Being Resilient,Persistant,And Present

          Lent is a strange time of year,as I”m seeing on my FB page more and more people are posting those pics with quotes and some of them are just plain annoying-esp the ones that love to con you into staying small,like that’s the Universes’ plan for you…..which it isn’t. The most popular of these quotes go something along the lines of “you may have a big house,fancy car,but when you pass away your grave will be the same size as everyone elses. Be humble”. I was greeted with that little gem this morning. In my eyes,when we go on the other side we become a part of something much bigger and wonderful-the next leg of the journey. But that’s not what I’m writing about this morning. 

What I want to focus on this morning is letting go of the stuff that keeps us small,holds us back,and ties us down. Age is one. Middle aged rock musicians are often accused of “not wanting to grow up”. Classical,jazz,blues,and other genres of musicians are never held to this oddball “rule”. Why should we be? If you’re getting a lot of this opinion,it’s time to calmly tell these people that what you play is your business,not theirs. 

Empower yourself by learning the parts of a rock tune that really inspires you-you know,the songs you’d hear and say to yourself “Oh man,if I could play that I’d be really good!” And I don’t care how simple the song actually is. I’ve been learning Beatle tunes lately,riffs and all and I can’t tell you how inwardly satisfying it is to my younger,inner selves…..my inner child and my inner teen. (I’m currently learning Led Zep bass lines along with Bach tunes on bass) 

On your own time,dress the part in good taste. I recently picked up some music T shirts for myself featuring an instrument I play or a band I love. I’m also making more long denim skits to wear over this summer. New tank tops,New hair style,and yes,I splurged at the salon and got 2 different formulas to place in my hair after washing it to control the frizz and bring on the natural curls. I avoided these products before and realized the reason I didn’t buy them wasn’t due to a lack on $$,it was a deep rooted feeling that I wasn’t worth it because of my physical age. My inner critic loves to tell my I’m “past my prime”. I may not be 26 anymore but in truth,I’m never past my prime. “cool to you” jewelry can be found on eBay,often at a bargain price. I love sterling silver,so I do some online shopping once in awhile for vintage stuff. 

Forgive yourself for whatever it is you think you did,or for what you didn’t  do. An important part of being resilient is the actual bouncing back into playing. Doesn’t matter if you haven’t played for 2,5,10 or more years or got into a downer “middle age” mindset. Forgive yourself and get back into your groove. No guilt trips into where you might be if you’d only……. (fill in the blank) either. Once you fully realize you can’t go back and do your past over,you’ll be free of a lot of stuff. The now,this very second,is what matters most. Make the most of it. Persist in this way,every day. It can be small steps back into wholeness such as listening to a Triumph CD on the way home from work in the car,etc or placing a bumper sticker on your auto. Go bargain hunting if you’re needing to replace the equipment you sold off some years back. Make this a quest to find the treasure of your musical Self and immerse yourself in it. 

Going Against The Grain And Not Acting Your Age -The Phoenix Rises

          I’ve been watching a lot of Rush and Styx videos lately and it made me realize one thing- that there seems to be a lot of folks who have went to sleep when in comes to individualism,making a creative mark in the world,and marching to a different drummer. And in this social sedation those who carry the banner of totalitarianism when it comes to how we should act at a certain age,when it comes to our beliefs,etc. to be socially acceptable has increased dramatically.

          A lot of this I see rooted in the aftermath of 911. As a nation we were scared,and thru fear we surrendered a lot of our rights to privacy. Along with that the economy has played a huge role. The media and big money has dictated that to have food on our tables and a roof over our heads,ie to be gainfully employed,we must now dress,act,and be a certain way. Employers have wormed their way into looking over your Facebook and Twitter feeds to ensure that you adhere to a certain social code or you’ll either be fired or not hired at all. (and in saying that,I do personally believe anything you text,post,etc should be G rated…..always.) Not to mention the recent uprising of Christian Communism…which must be countered with moderates speaking up. We’re a nation of religious freedom-our founding fathers made that perfectly clear. And before I get any backlash from any Christian reading this,I want you to know I am a Unitarian Universalist Christian (currently observing Lent at the time of this writing)

         Hiding our rock n roll selves,our artistic souls now seems mandatory in this recent age…..especially if you’re past your 30’s. And it’s been highly successful. Threaten a population with either you act or be a certain way or else you won’t be making a living usually works. And that’s understandable. If you’re one of those souls who have to work 2-3 part time jobs just to pay the bills,your pursuing music will go into into your past.  

