Food for thought?

[Jeremy Bender]

 

[Jeremy Bender]

Keeping this "music related" per forum rules, I myself need to apply this to different playing techniques and learning about latet technology in both performance and recording environments.

Anyone else see an application where this could be used?

 

[GetAgrippa]

Yep you can only take a horse to water-who knows what then he may bite you or kick the crap out of you LOL. Seriously. You really have to be "determined" and "persistent" to learn any musical instrument-then with time (effort and study and practice) and more determined and persistent you may get pretty good. So it applies to drums-so if you are a music teacher and the student isn't interested nor practicing the rate of progress, if any, would be seriously slow, stagnant, frustrating (makes me feel sorry for my grade school teachers LOL). This applies to self-taught-which I'm sure if determined and persistent using some form of guidance (books,CDs, etc) you can teach yourself to read and get proficient (you'd think I'd figure that out sooner anyways)-but just sitting on a kit daily and "sticking" around statistically would take you decades, if not longer, to luck into proficiency if ever. Believe me I know this to be true. It sort of brings up a secondary point we are often our own worse enemy-preconceived notions, biases creep in and can handicap before you get started. That's what I love about really little children-so eager and curious about everything. Look at the amazing young children-who determined with unbridled passion that no one can stop them are just amazing drummers. I wish I could bottle that.

 

[larryace]

I feel that the learning mindset is either there, or it isn't. Generally speaking. There are plenty of gray areas for sure, like when a person has to learn a skill or suffer. But generally speaking I feel the majority of people fall into one of the 2 categories. Maybe the learning mindset has a direct correlation to how open minded a person is?

 

[Andy]

Maybe the learning mindset has a direct correlation to how open minded a person is?

Sometimes my hard drive has capacity, but my RAM is maxed out

 

[Push pull stroke]

I feel that the learning mindset is either there, or it isn't. Generally speaking. There are plenty of gray areas for sure, like when a person has to learn a skill or suffer. But generally speaking I feel the majority of people fall into one of the 2 categories. Maybe the learning mindset has a direct correlation to how open minded a person is?

Musicians tend to score higher than average on open-mindedness. I suspect that’s even more true with drummers.

 

[MrInsanePolack]

Musicians tend to score higher than average on open-mindedness. I suspect that’s even more true with drummers.

I think we have to be. Dealing with other people creatively can be frustrating, and dealing with multiple people who have their own ideas about the same thing can be a downright nightmare. If we don't remain open minded to all and explore all ideas, we are selling the music short IMO.

As far as learning, with anything, drive isn't necessarily all that's needed. People learn differently, and all have a certain set of skills they possess that will determine how and at what rate they learn. My kid for example, she is borderline/high functioning autistic. She is 20. You would just think she is a bit weird when talking to her, but wouldn't know that she has a learning issue. She does not understand the world as we see it. Yet I can teach her to understand how to do things she is blind to, because I understand her. Her ability to learn is both better and worse than a normal person. Once she has it, she never forgets. Never. It could be 5 years later, and only having done whatever once, she can still repeat the operation in full without reminder. It amazes me.

There are people who are infinitely smarter than all of us but can't tie their shoes. There are people dumb as who have the ability to do things the intelligent can't. I think there is more to it than just determination, although I do agree that without determination you really won't get anywhere. You really have to want it.

 

[GetAgrippa]

I think we have to be. Dealing with other people creatively can be frustrating, and dealing with multiple people who have their own ideas about the same thing can be a downright nightmare. If we don't remain open minded to all and explore all ideas, we are selling the music short IMO.

As far as learning, with anything, drive isn't necessarily all that's needed. People learn differently, and all have a certain set of skills they possess that will determine how and at what rate they learn. My kid for example, she is borderline/high functioning autistic. She is 20. You would just think she is a bit weird when talking to her, but wouldn't know that she has a learning issue. She does not understand the world as we see it. Yet I can teach her to understand how to do things she is blind to, because I understand her. Her ability to learn is both better and worse than a normal person. Once she has it, she never forgets. Never. It could be 5 years later, and only having done whatever once, she can still repeat the operation in full without reminder. It amazes me.

There are people who are infinitely smarter than all of us but can't tie their shoes. There are people dumb as who have the ability to do things the intelligent can't. I think there is more to it than just determination, although I do agree that without determination you really won't get anywhere. You really have to want it.

That is a great post MrInsanePollack. So many truths.

 

[Vintage Old School]

This may be a bit of a stretch, but I see two areas of application which involves gear/equipment and business savvy.

In my day job in the film industry I used to do a lot of consulting regarding gear and systems. People would approach me with a grocery list of options and ask "what is best?". I would ask a number of questions to determine if what they wanted is what they actually needed. 98% of the time all they wanted was for someone to validate their decision and they had no intention of listening to what they actually needed. My take away is they often were looking for a scapegoat so if their decision proved to go south they would have someone to pin the blame on. I think to some degree this is present in the musical realm as well.

The other area is learning how to approach music from the business side and what it takes to be successful at whatever level you are playing on. In our cyber culture dripping in pseudo-fame and instant gratification the music industry is a long hard road of learning how to navigate one's creative passion as a business--relationally and financially--and somehow land on your feet. I think those who make it at whatever level in the musical industry or lifestyle have both determination to persist through the rough times and an ability to learn from their own mistakes and incorporate the wisdom of others.

 

[GetAgrippa]

????!!! Cat got your tongue at least post my comment as is and don’t add to It

 

[EdSeyer211]

Something I needed to think about. Thanks!

 

[PorkPieGuy]

I've been a professional educator for over 15 years. If a student doesn't want to learn, then he/she won't...no matter what. Attitude is everything.

 

[MrInsanePolack]

I've been a professional educator for over 15 years. If a student doesn't want to learn, then he/she won't...no matter what. Attitude is everything.

What's worse, the student who doesn't know and doesn't care, or the student who already knows what you are teaching and therefore doesn't care?

 

[PorkPieGuy]

What's worse, the student who doesn't know and doesn't care, or the student who already knows what you are teaching and therefore doesn't care?

The first student who doesn't know and doesn't care is definitely worse because his/her writing will be horrible. The student who doesn't care but already is a great writer makes grading MUCH easier.