Blog

I write in Chicago. I’ve been living in this city almost all my adult life. I love this place. I have traveled quite a bit all over the world. I’ve lived in France, in a lot of different towns in France. I’ve lived in Italy. Oh, Italy! The beauty of everything,Read More

Hey! We made it! We are, after all, in 2018. And congratulations! Like every beginning, we need to think of what we will put in that New Year. How, if you will, we shall fill up the vase. Those decisions need careful thinking and consideration. Of course, every one wants to get aRead More

I just learnt that Justin Bieber was a drummer. Actually, he still plays a bit of his show on the drums. So, it would be fair to say that Justin Bieber is a working drummer. I think that’s great. And why not? Justin is someone that a lot of young people look up to. He hasRead More

Ok, so, to resume. Oh, you know the story. I’m not going to resume. If you are reading part 2, it’s because you know what part 1 is. Very well. As I was saying: think. Always! But there are many kinds of thinking (Did you know that?) For example, you can thinkRead More

When one tries to make it as a pro, one has to develop a nose, if you will, for people and situations. One has to make decisions upon those intuitions, those signs that things could go south very quickly. Because music life is full of surprises. Good ones and bad ones. The ratioRead More

So, you are doing good. Your life is on this track. The bills are paid, the friends are warm, the car is as reliable as a fridge. Your girlfriend is sweet, your pets are wagging their tails. As I said: you are doing good. You are doing great. And then there is a parking ticket.Read More

There is a dead season for musicians. It is fast approaching now. We are about 5 days away from it, as a matter of fact. Because right after New Year’s eve, that is it! The gigs will be few and far between. For a month or two, you have to close shop. Or, if you happen to beRead More

Following on the previous post titled “Advanced”, here is now a description of what a Professional player is. A Professional, or a “pro”, as they are called, must be prepared for anything. Anything! It means that, for reading, he must be able to read theRead More

People I teach want to know where they stand. They want to know if they would be considered beginners, intermediate, advanced players. That’s for the easy ones to classify. A lot of them have a foot in one area while being more proficient in others. It is usually a mixedRead More