For the younger generation,this has meant not playing a musical instrument at all much less even dreaming of making a musical mark in the world….and in this way,especially where rock music is concerned,if it doesn’t exist for the youth and has no place in their lives,it will die. Right now I see rock & progressive rock as being placed into hibernation. That has to stop. 

Women have more of a struggle with being a rebel than men do. Media has trained us as a whole to be more critiquing of how women act,dress,and behave. Men are given a wider lane and are often given excuses for their behavior,whether it’s correct or not. Paradoxically enough,merely being male gives one all sorts of advantages and excuses like “being one of the boys” “guys will be guys”.and so on. 

Ladies,it’s time for change. I was under the spell of “act your age” for a while too. However,I find it too confining. It’s not “me”.  Playing bass along with my learning rock violin gives me a certain positive energy and feeds my soul. It’s time to rise up and keep playing our drums,guitars,keyboards,etc and show it to the world regardless of occupation or what spiritual path we follow. Coming out of the musical closet is an absolute necessity now. Post pics of you with your instrument of choice online. Start wearing t shirts or buttons of your favorite bands again. Nurture others in being independent thinkers and not mindlessly “going along with the herd”. Encourage the younger generation to take up playing rock music….and to blaze their own trail. Our creative and personal freedoms rely on it. 

Check Your Wiring And Follow Your Heart

Tags

bass, creative recovery, finger speed, George Harrison, gifted, gypsy jazz, lead guitar, musical genres, rhythm guitar, rock guitar, women in rock

       Did you know you came perfectly wired to play a certain style? I’m convinced that musicians are. The problem is when we don’t realize that and then try to attain the skills and wiring to play a style that we aren’t equipped to do-and that’s where the frustration sets in. Luckily it’s a style of rock or blues you love already. Problem is when you go into denial over it….and decide to go somewhere else musically-which can lead to a lot of frustration and angst. 

It happened to me in the 80’s when I decided to go along with the crowd and forget my love of 60-70’s rock and go into metal. I’ve never had fast fingers. But there I was,in my 20’s,trying to zip all over the fingerboard,which usually meant my left hand froze up in confusion. “Do what???” was the message my hands were sending to my brain. Or maybe it was the other way around. Then I felt like a failure because I couldn’t do it. Then that led to frustration. In retrospect,I didn’t enjoy playing in the 80’s anywhere as much as I thought. I spent a whole lotta time wishing I could play a certain way to be accepted by myself and others,which led nowhere cause my fingers aren’t of the quicksilver quality. Learning scales didn’t help. Neither did so called “speed excersises”. As a result I wound up on bass or playing rhythm guitar,which I wasn’t happy with either as so many chick players seemed to be doing that and only that. 

A lot of players,in the same boat I was,wound up hurting themselves by developing carpal tunnel or some other malady due to pushing their hands into doing things they simply weren’t wired to do. Luckily that never happened to me,despite the fact I’ve had more than one job that had repetitive hand motion as a main duty. 

Recently I made the discovery that by going back to the “root music” I grew up loving,I am totally and gratefully equipped to do. This has created a new dimension of personal music appreciation. I feel like I got my “get out of jail” card. I had myself in a self imposed and enforced prison. Or rather my ego mind did. 

What music did you grow up hearing and just loving? No doubt,depending on what years you were a grade school kid,if I could hear you I’d be getting a huge variety of responses. It could be rock,blues/rock,grunge,new wave,jazz fusion,pop,etc. Whatever that love is,

that’s the genre you’re supposed to be playing! 

To clarify,I don’t mean to say you’re only supposed to play one style. For example, in addition to rock,I have a knack for playing classical and fingerpicking guitar. Key is I can do both well and with ease-which tells me this falls within my “wiring”. (I’m playing Gypsy Jazz too,and it delights me) 

The keys lay in knowing what styles you like and what you’re wired for. Where those two streets meet,those genres are for you. My classical guitar teacher,for example,was also a very talented bluegrass flatpicker. From what I understood from other players,this was a highly unusual thing. The styles were far apart-yet he could do both with total ease and flair. 

