Stray Far Afield

If we stay within our comfort zones, progress is minimal. If our perspective never changes our outlook becomes stale.

If I am working a piece I tend to work it until completion - I dislike leaving loose ends. I immerse myself in the work. My view doesn't change and it becomes a race against my internal clock. Most of the time I finish my work before stasis sets in. But there are times when I pass that barrier and lose my vision without realizing it.

How does one restore perspective? Some will walk away from the work to regain balance. I don't have that luxury. If I don't grab my guitar for an extended period of time, a very integral piece of myself begins to slumber.
Sure, drop it for a day. But I can't just leave it for a month while I work on myself - the two are very much related.

I play a different genre - instead of jazz, maybe some blues for awhile. Or I'll go to shows that I would normally not notice. Take in bands that I had not paid attention to before.
I liken it to buying clothing - expanding your wardrobe makes you feel as though you've added a new dimension to yourself. I might buy a cheap tchotchke like a new slide or some new picks - just enough to change the feel of the guitar. A subtle shift in view that maintains a fresh perspective so vital to creation.
The trick is to stay for just long enough to fix the original dilemma and not further skew the creative juices by taking the new road for too long. It'll just end in another rut.

I have listened to C&W or Opera. Neither is my cup of tea. I have always been able to appreciate the talent, but I don't really enjoy either form. Usually it is more than enough to spend a day or so listening or playing with these different genres to bring my mind around.

Recently I found "Crossover" - what is it with all the labels for styles? - mental note...write piece concerning Freankonomics application to musical labeling -  my new discovery is Andrea Bocelli. Although he's been around for years, world renowned...I had never noticed him before.
I was watching The Sopranos when I became aware of this haunting melody being used to exaggerated effect. When I heard it, I sat up. I thought it was operatic music and I thought how odd that I was enjoying it.
Online I found that he is considered a "Crossover" artist. Then I heard the duets he did with Sarah Brightman.
Still sounds like Opera to me, but this Crossover was more than enough to wipe clean the film that had been covering my sight.
What was refreshing was that I found only one or two songs that piqued my interest. No danger of a rut in this.
His signature song title - Time To Say Goodbye - is a wonderful melody line with a slow syncopated beat.
Incredibly easy to play. Very difficult to sing. His voice is a marvelous instrument. I worked on the vocals - playing my guitar along with his voice. What a shift it proved to be!

So listen to something new, squirrel those suggestions given by friends for when you really need them.
As we used to say as kids - "Forward...never straight."

Tomorrow night I will see Beppe Gambetta playing at a local guitar shop - The Fret House in Covina.
The Fret House
Wonderful venue for intimate music. Join me.