Maurice's Musical Musings
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Montreal Memories
In my last blog post, I promised that I would be back with pictures and videos and a recap of all of the happenings at the Montreal Musician’s Meetup. Ok, so it took me a month and a half... but here it is, finally! After I got back, it took me some time just to process everything... I waited for pictures and videos to be posted and just tried to relive everything in my mind for a bit. I wanted to let myself calm down so that I wouldn't try to write while I was still all giddy from the experience. After a month and a half, I may actually still be a bit giddy but I have put off writing for long enough.
The entire experience in Montreal was fantastic from beginning to end. Friday night started out with everybody gathering at Dundees bar and grille. We had a good time as everybody had a secret identity that was secret only to themselves and we had to ask others yes or no questions to figure out who we were. After grabbing a bite to eat and a bit to drink, the music began. Montian, Freddy, Tamra and many others played some music there in the bar and the weekend was officially begun. We stayed there at the pub until around midnight before heading back to the dorms where we gathered in the basement for several more hours of drinks and music. JellyJellyJelly enforced the "everybody participates" rule, handing out egg shakers and tambourines to anybody without an instrument and we had a great time singing along to anything and everything that came to mind.
The next 2 days were a blur of music and community. The caliber of musicians at this Jam was just absolutely incredible... and it seemed like the music just kept getting better and better with every person who took the stage. Nobody played solo for long; everybody invited people up to play with them and the combinations of sounds that we had were fantastic. For those of you who may only have heard SL musicians in SL and never in person, let me tell you right here and now... as great as the sound is on a shoutcast stream, you need to hear some of these people play live the next chance you get. They all sound even better live. The combinations of sounds from all the different musicians playing together were greater than the sums of their parts. Each night ended with everybody gathering in Max and Kalie's dorm room where we drank and laughed and played music until about 4am. These nights were half the fun... It was just a great time hanging out with this whole group all day and then some more all night.
The highlight of the weekend for me came when unexpectedly I got to play a set myself for a little over an hour with a stage full of extremely talented musicians. When I signed up for the MMM, I was not yet performing in Second Life and thus I signed up as a spectator and not a musician. Because of this, there was no hour set for me to play. I tried to take any opportunity I had to play along or jam with people but in truth there was not a lot I could do because the musicians playing were just so good. I didn't know most of the songs they played, or the songs were in a key other than the key I play them in, and I am not at the level yet where I can look at what somebody is playing and hear what they are playing and just know the chords I need to join in. However, as fate would have it I was noodling with my guitar Sunday morning... we were supposed to be having "open jam" time but everybody was recovering from the night before and standing around sipping coffee and chatting. Nobody was playing. Bree saw that people were gathering in the venue that was schedule for that time expecting to hear music, but there was nothing to see or hear. She asked me if I'd go up and play something... so that's exactly what I did. I was joined immediately by JellyJellyJelly Benelli playing her flute to my right and ”Slim", the bass player from her RL band who joined us in Montreal played an upright bass to my left. I picked a song from my song book and started playing. First, I heard the bass... and then I heard the flute. That was it, my mind was blown. Jelly and Slim both were so good, they joined with my playing seamlessly.... one wouldn't know they'd never played with me before and had no idea what I might play next... as I played a few more songs with them I was joined by more musicians... Max Kleene joined me playing percussion on the cajon, Tamra Sands joined me with her viola, and Shannon McMahon and Gandalf Mornington eventually added their guitars to the mix. This hour I spent playing my own songs with all of these incredible musicians was an experience that I will never ever forget. I am used to playing my guitar all by myself.... and to hear these other sounds all melding with my own was a feeling that I honestly can't convey with words. Bree has slowly but surely been getting videos posted of sets from the jam. I cannot wait to see mine and hear what it sounded like from the audience side.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end... and all too soon I was back on the train heading home to rejoin my regularly scheduled life. Here are some of the links to pictures people have taken... videos that were posted.... just in case you didn't already see them on facebook or other places.
pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mmmusicians/
http://www.facebook.com/media/28046.580631171&type=1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33484/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.187260654674524.51504.100001717719548
videos:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=184873478246575
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=184881954912394
Bree's "official" MMMv2 videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/br
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=montreal+musicians+meetup&aq=f
(just search for Montreal Musicians Meetup on youtube).
The entire experience in Montreal was fantastic from beginning to end. Friday night started out with everybody gathering at Dundees bar and grille. We had a good time as everybody had a secret identity that was secret only to themselves and we had to ask others yes or no questions to figure out who we were. After grabbing a bite to eat and a bit to drink, the music began. Montian, Freddy, Tamra and many others played some music there in the bar and the weekend was officially begun. We stayed there at the pub until around midnight before heading back to the dorms where we gathered in the basement for several more hours of drinks and music. JellyJellyJelly enforced the "everybody participates" rule, handing out egg shakers and tambourines to anybody without an instrument and we had a great time singing along to anything and everything that came to mind.
