Inspiration

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Catching Up With The Cool

March 12, 2011
by The Brehms Blogger
Davis at BirdlandHow many musicians can you name whose career connected with Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sly Stone, Prince, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Radiohead, and Sting?  Whose work was in some way responsible for both cool jazz and Madonna’s first album?  Only one: Miles Dewey Davis.
In a field known for innovation and originality, Miles Davis was a true titan, towering over even the genre’s giants.
He was known for playing few notes where other musicians would play many.  In doing so, he created a style, very different from his contemporaries.  A trumpet prodigy in St. Louis, he went to Julliard to study music, but dropped out after 18 months.  He left to make his mark in the then-thriving 52nd Street jazz clubs as a sideman with Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Billy Eckstine, and later Charlie Parker.
But where Davis truly made his name was as a bandleader.  In 1949, he organized several lush, low-key sessions with arranger Gil Evans; dubbed the Birth of the Cool, they revolutionized jazz by creating a supple new vocabulary with greater emphasis on texture and form.  By reigning in the rhythm, Davis and Evans crafted a more seamless fabric of written and improvised orchestral passages.
MilesDavis Kinda BlueThat would have been achievement enough for most jazzmen, but 10 years later, Davis cut Kind of Blue, regarded by many critics as the greatest jazz album of all time and Davis’ masterpiece.  The album’s influence on music would have enormous repercussions , providing sideman John Coltrane with a key tool for his own musical explorations.
Then, in the late Sixties, Davis introduced electric instrumentation with his 1968 album entitled Miles in the Sky. This album and the subsequent Files de Kilimanjaro, and In a Silent Way had a major influence on the development of jazz fusion, outraging the jazz world by adding rock and funk elements to his sound.
In 1970 Davis’ prominent jazz rock effort Bitches Brew further attempted to fuse the visceral power of rock with the musical complexity and improvisational fireworks of bebop.  The album caught the attention of fans who never paid attention to jazz and at the same time the music community also came to recognize Miles as an exceptional talent-spotter.  Much of the 1970s Fusion was performed by bands started by alumni from Davis’ ensembles, including The Tony Williams Lifetime, Weather Report, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and Herbie Hancock’s funk-infused Headhunters band.
Davis’ taste in guitarists was extraordinary, ranging from John McLaughlin to Blackbyrd Mcknight.  Perhaps his most exceptional electric outfit was the mid-Seventies group featuring guitarists Reggie Lucas (who would later produce Madonna’s debut) and the amazing Pete Cosey. During the latter part of Miles career the electric guitar (and electric Birth of The CoolBass guitar) continued to be featured more and more prominently in the accomplished playing of John Scofield, Robben Ford, Mike Stern, Stanley Jordan, Marcus Miller, and Prince who each recorded and performed with Miles at various times throughout the Seventies and Eighties.
With a grandeur and coolness that led some people to see it as a “Birth Of The Cool” for the 1980s, Tutu had a powerful impact almost immediately after its release in September 1986.  It became one of the era-defining albums of the ’80s and won Miles a Grammy for “Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist.”  Like his other watershed album, Bitches Brew released sixteen years earlier, it delivered Miles an entirely new and mostly young audience.Miles Davis by Palumbo

Aside from Picasso in painting, there is no popular 20th century artist who has been able to remain modern until his death, and to hit the target so often and in so many different styles.  As a musical pioneer of the first degree, Miles constantly moved forward while never losing touch with his musical roots.  He fully trusted his own musical judgements and never waited for others before making a move.  He died Sept. 28, 1991, after suffering pneumonia, respiratory failure and a stroke.  He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx, New York.

Here is a simple little YOUTUBE video which allows the viewer to see the grave site of Miles Davis:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0IcBb5PCvQ

- The Brehms Blogger
: Inspiration
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Wedding Gigs Can Change Your Life

January 30, 2011
by The Brehms Blogger

Growing up with a musical grandmother, and with parents that often discussed the power of positive thinking, one of the greatest challenges for me was learning to visualize the music industry without rose colored glasses. Too often I would walk through our house, reading the trade magazines, dreaming of playing on stage with my guitar heroes, and imagining our musical kinship as if it were really true.

Unfortunately the industry and the people around me in my adult life did little to reinforce this way of thinking. In fact every time I began to believe in myself through little accomplishments along the way, my positive perspective was shattered by the negative ramblings of some jaded music veteran or a distant family member offering the staggering statistics against monetary success in the music industry. Difficult school situations, coupled with a late start learning my instrument of choice, worked to destroy my courage and protract my musical growth.

