The Power of A Song

                Silent Night was composed in 1818 by Franz Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (lyrics).  It was first performed on Christmas Eve at St. Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf Austria.  I recently saw a movie depicting the history of this song,

                Joseph Mohr was a young priest and musician in a time when the Catholic Church was going through many changes.  There was a new ruling that mass should be held in the native language of the people.  However, many traditionalists were holding on to the traditional Latin mass. 

                Oberndorf was a poor town with many common people.  They did not attend church because the Latin mass and the ridicule of the town's elite caused them to feel excluded.  Joseph Mohr had a heartfelt burden for these people.  He wanted to share the love of God with them.

                Joseph ate his meals in the local tavern.  He sang songs with and befriended the common people in the tavern.  He encourage them to sing in the church choir.  He also began to conduct mass in German.  These efforts were opposed by the affluent members of the town and Joseph's superior.  The opposition was so great that Joseph considered giving up and transferring to a church in a different town. 

                With Christmas drawing near, Joseph decided that the town needed a special Christmas Eve concert to draw the people together.  He and Franz Gruber struggled to compose a special song for the occasion.  Everything seemed to be against them completing their task.  The traditionalists' opposition grew stronger, church attendance was down and the church organ even broke down.  Finally, they decided to set music to a poem that Joseph had written some time earlier. 

                Joseph accompanied the song on his guitar while he, Franz and the church choir sang.  The concert was well attended by both the traditionalists and the common people.  The power and expression of the song melted the hearts of the town's traditionalists and brought unity to the people.  It caused them to remember the power of God's love and the fact that they were all in need of His grace. 

                Words are amazing tools for communication.  Many great works of literature have been and will continue to be written.  Many powerful speeches and sermons have touched people's hearts and changed their lives.  However, there is something even more powerful that happens when an amazing set of words are combined with just the right touch of music.  A form of expression is created that can break through traditions and penetrate even the hardest heart.  A few verses can say more than an entire sermon.  That is the power of a song.

Connecting In Christian Music

                I have written before about connecting with the audience when giving a musical performance.  Music is meant to convey emotion.  Melodies, lyrics, rhythms, dynamics, slurs and other elements all work together to recreate a simulated experience of a past emotion that is familiar to the listener.  This is what makes music entertaining.  We can use it to pick up our spirits, or reminds about past events and feelings.  People even connect certain songs to particular memories from their past (example: the first song a couple danced to becoming “their song”). 

                Don’t get me wrong, I love music and the potential it has for emotional connection.  However, the number one thing I love is Jesus Christ.  He will always occupy the first place position in my life.  Therefore, there is another potential for connection within the music that I write. 

                Throughout the Bible there is a connection between worship and proximity to God.  Alters were often built in places where man met with God.  In addition, God often told men to take off their sandals in His presence.  In ancient Hebrew tradition a person would remove his sandal as a sign of relinquishing his rights in a given situation.  In Ruth 4, the rightful kinsmen redeemer gave his sandal to Boaz, relinquishing his right to marry Ruth.  When men take off their sandals in the presence of God, they relinquish their rights of self-lordship to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  This is an act of worship.

                James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (ESV).”  When we worship God, we acknowledge the attributes that make Him God (His goodness, holiness, love, majesty, etc.).  When the reality of these attributes is revealed to people it compels them to repent and grant Jesus lordship over their lives.  This is the ultimate act of true worship.  This experience is difficult to describe.  It extends far beyond any earthly form of emotional experience that can be expressed through regular music. 

                The concept of drawing near to God through worship is reinforced in Matthew 6 where Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray.  Verses 5-13 say:

⁵And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.  For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  ⁶But when you pray, go into you room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.   And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  ⁷And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.  ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹Pray then like this:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

¹⁰Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹Give us this day our daily bread, ¹²and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

Prayer is communication with God, which implies drawing near to Him.  In the example of prayer that Jesus provides, He starts by worshiping God in verses 9 and 10.  Verse 9 exalts the name of God and verse 10 acknowledges His lordship.  This is the same pattern mentioned in the last paragraph.

                As Christian musicians, if we only seek the earthly emotional connection we are missing out on the opportunity to spiritually connect to God.  If we are honest, all entertainment is about promoting ourselves.  We can debate about whether or not artists genuinely care about connecting with their audience, or only connecting with their wallets.  However, it is clear that many of the artistic choices they make are also to draw attention to themselves and their talent.  Just like the hypocrites in verse 5 of Matthew 6 they perform to be seen by others.  Also like the Gentiles in verse 7 they “heap up empty phrases” in an attempt to connect with their audience and be noticed.  I am not criticizing this.  I am merely pointing out that it is a regular part of musical performance. 

                Christian musicians often end up emulating these same performance tactics in their music.  By doing so, they are limiting the band and scope of connection that their music can achieve.  Since the words to our songs extend beyond the topics of earthly songs, we have a distinct advantage as Christian artists.  We have the opportunity to draw near to God through an experience of true worship, and allow others to share the experience with us.  Our songs are not constructed with mere words.  They contain truths taken out of the Word of God.  Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.” in John 6:68 (ESV).  These are the words that we have access to in the art of Christian music.  Merely using these words does not automatically cause our music to connect with God.  In the same way that earthly artists connect with the lyrics on an earthly (human) level, we need to connect with our Christian lyrics on a spiritual level.  This type of connection cannot be faked through performance.  God sees past that, and looks into our hearts as we sing.  In John 4:23-24 Jesus said, “²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  ²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (ESV).”  In this passage, Jesus explains the difference between counterfeit and true worship.   

                I understand that earthly fame, possessions and power are enticing.  I also understand that music is an art form that naturally brings out pride in all of us.  However, as Christian musicians we need to constantly remind ourselves that we are working with the “words of eternal life.”  Using these words to merely “connect to the wallets” (or Facebook pages) of the Christian community is wrong.  When I perform Christian music, I strive to connect to God through an act of true worship.  My intent through this public display of worship is for others to witness the power and beauty of the connection between God and man, and then desire to experience that connection personally.          

#1 Tip For Better Home Recordings

                As musicians we all know the famous quote, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice, practice, practice.”  We usually apply this to the development of our skills as a musician.  However, many of us fail to apply practice as the number one source of improvement in our recording and mixing skills.  Instead we purchase better equipment, watch instructional videos, read articles and purchase plugins with tons of presets.  We are always looking for a quick fix to our recording/mixing problems.  Why is that?

                Some people always want a quick fix for everything.  This is why alternative weight loss options can be such lucrative sales opportunities (by alternative, I mean other than proper diet and exercise).  However, we are not like that with our music.  Most singer/songwriters have learned the discipline of regular musical practice.  We understand the struggle involved with reaching higher levels of ability and standing out amongst the crowd of other performers. 

I think a major reason for us to search out a quick recording fix may be that we are musicians who record and mix as opposed to being primarily recording engineers.  We are already spending a good portion of our time practicing our musical performance skills.  Being a person who plays multiple instruments, I find it hard just to devote the proper amount of time to all of them.  My primary instruments are piano, saxophone and voice.  At least one of these always seems to suffer when I get serious about the other two.  If I am in the middle of a recording or mixing project, all of them suffer.  Meanwhile, my bass, drums and guitar are sitting in the corner collecting dust.