So see where your fingers naturally fall,and search your heart to find where the musical inner gold lies. Make a list and check it against the songbooks you already have. Do they match? Are they in stark contrast to what you’re discovering? If so,you can sell or give away the books that are not sincerely you,and then go for the books that are,along with purchasing CDs of groups & artists you haven’t heard in years but enjoyed. I just picked up a used copy of a George Harrison CD & am enjoying it very much. 

Are We The Aquarian Generation Grown Up? Did We Forget? Did We Know?

Tags

female rockers, Journey, Triumph Beatles Age of Aquarius Be The Light Gabrielle Bernstein Ross Valory Rock guitar 80's A Course In Miracles Styx

         The Age Of Aquarius. For a lot of us,that phrase brings in a lot of memories of childhood and youth. And for those who were born in the 70’s on,it brings up history,videos,and visions of tie-dye clothes,love beads,and headbands. 

    A couple of days ago,reminders of that era started coming in. Beginning with photos my Dad had purchased off eBay. He’s an aviation buff retired from a major airline,and he purchased a publicity photo from the 60’s featuring stewardesses showing their psychedelic uniforms-bright colorful, and a little mod. He had also picked up an 8×10 of the Monkees for me. As a kid,I adored both the Monkees and the Beatles. I loved the photo,and was wondering what the Universe was trying to tell me by receiving the photo. I hadn’t even mentioned 60’s or 70’s rock music in ages,tho my electric guitar & violin had been coming to mind lately-I’ve been busy in the acoustic instrument department of late. However,in the latest heat wave we’re having out here,I just set the thoughts aside and am focused on keeping both my cat and I cool and comfortable……and then the cues continue. The whole Age of Aquarius thing seems to have died to an age of consumerism and an obsession with self centeredness and cold heartedness in a lot of our youth….which disturbs me greatly. 

In saying that,I am reminded that the actual Age of Aquarius is far from over-it’s birthing was just announced in the 60’s when astrology and it’s interest in it was as strong as having the latest hand held gadget is today. Nearly everyone knew their sign,and in some cases had memorized their entire chart. “What’s your sign?” was as common a question as “how are you?” Those living in that era wanted,peace,love,spiritual depth,and a healthy planet. 

Sometimes those of us born in the early 60’s forget about what the whole coming of the Aquarian Age till you get an unexpected reminder. (I never forget the planet!) 

So here I am in a neighborhood in the oppressive heat at the yard sale fest that happens twice a year,covered in sunblock,wearing a hat,and a bottle of G2 at my side. I’m nearly done covering the neighborhood,it’s blazing hot,my clothes are damp with sweat,my thoughts are of trekking back to the car and getting home for a shower. I’ve been very selective in my shopping and picked up 2 CDS,clothes,and a framed quote needing a new frame.

     At any rate,an older guy pulls up in a 70’s car that is mostly restored. My Dad and he strike up a conversation about older cars and their restoration,when the guy (I never knew his name) asks me out of the blue: “Are you an Age of Aquarius person?” I was taken back by this but answered yes. I honestly thought everyone had forgotten about that. 

The question-and my response to it continue to resonate within me after I get home to a much cooler house and attend to my 16 yr old cat Lightning,who doesn’t seem to do well in hot weather like this. She’s missed us while we were gone,and of course is wanting to say hello and have her dose of lovies. 

Yet I continued to ponder the question as well as the answer I gave. It’s like being reminded of something you forgot. I look back at my brief involvement with hard rock & metal in the 80’s,and even tho I enjoyed a lot of the goofiness and creativity of that decade,it seemed to be missing a lot of heart,and there was no raising of consciousness or seeking to explore mystical frontiers in it. It was all about clothes,driving narrow minded adults nuts in harmless ways (which I enjoyed immensely!) and wanting to “belong”. I never did feel as tho I truly belonged tho I did try-to the point of denying to myself music I loved and the whole Age of Aquarius bit….which I felt was a mission…..

a mission of uplifting the consciousness of people thru music. To open the door that their spirit may ride a beam of sound ever upward and out of the three dimensional world so many exist in. To uplift humankind to a higher octave. To “be the light” as Gabrielle Bernstein puts it (as does A Course In Miracles) so that others would also want to be the light in their own unique way. Journey was a group whose songs did this for me-I felt like I was riding a wave of positive energy that harmonized with my own,and then elevated it. Some songs by Styx had the same effect,as did Triumph and some tunes by Mr. Big. It was pure magic. 

