This is the first in a series of articles about using YouTube to accomplish your goals as a musician. Many of these goals overlap, but today, we’ll try to keep our focus to using YouTube as a source of inspiration.
There are times when we all go through periods of, well, “reduced motivation”. How do we get the burn back to continue our relentless drive to improve, enjoy, and share our music? How to we get back “into the zone”?
First, nearly anyone can post a video. This may be YouTube’s greatest strength, but it is quite possibly its worst flaw. Little Bobby down the street can produce a video that does little but consume bandwidth/time and crowd out more helpful offerings. (Admit it: you’ve seen videos like that, too.) Worse still, someone who seems knowledgeable can provide how-to advice that can be detrimental or downright dangerous. The internet gives with one hand…and takes with the other. Caveat emptor.
But back to the positives. On balance, it’s great for a Part-Time Musician (PTM) to have the breadth of videos available that exist on YouTube. Many clips provide helpful information, and many also provide inspiration to those watching. For today, let’s stick to the inspiration.
Like J.K. Rowling’s Mirror of Erised, YouTube can consume hours of your time and give little in return…but an occasional visit can be a nice boost. You want examples, you say? Glad you asked!
Below is a video that should inspire you to pull out your chosen instrument and really take it to task…even if you aren’t a trumpeter. Enjoy!
In future articles, we’ll take a look at how PTMs can use YouTube for equipment setup and maintenance, technique, and ancillary training ideas…all good things for your inner musical geek.
What makes a movie truly great? Is it the effects? The storyline? The marquee actors?
All of those things can contribute mightily to a movie’s success…but getting back to the original question: what makes a movie truly great? It’s the music.
There are many movies I have appreciated over the years, but a few stand above all of the rest. The Lord Of The Rings movies by Peter Jackson, with scores by Howard Shore, have some of the most breathtaking music composed and produced for the big screen. How about The Mask Of Zorro, with the work of composer James Horner? Latin sounds and rhythms combined with soaring orchestra parts would lift even the most despondent among us! And what of the majesty of the Pirates of the Caribbean music, composed by Klaus Badelt? The videography and storylines of the three movies are very good indeed, but the music…ah, the music! Who can listen to it and fail to be inspired to reach for higher heights with their own music?
Not all music-making involves playing. Like a battery, we sometimes must charge ourselves to produce more (and better!) musical energy for use later. By taking advantage of those times you aren’t “on the instrument” to appreciate the wonderful music all around you, you’ll find your “mind’s ear” more eager and helpful when you are able to play.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but music can best even that. For a quick demonstration, play the video clip below. It has no scenes from the associated movie, only one of the musical selections. Then just try to avoid sitting down to play today, for however long you can.
Nope, I couldn’t do it either.
All the best,
Mark
Whatever it is you watch, try to make note of the music that sets the tone and supports – or even carries – the movie. Listening carefully really does make a difference to your enjoyment, of both watching and playing!
A key part to becoming a good Part-Time Musician (PTM) is finding the inspiration you need, when you need it, to keep advancing. This comes easily on some evenings, as we look forward to spending time with our instrument as a way to cleanse ourselves of the day’s frustrations. At other times, we could use a little help.
For many of us, the best cure for the “blahs” is to watch a live performance. Failing that, many great performances can be watched from the comfort of your favorite desk chair. We can discuss the psychology of why watching someone else play motivates us to pick up our own instrument (watch out, pianists!) at some future time…but for now, let’s get to the good stuff!
Wells Cunningham is a cello teacher with an impressive background and performance record. His amazing Impossible Duet video has provided our family and others a great deal of inspiration that deserves to be shared.
Inspired yet? I thought so.
While I may never play like Mr. Cunningham, I can’t watch his “duet” performance of the Handel/Halvorsen Passacaglia without resolving to practice more and play better. How about you?
Remember: As long as you keep practicing, today is the worst you’ll ever be!
What happens when things get hectic and you miss a few nights? Have you ever gone through a difficult time and just didn’t feel like practicing? Whether you aren’t ready to play in a group yet or are a seasoned veteran between gigs, this just happens. How do you boost your motivation when you are feeling just a bit lazy?
I was going through one of these periods lately when our youngest was scheduled to solo with a local orchestra. Her piece was extremely difficult (Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen), but she was ready…and the orchestra was, too. She played beautifully, and the music made by both daughter and orchestra filled my heart with joy and my eyes with tears. How can we, as musicians, so quickly forget the inspiration our music offers us?
Years ago I read of the motivation that comes from attending live performances. It’s important to go whenever you can, but it’s especially important to do so when you’re going through a “dry spell”. Feeling down? Lazy? Frustrated with life in general? Find a performance and go to it. If it’s your favorite kind of music, that’s a nice bonus…but if not, go anyway! You’d be surprised at the lift it can give you.
Once the performance is over, try to tell the musicians how much you appreciated their performance before you leave. You’ll probably be thinking about it the rest of the evening: the selections, the style(s), any particularly impressive technique, the musicians themselves, how much they appreciated hearing your heartfelt congratulations…and you’ll be itching to break out your instrument to play.
So go ahead! Find a performance, go enjoy it, and then break out that instrument! And let us know when you will be up there next, so we can come see you play, too. After all, we all can use a little inspiration from time to time.
General, Inspiration, Learning, Videos | Mark September 3, 2009 | 
Comments (0) 
I was going through one of these periods lately when our youngest was scheduled to solo with a local orchestra. Her piece was extremely difficult (Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen), but she was ready…and the orchestra was, too. She played beautifully, and the music made by both daughter and orchestra filled my heart with joy and my eyes with tears. How can we, as musicians, so quickly forget the inspiration our music offers us?