In an attempt to expedite our time management, we often look for quick fixes when it comes to recording and mixing.  Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes.  We can either pay someone who has taken the time to perfect his/her recording and mixing skills or put the time in ourselves.  My studio started with the thought “Why spend x amount of money on another album when I can build a home studio instead and make an unlimited number of albums?”  We have to realize that when we pay “x” amount to record or mix and album, we are not just paying for the use of the equipment.  We are also paying for the knowledge and experience that the engineer has acquired through years of practice. 

So, how do we practice our recording and mixing skills.  The basic answer is by spending time doing it.  The more we record or mix, the better we will get.  Pro engineers have spent countless hours training and learning.  Now they spend multiple hours per day working on projects they have been hired for.  There is no way that we will match their skills by spending one or two intermittent hours, dispersed between breaks of a week or more, practicing our skills.

Beside actual recording and mixing, we can engage in exercises that will increase our skills.  Ear training exercises can be used to familiarize ourselves with the frequency spectrum and the way that specific frequencies sound.  This will help us to make wise choices when modifying the EQ of our recorded tracks.  Dave Pensado has a You Tube channel called Into The Lair where he provides great mixing tips.  This link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xTXEDxfJwA) leads to the first of a series of videos where he discusses this type of ear training.

We can also practice miking various instruments from different distances and angles.  There are so many variables between input source, microphone placement, choice of microphone and choice of preamplifier (depending on what you own).  Before purchasing new microphones and preamplifiers, it is a good idea to have a firm understandings of the way your current equipment sounds on a variety of sound sources.  This will help us to make the right choices when in a real recording session.    

There are countless other techniques that can be practiced outside of actual recording sessions.  This, combined with actual time spent in sessions, will continue to add to our knowledge and experience.  Time is a precious commodity for most independent singer/songwriters.  We have to make the choice between paying for someone else to record us, or trying to record ourselves.  If we choose home recording, we have to find the time to raise our recording and mixing skills to an acceptable commercial level.  While pursuing this, I found that I began to enjoy recording and mixing almost as much as I love writing and performing music.  I started out just trying to save money, and ended up discovering a hidden passion.  

Enjoy Your Practice

                I know so many musicians (myself included) who have trouble practicing regularly.  There are some days where you feel driven and focused and other days where you feel like just watching television.  Why does this happen?  How could a person love music but have days where he/she does not feel like practicing music?  How could a person love music but look to other activities for relaxation instead of music? 

            Examining that last question may shed some light on this topic.  If a person is looking to other activities as a form of relaxation then he/she obviously does not find musical practice relaxing.  If this is the case, perhaps the person is not employing the proper balance of regiment and enjoyment.

            Yes, musical practice should have an element of regiment.  Scales exercises and drills all help to improve our technique.  However, we need to remember what we are building that technique for.  Musicians develop their technique to improve their ability to play music.  If you only practice drills and exercises you are missing the point.  Where is the music?  You need to also spend time playing beautiful pieces of music.  This is the time when you get to explore the qualities of your instrument that first inspired you to study it.  The tone quality, the expressiveness and the character of your instrument come to life while performing a great piece of music.  The experience of recreating beautiful musical sounds is the most rewarding part of being a musician. 

            The proper balance between technical study and musical application is extremely important in musical practice.  What is the proper balance of these elements?  There is no number or amount that can be universally applied.  Much depends on the individual and the moment.  Different people have different levels of drive and motivation.  In addition, a person’s level of motivation or drive can vary day by day. 

If you force yourself to practice scales and drills your discipline may end up being counterproductive.  The next day you may feel like taking a break from music.  Some playing is better than no playing.  Playing music (and forsaking drills) is better than playing nothing.  Each individual needs to find his/her own proper balance.  This balance will include enough drills to allow for technical progress without discouraging practice.  A good routine will also include enough musical performance to maintain an adequate level of enjoyment and relaxation.  

Driving the Beat

                I had a really interesting discussion with my band students the other day about driving the beat.  In school we are programed to get the right answer.  On homework, classwork and test we are constantly asked to provide the correct answer.  There is not as much of an emphasis on timing.  Some exams are timed, but we are usually encouraged to take our time and get it right.

                This often crosses over into our musical performance.  We prioritize the importance of the musical elements we are performing without even realizing what we are doing.  We strive to perform the correct pitches even if that means sacrificing the rhythm and timing.  We don’t even realize that we are playing the wrong timing because we are locked into that classroom mentality of taking our time and getting the right answer (pitch). 

                Which musical element is most important?  In theory, every musical element is equally important.  Pitch, rhythm, dynamics, articulation and other forms of expression all come together to create the sound that we are trying to capture in our performance.  A compromise in any of these things results in a performance that is less than perfect.

However, the audience may not be acquainted with every detail of the performance to the same degree that we are.  A slight embellishment in pitch may be perceived as an intentional adlib or even go unnoticed in some styles of music.  Rhythmic mistakes are not as forgiving, though.  Even non-musicians in the audience can feel when a song gets thrown off rhythm and loses its drive.  Suddenly, it feels as if the performer is being pulled through the song.  Energy is lost and the connection between the performer and the audience is compromised. 

Great performers need to learn how to feel the pocket of the beat and do everything possible to maintain it.  If a pitch needs to be altered or compromised in order to stay on target rhythmically, so be it.  The feel and emotional experience of the performance are more important than the accuracy of each detail.  Rhythm tends to be a musical element that has a greater impact on the overall feel of the song, especially on faster songs. 

I will never forget the musicianship my drummers displayed several years ago at an elementary school concert.  This concert took place on a warm spring day in the school gymnasium with no air conditioning.  The large number of people in attendance only added to the overall temperature of the room.  There were powerful fans mounted on the walls, but we left them off for the beginning of the concert.  The orchestra was playing first, and we were afraid that the sound of the fans would drown out the playing.  The principal decided that it was getting too hot, plus the band tends to play louder anyway.  Just as we hit the downbeat of the beginning of the first song, she turned the fans on.  The music for the entire percussion row blew off their music stands.  Each player continued to keep the beat with one hand while squatting down and picking up the music with their other hand.  The music never stopped, and by the fifth measure we were all back to business as usual with the music on the stands.  Some of the audience members did not even realize that anything happened.  Now that’s what I call driving the beat!          

Music Piracy (and The Digital World)

                I read a very interesting Forbes article on music piracy.  My intent was to find out if music piracy is actually hurting or helping the music industry in terms of sales.  Some of you may wonder how music piracy could help sales.  It all depends on the motive behind the piracy.  If people are listening to pirated versions on songs in order to get a better feel for the music (see if they like it), then having access to the full song may convince them to purchase it (the music will sell itself).  However, if people are listening to a pirated version of the song because they don’t feel like paying for it (supporting the artist is not important to them), then piracy will hurt sales. 

