Jan
26
The Gratuitous Stairway Solo
Last month I posted a video of The "Black Dog" Solo. The same day, I recorded the "Stairway to Heaven" solo. I thought I'd upload it. Not much to say about it. I missed a note.
If I'm diligent, I'll record more of these. In the meantime, check out my Zeppelin tribute band, Dazed and Confused.
Khaitee (9 Feb 2011 at 5:28pm)
Just wanted to thank you for your great blog and related links...sometimes it's easy to forget about the community. I am a grad student saxist who stumbled upon your website because I searched for a star-spangled arrangement for an upcoming squash match.
Was going to comment on your "I didn't get a scholarship" post but saw how old it was. You don't need me to tell you that not getting scholarships sucks. Especially when you are someone like yourself, who is really invested in the music and would do a lot with that money...I was in the same boat this last week, actually. Super pissed and embarassed that I was not getting enough scholarship, going into deep debt, when I go to a basically wealthy private school where so many kids seem to be simply handed money from their families, and subsequently, handed all the time in the world to practice. But some things are worth knowing, like when it is OK to go into debt for something you believe in, believing in yourself, that you have the skillset to get you through. I thought it interesting that one of your goals is to "make it" in music, to earn your living from music. I just handed in an application to be a waitress. I was actually really excited about it...I actually like being a waitress! There are a lot of music-industry jobs that I really don't like, and I think I used to over-glorify them because they are "music" jobs. I am simply not happy doing pit shows, are you? Have you ever had to play the exact same music, night after night, for a month or more? Have you ever had a job that squashed your creativity as much as this? Shoot...to be a waitress, and have my brain challenged as I juggle five or six tables...What does "making it" in music really mean? I would rather be "making it" in Happy. Anyways, sorry, I am of course not meaning to rag on you. I believe what you are doing is really cool. Just trying to bounce ideas off of you.
Do you have a sib file of your star-spangled banner arrangement that you would feel comfortable e-mailing? I would hate to have to type it all out and transpose it, and I liked yours.
Joe (13 Feb 2011 at 4:54pm)
Can't say I've ever been in that position. I don't think I'd like it. While I'd love to try any kind of music gig I've never done, anything that doesn't engage my mind will get old really fast. My short term goal in music is to make a living teaching and performing, and most jazz/blues/rock gigs allow for some improvisation, room for improvement, and different musical situations between gigs, so I'm not worried.
This is awesome. It's exactly how I think, but it seems trivial to state it. I merely take it a step further and identify music as the thing that makes me happiest. Whether it pays my bills or not, I just want to spend my time on it.
This reminds me of a story Frank Zappa told. When he was a kid, he was enthralled with composer Edgard Varèse, and he went through the trouble of finding his phone number and calling him to talk about music one day. Varèse stated that he'd be just as happy growing grapes as composing music.