What inspires the artist?

Of course if you ask that question to 100 different artists you'd probably get 1,000 different answers.  I'm not about to ask all 100 that I know.  So I'll just ask myself: "Patricia, what inspires you?"

Well Ms. Shih, there are many things that can inspire, and there are many ways to be inspired.  As a visual artist I am drawn to beauty, complexity, simplicity (I know that sounds contradictory, and it is), mystery, color, depth, arresting images that evoke emotions, memory, intellectual and/or visceral reaction.  As a musician, it's the same.  I have no use for inane (to me) music that simply has a catchy beat "that you can dance to."  I am not a fan of a lot of pop music, nor almost all rap or hip hop, which barely -- if at all! -- contains music as I define it.  I get bored with love songs unless they are somehow unique or extraordinary.  I do admit a fondness for old Motown...

For me, song inspiration can come from many places.  It could be a beautiful turn of phrase I read or heard; a snatch of melody; a new tuning on my guitar; an odd chord progression; noodling on the piano; an idea someone offers.  To me, the concept of the song is the most important, and I have to be moved enough to want to stop what I'm doing and invest time and energy to write.  I also need a long uninterrupted span of time, at least a few hours.  But there are those incredible songs which nearly write themselves.  For me, those are few and far between but when they happen, it's a gift from heaven and they are usually the best songs.  Like many other songwriters, I never really feel like I wrote them but rather am merely the vessel through which the song moves.   A great song just wants to go out to live!

I love imagery; I love words and wordplay.  The best lyrics for me are those that can say something that might not be entirely unique but which is expressed in a different way.  Add the challenge of making words rhyme (which I also love) and it becomes artful play.  Or playful art.  And that in and of itself is inspiring.

I am not the kind of writer who is very disciplined, like famed songwriter and folk singer Tom Paxton.  He once said he schedules a sit-down at least three days a week, something like: on Monday he writes a love song; on Wednesday, a children's song; on Friday, a topical one.  He helps inspiration along by being dedicated and disciplined, and by making time and space for a song to come in.  I know quite a few songwriters who can write on demand and on a schedule; they make their own inspiration.  I'm not one of those.

But who can really say where inspiration comes from?  Life is a series of these and more unexpected gifts.  It is our job as artists to recognize when lightning strikes, capture it, do our own magic so the song manifests, and then set it loose as a gift to others.

Thank you for reading and I welcome your comments.

The Importance of Family Music Part 2

Two postings ago I talked about how important age-specific music is to children--that is, music aimed at their appropriate development levels.  Of course what is "right" for a two-year-old won't necessarily "fly" with a 10-year-old, and so content (lyrics) as well as melody might be written expressly for that age's ears, heart and mind.  Many experienced songwriters in this genre like to aim at about a year or more "older" when writing for a particular age group so their songs might help kids grow and learn by exposing them to the wider world of ideas and musical styles they might not have encountered yet.

But another extremely important factor in the creation of age-specific music for children and families is for our society at large.  Culture is best taught early in life; language, love of art, customs, attitudes all are embedded more deeply the earlier they are planted.  So it follows that whatever we want our children to "take to heart," we should begin exposing them to at a young age.  This is why Baby Mozart has been such a success.  Parents who want to instill their love of music (specifically in this case, classical music) might play it for their baby even before birth, in utero.  We tend to gravitate and stick to what we loved in our young years.  So if parents love -- for example -- folk music, age-specific music written in that genre is easily available.  In fact, with the explosion of artists creating children's/family music nowadays, I'll wager there isn't a genre that hasn't been touched by someone writing for young ears.  If we want to keep a style of music alive, just like any other "language" it has to be taught and used or it will die.

Learning good audience behavior at a live concert is another reason to have a vibrant family music world with excellent songwriters and especially compelling performers.  We all know that kids these days spend a lot of time -- perhaps WAY too much time -- in front of screens: computers, video games, TV, iPods and iPads, etc.  Behaviors and attitudes that are learned from face-to-face human interaction and reaction are of course crucial to children's development.  I know I am not the only person disturbed by deteriorating behavior in movie and particularly live-concert theatres; the talking, inattention, running around, cell phone interruptions and other improper behavior are perpetuated by people's disregard for the performer, lack of manners or inability to control themselves or their kids.  Audiences simply either do not know or care that they are disturbing others and that attention is required, along with what is appropriate and inappropriate reactions.  It behooves us all to teach this culture to our young citizens as early as is practical.

