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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
 Posted - 02/15/2011 : 4:15:48 PM
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Most of us here try to play music on an instrument (not only duplicational machines) to varying degrees of success, yet we find joy and solace in our attempts. We are involved in a process, learning continually and increasing our knowledge and honing our ears for greater nuance.
My Dad was a musician. He started playing dances at about 15 years. He recorded a few times and is remembered by a dimishing ethnic community. After the early years of learning his instrument (piano accordion) and the competitions, years of playing gigs out of the Seattle local, years of teaching kids and adults, he told me, "Music, at best, is done with your friends. The audience doesn't really get it like the players (unless the audience is made up of musicians)." Another time he told a fellow musician who was anxious about his
abilities, "Just enjoy it. Next year there will be a kid that blows us completely away. But don't worry, the year after there will be another kid that will blow HIM away!"
For Hawaiian music (and any other), I have found what Keola Beamer said to be true, "You must hold onto what you love with an open hand (heart)" I've been blessed with great folks to jam with and sometimes I've been complimented for my efforts. It's still a process, one tune, one note at a time. Jus' press.
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2011 : 4:47:40 PM
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| Love you Kory! |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2011 : 8:28:49 PM
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| Someday, I wanna be a musician... |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2011 : 5:49:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Retro
Someday, I wanna be a musician...
Nah, braddah. It's a hard life, yeah? I wouldn't trade it for the world. You there, tho, imho.  |
keaka |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2011 : 6:15:29 PM
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| You can play music or be music. You can deal with this or you can deal with that. play plain or play complex if it is an enjoyable experience then so be it. Humbility is a good space to be in. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 06:21:12 AM
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| Music, at its best, is communication. |
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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 07:52:05 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
Music, at its best, is communication.
and communication, I think, at its best, is a two way thing. Maybe that is why your dad said what he did about playing with friends compared to an audience.
Dave |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 10:20:12 AM
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| That's it! Often the best playing is informal jams. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 6:36:40 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
That's it! Often the best playing is informal jams.
Thumbs & me were at Puget Sound Guitar Winter Retreat last weekend, just jammin' and eatin'! That's how it was, playing music with friends. We played Hawaiian, thumbs was in accordion sessions with several guitarists, I played jazz piano in the swing band, played keyboards and electric bass in the rock band. No stress, no BS, just good pickin'! I needed 2 days to recover! |
keaka |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2011 : 07:20:57 AM
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| Slip was so busy, he didn't have time to play his banjo! I did get to play some Oldtimey stuff, though. |
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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2011 : 4:51:28 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by slipry1
quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
That's it! Often the best playing is informal jams.
Thumbs & me were at Puget Sound Guitar Winter Retreat last weekend, just jammin' and eatin'! That's how it was, playing music with friends. We played Hawaiian, thumbs was in accordion sessions with several guitarists, I played jazz piano in the swing band, played keyboards and electric bass in the rock band. No stress, no BS, just good pickin'! I needed 2 days to recover!
I went to a PSGW summer session a couple years ago and wondered about their retreats. They sounded great. Now I know. Lucky you are so close.
Dave |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 2:09:38 PM
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I consider myself a musician, I just really suck at it, but man do I have fun!! Makes me happy, sometimes I even make others happy, but I always play Slack Key.
Even great musicians play sucky songs so what does that say?
~slkho |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2011 : 09:09:28 AM
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| Seriously, I don't believe that I ever had the choice to be a musician. My oldest memories involve wanting to play music. I believe that there is a goddess (or diva [hindu] or God, if that matters to you) who comes down and puts "the spark" into a person's head, and that person is hooked forever. It comes to some of us at birth and to others later. Play (and sing and dance) on! |
keaka |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2011 : 1:51:43 PM
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| You will never play as good as you can hear, because as you progress on the instrument, your ear is progressing too. One always feels on the cusp. The cusp ain't a bad place to be. |
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On being a musician.
