The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    In my older age, I am seeing how hard it is for people to behave, act, and think differently. I always thought humans had their own will. As a child, all it took for me was to have my Mom pull out her switch and I could change a behavior on the spot - pretty much for good.

    I am really starting to understand how hard this can be for some.

    I say all this because I have seen so many musicians suffer trying to earn a living playing music full-time. A recent post by one of our members in which after having high hopes, he and is bandmates ended up playing to only 3 or 4 people. It was really disturbing since the man is trying to earn a living and makes me wonder why they have put themselves through the pain and not chosen an easier path, using the same grit and determination that it took to learn the art.

    I guess my personality type will never know the answer to that question because I am not wired that way. I love Jazz (and some other genres) and I spend 50 percent of the little free time that I have playing the guitar and learning. But, I need to have comfort and certainty in life, and I have found that learning an easier skill that pays well worked best for me.

    Still, I can only conclude that SOMETHING must be making it worthwhile to keep full-time musicians so dedicated to the craft. I can think of a few plusses but the inherent uncertainty far outweighs any of them (at least for me).

    But, I just want to say that my heart goes out to all of you "full-timers." And I will keep supporting you as well as I can. I have my favorites that I try to frequent (can't help them all) and I always bring a little extra for the tip jar and sometimes, even buy a CD here and there (but I have dozens laying around now that I don't play). But, as a Jazz lover, I will be there as best I can and thanks for making my life a little more beautiful with your efforts.

    I will also keep revisiting Jazz guitar and trying to get a little better each time before I pull away. Maybe, one day, I will be able to be a cheap bandmate to one of you, or attend one of your jams and play a little with you. Until then, I am here (and I think I am one of many).

    Sincerely, AR.
    Last edited by AlsoRan; 11-23-2019 at 11:41 PM. Reason: clarity

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    What keeps us playing? (speaking from an amateur's perspective). Positive reinforcement e.g. dopamine. That little rush of pleasure that accompanies the discovery of something new to us, the receipt of a complement, the joy of hearing a beautiful melody or an exciting rhythm and realizing it comes from us. That is the mechanism.
    The spiritual aspect must be addressed as well. For me, it is a form of meditation. Again, as an amateur (one who plays for the love of the art) I do this because music takes me out of myself and affords me relief, however temporary, from the burdens and worries of the day.

    TL,DR: I do it because I like it.

  4. #3

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    In Hal Crook's, "Ready, Aim, Improvise!" book, he has a significant section on "music as a career." He basically recommends, "If you can do anything else, do it, and enjoy music as an avocation. If there's nothing else you can do, then go ahead and be a full-time musician."

    [FWIW, I have a music degree, and I'm a psychologist. I play music that I want to play in a few different bands, and I have fun doing it.]

  5. #4

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    I had a friend who was an intensive care nurse who was worked really hard. Sometimes, she often had to forego lunch, and sometimes had to skip going to the restroom or a patient would die. She worked over 30 years like this. She told me it was her way of making the world a better place.

    I kind of see the same thing in some of my musician friends. They just like sharing the joy of music.

    Sorry if this post comes off as a bit of a downer. I was really disturbed by a recent post where one of our highly competent musicians had to endure playing to just 3 or 4 people. I know there are many individual reasons for people to endure being a full-time performing musician,and not turning away and doing something else. I just hate to see the toll and it can take and the painful situations that can arise in this dog-eat-dog world.

    Thank goodness, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, Doug Raney, and so many others chose to stick with it. I just hope it was by choice and that all were, and are, at peace with it.

  6. #5

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    Did I imagine it or did Wynton Marsalis say that contemporary jazz musicians are like the monks after the fall of the Roman Empire , trying to keep a culture alive through the dark ages ?

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pycroft
    Did I imagine it or did Wynton Marsalis say that contemporary jazz musicians are like the monks after the fall of the Roman Empire , trying to keep a culture alive through the dark ages ?
    This is worth watching - amongst other things he talks about his his mother's reluctance to see him try to make it as as a jazz musician, he'd spent his youth watching his father play to empty clubs (he has interesting things to say on that too) - he says he was a good student, able to do anything he wanted without much trouble, lots of career options. His father's advice ?

    'Don't have a back up plan'


  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by dot75
    This is worth watching - amongst other things he talks about his his mother's reluctance to see him try to make it as as a jazz musician, he'd spent his youth watching his father play to empty clubs (he has interesting things to say on that too) - he says he was a good student, able to do anything he wanted without much trouble, lots of career options. His father's advice ?

