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Let’s face it. The world will not end if there isn’t another new age music CD on the market. So why bother? Why play when most people don’t care or want to hear the kind of music you like? The answer lies in the nature of art itself, for the world really does not need art. It can survive without painting, sculpture or music. It can survive, but it would be a pretty dreary place.

But the main reason we play is not for the world but for ourselves. We must play for ourselves first and if people hear and like it fine. If not, that’ s fine too. As long as we don’t deprive ourselves of the enriching experience improvisation can bring.

When I first started playing I wanted to create something others could admire. Something that people could say, wow, listen to that. That guy is really good. But I was miserable and miles away from the true purpose of playing music. It wasn’t until a year or so later that I realized that if I don’t please myself first, no one would be pleased. Nor did it matter if others were pleased or not.

So, what is new age piano improvisation good for? Absolutely nothing - except the joy it can bring to you and to me when we enter the flow and the music pours out of us. It is so precious to be able to do this. So fleeting it may be too. A second or a minute of forgetting yourself at the piano is a sacred act. One that grows and develops. It matures of itself. Much like meditation. If one practices the art, one grows in proportion to that practice.

But this kind of growth is spiral in nature. There are times that the music seems lifeless and dull. At these times we feel the same inside. But a day or two later, we are in a new place and the music flows like water. This is a mystery, this process. One can only go with it and not fight it. You are creating art second by second when you improvise. This kind of beauty is fleeting - but is the most precious. Guard it. Cherish it. And if you feel inclined share it with the rest of the world.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

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Jealousy - do you feel it? Do you sense it in others? Does it hinder your relationships with other musicians? Does it sap your confidence? Does it block your creativity? Here are some questions to help you get clearer about the jealousy in your life.

1. What is my jealousy trying to teach me? Generally when I have a strong emotion towards a specific person it’s either because that person represents something about me that I can’t tolerate yet or because that person embodies something that I wish I could do or have. I remember being in a high school arts program and being incredibly envious of a fellow singer. What I was so painfully aware of (though I couldn’t have articulated it at that time) was that this person was able to fully express herself and her talents, and I couldn’t. I was a better singer at home in my bedroom than I was in front of other people, and THAT’S what I couldn’t stand about the situation. By doing what I couldn’t do, she shone a spotlight on my biggest challenge. It made it virtually impossible to have a good relationship with her.

2. How can I identify with this person as a fellow musician, instead of comparing our work? What opportunities are there for collaboration, mutual support and the exchange of ideas? Can I open myself to receiving gifts from this person - feedback, support and love? What can I, in turn, give to this person? Even the most famous, the most successful musician is a human being just like you. Find the connection. What can I give to a musician who’s newer than I am?

3. How can I develop confidence in my unique message and express this authentically? I will never sound like this other musician, or anyone else for that matter. Influences may be heard, comparisons will inevitably be made, but my words will never come out exactly like theirs, because my “story”, my life, my experiences, my collection of qualities, strengths and challenges are completely unique to me. When I honour my uniqueness my confidence grows, and it becomes pointless to compare myself to others - there’s no comparison. This quote by Martha Graham further explains what I mean.

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. - Martha Graham, quoted by Agnes DeMille, Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham

4. How can I turn my attention away from this other person and back to what I can do to further my own success and creative fulfillment? If I’m jealous of someone winning a songwriting contest, I can ask myself: how many songwriting contests have I entered? If I’m jealous of the size of their fan base, I can ask myself: how am I attracting new fans and how I am deepening my relationship with the ones I have now? If I’m jealous of the number of songs they’ve written, I can ask myself: what am I choosing to do with my time instead of writing songs?

5. Now that I’ve learned from it, how can I let go of my jealousy? Often in life we hang on to emotions long after they’ve served their usefulness. They become comfortable, familiar and safer than doing the work to get to the other side of them. And yet they can also weigh us down and block our creativity. Try the analogy FEEL. First, Feel your feeling - don’t suppress it, actually let yourself feel it. Next, Express the feeling - write about it, sing about, talk about it with someone you trust, play it on an instrument or express it in art. Next, Explore the feeling - what is it trying to teach you, etc. as discussed above. And finally Let it Go. This can be as simple as saying a short prayer or affirmation (”I have let go of my jealousy”, or “I have valuable and unique gifts to offer”), or writing the feeling on a piece of paper and tearing it up.

Jealousy has a lot to teach us. So when it shows up in your life, pay attention. If you notice jealousy in others, put yourself in their shoes and help them to identify with you. Reveal your humanity. Let them know that they’ve got something to offer you.

This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter’s Resource website (December 2004) http://www.musesmuse.com.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive her free monthly newsletter, “Everyday Artist”, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/artist-newsletter.html

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The chromatic harmonica has a button on the side which allows you to play the normal major scale, and with the button depressed, gives you all the half steps or notes in between.

This allows you to play any scale, in any key, but you
can’t bend notes very well on this instrument so you don’t get the same “bluesy” sound as on the diatonic.

Reading music and song tab for the chromatic- The chromatic harmonica hole layout is similar (sometimes referred to as “Solo” tuning) to the diatonic hole layout (referred to as “Richter” tuning), but not the same, so song tablature is different.

Many accomplished chromatic players are able to read standard music notation which eliminates the need for song tab.

The chromatic is mostly used for jazz, classical, and pop music- The chromatic harmonica is typically used in jazz, classical, pop, and music where the melodies require more than a 7-note scale (like the one on a standard diatonic).

A classic example of where a chromatic would be required is the theme song to “Midnight Cowboy”. The original theme to “Sesame Street” was also played on a chromatic.

People who play the chromatic harmonica- Stevie Wonder, Toots Thielemans, and Larry Adler are three of the best known players of this instrument.

The 40’s and 50’s were the heyday of the ‘Harmonica Bands’ (like the “Harmonicats” and “Harmonica Rascals”) and were usually led by a chromatic harmonica player.

For more more information about Chromatic Harmonica please visit http://www.chromatic-harmonica.com

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