                This Forbes article sited two studies that had contrasting results.  In the end, the true answer wasn’t revealed.  So, why did I still like the article?  There was an interesting twist at the end where the author started to discuss the impact of the digital world on the music industry.  Instead of writing my own blog about all of this (and restating everything in the article), I thought it would be a good idea to just reference a link to the article.  Check it out.

Music Piracy: Major Studies Conflicted Over Recording Industry Impact

Pitch Correction

                Pitch correction software has come a long way over the years.  Auto-Tune used to be the only decent option out there, and it could only do so much.  Now Melodyne has joined (really changed) the game followed by many other names.  Every aspect of a note (pitch, rhythm, amplitude, vibrato depth, etc.) can be corrected or even totally changed.  Harmony parts that were never sung can be created by altering duplications of the melody.  Pitch correction can even be applied to live performances.

                There is a debate over whether or not this new technology is a good thing.  How far is too far?  Some people elect not to use it.  They feel that pitch correction takes away from the natural feel and vibe of the performance.  Others use it on everything.  Where to you stand?  I’d love to hear your comments on this.

                When I am working on projects for clients I allow them to make this decision.  I may offer suggestions, but the ultimate decision rests on them.  When I am working on my own music, I use Melodyne tastefully and sparingly.  I do not like to create harmonies or make drastic pitch changes with Melodyne.  On my voice, it just sounds too artificial.  The natural tone and vibrato of my voice does not lend itself to drastic edits in Melodyne.  In addition, I tend to use bends and inflections that don’t translate well on pitch correction. 

                I don’t agree with creating a performance that did not exist in the recording session.  When we use pitch correction to totally change the pitch or rhythm of the notes, the recording engineer is filling the role of the artists.  The artist should be the one creating the notes not the engineer.  It is a huge let-down to hear a person live in concert and realize that he/she is not the artist you thought he was. 

                However, there are times when we record a magical moment in the studio.  I feel that the most important aspect of recording is capturing an emotional and expressive performance.   What do we do when the expression and emotion was just right on a take, but there were one or two notes that were a little out of tune?  It may take a long time to recreate that type of magical performance on another take with perfect intonation.  In this type of situation, I may decide to use a slight bit of pitch correction to just fix up the rough spots of a valuable take. 

                Sometimes, we get tired or distracted while working through a recording session.  This is especially true when a person is filling the role of both the artist and recording engineer (most home studio singer/songwriters).  We may listen back to a take and think it is great during the recording session.  Then we start up the session the next day and realize there are a few pitch or timing issues with the take that we thought was perfect yesterday.  We can either set everything up again and start over, or try to fix those minor issues with pitch correction software.  

                Nobody sings perfectly all of the time, but we want our recordings to sound perfect.  If you know that you can sing it correctly, but you need to save time; pitch correction software may be a great solution.  However, if you can't sing or play in tune at all and you use pitch correction to create a performance that you cannot do on your own, then you should spend more time practicing and developing your craft.  Going to a live show and hearing a performance that sound much worse than the album is a real downer for the fans.  I know that today's pop music industry is more about image, and pitch correction is used heavily by many artists who look great and sing terribly, but I am an old fashioned kind of guy.  I think that music should be about the music.  Let's come back to an art where we appreciate well written songs and skillful musical performances.  The tasteful use of pitch correction is one step in the right direction.        

Communication

                Verbal communication is one of the most difficult aspects of human interaction.  There are so many ways to interpret words based on tone, visual expression, context and other variables.  Some people tend to focus more on visual stimulus while others focus more on sound.  Vocabulary and comprehension levels vary between individuals.  In addition, every person possesses a unique perspective shaped by the individual experiences they have encountered.  All of these factors can contribute to a situation in which two people end up perceiving the details of a conversation in two totally different ways.  It is a wonder that we manage to communicate at all.

                Music is a medium that aids us in communication.  The skilled combination of pitch, rhythm and inflection can convey emotion in a way that transcends words.  We all have vivid memories stored in our minds of moments when we have experienced deep emotions.  The right musical performance, even if it is only instrumental (no words) can trigger those memories and cause us to feel those emotions all over again.  When the music is combined with the proper words, the affect can be even more powerful. 

                This is one of the aspects of musical performance that audiences crave.  We all want to feel.  We have a desire to be understood.  When an emotional connection is made between the audience and the performer, the highest level of communication is taking place.  In that moment, music is acting like a universal translator that transcends vocabulary, comprehension level and the differences of past experience.  Both parties in the conversation are on the same page, and the connection is beautiful. 

                As musicians we constantly strive for musical accuracy in our practice time.   We use scales, technical exercises, drills and other practice techniques to raise our technical ability.  As performers, however, it is also important to practice performing.  We need to know how to express emotion in our performance.  We need to study the emotion that is trapped within the music and connect it to a past experience that we can relate to.  Then we have to combine our knowledge of this emotion with our musical technique in a way that releases the expression of the music. 

Having this type of command over our emotions is difficult.  Before a performance, many things can happen to throw our body and emotions off balance.  Carrying and setting up gear throws our muscles out of whack and makes our bodies tense.  Last minute scheduling changes, conflicts, technical issues and other problems can send our emotions on a roller-coaster.  This is all in addition to the regular anxiety that is felt due to nerves.  Somehow, we have to push past all of this and remember the emotion we felt when we were alone in the practice room connecting to the music.  We need to find a way to access that and express it through our performance.  Without genuine communication, music is just pleasant noise.      

Natural Talent vs. Acquired Skill

                When it comes to being a great musician, are people born with the ability or to they obtain it through diligent practice?  I do believe that certain individuals are born will a higher level of natural musical performance ability than others.  However, potential does not ensure achievement.  Achievement is only reached through application.  Although aptitude may aid in a more efficient pursuit of higher levels of mastery, the achievement of mastery is impossible without application.

                As a public school music teacher (of 15 years) I have observed students with high levels of aptitude who applied themselves and achieved greatness.  However, I have also had high aptitude students who did not apply themselves and were surpassed by students will lower potential but higher work ethic.    

                I often wonder, is aptitude or potential a set figure, or can it be increased.  Theoretically, potential is a set figure that represents the maximum level of achievement one can reach.  I am not convinced that the human brain/body is limited by set levels of potential, however.  Neural scientists use to think that the human brain was incapable of cell growth after a certain age.  One medical study using tracer dye to research cancer cell growth inadvertently revealed new brain cell growth in senior citizens.  This has led to other studies in the field of neural plasticity with convincing results.  If the brain is capable of new growth, then it is impossible to place limits on a person's potential for achievement. 

                Why bring all this up?  We do not have the ability to change the genetics that we have inherited.  We do, however, have the ability to make the most of (or even raise the ceiling of) the abilities we were born with.  As a young musician, I was limited in the areas of reading, dexterity and stage presence.  Through hard work I have been able to elevate my achievement in all of these areas.  I cannot prove whether I have raised my potential or just reached a higher level of my existing potential, but I have experience significant increase.  This is what every musician should strive for.  If you love music, and you desire to pursue it, then pursue it wholeheartedly.  Strive for your maximum level of achievement, and then raise the bar even higher.    

