Happy Friday! This is where I share 5 things I’m digging on each week. Some relate to music and music therapy, and some are just straight up random (but interesting, at least in my own humble opinion…). If you would like to have these delivered conveniently to your email inbox, please click here and subscribe! Thanks to those of you who have been emailing kind words and recommendations for the blog. I appreciate you! PRODUCTIVITY Earlier this week, Rachel, Michelle, Kimberly, and I released a new podcast on the Music…
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G'day! It’s time for another Friday 5. This is where I share 5 things I’m digging on each week. Some relate to music and music therapy, and some are just straight up random (but interesting, at least in my own humble opinion…). If you would like to have these delivered conveniently to your email inbox, please click here and subscribe! BOOK The War of Art by Steven Pressfield This is a must-read for any creative person or business owner. As many of us are one or both of those, I…
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When I was a young guitarist, I used to scoff at capos. I thought to myself: "You use a capo? What? Can't you play barre chords?" Barre chords ARE important, but I no longer scoff. In fact, I use a capo. Often. Why? Because playing open chords gives me more flexibility and more options for embellishments. I also sometimes want the "open string" sound which you don't get when barring. Furthermore, barring can get tiresome if required for the entirety of the song. SO: I hereby give you permission to use a…
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Hey hey! It’s time for another Friday 5! This is where I share 5 things I’m digging on each week. Some relate to music and music therapy, and some are just straight up random (but interesting, at least in my own humble opinion). If you would like to have these delivered conveniently to your email inbox, please click here and subscribe! Last week at this time, I was trekking up and up and up along a trail in Yosemite National Park. Some friends and I hiked a famous rock formation…
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It’s time for another Friday 5! This is where I share 5 things I’m digging on each week. Some relate to music and music therapy, and some are just straight up random (but interesting, at least in my own humble opinion…). If you would like to have these delivered conveniently to your email inbox, please click here and subscribe! BOOK Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner If you’re in a musical rut, if you’ve thought that other musicians have something that you don’t, or if you experience resistance and general “ickiness”…
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Greetings and salutations, friends! Autumn has officially begun. Personally, I'm ready to start wearing some flannel again. This is week two of my Friday Five experiment. It's basically just cool things/resources I'm enjoying each week. Want future posts delivered directly to your inbox? "Yes I do!" 1.) BOOK Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman I recently finished this autobiographical collection of tales by an American physicist, Richard Feynman. You might be wondering - how would this apply to me? Well, I loved this book. I laughed out loud at least one…
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We’re music therapists and music therapy students. For many of us, a guitar is in our hands for much of the day. Most of the working world is limited to practicing guitar before and after work, so we are really part of a lucky few. If we set our minds to it, we can start making small improvements throughout the week, every week. We can get past “functional” guitar and into a more interesting, more pleasing, more musical realm of therapeutic effectiveness. Sounds pretty good, yeah? So read on to…
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My good friend and fellow music therapist Tim Ringgold sent me this link and it was, well, mind-blowing. Had to share it here. Enjoy!
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Happy Friday! Today I'm experimenting with a new post style, one that is borrowed from author Tim Ferriss. Each Friday, he sends out a 5-bullet email with things that he is digging on that week. I'm going to try something similar, but tailored to music therapists, music therapy students, and those interested in music therapy. Each week, I encounter cool things that I really should share with you all. So let me know if you like this and I will keep it up. Want it delivered directly to your inbox? "Yes I…
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I've been asked a few times about specific stretches for guitar. Stretching is important before, during, and after practice sessions. In the video below, you can see the stretching routine I use to help me get (and stay) loose. Next time you practice, remember these stretches for guitar and you will likely notice an improvement in hand/wrist stamina. As noted in the video, do not stretch hard enough to cause pain. That's too far!
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