How do you feel when a kid tears you a new one?

[Montunoman 2]

Are you inspired by child prodigy’s, or kind of secretly wish they quit piano and sign up karate lessons or something? 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PE4AxjT8vc

[lightbg]

As a retired public school music teacher I’m thrilled that not only did his parents discover his talent, but they nurtured and encouraged it. In addition, he’s playing acoustic so he will have monster chops by the time he can legally drive.

This is a good thing. Thanks for posting.

[re Pete]

I don't think it's all talent. He seems to be willing to do the work, which to me is lacking in a lot of youth these days.

I have one student who likes and wants to play jazz, but too lazy to play basic chords in all inversions and keys.

Work with scales/modes in the key signatures, develop the ear and learn harmony. 

Frustrating. But nice path this kid is playing on.

[Baldwin Funster]

I just say to myself, I got a car and can stay up late if I want to, and I don't have to eat asparagus. 

[cassdad]

57 minutes ago, Montunoman 2 said:

Are you inspired by child prodigy’s, or kind of secretly wish they quit piano and sign up karate lessons or something? 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PE4AxjT8vc

It just humbles me!

[ProfD]

I think it is great that this kid is willing to play Jazz.

 

This is a reminder that young people are still interested in playing music despite the technology and competing forms of entertainment available to them.  

 

I remember when this kid first burst onto the scene:

 

 

 

His parents should be relieved in already knowing that he will be able to provide for himself once he becomes an adult.😁😎

[timwat]

Last time I played Joy Spring at the Steinway Center in Ottawa, I didn't wear dinosaur socks.

 

But seriously, although it may be humbling when I'm in the wrong mood and feeling particularly down on myself (not infrequent), generally this kid didn't tear me a new one, because music isn't a competition.

 

The first thing I think of is that Brownie must be smiling. The kid honors him and his memory, and that's important to the music many of us love and want to see live on for another generation. The second thing I think is this kid has good feel, I'm listening without looking at the screen and it makes me happy, and I really need that right now. 

 

The last thing I'm thinking for now is that I hope the kid keeps playing. As we all know, life is a long time and deals us unexpected bends in the road. So there's no guarantee despite a bright future what young James will end up doing in 10 years. Maybe he'll be touring around the world playing jazz at a very high level. Maybe he'll quit and pursue hockey. Or accounting. You never know.

 

But for now, that was really excellent to hear. 

[Montunoman 2]

40 minutes ago, lightbg said:

As a retired public school music teacher I’m thrilled that not only did his parents discover his talent, but they nurtured and encouraged it. In addition, he’s playing acoustic so he will have monster chops by the time he can legally drive.

This is a good thing. Thanks for posting.

Thank you for making this world a better place through your work as public school music teacher.

[Montunoman 2]

4 minutes ago, timwat said:

 

 

But seriously, although it may be humbling when I'm in the wrong mood and feeling particularly down on myself (not infrequent), generally this kid didn't tear me a new one, because music isn't a competition.

 

 

Great perspectives, Timwat. 

[ElmerJFudd]

As a music teacher I love to see young people doing great things in music and artistic endeavors. Most students in current times do a little of everything all the way to 18 and will never devote serious time to anything that is not a direct line to a position of reasonably predictable economic success (which we all understand).  An even higher % of students are inundated with input from social media and 2 or more hours a day practicing in addition to their studies? No way.   Thankfully after school sports and music programs are widely available in our school systems and a good number of kids take advantage of them. 
 

How does an advanced child relate to us and our playing?  I’m sure we all beat ourselves up often enough, I know I do. But, on some good days we have to admit that what we just played was pretty good!  Maybe some moments were really good!  Remember millions of players are not yet able to do what we do today.  Just as there are always going to be people way out ahead us.  
 

Being an instrumentalist and musician is a lifelong journey and we all get as far as we can get based on the way we are wired and the time we’re able to devote.   Some kids have great wiring and heaps of time before the realities and responsibilities of life encroach on them.  
 

I say enjoy the journey.  We do the best we can do with the cards we’re dealt.  If we own an instrument and have time to play we’re blessed.

[Stokely]

I'm happy with my "level".  I can do some good things and have my limitations, to say the least.  I get more frustrated at not being a tenor than anything else    I want those high notes, dammit!  (I do have a good head voice/falsetto which I employ on various songs...Eagles, Doobies etc).

The only thing I don't like about watching kid prodigies is that I wonder how much they have been forced to practice in their short lives.  Not my business what people do but parents living through their kids is something I have seen a lot of in sports and I find it pretty ugly...I know some people are just born to be good and are naturals, and sometimes they are the ones to push.  My friend's son is really good at baseball, begs to go work out and practice every day, dad has to put the brakes on all the time!

