Setting the Dates!

Today I went to see Mrs. Brown at White Oak to discuss the time and days I would come in to play. So far we have agreed to me playing for 30 minutes after school for two Fridays in January and 3 Fridays in February. I plan to work on my final time line with writing down the exact dates and times as well as how many songs I will play. I have also made some more friends whose names are Johnathan and Edith. Johnathan is a former WWII veteran who had some great stories. He told me about D day and how he and his friends stormed the beach while bullets were flying every where. He also told me how important service to your country is so important. Edith on the other hand was a stay at home mom, but she did play a mean game of chess. I was lucky enough to play a quick game with her, which was intense. Here strategies were phenomenal and when I cornered her king I thought I had here. In the end she took my last piece out with her rook. Then surrounded my King I finally surrendered. She made me feel better finally revealing she was a state champion at chess. At the end of the day I was so happy to meet some incredible people.

Tis the Season to be Jolly!

As the seasons change the dates of my performances draw closer. In the past two months I have worked tediously at my research paper and have finally succeeded in the completion of it. Although I have had this paper take up the majority of my time I have still practiced my songs rigorously. I have also visited White Oak quite a bit meeting a lot of interesting residents whose personalities jump right off the page. I plan to visit them this Friday as well as plan out the exact days I will come in and perform. I also plan to work on a new song by the zodiacs and add that to my play list. I hope that all my readers have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

The Auto- Biography of a Brave man in a Salon

When I went to White Oak last Friday I was not really expecting much. I envisioned it as little room with all the senior women crammed in there doing their nails and spraying toxic chemicals in their. I was right about the toxic chemicals I should have worn a gas mask nonetheless I still went. This time I actually played my guitar for these lovely women as they got their nails done. At first I started with some soft background music and then slowly progressed to a faster pace. Then they requested me to play some Hispanic oriented music unfortunately I had to improvise. I had a great time playing for these interesting women and when one of them said I should write a auto -biography on being the only brave man to enter a Salon. I never laughed so much in my life. They should start a tv show Grandparents say the darnest things!

Smile for the Camera!

It has been a concern from my followers that I am not adding exciting photos to spice my blogs up. Well I have gone back in each of my blogs and added some meaningful pictures to capture the reader more. This is not the only news I have though unfortunately I had to cancel playing at the Hospice House because the board feels I will have a better experience at the nursing home since they do not have a terminal illness. Another reason being the board feels I will be closer and have a better outcome if I keep coming back to play at the same place. Another reason why I have decided not to play at the Hospice House is because I do not think that the patients would be aware of me even playing. Also the family might want to visit with them and I do not want to get in the way of that.

Bingo!

Bingo! thats the name of the game in White Oak. This week I spent sometime quality time playing probably one of the oldest board games in history. I also met some cool people first Mid, short for Mildred. She greeted me with a warm smile and a friendly handshake. Although hard of hearing she is not the least bit boring. For example when she plays it is like a war. Every card that is announced she pays extra attention to so she can win. Also there was a man named Carl who would yell whoopee, in a sarcastic manner. Then I met this man in a wheel chair who had no idea what was going on so I ended up helping him the most. At first I thought he couldn't speak,but I was wrong. Once I elevated my volume we had a very interesting conversation about his wife. Apparently she is notorious for her beauty at White Oak. All in all I had a lot of fun and cannot wait to see them again!

UHHHHHH FREAK OUT!

When I first heard about this Research I was freaking out. Now the terror is only half as bad, but I am still a little nervous. My original thesis was Musical therapy is a useful tool in the retirement community due to the fact it reduces depression, helps with recalling memory, and increases hand eye coordination skills. Now I must change it to Musical therapy should be used more in nursing homes because it has been proven in other aspects to help with memory recall, reduce depression, and handai coordination skills. The main problem I am having right now is setting up meetings with the director of White Oak; since I have to drive at least 15 minutes to arrive there. I also need to make more of a effort to contact Mrs. Ward at the Hospice House, so I can get all of the necessary requirements to play there. Another problem I am having trouble with is organizing my homework,Senior Project, and free time to complete everything as well as relax. The main problem is that drive to Hospice House takes at least 30 minutes from Oakbrook. Then after I arrive there I spend at least an hour discussing different dates arranging and replanning my schedule which takes at least an hour. Finally I get home and it is already 6 o' clock and I spend at least 3 to 4 hours doing my homework. After this is all done I finally sleep,but I need to practice my guitar. I am not complaining about the project itself, but if you are just giving us abstracts to keep us busy. We are already swamped.