Mastering: Why Presets and Copied EQ Curves Don’t Work

                Mastering is a tough task for the DIY singer/songwriter.  Along with writing songs, practicing our music, handling all the social media and business stuff and learning how to record and mix our music; now we also have to learn the art of mastering our songs.  Even if we have the skill to learn this art and the time to practice it, having the same set of ears both mixing and mastering the same material is not ideal.  We have been listening to these songs over and over in the recording and mixing stages.  We cannot hear as objectively as a new engineer who is approaching the music from a clean slate.

                However, most of us don’t have $500-$800 to spend every time we want to come out with a new album.  Releasing singles can be even more expensive when we calculate the cost per song over time.  If only there was a plug-in that had presets that we could slap on to our mixed track and BAM, it’s mastered.  Even better, imagine if there were a plug-in that could copy the EQ curve of a commercially mastered reference track and apply it to our track. 

                These plug-ins do exist, but they are not the answer.  I know, because I have used them.  Don’t get me wrong, they are great plug-ins and I still use them.  However, I’ve changed the approach on how I use them.  Mastering is an art/skill that needs to be developed through practice.  There are no shortcuts.  If we slap on a preset or copy an EQ curve the track will sound like we slapped on a preset or copied an EQ curve.

                Why is there no easy fix?  Every mix of every song contains an enormous number of distinct and unique variables.  Yes, our track may be in a certain style and sound sort of like a particular commercial track.  However, I doubt that the same instruments, amps, microphones, preamps, microphone placement, compressors, outboard equalizers and playing/singing styles were used when the two tracks were created.  I’ve just listed some of the many variables that make our track vastly different from the commercial reference we have in mind.  In some ways, we want to be different.  If our music sounds like a copy of something else out there we will never stand out.  Why listen to a copy when you can have the original?

                Let’s come back to the topic of mastering.  One thing I have learned through the many articles, videos, courses and hours in the studio is that the changes we make with mastering should be subtle.  Yes, there can be a drastic difference between the sound of a raw and a mastered mix, but this is the result of many layers of subtitle changes.  Looking at EQ as an example, the differences between our track and the commercial reference track mentioned in the last paragraph could result in a different master EQ curve.  Drastic changes to EQ in the mastering stage result in an unnatural sounding master.  EQ is one of the many subtitle layers that we affect in mastering.  If the differences between our track and the reference is great enough then applying a reference EQ curve will cause too drastic of a change.  In this type of situation we need to apply subtle EQ changes that place our track in the ball park of that musical style.  This requires skill and practice, not a quick fix curve.  We could also go back to the mix and make more drastic EQ changes to individual track, but this also requires skill.

                Mastering presets also fail to recognize the subtle differences within our unique tracks.  Yes, the preset may have been designed by a mastering professional, but what was he or she listening to at the time.  Chances are that track is not identical to ours.  The only way to truly enhance the subtle differences of our track is to apply true mastering techniques through listening and adjusting.  A preset may be a good starting point for a track that fits into a particular style, but tweaking that preset according to the details of our track will yield a more specific and tailored result. 

                Just like diets, exercise and all the other gimmicks out there; with mastering there are no shortcuts.  A high quality result can only be achieved through hard work, specific attention to the details of the track and practice.  If things in life really could come easy, then everyone would be able to do everything.  If we really want our masters to stand out as DIY artists, we have to put the time in and learn our craft.  The results will be worthwhile in the end.    

Don't Lose Your Spark

                Being an independent singer/songwriter is a big task.  There are so many hats to wear.  You have to stay on top of booking, marketing, web presence, fan relations, accounting and many other things.  There are tones of blogs and articles out there that give advice on how to maximize your efforts in all of these thing.  There are also many blogs and articles that talk about not being a lazy musician who just sit around practicing or writing all day.  We can't just make music and wait for success to fall into our laps.

                I agree that success must be diligently pursued on all fronts.  However, I question why there are hardly as many articles or blogs encouraging singer/songwriters to keep playing and writing.  Perhaps people feel that we do not need encouragement to be diligent in these areas since these are the activates we naturally tend to do. 

                It is true that I would consider sitting at my piano and getting lost in my music much more enjoyable than sitting in front of a spreadsheet and updating my accounting information.  However, I do think that we need to be reminded to hold on to our spark from time to time.  Our spark is that passion that we have for playing and writing music.  The passion that compelled us to pursue an industry where such a large population of competition is trying to squeeze through such a small window for success.  The passion that caused us to drive all over to gigs that paid less than half what we were worth just for an opportunity to perform. 

                Yes, we can't just be wrapped up in the music.  Yes, we have to be diligent on all fronts, but the spark is in the music.  That's what people come to hear.  That's what separates artists from entertainers.  When there is passion behind the music a magical moment is shared in each performance.  That magic is what gets people to leave there homes and purchase a ticket.  That magic is what builds a fan base.

                After countless nights of singing to five (or less) people, hauling tons of gear, endless book keeping, minimal pay, and frustrating rejection we can easily lose the spark that started it all.  Days can go by without touching our instrument.  Maybe we are just too busy.  Even worse, we may not be in the mood.  The activity that we once found so fulfilling is now a chore.  Somewhere along the way it transformed from fun to work and we find it harder and harder to get lost in our music. 

                So I say, yes, let's keep up with our accounting and update our website.  Let's keep hitting the phone, emails, blogs and street.  Let's do all those diligent, business type things, but above all let's love making music.  Let's stay connected to our passion.  Let's inject that spark into every song we write, chord we play and note we sing.  Music without spark is just pleasant sounding noise.  Let's not lose our spark.

Music For Music's Sake

                Music's value and identity have come under attack in recent years.  I have written posts in the past entitled Is Christian Music Dead?, Albums vs. Singles, The Death of Iconic Music, Entertainer vs. Artist, The Value of Music and What Ever Happened to the Art of Writing A Song.  One of these posts was actually a link to an interview of Gene Simmons.  A quick search on the web will reveal many other blogs written with similar topics.  It seem as if many people agree that music as a form of art and expression is declining in value.

                What is causing this decline?  There are many contributing factors.  As a music educator, I am a firsthand witness to one of these factors, so it is the one I will write about.  Music in our schools is under attack.  I happen to teach in NY state, so the facts I am discussing pertain to NY State schools (but I'm sure other states have similar situations). 

                The actual NY State mandates for music education are very limited.  The elementary school music mandate could be fulfilled by the classroom teacher conducting a musical activity in class.  Most schools  go above and beyond the mandate because having a good music program makes the district more desirable.  However, the constant threat of program cuts places and enormous burden on music teachers and administrators to validate their programs. 

                This minimal mandate by the state makes it difficult to win a validity argument based in the internal value of the subject.  The state has already place a low value on the subject of music based on the low mandate of required teaching.  Music education professionals often use the link between music and other subjects in an attempt to add validity.  They will point out the math skills, reading skills, historical facts, and study skills that are covered in music.  In their minds, Pulling from the weight of these other subject adds validity to the subject of music.

