Alex says

Rockers!

Wow, things have been crazy! I was very close to being an Elvis impersonator. I just got a palm tree plant thingamajig. I am planting a forsythia hedge in the yard. And I got some great advice from a student named Alex.


So, the lady I rent my studio space from is pretty cool. She got me into a fashion show with 400 women and 8 guys. Great odds, right? Unfortunately, I found out that it was a fashion show for older women. And - it was a fashion show. I will never date a model, because I can't even pretend to be supportive and sit through her show.

So I'm sitting at the table watching this thing, and the commentators are going on and ON and ON about clothes. I felt like Ted Fergeson, Bud Light Daredevil. Except I don't drink, and I didn't have a cool helmet.

So, when there's nothing else to do, learn.

To me, these ladies were walking around in very expensive average looking clothes. I wouldn't have looked twice at these duds in Target. Of course, I don't shop for ladies clothes. But you know what I mean!

Did you know there's a sort of music theory with clothes? Some lines are supposed to make the wearer look thinner (it's placebo), "while the embroidered cuffs add a hint of Aussie sensibility to the outfit." "Riiiiiiiiiiiight." as the guy below would say...


And then it hit me: If this is theory for women, and they just look like some random person walking around in a slightly funny getup, well...

Maybe that's what us musicians sound like with our hip chord voicings or blazing scales, to an average listener. Maybe we're wayyyyyyyy over thinking it.

Of course, this is not to say that you shouldn't learn theory, rip through scales, and really know your stuff. You need to know it! But don't assume that everyone will be in awe of your embroidered cuffs...err, inversion of a Bb7(b9) chord. Use your knowledge to rock, not to express scales.

And all of this is summed up by my client, Alex. He wrote something cool on the dry erase board in my teaching studio. Substitute "Rock" for "cook", and you'll get the idea.











It says: "Instructions for Cooking: Cook."

Rock on!