Podcasts, new releases, instructional videos, and much more!
Listen or read to discover, How to know when and what to play. How to avoid “writers block” (the feeling of having no idea where to start).
How to avoid getting “in a rut” ( stuck repeating the same few ideas) How to make the other musicians you work with feel comfortable and always want to call you back
Go ahead, laugh it up. I made a POP cover video. It’s an electric violin cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”, done with a loop pedal. A musical Popsicle, if you will. “Popster McPopples”. Watch it embedded below or on Youtube here: Some people may say things like “Yes, finally!!!” and others will Read more about To Cover or Not to Cover: A Youtube Musician’s DIlemma[…]
Not only is Jean-Luc Ponty one of the first violinists to adapt the instrument to modern jazz, and one of the great innovators of jazz on any instrument, but he also may be one of the most popular and respected violinists in any genre.
As it turns out, he is also a humble spirit, and generous with his knowledge, experience, and time.
There are few greater privileges than to learn about an art form directly from one of its greatest living exponents. Combine that feeling with getting to speak with one of your personal heroes, and you have a special experience on your hands in this full interview with Jean Luc Ponty!
In this conversation, we explore key points in his development, musical conception, elements of his violin playing, and more
I’m interested in how personal development and musical practice overlap for musicians. For example, most musicians pick a “lane”, identifying primarily as performers, composers, or teachers. To keep growing after they’ve peaked, they might benefit from stepping outside that lane. That’s when they’re likely to strike a nerve. Not that anyone needs to master every Read more about What does Musical Creativity have to do with Personal Development?[…]
After so many trips to Europe I’ve learned to take my giddiness on arrival day with a grain of salt. By next week the novelty will be replaced by a touch of irritability, and I’ll be ready for the hot bar at Whole Foods again. “It’s an awesome place to visit”, I hear myself Read more about An American Violinist in Europe[…]