Greetings from the autobahn in Germany. On the way to Saarbrucken, travelling with the Christian Stock trio. We’re doing a series of 8 concerts throughout Germany. We’re driving from town to town in a van. I’ve been working on a brass piece for a NY based group called Hora Decima. It’s been challenging to write a piece where jazz and orchestral brass and percussion players can meet half way. The piece has element of jazz and groove music, but is written in such a way that a musician from any genre can play the rhythms and phrases appropriately. This is always the challenge  of writing for orchestral musicians. The other challenge is to write parts for all concerned that are fun to play, where every player has an active roll and participates substantially.

Which brings me to what I would like to focus on in this column. That is, the issue of ear training, or the ability of being able to hear various intervals and melodies in your musical mind without having an instrument at your disposal.  In my travels I’m frequently asked how one works on ear training. After giving it some thought, I realize that the simple act of trying to hear music in you head while sitting quietly is the way I work on ear training. This can take on many different forms.

On long rides from location to location on a tour I generally review the music we are playing nightly. I do this by hearing the tune in my head, trying to hear all the various instruments and what they are playing, as well as hearing the form and arrangement we are dealing with at the time. I can also imagine I’m soloing on a given tune, trying to hear the lines I am playing as well as the accompaniment my band-mates are laying down. You’ll be surprised how much of a song you can actually recreate in you mind while sitting quietly Occasionally you might find an interesting change to the form, some melodic lines that you haven’t considered before, and even an alternate harmonic routing. When you are free of an instrument your mind can go almost anywhere, unencumbered of one’s limitations on that instrument.

Sometimes I will take a particular tune and isolate a 4 bar phrase. I then fool around with various melodic lines that might traverse the harmonic progression.  If something seems compelling, I can stay with that melodic line for a while, and try to hear it in different ways, paying careful attention to the intervals, overall melodic shape of the line, and how it might relate consonantly or dissonantly to the harmonic progression.

For those of you who have a hard time imagining doing this without the use of a keyboard or your respective instrument, I say that it is only a matter of growing accustomed to doing the work in your head. It is quite doable! Start with simple things like scales, arpeggios, and patterns. Next try to hear a standard tune. Hear the drums, the bass, and piano. Hear specifically what each instrument is playing.  Man, you can pretend you’re playing with the greatest musicians alive! Of course the recall of such information is contingent upon having at some point listened to recordings of the great musicians playing the music you are dealing with. It is also a must to have spent a great deal of time with your instrument so as to be able to “feel” the notes and sound of that instrument while not playing it. It is also very helpful to have spent time with piano, bass and drums, so that you can feel and hear the particulars of those instruments as well.

Another nice form of ear training involves reading music without an instrument. Take an etude, standard, of even a large ensemble piece and try to hear the sound and shape of the music in your head. This is a great way to learn standards. The first thing you might observe is the form (AABA, AAB, AB, or through-composed). Next, see what the melody does. Does a particular phrase repeat in a sequential fashion? How does one 4 or 8 bar phrase lead to the next, and what are the common threads? Checking out  the above-mentioned details will enable you to not only hear the tune, but to retain the information. There is much commonality between finely crafted compositions. Once you get the hang of what these qualities are, you will have a broader understanding and better ability to hear what is going on, particularly away from your instrument.

Once you’ve assembled the band in your head, you can do almost anything without an instrument. You might compose a tune, do an arrangement of a standard, work on soloing, work on intervallic motion or patterns, whatever. Of course the success of this endeavor relies heavily on paying attention to detail in the exploration of  what the various instruments do and sound like. So keep playing piano, bass and drums whenever possible. You want to know the language of these instruments anyway, in order to be able to carry on a conversation with them when playing live.

The other subject I want to touch upon briefly was the issue of health and health care.  A healthy life style is an essential part of being a musician today. In order to withstand  the rigorous demands of intense travel, crazy scheduling, and do the music justice, one must stay in good physical condition. It is advisable to establish an exercise regimen that can be done every day regardless of where you are. Eating vegetables, whole grains, fish, chicken (moderately) fruits, as well as drinking lots of water is very important as well. Switch to green tea from coffee. You’ll have a lot more energy and be healthier! Stay away from fried foods and “empty calorie” foods. Drink a vegetable juice whenever possible. (Wheatgrass juice tastes like hell, but is VERY good for you). The key to staying healthy is preventative diet, exercise, and lets not forget taking care of the spiritual side of things. Taking quiet time (meditation, prayer, or whatever you find to do to connect with spirituality) is an integral part of health as well.

If one can get these areas in order, you will live a long, healthy life, at least longer and healthier than the alternative.  Your music will sound healthier, and you will be better able to bring your music to the public.

In terms of health care, it is essential for all of us to do our own homework. No one doctor has the knowledge to deal with our health situation. I urge you to explore all the options, and try to find a regimen that works best for you. The internet is a valuable tool for doing research. But you must be careful, as there are a lot of questionable  people praying upon folks with health issues. Best thing to do is not get sick in the first place through preventative measures.  As my friend who is a leading cardiologist says, “Hospitals are dangerous places”.  Eat well, exercise,  get enough rest, and do what is meaningful in your daily routine.  This is the best we can do.