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A Week In The Dojo

dojoMy project for Asian/American Pop-Culture Crosscurrents revolves around one book– Philip Sudo’s Zen Guitar. The book brings Asian philosophy to the West, and it centers on what is arguably one of the primary icons of pop-culture, a symbol of rebellion– the guitar. Even though I am a long-time rhythm guitarist, I have just begun learning to play bass; this is part of that journey.

Two weeks ago I reviewed the book to provide the proper context for my project. Last week I talked about the instrument of my choice and the tools I chose within the context of Zen Guitar. For this weeks entry I think it would be fun to chronicle a full week in my Bass-Guitar Dojo. Throughout the weeks to come I will focus on different parts of the book rather than following it page-by-page– which would take… well, a lifetime. “The way of Zen Guitar is a life long path…”

Mon. 27 Jan: Practice.

Shugyo“The purpose of this dojo is to provide a training ground for those people who have the will and discipline to know the Way of Zen Guitar. The Japanese call this kind of practice shugyo– literally, mastering one’s deeds. Understand as long as you follow the path of Zen Guitar, you will be in shugyo. There will never come a point where practicing ends, even should you reach the black-belt level or beyond. The path of Zen Guitar goes on forever” (p39)

My practice session began with a specific goal in mind– to learn six songs for our upcoming Sunday morning service at Faith Assembly Lacey. Since this particular service is called “Softer Sunday,” it’s geared to people who prefer a mix of contemporary and traditional music. It is a mix that stretches my ability since I am unfamiliar with most of the songs– it just adds to the challenge. With all the business in my life, setting aside an hour or two to practice has been difficult, but doing so is a welcome break from the craziness of the day.

Tues. 28 Jan: Common Missteps.

IMG_3977“…are potholes along the path that every player must work to avoid at every point. Endeavoring to know the Way demands moment-to-moment vigilance. In one small detail, we can deviate from the path. If left unchecked, these deviations can, over time, lead to a wide divergence from the path. Like the alcoholic who says, “I’ll only have this one drink this one time,” many unsui think they are on the right track when they actually have fallen off it. Fro some people that “one drink” may be an excuse to skip practice; a year later, the guitar is shrouded in dust and cobwebs. Selfishness, egotism, laziness– a single act can lead to a long detour. You must check your path constantly and make corrections as you go. Failure to acknowledge these missteps can lead one far astray.” (p41)

Again, it was tough to set time aside– as is anything new to ones routine. but building on Monday’s practice session was important– I want to keep the momentum going, and keep chipping away at the stone– learning these new songs. Since I have to deal with a sever case of dyslexia, I can’t simply rely on chord sheets. Doing so would result in “seeing” the notes in the wrong position and playing the wrong chords. This makes practice sessions a bit more involved since I’ve got to really concentrate more on musical cues (drummer, singers , keys, etc.). The extra practice helps enable me to make corrections during the actual performance, and improvise when necessary. At the end of the nights session I had three of the six tunes down pretty good.

Wed. 29 Jan: Seven times down, eight times up.

“If you slip in your training, get up. Even should you think defeatist thoughts– “I can’t learn this, “My hands aren’t strong enough,” “I’ll never be any good” –never voice them aloud. Burn such thoughts from your mind before you make a singer utterance. The famed martial artist Bruce Lee was said to have done that exact thing” Whenever a negative thought came into his head, he would visualize writing the words down on a slip of paper and putting it to flames. Apply this thinking to your own training.” (p45)

My frustration with one of the songs was beginning to get the better of me. It has a lot of changes, and doesn’t follow a set pattern. Each of the verses build on each other, and the chorus is quite different. Add to that the tempo is ssooooo slow. A bass players job is to lock in with the drummer and establish the groove; the band follows the rhythm section. This song is much different. And quite frustrating. Following the advice from Zen Guitar I’m letting it go. Tomorrows a new day.

Thur/Fri. 30-31 Jan: When it has to be done.

homework“When you feel that you have so much to do you don’t know where to begin, start with one task, however small, and get it done. Then proceed to another. As the samurai say, ‘Attack the corners’ –the little things that stick out– then work your way in to the big things. A famous zen teaching illustrates the attitude required for this kind of discipline:

A monk approached the zen master Joshu and said, ‘I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.’ Joshu said, ‘Have you eaten your rice porridge?’ The monk replied that he had. ‘Then you had better wash your bowl,’ Joshu said” (p58).

