at the first moment I intend to write, to comment Your message with the
words:
You are great!

But better words for that why I appreciate Your email are:
You are true, Your words are true.

This message comes from me, from a person who started his first study in
music at a Conservatoire at the age of 48.

The way I try to encourage my children to follow their creative path in
life, profession is to say: No doubt!

I appreciate the book EM and your messages.

EM: Page 107 – “… Typically, he starts from the beginning. …”

One of my ways to become more and more familiar with the pieces I play after
to be aware of the whole structure of the piece, I start practising at the
end, the last phrase, then the phrase before, after that the combination of
the last phrases and so on.

Another approach – I play “my” music absolute slowly with the deepest
silence I am able to , tone by tone, but hold them together in a great
tension- often accompanied with some of the MegaBrain CDs by M. Hutchinson.

Best, good sounds,
Martin

I have read your book a number of times and that combined with listening and watching the DVD have made a world of difference in my enjoyment of music. When I began playing trumpet, I could improvise without worry or attention, as I was just happy to be contributing something to the enjoyment of the audience. That “joy of creating” got lost somewhere along my career and I ended up quitting music completely for a number of years.

When it became apparent to me that I was not happy without music in my life, I began playing again about 30+ years ago and have never looked back. Your book appeared in my life some time after that and it served to support and validate what I had discovered for myself. The joy of creating (music) is paramount in anyone’s life. When you stop creating (anything), you fall into patterns of robotic behavior, repeating (even perfectly) what you have done countless times before. To me that was a death sentence. Reorganizing my life to put creative music back into what I am about has made the rest of life (all the mechanical aspects of existing on this planet) seem not so burdensome.

I now have two successful jazz albums out which continue to do very well and have played with many of my music idols only dreamed of previously. My little website (danjacobsmusic.com) now receives over 130,000 hits a month in over 80 countries around the globe. And, magically, I always seem to have enough money generated through the business of music to stay away a few steps ahead of the economic whip so prevalent in our culture.

If you would like to hear a bit of my playing directly influenced by your book and DVD, check: danjacobsjazz@myspace.com. The solos on “Well You Needn’t and on Stella by Starlight” are live performances recorded during the time I was agressively reading and practicing your materials. The solos are fun for me to listen to, as they were fun to play. You deserve much of the credit.

Thank you for your continuing efforts to spread the word. The importance of your work is inestimable; for in my opinion the life and longevity of any culture depends on the number of artists creating and working in the field, if only to counteract the efforts of those who operate on other purposes.

Please continue.

Dan Jacobs

I like thinking about music being wholly for the enjoyment of the playing and not prescribed to a particular target. Please keep the emails coming, they hit at spontaneous times and often redirect my head in a good direction relevant to work, music, or just life in general.

Jed

I think your theories are perfect for me. I have taken six 12-week online courses from Berklee Music in Boston. I am a true novice, although I have owned my Gibson guitar since 1956! Since most of my classmates are already playing in bands or teaching in schools, I am left with the feeling that I am out of place in the class. My assignments which I turn in online do not compare with those of the obviously advanced players.

So, I need to change my outlook. Right?

Marshall

I really want to read this book, but am totally blind. Is there any audio or electronic version?

Thanks,
Brandon