[EricBarker]

Prodigy just equals practice. Almost every time I hear about a youngster who’s a god on their instrument, you find out they’re driven to practice for 6-8 hours a day. That’s it, there is no special sauce. In the worst cases it’s extreme pressure from parents, however in many many cases it’s love and internal drive, combined with the lack of fear of failure that keeps many of us from sitting down and putting in the hard time. So it is how their brains are wired, but it’s not so much that they have some crazy gift, but are wired to practice a lot!

 

Me? As someone who grew up with severe ADHD and anxiety, I really struggled (and still do) to maintain a consistent practice schedule. I’m probably better than I should be for the amount of hard time I’ve put in. But I can feel that I’m not wired so that long hours of practice are in my favor. Self-doubt and distractions creep in, and that’s the end of practice time. That said, if I have a set goal and deadline, it gets learnt!

[Docbop]

2 hours ago, Jr. Deluxe said:

I just say to myself, I got a car and can stay up late if I want to, and I don't have to eat asparagus. 

The kid got the good genes from his parents, but I just bought some really cool jeans.   

[MathOfInsects]

I am envious of anyone who knows their "thing" early on. I am also wary of parents using their children to bask in the reflected glory. For every Cory Henry who seems to have been born inside an organ, there are five Michael Jacksons and Tigers Woodses, who were commodified and abused out of any real shot at human normalcy.

As a person, I could have benefitted from a bit less "generalism." As a teacher and a parent, I think we have to remember that kids live in their present, not our pasts. I think the best we can do is set kids up to succeed at what they love, and then get out of their way and let them find their own path. 

[Docbop]

Personally seen so many young prodigies over the decades and most just disappear a few years later.    A lot of the time the kid is being push to much by a parent or  both and they just burnout or lose interest.    There was a great young Jazz  guitarist about 15 year ago incredible being invited to sit in with all the big name.  Quincy started taking an interest in him.    Then the kid just lost his heart in playing.    In an interview he said he really got into guitar because he liked playing Gypsy Jazz with his father.   He said my mom was pushing me to be a star and make big money and she pushed and pushed.   Finally I took a break and then got to be a kid and go to school and play Gypsy Jazz with my dad on the weekends.   His dad finally told the mother to stop pushing.     

 

I think there are a lot of prodigy stories like that I think for the kids parent should support what the kid wants to  be a great musician or if that turns out to just be a normal kid. 

[GovernorSilver]

I'm in the "inspired by" camp.   Never fit into the "give up" camp.

 

If you give up because somebody else is better at it than you, you don't love the activity enough to keep doing it anyway.

 

Thanks for posting.

[MathOfInsects]

 

[ProfD]

22 minutes ago, EricBarker said:

Prodigy just equals practice. Almost every time I hear about a youngster who’s a god on their instrument, you find out they’re driven to practice for 6-8 hours a day.

A prodigy by definition is young person endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities. 

 

It doesn't take a prodigy 10k hours of practice for them to play at at high level.

 

Regardless of one's spiritual beliefs, some folks are gifted and/or talented. 

 

I know it's easier to rationalize how someone just "has it" especially a young person. 

 

A prodigy defies rationalization or explanation.  

 

As brotha @timwat mentioned, playing music is not a competition. 

 

Musicians should not analyze and/or compare themselves against others.  It's unproductive at best and destructive at worst. 

 

Enjoy having the ability to play music on some level. 😎

[KenElevenShadows]

5 minutes ago, GovernorSilver said:

I'm in the "inspired by" camp.   Never fit into the "give up" camp.

 

If you give up because somebody else is better at it than you, you don't love the activity enough to keep doing it anyway.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

That's assuming that someone is well-adjusted and stable, isn't it? Not everyone is.

 

Sometimes, people need extra prodding and pushing and coaxing.

[GovernorSilver]

19 minutes ago, KenElevenShadows said:

 

That's assuming that someone is well-adjusted and stable, isn't it? Not everyone is.

 

Sometimes, people need extra prodding and pushing and coaxing.

 

Since you want to go there.... I have to admit I cannot account for clinical depression or any mental/emotional issue that serious.  I have nothing but respect and sympathy for those who truly suffer from a clinical condition.

 

I just get the impression when someone says "this kid plays so good, I'm burning my guitar/dropping my keyboard off at Goodwill/whatever" that person was already leaning towards quitting and found an excuse.

 

How about you?  What is your answer to the OP's question?

[Montunoman 2]

46 minutes ago, Jazz+ said:

Good player, but he hasn't learned to separate his phrases when he solos. Like many fine players, his phrasing runs on and on and it becomes tedious to listen to.

Are there any children playing jazz at that level? 

[GovernorSilver]

Just now, Montunoman 2 said:

Are there any children playing jazz at that level? 

 

fwiw, I didn't think the criticism was fair.  OTOH, he held the kid to an adult standard, thus complementing him in a backhanded way.

[MathOfInsects]

Yeah, how dare that pre-teen not have fully developed capabilities.

 

Sorry you were bored. There is always the option of not watching.

 

Or perhaps even posting your own playing...

[Adan]

Great video and performance.   It isn't just that he's got tecnnique and licks (he does), it's how natural and relaxed he's able to sound at that tender age.