It's a Long Way to the Top if You want to Rock n Roll!

When I first heard this song by the great band AC DC I only heard the music. Later on when I matured in my knowledge in the music industry and personal experience I finally had a epiphany. It is a Long way to the top if you want to Rock n Roll! It is said that at least one teenager/ young adult plays in a band at least once in their lifetime. The hard part is not only organizing practices it is also a challenge to create your own sound. I would like to think of each different band as a brand what makes them more unique than the others. Some great unique that I personally feel sets the bar are the Ramones and Lincoln Park. It does not matter how hard you try nobody will be able to copy Joey Ramone's voice. Also Lincoln Park combines a perfect combination of New Age Metal screaming as well as some sick techno and turn table beats, plus the lead guitarist is the best rapper ever! I also think that everybody who says everything has been done and why bother; whoever believes that will never make it. Whenever I here this I think of Howard Schultz the underdog from Brooklyn, who had to sell his own blood for college tuission. Now this man is fronting a multi million dollar company whose product has even been used in tv shows as well as movies. This proves that you do not need to be born into a rich family or have all the right equipment I mean the misfits did not have any high quality recording equipment. The moral of this story is all you need is optimism and hard work and you can do anything, if your willing to take risks.

Timeless

Sweet Home Alabama!

Have you ever rolled down the window and bopped your head or danced to a favorite song on the radio. Most people would say yes. The question is though what makes us want to bob our heads or get up and jump. The answer is familiar beats as well as easy lyrics. How many of you out there know the band Lynrd Skynrd. Alot of the more experienced folks would say yes. Even today you play free bird and most everybody knows the song and the lyrics, though not the band. Its like American Pie once that is played everybody, even the gangsters will be singing along with it. The point of this segment is the timeless classics that have lived on even today. Such favorites include brown eyed girl, which has been covered by almost every band including Reel Big Fish, a famous SKA band. As well as Build Me Up Buttercup but why have these songs survived while in today's culture number one hits come and go and bands become broke. The main reason is they lack timeless charisma maybe a rap song called I got shot would last for about a week but Shout and by Ray Charles will be forever. The difference one is a party song that you can get up and dance to and it is for all ages. The Rappers only appeal to teens never the parents or even the children. I'm not out there to bash rappers even some hard rock and metal groups get violent. All I want to do in my free time is play and sing but I have to appeal to everyone. That's probably the hardest part about being a musician playing and singing more complicated and diverse lyrics. In the end it can go two ways you can either become a hit like the Beatles or become wannabes that only appear to preteen girls or just guys. What I am trying to say is that the ingredients for a great and timeless band are clean lyrics, versatility in sound and song choice ex: do not just play music that pertains to one group(Jonas Brothers), and easy lyrics to sing along with. I am beyond thrilled to play timeless classics by the greats such as Leyla, Take it Easy, and many others( I think Waiting on the World has ways to go).

Coming together

At first I was going to title this segment Come together, after one of the lyrics in a Beatles songs. Unfortunately I did not have the permission from Paul McCartney to use the title so this will have to do. Anyway I want to update all of my followers on my progress so far. I met with Mrs. Kimberly Ward on Monday at the Hospice house to pitch my idea and plans for my project. Before we really started getting into the details  she asked me if I knew what went on at this establishment. I said it is a place for terminally ill patients to rest and recover. Apparently I was wrong the majority of the patients that check in don’t check out. She said that the average life span for a patient was about a week! Right then and there I asked myself if I can actually make a connection with these people in such a short period of time. Then I had this feeling that someone wanted me to press on it was like God himself came down and wiped all my doubts and fears. He has placed this heavy task on my shoulders, and I will succeed. As I answered Mrs. Kimberly that I would do it despite the hardships I never wavered and was completely sincere. After this she explained to me that I would have to take a volunteer training course and a tb test, hopefully proof of my vaccination will suffice. My next accomplishment I completed this week was meeting with Mrs. Lillian Brown, the director at White Oak and discussing my plans with her. Unfortunately I had a guitar lesson and had to keep our meeting short, but I plan on visiting with her and setting specific times to come in to visit and play.

