Max: Brain Flakes
Right now I am spinning some Michael Manring. That dude is just scary. His approach to rhythm is unlike almost anybody else. I wish I could put what I am hearing right now into words. Even more, I wish I could put something like it into my bass playing. He was someone who really opened my eyes (ears) to the power of the groove. I guess I always had a sense that it was rhythm that (to me) made music. Most of the music training I have had has centered on harmony, treating rhythm as window dressing. But as Jon Anderson once sang, "The space between the notes lends the color to the scene." So, lately I have been working more on my sense of rhythm. It can be hard going. I will play a simple groove along with my metronome, thinking I am grooving along. After while I realize that I have stropped paying attention to the metronome and when I tune back into it I find that I am completely out of time with it. Two lessons there. Work harder on rhythm and listen to the musicians you are playing with. Even if that musician is a small box powered by a triple-a battery.
Today I dropped by Borders. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I am just that much of a sad geek that I window shop for books. I spent a while in the math and engineering sections. One thing I deeply regret was not doing better in math when I was in school. It always interested me. But it also always frustrated me. It just seems I could be doing more interesting things with my time, even on a hobby level, if I had just studied math harder. I always have ideas for neat electronic gadgets. But I have no way to bring them into being. I sometimes try to dig back into math and science through various "Dummy" type books and educational toys (yes I play with toys, fuck you). In the end I usually end up walking away frustrated. I wish neuroscientists would get off their lazy asses and get us to the point when people like me can get our defective brains rewired so they work right.
My birthday is a mere 15 days away. I am currently spiraling towards 34. If I somehow manage to lose weight and get into shape, I may manage to squeeze another 30-35 years out of this life. More likely, I have already passed into the second half of my life. So far, I have to say I have done a poor job of things. It hasn't been a total clusterfuck. But for the most part, 0-34 has not left me breathless in anticipation of Act II. I had a ton of hopes and dreams. Opportunities were being thrown at me like Mardi Gras beads. I spent a lot of time hoping and dreaming bt never quite got around to doing the work it takes to make hopes and dreams real. Fear and laziness ruled in sweat and stuggle's place and I managed to end up living the sort of life I once swore to avoid. Of course it is never too late to blabbity bloobity blah blah blah.
Anyway, I think I am done here for now. It is time to go dig up a book or toy and pretend for a while that I can improve myself.
Today I dropped by Borders. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I am just that much of a sad geek that I window shop for books. I spent a while in the math and engineering sections. One thing I deeply regret was not doing better in math when I was in school. It always interested me. But it also always frustrated me. It just seems I could be doing more interesting things with my time, even on a hobby level, if I had just studied math harder. I always have ideas for neat electronic gadgets. But I have no way to bring them into being. I sometimes try to dig back into math and science through various "Dummy" type books and educational toys (yes I play with toys, fuck you). In the end I usually end up walking away frustrated. I wish neuroscientists would get off their lazy asses and get us to the point when people like me can get our defective brains rewired so they work right.
My birthday is a mere 15 days away. I am currently spiraling towards 34. If I somehow manage to lose weight and get into shape, I may manage to squeeze another 30-35 years out of this life. More likely, I have already passed into the second half of my life. So far, I have to say I have done a poor job of things. It hasn't been a total clusterfuck. But for the most part, 0-34 has not left me breathless in anticipation of Act II. I had a ton of hopes and dreams. Opportunities were being thrown at me like Mardi Gras beads. I spent a lot of time hoping and dreaming bt never quite got around to doing the work it takes to make hopes and dreams real. Fear and laziness ruled in sweat and stuggle's place and I managed to end up living the sort of life I once swore to avoid. Of course it is never too late to blabbity bloobity blah blah blah.
Anyway, I think I am done here for now. It is time to go dig up a book or toy and pretend for a while that I can improve myself.
posted by Max Dobberstein at 8/15/2005 12:11:00 AM
18 Comments:
Go re-read your first paragraph. But, don't read it as it's writer. Read it as a reader.
When I read that paragraph, I was immediately struck by a memory. A while back I read an article by Neil Peart, talking about buying a new drum kit. You both sounded the same to me - a musician examining their craft. I admire you for pursuing your craft, even in the face of on-coming age (it's harder to learn new things as we get older) and in the face of your ADD.
Playing bass isn't the real challenge. It takes some effort, true. It's seeing the point that is getting harder.
I'm about to say something very Max-like, I apologize in advance.
Does there have to be a point?
Okay, sorry, I told you it was Max-like. Sorry, I learned from the best - sorry! :)
Let me say something Jericho-like. I like things to have points, so, here's one: mental health. You have talked about two things that have a lot of mental health benefits. There is a growing mass of prrof that mental diseases such as Alzheimer's, can be delayed or abolished but keeping your brain, well, excercised.
It is very true that learning new things as we get older is damned difficult. When you are young, the brain is still growing, completing path ways. Kids pick up stuff like Languages (my personal demon), Math and Music fairly easily.
As we age, brain cells start dying off. Pathways are harder to build. If you don't actively remember your memories, chances are the pathway where they are stored will eventually be broken by loss of brain cells. This sucks! This leads to being a stupid old person, not an active, hip, cool matureness.
However, forcing yourself at later ages to learn, you guessed it, Math, Music and Languages, builds neural pathways. Sure, it's damned difficult, but it keeps the brain active. Leading to that lovely active, hip coolness.
I just saw Bea Arthur on the Pam Anderson Roast last night, if either one of us are nearly as hip or cool as she is at her age, that's 82, we will be the luckiest of lucky.
Keep reading, strumming and equating - it's good for your brain!
Yeah. The 1/24th of my day that is not dedicated to sleeping, commuting or that Sisyphusian exercise I call a job really just make it all worthwile.
Get good enough and make it all of your day. Isn't Metalica looking for a bassist?
Nope. They hired Robert Trujillo over 2 years ago.
Doesn't mean he couldn't be replaced ... :)
Yeah. And after that I'll replace Richard Feynman.
You seem to think that they might require your genius to be a body double for a corpse? Aim high!
Very Klingon. But I think I shall have to pass.
Whaaa??
This comment string has gone a bit astray - even ashtray.
The point here is this: keep playing that damned bass, join a band, get good with the band (don't worry about being good before, your style will need to marinate into the style of the band) get rich and famous, then send me a plane ticket to where ever you are so I can be an idle hanger-on! You jackass! :D
Ummm, okay.
That's better! Are you playing right now?
Nope. I'm at work.
I don't have a dictionary here. Is Sisyphusian a real word? Please define it for me?
From pantheon.org...
"In the realm of the dead, he (Sisyphus) is forced to roll a block of stone against a steep hill, which tumbles back down when he reaches the top. Then the whole process starts again, lasting all eternity."
An unending task. For example: raising one's children.
Not just unending. Also pointless and eternally frustrating. Like raising children.
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