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Player's School Intensive

CDweller

CDweller

Oct 24, 2009
1,212
166
Clearwater, FL
#1
Today was day 1 of the 5-day intensive. Got to school at 0745 for an 0800 start. Met Jeff and the other guys- 5 students altogether this time. One of the guys is currently a bass player with the US Navy; he's pretty well developed as a bass player. The rest of us are not particularly accomplished. (Edit- I didn't have the opportunity to hear E. P. before I wrote this- E., you're absolutely are an accomplished bass player; you amazed me by the end of the week) I am grateful to Jeff and his team for having the patience and incredible graciousness to teach us.

Jeff is a mensch; nice guy to be around and converse with. He has his ideas, and they make sense when you listen to his reasoning. Jeff and his team are super, super nice, and beyond knowledgeable. They did not use any negativity at all in instructing- everything was phrased in a positive, affirming manner. Nobody of any experience level has anything to fear at this school. They don't tell you stories about your playing, and they guide you to a better way of playing with positive reinforcement.

We had an ensemble class, with a staff guitarist and drummer- I'm leaving their names out because I didn't ask them if they wanted to be mentioned or not. They are both superlative players, and ultra-supportive. We looked at "Blue Bossa", fortunately enough for me, as I started to look into this song about two weeks before coming down- pure coincidence.

We also had a harmony class with another fellow- funny guy, and again, ultra knowledgeable.

Then came lunch- we all piled into cars and headed to a local restaurant- Jeff took me and another student in his car along with the harmony instructor. Fun hang at lunch with Jeff, the harmony instructor, the drummer, and the students. Clearwater is startlingly scenic down by the water.

After lunch came a performance class with the drummer and Jeff, Jeff playing piano, and one student playing bass. Jeff had private lessons earlier with all of the students except for me, so these guys got to look at their lesson material in the heat of battle, if you will. I got to play "Blue Bossa", and no, I'm not sick of it:p It's a great song to learn improvisation with. Jeff would listen to each of the guys laying down bass over the changes and also how they soloed over the changes, and then tell them what they could do to make things more musical. You could hear the guys getting significantly more musical in their technique in the course of 10 to 15 minutes- such is the touch of a master. A big thanks to the drummer, whose clock was awesome. It was wonderful playing with a tasty, in the pocket straight ahead jazz drummer.

I had my lesson with Jeff after the performance class. We took care of some ham-fisted technique issues I brought down with me, and also looked at various inversions for ...."Blue Bossa". Did I mention that I love this song? I don't mind- it's serving learning, and I'm getting more musical all the time by studying it.

Time for homework- writing out B.B. by spelling out the chords as written, and the other three inversions associated with the 3rds, 5ths, and 7ths as the roots.
 
#2
Blue Bossa is a great tune( easy melody) for writing out solos and working on the chord changes. I've been taking guitar lessons for the past 4 months and we're are using it for guitar. I went through music school many years ago for S.Bass and also played electric. Sounds like great stuff you're doing. You can't beat ensamble playing for any instrument esp. bass.( Its like learning how to swim in deep water!!!...best of luck.
 
#3
Day Two- more excellence. I have been in many learning environments- public school, university, adult ed, Marine Corps, and some fairly significant professional educational experiences. I can't think of any finer instruction or instructors than what I'm encountering here at TPSOM. I have only heard positive reinforcement from all of the instructors.

More ensemble playing, harmony, individual instruction with Jeff, and more playing. Identifying stumbling blocks, and finding out what's missing in my foundation. There's a big difference between simply parroting parts copped off a record (excuse me- cd...excuse me mp3), and actually knowing what you're doing. It's challenging for me to expose where I'm remiss or subject to improvement. Yet as I said, these guys are only positive. The only stress I'm experiencing is being generated from my own internal dialogue. I think Jeff's been aware of this, and he's been quick to direct me to relax- whether my left hand, right hand, body, or musical choices on the ax.

I can't claim to be a good musician, but I can say that I'm a lot better than I was in just these two days. I gotta say that my mind kind of turned to mush while practicing by myself at the end of the day today. I was arpeggiating Blue Bossa's chords up and down the neck in one of the practice rooms, and I noticed that I was just losing the ability to make sense or even remember the patterns associated with the various chords. Good time for a break. So now it's just about 9 pm, and I think I can hit it for a couple of hours again.
 