                However, this mindset detracts for the inherent value of music as a subject of its own.  Teachers are forced to include cross-curriculum planning in every lesson.  This leaves less time for focusing on the artistic and performance aspects of music.  Common core and APPR have only expounded on this dilemma.  Along with the additional material, band and orchestra teachers are being given less time for their pull-out lessons.  Teachers are forced to employ any means necessary to pull-off a good concert. 

                This scenario results in us raising a generation that has a different outlook on music.  None of these students get to experience music as a form of art and expression while in school.  As they mature and enter the workforce the definition of music is reshaped.  Those who follow other career paths are the new spectators of music.  The criteria that drive them to purchase singles, albums and concert tickets are different from past spectators.  They do not look for deep forms of artistic expression, because they were never taught how to appreciate the artistic value of music.  This shift affects the sales data, and ultimately the type of music that producers aim to sell.

                In addition, those in the future generation who go on to create and perform music have a limited education and outlook compared to the musicians of the past.  Many see music as an extra-curricular activity that can easily be pursued with minimal effort.  Only the upper percentile with high levels of natural talent and inner drive go on to create music with artistic value.  They are booked for the few elite performance venues available.  Venues of lower artistic value are swamped by low level performers who are willing to play for little or no money.  The rest of the musicians who fall in the middle are left with no opportunities.          

                As I mentioned earlier, there are many reasons why music as a form of art and expression is declining in value.  However, I think the decline of music education in our schools is definitely a contributing factor.  We may be teaching the next Beethoven, Mozart, Beetle or Elvis.  The course of that individuals future may very well be shaped by the music education that he/she and his/her future audience receives.  If we could get rid of all the political nonsense and come back to teaching music for music's sake, imagine the impact that would result.  

Is Christian Music Dead?

                I experienced a huge disappointment today.  Over the weekend I purchased several new albums on ITunes.  I was looking forward to listening to one in particular today.  I had only heard a few songs from this artist, but it seemed like his writing and performance style are right up my alley.  I won't mention names, because I am not writing to single out or bash individuals.  I will mention that he is a secular artist.  The debate of whether or not Christians should listen to secular music may make a good post for another day, but that is not today's topic.  I have felt uninspired buy much of the Christian music being released lately (part of the reason why I haven't purchased much music lately) and have begun to expand the boarders of my music collection.  I am not saying that all Christian artists are like this.  I find Jimmy Needham very inspirational for example.  He really knows how to "say it like it is."  However, these inspirational few don't crank out albums fast enough to keep me going. 

                Getting back to today's topic, I eagerly began to listen to this new album on the way to work.  The first few song were great.  Some I had heard once before and others were new.  I continued to listen during my lunch and prep. periods while I chipped away at paperwork.  This is when the disappointment hit me.  I came upon several songs that had blatantly and forcefully liberal messages.  For me, the words to these songs detracted from any musical quality they may possess.  I ended up turning off the music and working in silence.

                This caused me to think about the double standard in today's society that is skewed against Christianity.  When Christians include any aspect of their viewpoint in a discussion, debate or form of entertainment they are labeled as bullies who are pushing their religion upon others.  However, when non-Christians include their viewpoints in the same types of arenas they are viewed and open-minded individuals who are educating and raising awareness to cultural and social differences. 

                Part of the issue is that the entertainment and media industries are predominantly controlled by non-Christians.  They have the power to block the production and sale of material containing messages that they don't agree with.  In addition, Christian views are just not popular in today's society.  Views that are not popular are not going to fit in pop music. 

                Finally, non-Christians within media and entertainment are more fervent about expressing their beliefs.  In the game of spreading their view they are "in it to win it" as Randy Jackson would say.  Many Christians are in it to make it.  Christian musicians (myself included) want to make it as an artist.  Why?  Well, we want our music to be heard.  That is the whole reason why we write and record it.  Often we feel that the only way to be heard is to get signed to a major record label, sell a ton of albums, go on big tours and be famous.  If watering down our lyrics and trying to emulate secular pop music will help us to achieve this, we are willing to do it.  Watering down can mean using the word love instead of Jesus in a lyric.  It may also mean writing about only the popular Christian topics and avoiding challenging ones.  After all, people want to be entertained.  If they want to be challenged, they will listen to a sermon, not a song. 

                I am not saying this is the case for all Christian artists all the time, but most face it.  I would be willing to say that any Christian artists who claims to have never even thought about this issue may be lying (or in denial).  How many times have you heard of Christians artists who end up crossing over into secular music?  The number of secular artists who started off singing in the Christian church is probably even higher.  You don't, however, hear about secular artists crossing over into the Christian music genre too often.  This sad truth demonstrates the fact that compromise (for many Christians) is acceptable while in the pursuit of success.  The very existence of this compromise validates the non-Christian argument that Christians are incorrect.  If the Christian view is correct, why are so many willing to lay it aside in the pursuit of fame? 

                As Christian artists, we need to remember that God is all powerful.  He gave us our gifts and talents for a purpose.  Yes, music is meant to be a form of entertainment, but it is also an effective form of communication.  If we are willing to lay down our pursuit of fame and wholeheartedly seek to honor God through our music we may be able to have an equal or even greater impact as secular music.  If we seek to be original, honest and true to our convictions, then people may perceive our honesty and be compelled to listen.  People need to feel something in the music they are listening to.  If the artist is singing about something they don't believe (just because it is popular) the feeling becomes flat an uninspired.  I would love to play for larger crowds and sell more music, but I would much rather write and sing about what I feel is true even if it isn't popular.  My inspiration flows from my feelings and beliefs.  Once I stray from that source, I lose my identity as an artists.  

Albums vs. Singles

                Digital distribution has had a huge impact on song writing and music production.  In the day of CD sales, an album was made as a cohesive unit.  On a good album, each song was somehow related to the next.  Listening to an entire CD took the listener on a musical journey.  There were one or two main songs that were also released as singles.  These songs acted as hooks to pull you in.  However, the journey of listening to the whole album revealed other songs that grew to be just as (or even more) significant. 

                I believe that today's technology age is feeding the development of ADD in society.  Digital distribution is one example of this.  Now very few people have the patience to listen to an entire album.  Most people do not purchase the entire album.  Many do not even purchase singles due to the rampant abuse of file sharing (as mentioned in my 9/8/14 post).  Music listeners own digital devices with hard drives full of random singles.  These devices are either programmed to play playlists (the modern day mix-tape) or set on shuffle mode.  The listening experience is a random smattering of artists and styles.

                Artists still try to create cohesive albums, but they know that most listeners will not experience the album in its entirety.  In order to convince people to purchase the whole album they attempt to make every song a hit single.  We now have whole albums full of hook songs.  Some people may say this is a good thing because it eliminates filler songs and raises the quality of the album.  However, this process of album creation and listening eliminates the journey.  It is difficult to create an album full of hit singles that also acts as a cohesive unit.  It is even more difficult to listen to such an album as a cohesive unit.  Most people will jump around to their favorite songs as if they are determining the results of a popularity contest. 