How many rockers seek to do this now thru music? It seems it’s gotten forgotten & lost somehow. I think one thing I loved about the Monkees & Beatles was they weren’t afraid to show a lighter side of themselves and didn’t take their stage personas so dang seriously. It was okay to be seen smiling,goofing around,and just being at times,silly-letting that inner child out. (which is why I adored Ross Valory as a young woman!) 

Where Are You? Being In The Present Moment.

      It’s been hot lately and I confess I haven’t done a whole lot on the physical sense. However,my inner world has been bursting forth-not to mention the sun is now in my sun sign……my 2nd natal house,along with a couple of other planets. So-I’m anticipating good things happening in the present moment.

    And speaking of the present moment…….is that where your thoughts are dwelling? It’s of utmost importance for any artist to be fully rooted in the present. All too often,artists get mentally caught up in the past- toxic playmates,auditions gone awry,the time you messed up a note or forgot what chord was coming next during a performance. And one can mentally just reside there,running those mini movies with THX sound thru their minds over & over again…….which affects the present-you can’t have a fun present if your mental wheels are stuck in mud. 

     Just as detrimental is getting all caught up in the scenarios of fear about the future. How many of us shut down because we project how we fear the audition will go,what people might say about our pursuing our craft,what bad habits we might get into if we hang out with other artists. Yet-these are just little inner mind horror movies with no basis in reality. If our inner critic knows one thing with certainty,it’s how to scare the pants off you so you don’t step out,don’t learn that tune,and don’t get together with other players. Yet- fear is exactly this: False Evidence Appearing Real.

    The inner critic can keep you hopelessly busy and distracted in wanting to keep learning different instruments-I’ve been on that road and when I finally got to the bottom of why I wanted to know how to play so many different instruments….I was shocked to learn it was from my own insecurities as a musician combined with wanting outside approval. Having said that,I’m not saying that every multi instrumentalist out there has had this particular motivation. Indeed,there’s a lot of advantages to knowing how to play two or three instruments well. However when one takes it to 6 or more there’s a tendency to feel overwhelmed……and another tendency to temporarily get your artistic heart misplaced. 

     By that,I mean where does your heart really lie? I’ve been pondering that one lately. What instruments really have my heart,and which ones are just fun to knock around with here & there? Personally speaking,it’s been guitar,mandolin,and surprisingly,flute. There’s always been a part of me that wanted to be in a classical/baroque music setting of some sort- a chamber orchestra,a symphony,something along those lines. Another part of me has discovered swing jazz and is loving that….which I’m studying on mandolin/flute. And needless to say,rock guitar has had me from my earliest childhood memories,as well as classical guitar,which I studied intently in high school. Clarinet has also called me,but I have gotten 3 used clarinets over the past few years,all of them needing repair and cleaning. So that has been put on the back burner. I have a wonderful flute, and am restoring another flute which will be my “gad about” instrument.

    I only recently realized this and started re learning the instrument. I can say that presently I’ve made more progress that I ever have before,I remembered my fingerings quickly,am learning new ones,and am feeling blessed for being gifted with such a good quality flute. And I keep progressing as I’m allowing myself to be a beginner and to keep my focus on the present-not the past,and not the future. Just the now. 

    So have a quiet time within and see if you are in an “artistic now” moment. Are you playing the instrument and style you feel most aligned with in your heart? If not,why not? Make adjustments as necessary,and don’t worry about what “other people” think. 

Being The Light When The Storms Hit

Tags

Air Malaysia, Be The Light, busking, inspiring, Israel, Palestine, playing music, recording, uplifting using music, videos

     Here I was all ready to write an entry in this blog yesterday…….and then when the double whammy hit of the latest goings on in the Gaza region combined with Air Malaysia being shot down,well,I felt anything I had to write would just be too puny,and needless to say,no writing was done. 