#4
CDweller said:
Day Two- more excellence. I have been in many learning environments- public school, university, adult ed, Marine Corps, and some fairly significant professional educational experiences. I can't think of any finer instruction or instructors than what I'm encountering here at TPSOM. I have only heard positive reinforcement from all of the instructors.

More ensemble playing, harmony, individual instruction with Jeff, and more playing. Identifying stumbling blocks, and finding out what's missing in my foundation. There's a big difference between simply parroting parts copped off a record (excuse me- cd...excuse me mp3), and actually knowing what you're doing. It's challenging for me to expose where I'm remiss or subject to improvement. Yet as I said, these guys are only positive. The only stress I'm experiencing is being generated from my own internal dialogue. I think Jeff's been aware of this, and he's been quick to direct me to relax- whether my left hand, right hand, body, or musical choices on the ax.

I can't claim to be a good musician, but I can say that I'm a lot better than I was in just these two days. I gotta say that my mind kind of turned to mush while practicing by myself at the end of the day today. I was arpeggiating Blue Bossa's chords up and down the neck in one of the practice rooms, and I noticed that I was just losing the ability to make sense or even remember the patterns associated with the various chords. Good time for a break. So now it's just about 9 pm, and I think I can hit it for a couple of hours again.
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Are you *****ing me Pyle? You can't play Blue Bossa yet. Get your sorry *** in gear and let me hear the prettiest Blue Bossa I've ever heard...

Do you love me Pyle? THEN WHY ARE YOUR SMILING AT ME????

(Just trying to help) :eek: :p
 
#8
Day 3- the excellence continues. First off was a talk with Jeff and all the students, which is the way each day here has started. Lots of good info passed on during these chats.

Next came ensemble; today featured a horn player who actually played keyboards during our time. He played well. The same good drummer was there, and he's been great to learn from. Between him and the horn player I learned a little bit more about laying down a solid groove and also soloing.

Harmony class came next. Harmony gets complicated quickly for some, like me. I followed the material for the first 45 minutes, and then I missed a key concept, which made me unable to grasp the last two concepts. I didn't speak up because I knew that I had missed something, and I could read up on it later on today. The book we have is excellent- it's contained in the binder we received upon coming here. About 30 pages of meat and potatoes harmony stuff. I'll be reading the stuff I slipped up on later tonight.

There was a guest drummer today after lunch. Great player named John Blackwell. Fantastic drummer, and he had great stories as well. He, Jeff, and Matt (the harmony teacher and SUPERLATIVE keyboard player) played a few songs- "Cold Duck" (I think that's the name of it), the Cole Porter tune "I Love You", and "Sissy Strut". I enjoyed the Cole Porter tune the most because it offered the most opportunity for all that devilish jazz stuff that these guys do so well. I kind of groaned when I heard "Sissy Strut" called- oh great, jam in "C". These guys made the best of a simple song, and it was good to see the musicianship with which they applied to it.

After this clinic, more ensemble playing with Jeff on keys, and one of his school's students on drums. The student was good- excellent time. I learned even more about soloing under Jeff's tutelage during this time. What's fantastic is that my shortcomings are shown in stark relief during these ensembles, and troubleshooting is performed on the spot by Jeff. It's a little tough being in front of the other guys and Jeff and being exposed, but everyone is totally cool and supportive. You have to look where your playing is subject to improvement if you want to improve. And there's nothing bad happening during this process, other than an ego (my own) acting up and making me feel a little stressed while playing in front of the guys. But they're like me- supportive of the guy in the hot seat. Especially Jeff- he makes sure to accentuate what's good, and lead you away from the less than good stuff.

After ensemble, I had a lesson at the end of the day with Jeff. The ensemble playing illustrated my lack of awareness of chord tones up the neck, especially when the chords change from one to another. So I have an assignment tonight to arpeggiate the changes up the neck and then down, changing the notes to reflect the chords of whatever measure the song's at.