When musicians are asked to perform for free

Sooner or later every musician is going to be asked to do a gig for free.  For nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.  Each artist of course will have to decide for themselves if they want to do this, how often, for whom and so forth.  If you asked 100 artists you probably would get maybe as many different opinions as responders.

My take is this: there are good reasons to do freebies -- charity benefits and fundraisers, etc.  Or if I want to make inroads with a new venue that I REALLY want to get in with (maybe a prestigious museum?), I might do it for free or lowered fee.  If it will give me really great (not just good) "exposure" (but remember, folks can die from exposure!) in front of a constituency that might get me work later like in front of other bookers, producers, industry people, etc. -- kind of like an extended showcase -- then "yes," too.  For example, I just performed one song for free in front of 200-300 child care providers and teachers before the keynote speaker at a big conference (plus they played my "Power of One" video after she spoke), but I negotiated a free exhibit table, lunch and the opportunity to sell products.  WELL!  It was a huge success; I may get bookings from it and I probably sold more product than I ever did at one place and time.

So if you choose to donate your services try to get a promise for something in return.  I don't think musicians should simply give away our art (except for charity or a good cause), as it devalues it.  How much do you value your relationship with someone who asks you to perform for free, and/or the venue you'd be performing in?  Could you sell CDs? Could they try to block book you with another paying venue?  I am giving a free mini-concert to an organization but I asked them to find me two more full-fee bookings on the same day in the same town, which they did.

Remember to firmly state that they are to keep your donation confidential!  And remember to still draw up a contract with your regular fee with "discounted to ____" in the appropriate spot so they know how much you normally charge, and the tremendous bargain they are getting.  It's an odd fact that if they pay you nothing, they often treat you terribly.  When they pay you a lot you are therefore worth "more" and are treated with more respect.  So let them know what a favor you are doing and what you normally are worth.  You'll be treated so much better!

Lastly, to put a final point on this topic, once we played at a local festival for free in the worst possible conditions, in front of maybe 12 people outdoors in a field. One of those 12 people ended up being the anchor for the local TV news program who recommended me for an audition for a new kids' show under production.  I ended up getting the host position which put me on TV four times daily for a year!  So, you just never know where opportunity will come from, or what other benefit you might get.  Not everything is measured in dollars. 

Not that I'm trying to talk you into playing for free, but sometimes there are good reasons and situations for it and that can come from it.  I feel so lucky to be able to make my living doing what I love, I do feel it behooves me to give back; again, it will depend on each musician's attitude and circumstances.

Then again, sometimes it's just a wasted day.

Thank you for reading and I welcome your comments.

The Importance of Family Music

Welcome to the inaugural blog of Patricia's Music Musing!

For those of you who are parents or grandparents, you probably already know how important age-specific music is to your family.  You might sing or play songs when riding on car trips, putting little ones to bed, being together at play time, dancing in the kitchen and so on.  Sure, you might sing and dance to YOUR favorite songs; don't we all want to share the music we love?  But there is something very special about songs that are written with a child's particular age, skills and development in mind.  It benefits the child and it may also remind YOU again about the joys of discovery at that age.

But more than this, never more than in childhood will the brain be as receptive, retentive and open to ideas.  It is in childhood where proves the adage "as the twig is bent, so grows the tree."  So it behooves us adults to be careful and mindful about what goes into those little cerebral folds.  We may not be listening to the lyrics, but you can bet on some level kids are.  If the content we expose them to is violent, inane, sexist, demeaning or mean, what are we teaching our children?

Music is such a heart-opener, it can shape attitudes, thoughts, expression and so much more for a person's lifetime.  I know it did exactly that for me.  As a pre-teen my life was forever changed by the music of Dylan, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkle, Judy Collins et al.  I know you might be saying, "But that music was not children's music!"   Well, such a genre didn't really exist when I was very young.  But had I grown up with the messages in the songs of Tom Chapin it would have had the same impact, I just would have gotten it much earlier.

This is a big, deep and wide subject that I'd like to explore further in future musings, so stay tuned--in more ways than one!

Thanks for reading, and I welcome your comments.