 

I don't like the word "prodigy" because it is inherently a relativistic statement.  Prodigious comared to who . . . all these other slacker 3rd graders?  I don't think children should be led to believe that life is a competition, but let's face it, that's what most are led to believe.

 

In the same vein, no, it does not make me feel inferior.  I didn't play piano that well at that age, and wasn't even playing jazz yet, but I was a pretty good outfielder with a deadly throwing arm and could steal bases at will.  

[KenElevenShadows]

24 minutes ago, GovernorSilver said:

 

Since you want to go there.... I have to admit I cannot account for clinical depression or any mental/emotional issue that serious.  I have nothing but respect and sympathy for those who truly suffer from a clinical condition.

 

I just get the impression when someone says "this kid plays so good, I'm burning my guitar/dropping my keyboard off at Goodwill/whatever" that person was already leaning towards quitting and found an excuse.

 

How about you?  What is your answer to the OP's question?

 

OP: "Are you inspired by child prodigy’s, or kind of secretly wish they quit piano and sign up karate lessons or something?"

 

I have several reactions, depending on the context and frame of mind.

 

I am super-inspired by child prodigies, or quite frankly, anyone who plays really well or really expressively or with great amount of feeling, nuance, personality or any of it.

It makes me wonder if they're almost channeling something or how they can to be so great and what the background story is. I sometimes share YouTube links of child prodigies with friends, and we marvel at their capabilities.

 

While I did have classical lessons for ten years as a kid and back then was told that had "chops", I don't personally place much emphasis on chops, and am very comfortable knowing that someone can mop the floor with me technically, whether they're 8 or 80 years old. And I've also played guitar in bands, and although I like my guitar playing and the parts I come up with, quite frankly, just about anybody playing guitar in a band is more technically proficient than I am!!  

 

When I play in bands, I prefer that I am the "worst" (least experienced) person in the band. To me, that's the ideal place to be. I want to soak in all that experience and knowledge. I want to be the young guy who is given a chance or the person who is lucky enough to play with great musicians. Great musicians make everything so much easier to do, and there's so much you can learn from that. I just aim to soak it all up and get better. I do night photography and have the same attitude. I really want to learn and get better. I don't care whether people think I'm great and all that, I just want to keep learning, feeling inspired, and growing. I've had my music played on various programs on MTV and independent movies and my night photography included in National Geographic and Westways and Omni Magazine, etc. And I love the acknowledgement, but it doesn't make me full of myself at all. I still want to surrounded by people who are better than me, at least in my mind. That said, I feel like I can learn a lot from quite a few people, even if they don't have the level of experience I have, so there is that as well. This is my place of comfort.

 

I am a teacher. I also taught special education. When I teach, I like to inspire people and make them feel intrinsically great about their accomplishments and see growth. And I want to see that in myself as well. So I suppose that's the general area I'm coming from. Rising tide lifts all boats, that kind of thing.

[KenElevenShadows]

42 minutes ago, GovernorSilver said:

 

Since you want to go there.... I have to admit I cannot account for clinical depression or any mental/emotional issue that serious.  I have nothing but respect and sympathy for those who truly suffer from a clinical condition.

 

It's clinical depression, sure, but can be anxiety, victims of poor parenting or abuse, ADHD, someone who was always told they were s**t and wouldn't amount to much, and on and on. For people like this, artistic endeavors can be a lifeline, something that could make their lives infinity better. To encourage this in any capacity is a thing of beauty. 

 

We don't know what crap people have gone through. We don't know their story. So I prefer to err on the side of encouragement unless someone's an aggressively hostile douchebag...and even then, I prefer to keep my distance at that point.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Without getting into the arguments here - when I see a kid who is super good at music, it gives me hope. Simple as that.

[GovernorSilver]

1 minute ago, KenElevenShadows said:

 

It's clinical depression, sure, but can be anxiety, victims of poor parenting or abuse, ADHD, someone who was always told they were s**t and wouldn't amount to much, and on and on. For people like this, artistic endeavors can be a lifeline, something that could make their lives infinity better. To encourage this in any capacity is a thing of beauty. 

 

We don't know what crap people have gone through. We don't know their story. So I prefer to err on the side of encouragement unless someone's an aggressively hostile douchebag...and even then, I prefer to keep my distance at that point.

 

Ok, I do see where you're coming from.

 

If I thought the OP might be the person you describe above, I would have answered in a different manner.

[KenElevenShadows]

3 minutes ago, Mighty Motif Max said:

Without getting into the arguments here - when I see a kid who is super good at music, it gives me hope. Simple as that.

 

Oh yeah, absolutely. 

 

 

[CyberGene]

Things like that used to always depress me a lot and make me feel like sh1t. I’ve long ago realized I was not gonna be a good jazzman and I’m now in peace with that realization 😀 And I’m happy when I see a kid that is as talented in a skill like jazz improvisation which is not just playing the piano but much more.