                The breakdown of the album in the digital age has also resulted in the breakdown of the message delivered through music.  Since the listener has a shorter attention span, the artist has to get his or her message across in one song.  The age of spreading a message across an entire album and taking the listener on a journey is over.  Plus, your one song message has to be short and sweet.  Anything that is too deep will lose the attention of the average listener.  Every single is competing for space on the average listener's current playlist.  A strong beat, catchy hook and light mood often make it to the top of the list.  Listeners don't want to be challenged, they want to have their ears tickled.  Call me old fashioned, but I am not into tickling.  I enjoy substance and meaning.  I'm not saying we should go back to vinyl, but I do miss the days when we use to write and listen to real music.

True Excellence

                What does it take to be truly excellent at something?  I use to think I knew the answer to that question.  I was always a good student with a straight “A” average.  I diligently completed my homework and studied, but not to a fanatical degree.  Good grades seem to come easily to me as long as I applied myself at a normal and competent level.  I’ll admit that part of this was due to my natural ability to learn new concepts quickly.  My brain seems to be custom made for the way information is taught in school.

                However, I have also come to realize that the bar is not set for true excellence in school.  By true excellence, I mean reaching the point where one is considered exceptional.  By definition the term exceptional implies exclusivity.  If many people were able to achieve this level, then it would not be the exception.  Setting this as the level of mastery within the school system would frustrate many of the students.  Instead, we set a level that is achievable by many who apply themselves. 

                In the real world, however, things function differently.  Average and even above average individuals all get lumped into a nameless and faceless group of workers within society.  They earn average salaries, receive average levels of recognition and achieve average level accomplishments.  Only exceptional individuals stand out.  When you can do something that no one else (or very few) can do, people take notice. 

                In today’s information and technology age it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve the level of exceptional.  Anyone with access to the internet has the ability to self-publish literature, visual art, music or videos.  This means that the population of individuals competing for the status of exceptional is greater than in the past.  In addition, the amount of entertainment and leisure activities available are ever increasing.  Time spent in these activities does not aid an individual in advancing to a state of exceptional achievement. 

                There are only 24 hours in each day.  How we chose to spend those hours determines what we accomplish each day.  As a musician, I need to balance my practice time with my personal walk with God, a full time job (public school music teacher), family time, time spent studying the art of recording/mixing, time spent with the other aspects of my ministry/business (blogs, videos, public relations, etc.) and time spent with the upkeep of my house/cars.  I probably haven’t even listed everything here, but these were the first things that came to mind.  It is impossible to be exceptional at all of the things I just listed.  I would have to choose one (or two if I’m Superman) to focus on while maintaining the others as best as possible.  How do you choose?  I think this is another factor that separates exceptional people from the rest.  They have an ability to focus on one thing and block out everything else.  We see the aspect of their lives that is exceptional, but we don’t see the degree to which every other aspect suffers in order to achieve this exceptional status. 

In the end, is it worth it?  Is it better to be exceptional at one thing and negligent in every other area of your life, or competent at every aspect of your life.  If I were going to strive to be exceptional, what aspect of my life would I focus on?  That is a discussion for a different day (literally).  This is a Monday (Music) blog, and I write another blog on Fridays (Real Life) that covers those topics.  

The Death Of Iconic Music

                My wife showed me a blog this weekend written by Nick Simmons.  He interviewed his father, Gene Simmons, on the death of rock and the current shift in the music industry.  They discussed the lack of iconic artists in today industry, and the lack of financial support for songwriters and rock artists due to file sharing.  The interview touched on things that I have mentioned in past posts, and went deeper into the state of the music industry.  Rather than attempt to write on this topic myself, I would like to refer you to this source.  Here is a link to the interview: 
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/gene-simmons-future-of-rock

As a disclaimer - Gene Simmons does use a sparse amount of vulgar language within the post.  I personally chose to ignore that since the quality of the discussion and content was so high.  

Entertainer vs. Artist

                On August 18th, Josh Groban made a very profound statement while hosting Rising Star.  He said, "An entertainer gives people what they want; an artist gives people what they didn’t know they wanted.”  He was speaking about artists who poses a truly creative talent.  They can see past fog of current success and popularity.  They have the vision and courage to create moments that raise the bar of musical entertainment. 

                I was thinking about this concept during my Orlando vacation.  It seems that amusement parks suffer from the same issue.  It is difficult to come up with an entertainment concept that is original.  Every ride I went on reminded me of at least three others from either the same or a competing park. 

                The truth is that all creative people are scared.  We are scared that our audience will not appreciate our creation.  Commercial entities like amusement parks and record labels seek assurance of audience acceptance.   They cannot afford to invest in a creation that does not earn them a profit.  If a ride or a song proves itself to be successful it becomes a mold for future creations.  They take the same concept, change a few minor details and call it a new creation. 

                This is the method of an entertainer.  They find out what the people want and supply it.  Larger entertainment entities will mass produce a concept until the interest in is runs dry.  Music labels utilize this process to such a degree that every song on the charts sounds the same.  Small scale musical entertainers join in the process by performing popular cover songs exactly the way the original artist recorded them. 

                True artists find it very difficult to conform to this method.  We want to express our ideas and push the boundaries of entertainment into new and exiting territories.   Unfortunately, we become torn between the desire to create and the desire to make money at our craft.  It is far easier to land paying gigs as a talented cover artist or tribute band as opposed to an original act.  My wife faces the same dilemma in photography.  She could easily achieve monetary success as a wedding or portrait photographer.  However, she desires to create art and inspire people. 

                All creative people need to consider this trade-off while planning their strategy.  If you are a pure artists, you may have to retain a separate occupation and pursue your art on the side.  If you can stomach some compromise, you may pursue entertainment as an occupation while dabbling in artistry.  The main point to take away from all of this is that it is important to know yourself, know how things work in the world, and find the best way for these two things to coexist.  Artists who do not take the time to understand these things find themselves constantly frustrated.  The world is naturally resistant to change and reluctant to explore new things.  Artists need to find ways to disarm this resistance if they are going to "... gives people what they didn’t know they wanted."

 

Monitors (part 3 - the nature of sound)

                We are going to wrap up this discussion on monitors by talking about the nature of sound and how it affects the monitor mix.  Ambient sound is very different from the sound that comes out of a speaker.  There is not enough time or space on this post to discuss all of the reasons for this, but I will try to touch on the main points.  I will also try to describe things in a less technical, more down to earth manner.

                All sound is produced by vibration.  Try to picture a grand piano in your mind.  Think about the sound board, what it looks like and how it vibrates.  Think about what the piano sounds like from the perspective of the player, standing next to it (in front of the opening) or standing several feet away.  The complexity and variety of just this one ambient sound example is amazing. 

