Staying in the game: The best practices, attitudes, metacognitive strategies, and intrinsic motivations of aging musicians
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LIVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Keeping a hobby, a hobby

9/29/2019

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Keeping a hobby, a hobby.

Sometimes too much is too much. When we plan our hobby activity with the same intensity as a Wall Street management consultant, we may be missing the point. I may be at that place in my drumming.

I’ve two hobbies: drumming and dancing.

Dancing is casual and with my wife. We go to class, we have fun. The only goal is to show up and do our best. I come home from class refreshed and filled with joy. Hmmm….

Drumming on the other hand is an obsession that needs taming. It started out as a fun project to help me get through a divorce. I put in as much as 10 hours a week or more. For 10 years. How do I feel? A little frayed. My hobby has become work. 

So I’m fighting burnout. I’ve done some research.

What to do to avoid burnout?
  1. I’m not planning on stepping back from it. I love it too much. I now jam at a level I never dreamed I would reach. My initial ambitions were to play in a community concert band. Now I jam with professionals and play shows with artists. Band was fun, but this is music making on a much more refined level. I’ve travelled the world to be coached by some of the finest drummers out there. Their expectation was uniform: you will sound professional.
  2. I’m ready for a new plan. And a more uniform path of gradual improvement, but way less frantic. I’m coming to peace with the instrument, my age, and my ambitions.

Step one: I’m narrowing my focus: Jazz with a modern twist and New Music/improv. I no longer have the time or inclination to be well rounded. I was a well round pianist in my gigging days. It was a trap that kept me in gigging (weddings, clubs, corporate etc. work-a-day stuff) but out of the real interesting possibilities open to specialists.

Step two: work locally with drum coaches with who are known for teaching technique. I’m hearing things in my head that I can’t execute.   

Step three: I will work on my drum transcription blog. “it’s all about repertoire baby!” to paraphrase an old line from a Hollywood character. http://jazzdrumtranscriptions.blogspot.com/

Step four: I will stick with my current projects. No new projects for awhile.

Step five: keep up the healthy living routines I’ve build up: Sleep, exercise, clean living, stretching etc. I will keep putting this ahead of all else.

Best,

​David
PS: The Passion Paradox book below. 

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What To Do With A Bad Attitude?

9/22/2019

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If the bad attitude is coming from outside yourself and you are not the cause of it, plan your exit, life is short. 

What if you've got the bad attitude? Good question. Time for reflection, planning, and execution. Life is passing by, time is irretrievable. 

Bad attitudes can develop for any number of reasons.
  1. poor decisions around health, relationships, spending habits
  2. poor planning of a career 
  3. the list goes on and on
 
My top ten list of activities to fix a bad attitude:
  1. get some sleep, learn about sleep hygiene
  2. eat better
  3. lose weight
  4. practice
  5. take some lessons
  6. talk to your spouse, sort things out
  7. stop drinking and ingesting mind altering substances, help is available
  8. let others take responsibility for problems of their own making
  9. get out of your head
  10. exercise to the level of perspiration daily
  11. control mental inputs: the world was always going to hell, but we'll all be dead before it does, so lighten up

Good luck,

David
 
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Jazz Piano Follow-up

9/17/2019

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Wow!
  • I learned a lot.
  • I went in open minded, that was a good idea or I would have left with humble pie on my face.
  • I'm going back this week.
  • I'm pumped and inspired about the whole idea again. i.e. Studying jazz piano
  • My students are thrilled too.

Staying in the game, 

David

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The Myth of Work/Life Balance

9/17/2019

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I will let smarter cookies than me figure this one out. 

After I get enough sleep, exercise, practice, work, hang with my wife, attend to personal care there isn't much time left. My main personal care goal this year is not to get eaten alive by my teaching business. Toronto is a huge market, there is great demand for service. How to say no gracefully is a real challenge. 

A piano teacher has to maintain and grow artistically over the course of their career. Or, you will soon no longer be in the game. Standards in the small town I used to live in where not so high. Here? They're high and the sky is the limit. So, I will meditate on this problem: grow artistically and stay healthy and happy. 

Best, 

​David Story
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Trying to make a mole hill out of a mountain

9/15/2019

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What to do when it hurts to play?
  1. Acknowledge the  problem.
  2. Stop playing.
  3. Seek competent professional advice pronto. 
  4. Follow their directives.

What not to do?
  1. Ignore
  2. Deny
  3. Play through the pain
  4. Drink and/or take drugs to numb it
  5. Abuse non-prescribed prescription drugs.
  6. Freak out

Problems dealt with promptly always have a better chance for resolution. 

David
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Jazz Piano Coaching: a first in 40 years

9/10/2019

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Friday I visit a jazz piano coach. My first jazz piano lesson since college. I'm excited. 

What do I want from a jazz piano coach?

  1. A new perspective that comes from aquiring new skills appropriate for 2019
    1. Artists and scenes of note
    2. New styles of jazz since college
    3. Harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary growth
  2. Accountability as I rebuild my repertoire
    1. I'm going to start with this list. I know most of the tunes, I'll start by filling in the gaps. https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/blog/50-jazz-standards-you-need-to-know/

I'll post a follow-up next week. 

Best, 

​David

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New Scheduling and Habits

9/8/2019

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Woebot has got me on the following regime for 30 days. 
  1. Electronics off by 8 PM.
  2. In bed by 10 PM
  3. Up at 6 AM
  4. No booze 
  5. No coffee after 3 PM

I've been at it for a few weeks. I'm 95% compliant. How do I feel?






Like Friggin' Superman. 
  • Blood pressure hovers around 117/74
  • Antacid use down to nearly zero
  • I'm within 2 lbs. of my goal weight. 
  • I bounce out of bed.
  • Wife? Happy.

​best regards, 

​David Story
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    Author

    David Story: Professional pianist, drummer, composer, and educator. Well into his 5th enthusiastic musical decade, David works with adults pursuing musical dreams in the autumn of life, while he maintains an active presence in the Toronto arts scene.

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