What is a basement musician?
Well, I am one. I had always played something: the guitar, accordion, harmonica, piano, clarinet (until I lost a finger) but never seriously, always by ear, and self-taught. I had a good ear. That should be enough. Then, in 1997, at the age of 63, I thought I should play at least one instrument "properly." I bought my first saxophone, an alto, but found it difficult; I knew which notes to play but my fingers could not find them fast enough. I could hear inside my head the sound I wanted but I was too impatient to study notation and all that. I switched to a tenor sax and decided, at long last, that I would actually learn to read music, master the dots and staves, all that stuff. My mistake was to think that if I got away – from work and other annoying distractions – I would be able to focus entirely on the music. Why did I think that Mexico would be a good place to do this?
Encouraged, I stuck around La Paz for a few weeks. I was invited to play at the cafe a few times. I enjoyed playing with the trio. The trouble was I wanted to play all the time. Eventually the leader of the house band, Jorge, told me two things; “Don’t sing while I am playing, por favor” and “Go away and practice.” Years later, I am still practicing. I can read a score now, not fast but at least I can work out a song in my own time when I need to.
It was my during my time in Mexico, learning with Lynda, that I realized that there must be many people like me who need, and want to get together with other musicians, but they do not know how, or are too shy to “get out there.” Proficient readers, like Lynda, have little trouble finding a group to play with. Sheet music keeps them together and performing becomes natural. But those of us who are too shy or afraid to play in public, who do not have sheet music as an anchor, do not find it so easy. We are what I call “basement musicians.” We play in our bedrooms, woodsheds, closets, even an actual basement. (The term “bedroom musicians” today commonly refers to those who mix, rip, burn music using principally electronic equipment.”)
That trip to Mexico gave me the germ of an idea of creating some kind of network for basement musicians like myself. As it happened, the Rotary Centre for the Arts had somewhat similar thoughts. We got together and out of our discussions emerged the Basement Musicians Circles.
Ray Turner
Well, I am one. I had always played something: the guitar, accordion, harmonica, piano, clarinet (until I lost a finger) but never seriously, always by ear, and self-taught. I had a good ear. That should be enough. Then, in 1997, at the age of 63, I thought I should play at least one instrument "properly." I bought my first saxophone, an alto, but found it difficult; I knew which notes to play but my fingers could not find them fast enough. I could hear inside my head the sound I wanted but I was too impatient to study notation and all that. I switched to a tenor sax and decided, at long last, that I would actually learn to read music, master the dots and staves, all that stuff. My mistake was to think that if I got away – from work and other annoying distractions – I would be able to focus entirely on the music. Why did I think that Mexico would be a good place to do this?
Encouraged, I stuck around La Paz for a few weeks. I was invited to play at the cafe a few times. I enjoyed playing with the trio. The trouble was I wanted to play all the time. Eventually the leader of the house band, Jorge, told me two things; “Don’t sing while I am playing, por favor” and “Go away and practice.” Years later, I am still practicing. I can read a score now, not fast but at least I can work out a song in my own time when I need to.
It was my during my time in Mexico, learning with Lynda, that I realized that there must be many people like me who need, and want to get together with other musicians, but they do not know how, or are too shy to “get out there.” Proficient readers, like Lynda, have little trouble finding a group to play with. Sheet music keeps them together and performing becomes natural. But those of us who are too shy or afraid to play in public, who do not have sheet music as an anchor, do not find it so easy. We are what I call “basement musicians.” We play in our bedrooms, woodsheds, closets, even an actual basement. (The term “bedroom musicians” today commonly refers to those who mix, rip, burn music using principally electronic equipment.”)
That trip to Mexico gave me the germ of an idea of creating some kind of network for basement musicians like myself. As it happened, the Rotary Centre for the Arts had somewhat similar thoughts. We got together and out of our discussions emerged the Basement Musicians Circles.
Ray Turner