The next 2 days were a blur of music and community. The caliber of musicians at this Jam was just absolutely incredible... and it seemed like the music just kept getting better and better with every person who took the stage. Nobody played solo for long; everybody invited people up to play with them and the combinations of sounds that we had were fantastic. For those of you who may only have heard SL musicians in SL and never in person, let me tell you right here and now... as great as the sound is on a shoutcast stream, you need to hear some of these people play live the next chance you get. They all sound even better live. The combinations of sounds from all the different musicians playing together were greater than the sums of their parts. Each night ended with everybody gathering in Max and Kalie's dorm room where we drank and laughed and played music until about 4am. These nights were half the fun... It was just a great time hanging out with this whole group all day and then some more all night.
The highlight of the weekend for me came when unexpectedly I got to play a set myself for a little over an hour with a stage full of extremely talented musicians. When I signed up for the MMM, I was not yet performing in Second Life and thus I signed up as a spectator and not a musician. Because of this, there was no hour set for me to play. I tried to take any opportunity I had to play along or jam with people but in truth there was not a lot I could do because the musicians playing were just so good. I didn't know most of the songs they played, or the songs were in a key other than the key I play them in, and I am not at the level yet where I can look at what somebody is playing and hear what they are playing and just know the chords I need to join in. However, as fate would have it I was noodling with my guitar Sunday morning... we were supposed to be having "open jam" time but everybody was recovering from the night before and standing around sipping coffee and chatting. Nobody was playing. Bree saw that people were gathering in the venue that was schedule for that time expecting to hear music, but there was nothing to see or hear. She asked me if I'd go up and play something... so that's exactly what I did. I was joined immediately by JellyJellyJelly Benelli playing her flute to my right and ”Slim", the bass player from her RL band who joined us in Montreal played an upright bass to my left. I picked a song from my song book and started playing. First, I heard the bass... and then I heard the flute. That was it, my mind was blown. Jelly and Slim both were so good, they joined with my playing seamlessly.... one wouldn't know they'd never played with me before and had no idea what I might play next... as I played a few more songs with them I was joined by more musicians... Max Kleene joined me playing percussion on the cajon, Tamra Sands joined me with her viola, and Shannon McMahon and Gandalf Mornington eventually added their guitars to the mix. This hour I spent playing my own songs with all of these incredible musicians was an experience that I will never ever forget. I am used to playing my guitar all by myself.... and to hear these other sounds all melding with my own was a feeling that I honestly can't convey with words. Bree has slowly but surely been getting videos posted of sets from the jam. I cannot wait to see mine and hear what it sounded like from the audience side.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end... and all too soon I was back on the train heading home to rejoin my regularly scheduled life. Here are some of the links to pictures people have taken... videos that were posted.... just in case you didn't already see them on facebook or other places.
pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mmmusicians/
http://www.facebook.com/media/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3
http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.187260654674524.51504.100001717719548
videos:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=184873478246575
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=184881954912394
Bree's "official" MMMv2 videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/br
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=montreal+musicians+meetup&aq=f
(just search for Montreal Musicians Meetup on youtube).
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Hartford memories and Montreal dreams
Seems like just yesterday that I was at my first SL musician meetup in Hartford, Connecticut. Honestly it was one of the best weekends of my life. In Hartford I got to hear some of my favorite artists play live and found out how much is lost on a shoutcast stream, even as good as it sounds. Shannon and TerryLynn and Max and BartAlan and all of the others... they all sounded so incredible live! And then to get to spend the weekend hanging out with all these great musicians and great people was just phenomenal. I got to have a viola lesson from Tamra Hayden and play uno with Max Kleene. I met so many people who I knew only from a distance, and made all new friends as well. I got to meet Lady Hightower. Everytime I look back at my pictures and see the ones of her a tear comes to my eye and I feel blessed that I was there that weekend, or I never would have had the opportunity to meet her. Woodstock pushed me up on the stage... I was terrified to be on stage with such great musicians and didn't feel like I belonged. I hid in the back a lot and played along with my guitar unplugged, afraid to spoil the great sounds. But the weekend ended with my first ever public "performance" as I stood next to Shannon Oherlihy and played her song, "The Test" with her. Without that moment, would I be performing now? Probably not... that moment made me consider that maybe it really was something I could do and the adrenaline rush I felt was like nothing else I'd ever felt.
