Cognitive overload: Too much information, not enough context, too little time to process and reflect= stress, from the resulting inefficiencies in holding information in our memory for later retrieval. 

A good example for musicians in memorizing music. Apparently as we age, we lose abilities with working memory. Memorizing becomes increasingly difficult.

How do we improve our working memory? It's complicated, but decluttering the mind might be of help. 

Ten things to help lower this stress to free up our processing power, so to speak.

1. Acceptance that life is complicated, and aging is, if you are lucky, inevitable.
2. Lower social media use, this apparently is a negative factor of modern life.
3. Access news once a day, or week. Another difficult edict during a pandemic.
4. Do an audit of one’s daily activities. It may be time for a reshuffle, reordering, or abandonment of  activities and goals that are no longer relevant. Circumstances change, people change, you’ve changed.
5. Take a nature walk, leave the phone at home.
6. Call a friend, have coffee, chat about nothing important.
7. Practice without an agenda. With the current pandemic situation, it’s going to be awhile before activities musical resume. Have more fun with your instrument.
8. Declutter your studio.
9. Revisit your goals. Are they congruent? (It’s impossible to suck and blow at the same time.)
10. Seek out competent sources of information on this subject from eminent authors. My goal with this blog post is to excite your curiosity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_load#Effects_of_heavy_cognitive_load

David
 
 

​I am sitting in North Bay Ontario looking at the lake through a hotel window. Damn it is beautiful. I'd forgotten how beautiful Northern Ontario is. Inspired by the Netflix series, “Cardinal”, I’m revisiting my old haunts in “Algonquin Bay”.

Yesterday I had a coffee with a former co-worker from Music City, where I was employed over 40 years ago.

What a great time reminiscing on old times, forgotten bands, dead musicians, our youth with all its ribald triumphs, failures and near misses. I am feeling reenergized and full of beans going home today. It was a good idea to reach out. Thank you, Bob and Mike!

This morning on my way out of town I will be having coffee with an old blues player, whom I jammed with around 1976-77. We’ll talk blues and music. I don’t know the guy, but I do know his work. And, I remember fondly his playing. 

Time is short, if there is someone from the past you want to play with, get on the phone and reach out. Time has passed, they will likely say yes. If you need to patch up some things from decades ago, it’s time.  

​Cheers,
 
David 

With my new updated 2020 playlists loaded with tracks of creative musicians half my age and who have none of my presuppositions, musical hang-ups, or history I'm going for a walk. A long walk, in a safe place, deeply listening to the tracks.

Benefits:

1. Exercise and mental health
   
2. Learn some new sounds
   
3. Affirm to myself the creative arts are in good hands going forward
   
4. Dream of incorporating some new ideas in my own playing 

David 

 Three months of reflection during isolation has yielded valuable insights. 

1. I understand what I value as a musician.
2. I understand whose company I treasure and whose I do not.
3. I understand my value in the musical marketplace.
   

I am sure you have gone through a similar experience.

So, I am still practicing. I also have sought out younger musicians to learn from as well. I am working out safe jamming practices/spaces for piano and guitar trios to meet.

The cinematic noise trio Fade/Dissolve will continue to produce work and post it online. Our newest work drops soon.

I will be taking a live online class in adult education next month. I am reading, creating, dreaming, and scheming.

It is going to be ok, but it is going to be different.

What's the coolest thing that could happen to your musical life in the next five years? I've answered this question, have you?

Stay well.

David

Your high school track days are over. Remember that as you consider how to maintain fitness after 60. Recovery is neither quick nor easy. So, rule number 1 is don't get injured. Rule number 2 is seek some professional input before starting to exercise again if you have been inactive. First stop is your doctor. No point dropping dead in the first week. 

Here is the recommendation for  a seven-day cycle: 6 days of activity, one day of rest from Dr. Stuart McGill is professor emeritus in Spine Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. He's our age, these are his recommendation.  Check out his article on the CBC website. https://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/how-to-change-your-fitness-routine-to-stay-strong-and-mobile-as-you-age-1.5471940

​

Cycle 1: 

Day one: strength training
Day two: something else, like biking, walking, something to "get the old ticker going"
Day three: mobility training
Day four: something else
Day five: Strength training
Day six: rest
Day seven: mobility training

Cycle 2

Day one: Something else
Day two: strength training
Day three: something else
Day four: mobility training
Day five: rest
Day six: Strength training
Day seven: Something else

and so on

I’m going to try this new routine over the next six weeks and see what happens. 

