The Art of Sound, Part 2
I hope that you did your homework from last week's blog. I also hope that you may have discovered something about yourself and your playing.
I make no secret that my background is as a trained percussionist, and that I always approach my playing from that perspective. Whether I'm playing a solo concert, a Gong Meditation, or improvising within a group, I'm always looking at what I do as a percussionist. It's in my blood. It's my nature.
Now that's not to say that I haven't done my homework as far as music as a medium for meditation and therapy. In fact, I've done a lot of studies in this area and continue to study it. But my whole approach comes down to making a good sound. From there I believe that people can pick up on the vibrations and utilize them however they want to.
Excerpts from a recent comment on one of my Gong videos attests to that:
“From a sound designer point of view, this is one of the best sessions around on youtube. Instead of selling the tag of a spiritual trip, here all the instruments are musically played with taste and consciousness. This allows the fruition to a higher quality level, not excluding the pleasure to concentrate and meditate on the sound flow.
The quality and care of the performer is a welcome “at last!”, he is not pretending to act like a monk, he is a musician with his instruments (each one audible in a natural shape) and this makes the whole session very good and pleasant.”
Go back to last week's exercise and repeat it over and over. Use a critical and truthful ear when listening to yourself. You can always improve. I work on my sound and technique all the time. And I strive to play better each time I put a mallet to an instrument.
~ MB
I make no secret that my background is as a trained percussionist, and that I always approach my playing from that perspective. Whether I'm playing a solo concert, a Gong Meditation, or improvising within a group, I'm always looking at what I do as a percussionist. It's in my blood. It's my nature.
What are you hearing?
Now that's not to say that I haven't done my homework as far as music as a medium for meditation and therapy. In fact, I've done a lot of studies in this area and continue to study it. But my whole approach comes down to making a good sound. From there I believe that people can pick up on the vibrations and utilize them however they want to.
A good sound can be experienced and utilized better by the listener.
Excerpts from a recent comment on one of my Gong videos attests to that:
“From a sound designer point of view, this is one of the best sessions around on youtube. Instead of selling the tag of a spiritual trip, here all the instruments are musically played with taste and consciousness. This allows the fruition to a higher quality level, not excluding the pleasure to concentrate and meditate on the sound flow.
The quality and care of the performer is a welcome “at last!”, he is not pretending to act like a monk, he is a musician with his instruments (each one audible in a natural shape) and this makes the whole session very good and pleasant.”
If you want to up your game, then you need to do better!
Go back to last week's exercise and repeat it over and over. Use a critical and truthful ear when listening to yourself. You can always improve. I work on my sound and technique all the time. And I strive to play better each time I put a mallet to an instrument.
~ MB
Chop Wood / Carry Water / Play Gongs™
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