Subject: It's Not A Straight Path
You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com. If you don't want to receive these e-mails any longer, go to the bottom of this message and click on "unsubscribe." Hey there Friend, A few years ago I completed a music mentoring program with a professional musician. Before I enrolled in this program, I had been a guitar student of his, taking correspondence lessons. His musical style and mine are completely different, but I knew I could learn a great deal from him and increase my playing ability. What I never considered at the time was that my musical focus would change.While I am more interested than ever before in a professional career in music, I've had a few epiphanies about myself and the direction I should go. The music profession has something to offer for literally everyone, and as you dig deeper into your musical interests, you might find yourself straying from the thing that got you started in the first place. As I progressed through my guitar lessons and the mentoring program, I began to realize that while I love guitar, I was actually more interested in the entire song rather than just the guitar parts. I found myself more curious about how all the individual instruments worked together to create the unique story each song encapsulates. This realization led me to begin investigating other instrument besides guitar. Being a former 80s rocker, synthesizers have always been fascinating to me, so I have been learning about synthesis and keyboard techniques. I've also begun playing bass guitar to an extent. Guitar is still the most natural instrument for working out my ideas and songwriting, but I've found that having some familiarity with more tools has opened my mind up to other creative ideas. But where the real magic has started to reveal itself is in the recording process. As I learn about recording techniques, mix engineering, arranging and producing, the more I am drawn to the audio side of music creation. I really like the process of taking a song idea all the way from the start to a finished production, and I could see myself focused on this for both my music and for other musicians. To me, songwriting is the entire development of a song, not just the music and lyrics. The act of growing an idea "seed" from an expression of emotion into a collection of pulses and sounds that capture and convey that emotion is the ultimate goal, and if the artist is successful, that song can have an astounding effect on listeners. The more I get into it, the more that's what I want to accomplish. Open to Change... I was a stubborn kid. I started out playing guitar and singing and pretty much shied away from doing anything outside of that. My lead guitar player suggested a number of times that I take up bass, but I wouldn't have it. I wish I had listened then. Here's my point. As you work along your musical journey, you're going to have different influences come into your life. You'll meet people that recognize abilities you have and make suggestions to you. Or you'll hear a band that plays a style you wouldn't normally listen to, but something catches your ear and you find yourself really attracted to their music. Be open to explore these new opportunities. Don't be so hard set against anything that doesn't fit into your current musical mindset. You never know when musical genius will be discovered by squashing different styles or ideas together. It could be just the thing to launch not only your musical career, but a new genre altogether. Besides, everyone's interests change over time. The more you learn and expand your skill set, you could find that you prefer playing a different instrument or style of music. Be sensitive to that possibility so you can work with it rather than fight it. Additionally, you might realize that the path you're on isn't working out like you expected... or you want. Instead of continuing to put resources towards it, look into changing direction. Mix things up a bit and test some other avenues. For example, if you're in a hardcore original metal band that's having trouble booking gigs, suggest adding some classic rock cover songs to your demo and set list. That's not selling out, it's called getting exposure. Regardless of what you choose to do in music, the name of the game is to get your art in front of people, so initially you need to give the people what they want. The same goes for your chosen instrument. Like I said about guitar, I realized I'm not going to be known for my stellar guitar chops and that I would rather work on the song as a whole, instead of as just the guitar player. It's a great tool, and I will write most of my song ideas with it, but no one will ever mistake me for a virtuoso! Be willing to change (or add) as necessary so you can continue to grow. Know Thyself The bottom line is you need to know yourself. When you start to see your passion for something getting less... uh... passionate, perhaps it's time to knock on some other doors. There will be signals along the way, but you have to be perceptive enough to pick up on them. You may start noticing a growing interest in another musical area or with a different instrument. Or perhaps you feel like you've reached a plateau with your current skills. This could be the indicator to tell you it's time to take a break and try some other things out. Instead of fighting it (being stubborn like me), go ahead and explore. You don't have to drop everything and start over with something new, and your existing skills aren't going to be hurt by trying new things out. Musical endeavors tend to overlap and interweave, so think of it as adding to your abilities, not abandoning them. You can always step back into your comfort zone. The great thing is you'll approach it with a new set of eyes and ears. You'll have a different perspective, which can lead to a fresh approach to your old instrument. This is huge for the creative process. Music, like other careers, seldom follows a straight path. There will be dead-ends, wash-outs, forks in the trail to explore and lots of twists and turns. Maybe even a few wild animals. Handle the journey like you do every other area of your life - adapt and conquer. Listen to yourself. Allow different influences to intermingle with your musical interests and expand your boundaries, not in an "anything goes" way, but more like a spice you might add to a dish. Be open to trying some new things. There's a good chance you'll find some happy coincidences and make some really cool discoveries. And it may be just what you need to get your career on the launchpad. Peace~ Dave Dave "Eddie" Vance is a rock guitar enthusiast and gear nut. He has been playing guitar for over 30 years and enjoys tormenting the neighbors every chance he gets. When he's not slaving for the man, you can find him rocking out with his B.C. Rich Bich guitar, a cold beer and some sweet tunes. He also runs Learn-To-Play-Rock-Guitar.com, but you knew that already! Follow Learn To Play Rock Guitar:I welcome your feedback! Did you like today's message? What other topics would you like to see covered in my e-mails? Please let me know at: dave@learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com As always, please feel free to forward this email to a friend! I review products before recommending them. If you buy a product based on my recommendation, I will receive a commission. However, my emails also contain links that don’t require any investment on your part and are jam-packed with "juicy, guitar learnin' tastiness". We don't rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to forward this issue to any friends you think would enjoy its contents. They will thank you. So will I.
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