Is Retirement really Paradise?

This topic has been going on for a while, but is it really true? Well what do you think  about when you visit a retirement community: wheel chairs, bingo night, tapioca pudding, how about all of the above! That is right every stereotypical retirement scenario known to man has come true, and it is sad.  In the commercials the nursing and retirement  “companies” advertise that there facility is like heaven. Unfortunately even though they all  have good intentions and provide the most comfort there is still something missing. It is called fun! If I ever live in a retirement community I don’t want the most exciting part of the day to be lunch or dinner and I am pretty sure you don’t want that either. I hate that retirement has just become lay back ,rest and take it easy. I am not saying that I don’t like to relax every now and then ,all I’m saying is that retirees should not be retired from life! It is scientifically  proven that exercise and playing reduces the negative toxins in your brain that causes depression.  No wonder the retirees are so depressed no exercise, always confined to a wheel chair, for some, and no entertainment! If young mobile Americans can go to a coffee shop or a local club to see a band play why cant we bring the band to the immobile. I hope to really connect with my audience by visiting them one on one and just be a friend. Most people don’t know how many retirees have no family at all. Another scenario is that they have family ,but they never visit. As asked before in my Senior Project proposal what will be the proof that this project actual succeeded. I pondered this for a very long time and came to the conclusion that if I can get these people to sing along with me and smile, then I did my job.

Discovering new and different inspirations

Everybody has had inspirations from musicians such as Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and  even the Who. It is said that  the Ramones, a late seventies punk rock band, was mostly inspired by the beach boys! I know its crazy but if you listen to rock n roll high school it is pretty obvious. Another artist zacky vengeance from Avenged Sevenfold said that one of his inspirations for his solo compilations is Jazz! I discussed this with Mr. Tucker who says that most guitarists who want to master all components of the guitar dive into different genres such as John 5, lead guitarist for Marilyn Manson, playing country! I almost hit the floor, one of the greats of metal might be playing licks used in Taylor Swift songs! I have nothing against country it is just not my thing,but I am into Lyrnd Skynrd which I count as classic rock. The point of me telling you this information is because I have experienced this at first hand.
When I first learned that I was going to learn leyla from my guitar teacher at thirteen I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed. I mean really the whole reason I got into guitar was to play and learn some of my favoite songs by Good Charlotte, Greenday, and Blink 182. Then I realized how hard it was to play in time and keep up with the chords as well as solo the correct way. As time went on I progressed into deeper study, but it was not always songs I did not care for. Mostly Mr. Foster and I would compromise by learning a song I liked and then a classic that would help me grow. My favorite song Mr. Foster taught me would have to be enter sandman. I have been in love with them since I watched this metal oriented documentary on Vh1, I could not only just play metal. It is almost that of having too much of something, after a while you just get sick of it! I know understand how to become a more creative and unique guitarist by learning and experimenting with different genres.

Diving in!

