Anyway it has been a great journey, a great trip filled with music, new friends, ideas, conversations, then more music. I met some really great people here and i really do hope that we can stay connected and keep in touch, and possibly one day collaborate. Thank you to everyone that made it special.

This is just a short good bye Boston post. I’ve had some really interesting exchanges in the past week that i will fill you in on… In the next post!!!

Thank you berklee, thank you Boston, and a big thank you again to all the friends, colleagues, mentors, and instructors too…

Same thing goes for the rhythm section. While the vocalist is singing, their role is primarily to support and provide a backing for the vocalist. There’s no approximation, or room for guess work per se. The base guitar has to play his part, play the right root/chord… follow the exact progression. Same for the guitarist if his role is to give the rhythm… They’ve got to have everything they’re doing tight. Its got to come together like one piece with the vocalists as well. The background vocals (in some cases) keep it very simple in an ensemble setting – no extra vibrato or embellishments to the notes.

Having said that, everybody or some people may get their part to break out of the “pattern”. The improv/solo section. For instance after the bridge of a song, we can go into a solo section and ask the guitar to show some chops. This also may seem like its completely improv, but contrary to popular belief there still is some sort of structure to it. For instance the rest of the band will be playing the cord progressions for the chorus or verse while the soloist does his thing. The soloist in his mind knows the chords, structure, no of bars (or form) and pattern that the group is following. So essentially while you’re in your improv section, the chords of the song are still more or less the same and hence the mood of the song carries through. So that you have some sort of belonging when you come back. So… the soloing is left for the solo section. Not while the singer is doing his verse; the pianist or guitarist should not be going off in tangents or playing a contradicting melody as such… keep that for the solo section.

Another thing that I feel I’ve picked up on that I may have somewhat not consciously enforced in the past is having it all down to the T. Again no room for sloppy beginnings, transitions between sections, or endings for that matter. In both my ensembles, we’ve had to repeat sections, multiple times, such as an ending just to have it down. If this is how we’re ending then this is it. These many bars will repeat. These are the chords that we will play. This is what the vocalists (background and lead) are doing. And this is the chord we are ending on. The vocalists have to perform with conviction, there’s no room for guess work like I said before. If the drummer is ending with these crazy licks, and then the ensemble plays the last chord together, then everyone does it in unison. The pianist does not go off on a tangent after the last hit, nor does the guitarist, or vocalist for that matter. There is a definite end to a song, and its end is certain. No one is left guessing “oh is the pianist supposed to do that?” If we are ending on this chord, then the silence after that chord defines that end.

These are all little things that I’m going to take back. I’m not in anyway saying that this is how it is and these are the rules. These are the things that I have understood and picked up from my ensembles and the tips and instructions our ensemble instructors have given us. And I’ve seen it in practice at various performances now by faculty or industry professionals… and look at them and be like… aah that’s what they’re doing… the light bulb goes on and it really is a great moment.

This was a bit technical in content but I hope you enjoy the read regardless!

Best!

Sent from my BlackBerry device

I wake up this morning, prepared and organised, having checked in to my flight last night. I get to the airport on time, check my luggage in and head to US customs. I hand over my documents to the lady standing there, she goes through it and points me in, without a word. So I wait patiently in line, for my turn, reach the desk eventually and hand in my documents. I answer a few regular questions… Then find out I need to pick up a form from the lady that said nothing to me. So I go back, get the form, fill it in and wait patiently again.

Then I walk up to the desk and start answering the regular questions again… Why berklee? Why are you doing this course? What do you get out of it? what do you plan on doing with what you learn from the course? So I answer and with a really confused face, he shrugs and says ok whatever…  Looks at my documents again, gets up and says follow me…

So we go into this isolated area, there’s a waiting room. So I sit, luggage in hand and I wait. He hands my docs to another officer and he leaves. The officer disappears into a room… And I wait. I flip through a magazine, check my phone, read the signs posted on the wall, then read them again. Eventually he comes out and starts asking me more questions… Some of which I have already answered twice now, then he makes me open my bags… Goes through my stuff. Asks me to show him my music equipment – so I display my microphone, cable, mp3 recorder and so on…

He sees a binder in my back pack and decides to open it, scans through all my documents, asks me more questions that I answer, then says ok pack up your stuff. And he disappears yet again. So I wait, now I really need to pee too, so I cross my legs uncomfortably, I knew I shouldn’t have gulped down that water bottle on my way to the airport. So I read the signs again, look at the steel truss that hold the roof in place, examine the patterns on the carpet, read the signs again, yawn and stretch a couple of times… Then he comes out and says you’re all set.

Now I realise the time and my flight was boarding 45 minutes ago. So I rush through, hand in my bag, then wait in line again to pass security. So I empty everything again, lap top, ipad, cell phone, mic etc… Belt shoes… Watch… And go through the scanner, no beep fortunately… And thankfully an intelligent scan checker that realises it actually is a microphone.

So I put my stuff back together, I cringe… My bladder is about to explode. I dash towards the gate, and decide a minute at the urinal won’t be too damaging. I reach my boarding gate, to find no one. I see security personnel sitting aimlessly, discussing the weather perhaps,  and ask them where the attendants are. They say well they should be back soon.

Does this mean I miss my flight? He shrugs and says perhaps… Oh wait they are pulling the bridge back so yes… Then turns to discuss plans for the weekend perhaps. At this time I laugh at my luck… And wait for the attendants to return.

Then, having discussed the weather, weekend plans, the security guard stands up and asks where I was… They announced your name a few times, and I say well with customs… So he punches a code at a door and says wait here, and he disappears… A few minutes later he walks back with two attendants both women to my relief… And he shrugs and says I tried… So I make an attempt at the saddest face that I can display, and she says right I’ll have to book you on the next flight. Thank you, I sigh…

Then I go grab a sandwich and a chai tea latte – grande to be precise… And I write to you!

Have a good weekend people. Much love, see you in Boston!

At the Road to Berklee concert, June 23, 2012

Photograph: David Contreras