In 2 more days I get to do this again... this time in Montreal, Canada. Again I will get to meet some of my favorite artists. Some people who I had hoped would make it to Hartford but for various reasons were not able to. Artists such as Montian Gilruth, Norris Shepherd, and JellyJellyJelly Benelli and great friends like Poppy McDunnough. This time I won't be so afraid to step on the stage and play along. Although I registered as a spectator I will have my guitar and I hope to get to play some songs with as many people as possible, on stage or off. And I will again get to meet some of those I met last time like Shannon and Tamra and Max... Words simply cannot express how excited I am to hang out with everybody again. The event starts off with a mixer and a pajama party... Saturday night we will be doing a Second Life RP, truly bringing Second Life into Real Life. I can't even imagine how that will go! The musical lineup is absolutely fantastic... just considering the artists I know and there are so many that I have never heard before. Hearing Montian Gilruth, Jace Branner, and Funky Freddy together in person will be worth the price of admission all by itself. I truly can't wait to turn these Montreal Dreams into memories like the ones I have of Hartford. You can expect a blog next week all about them and hopefully lots of pictures!
Check out Norris Shepherd's blog at http://www.norrisshepherd.com/ for the schedule of all the artists playing this weekend along with the stream URL's and the venues where the event will be streamed. Check back here next week for Montreal Memories.
In 2 more days I get to do this again... this time in Montreal, Canada. Again I will get to meet some of my favorite artists. Some people who I had hoped would make it to Hartford but for various reasons were not able to. Artists such as Montian Gilruth, Norris Shepherd, and JellyJellyJelly Benelli and great friends like Poppy McDunnough. This time I won't be so afraid to step on the stage and play along. Although I registered as a spectator I will have my guitar and I hope to get to play some songs with as many people as possible, on stage or off. And I will again get to meet some of those I met last time like Shannon and Tamra and Max... Words simply cannot express how excited I am to hang out with everybody again. The event starts off with a mixer and a pajama party... Saturday night we will be doing a Second Life RP, truly bringing Second Life into Real Life. I can't even imagine how that will go! The musical lineup is absolutely fantastic... just considering the artists I know and there are so many that I have never heard before. Hearing Montian Gilruth, Jace Branner, and Funky Freddy together in person will be worth the price of admission all by itself. I truly can't wait to turn these Montreal Dreams into memories like the ones I have of Hartford. You can expect a blog next week all about them and hopefully lots of pictures!
Check out Norris Shepherd's blog at http://www.norrisshepherd.com/ for the schedule of all the artists playing this weekend along with the stream URL's and the venues where the event will be streamed. Check back here next week for Montreal Memories.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The trouble with titles
As a Second Life performer, I am the new kid on the block. I've only been playing shows for a few weeks and as such I still make all the rookie mistakes. I've done an entire show with my guitar on my back. I've played through a set without asking people to tip the venue. I've forgotten to get my avatar off the stage after I was done playing and just stood there like an idiot as I carried on a conversation in public chat while the next person was waiting to play. All the things you'd expect from a newbie.
Likewise as a musician I am a newbie. Even though I've been interested in the guitar for a long time I've only really played for the last couple of years and I never thought about singing until now.
Yet, people still refer to me as a musician or as a performer. This never sits really well with me. I do love the music, and I love to play for an audience... so by the simplest definition a musician and a peformer is what I am. So why do I have a problem with it? I didn't really know what it was until I was reading Stella Silvansky's profile on twitter (@Silvansky) and I read something she wrote. She said:
Likewise as a musician I am a newbie. Even though I've been interested in the guitar for a long time I've only really played for the last couple of years and I never thought about singing until now.
Yet, people still refer to me as a musician or as a performer. This never sits really well with me. I do love the music, and I love to play for an audience... so by the simplest definition a musician and a peformer is what I am. So why do I have a problem with it? I didn't really know what it was until I was reading Stella Silvansky's profile on twitter (@Silvansky) and I read something she wrote. She said:
...sometimes I even pretend to write poetry (I say "pretend" because it feels pretentious to actually admit I do when I'm really not that great at it).
I realized after reading this that this is what my problem was with being called a musician. When I am referred to as a musician, I almost feel like it is a slap in the face to the real musicians of Second Life. Those who have spent years training their voices and working their instruments. Those who have written countless songs, played real life gigs, and worked most of their lives to become the extremely talented performers that they are. To allow myself the same title I'd give to great song writers like Carmel Daines, Shannon Oherlihy, Strum Diesel, or PM Bookmite... master performers like Montian Gilruth, Grace McDunnough, or Frogg and Jaycatt... people who have worked most of their lives to make it in music like TerryLynn Melody (who is about to release what promises to be a fantastic CD)... feels pretentious and wrong.
Last night at a PM Bookmite concert, PM gave me a shoutout and said that I had been peforming in RL for years but was just now starting in SL. This couldn't be further from the truth, but because I had been called a "musician" this was the impression he had. So how does one rectify this? The problem with a title is it doesn't tell the real story... it gives people impressions and preconceptions that I don't feel I can live up to right now. Yet, if I decline to be called a musician people see this as defeatist or as a dis on myself which is also not my intention. So how does a new musician rectify this? How do I promote myself without giving false impressions or putting myself up on the same pedestal as the "real" musicans and performers of Second Life?
