Exploring

Every musician learns differently. Some learn by emulating artists they admire, mirroring a style, specific songs and even wrestling to transcribe note for note. For these artists, finding their original voice is a worthy challenge, as they carve out a way of playing and sounding that isn't a reflection of their influences. 

However, there is a fallacy in using your self identity as a compass, as it only points in one direction. 

To explore music is to go beyond yourself and who you think you are and make sounds you have never made before. Sing in a way you've never sung before. 

This concludes my ongoing battle against branding oneself, which seems to be the style at the time. To claim you are something is to deny the possibility of becoming something else.

Some musicians start off so independently that learning to play with others becomes a worthy goal. These artists need to delve into charts, and the common language of music theory, whether it's spoken, in sheet music or on lead sheets. The point of these tools is to get everyone on the same page, pun intended. The individual voice can then be shared with other people. Let the irony soak in. 

These artists also may be so into their own work they rarely learn or cannot learn cover songs and they miss the joy of learning songs by other composers.

Whatever your learning style is don't miss the chance to explore.