I've been a little star struck working with Jeff, but he is a pretty normal guy, and there is no pretension or affectation at all on his part. There is an amazing passion on his part as well as the other instructors to help each and everyone of us get a little further down the road, musically. I have never been so optimistic about being able to develop as a musician as I am now. More tomorrow.
 
#10
Day 4- A guy named Mick Donner was the guest speaker. He's a guitar builder/tech/corporate consultant. These days he spends most of his time overseas advising corporations how to build their guitars and basses in their factories over there. He was a wellspring of information regarding the care and feeding of our basses. He was also bass-centric in his expertise, as he's a really good bass player, too. He also had a lot of good sea-stories (as we called in them in the Marine Corps) from his many years in the musical instrument industry. Funny guy, and a very enjoyable and informative presentation.

Harmony class after this; more good stuff from Matt B. The guy kills on keyboard, as we saw the day before. He is also able to instantaneously demonstrate on the keyboard all the various concepts presented more conceptually during class.

Ensemble after lunch, Jeff on the keys and John on the drums. During ensemble, John lays down straight ahead jazz drumming totally in the pocket, with enough variation so that it's not mechanical. A real drummer laying down the percussion simply enough so that we don't get confused, but technical enough so that it's real drumming. Jeff also does a great job on the keys, and you get to hear all sorts of musical ideas coming from him. And then you get to solo....

I came here with no idea how to solo. Anytime I've been responsible for a solo, I've sort of been like a guy who can't swim who gets thrown in a pool. Lots of thrashing, and lots of fear. Jeff has been really good at instructing us how to solo. I won't mention the specifics, but suffice to say that lots of bad habits have been exposed, and alternative methods have been offered for cultivation. I now know what to practice to improve my soloing ability. The practice material will vary as my skill improves, but I know what to do relative to where I'm currently at. I have also learned to relax during this experience, and not feel any nervousness when under the ensemble microscope. Any stress has been from the chatter of a nervous mind, that's all.

Individual lesson after this. I've had 4 private lessons this week with Jeff- how about that? Well, regardless of Jeff's reputation, accomplishments, fame, or anything else, the important question is whether he's been delivering the goods during the lessons. It's too easy to fall into the syndrome that makes one say the emperor has really fine clothes when he actually isn't wearing any.

The answer is yes, without question, Jeff has been delivering phenomenal instruction. There's no question of his knowledge- this is Jeff Berlin. The question is how does he interact with his students. I couldn't ask for more perfect instruction, and he's a really nice guy to boot.

One more day. I really think I'm going to be back again after tomorrow.
 
#12
Awesome reviews CDweller. It's sounds like your having a great experience! I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff in Boston and got to chat with him for a bit. He really seems like a genuinely nice guy. I think that he catches a lot of flack for being "abrasive" because he has an idea of what "music education" is to him and, frankly, he sticks to his guns about it and calls people out that he doesn't agree with. The fact of the matter is that the man not only "talks the talk", he "walks the walk" when it comes to music. And my opinion on the matter is that his method really stresses a lot of good habits and sound musical concepts that go a long way to making individuals better players. That is what counts. Keep up the good work and keep having a great time the rest of the time your there and continue having a great time when you leave!!
 
#14
I'll write more in a bit, but I'm at the Tampa Intn'l Airport and have to jet back to NY in just a bit. Regarding the abrasiveness or controversy attributed to Jeff, well let's just say that the words that are written on an internet post don't convey the tone, demeanor, or any other auditory or visual component associated with interpersonal communication. It's easy to get taken back by something read which might not do so if discussed in the flesh. Jeff was great to be around, and I have never experienced as dedicated a teacher as he. Gotta go; final thoughts maybe later tonight back in NY.

Best thing I've ever done for my playing.
 
#16
Well, flight's delayed, so maybe I can bang out this final report before the airplane gets here. Last day; always kind of bittersweet when a highly enjoyable experience ends.

In the morning, 9 am: talk by Jeff to the five of us. This was the continuation of Jeff's discourses on what we're doing, where we need to go, what to avoid, and a bunch of other stuff. They've been good talks, each day.

10 am: Ensemble with Peter on guitar and John on drums. Good stuff; good handouts. Peter was also a good guide to what we can expect along this path of musical betterment. I'm not going to give too many specifics, mostly because my head is still spinning a bit from this heavy duty week. It's been heavy duty because the study and practice of music uses so much of your faculties- cognitive and physical. Peter was great, as was John.