     The words that Gabby Bernstein spoke on a video kept going thru my head. “Be the Light”. Reading my daily bit from “A Course In Miracles” as well as other inspirational books I dip into in the mornings before getting the day going all pointed in one direction: when things get dark is not the time to shut off one’s lantern. I’m certain those who are now on the other side that were on that flight wouldn’t want the rest of the world to simply stop due to what happened. I understand now that when something horrific happens,we cannot quit being the Light,because that’s when our lantern beams are needed the very most. (I like the analogy of the lantern because it always reminds me of the Hermit card from the Tarot decks) 

   If one momentarily thinks their light is too small,be reminded of a couple of things. Think of lights on a Yuletide tree. They may be small,but each one is of equal importance-each one lights up it’s “section” of the tree. And if one goes out, that one really stands out & gets noticed. And what do we find ourselves doing? Why digging thru the ornament boxes looking for a replacement bulb. Pronto. It’s as tho it’s a serious rule that all the lights be on. And so it is for us. Our lights must always shine also,no matter what is going on in the world. Our world is very much like that tree. We each light up our section of it. 

  So keep playing your instruments and creating new things. Keep busking on up corners,as your song may just be the thing to cheer someone up as they walk by. Make videos of your playing so that your light gets an extension cord that goes round the world and out into the cosmos. Make recordings so that those who hear you & like you can continue to get doses of you. You’re needed. And so it is……..

To Lead….Or Not To Lead….That is The Question!

    I might have mentioned that I was beginning the practice of an acupressure technique called “tapping” or “EFT”. I initially started this by purchasing a Kindle edition by Jessica Ortner on tapping to lose weight…..as well as addressing other inner issues I’ve been having when it comes to different things in my life that are stressors. So as I’ve been working with this practice (and it’s a wonderful way to release stress and the issues you’re holding onto that create the stress) I’ve decided to start using it to tackle a phobia I’ve had since I was a teen: 

                                              A phobia of playing lead guitar.

     I was the teen age chick who would instantly freeze up whenever I was asked to play a lead in a jam session. I would just panic. Improvise was something so beyond my ability to grasp it wasn’t funny. Friends tried to help-telling me to learn cookie cutter patterns (what we called scales back then) and just let go,staying within the “cutter pattern”. I was so terrified of making a mistake and “looking bad” that I refused to even try. This was during the play-fast-and-perfect era of the 80’s guitar shredder era. So-I joyfully went into bass playing and stuck with fingerpicking and rhythm guitar playing. I wasn’t happy with this,especially since at that time female players for the most part didn’t play lead…and I was one of those guitarists who had a beef with it tho I stuck with rhythm. 

     I was afraid of looking bad in front of others and being known as a lousy player. Now I realize my ego self was running the show and crushing my dream of being a wonderful guitar player. The fear of the opinions of others mattered more than my stepping out and making an effort. So I shrunk myself. 

     The tapping has worked-I have tapped on issues that have caused me to take the same approach to different issues as I did with the lead playing so many years ago: avoid it like the plague,which hasn’t helped me advance in my life-it’s hindered me….up to very recently. 

      I hadn’t touched my electric guitars for quite some time till the last couple of weeks,when I unwittingly thru tapping and meditation unblocked something that was keeping me from playing. I started playing Led Zep tunes and absolutely enjoying it. I have quite a library on how to play rock and blues lead guitar-I’ve never been into the play a million notes in 10 seconds type,but I love melodic bluesy rockin riffs and I believe the tapping has 90% to do with this sudden playing again.

     Using the tapping,I’ve been able to let go of emotions connected to a extremely toxic band member from my past,my mothers constant damnation of my playing rock music and thwarting it thru manipulation and over controlling.

     This included one night as a teen being in bed for the night when my mom came in my room and started terrorizing me verbally and shaking me so violently for what seemed to be a long time over my decision to be a professional guitarist. She had completely lost it. (I was absolutely terrified and traumatized by this outburst and I told no one till recently-my Dad) It was a shock to suddenly realize that as a youth,I had experienced what would now be considered parental bullying,in addition to physical and emotional abuse. No wonder I didn’t move forward in my younger years musically. I learned shrinking myself meant I was safe from my ego self and others abusive behaviors and carried it forward into every aspect of my life in which I purposely stayed small.  