For the last five or six weeks I have been working on my grad school application. It has been a real challenge completing the required essay, personal statement and resume, coordinating recommendation letters, and collecting all the transcripts– while trying to keep up with our A-Pop coursework. The priority deadline for the application is Monday 3 Feb, and I still had some lose ends to tie up to make the deadline. I also had to catch up on our course reading– both nights pushed into the wee-hours… So I had to put off practicing for a few days as it was time to attack the corners.

Sat. 1 Feb: Prepare the Mind.

“The best way to make decisions about playing in the moment is to have already made them. That is, do your practicethinking ahead of time. Think before the time comes to act, think before the time comes to speak, think before the time comes [to] play a note. Then when the moment arrives, do not think. Just play” (p110). 

“To play the truth, you must already have the correct attitude. When you look for it during the moment, you will still be looking for it when the moment has passed” (p111).

Having missed the last two days of practice I was excited to pick up where I left off, and prepare for tomorrows service. I spent the first few hours making sure I got the changes down and each song worked out. The notes I make on my chord sheets look confusing to my bandmates, but they are an essential part of my preparation. Next I set up my gear exactly as it will be on stage and play along with recordings. It always surprises me how fast time seems to pass during my practice sessions– tonight’s ended at 11pm, but I am ready to play.

Sun. 2 Feb: Play the Changes.

“What counts most in this dojo is not the difficulty of one’s music, but its spiritual depth. The true unsui of Zen Guitar become one with the changes. They know that to be fully present in the moment means to be constantly changing like the clouds. If one is fully present in the moment, every change occurs as naturally as the weather. This is the way of Zen Guitar” (p114).

sunday12The day began with an early visit to Starbucks for a large mocha– breakfast in a cup. I took my time setting up my gear when our leader came in announcing some changes to the mornings setlist. Thanks to my week-long preparation I was able to handle the changes easily and embraced the challenge. The first song was changed without notice while we were playing, but the changes made for a much better feel to the song.  Another song was completely re-worked to a more traditional rendition. This tune was originally written to favor the piano and vocals, but again we were able to add our own flavor to it– changes that I would not have been able to play without the proper mindset and preparation. The theme of the morning became one of collaboration, and that is when music sounds the best. Of course the purpose of us benign there in the first place was to praise our creator– the one who put “the sound of the divine spark” within us in the first place! (p24).

Summary

“White belt in this dojo signifies the spirt of beginning. No matter how adept you are with the guitar already, wearing the white belt here means you have agreed to set aside all knowledge and preconceptions and open your mind to learning as though for the first time. In zen circles, this attitude is called carrying an empty cup” (p26).

I realI really enjoyed working the Zen approach into my practice routine. Integrating the book into my practice routine brought a fresh, new perspective to learning my new instrument, making practice sessions much more enjoyable. I actually found myself looking forward to practicing. It also helped me make connections between music and other aspects of my life as well. As Sudo writes;

“The Way of Zen guitar… provides a framework from which to tackle any new task. Once you learn the principles of Zen Guitar, you can apply them to any endeavor outside music. Follow the samurai maxim that says, ‘from one thing, know ten thousand things.’ Music can teach you everything you need to know” (p20).

 

 

Begin At The Beginning

This part of the project (Rock) is a tangible attempt to draw connections between Asain and American Pop-culture through the medium of music– in this case making music. Along the way I will post other items that cross this path… whether they are more, or less tangible only time will tell.

My plan is to follow the wisdom of Zen Guitar and post thoughts, observations and maybe some videos as I travel this path. Hopefully something I post here will be useful to you, or you’re friends. I would LOVE for this blog to inspire others to take up a musical instrument– especially the guitar. At any rate, I think it will be fun to look back on these posts… two or three years from now.Zen Guitar Bass

To put this experiment into context, be sure to check out my blog review of Philip Toshio Sudo’s excellent book, “Zen Guitar.”