    'Don't have a back up plan'

    Yes, having something to fall back on pretty much inevitably leads to falling back on it. One of the keys to survival in this end of the music biz is to not pigeon-hole yourself too tightly. Being a "jazz" musician should mean that you are truly a complete, knowledgable, accomplished, listening player; those attributes will allow you to perform in a variety of genres that are not jazz, enabling you to supplement your jazz income while allowing you to keep up your chops, reading abilities and improve your general musicianship. I play a lot of jazz, but I am never going to limit myself to being a jazz musician, since the guitar lends itself so well to so many attractive, challenging and interesting styles. The 5 years I spent in a West African ensemble were extraordinarily important to my jazz playing; the many wedding ceremonies I have played have imbued my playing with a touch it may not have acquired otherwise, etc. All those other influences really can help to create a recognizable, individual style, and being open to other approaches can create opportunities that being a "jazz" musician may not. Playing with full symphony orchestras, for instance, were among the greatest experiences of my musical life, as uplifting as the gigs I did with George Coleman or Alan Dawson or Ray Brown or Emily Remler.

  9. #8

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    The line between a labor of love and madness might be quite thin...

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by dot75

    'Don't have a back up plan'
    Wes Montgomery's Pancake Maker! Joe Pass' BBQ sauce!

    (Great vid, btw. You know when he says 'Play a G' and he goes 'peep' - it was a G!)

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by dot75
    This is worth watching - amongst other things he talks about his his mother's reluctance to see him try to make it as as a jazz musician, he'd spent his youth watching his father play to empty clubs (he has interesting things to say on that too) - he says he was a good student, able to do anything he wanted without much trouble, lots of career options. His father's advice ?

    'Don't have a back up plan'

    Very informative. I will have to make time to see the whole thing. Thanks.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by AlsoRan
    In my older age, I am seeing how hard it is for people to behave, act, and think differently. I always thought humans had their own w
    Sincerely, AR.
    The players I know who are trying to make a living playing jazz have all made a major sacrifice in stability and security.

    Even the most successful player worries about what would happen if he were to sustain an injury to a finger or was otherwise unable to play.

    Around here, jazz gigs generally do not play very well. The fully time musicians all seem to have teaching practices and some very fine players have other careers and play music on the side.

    Apparently, some of the full time players have an unrelated source of income (often an employed spouse), or they couldn't do it at all.

    The one person I know who is able to make a middle class living at jazz has a skill level that is, frankly, astonishing.

    As an aside: I witnessed this musician be accepted in the NYC jazz community near instantly, after a bunch of seasoned NY pros heard him play one tune. It was remarkable. Mostly, I've heard about players moving to NYC and struggling to be accepted at all. But, if you really have the goods, the welcome can be warm. I've seen it with my own eyes.

  13. #12

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    Jimmy Bruno said the only way you might be able to make it in music is that you are so excellent you cannot be ignored by even the best.

  14. #13

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    There's that popular career counseling question, what would you do if you if money didn't matter? That is, would you still do it if you didn't need to get paid?

    If you asked me as a young man, passionate about the music but innocent about life, I'd have probably said, great, I want to be a jazz musician.

    Now, much older and just a bit wiser, I'd have to say, no, being a musician is a terrible job, and even worse if you don't get paid! For a long time, having chosen another field, I thought I was missing out. But in the last few years I got more playing experiences, and I realized, I wouldn't have enjoyed a lot of what goes into being a pro.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

    The one person I know who is able to make a middle class living at jazz has a skill level that is, frankly, astonishing.

    As an aside: I witnessed this musician be accepted in the NYC jazz community near instantly, after a bunch of seasoned NY pros heard him play one tune. It was remarkable. Mostly, I've heard about players moving to NYC and struggling to be accepted at all. But, if you really have the goods, the welcome can be warm. I've seen it with my own eyes.
    I'm super curious who this is?

    I agree, btw. A great example of this is Rudy Royston, who is everyone's favorite drummer now but didn't move to the east coast until he was an adult (maybe in his 30s or later).

  16. #15

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    And many of today’s top pros are in debt and living with their parents. Living with your parents though can be a very good thing as our parents near the end of their lives it’s our turn to take care of them,

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by ragman1
    You know when he says 'Play a G' and he goes 'peep' - it was a G!)
    I know - that made me smile too!