Regarding study and practice

[russellnollen]

As a multi-instrumentalist/composer/engineer/producer/etc... I wear many hats and juggle them reasonably well at times - other times, not so well...
Having said that, I'm always open to improving.
I'm hoping for your own personal thoughts in this regard.
As a musician, do you practice your instrument on a regular basis? Do you take lessons with a teacher?
In other regards, do you study and practice improving as a composer? Audio engineer? Music producer? etc... Do you have a mentor? Study from any particular source?
What are you studying and practicing now?
I'd really like to know.
Thank very much!

[ttully]

Hi Russell,

My answer to all the questions is.... no.
I just write for TV shows and that is it.....


Tim

[hummingbird]

As a musician, do you practice your instrument on a regular basis? Do you take lessons with a teacher?
- I studied voice with professional teachers for nigh on 18 years & now I teach myself... I think that in teaching I am also learning
- yes I practice guitar and I am taking lessons with Robbie Hancock
- I am not a pianist but I practice playing things like the cycle of fifths, the cycle of fifths in first inversion, 2nd inversion; playing a minor chord up and down the piano then playing it in inversion, stuff like that

Do you study and practice improving as a composer?
- yes. I am currently studying songwriting (Robin Frederick)
- taking a course in orchestration (Evenant)
- course in composing music for film trailers (Evanant)
- attend webinars on composing and songwriting whenever I can
- have a all-seasons pass to 'Masterclass'

Audio engineer? Music producer? etc...
- yes, I read books on demystifying stuff, music producing, mixing
- get feedback on my mixes
- even a 'R' from TAXI can be a learning opp

Study from any particular source?
- TAXI TV
- TAXI forum
- the resources named above
- Youtubes with folks like Rick Beato & others

[Kolstad]

Good questions. Ill give an answer. Im 48yo and started guitar at 16, took up production about 10 years ago.

As a musician, do you practice your instrument on a regular basis?
Yes, I play every day, practice at least once a week, and work on own compositions (of which many takes some practice to get right)

Do you take lessons with a teacher?
I have had several teachers, but I don't at the moment. I do follow a couple on youtube though, and frequently try out ideas from them.

In other regards, do you study and practice improving as a composer?
Yes, I take classes with masterclass and thinkspace as well as study musicology (books, projects).

Audio engineer?
Not so much, but I do record guitars, bass, and the occasional vocal at home with cabs, mics ect.

Music producer?
The hardest thing is to produce myself, as it is so easy to lose perspective, but of course, I produce everything I write (between 100-200 cues/tracks/songs a year)

Do you have a mentor?
Not really, but I frequently attend music related workshops, seminars and conferences.

Study from any particular source?
I find myself using a lot of classes from True Fire (guitar classes)

What are you studying and practicing now?
At the moment I am studying modal composition, arangement and performance, as I want to get better at nailing just the right mood, when working to briefs/ projects.

[Razor7Music]

Good post.

I'd like to qualify my response with the difference between what I should do, and what I do.

I should be practicing my instruments/vocals and improving all the time. I had a bar I set for myself when I used to perform live, and that was I would practice everyday, the same songs I would perform, whether I felt like it or not. Whether I was sick or not. I actually got the best compliment in a studio when I finished recording a guitar track on the first take. I was there with my producer and I overheard the engineer tell him, "he's played that a lot, huh?" To which my producer said, "yes".

My excuse, ah, I mean, my explanation is that the granular control of my DAW has made me lazy. Sure, I practice a tune before I record. But if I can't get a good take out of 5 or so passes, then the Melodyne comes in and fixes it. As long as I get the feel--I'm ok with editing software.

On mixing, arranging, etc. Yes and yes. I need to, and I do. I read the mixing and mastering books. I go to the breakout sessions at the road rally's, and with each new track I try to make the production better than the one before it. I think it's working.

One last thing on that, is that even if you get really good at your craft, things keep evolving in the market. You have to keep up with what's contemporary, and that includes mixing and arranging.

My .02c

[Len911]

As a "professional" hobbyist, I usually use the internet for info.

In the end it's the production that matters the most. Most aspects concerning mixing, instrument lessons,music theory and composition lessons seem rather compartmentalized,like they are totally separate sciences. For example, if I took vocal lessons, I doubt that part of the syllabus would be auditioning microphones to complement my voice, or a recording session would help me write a song. There are gaps that you have to fill in yourself out of your own curiosity.
And there are aspects that people gravitate toward more and some things less. For example I would say that most composer-types tend to prioritize composition software like Finale and use orchestral multi samples. That's fine for "mockups", but it's not going to sound like a real orchestra. There are lyricists whom only write lyrics and will never attempt to put a melody to the words or the words to a groove.

My excuse, ah, I mean, my explanation is that the granular control of my DAW has made me lazy. Sure, I practice a tune before I record. But if I can't get a good take out of 5 or so passes, then the Melodyne comes in and fixes it. As long as I get the feel--I'm ok with editing software.

There ya go! It's the end result that counts, unless it's a live performance, no lip-synching please.

What am I studying now? which open back headphones to get for mixing,lol! It sounds simple,right. but then there are questions, like what is s-logic, what is diffuse field eq? Is there any logic to buying a software and calibrated headphones to make them have a flat frequency response, see diffuse field, and why there is no such standards for headphones, and why flat phones aren't ideal. omg!

[russellnollen]

Wow! Thanks, friends, for the replies! Much appreciated!