Good drummers are sometimes unsung heros. Big up to John for bringing it every day.


11am: Harmony class, with a good review by Matt of song analysis. Matt's got a book in the works, I believe, and we were provided with the meat and potatoes of it in the study material we received- 30 pages or so of GOOD, GOOD STUFF, and fantastic instruction from Matt. Great sense of humor, too, which makes a class that might possibly be kind of draggy actually fun.

After lunch, a treat. Jeremy Powell on sax, Jeff on bass, John on drums, and a musical force of nature named Richard Drexler on keyboard. They played about 4 songs, maybe 5, and it was a great demonstration of what we've been learning taken to the n'th degree. Jeremy Powell is a fantastic musician- I'm partial to horns, and grateful that a horn player was there. John finally got to stretch on drums with this combo, and he was great. Richard Drexler was simply amazing on keyboard, and again, if you listened, you could hear all of the stuff we learned and much more superbly demonstrated. That guy Berlin wasn't too shabby either, for a bass player.

The concert was fun because it was sort of like an episode of Storytellers on VH-1- Jeff and Richard told stories in between the tunes, and cracked wise with everyone too. I enjoy jam sessions when the players crack jokes between themselves and the audience, and this was in keeping with that. Good fun, and I felt fortunate to be in the presence of these top players in such an intimate setting.

After the concert, more ensemble; Jeff on keys, and I forget the student's name who was on drums. He was fine, especially for our purposes. Some of the students were startling in their transformation from Monday to today- almost not the same players. My playing is about what one can expect- I came here not knowing how to solo, not really even the first thing. I can't solo now really, either, but I have a roadmap to get to that place where I'll be able to.

Lastly, a lesson with Jeff for me at the end of the day- 5 lessons in 5 days with Jeff Berlin- can you imagine? If he wasn't a stellar teacher, it would be like ...big whiff. But Jeff knows what he's doing- I mean he really, really knows what he's doing. I haven't had better instruction, ever.

I will become a good bass player. Right now, my playing, as I and all my musician friends knew it, is forever changed. I have no desire to pick up my bass and play all the crap (my own word) that I used to practice on. I have no time for that kind of foolishness. My practice is now purposeful and empirical- I'm building a house here, and the old one just got blown up, including the shaky foundation. I'm on my way to becoming a bass player who knows what he's doing, not simply a guy who wiggles his fingers and jives.

Best of luck to my fellow students, and those of you reading this. If you're considering attending this because you want to get better as a musician, you can't go wrong. You can come in at whatever level, and it'll be handled and addressed. I don't want to sound like a shill, so I'll just reiterate that this was the best music education experience I've ever had.
 
#17
CDweller said:
I will become a good bass player. Right now, my playing, as I and all my musician friends knew it, is forever changed. I can't even pick up my bass and play all the crap (my own word) that I used to practice on. My practice is now purposeful and empirical- I'm building a house here, and the old one just got blown up, including the shaky foundation. I'm on my way to becoming a bass player who knows what he's doing, not simply a guy who wiggles his fingers and jives.
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I know my practice needs a good kick in the pants. I'm trying to work hard, and I am making progress, but I can't help but feel that I'm spinning my wheels to a significant extent.
 
#20
sleepytime said:
I know my practice needs a good kick in the pants. I'm trying to work hard, and I am making progress, but I can't help but feel that I'm spinning my wheels to a significant extent.
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I am not the guy to offer advice. That being said, let me offer you advice :hiding:

If you're motivated enough to practice, no pants kicking is necessary. You've got the motivation already. You might need proper guidance- a teacher whose efficacy and integrity you trust. Don't work hard- work diligently and effectively. Do you know what will yield you the best results? I don't. That's up to a teacher who knows music and also knows how to teach.

Real learning is a lot different from simply copying licks or even entire songs from a favorite artist, although transcribing is an integral part of learning.

Ok, enough from me, and good luck. If you really want to learn music, you'll seek out the resources you need and do the work. Your foremost resource will be an effective teacher- effective= successful in producing a desired or intended result.
 

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