Musicianship Mastery with David Lane

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.
 

Episode 1 - The Musician Toolkit

Welcome to The Musicianship Toolkit with David Lane!  This podcast is dedicated to helping you improve your craft of musicianship.  First, we need to discuss what goes in the toolkit.  The skill of sight-reading, the ability to play by ear, the ability to practice effectively and efficiently, knowledge of music theory, and 16 more tools will be introduced here.  Give yourself a rating of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) of each tool as it's introduced to see where you are right now.  What tool do you need the most help with?  What tools did I leave out?  Send me a message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
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.

Trailer:The Musician Toolkit with David Lane

Is it your goal to become a great musician?  Are you already a working musician, but want to strengthen your craft?  Are you a music student with strengths and weaknesses, and not always sure how to address that which needs improvement?
Do you need to learn how to be a better sight-reader?  Do you need help playing by ear, transposing, or memorizing music?  Do you sometimes struggle to know how much to practice a piece of music or skill, or what approach to take?  Are you wanting to get better at improvisation, composing, music theory, learning 2nd and 3rd instruments?
If so, it sounds like you need to check out... The Musician Toolkit!
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1