Mike Moreno youtube interview

[yaclaus]

He's kind of quirky, but full of profound wisdom in my mind. And he plays extremely good guitar. Love his points about "it doesn't matter how much you practice" (basically endorsing deliberate practive over quantity)

[feral guitar]

'jazz schools are the main obstacle for jazz students in studying jazz'

[Alter]

"it doesn't matter how much you practice" may be a very good principal to state to japanese students, cause believe me, we 're talking about practice disciplines unknown to western mankind.. Say the wrong thing and you 'll have people practicing 25 hours per day..

[JazzinNY]

Thanks for this, very interesting. Where he says "I only practiced songs, not exercises" this is very interesting.

Organist Joey D. said the same thing. Obviously, great players.

The thing is, I like doing exercises. And some of them (scale exercises, finding triads within, etc.) have enormously helped me with fretboard knowledge. Keep doing what makes you happy, I guess.

[christianm77]

Thanks for this, very interesting. Where he says "I only practiced songs, not exercises" this is very interesting.

Organist Joey D. said the same thing. Obviously, great players.

The thing is, I like doing exercises. And some of them (scale exercises, finding triads within, etc.) have enormously helped me with fretboard knowledge. Keep doing what makes you happy, I guess.

Everyone's different :-)

[Jazzism]

'jazz schools are the main obstacle for jazz students in studying jazz'

This quote is a bit misleading. He said the same thing in Korea last summer when he was there for a week with the caveat that most people attend schools with the idea that the school will make them play better than before they went there, That somehow the teachers are going to impart some magic that will transform them. His take was that often the students, he mentioned some names that were his peers at New School like Kendrick Scott were already playing great before they went there. He said the best thing for him was obviously the networking possibilities and that he could bring in arrangements and music that he really wanted to play and easily find people that could play it. He didn't wait for teachers to suggest things, he was proactive. He mentioned that quite often the students can play better than the teachers. His point was you don't need to pay big money to go to those schools if you can organize playing opportunities for yourself.

[christianm77]

Sound advice i reckon

[Jonah]

This quote is a bit misleading. He said the same thing in Korea last summer when he was there for a week with the caveat that most people attend schools with the idea that the school will make them play better than before they went there, That somehow the teachers are going to impart some magic that will transform them

It's common thing about any artistic area... only a few weeks ago I talked to a girl who said she wanted to be an painting art critics and historian... and that she wants to start her course at teh University next year... I began to ask questions: what woudl be her main interest? Does she have any articles written for herself or maybe in some internet sites or blogs? Her general backgroud...

And it turned out that she almost has nothing - she expects that they will tell everything there... like something miraculous should happen...

Music usues i's special languge - that presumes some learning process - often serious... and students often think that as soon as they get to the University some magic hidden knowledge will be opened to them taht will immediately move them on another level...
But everything is already here right now..

After they graduate from the University most probably artistically they will be at the same point as was Faulkner before writing his first short story)))

I always provide writers or poets as a sample... (real ones I mean, not those that go to the 1-month courses 'how to make up a lstory') they use our conventioal langauge as a material - they do not go to the Univerities to learn it, they use piece of paper and pencil - so they cannot complain they cannod afford hiring an orchestram,buying proper guitar, band, team, gear, equipment... they are like naked in the street... either they do it or not...

In brief: you cannot say 'oh I want to be a poet'... because it's not about choice or intention.
if you really are, you already are a poet


I am not against the fact that people want to have some creative realization... but we should see the difference between arts and self-therapy...

[christianm77]

Yup a familiar story. People go into higher education expecting stuff to be spoonfed to then...

Tbf it's what they have come to expect from school

[Irwin1993]

While I agree with many points that have been made in regards in going to school for music. I will bring up another perspective which is, getting a bachelor's or masters in a music related degree is something to fall back on. Many teaching opportunities require a degree. That being said, if one can go to music school, absorb as much info as possible, PLAY and network as much as possible, while not stacking up a ton of debt, it's not so blasphemous. Just throwing out another perspective. Ofcourse I'm saying this as a collegiate jazz student in my early 20's and I could be naive!

[Alter]

Players at the level of Moreno or K.Scott don't usually go to music colleges for education on their instrument, apart from maybe some private lessons with specific instructors there. They go for the networking, the doors such schools help open and.. the degree. Usually they have done the work most people do at music college while back in highschool For the rest 99 % though things are different, and studying with great teachers at the instrument, harmony, arranging, composition, etc is a great opportunity for development at every musical aspect

[Robertkoa]

Just became aware of Moreno- really like how his fingerstyle playing strays outside of Jazz or expands it - however you look at it.Also uses some really cool sounding voicings. The most creative Guitarist I have heard in a long time .

[christianm77]

IMO Moreno is really finding his own thing after years of being an extremely able contemporary player somewhat in the style of Kurt. Lotus is a really cool record, great tunes.

[Robertkoa]

Yes.The creativity I hear is more when he plays Solo not in the 'Quartet ' Setting- although I haven't heard a lot of his Work.

Re: Music Schools NOT creating a Quantum Leap or even a Major Leap in someone's Playing.

IF the above is true - that is because the Schools are doing very little to help Students play what they are 'hearing' mentally.
A large part of that is technique- getting the Guitar out of the way.
And that would require teaching mechanics and fundamentals -WITHOUT taking away what the 'Student ' already has.
Just about all the Guitarists you Guys like or liked growing up etc. developed most of their Technique at an early age- say 13 to 20 years old.



But if a young Player spends 10 to $40,000
on a School and is NOT better mentally and physically equipped to ' Play What he Hears in his mind' a major step up from where he was - they are overcharging.

Not saying they would turn out World Class Players...

And what I'm saying would require a 'Team'
to assess what was already working and
'Etudes' kind of like Classical uses but FAR less regimentation- NOT deconstructing what Student has NOW .

These fundamental 'logical assessments'
would be beyond what most - 'Teachers'
can do .

But for that kind of Money- they should.

[MarkRhodes]

"I'm always playing a song."

[christianm77]

@Robertkoa

FWIW I have it on good authority Berklee has great teaching (I can't comment on the Manhattan school of music because I don't personally know anyone who went there).

Someone who is already a great player by the time they get to college will get something fundamentally different from the experience to someone who is almost there and needs some assistance and time to cook.

Anyway if it takes 7 years of hard work to become a decent jazz player.... Well there's no way a music college could ever provide that. It all lies with the student.

Anyway Adam Neely (Berklee/MSM) has some pertinent thoughts about this stuff on his youtube.

[sjl]

Ear training, ear training, ear training,..., playing what is in your head.