                Now think about a stereo pair of microphones picking up this sound from a specific location.  All of the other vantage points are lost, and the complexity of the ambient sound is reduced.  The sound is transformed into electrical impulses which travel through wires and sound equipment.  Finally these electrical impulses cause a pair of speakers to vibrate in an attempt to recreate the sound.  The size and shape of the speaker cones are very different from the sound board of the piano.  The directionality of the speaker sound signal is also much more focused when compared to the wide dispersion pattern of the piano sound board. 

                This one example of electronic sound recreation paints a pretty good picture of the differences between ambient and speaker generated sound.  Classical musicians are purists when it comes to this topic.  If you attend a classical concert in a true concert hall, no (or hardly any) microphones and speakers are used for amplification.  If you do see microphones, they are probably being used for recording.  The hall is designed to naturally amplify the sound presented from the stage and apply a beautiful ambient reverb.  The musicians hear themselves and each other through ambient sound only.  The "monitor mix" (if we can call it that) is manipulated by the positioning of the musicians on the stage. 

                Unfortunately, not all music is capable of achieving this natural balance.  A single acoustic guitar in a club or stadium will never be able to compete with a drum set and the other instruments in the band.  Electric guitars and bass guitars are not even designed to produce much ambient sound.  The tone is created through electronic signals received through pickups and then transmitted through amplifiers.  To achieve balance, performers with these elements and environments need to use sound systems to provide the proper amplification and balance of sound.    

                Although speaker vibration can never exactly replicate ambient sound, separation helps with intelligibility.  Separating a sound source across a wide array of speakers (like surround sound) helps to achieve some of the space found in ambient sound.   However, monitor mixes are usually transmitted in mono through one speaker per performer (or group of similar performers).  Can you imagine how many speakers it would take to provide separate surround sound mixes for every performer?  The more sound signals you try to cram into one mono speaker (or a pair of stereo ear buds), the more cramped, muddy and unintelligible everything gets.

                The degradation of sound quality from conversion to and from electronic impulses combined with the sound dispersion nature of speakers are the two main causes of monitor mix issues.  When we add lack of separation to the equation, monitor mixes become balancing acts of what will fit and what we can afford to lose or turn down.  This reality is the reason for everything that I wrote in part one and two of this series on monitors.  

Monitors (part 2 – hearing the other stuff)

Last week we discussed the topic of hearing ourselves in the monitor mix.  For a great performance experience, we also need to be able to hear the music we are performing along with and the audience we are performing to.  I would say that I have listed these components in order of importance as the second and third elements of the monitor mix.  Let’s discuss them in this order.

First I would like to mention that the ideal monitor situation is being able to mix these three components with this order of importance, but it is not always possible.  Some musicians sing while playing an instrument (like guitar or piano).  I play piano/keyboard while singing for most of my songs, so I can relate to this issue.  Most monitor systems are not able to handle such a complex array of sounds.  If you try to send a detailed representation of piano playing and singing with a mix of background music and an underlay of audience sound through a mono speaker (or even a stereo set of ear buds) the sound becomes saturated, muddy and unintelligible.  In the absence of very expensive monitor systems, singers who also play have to live with the fact that they will have to sacrifice the detail of either their voice or instrument in the monitor mix (sometimes a little of both).  Most performers prefer their voice and chose to limit the detail of their instrument.  This causes it to fall into the category of background music with the track or other musicians, and makes it more difficult for the performer to play expressively.  Since it is already difficult to both sing and play expressively at the same time, this makes some performers consider the notion of ditching their instrument and just singing.  I’ve thought about it, but I really love singing from the piano.  It makes me feel grounded to the music.   

Some artists perform with tracks, others perform with other musicians and some perform with a combination of both.  Achieving a good monitor mix with a track is easier than with other live musicians, because track possess compressed and controlled dynamic variations.  This causes it to sit in a steady position underneath our own level in the monitor mix.  In addition, the lack of additional musicians means that only one monitor mix is required as opposed to multiple personalized mixes.  Besides being easer on the mix engineer, this also makes it easier to use floor or mounted monitors since there is no issue with bleed and conflicting mixes.  However, performing with a track is also difficult, because the tempo is solid like a metronome.  There is no room for fluctuation or variation since everything is set in the recording.  In addition, there is no visual stimulus and interpersonal communication between the performers.  All of these factors cause hearing the track well to be even more important.  The artist needs to be totally in sync with the rhythm and tempo of the track in order to make the performance feel authentic.

When performing with live musicians, robotic timing issues are not a problem.  The musicians usually setup in a formation that allows them to see each other and they practice the art of following each other.  However, the monitor mix becomes more complex.  Each performer needs a monitor mix that highlights their playing.  Also, different musicians may want more or less of the other musical parts in the mix depending on what they play.  For example, a drummer will usually want more of the bass guitar in his/her monitor and less of the background vocals.  If the monitor mixes are being sent to floor or mounted monitors, the sound of each one travels across the stage filling it with conflicting levels.   In addition, most systems will not have enough auxiliary sends to accommodate all of these different mixes (especially at the gigs that the “average Joe” musicians play).  When this happens, monitor mixes become compromises that are sent to two or three different groups of musicians. 

In ear monitors solve the issue of sound bleed issue between mixes.  Each musician has a private and isolated monitor mix (up to the number of mixes the system can accommodate).  Even when a solo musician is performing with a track, in ear monitors prevent stage monitor bleed from competing with the house mix.  In addition, in ear monitors bring the mix closer to the musician instead of broadcasting it through the air from the floor.  This is a more efficient method of sound transfer with less loss of signal.  In situations where a separate monitor mix engineer is not available, there are personal monitor mix control devices on the market that give the musicians control of their own mix by providing volume knobs for the level of each element of the band. 

However, in ear monitors have their own set of issues.  I will get more into the technical aspects of each of these options next week, but a brief explanation is appropriate here.  First, they can be much more expensive than floor monitors (especially when using custom ear mold ear pieces).  Second, they disconnect the musician from the outside world.  The sound isolation is so effective that what a musician hears usually does not match what he/she sees.  There may be a tone of visual energy happening on the stage, but the musician hears only the elements that have been placed in his/her mix.  This can take a while to get use to.  It is especially difficult for singers and wind players at first, since their tone contains both internal and external elements.  Being disconnected from the external sound environment causes an imbalance between the natural internal and external aural sensations that these performers are use to experiencing.  In addition, this level of isolation makes any type of musician more dependent on the quality of the monitor mix.  If a floor monitor mix does not have every element that the performer needs sound bleed will usually provide the missing ingredients to some extent.  With in ear monitors there is no sound bleed and the performer is only receiving what the mix gives them.  This is why you sometimes see a performer take out one or both of their earpieces in the middle of a performance.  If the mix is really bad, they may prefer to get by using the ambient stage sound.   

               The next in ear issue leads us to the component of audience sound within the monitor mix.  Performers need to hear the audience’s response while performing.  Although this is not as critical as the other two components, audience energy is part of the musical experience.  In ear monitors disconnect the musician from this energy which can result in a mismatch in emotion between the audience and the performer.  The crowd may be going wild while the performer feels that they are not into it, or the performer may be in another musical dimension while the audience is dead.  Larger systems try to fix this issue by using separate microphones to feed the sound of the audience into the monitor mix.  However, this is another element being added to an already complex mix, and it can easily be out of proportion when compared to reality.  The sound of an audience being picked up through microphones and crammed into the mix of an in ear system will never be same as the natural ambient sound of the room. 