   So a good part of my tapping is now turning to releasing those experiences and the feelings that come up in my gut whenever I think of painful moments I went thru because of my being a guitarist.  

    It’s been most rewarding-as a result,I am working out of one of the books on playing lead guitar and enjoying learning the scale patterns and just plain ol playing again. I missed it terribly and didn’t realize it. It was worth the uncovering of the inner blocks and pain that went with it,,,,,so I could let go of its grip on my life. I now think of myself as a lead guitarist! 

    The reason I’m sharing this with you is in case you,in reading this,start remembering things that have blocked you from playing and/or growing as a player. The tapping has helped me in ways I never imagined and it could help you too. Just look up Nick or Jessica Ortner online and get one of their books and start working with it! 

            

   

      

      

    

 

Weighing In…….And Making An Appearance

Tags

60's, 70's, bass, being authentic, double standards, drums, guitar, iron on pa, Jessica Ortner, Rock fashion, rock musicians, self esteem, sewing, skirts, tapping, weight, women rock musicians

     I’m continuing a train of thought that started with my last entry- the fact there aren’t many middle + age women who play rock music appearing anywhere. I follow some FB pages for rock musicians,and frankly,every chick I see playing a bass or whatnot is young,trim,lean & mean. Nothing against that-however,I’m wondering where are the women that don’t,for the moment,have the body they did when they were in their 20’s? (My hand is raised-I’m not sporting the figure I had 20 some years ago) I believe this is due to a lot of shame we have been conditioned to feel as women.

     Again-the guys never go thru this-think about it- Meatloaf,BB King,and members of BTO are well known for the boys being plus size-and no one thinks twice about that as it’s taken as being part of their image. Think about Aretha Franklin,Mama Cass and Anne Wilson,and well,thanks to a lot of social conditioning,the first impression that hits when we see pics of them is we notice their weight……like it’s a bad thing. “What happened to them?” whips thru our mind at the speed of light like a knee jerk reaction on caffeine. I have relatives,no longer trim themselves,that have to make a verbal observation every time they see an overweight person,as tho that person was doing something distasteful. Thru my reading books on tapping by the Ortner siblings,especially Jessica Ortners’ book on tapping for weight loss & self esteem,I’m now seeing overly stressed individuals instead of overweight ones. But-back to the point of this entry-which is:

                                        When did we as a society get to be so dang double minded? 

    I believe this double mindedness is what’s keeping a lot of women rockers from making videos of their playing,performing live,and having pics taken with their instrument(s). Even for myself,I’m still going thru some non acceptance and having inner reactions with certain aspects of my figure whenever I look in the mirror. While I’m working thru that with the tapping,I make comments to myself about these features that I’d never ever say to another person with the same. And it hits me how appearance oriented media has made us. It’s made us dread looking older. It’s made us have resentment for living a longer life……cause we don’t look 26. And it’s made plastic surgeons a fortune,as well as those companies selling their youth serum creams. 

When it comes to dressing up,don’t confine yourself to what you wore when you were a younger musician,unless it’s sincerely you. In my late teens & 20’s,I dressed like an 80’s metal head tho my heart & soul was always in the fashions of the 60’s & 70’s. So while recently I was going in the 80’s direction from habit,I caught myself feeling “not authentic” for doing it-in fact my romance with metal music was long over. I woke up and saw my real love of rock also stemmed from the 60’s & 70’s. So I traded black clothing,spikes & skulls for paisley,velvets,and fringe. And I’ve never been happier. 

Loosen up……….

If I had to pick one “mistake” I see folks often make in their full figured bodies is this: they wear their clothes way too tight,which makes them look even bigger. Now in saying that,I’m not advocating formless clothing….what I am saying is clothes that have some looseness feels more comfy (I know this from personal experience) and it makes one look better too. Not to mention they’re easier to move about in. And it’s healthier for everyone in the summer heat-how many heat advisories have you heard in which everyone is instructed to wear loose fitting clothing? 

