Ben Monder

[marcwhy]

This is cool:

[Melodic Dreamer]

In my opinion one of the toughest calls is recommending Ben Monder recordings. He's got one of the widest stylistic ranges of any guitarist and he brings something that no one else can to each project he does. From funky blues of Dan Willis's Hankerin' to covering Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side on Dave's True Story to work with David Binney. Live, he's even more unbelievable, listen to the meter on this ATTYA:

and have fun googling him, he's worked with a lot of people.

Quite a huge output, and it all sounds unmistakably like Ben
David

The "walk on the wild side" video is so Frisellish to the point I would have thought that was Bill.

[jbernstein91]

This is cool:

"North" is such a great tune.

[Doctor Jeff]

I thought it was impossible to out-intellectualize Fripp as a musician, but I think Monder succeeds, and does so in a way that is very entertaining and intriguing.

[Christoph R.]

One of my favourite musicians!


Some practice advice from the man:

As a warm up, play a scale with the metronome on 20 (or lower, even 10) and play one note per click.
Do this through every position of the scale, trying to be as accurate as possible. Try to be even and legato (even though you are attacking every note).

Then put the metronome on 5 or 10 and have that be the first beat of an 8 or 4 bar cycle. Improvise over a tune this way and see how accurate you can be.


Quite the workout...

[christianm77]

I find practicing a scale with a slow metronome is a really nice way to start a practice session...

The 4/8 bar click exercise I worked on for a few years haha. I didn't get better at it until I started working on other stuff...

[christianm77]

[whiskey02]

Just a warning: while practicing 12 to 16 hours a day while impressive and inspiring, it's also dangerous, especially if you're over the age of 28 -30. It seems to be fairly common that the "greats" went through a period early in their training when they played 8 - 12 hours a day, like Metheny etc. But remember he was roughly 13 to 17 years old. I've also read more recently of players who had to stop playing for extended periods, or completely because of overuse injuries. I find for myself that I wish I'd had that kind of dedication, drive and focus when I was 15. I didn't, so here I am still learning and trying to better myself.

[Endorphins]

Just a warning: while practicing 12 to 16 hours a day while impressive and inspiring, it's also dangerous, especially if you're over the age of 28 -30. It seems to be fairly common that the "greats" went through a period early in their training when they played 8 - 12 hours a day, like Metheny etc. But remember he was roughly 13 to 17 years old. I've also read more recently of players who had to stop playing for extended periods, or completely because of overuse injuries. I find for myself that I wish I'd had that kind of dedication, drive and focus when I was 15. I didn't, so here I am still learning and trying to better myself.

I sorta did, but just not in the jazz direction. At 57 I have to take it easy and I always have some kind of hand pain. I don't always even have to play for long, these old hands are just not used to this kind of action!

[henryrobinett]

I don't know. I think you have to condition your hands gradually. I practiced 4-6 for most of by early guitar life; 15-24 or so. When I returned to relatively high hours I just work up to it. I don't do 12-16 hours, but I've many times PLAYED 8-10 hours when rehearsing, gigging, writing or goofing PLUS practice. Practice I considered regimented. I've seen many student hurt themselves when they jump into high hours before they'd property conditioned their hands. I've never hurt my hands ever.

[christianm77]

I think if your technique is good you won't hurt yourself.

I managed to hurt myself practicing at the age of 23. Fixing my technique made the problem go away.

Also, punishing actions on guitar can be avoided with a good set-up without losing the tone of the instrument. Don't teach yourself to over-fret, you shouldn't need much pressure to hold down a note....

Anyway my wife is a cellist and laughs at us wimpy guitar players. When did Pablo Cassalls stop playing again? :-)

[Endorphins]

I sorta did, but just not in the jazz direction. At 57 I have to take it easy and I always have some kind of hand pain. I don't always even have to play for long, these old hands are just not used to this kind of action!

I should note that I've had non-music injuries to my arms in the past...I should still stretch more before I play. So days are good, some days not so good.

[P.J.]

I had a cd of his called "right brain patrol", it was a Marc Johnson date with I believe Peter Erskine on drums, essentially Frisell's ECM trio minus Frisell. Ben is pretty freaking incredible on this cd.

That didn't have Erskine on it. It was Arto Tunçboyacıyan. I remember reading somewhere that that was the 1st time Ben used a volume pedal.

I especially like Ben's music with Theo Bleckman. Very Lynchian.

[Liarspoker]

There's new Monder stuff coming out early in the new year. I think there's some solo stuff on there as well as some Hydra inspired tunes though we can't be sure till we hear it.

Can't wait