They say you don't know your limits until you reach them. This week I reached the physical limit of my body, in it's current shape. Yes, I hurt. Upper extremities including shoulder muscles are sore.

The causes:

1. Too much practice, too many rehearsals, too many shows. 
2. Not enough sleep.
3. Not enough exercise in the last while.
4. Too much stress from life.
5. Diet is a little off with too much sugar and caffeine. 
6. Some faulty technique on the drum set.

The cure:

1. Get more sleep.
2. Just say no.
3. Back to regular workouts.
4. Review the book above, one more time, for some coaching and encouragement
5. After Wednesday, I'll take a few days off the instruments.
6. Stretching before playing from now on.
7. Stretching after playing from now on.
8. Review the Moeller technique on the drums. Rock music is punishing to play at any age, but especially at this age. 
9. Take some time off at Christmas for some R&R
10. Get a massage from a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT).

I hope someone reading this will find this helpful. 

Cheers,

David Story
www.davidstory.ca

She takes up the drums and 70, now 72 she plays in two jazz bands. Go girl! Proof below.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/more-older-adults-learn-its-never-too-late-to-pick-up-a-musical-instrument/2016/11/10/628857ec-a570-11e6-8fc0-7be8f848c492_story.html

Benefits:

"Research shows that music stimulates the brain and enhances memory in older people. In one study, adults aged 60 to 85 without previous musical experience showed improved verbal fluency and processing speed after a few months of weekly piano lessons." Jennifer Bugos, assistant professor of music education at the University of South Florida 

I say imagine what it does for those who keep playing throughout their lives.

Cheers,

​David

Goals and Pacing are what counts.

Goals: Having a clear idea of what is most important at any given time is the key to not wasting our precious time and energies. We need goals in a couple of areas.

1. Immediate practice goals to be ready for our next performance
2. Intermediate practice goals to keep ourselves in top musical shape technically
3. Ongoing goals to maintain our repertoire
4. Goals to grow musically, even as our bodies slow down

Growth can continue until we decide not to. There are always ways to stay excited and motivated. See some of the other previous posts for more.

Pacing: Spaced repetition

1. Preserves energy
2. Maximizes retention
3. Saves time

The following "Guardian" article explains that "Using spaced repetition as a study technique is effective because you are deliberately hacking the way your brain works"

It also works as a practice tactic. 

Final thought: "What is the one thing that would make the biggest difference in your musical competency? This is your highest value activity? 

• Phrasing
• Comping
  
• Time
  
• Tuning
  
• Sight reading
• Repertoire depth

Here our mine.

1. Piano, mastering the Royal Conservatory of Music piano repertoire books. Why? This will keep my piano skills in top shape. Secondly, it will add real value to my lessons.
2. Drums, mastering and refining my time sense. As Terry Clarke says, "it's all about time". Feel comes from time. No time, no feel, no groove, no gigs.

Cheers,

David Story

My next performance is Sunday November 27 2016 in Toronto Ontario New Music and Dance. Details: http://luminousgestures.weebly.com/ 

The old guys still have the stuff. Tonight in Toronto at the 416 Festival Terry Clarke, Bruce Cassidy, Glen Hall, Kieran Overs, and David Story took to the stage. I figure everyone had between 40 and 55+years of playing experience. Let's think, that is 250+ years of collective experience. Yikes! And they still play like young guys, full of beans and ready to play.

How do they do it?

I'll speak for myself first.

1. I'm in shape physically and musically.
2. I like the guys I was performing with.
3. I feel part of the musical community I was playing for.

What I observed in the guys today at both rehearsal and later on stage.

1. They like each other. They have a long shared history going back decades. The banter and teasing is hilarious.  They've played together in the Boss Brass, Dr. Music, Gil Evans Orchestra and lots more. They have stories to share. And, they share them, non-stop.
2. They keep musically active and creatively engaged. 
3. They are apparently fearless on stage. Strong and confident, the kind of confidence that comes from years of experience. 

My conclusions?

1. Take care of yourself.
2. Stay in the game.
3. Surround yourselves with community.
4. Try some new things. Some of the guys were relatively new to the kind of music we played tonight. They had a go at it with gusto.

​David Story