On my last post I discussed my influences in music as well as my ideas for my senior project. When you read my last post you saw that I decided on performing 10 songs acoustically for the elderly in assisted living communities. Now I have been talking with my parents and they have provided me some names of some of the people who work in that industry. One being a old friend of my father's who happens to be on the board of The Hospice House Mr. Chris Harricus who provided me with Mrs Kimberely Ward's, head attendant at the hospice house, phone number . The second connection my father gave to me was Mr. George Harricus who is a employee of White Oak Estates. He also provided me with another head attendant ,Mrs. Lillian Brown, to discuss my project with.
 I have also spoken to My guitar teacher, Mr. Foster, who has agreed to be my mentor,but I have not provided him with the mentor apprentice agreement form. I plan to have this done before my oral proposal presentation which is the 13th of September. Also a couple of days ago I asked Mr. Tucker,who is a Oakbrook U.S. teacher, if there was a way that I could reduce the feedback of my guitar and microphone amps. He then gave me a remarkable solution I had been playing with my amps toward my microphone and guitar when I really should have been setting them parallel to or in front of my instruments. I then followed his advice and the high pitched feedback is gone.
Another detail I would like to change in my project is the variety of audience I would be playing for.Not only would I play for the elderly but also the terminally ill as well. I have been talking about this with Mrs. Zion and she says that it is a busy and changing place, changing as is in on how many people pass away. I know that it will be hard  and I may see things that most people do not see everyday,but I hope with the help of God that I can go provide these people with a little bit of joy before they are deceased.To make preparations I have called Mrs. Ward when she was out of town and we agreed to have her call me on Monday during 7th period. I was shure to have Mrs. Zion's permission before agreeing to these terms. Unfortunately she never called back,but I plan on calling her back when I am feeling better on account it is difficult for me to speak clearly,since I have been sick. I also called Mrs. Brown at White Oak but was transfered to her answering machine, and I will make more attempts to get in contact with her before my present deadlines. All in all my project is going well I am researching different ways music therapy has helped veterans as well as assisted living inhabitants. I have also been thinking about the comments Mrs. Rosemary and Mrs. Zion have given me on the song choices, and I will take their advice and research more 30's an 40's music to play.

Getting started

Music for the Young at Heart 

August 18, 2010

It's day one of my first blog and there are so many things I have to accomplish along with my other classes. I started thinking about my senior project at the end of my sophomore year back when all the rising seniors started to freak out about their projects, ha ha! Now I am in their shoes and I have to tell you I am a little nervous, but I bet all of us seniors are! Anyway, back to the point. I knew that deep down in my heart I wanted to do something with music because its one of my greatest passions. I did not learn how to play the guitar until I was thirteen. Before then the only guitar, if you could call it that, was a little toy plastic guitar with strings. Once I joined my school's guitar club I upgraded to a Walmart guitar that was about 70 dollars. After playing that guitar for a while and showing my parents how serious I was about learning and mastering the guitar, they finally gave me the best upgrade ever--an acoustic/ electric Fender guitar. (Remember the only guitar company I knew of was the illustrious Walmart brand.) Some of you are wondering why I actually decided to include this story in my post. Well, I am very laid back and this project without humorous stories would be boring,  ha ha! Now that I laid the foundation let us get down to business.

My first idea was to organize and perform a concert for charity since my friend had failed his attempt at it. Then I realized why he failed. One, it takes a lot of money to rent a stadium, as well as provide food and drinks. Two, you are relying on other people to come to practice. If you don't play perfectly, you embarrass yourself. It was not hard letting that idea die, but then I asked myself how can I play my guitar in front of people without a band behind me? So, I went to where all problems are heard and solved; I consulted my parents. My Dad and Mom suggested I play at assisted living homes for the elderly. At first my reaction was ha ha ha ha! If you do not know me, I am a metal-punk if there is such a thing. I do not play anything that is not distorted. Then I saw the serious look on my Dad's face, and he explained to me that it would be good exposure for my singing and guitar playing. After that I gave it some serious thought. The elderly are not very judgmental, unless you come in with your pants hanging around your ankles and say yo in every sentence ha ha ha. Plus it could lead me into more than just playing power chords, fast solos, and screaming. I then realized just how lonely someone could be stuck in a wheel chair all day waiting for friends or family, if they even have any. In the end, I decided to stick with this idea and learn such classics as "Take It Easy" by The Eagles and "Leyla" by Eric Clapton. I also decided to put a little bit of John Mayer in there by learning "Waiting on the world." I even dug deep into the past and learned "Stay" by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. I really want to play an acoustic version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath; unfortunately, that probably will not happen.