“There are basically two categories of musicians…
the one who everything he does, says, plays, everything is saying… “look at ME!”
And there is another category of musician,
the one who everything he does, says, plays, everything is saying, “listen to IT!”
_______________ ??
I heard the above quote today, and it just blew me away. Keep reading to find out where it came from.
How often do you oil your car?
I do it at least every 3-6 months depending on how much I drive…
How often do you exercise your ears and brain?
How often do you exercise your primary musical instrument you were blessed with since birth? (Your voice).
Did you know that new scientific studies are showing that singing releases endorphins in the brain which elevates our mood and ultimately makes us happier!?
Well, anyone who has ever been in a choir could have told you that.
I would walk past the choir room almost everyday when I was in high school, and I distinctly remember how buoyant everyone in that class was. I was in concert band and the band room was right beside the choir room, so I could see the contrast in behaviour. The choir class was almost goofy. They seemed to be having a great time… My band class however, we were much more mellow.
I used to be an entertainer at a theme park. I would play folk music for 3-4 hours a day and sing. Singing always improved my mood.
Now we all need a pick-me-up from time to time, and in the spirit of releasing endorphins and elevating our moods, I made a free, short Maqam ear training email course that you can follow to sing more, learn some maqams, keep your ear and brain sharp, and ultimately lead a happier life.
It’s so important to use your voice in these lessons. Just being an instrumentalist isn’t going to release endorphins in your brain.
Your voice is your primary musical instrument, and it’s time to keep using it.
Until then, I’m excited to share a video for you to watch.
I really geeked-out watching this. It’s a panel discussion by Labyrinth Ontario and it includes one of my musical heroes, Ross Daly. This is where the quote at the top came from.
Let me tell you, I learned so much listening to this discussion. I’d pay real money to hear this.
It really spoke to me in so many ways, and I’m sure you will feel the same. The only down side is that the sound quality is not ideal. Please be patient with the audio.
