#dmvmusicians

[dakotacityrag]

Another draft, this time with added horn and piano in the verse.

I’m frustrated with myself that this is coming along so slowly, and I hope that posting about my process publicly will hold me accountable to finishing it. My next tasks, in rough order:

1. Add piano to the chorus to fill out harmony

2. Add horns to the chorus for a countermelody that continues the call & response vibe

3. Build out the rest of the form (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solos, chorus, end tag)

4. Write the end tag based on Joe Sample & David T. Walker’s Hallelujah I Love Her So (i.e. just repeat the last one or two phrases with increasing intensity. They didn’t invent the concept but that’s where I got the idea)

5. Record the alto and tenor parts myself

And that should probably be good for a demo. I also need to remind myself that my goal for this is a proof of concept for the kind of music I wanna make, and not necessarily a professional tune that can get play on Spotify. I need to focus on the details that help me achieve that goal and not get lost in others.

[pettyindulgences]

View this post on Instagram

Are you ready for the weekend?! We sure as hell are! . #pettyi #pettyimdulgences #rock #rocknroll #soul #alternativerock #weekendvibes #fridaynight #listentothis #newmusic #pic #picoftheday #instagood #dcrocks #dmvmusicians #music #localmusic #art #artist #drummer #musician #freedom #goodvibes #musicaddict #danceitoit #singer #aesthetic #guitar #bassplayer #drummer #listen (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6l8ZnpBN24/?igshid=9fiqz4l7vscp

[randompantsfoto]

All set up at @capciderhouse, and @danielwarrenhill brought his rock’n’roll shoes! Granted, he’s having second thoughts about wearing them on this hard concrete floor... . Music starts at 8:00, and we’ll be rocking out until 10! Washington DC, come and get your Petworth on! Just a couple blocks up the street from the Georgia Avenue/Petworth metro station! Also, I mean, go #aerialrpf Nats and all that, but dammit, @yellowtieguy had this night booked first! . #dcmusic #livemusic #concert #supportlocalmusic #dcmusicians #dmvmusic #dmvmusicians #rock #acoustic #unplugged #petworth https://www.instagram.com/p/B4DzgdJAIrj/?igshid=rxtl4gazxr79

[devdapree]

Artist : @eva_rhymes All Poets , Music Artist & Comedians Welcome to Sign Up For Our Open Mic Our next Open Mic is Friday September 6th!! Advance Tickets are available ☝🏾 $7 before 8 $10 after Featuring @rodney_jay Vendor : @4yourhighness Food by Grace’s Kitchen Find us at Violas Place @vpevents_ 2326 Belair Rd (Free parking in lot across street ) #hiphop #rap #rapper #singer #songwriter #soul #music #artist #lyrics #hiphopmusic #hiphopculture #rnb #musicvideo #poet #art #neosoul #dmvmusic #dmvartist #dmvmusicians #musicians #singersongwriterproducers #soul #poetry #artistsoninstagram #rapping (at Viola's Place) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1yULBhnK-d/?igshid=xzfksb6yp8dl

[head-roc]

Even Black Rock Star Super Heroes have Black Rock Star Super Heroes! Brother Zoe (All 4 One) is one of Such to Many! Today Monday April 16th is DC Emancipation Day! In honor of this most important day in US history, we're offering everyone 15% off your total purchase of Black Rock Star Super Hero fashion by Head-Roc! Use code "DCEMANCIPATIONDAY2018" and enjoy 15% off at Checkout from Www.head-roc.com/estore (link in bio) #blackrockstarsuperhero #ChocolateCityRocks #washingtondc #dchiphop #dmvmusicians #indiebusiness #DIY #business #dcemancipationday #dcfashion #dmvfashion #fashion #bodycare #ushistory #civilrights #harriettubman #howarduniversity #undergroundrailroad #frederickdouglass

[dakotacityrag]

2nd version of the WIP I made the other day

Tumblr doesn’t allow me to do videos in reblogs so I’ll just link yesterday’s video.

To resist the temptation of constantly rewriting, I’m going to post only the parts of the tune that move this project closer to completion. So today I added parts that I’m committed to not rewriting tomorrow. We’ll see how long I can keep this up but hopefully I can eventually have a complete tune on my hands.

Also, working on this made me realize I don’t know enough blues language, because all of the melodies I came up with in the horns and piano were inspired by I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man (the piano part is adapted from ideas in Sonny Lawhorn’s guitar solo on that tune); I couldn’t think of other good melodies from any other blues tunes. I’m glad I dug into Hoochie Coochie Man to learn some of those liccs, but it’s clear I gotta listen to and learn more blues stuff from more people.

[dakotacityrag]

i’ve also reframed my relationship to jam sessions: i used to only go when i felt prepared, which inevitably lead to long breaks where i nev

Recorded myself playing at a local jazz jam and put my thoughts about practice consistency on top of it

The text at the bottom of my video basically says that I also used to refuse to go to jams unless I had prepared something to impress people. Now I go on a mostly set schedule regardless of what I practiced and just focus on building relationships with others, and everything about my experience is better for it: my musicianship, my relationships, and my headspace

[dakotacityrag]

When making this I focused on making my improv sounds like it has forward momentum rather than just being disconnected melodies; and using shapes I learned from other tunes (the repeated 7th at the beginning of the 2nd chorus from Sammy Lawhorn’s solo on Hoochie Coochie Man, and the [starting note -> down a 2nd -> down a 4th] pattern throughout that I got from Aquatic Ambiance).