The chapter titled, The Beginners Mind summarizes my view about taking on a challenge such as learning a new instrument– which anyone at any age can do– is that it’s like running a marathon;

 “Those who want to run, run. Those determined to finish, finish. As the samurai say, ‘The only opponent is within.’ There are no tricks or secrets. It is a matter of will– putting one foot in front of the other every step of the path. In Zen Guitar, honesty, integrity, spiritual strength, and depth of conviction are more important than skill. These are the elements that make vital music, and they have nothing to do with natural talent. Where there’s a will, theres the Way.”

First, I (we?) need tools; a guitar– in this case a bass-guitar, amp and assorted gear. When choosing your gear, keep in mind the wisdom of Zen Guitar;

“…make sure you look for an instrument of suitable quality… Avoid poor craftsmanship; it’s the sign of a poor spirit. That doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive equipment… Learn to identify quality and appreciate anything thats well made, wherever you find it. Look deeply into the spirit that goes into making an item of quality– the care, precision, the attention to detail. Incorporate that spirit into your work…make [it] as well as you can. To do otherwise is spiritless.”

Tools V

The tools/gear I choose: G&L bass guitar, Carvin combo amp, Boss tuner/metronome, notebook (for keeping track of my practice sessions, music notation, etc.) and my textbook of sorts– “Bass Guitar For Dummies.” 

Next, rather than finding a good teacher (-no money left over after acquiring the gear) I am following the advice of Victor Wooten, which is to just start playing– this will inspire me to practice more often. I started through the book, and searched out a few foundational lessons on YouTube. There are some good videos to get you started, which I’ll post links to in the Bass Guitar Journal page.

It is important to remember that not everything on Youtube is helpful, or useful. There are however some real gems to be found. One of the gems belongs to Scott Devine, titled, “The Most Important Bass Lesson I Ever Teach.” Scott is responsible for A TON of quality instructional videos– and they are free. This first video establishes a solid foundation and proper perspective to approach learning a new instrument. It contains wisdom (not just information) that will sustain the beginner through the long journey ahead. GREAT stuff here!

Click here to view the embedded video.

With a proper foundation established, it’s time to pick up the instrument. Building on the Zen Guitar wisdom that says,

“Don’t pick up your guitar aimlessly. Act with a sense of purpose. Be of the mind that you’re going to do something– even if you don’t know what that is yet. Prepare yourself to play.”

As a long-time guitarist, I intentionally remind myself that playing the bass is quite different in approach and technique. For example, on guitar I strike the strings with a pick; good bass tone however, is all in the fingers. I found videos very helpful in getting started, but effective practice is much more than following a video or two. You have to have a plan. Time is a premium in our house, and when one considers all the responsibilities that come with married life, finding time to practice can be tough. Thankfully I came across this article on No Treble, an excellent website for bass players:

 ”Efficient 20 Minute Practice”

The advice in that article has really helped me stay focused (rather than noodling around), and to concentrate practice time to improving areas that I’m weak in, opposed to playing only the that which I already know. I started keeping track of these practice sessions with a basic 80-sheet bound notebook. I choose a quad-rule (graph paper) version because I like to map out fretboard shapes, and locations. Having the little boxes pre-printed is also a time saver, and keeps things neat and orderly.

Lastly, I created this little cheat sheet, or as I like to call it “quick reference guide” to the fretboard. I have found it very useful in conjunction with my practice logbook.

QRC bass guitar

Theres nothing like playing with other musicians to inspire me to improve, and keep learning new things. It’s my hope someone will read this blog– perhaps this entry– and find the encouragement needed to learn an instrument. The great blues musician, Elwood Blues once said,

“…no pharmaceutical product could ever equal the rush you get when the band hits that groove; the people are dancing’, and shouting’, and swain’, and the house is rocking’!”

Stay tuned & in-tune!~

Book Review: Zen Guitar

 “There is a zen saying, ‘Paths cannot be taught, they can only be taken.

 So it is with Zen Guitar”  ~P.T. Sudo

Zen Guitar

I chose Philip Toshio Sudo’s book as part of the project because I wanted to include a guitar centric reading on music that would apply to as many people as possible—from beginner, to expert. The author describes the book as an alternative to the conventional how-to program of instruction; perfect! I love being different. “There are no chords or tunings or music theory in this dojo; you won’t find lessons on how to read music, play the blues, fingerpick or copy “Stairway to Heaven” pg16. That is only information, and can be found by a student online, in videos, or in other books. 