               Disconnect with the audience is less likely with floor or mounted monitors since the performer can still hear the ambient sound of the room.  However, the monitor and main levels can sometimes get high enough to drown out the sound of the audience.  Larger systems accommodate for this by providing separate monitors that are transmitting only the sound of the audience being picked up through microphones.  These separate audience support monitors are the best solution since they provide separation from the sound of the music coming through the other monitors.  In smaller systems, the performer has to live with adding a touch of audience sound under the other two components of the mix and hope that the speaker does not get too muddy with all that sound information.  Some people choose to just omit the audience from the mix and live with the loss of connection.

               As you can see, creating the ideal monitor mix is very complicated.  The sound that our ears naturally perceive through ambient hearing is very complex.  The limitations of electronic equipment make it very difficult to recreate this type of listening environment on an amplified level.  Next week we will discuss more of the technical sound engineering issues that cause these limitations.     

Monitors (part 1 – hearing ourselves)

What we hear on stage has a huge impact on the quality of our performance.  Regardless of the instrument, any performer needs to hear the proper balance of him/herself, the music they are performing along with and the audience they are performing to.  There is no universal setting since all performers are different.  Their listening preferences tend to be unique and subjective.  However, the three components listed above need to be present and blended to taste.      

               Although settings may vary, I think all performers would agree that the most prominent component of the monitor mix should be their own instrument or voice.  We will focus this week’s discussion on this component and cover the other aspects of this huge topic in future weeks.  Contrary to common belief, the need to predominantly hear one’s own performance is not based in vanity (at least not entirely).  Creating a truly great musical performance requires a mixture of kinesthetic, aural, visual and emotional stimulus.  The visual element retains a more important role in the other two components of the monitor mix (hearing the band/track and the audience); however, some instruments are easier to play with visual stimulus (like piano and guitar).  The connection between sound and touch, in my opinion, is the key to accessing a skilful and emotional musical performance. 

               An outside evidence of this can be found in video games.  Poor quality video games (or video game setups) provide mainly visual stimulus.  Enhanced gamming situations provide added aural and kinesthetic stimulus to make the simulated situation more true to life.  In the same way, when a singer or instrumentalist has the ideal balance of kinetic and aural stimulus the performance is enhanced.  In private practice we feel the vibration of our vocal chords or instrument, the texture of the keys or strings and the friction or resistance (weight) of each motion.  We also hear every detail of the tone that we are producing and how it is related to the kinesthetic stimulus we are receiving.  We become accustom to this aural and kinesthetic connection and use it to access the connection between our emotions and our physical performance.  When an aspect of this stimulus is out of balance, the performer can become inhibited from achieving his/her best results.

Performance situations that most closely resemble the solo practice experience are solo acoustic and small group acoustic (like folk acoustic groups and jazz trio / quartets).  The simple sound mix and acoustic nature of these performance situations allow for an ideal environment of kinesthetic and aural stimulus.  When the number of instruments and overall sound level increases it becomes more difficult for each individual performer to hear themselves.  Tones mix, compete and mask each other causing a lack of intelligibility.  In addition, we sense vibration from the instruments or amplification of the other performers which disrupts part of our own kinesthetic stimulus. 

When this happens, we need to compensate by amplifying the sound of our performance above the level of the competing sounds.  This can be accomplished through the use of personal amplifiers for guitar, bass, keyboard and other electronic instrumentalists.  Vocal and acoustic instrumental performers that require microphones (or amplified electronic instruments that are being run directly through the system) often use floor or mounted monitors.  In addition, any of these types of performers can use in ear monitors to aid in hearing themselves. 

All of these options have pros and cons that will be discussed in future posts.  For the sake of this discussion, you could imagine the affect that competing monitors and amplifiers could have on stage.  The sound bleed of opposing monitors causes each performer to raise their monitor in a never ending competition to be heard.  In ear monitors avoid this by providing isolation, but this isolation causes a disconnect with both the other musicians and the audience.  Plus, artificially amplified sound is quite different from natural ambient sound.  Blend and dynamic contrast often becomes dependent on changing mix levels during different parts of the performance.  This requires a separate monitor mix engineer who is thoroughly acquainted with each song and prepared to automate the mix to each performer’s taste.  Most of us do not have this type of monitor situation at our performances, and so the battle continues.  We keep seeking that ideal kinesthetic and aural experience, but our artificial attempts to achieve it fall short.  Keep in mind; this is just our attempts to hear ourselves during the performance.  Next week we will discuss hearing the other musical elements and the audience.       

                 

Sometimes Less Is More

               Most performers have an ideal musical experience in their mind for each song on their set list.  When I am performing I strive to recreate that ideal experience in front of the audience.  Some of the attributes of this experience include a perfect mix with rich bass, clear midrange and crisp highs.  My piano is perfectly balanced so that it is audible without being overbearing, and then prominent during solo moments.  My voice is loose, natural and free to express the music I have trapped in my mind.  The reverb is adding just the right amount of polish to pull everything together.  I could go on, but you get the point.

               To accomplish this I often try to bring a big sound system, my best microphone and keyboard and tracks that fill everything out.  I get to the gig as early as possible in order to have an ideal setup and a thorough sound check.  I’ve been to huge live concerts that look and sound like what I am aiming for. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible for me to recreate that experience for a whole show.  I don’t have the equipment that that those big crews own and I don’t have a sound engineer to ride faders and make adjustments during the show.  I am my own sound engineer, so I have to get the best mix possible in the sound check, leave it and hope that it is a good enough compromise for the changing elements of the show.  I don’t even have a band at the moment, so I have to rely on tracks and my own performance to create energy.  I try switching between the piano, singing and playing the saxophone to add variety and interest.  These changes, however, only add more opportunity for technical issues and distractions as a performer.

               I was leading worship yesterday as a guest minister at my parent’s church.  There was a time of prayer at the end of the service and I was at the keyboard providing background worship.  I had more “ideal moments” during that simple time of worship than I've had at my last five gigs.  There were no tracks, no subwoofers and no saxophones.  It was just my voice and a keyboard.  I felt so free.  I wasn’t worried about the mix, my voice, my playing, the tracks and all the other moving parts.  This experience reminded me that the most important element in recreating musical “moments” is my connection to moment.  I was so focused on the words of the songs I felt lead to sing and the atmosphere that was created by God’s manifest presence that everything else was wiped from my mind. 

               Unless you are a “big time” artists with a huge record deal, you probably face many of the issues I’ve mentioned in this post.  Hauling all of your gear alone, setting up alone, mixing your own sound check and providing all of the stage energy can be overwhelming.  As the worries pile up, the performance suffers.  Don’t be afraid to strip things down sometimes in order to free yourself from distractions and reconnect to the moment.  Remember, the moment is what the performance is all about.