Practices Practising Practises
Practices Practising Practises
Hey Guys,
In short - kind of - the biggest improvements in my playing have been in 2 specific areas - Mental Approach and Technical Proficiency.
Technical Proficiency is always good to have but if you can't apply it in a creative way then the musicality can become questionable. I struggle with this all the time. I'm aware of it while playing onstage. It's hard to come up with interesting ideas all the time. Sometimes "me finnders" decided to run amok while my brain attempts to refocus on a more musical approach.
Learning new stuff is fun and difficult at the same time. New doors open up and new perspectives give birth to new ideas. With the amount of touring we do I have the opportunity to explore the new things I'm working on and apply them on a regular basis. This is the only way that new ideas can become second nature. This is the true evolution of my playing. And it's ongoing!
The mental approach is much more challenging than the technical approach. It requires more concentration and awareness of flaws.
I feel that Frank's playing is so unique and great to listen to because at times there is a reckless abandonment of technical precision present when he seeks to execute his musical idea. In other words, his first goal is to make music - spontaneously - and if he doesn't have the chops at the moment to execute his musical idea it doesn't really matter because what he might be lacking in technical execution is more than made up for in attitude!
Attitude and intent in phrasing are far more devastating and memorable to a listener than awesome displays of technique.
Frank did not rely on pre-composed guitar licks. He reacted in the moment. That is why it sounds like he never repeats himself even after 13-15 minutes of soloing.
That is the hardest part of the mental changes I have been working on. I'm trying to free my mind of pre-composed ideas that I have practiced before and put myself in the position to react to the moment.
It's quite difficult to change more than 20 years of instinctive behavior! I'm making progress though.
Anyway, on the new record, "Return Of The Son Of" I have selected some versions of songs that show a range in my playing that best represents these concepts. Playing in the moment!
I can't wait for you all to hear it in it's entirety.
Thanks for your interest. DZ
Although I am not a guitarist..I do believe that attitude is parallel with performance. It always shows through with the greatest guitarist. Guys like..Vai,Van Halen,Vaughn(funny all V's) just to name a few are to me so distinct that I can name the player just by hearing the first few notes..The same applies to Frank. Franks technique was rare..He always amazed me(still does) at what he projected through his guitar. Dweezil you are a amazing guitarist..The apple has not fallen far from this tree..I look forward to hearing you progress with time..Can't wait for some new original stuff(You should play some when your out with ZPZ)I'm sure the fans would love to hear some of your own work along with the work of your fathers. Look forward to the upcoming year!
I have always found that just messing around with the band and doing a lot of Free Jazz stuff helps that a lot. when I first moved to San Francisco in the early 80's I hooked up with these really heavy musicians and the leader of the gang would have us do all these exercises and he commented on how easily I took to it. because I listened to a lot of Zappa, Ornette Colman and Eric Dolphy as a teenager I told him. I used to take that approach to making up goofy comedy tapes too. just say the first thing that comes to your mind and don't hesitate.
Only you can "do it". If it feels right to you then us fans will love it.
Feed me Dweezil.
Even as a non-expert musician, I hear exactly what you are talking about.
I've been unemployeed lately, and playing the local classical music station a lot. (How stressed out can you get listening to classical?) But one of my complaints with classical music is that there is much emphasis on playing all the notes correctly an in time, but there is no emotional content in the playing. When I do here a classical recording with emotional content, or attitude, it blows me away.
In rock and jazz, there can be much more emphasis on attitude than techique. You can here this in vintage live Janis Joplin recordings, which are technically sloppy but have intense attitude.
I would guess the biggest challenge for musicians would mantaining the attitude while on long tours. I can here it when musicians are playing on auto-pilot. Playing a song you've playing 1000 times before probably is not difficult. The difficult part would be placing yourself in the right mental/emotional place to create the music in that time and place and convery the right emotion to the audience. I think the acts that still play large venues decades aft…Read more
Dancar I could not agree with you more, I really is al about the feel not the perfection to me. I used to jam with a classicaly trained keyboardest, he would worry so much about what he should play to be technically correct that always missed the moment. 90% of the time the a mistake will go right by the audience. If one wants perfect listen to a record.
I agree with thepoodlebites, a few of your own compositions thrown into the mix on tour would be great for FZ/DZ fans such as myself,
Cheers, Shaun
P.S.I think you're doing a top job on the improv solos!
I agree with thepoodlebites, a few of your own compositions thrown into the mix on tour would be great for FZ/DZ fans such as myself,
Cheers, Shaun
P.S.I think you're doing a top job on the improv solos!
I think Frank once said about guitar playing and solos that he likes to think of them "having a conversation" or guitars talking to each other with stops and pauses, he also said he thought there were a number of solos live that were rubbish or "didn't work out" (I think it might have been a quote referring to which ones he picked for the "Shut Up n Play Yer Guitar" series). I think these are inspirational "freeing" quotes, and not being afraid of letting yourself go or letting fear of "not working out in the moment" hold you back...Go for it Dweez!
I have played bass guitar for years and got to the point were I did not practice by myself. Then came keyboards with so many sounds I was hooked. I now practice ever chance I get. I still play bass and my playing is better than ever. I started letting the recorder roll for 30 minutes, I tell the band to imrov and we they make a mistake just vamp & change. Its amazing what happens. But the key is practice.
Dweezil It makes me feel better to hear you have the problem with the fingers running amok. I thought my ADD was to blame. I just wanted to thank you for doing what you are doing. This is real hard stuff. Frank Is Proud. You and the band are doing a great job.
Den
The creative mind is often too critical of the little "mistakes" which only exist in the mind of the creative genous. As the admirer of the finished product we too are often in the moment, we don't see or hear the mistake and it becomes the perfect moment, the perfect note. Perhaps when the artist stops finding the "mistakes" the artist can enter an in the moment conciousness. Perhaps there are no mistakes ...
Glad you and the band are out there doing what you do! See you soon.
Improvisation is the key! Along with years of training. Miles Davis didn't just start playing his own style of music. He started by learning everyone else's. On a complete side note. Did anyone catch Clark Terry's Lifetime music Achievement award? This was done by a brief introduction given by Quentin Terentino who then proceeded to thrash about as he even more excitedly and boisterously starts shouting out some group of thugs ready to "perform" the best d**n thing in music this minute. Some dudes that couldn't even keep their pants up, let alone carry a tune. Miles would have shot them with a cold, mean stare.
Ok. Back to improvisation.
P.S. Small errors don't mean a thing. When looking at the whole musical picture, and the depth of the brush strokes. Any artist would admire the diversity of the pallet being used.
P.S.S. Phish.
Thanks Dweezil! I really like what you've done with this. Some of it even sounds better than the original. Sheila is pretty d**n amazing. The whole band is!
I think we're all on a constant quest to improve. I'm always working on my picking. I'm a lefty playing right handed. Yes, I've tried playing lefty and I can't do it lol.
My left hand is my most dexterous and feels like it "belongs" on the fingerboard. The problem I have most is getting the right hand to keep up with it...it's a constant quest.
I like your mental approach, DZ. After the last ATL show you told my friend when she asked "how do you DO that and look SO calm?!", "the first step is to remain calm".
Made so much sense. I don't think that could be possible during G Spot Tornado though.
Thanks for this. It helps me BIG TIME!! I am now starting to learn the sweep picking approach to picking and I am finding it to be REALLY fun!! Take care all!!