I really should read more than I do. Reading is often too far down the list of things I want to get done in day. But when I do read I try to read interesting and challenging things. Recently I read Oscar Wilde's 1891 essay 'The Soul of Man Under Socialism'. Now before we go … Continue reading 120 Years Later
30 Days Straight
Wow, 4 months since my last blog post, where did that go!? I want to talk about something I've been trying recently that has turned out to be incredibly helpful in my practice routine. I first heard about the idea from saxophonist Bob Reynolds in his Vlog which you can see here. However the idea … Continue reading 30 Days Straight
‘The Jazz Tradition’
It's been a while since I posted and I'm back with some thoughts about jazz inspired by recent conversations with some good friends of mine. Everyone has something different pop into their head when they think about jazz. For the majority of people I imagine it's a band featuring trumpet, saxophone, double bass etc. playing … Continue reading ‘The Jazz Tradition’
There Are Plenty of Hours in The Day
I often find myself muttering the phrase "there just isn't enough hours in the day" when feeling disheartened about not having done as much as I'd hoped that day. It wasn't until recently that I realised just how much time we do actually have available to us and how much of it we waste. I'm … Continue reading There Are Plenty of Hours in The Day
Better Under Pressure?
"I work better under pressure" is something you might hear some people say when talking about their work lives. Some people thrive in high pressure situations, others crumble. I find myself somewhere in between. I think... Recently I have been in an unusual situation in that I have just moved to a new home in … Continue reading Better Under Pressure?
Ye Olde Alarm Clock
One of the hardest parts of being productive and trying to achieve something good, for me at least, is getting out of bed and getting going in a morning (or afternoon...). If you're anything like me you would roll over in bed blurry eyed, hit snooze and go back to sleep for another 9 minutes … Continue reading Ye Olde Alarm Clock
Realisation in a Less Than Ideal Situation
It's always nice when you come to a sudden realisation about something when you least expect it. I experienced this a few days ago when I embarked upon a late night practice session. Now in an ideal world I would be practicing sat a few feet in front of my amp on a medium volume … Continue reading Realisation in a Less Than Ideal Situation
Thoughts on Practice, Productivity and Procrastination
My first ever blog post comes on a day that has been full of procrastination and severely lacking in productivity. Today I've literally procrastinated about starting a blog about procrastination. I suppose I ought to give you some background info. I'm a musician who lives in Leeds, originally from Nottingham. I have a strange sort … Continue reading Thoughts on Practice, Productivity and Procrastination