One morning I was especially down. It just seemed I would never reach the benchmark of professional musician. Sipping cold coffee, playing George Benson licks on the roof of my house, I got a call from a drummer I was working with at the time. He said there was a wedding gig coming our way, but only if we hired a vocalist (at the bride’s request) and play songs from the American Songbook. Now at this point I was only interested in instrumental music and our band’s set list reflected this.

But all of a sudden, things began to change. Our band took the wedding gig and we started learning vocal tunes. Before long we had married a thought to an action and were sounding better than ever before.

I was stunned by what was happening. I realized that by trying a different approach my guitar skills had responded for the positive, but the weirder part was when my visualizations started to become reality. Gigs became shows, and our new vocalist and I started writing our own original material. At the same time our band started playing regularly and now we are working on our second album in as many years. Life is completely different.

The music industry is still not the fairest, most equitable business system anyone can ever experience. There are plenty of reasons I could offer not to pursue a life in music, and now that I have become conscious enough to fully comprehend the good, the bad, and the ugly of the industry there is still the occasional doubt. That being said, I know that whatever lies ahead will be better than what lies behind. The best part is when I wake up and realize I am glad I took the leap and never looked back.

The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: health, Inspiration
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Kiss Your Rut Goodbye

January 28, 2011
by The Brehms Blogger

Sometimes, it’s hard to get a new music project started. Other times, it’s hard to finish one. Yet, other times, our creative muse can suffer from sagging counterparts. It’s also difficult to break out of a rut, to find time to create, to think outside the box, or bring our music to a place it’s never been before.

Maybe we need a new creative solution? Have you been to a jam session lately? In nearly every situation, to be able to coordinate the collaborative efforts among successful and talented musicians, is a wondrous thing. Since we live in a digital age, why not try to send a musical sample to ten of your favorite musicians and encourage each player to add something unique to the sample?

There are more than a few ways to use this concept as a fun improvisational exercise with your musical circle of friends. To lay the groundwork, you can have members of the group discuss and agree on a specific musical genre, instrumentation, rhythm, and key. Or, you can write down all the necessary components on slips of paper and have each musician draw one or two from a bowl. You can do the same when assigning specific elements to the song structure, such as verse, chorus, bridge, etc.
Setting a deadline is important, but be cognizant that different people work at different pacing. You want each musician to feel challenged to go places they’ve never gone before. Follow one another’s lead, and strive to write outside the box. We could all use this type of challenge: to step outside our safety zones and be the best musicians we can be. Make it happen!

The Brehms Blogger

staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Inspiration
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Relax, Don’t Do It

December 12, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

Avoid tension.  Very few musicians think about it until they hear a nasty pop in their wrist.  Ask Vito Bratta about that.  A good warm–up can help prevent serious injury, so start with some stretching and then move on to some scales and arpeggios.  Avoid playing really hard songs “cold.”  Keep your music, metronome, tuner, etc. within your reach to prevent twisting your body, and keep your practice space well lit to avoid eye strain.

If you are not sure if your technique is problematic, take a mental snapshot to see if you voluntarily tense up your jaw, neck, shoulders, or another part of your body.  One you identify where you are tensing up, invest the time to correct the problem.  Always attempt to support your body weight evenly as you play.  Loosen your grip once in awhile to avoid excessive tension in the knuckles or wrist.  Be patient and take frequent breaks to prevent tension from building up.  Small adjustments in your playing habits can go a long way to preventing injury.  Shorter, more frequent practice sessions are easier on your body than marathon practices once a week.

Your equipment can also cause trouble.  If you play a stringed instrument, try lighter–gauge strings or consider lowering the action.  Always use a comfortable strap, and find a gig bag with backpack–style straps to distribute weight evenly.  If you have to transport an amp or PA to gigs, invest in a small dolly.

Listen to your body.  When your arms are feeling tired and strained from playing – stop and rest.  When your back and neck are starting to ache – take a break.  When your throat is starting to get sore – take a breather.  Practice makes perfect, but too much practice can be potentially dangerous.  Take regular breaks, pace yourself do not force yourself.