David
​

Reach out and stay connected. I've sent and received a number of messages from friends and music making colleagues this week. 

Jim and I had a coffee date on Zoom to talk jazz. A little awkward to start but good none the less. 

Pete and I agreed that after this passes we will reconnect and play some music after so many years apart. 

Tim and Rory and I are in contact. We all miss the monthly jazz trio sessions. 

William, Gordon, and I continue to make our "Cinematic Noise" videos via file transfer. 

It all helps. 

David

Fifth week, wow. An unknown number of weeks to go. Let's stay busy with positive activities. 

1. Rest
2. Exercise
3. Practice
4. Eat well
5. Keep up our network by virtual networks
6. Plan for the future
7. Reconnect with your spouse
   
8. Enjoy Netflix
   

This will end.

​David

I had been doing the following things on a regular basis.

1. Worked with Piano coaches with whom I met monthly for both classical and jazz piano pedagogy studies.
2. Worked with a Drum coach I saw weekly.
3. Consumed music podcasts about coaching, customer service, marketing, and music pedagogy.
4. Participated in numerous online groups involved in professional music and pedagogy.
5. Practiced piano and drums daily. I usually rested on Sunday.
6. From time to time I played in a professional setting.
7. I attended live music events most weeks.

I did the following things on a yearly basis:

1. Attended summer music workshops around the world: USA, Canada, Italy, and Poland
2. Took music and cultural holidays around the world. Last trip over New Years was to New York City.

How did I practice in my studio?

1. I had an overall goal in both the piano and drums. These were lifetime goals.
2. I had yearly goals which were posted in the studios.
3. My studio space was well organized, it was easy to get started.
4. I followed the direction of my coaches/mentors/teachers.
5. I worked on the following areas:
   1. Technique
   2. Etudes
   3. Sight reading
   4. Repertoire
   5. Ear training and Transcriptions
   6. Score study
   7. Metronome work
   8. Theory
   9. Student work
6. I journaled my progress in various ways.

 
Now what? No jamming for the next few months or even longer. No face to face, mano a mano interactions of any sort.
 
A few assumptions before proceeding.

1. This will pass.
2. I want to be here when it does.
3. Music making will resume in some form or another, though there will be some changes in how our cohort goes about it. Some bands may never start up again.

The plan is simple

1. Stay healthy, follow the suggestions of legitimate authority. Eat, sleep, and exercise like a champion. Be here and be available when all this passes.
2. Keep the business going. Financial stability has never been more important.
3. Enjoy this extra time with my spouse, an unexpected gift.
4. Practice diligently, research, and network, so I will be a stronger musician when this event passes. So, I will work on the following:
   1. Classical piano, going deep on student repertoire, get back in shape. My goal is musicians' hands not teachers' hands.
   2. Jazz piano, exploring both the bebop and post-bop idioms. Second build up my collection of standards and original work. Finally master the art of spontaneous modulations. 
   3. Create electro-acoustic work with my friends online.

​Best,

David Story

I was reading the comments for this video from the younger set.

1. I love your “old school” approach to recording
2. Tasty tasty tasty playing ..... mint feel.... loads of old school playing!!
3. Sick shit! Ol skool yummy fusion! Incredible playing Thomas!!!

Damn, I'm thinking what masterful modern playing. Apparently I need help just to catch up to 1990!

Cheers, 

David

1.  1st goal is to be here in 10 years. 
   
2. 2nd goal? Be happily married.
   
3. 3rd goal? Study and practice with the most effective coaches I can find in drumming and piano.
   
4.  4th goal? That in four more years I start cutting back one day a week, until I'm down to 3 days a week of teaching. About 20 hours. Financial impendence is arriving soon. 
   

What is your ten year plan?

David