Tortoise vs the Hare, Climb vs the Mountain
It took me a long time to realize the obvious: Bands and artists don’t burst onto the scene, even if it appears like they do.
A teacher doesn’t become a principal–let alone the superintendent of a school–in one year. Even five years. Rarely ten.
Yet most people believe a band can go from unknown to famous with one song, one video, one tour, one radio campaign, one moment. That’s a false fable. It takes years of work–and many failures–before an act breaks out.
Here’s another false fable:
An independent band or artist might feel like they are the tortoise in a race against the hare (the band with a major label or famous relative or rich parents). However, that’s the wrong analogy; art isn’t a race.
We are more like Sisyphus, climbing mountains of different sizes, carrying rocks of unique shapes.
There is only one race in life that really matters, and we don’t control that finish line. Instead, we can decide to climb; and the story of our climb matters more than the size of the mountain.
New year resolutions always force me to face a paradox about myself: I am extremely hard-working and also extremely lazy.
For example, I’ll practice piano everyday; but add the task having to set up the gear, and I will neglect it for months.
I think that’s why I was drawn to playing acoustic guitar more than electric guitar, especially while living in cramped college dorms. No set-up required! Pick-up and play!
Today I was inspired by my friend Dave Stanley’s blog titled, “No more resolutions.” I decided to make a different styled change for 2014.
Instead of forcing myself to change, I’ve changed my environment. I’ve eliminated the middle steps that I know will interfere with my three simple goals (practice piano more, read more, write more).
For example, I rearranged my entire office so my keyboard is always set-up.
I put all of the books I own (but haven’t read) on one shelf, just in reach.
I’ve placed my writing notebook and “quick ideas” recorder on my desk.
No more searching. No more set-up. Just sit down and work.
I know I should be less lazy, but I also know how I am. Why pretend otherwise? I’m just not giving my lazy side a chance.
Patience Over Skill: Learning a Second Instrument
Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers theorizes it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, like learning guitar. But how long does it take a competent musician to learn a second instrument?
Gladwell once told blogger Bob Lefsetz that that learning time could be cut in half, if the skills carry over.
This feels correct to me. One already knows not only the concepts of music, but also how to practice, how to go about learning the skill. Plus, motor skills might be mostly the same, like fingers moving on a fretboard.
But here’s a conflict that might be hard to measure: frustration level!
It took me a few years to be able to play guitar decently. I practiced everyday during high school. But it’s taken me twice as long to master the mandolin in my adulthood, even though my picking and fretting hands have the motor skills.
Why has it taken me twice as long when it should have been cut in half? My impatience! My brain hates relearning a new fretboard of the mandolin when the guitar’s already makes sense, so I give up more quickly.
My frustration levels were a bigger impedance the second time around on mandolin than my ignorance the first time around on guitar.
Again, it’s important to remember: patience is often a stronger virtue than skill.
(PS: My fingers are getting around the mandolin’s fretboard more confidently, now! Actually, a fretboard tuned in fifths makes more sense than the guitar’s refraction.
I also love the ease of traveling with a mandolin, especially airline travel! Carry on ready, stress free.)
I stumbled upon a unique idea happening in Detroit:
Fix-up smaller houses in Detroit neighborhood’s that need a help; offer the houses as a residency to writers in Detroit neighborhood that needs help. The writer gets to keep the house after staying two years. Another vacancy is prevented.
Could it work?
Write a House is giving it a shot.
They are currently fixing up the Peach House on a block that is just one mile north of my friend (and session drummer), Stuart Tucker’s neighborhood in Hamtramck!
This wouldn’t be an easy move, by any stretch. Stuart’s neighborhood in Hamtramck is quite active, maintained, and diverse. But that block where the Peach House is located isn’t as vibrant. When you get off the Davison Freeway, there is notable blight. Also, there is a strip club two blocks away on Conant.
This wouldn’t be an easy move, but again, saving a neighborhood isn’t easy. Powerhouse Productions, another local nonprofit focused on bringing artists into Detroit offers an honest, inspiring reminder about the complications of living in the Motor City. They also are located close to the Peach House.
Either way, it’s a cool idea to draw creative career-focused folks to the area, give them a chance at homeownership, and give a neighborhood that has activity greater potential of surviving the Detroit financial fallout.
