is more handmade than the top known brand US products.
• Older is better – Sometimes.  Sure, vintage guitars can often have that ‘vibe’ and it is true, some things are done differently now that aren’t necessarily improvements.  But, modern guitar making has moved forward in many important areas.  For instance, it is a well known fact that many Martins of a certain era had poor neck pitch, making playing more difficult.  Martin, as well as many other companies with similar issues, has since corrected that.  Another common issue is inconsistency in pickups.  Old Fred back in 1959 might have not been so precise when winding pickups.  These days, most pickup makers are incredibly meticulous and precise, so that you are assured the same quality and tone across a model.

Hope you enjoyed some ‘mythbusting’ and I welcome your comments.  Thanks Tim Renner for the blog idea too!  Bob C.  www.cmusicshop.com

He might not stick with it….

We hear the phrase “he/she might not stick with it” referring to a child’s interest in music and the parents need to invest in an instrument.  I can certainly understand that concern.  As a parent myself I know that kids often do not stick with those things that only a short while ago were ‘gotta haves’.  Our son’s interest in BMX bikes is a good example.  But music is a little different.  Sure, there are plenty of people who tried and gave up playing and I feel safe in saying that most of those regret not being able to play.  A recent study suggests somewhere in the area of 70% of non musicians wish they had pursued playing a musical instrument.  And I honestly have never heard of someone who can play a musical instrument who wished they couldn’t.

Much of the concern comes from previous failed attempts at music, usually through a school band program.  Now, please understand that I think all instruments are great and that I’m very happy schools have music programs but there is a common problem which causes little ‘Timmy’ or ‘Suzie’ to drop out.  One point is that the child is rarely playing music that correspondes to their actual listening habits.  A person who listens to Green Day is not going to enjoy playing Sousa marches most likely.  The other issue is that the instrument the child is given is often not what they’d choose if given a free pick.  In some cases it isn’t even the first choice out of a limited offering (‘No, you can’t have trumpet, we have too many now, here’s a clarinet’).  Of course this leads to drop outs.

If you want to get your child into music, hurray for you!!!  It is absolutely one of the greatest gifts you can give a child.  It isn’t seasonal, there is no age limit, it allows for creativity and expression and exercises the brain!  Certainly investing a lot of money into an instrument where longevity of interest is concerned may not be wise but investing in a playable, worthwhile instrument that the child can and wants to play is smart.  Bottom of the basement priced instruments often have playabilty issues but great beginning instruments can be found at reasonable prices and allow the student to really have a chance at making your investment worthwhile.  So….

Consider the child’s interests – music they listen to, instruments they are truly interested in not what slot they can fit in a band

Instruments they can handle (no Tubas for 5 year olds)

Instruments that don’t impede their chances of learning a continuing (guitars with high action, warped necks, flutes that don’t note correctly, etc.)

Teachers that want to teach what the student wants to learn while at the same time, teaches what they need to progress.  Teach a man a song and he only plays that song, teach him how to play music and he can play anything

Over and out, Bob C., Campbell’s Music Service, York, PA

www.cmusicshop.com

The Guitar Hero Effect

Bob from www.cmusicshop.com (Campbell’s Music Service) here.

Some of my peers have been debating whether the video game, Guitar Hero, is good for the actual guitar market.  Some argue that the game makes guitar playing look easy and when faced with the challenge of really playing a guitar they will become disheartened by the actual effort needed and give up quickly.  Others argue that it is a gateway to real guitar playing, that after the ‘toyish’ effect wears off kids will yearn to play the songs on real guitars.  I’ve seen both happen but what the greater effect on the whole has yet to be seen.

I think one good thing is the exposure to great music that features the guitar.  Getting kids to interact with the music seems like a positive step towards actual music making.  Another thing is the fun factor, playing music is fun and getting that message out is nothing but good.  But there is the dark side, that Guitar Hero acts as a sort placebo to real playing.  Almost as if we have a guitar playing genetic need that gets its fix from the simulation of playing guitar on Guitar Hero.  The fear is that kids will not go deeper into the next step of real music making which has a great drawing power that can immerse people into it.  That people will stop at Guitar Hero or Rock Band who might have scratched the musical itch with real instruments.

As I mentioned, I’ve seen both happen but I’m just one small corner of the world.  We’ve had one student quit because, although he was good at Guitar Hero, he couldn’t reconcile that real guitar required real effort and practice.  We’ve seen other folks say that Guitar Hero made them want to attempt real guitar.  I guess we’ll have real answers in a couple of years when the game has run its course.  I’d love to hear your input, please post a comment.

Guitar Buying through the ages

I’ve said it a hundred times and believe it more every time I say it.  There has never been a better time to buy a guitar (or most any musical instrument) than this time in history.  We have more options, brands, variations, color choices and so on than ever before in the history of mankind.  This is one reason I’m so adamant about exploring all the guitar world has to offer.  For the first time buyer, there are more brands and styles at very good prices that are infinitely better than much of the beginner junk that was around for previous generations to get started on.  For the high end player, there are more custom models and brands that virtually any thought that can be applied to a guitar can and will be done, for a price of course.  For the intermediate player, the world is wide open and affordable.  We’ll classify the intermediate player as someone not really pro but not beginner either, in other words most of us that have been playing for a while.  In this price range there are so many good companies that make guitars you could easily gig with but won’t cost you an arm and leg, like ESP and Ibanez.

Quickie Tips for beginning players

I love beginning players! Open to the possibilities, charged up and ready to make some music! I spend a lot of time working with starting musicians, advising them on their first instruments. Here is just a quickie tip: don’t be intimidated with all the ‘guitarspeak’. Remember, we were all in the same boat at one time or another. We didn’t just wake up knowing it all, we learned it, over time, as we went along. Don’t be worried if you don’t know the difference between a humbucker and a single coil and for that matter, why should you even care about it. Instead find a good store that will sit down and talk to you, help you learn these things. If they seem too ‘busy’ to help you, find another one that cares. Believe me, they are out there and it is in their best interest to guide you and your best interest to have them on your side. This may sound weird from a store selling on the internet but first and foremost, we’re a real music store that’s launched a whole lot of players. Now go out there and play some music!