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I'm with SouthPaw and Zurf.

The one thing that has consistently taken my playing to another level was playing with other musicians. When I started, I thought was making pretty good progress  but I was always playing by myself. After a while, I felt like I was stuck in a box with my playing. Then I decided to search music forums for people looking for others to play with. I met a couple of cool people who I began to jam with regularly, and every session with them was an eye-opener. We also met a whole bunch of musicians in the parks where we would meet to jam or at jam/open mic nights in pubs and cafes. I've learned so much from each of the people I had the pleasure of sharing musical ideas with, no matter what "level" they were. From soloing technique and music theory from a rock guitarist or latin rhythms from percussion players, there has always been something new to explore.

Also, I think that, in order to really appreciate these experiences, you have to keep an open mind and be humble. Sometimes, you might look at a musician playing their instrument and think "I'm better than that, for sure!". But, if you actually start talking to/jamming with them you'll discover that there is something in their music that's unique and that you couldn't see at a first glance. It really pays to be open-minded.

I've just recently gotten into modes. I find Locrian is a good tension builder until you want to resolve back to the root. It makes the music feel like you're building up to something but not quite getting there.

Great! Thanks for your replies and advice. I'll check out the different suggestions.

Melt with you - Modern English (typical 80s lol)

and if you can nail this one:

Billie Jean - Micheal Jackson

Tres joli poeme, Doc. Il merite vraiment d'etre transforme en chanson. C'est rafraichissant de voir des compositions en d'autres langues qui sont aussi belles. J'espere que vous allez continuer de les mettre sur le forum.

I think this is a great idea and, considering the amount of participation in the Songwriting Forum, I'm sure many would agree. We're lucky to have several people in the forums (SouthPaw, Roger Guppy, All1Song, Phil Williams, Old Doll, etc...) that have proven their great singing abilities and unique voices.

Singing is probably the hardest thing to do for me, and I could really use some tips. The voice is a very flexible "instrument" and also the hardest to use in my opinion. There's a lot to keep track of (posture, diaphragm, tonal recognition)... Also, I remember UpYerKilt mentioning an experience with throat nodules and explaining how you can damage your voice with improper technique.

I second Kajima's request.

Hey Detman,

Looks like everyone has given you some great advice on the subject you raised. I think a lot of people have gotten their fair share of disappointment when trying to group with others to play music. I'm guessing it can sometimes be hard to find like-minded people. Either that, or egos get in the way. I've found that too many people are over-confident that they're going to become rockstars, and they miss the point of the collaboration.

When I began playing again and felt ready to start jamming with others, I visited two places on the net where I could potentially find other players: 1 was a musical forum for my city, and the other was craigslist.com. Both sites had sections for musicians seeking like-minded players for various projects. I was looking for something less serious, and more focused on having fun and being creative. I eventually found 2 great guitarists, started jamming, and have been having fun ever since.
After we had gotten good enough (in our heads lol) to try some open mics together at cafes and bars, the opportunities to find other jammers multiplied again. These open mics can be a haven for musicians of all ages who are seeking to show their music and express themselves. After getting to know some of them, I now find myself trying hard to find time to keep up with all the jams. Also, we often meet at parks during the summer, and when people hear our jam, they also join if they have their instruments. I remember several afternoons that were spent jamming with a group of 30 other people of all ages, playing all kinds of different instruments.

Of course, there will be those that you encounter who are either arrogant, selfish, or deluded with ambitions that even they cannot live up to. I've had my share of them, and also those that weren't like that, but that I didn't share a musical connection with. Sometimes, it is easier to play by yourself, but I would recommend not giving up on trying to share making music with others. It's both fun and an enormously insightful learning experience.

In any case, I hope you find what you're looking for. The websites (check your local craigslist and musicians' forums) and open mics really worked for me.

Good luck and good jamming.

J.

Kajima, that's very impressive.

I used to practice Kyudo (japanese style archery). Archery is definitely a demanding activity in terms of focus and discipline.

It's interesting to see how Chordians often practice another activity besides music that require a lot of the same qualities (patience, discipline, logic, creativity,... ). I've seen a lot of posts in the Chat Corner where people talk about fishing, cycling, gardening, art, and many other hobbies that aren't so easily approached by everyone...

So we're at "K"?

Kings of Convenience - Gold in the air of Summer

Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gbl7N9fds4

Tab:
http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/?url= … ranspose=0

A really good alternative to Firefox and (especially) IE is Google Chrome. I started using this browser the day it came out and haven't stopped since. Nifty little thing...