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Listening to music ?   You are logged in as Guest
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Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

Listening to music ? 
I am in a really weird state right now. Kind of scary, kind of exhilirating.

What it is, is that a few weeks ago I decided to make listening to music a part of my practice schedule. So, sitting down, putting on a CD, and listening. Following one instrument, really carefully, then going back and following another instrument. First listen, following the congas, the second, the palmas, etc. Now I'm just starting to think that this is a very important thing to do.

Of course, it's one thing we all get tired of--these smug pro musicians telling us to listen to music. Well, I think these guys are on to something.

I should insert here that I was the guy who couldn't play by ear, who raged in despair at the guitar interviews of the rockers who learned to play by wearing out their KISS records--because I coudln't do it at all! I couldn't figure out how to play Happy Birthday (c) by ear, man! I'm not lying. Yeah, I played classical, and heavy metal, but I could not for the life of me play by ear.

Of course, over the years I've worked on it gradually and gotten much better, by such things such as "guess the melody" (this is when you play melodies by ear for your mom or girlfriend or wife, and you get happy if she figures it out, kind of like when you can't draw and people have to guess what it is you're trying to draw). Jamming with various groups and being in bands, of course, helps this as well.

But listening! Oh man! I have made incredible progress in just a few weeks! Guys, I can tell you how to play guitar in just 14 years--listen! I am in this state of excited sensitivity, whenever music comes on I'm picking out the compas/beat, where the drums are, what the bass is doing, not to mention the guitar part... Not only that I CAN SPEAK SPANISH NOW.

I'm not kidding. I was just listening to some cante the other day and I realized I knew what they were talking about. I always knew how to speak a little, but now these words are floating by my ear and it's like I can read them as they go by. I was thinking of learning to sing some bulerias, now I realized I don't need the letra written down it's right there in front of me.

Hey, man, same thing with the guitar/bass/drum parts. I don't need it written down, it's right there, I just heard it!

I'll quit now, but I encourage those of you who don't listen regularly, and I know some of you such as Ron do--but make this a part of your life. Listen to a piece, one instrument at a time. Tap your foot to the beat and relate the music to the beats--on or off. You will be loving life!

Your fiance may get a bit sick of that glazed look on your face. The one that shows you are not listening to her...
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 15:44:56
 
Thomas Whiteley

 

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Great post Michael;

I grew up with music all around me. Classical, flamenco, jazz, and country and western for the most part. Strange combination? Not really.

Listening and understanding what you hear are so important when it comes to music. I took every music appreciation, choir, and instrument class given from Kindergarten through six years of college.

I have met a number of different types of musicians:

1. Play only by ear and cannot read a note.
2. Only read the music in front of him/her and are lost without it.
3. Learn from notation and remember each note.
4. Seem able to do anything they want.

There is a lot to learn but it is really fun. Playing the notes is one thing put playing or even listening to the music is another world.

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Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 16:38:11
 
Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Good post Michael, you are an analyst aren't you? I listen to my entire Flamenco CD collection as a bunch of MP3s in the car. When it finishs in about every week, I start over.

I played rock guitar by ear for years, never learned a note of music, then moved to the bass. Got to number 5 in the UK Indy charts in '84, worked with or supported (or was supported by) Happy Mondays, Sonic Youth, Husker Du, Screaming Blue Messiahs, The Shamen, The Godfathers and Nico from Velvet Underground BUT I cannot play flamenco by ear after a year of learning, I hope iI will be able to jam 5 years hence. It is completely new to me, my brain and my fingers..... but not my soul.

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 19:19:42
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Simon, I think you will get it by learning more on the guitar and by continuing to listen. This slow down device you plan to buy might speed things up(pun intended). Yes, I am quite analytical--I am half Asian after all! I envy your ability to play rock by ear. I could now, but when I started I felt like such a loser for not being able to. I thought it meant I wasn't talented. Now I don't think it meant anything at all.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 19:34:51
 
Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
quote:

I am half Asian after all


Well that explains everything. Stop thinking and start playing, damn it

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 19:41:10
 
Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
BTW - that thinking stuff. That's what I do with women.... doesn't work

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 19:42:17
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
You're right about the women thing. Are you still dating beautiful women? Or has foroflamenco taken over? :)

Now, I think it is very important to think and analyze music. I believe this is the key for adults to learn such a complex thing. However, I also think you come to a point where you realize the analysis is simply a stage. You train your mind and your body so that you no longer have to consciously analyze. The goal is to hear and play naturally and without any interference from the conscious mind. Two dangers are one, never doing the boring analysis thing and two, never getting out of it! This is all just my opinion, of course...
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 27 2003 20:07:29
 
Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
quote:

Are you still dating beautiful women? Or has foroflamenco taken over? :)


Both, but the wife isn't keen on either.

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 28 2003 9:27:13
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Ayayay!
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 28 2003 15:08:49
 
Michael

Posts: 18
Joined: Jul. 18 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Hey Michael,

Super post by the way. But you have to tell us.... what's the other half???? Half Asian, half what else?
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 28 2003 23:25:58
 
Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Listening to music ? (in reply to Miguel de Maria) 
Korean/Japanese/German/Irish, all equal parts. But don't tell that to my fans, I'm going for the Latino thing! The longer my hair gets, the more I get mistaken for Latino!
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Sep. 28 2003 23:27:18
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