In this post i would like to explore different opinions on the subject of music education . It seems to me that today there are two strong schools of thought - the first one is focused on doing things on your own , and by that i mean exploring the scales and chords without the need to transcribe what other people have done before you in the field of your musical research and thus creating your own unique style of playing and approaching things . The second is the opposite one and it says that you should first focus on becoming a good ''copycat'' before venturing on your own musical journey . So , let's explore the ups and downs of each approach , shall we?
Concerning the first approach , i have to say that figuring things out on your own is absolutely essential in developing a personal touch to everything that you play . But there is a catch . The problem with this approach alone is that you do not use the gifts that other musicians have given to the world . Every influential person in the world of music making had some things figured out long before you , and you can use that material to your advantage . By studying what other people have done before you you can continue on the legacy so to speak , and have a head start instead of trying to figure out everything on your own . It is probably the fastest way of growing as a musician . That line of reasoning confirms the postulates of the second school of thought . First you need to learn how to play well from other people and only then you can venture out to a brave new world of music making . But this can also be a bit problematic .
You see , i have met a lot musicians over the years who just seem to be forever stuck in the loop of constant reaffirmation of their musical idols , and who never get to the point of trying to develop their own unique voice . Which is too bad , because a lot of them play great ! And uniqueness is probably the thing that really makes you stand out above the rest in the community of musicians ! Since everyone today has access to widespread promotion , being unique is something that will probably make or break your career, so it really is essential that you work on it .
As with most of the things in life , the truth lies somewhere in the subtle shades of grey . I advocate for embracing both approaches and taking the best out of them . By figuring scales and chords on your own you get a very solid foundation to which other musical ideas will stick quickly and firmly . You could practice what other people have played all you want , but if you do not have a music ''cupboard'' so to speak , you won't have a space in which you can store the ideas . On the other hand , not practicing what other influential musicians have played will have you miss out on a world of great ideas which nowadays you have almost instant access to . There are countless sheets of music and transcriptions out there on the web , so it would be too bad not to take advantage of that .
Here's a little jazz solo i transcribed by the great Charlie Parker . This is a quintessential be bop solo which paved the way to a whole new world of improvising , and it has enriched my playing greatly .
Hope you'll enjoy it :)