DIY music school
Mon, 05/23/2011 - 3:53pm
Would anyone be interested in starting what would best be called a "DIY music school"
When talking with an old acquaintance the other day, she mentioned that she's learning guitar, but is having trouble "playing the right chords," etc.
My response to this sort of discussion is typically that there are various "capacities" one can achieve in music. If you want to be a concert piano player, you should develop the capacities that will be required, but that to enjoy playing, entirely different capacities are needed. If you aim for the capacity to enjoy or express yourself, you'll get there faster than if you aim for knowing scales & chords, because those things are only tangentially related to gaining satisfaction out of playing.
I'm thinking I'd like to start a "school" based on these precepts. It would be better though, if several people were a part of it, covering different instruments and styles, but with a unified approach, and with common reference materials, including lists and reference of artists who manage expression with minimal focus on technical aspects, books and interviews discussing personal relationships to music, etc.
Classes would be held at individuals homes, or a central arranged space. I suppose class money would primarily go to the teacher, though perhaps some slice would go towards administrative tasks, but I think having multiple people on board is a better presentation.
Pique anyones interest?
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 1:08am
#2
this is indeed...
the best idea i've heard in a long time.
so many folks have so many talents, and intuitive insights in different fields. i would take a class and be into hosting one as well.
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 4:38am
#3
extremely interesting
could be fun.
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 9:34am
#4
not deleted
LP has the sensitivity, common sense, musical talent, and humility to maybe put a school like this together and it not be a bunch of crap.
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 1:02pm
#5
yes
I would love to take some classes!
Here are my dream teachers...
Nan teaching drums
Preston on synth (both playing and creating sounds)
Julie teaching the saw and/or theatrical vocal performance
So many possibilities...these are just the first that came to mind.
I'm so in and down to help organize/host ;-)
R
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 5:11pm
#6
Interesting
Cool to see this response.
My original vision was a few people as somewhat dedicated teachers, but it looks like having a network of people with various skills & experiences might be interesting.
There are still a lot of ways it could be put together. A student could have a core teacher, and then rotate through a few other sessions. A student would have a chance to experience a lot of variety, without having to spend a lot of time searching.. and teachers wouldn't necessarily have to make a large commitment of availability.
A networked approach would seem to make a central space more important, but perhaps something could be worked out with a rehearsal space, or a joint like Market Hotel, etc.
I'm going to reach out to a few other people, and then maybe a meeting would be good, to brainstorm on this.
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 7:12pm
#7
LP
What about a one day seminar as a precursor?
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 7:16pm
#8
I don't have the time to
I don't have the time to offer classes, but I have spent a lot of time teaching and working with teacher development. If there are people who want to teach a course but can't get their head around how to teach someone, I can look over plans of action and offer my input at planning meetings. There are good and bad teachers out there and it has nothing to do with how musically talented you are...it's a different skill set.
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 7:16pm
#9
I don't have the time to
I don't have the time to offer classes, but I have spent a lot of time teaching and working with teacher development. If there are people who want to teach a course but can't get their head around how to teach someone, I can look over plans of action and offer my input at planning meetings. There are good and bad teachers out there and it has nothing to do with how musically talented you are...it's a different skill set.
Wed, 05/25/2011 - 8:32pm
#10
for sure
That's why I'd like to brainstorm on the balance of pedagogy and experience, centralized cirriculum and individual style, and how these elements might be combined in a creative and flexible manner.
But teaching is tough, that's for sure.. I have no illusions about that.
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 10:51am
#11
DIY school sounds a bit like
DIY school sounds a bit like an oxymoron initially but I love the idea of trying to define it. Do you envision a face to face meeting or more of an online brainstorm thing here. Off the top of my head I'm thinking stuff like:
(obviously) music, instrument, songwriting, recording, promotion: instructions and groups
screen printing, print making, T-shirts, patches, etc
computer skills: web building, photoshop, podcasting etc...
bicycle repair, or group rides
food, cooking, beer and kombucha making etc...
crafting, drawing, writing
sports, exercise, yoga, dancing
gardening, conservation
nature walks, edible plants etc
my friend Daniel does these really cool things called "sound walks"
activism, political demonstration field trips, letter writing, benefit events
there are a lot of possibilities...
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 1:14pm
#12
whoah
This idea is entirely based around music. Skill shares exist (like trade school via ourgoods.org), and they're awesome, but not really what I'm interested in.
The crux of this is that outsider/DIY music is generally not *totally* removed from influence or tutelage, it just follows forms that may not generally be accepted as education.
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 5:31pm
#13
Got it. Keep me posted.
Got it. Keep me posted if you want help. The only potential problem I see sort of ties in with what Bee K said in that I think most people who have gifts like this are not always so good at explaining them or necessarily eager to do so.
Fri, 05/27/2011 - 1:28pm
#14
DIY Music School
Ive been thinking about this a lot since the first post. What are the things DIY musicians really need to know? Part of it should be something like the Naropa institute Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics--honing and expanding your creativity, ideally in a collective setting. I dont have it in front of me but I think in the first "Elephant Shoe" somebody made a chart about how to write a song--that would be a good outline for a syllabus. Along with studying the songs on the Anthology of American Folk Music and the poems of William Blake.
And then there should be more practical things for those that are interested--how to play in a band, how to play together, how to use dynamics, how to utilize the "language" of music to connect with an audience (and why!). Also how to market yourself if you want to do that (those questions seem to come up all the time on the board). And about recording and equipment (especially including weird, home-made and DIY as well as traditional stuff). Things you might not learn in a typical "music school".
Im really interested in this. Because of my freelance work my schedule is weird and not always in my control but I'd be interested in helping out if and when I could. Especially if there's a way (yes Ill admit it I'm broke) to make a few bucks here and there.
People in the anti folk scene (especially this little island of it) would make possibly the greatest faculty ever known in a music school. But I guess you would then have to find the students.
Sat, 05/28/2011 - 12:25pm
#15
This is very helpful. My
This is very helpful. My sister had an old boyfriend that went to Naropa in Boulder. I didn't know anything about it at the time. I'd like to learn more about this as a potential model or at least influence. That Elephant Shoe poem was by Sam James by the way and it was very cool.
I keep thinking about the general format for this idea and I keep jumping between making it doable and making it something people would actually consider attending and even paying for. Though clearly we are not predominantely in this for the money. I always found the injection for commerce in art an interesting dance. Perhaps commerce in education is a similar thing. I don't think it's something we talk about in a pragmatic sense very often. I think this is a big factor in keeping these kind of things, self sustainable.
I'm into it! Could we incorporate some kind of songwriting circle into this idea?
"Here to do great things."