Musicianship Mastery with David Lane

Episode 11 - Sightreading Maverick (with Erica Sipes)

If you're a performing musician who uses sheet music, sightreading is one of the skills that you want to prioritize in developing, so this is the first of many times that this podcast will likely talk about this tool.  Erica Sipes is a pianist with a live show on her channel called Sightreading Maverick.  We touch on some of the physical tools needed to sightread well, but primarily we talk about the emotional and mindset tools that often get neglected when discussing this skill.
Check out Erica's services at https://www.beyondthenotescoaching.com/ and subscribe to her YouTube channel as well as watch past episodes of Sightreading Maverick (and tune in on Sundays at 1pm Eastern) at https://www.youtube.com/@EricaSipes
From this episode, what most resonated with you, or what do you think I should have included?  Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact 
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.  You can also now find the podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 10 - What Good Practice Actually Looks Like

When it comes to practicing music, sometimes the problem is that we don't always know what the process feels like when practice is good.  There are actually two halves to the practice, and not recognizing this leads students to occasionally either mistake the halfway point for the finish point or to rush the process in a way that the prepared piece is sloppy.  Listen to learn the 2 phases of practice, how neglecting the full process shows up in your practice, and finally... a picture of what good practice actually looks like.
You can see the graphs I explained on YouTube or on the blog version of this podcast found here: https://www.davidlanemusic.com/post/what-good-practice-actually-looks-like
From this episode, what most resonated with you, or what do you think I should have included?  Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact 
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.  You can also now find the podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 9 - What’s Keeping You from Being a GREAT Performing Musician?

There's nothing wrong with being average at anything.  As I once heard another podcaster say, "Most people, on average, are mediocre at most things".  To go from average to good takes some effort, but it's a smaller and seemingly less daunting step than to go from good to great.  If you're stuck on being average or good as a performer, one or more of the 7 reasons that are mentioned in this episode might be why.
The YouTube clip mentioning the performance of the Hammerklavier Sonata can be found here: https://youtu.be/yRDcgjvjj2E?t=17
From this episode, what most resonated with you, or what do you think I should have included?  Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact 
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.  You can also now find the podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.
 

Episode 8 - The Craft of John Williams (with Frank Lehman)

John Williams recently celebrated his 91st birthday.  He's rightfully considered the most popular and perhaps the greatest film composer of all time!  His too-many-to-list credits include Jaws, Star Wars I through IX, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones series, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  What are the tools of John Williams' craft?  What are some of his composition techniques and his creative influences?  What are the various musical experiences aside from being a film composer that have helped shape his musicianship?  Besides discussing his early background, we will be focusing on 2 very different and seldom discussed scores to explore his style through his scores to Sabrina (1995) and Images (1972)
To help me discuss this is my guest, Dr. Frank Lehman, an associate professor of Tufts University.  He is a music theorist and a film musicologist who has specialized in study of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and film score music in general.  His many articles and peer-reviewed papers, including his massive ongoing catalog and commentary of all Star Wars themes can be found through his website at https://franklehman.com/
What is your favorite John Williams score or theme?  Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
This episode uses several musical clips to accompany our discussion of the music. (Note: these music clips play on the podcast feed only, not on the YouTube video.) In order of appearance, here is the full list of clips.  All music is composed by John Williams except where otherwise noted.
10:05 "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
12:32 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" from The John Tanner Touch
13:28 Opening from "You Are Welcome" a documentary about Newfoundland
14:35 "Pajama Game" from Not With My Wife, You Don't
16:00 Main Title from Tarantula - music by Henry Mancini
16:31 Theme from Peter Gunn - music by Henry Mancini
17:26 Theme from To Kill a Mockingbird - music by Elmer Bernstein
18:27 "Good-bye Willy" from Death of a Salesman - music by Alex North
19:30 "The Swamp" from Psycho by Bernard Herrmann
20:37 "The Nightmare" from Vertigo by Bernard Herrmann
21:30 Overture to the School of Scandal by Samuel Barber
21:55 Commando March by Samuel Barber
28:37 "Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina
29:40 ("Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina)
30:12 ("Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina)
31:47 "Moonlight" (with Sting) from Sabrina
32:45 "How Can I Remember" from Sabrina
33:33 "Nantucket Visit" from Sabrina
34:29  "Linus' New Life" from Sabrina
40:13  Amériques by Edgar Varese
42:03 "In Search of Unicorns" from Images
44:36 "Killing Marcel" from Images
45:51 "Blood Moon" from Images
47:52 "Reflections" from Images
48:44 "Miracle of the Ark" from Raiders of the Lost Ark
49:35 "Barry's Abduction" from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
50:08 "Diving Away from Trouble" from War of the Worlds
51:17 "The Mecha World" from A.I. Artificial Intelligence
53:40 "The Imperial Attack" from Star Wars
54:06 "Map Room: Dawn" from Raiders of the Lost Ark
 
