Mark2 -> RE: Do you own/use a smart phone? (Oct. 8 2014 20:53:12)
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I understand, and you are correct in that these new toys are completely unnecessary. I learned how to scrape electric guitar parts off of vinyl in the mid 70's, then in college as a music major, learned harmony from Walter Piston's book. I entered the pro music scene after dropping out, and again, learned parts the bandleader transcribed in standard notation from the paper, and also by playing the cassettes as many times as needed. I studied jazz in the 70's with a great jazz player, who taught by learning standards, one at a time. Learn the head, comp the changes, improvise over them, and create an original chord melody arrangement. I learned flamenco the old way-sitting across from a maestro. He would let me tape part of the lesson, and from there it was all by ear and memory. There were few transcriptions in those days, so to learn a solo or a falseta, it was put the LP on half speed, which of course lowered the sound an octave, and wear out the record. I learned to play for dance by spending five years three times a week playing in a dance school. In my business, which I started in 1981, there were no computers for many years, so it was all written down, floor plans were hand drawn and the math was done in my head. I realize this makes it seem like I'm about 100 years old, but I'm only 56. So, I really do appreciate these toys, many of which I consider tools. And I use them to benefit my work and to derive enjoyment. Some get little use, others are used daily. There is nothing wrong with the the old ways, but I'm reminded of a quote that I can't remember who should be credited with: "I've been poor and I've been rich, and rich is definitely better" Finally, I'm sure you are aware there are tons of kids out there studying jazz and playing very well, many of whom use the latest gizmos. I'm sure that some of them will become pros who know a 1,000 tunes by heart. quote:
ORIGINAL: guitarbuddha quote:
ORIGINAL: Mark2 I'm on my second I phone. I have tons of music apps-from dr compas to metronomes to an app that plays the chords to jazz standards or any other you program. Also guitar pro, a tuner, a looper, a cool app called scale variator that creates patterns from any scale. That's just music. When my daughter went to China by herself, I installed a gps tracking app so I'd know where she was just in case. For work I have an app that can create, store and read excel and word files, and a nice retail app that calculates markups-that one gets a workout. I have an app that shows current surf reports including live streams of my local beaches, so I know when to play hooky from work to catch waves. The map app gives me directions when I driving, saving me tons of time as I drive a fair amount for my job. I have tons of music on there and I plug it into my car radio -right now VA's Tierra is getting a lot of play. Also amazing slow downer is on my phone, so I practice with my headphones or I phone external speaker a fair amount. I have a mac book hooked up to a pro tools setup, but really the only thing it can do that my phone can't is record or watch shows when hooked up to a tv. Favorite remains dr. compas, which is worth buying an ipod for itself. I crank up the external speaker, pull out the guitar, and have fun. Hi Mark it is refreshing to hear from an honest man prepared to admit to enjoying his new toys. I guess I am prone to judging this new technology by my own failure to enjoy it. But predictably i will insist on a discordant note. I was hunting for a quote online and, as is so often the case, I couldn't find it but I did find this from John Adams. 'Still, he writes, “I made more progress in my command of harmonic practice by reproducing these pop songs [by the Doors, the Beach Boys, and others] from memory at the piano than I ever did by my forced marches through the figured bass treatises.” Later he makes the same point about working through Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane. ' And although I genuinely bemoan the failure of my ability to take joy in externalised musical structure I will say this, whenever I meet someone who has memorised a thousand tunes or so and can play them in any key with no recourse to technology, either print or more 'advanced', I cant help but wish I had started INternalising earlier. D.
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