Rather than information, Zen Guitar aims to provide wisdom. Sudo explains it like this, “The idea here is to train and to experience; it is only though the experience of our senses that we truly gain wisdom.” Describing the difference, he compares learning to make music, with learning to ride a bicycle. Having myself learned, failed, and succeeded at both endeavors, I find the comparison quite appropriate. A person cannot be told how to ride, they have to mount up, wobble, crash, and try again– “…direct experience of our bodies.” And so it is with learning to express that sound, song, music that exists in each of us.  

The reader is taken through five stages of Zen Guitar– a circle from white belt to black, black to white. Sudo encourages readers to think of the stages as broadly as possible. The book is divided into five corresponding sections: Beginner’s Mind, Practice, Responsibility, Barrier, The Way of Zen Guitar.

My favorite section of the book was that called The Beginners Mind. It is a mindset required through every stage of the circle. It is about being open to new ways of thinking, and accepting that you don’t know it all, you can never know it all. The Beginners Mind opens with one from Jimi Hendrix; “My own thing is in my head. I hear sounds and if I don’t get them together nobody else will.” I caught two pieces of wisdom here (of the many possibilities):

1- we each have a sound, or music within us

2- we have to get them together our own way

The thought that we have music in us is not a breakthrough discovery. I heard Boogie Chillen on the radio when I was a kid, and learned this truth from John Lee Hooker:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“One night I was layin’ down,
I heard mama ‘n papa talkin’
I heard papa tell mama,
let that boy boogie-woogie,
It’s in him, and its got to come out” 

So, we have this sound within us, how do we get it out? “… if I don’t get them together nobody else will.” It is up to each person to learn what works for them. What works for one person, doesn’t necessary will work for the next. Some pick up a guitar, others express it through drums, a piano or even just singing; we have a sound within us that we are determined express. The path of expression for me is through an electric guitar and amplifier. Once you find your path, its time to really dig in with everything you have to find your sound. There is a quote on page 79 from Carlos Santa that says it best, “If [you’re] going to sweep the floor, sweep it better than anybody in town. And if your going to play the guitar, really, really, really get in it, and don’t be jivin’.”

As with anything of value, much work is required. When you are reaching for something only you understand, discouragement, and self-doubt will surely become obstacles. Zen Guitar does a wonderful job of addressing how to handle both. Sudo writes, “Patience and concentration will be vital attributes as you move along the path. Combat discouragement with your desire to learn” pg30. 

Self-doubt is such a common barrier, it earned its own chapter which opens with a quote from Neil Young; “I like to play with people who can play simple and are not threatened by other musicians thinking they can’t play. And that eliminates 99 percent of the musicians.” This quote has been a huge encouragement to me. I often play with musicians whose talent far exceeds mine. After reading Zen Guitar, I’ve 

EVHRlearned to accept and be at peace with my own path, rather than envying that of others; “The Way of Zen Guitar is to play what you are meant to play, not necessarily what you want to play” pg73. You have to be true to yourself, by playing to the sound that is in you. I enjoy Eddie Van Halen, but I don’t want to copy him; doing so would be denying who I am. What if Carlos Santana dedicated himself to sounding like Eric Clapton? We would miss out on the incredible music within Santana, and instead have Clapton, and that other guy who wants to be Clapton. 

Sudo’s remedy for self-doubt is to remember this; “One can play the greatest stages in the world and still be spiritually adrift; talent alone does not bring inner peace. If you work to find peace within yourself, you will have no self-doubt about your music, your talent, or anything else” pg73.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I keep a reading log for each book I read. This is where I write down any ideas that come to mind, or passages I find intriguing. My reading log for Zen Guitar is filled with quotes, and wisdom that I will be referencing for years to come. To summarize the book would be truly unfair, as it contains wisdom that each reader will relate to differently, and on a personal level. What I will say in summary is Zen Guitar has helped me better recognize the path to finding my sound, and my approach to making music. 

“Once you learn the principles of Zen Guitar, you can apply them to any endeavor outside music. Follow the samurai maxim that says, ‘From one thing, know ten thousand things.’ Music can teach you everything you need to know” pg20.