Do not ignore the warning signs.  If you fear you are in danger of injury or have injured yourself, don’t wait, consult a doctor immediately.  Most injuries are treated easily when caught early.  The most difficult time in my professional life happened during a 9 month stay overseas.  I wanted so badly to improve my playing.  I practiced and practiced for hours on end without even the tiniest break.  When I did finally stop playing the guitar (usually to eat something unhealthy) I compounded the issue by hopping over to my computer and sliding the mouse around for hours and hours.  I never rested, moving back and forth from one to the other.  Then one day I realized I couldn’t hold a fork to eat.  The growing numbness in my hand had progressed to the point of complete failure.  I was diagnosed with a combination of tendinitis and the more common nerve entrapment syndrome, carpal tunnel.  My level of discomfort was steep enough to warrant my arm in a sling and various forms of rehabilitation for six months.

The rehab process was tedious and slow, but I learned a lot.  For instance, carpal tunnel is a specialized example of subluxation.  The hand has many nerves that travel in and out of a tunnel of bones forming the wrist (these bones being the carpals.)  This delicate system of nerves can become entrapped, compressed, and pinched with the slightest misalignment of the carpal bones.  Tendinitis on the other hand, is really a description of the symptom and not the cause.  Tendinitis is an inflammation, and can be “minimized” by locating the nerves that are blocked and/or the nutritional problems causing it.

Oftentimes  the life of a musician can be a world of stress and stimulation.  This stress – whether physical, mental, emotional, or chemical – first stops at the adrenal glands and makes them overactive.  Your body’s adrenal glands sit atop each of your kidneys and produce a very powerful chemical called adrenaline.  In times of stress your body uses this chemical to help keep up with what your brain is telling it to do.  Eventually, without proper nutrition, stress burns out the adrenal glands and your body cannot keep up.

I often made the mistake of fueling my body with junk food, not getting enough sleep, all the while working under high-pressure situations.  Turns out my adrenal glands were blown out and highly deficient in B and C-vitamins.   Nowadays I make a habit of eating a decent breakfast and taking my vitamins.  Turns out Mom was right all along.

Remember, prevention and attention are the keys to avoiding tension.  If you take your vitamins, rest, and lighten up (your grip), there is a good chance you will prevent injuries and ensure you will be able to play your instrument as much as you like.

- The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Gear, health, Inspiration, Technique
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Getting On My Nerves

December 12, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

Many musicians have experienced the tight hands, muscle strain, or fatigue from playing too much in an intense workshop or marathon practice session.  Playing an instrument is a complex, physical activity–just ask any novice guitarist who has yet to build up calluses or is still fumbling with barre chords.  But few musicians think about the physicality of playing their instrument until an injury like tendinitis or carpal tunnel makes it uncomfortable or impossible to play.  Fortunately these injuries are often preventable with some planning and awareness.  As a guitarist with carpal tunnel (over ten years now), I can offer a personal perspective on the subject, but in no way should this substitute for medical advice.  If you are experiencing pain or continual discomfort, see a doctor who has experience diagnosing playing-related injuries.

Most playing–related injuries fall under the following categories:

Cumulative Trauma syndromes.  Usually caused by repetitive motion and occur mainly in the wrist and forearm.  Symptoms include fatigue, tenderness, pain, swelling, numbness, and lack of control.  The most common cumulative traumas are tendinitis (inflammation of the tendons), epicondylitis (inflammation of the area near the elbow), and bursitis (inflammation of a fluid-filled sac near a joint).

Nerve Entrapment syndromes.  If you work at a computer (most of us do), you’re probably familiar with the most common nerve entrapment syndrome:  carpal tunnel, which is caused by the pressure on the median nerve in your wrist.  Symptoms of nerve entrapment syndromes include pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling (a “pins and needles” sensation).

Thoracic Outlet syndrome. The nerves behind the collarbone (the lower brachial plexus) originate in your neck and connect to your arms and hands.  When those nerves become compressed, you may feel pain, weakness, or numbness in your arm or hand.

Focal dystonia.  Poor posture, awkward body positioning, and holding your breath while you play can lead to an abnormal spasm of isolated muscle groups.

“If it hurts, don’t do it.”  You have heard that one before.  I chose to ignore this primitive but plausible advice.  Before long I was unable to hold a fork, and forced into rehab.  Arm in a sling for 6 months, my disposition was intolerable at best.  Before seeking treatment I had convinced myself the early symptoms were a sign of weak hands and I needed to practice harder and “muscle” through the pain.  Do not do this!