Have fun with your fashion! Buy some iron on patches & do yourself a vest or a pair of bell bottoms. Make yourself a skirt out of an old pair of jeans. I have long skirts made from jeans as I had always loved the looks of em as a little girl.I never had one till I made one in my late 40’s. Much cooler than jeans in the summer heat too. Get a paisley top,go go boots,or a sequined blouse. Whatever it is that makes you reconnect with that sparkly you,go for it. Just make sure it fits properly and is cozy. Comfort is queen. 

Then have some pics taken with your drum kit,guitar or whatever you play…..and share them! I just started a Pinterest Board for female rockers 40 on up.  I just learned that for you to do this you need a Pinterest account and let me know your name ahead of time so I can add it to the board so your pic will be on there. 

New Website,Regaining A Sense Of Healthy Irresponsibility

 

Regaining a Sense of Healthy (and Fun!)  Irresponsibility  

   Not to start this entry by tooting my own horn………(but I will!)  I’ve been working on a website to spread the word about my teaching 6 & 7 string classic rock guitar as well as bass- I’m offering these lessons for those who want to start playing as well as those returning to the instrument after a long absence. Click the link to the right side of this page to go see it in all it’s retro glory!

“Music in itself is genderless- it’s who we see playing that gives the illusion of such.”- Sherrie Hoyer

That came to me while I was doing my morning pondering and scribbling-it was “placed in my head” as so many insights often are. We can assume that rock music is a male dominated field- I say assume as it’s the media machine that dictates what the public sees and what it doesn’t. There was an all girl group some years back that started by accident-these ladies,as I recall,were all married,had kids,and somehow the idea started of playing rock music. Each one either went back to or picked up an instrument-and they became a pretty popular “underground” band.  The computer I followed them on died,and then they wandered out of my memory-but I hope they’re still playing.

 

     There is also the misplaced myth that being a rock musician means that one gets labeled as irresponsible. In today’s world,which has gotten into being overly serious, one of the things women think about now is how seriously everything one does affects their potential for keeping or getting a job- especially that many places of employment think they have the divine right to go looking at ones social media pages and judge us on that. 

    .  If being a rocker is falsely deemed as irresponsible, one can be afraid to be that-especially if it affects one’s ability to have a job and be taken seriously. (unless,of course,you’ve “made it big” and are bringing in loads of $$ in which case you’re excused) I dare to say this: your work record already speaks for itself. If your boss suddenly has a cow because you’re putting a rock band together,they never appreciated you anyway and there’s a better place of employment for you. 

The forgetting here is the fact that for 98% of us,we got into playing rock as kids. As teens,weren’t we supposed to be carefree with no responsibilities??? Of course we were,tho there were some of us with responsibilities that were actually meant for the adults,but got tossed on us anyway. 

Studies that have been done show that playing an instrument keeps you young in mind,body,and soul. Hearing music you listened to as a youth literally keeps you young due to the fact the chemicals released in your body when you hear those songs. 

In short,I think what society needs is to become irresponsible in a healthy way. Has being so dead serious on everything accomplished anything??? (aside from the stress of it bringing on extra weight,headaches,and other health issues?) 

So lets do healthy irresponsibility. Quit “acting your age”.  Get new strings for your guitar. Buy that one pedal effect you’ve been wanting. Buy the drumsticks while they’re on sale with a practice pad and start using it. Take the drumsticks with you to your job & tap out a rhythm on the edge of a cement planter while on break or lunch. Yes,like you used to. Wear a guitar pick pendant. Get a TAB book of those tunes you always wanted to learn. Put a 8X10 of Led Zeppelin on your desk. Start wearing T shirts of your favorite bands. Tap into joy again. 

And to address another myth,ladies……….

   I wanted to bring up the fact how often we women stop ourselves from being known as rockers as we advance in to our 30’s and beyond due to some unspoken invisible belief that playing rock music is to be only for the young. And it’s been perpetuated by artists like Grace Slick,who quit singing because she felt herself to be “too old” tho her voice is still there. While I respect the choice that Grace made for herself, I also feel this is typical of many women,where men don’t even get into this trap. Mick Jagger is still romping around on stage,Steppenwolf,last I heard,is still performing or recording,and Steve Perry is still singing. I’m betting none of these guys ever questioned if they were now “too old” to do what they do. 

so why do we? And if it gets into our physical appearance, I had a flash of insight about that- for one,media only shows youthful chicks playing music,and for another thing,there’s been hardly any women out there 40+ in rock anymore. In other words,I believe that due to not having any “role models” for lack of a better term,we just decide we shouldn’t be out there playing rock music or having pics taken with our guitars,basses,etc. It’s time for a change here. We need to step it up,we must answer the call and become the role models we’re missing. 

