So what was the best advice you've ever gotten from a teacher or musical mentor?

[Modern Saint]

I had an electronics teacher in high school who stood in front of the class and told us "Electronics don't spark and explode like they do on TV. They generally just stop working"

Since my dad was an electrician and had told me about high voltage arcing and I'd seen electronics catch on fire... I did a little experiment in the lab when the teacher was out of the room.


When he left the room we were trying to keep the smoke from setting off the smoke alarms in the building and we threw the smouldering, melted electronics out in the snow.......


After I graduated, I told him about it and he said "I tell that story to the classes to keep mad scientists like you from trying things like that."

So it was you that I heard the story about....

 

[Flamencology]

This has been along the lines of how I've been trying to play lately. I haven't been very successful at it but I've also been simplifying what I've been trying to play to get at it better.

I guess that what I left out is that thinking "big picture" forces you to outline a piece dramatically, figure out where you're going, when, and why, structure dynamic changes in volume, tempo, phrasing, etc.

 

[parrotheada1a]

And to listen to what comes out of my instrument.

This, from my old accordion teacher. And from the same person, she said play what's needed and keep it as simple as your skills allow. She added that adding stuff out of time and out of tune is a sure way to wreck a nice piece of music. Doubly so if you are in a band.