On the flip side, your playing might not be the problem.  I once know this amazing classical player with incredible technique who suddenly experienced wrist pain after playing for years without mishap.  When I asked what else he was doing, he told me he was a computer programmer and was spending hours on end (with little sleep) punching keys.  Each of us are different, and sometimes our bodies will respond poorly to common, everyday situations–driving a car with a standard transmission, wearing tight wristbands (I don’t know how Zakk Wylde does it), or sleeping in the wrong position–can each have a direct impact on your ability to play comfortably.

Next time I promise to offer some prevention techniques I learned over the years.  Sadly, I do still have carpal tunnel, but I have learned to keep it under control without the expensive surgery.  In the meantime, I encourage you to listen to your body and be aware of what it is telling you.  If you ignore it like I did, you may need to borrow my old arm sling.

- The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: health, Inspiration, Technique
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Effects

December 12, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

“You can sure learn a lot when you write music, particularly when searching for effects that will work best for you,” says guitarist and songwriter David L. Brehm.  “When you write music as a means to express yourself, in your own voice–only you know what is supposed to fit within the song structure.  As musicians, we often contemplate what we own in terms of effects and at the same time are asking, ‘How do I make this song happen the way I hear it in my head?’

With a little help from his Pro Tools software, David taps his own creativity by working in his home studio in Dallas, Texas.  “When we first started writing our own material, the ideas came from melodies and various chord progressions, but we wanted to fill out the sound once we started bringing in other instruments.  This led me to try the Eleven Rack to greater enhance my effects options.”

“We really tried hard to create sophisticated yet ‘retro’ orchestrations, particularly on ‘You & Me,’ which we knew had room for greater effects on the bridge section,” says Stephanie.

“Such orchestration typically requires some fancy pedalboard footwork in live settings.  Whether in my solo shows, or during our duo shows,  I loop myself (David uses a Boss RC-50 Loop Station) so I can have something on which to play jazz solos or maybe to add interesting harmonies where solos are not required.”

“Effects need to have a reason to be.” says Stephanie. “David and I don’t agree on everything, but we agree on that.”

-The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Gear, Inspiration
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Its Complicated

December 9, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

Learning music is a complicated process, involving ideally all of the musician’s primary skills simultaneously.  The ear, the intellect, visual awareness, and physical technique all should blend in perfect harmony during the course of learning and/or performing.  But players often develop certain “comfort zones” that are usually linked directly to their possession, or lack of, the aforementioned skills.  It is very common for a guitar player to learn music strictly by ear.  Many guitar players over-accentuate technique, especially speed, without really listening or paying attention to whether something truly sounds good or not.  This can sometimes leave “gaps” in that player’s musical evolution.

It may seem too simplistic to judge our abilities at whatever we attempt on the basis of acquired time and experience, yet isn’t that what it really amounts to?  It makes sense that if a player is deficient in any area, there is a direct link to the time and experience factor.  Want some examples?

Do you experience performance anxiety?  Well, how often do you perform?  Problems learning music by ear?  How frequently do you try?  Inadequate reading skills?  Do you read on a regular basis?  Insufficient song vocabulary?  Have you learned a new song this week?

Some would say the biggest problem guitar players have is connecting their fingers to their ears.  It is often the last thing that comes natural to a player.  For a saxophone player when you play middle C your fingers go to the same place every time, because there is only one middle C on that instrument.  But on the guitar there are five places it could be, and when you multiply that by how many fingers you could play it with, it gets complicated.

If you are a player, is this the point where you head starts to spin?  I hope not.  Try not to let the logistics of music get a hold on you.  Despite having to wade through all the potential complications, it really all comes back to what counts most, and that remains the sound.

- The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Inspiration, Technique
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The Ideal Guitar

November 9, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

After playing for a number of years, David Brehm reached a point where he started to imagine his ideal guitar.  It would of course contain the usual combination of features such as a neck, pickups, and strings, but more needed to be had in an order to hold the lofty status of ideal guitar.

Despite countless hours in guitar stores on both coasts, David realized he was not any closer to making a decision and the time had come to call in the experts. He carefully calculated his budget then scurried over to Charley’s Guitar Shop in Dallas to present his dilemma.  Store managers’ Pablo, Brian, and Stephen each weighed in on the discussion.  An hour and a half later David was directed into a special room which held a wall full of Gibson Les Paul Guitars.