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.  You can also now find the podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 7 - The Overtone Series: What It Is and Why You Should Know It

Creating music on acoustic instruments (ones that don't require electricity to produce the sound) are operating on properties of physics.  Sound waves have attributes, and each pitch on an actual instrument is producing multiple sound waves at once, with the fundamental (the sound you actually hear) and overtones, which create resonance.  Overtones are inaudible unless you isolate them, which you can do on most instruments.  This is a topic that intimidates a lot of musicians, but it's important to try to dive in.  It not opens your mind to new instrumental effects, but it helps you understand the secrets to creating RICH harmony, and explains why some chord choices just don't work as well as others.
This episode is meant to work in podcast format only.  However there are a number of videos, charts, and sheet music examples that might make the video version of this a better choice for some of you.  You can find that here: https://youtu.be/_fNUPW-l5YM
Special thanks to Jennifer Lane and Harlan Feinstein for their contributions!
If you have a question or feedback after listening to this episode you can leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 6 - Jazz Piano 101 with Federico Pivetta

Whether you're a student pianist or you're already accomplished when it comes to classical music and reading fully notated scores, it's a different experience to take a lead sheet (with just a melody line and chord symbols) and perform it with accuracy, creativity, good voice-leading, and then add some improvisation.  But if you're a well-rounded musician, this world shouldn't be intimidating.
Federico Pivetta is a great pianist who is comfortable in both the classical and jazz worlds, where he is in local and regional demand as one of the best jazz pianists in the area.  He helps us learn about the harmonic language of jazz, how to work with a lead sheet, the basics of improvisation and some exercises to develop this skill, and an intro to some of the various rhythmic styles.
If you have a question or feedback after listening to this episode you can leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.
 

Episode 5 - Two Approaches to Learning Music

There are dozens and dozens of genres, but there are really 2 ways of learning music (with small variations of each).  One way can be helped by strong skills of sight reading, knowledge of music theory, and the ability to read written rhythms.  The other way can be helped by a well-developed ear, improvisation skills, and great applied knowledge of music theory.  I call it the Classical vs Jazz approach but (again) I'm not talking about the genres.  For example, you can use a classical approach to learn jazz repertoire and a jazz approach to learn classical repertoire.  Check out the episode to hear the pros and cons and each, and which one I recommend.
If you have a question or feedback after listening to this episode you can leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 4 - Composing Music for Publication (with Bruce Tippette)

Most aspiring composers have narrow goals, seeing film (or video game) music or being a concert composer as the way to go, but if you can create music on paper, you actually have many options to contribute original music and add at least some income in the process.  One of those ways is composing for publication that is marketed to schools and churches: music for school bands and orchestras, music for church choirs and handbells ensembles, and more.  It's a tricky world that requires a flexible but creative composer who can still write very good music that is specifically tailored to various ages and levels.
Bruce Tippette is a composer with dozens of published works through Alfred Music, Hal Leonard, C. Alan Publications, Carl Fischer, FJH, and more, many of which have been honored as J.W. Pepper's Editors Choice.  Bruce talks with us about the skills needed to become this type of composer, how to navigate the sometimes intimidating grading system of school ensembles, strategies to getting published, and how all of this can lead to building relationships and getting commissioned work.
You can explore Bruce's music and contact him through his website at https://www.brucewtippette.com/
If you have a question or feedback after listening to this episode you can leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/ . If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice.
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 3 - Stop Using the ”T” Word!

It's such an easy thing to do.  You're impressed with a great musician or other artist, and you talk about or get to compliment them, and out comes this word that seemingly everyone uses as a 1st choice...and that word is "talented".  Talent is certainly worth having, but it shouldn't be THE quality that gets the praise.  To quote the title of Geoff Colvin's wonderful book, Talent is Overrated, it's not because talent has no value, but as a tool it is VERY limited. As a first choice of compliment, especially to a student musician, there is the possibility of hugely negative consequences, as David Lane explains in this episode
Has the label "talented" been a roadblock for you or someone you know?  If you'd like to share a brief account of your story, you can at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you're not comfortable leaving a voice message, you can send me a message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Episode 2 - Practice Tip: One Problem at a Time

When you work on music, there's so much to think about: rhythm, notes, fingerings, dynamics, articulation, tempo, and so on.  If the piece challenges you, and you're having trouble getting better, you may be trying to do too many things at once.  Hint: 2 things is too many things.  This episode offers 20 examples of how you can reduce your practice challenges down to 1 task.
If you have a practice tip specific to your instrument related to "one problem at a time" that you'd like to share, please consider leaving a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you're not comfortable leaving a voice message, you can send me a message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
*Episode note: I mentioned that you should increase tempo on a metronome by 1-2%.  It should be 5-10%.
If you loved this, please share with your friends, and please leave a 5-star rating and review!
You can find this episode and links to this show on all podcast apps from https://musiciantoolkit.podbean.com/
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling.  Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.