Jim Riser wrote:Well, Brad, were you able to hear the difference between Doc's trumpet playing and yours? Or can we assume that you heard no differences and decided to take up magic instead?
Jim
Oh - I heard the difference and eventually realized that the gap was not growing smaller!
I learned a lot about learning from Vince DiMartino. He also taught me that the path to improvement is the turning of one's weaknesses into strengths.
Sadly, trumpet playing was not my strength. I was a much smarter player than I was talented. I could sight read better than most and was a very musical player - but I lacked the technical facility I should have had - tone, flexibility, etc. I also can't hear worth poo poo. At least not to the degree that a musician should.
I regret that no one was ever kind enough to me to explain that I really didn't have the basic skill set required to be a successful trumpet player. They let me fake my way through it, which I could do because I understood the ideas well enough to compensate for my lack of ability. I sometimes wonder if it were a waste of time.
But in truth, it's my own fault. I decided to major in music because of all the subjects in school I found it the most challenging and most mysterious. I figured, in my youthful zeal, that it made more sense to study something that challenged me rather than something at which I excelled.
Was that the road less traveled? Did that make all the difference?
I know I was once offered my dream music gig - directing the high school band I grew up in, working with an amazing co director.
I thought to myself, again in my youthful zeal, if I take this job I know exactly where I will be and what I will be doing in 40 years. If I follow magic, who knows.
Did I take the path less traveled? Did it make all of the difference?
I share this only because in my wistful old age it seemed like the thing to do.
To that point, I don't think it made any difference but I appreciate your indulgence.