David found himself drawn to the dark, far corner of the room.  He pulled a Wine Red Studio model off the wall.  He asked what distinguishes this guitar from any other guitar.  Guitar tech extraordinaire Bryant “Pablo” Russell said “Gibson Les Paul guitars have a number of defining characteristics when compared to other electric guitars.  For example, the strings of the guitar are mounted on top of the body of the guitar, rather than through it.  The guitar is world famous for its signature sound, and although famous for playing classic rock, it has tonal qualities to match any musical genre.”

As David ran his fingers across the strings, Brian Harris spoke of the instrument like he was describing a work of art.  “It has unmatched natural sustain,” he said.  “The tuners are not flashy chrome but are exceptionally smooth and of high quality.  The bridge of the guitar is art through simplicity.  No goofy little knobs to adjust the fine tuning.  No need when the instrument is built so well.”

As the afternoon sun streaked across his Jeep window, David made his way onto the tollway road stealing glances at the new gig bag on the passenger seat.  Snug inside the bag was his ideal guitar.

- The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Gear, Inspiration
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2

Lend Me Your Ears

October 28, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

Van Gogh is famous for at least one of them.  Shakespeare wrote asking to borrow them.  A lot of musicians will tell you it is the most important piece of equipment they carry.

For most of us, our ears come with a lifetime contract, but becoming a professional musician means at some point you must focus on ear training.

University of North Texas Jazz educator Dan Haerle often said, “In order to judge relative pitch (and eventually perfect pitch) you must train your ear to learn and recognize different intervals and harmony.”

Dan would further say that, “difficult as it seems, even small amounts of time spent on ear training will prove beneficial.  No matter your instrument, you will be able to learn songs, write songs, and eventually transcribe songs, increasing (the) opportunity for a more profitable future.”

To further Dan’s point, and as a serious modern day musician, you might consider the following exercise of interval recognition:  Compile a list of all the interval names from Minor 2nd all the way to an octave.  Then look up examples of those intervals in popular pieces of music.  For example the Minor 2nd interval is the same as the famous theme from the film Jaws.  Now randomly choose different intervals and sing or hum the two notes that make up the interval.  This will train your ear to recognize the interval.

Chord recognition is another great exercise.  Once again, write out various chords you’d like to recognize.  For example Major, Minor, 7th and sus4 chords.  Then play them in random order.  Can you tell how they sound differently?  When listening to some of your favorite music, see if you can recognize any of the chords being used.

If you want to make the most of these exercises then record yourself playing random intervals and chords.  Write down the correct pitch for each.  Challenge yourself to an ear test.  You might also schedule regular practices with a friend so you can challenge each other.

If you are interested in learning more about ear training and would like to see a list of recommended software packages please contact me at Blue Logic Entertainment.

-The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: health, Inspiration, Technique
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Renown Team Colaborates

October 18, 2010
by The Brehms Blogger

Renowned educator and mastering engineer David Rosenblad recently wrapped on the latest sonic collective by jazz-pop songwriting duo The Brehms – the latest full-length album featuring the singles, “Red Dress” & “You & Me” - crafted in 4 days at David’s DRM studios in Dallas, Texas.  “Red Dress” – a sultry, slinky jam with a swinging Julie London style vibe – required Rosenblad to be careful in how he left his mark.
“The Brehms like their mixes a lot and wanted it hot.” Offers Rosenblad of his primary directive from the self-producing artists and producers, David & Stephanie Brehm.  “Having worked with David & Stephanie on film scores such as “A Noble Way,” I knew how important music is to them.  We discussed what I believed to be the appropriate enhancements and worked our way toward their ultimate mastering goal.”
The subdued frequencies on the top end of the track could have led some mastering engineers down the wrong path.  “Upon first hearing it, my first impulse was to lift the highs and brighten a bit,” explains Rosenblad.  “In the end it turned that the correct approach was in direct service of the vocal.”
For limiting, Rosenblad looked at his arsenal of compression tools and picked what he knew would be best for the job…but he likes to keep trade secrets just what they are, secrets.  “There are many look-ahead limiters,” he explains.  “They all sound different and they are all not created equal.”  These various compressors are properly instigated with only certain types of songs.  That is the biggest secret to mastering: knowing and understanding the sound of each tool in the box.  You hear what you need and apply it appropriately…mastering isn’t just making it loud.  It is finding that sweet spot between ‘competitively loud’ and the most crafty and satisfactory result for the client.  In this case, the artists were very clear per their material, particularly the songs “Red Dress,” “No Turning Back,” and “You & Me.”

- The Brehms Blogger
staffwriter@bluelogicentertainment.com

: Gear, Inspiration, Technique
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