Summertime Zen Playing

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angels, bass, Buddah, drums, focusing on playing, Ganesha, inner critic, lead guitar, Led Zeppelin, Musicians, Practicing music, Quan Yin, rhythm guitar, rock and roll, rock music, Saraswati, women in rock, women rock musicians, Zen

     While I’ve written about it in my other blog,I thought I’d mention it on here,too. I’ve picked up a book to re-read that I got a few years back in which the author shares the ways of Zen and bringing it into your musical practice. The main beginning point is to be in a true present,which means when you’re sitting with your bass,your guitar,etc your mind and heart- all of yourself is there also. Think about it- how many times have we all sat down to learn a song or technique,while our inner critic is yammering about a ton of things,like the fact you need to vacuum,you have a bill due next week,some conversation you had with someone recently,and so on and so on? You may go thru the motions of playing,but in the end,more than likely,you retained little if anything during that time. The tune didn’t stick in your head, the new to you chord forms didn’t take,and you feel like you’ve hit a plateau in your playing…..a brick wall. It isn’t your playing,it’s from a lack of being where you’re supposed to be at. 

     It’s your inner critic playing it’s old tricks to keep you stuck and hoping you’ll put the guitar down and go vacuum instead. Getting angry with your inner critic doesn’t help,BTW. It only feeds it. So- how do we deal with the inner chatter and get more out of our time with the instrument we’ve chosen to play? 

     I start off with sitting and taking a few slow deep breaths- on the inhale I remind myself that I’m here to spend quality time with my bass. On the slow exhale,I release any pressing/distracting thoughts such as dishes or bills,etc. I settle within myself and become truly present. There’s a mystic who wrote a beautiful quote that I can’t recall word for word- but it goes something like “as you tune your instrument you tune yourself also,and bring yourself in alignment with it” That idea has stuck with me ever since I read it,and so now for the past few years,when I’m tuning,I inwardly align myself with the spirit of my instrument…..my playing.

    Now,your inner critic isn’t going to like this-and more than likely in the middle of your playing it’s going to send some thoughts crashing right into your mind to distract you. When this happens,simply mentally say “Thank you for sharing” and mentally go right back to what you were doing. Your “ego mind” (the part that wants to keep you small) more than likely will be perplexed at this and not know what to do. You acknowledged it,thanked it,but has nothing to feed on. So it may send a few more disturbing to you thoughts or memories,in which you are to give the same response. In time,this will subside.

    You can also enhance your playing space with a few visual cues for getting in the “Zen Zone” such as an electric candle in a holder. Have the electric candle going before you start to work with your breathing. If you’re a buddhist,perhaps a small statue alongside the candle,or an Angel, Quan Yin,or Saraswati. Whatever your path,if you choose,have a small picture or statue that reflects your path. This can be very helpful in setting the tone of your practice and enhance your focus. 

     Be aware of the tricks your inner critic will play as well. How many times have you sat down wanting to learn a tune,look at the tab,and in your head comes the statement “I’ll never get this down” “This is too hard” or “I’m not good enough to play this yet?” That is your inner critic seeking to keep you small. I was totally sabotaged as a teen when I took a music theory class. I went in with the thought it was going to be beyond my ability to understand it,that it was too complicated,and guess what- my intention came to pass. I didn’t understand a single thing in that class and I was too embarrassed to ask questions as I was the only girl in the class and didn’t want to appear to be dumb. My inner critic convinced me I wasn’t smart enough and I had mental block after mental block about everything presented to me. 

     So when the inner critic hits you with the previous false statements,again,tell it “thank you for sharing” and start working on that tab-even if it takes a couple of measure of it at a time. Work with the song,get the riffs or lead down,starting slow at first,and then progress from there.