T H E

M O T I V A T E D
M U S I C I A N
GET ON TRACK, STAY ON TRACK

f e a t u r i n g m i k e m o r e n o
MYMUSICMASTERCLASS.COM FEBRUARY 2021
What's
Going On?

Well, the new year is starting off similar to

last year, but this was to be expected.
Change will happen and it’s moving in the
right direction, but it will take time. As
for us, we need to keep bettering ourselves
musically and personally every day. Let’s
emerge from this mess with upgraded
operating systems and hardware!

MMMC | 01
Feb
 TRY TO FORGET WHAT
OBJECTS YOU HAVE BEFORE
YOU - A TREE, A HOUSE, A
FIELD, OR WHATEVER. MERELY
THINK, 'HERE IS A LITTLE
SQUARE OF BLUE, HERE AN
OBLONG OF PINK, HERE A
STREAK OF YELLOW,' AND
PAINT IT JUST AS IT LOOKS TO
YOU, THE EXACT COLOR AND
SHAPE, UNTIL IT GIVES YOU
YOUR OWN IMPRESSION OF
THE SCENE BEFORE YOU.

CLAUDE MONET

MMMC | 02
 When Leonardo DaVinci painted the Mona

IT’S NOT Lisa, do you think his sole inspiration came

from other artists he admired? It seems
much more likely that his muse was a woman

ONLY and he used his artistic tools to paint her

likeness. How about Igor Stravinsky? When
he wrote “The Rite of Spring”, was he thinking

MUSIC. about composing a piece of music with new

As musicians we often live music-obsessed
lives and in general, that’s OK. That being
said, there is such a thing as too much music.
“How is this
harmonic exercises he had been working on,
or was he simply trying to depict a strange
story containing pagan rituals, human
sacrifice and insane dancing?
For those of you who don’t know, the answer
is pagan sacrifice and crazy dancing and he
captured that vibe really well in my opinion .
Also, the audience must have felt it too since
they rioted at the premiere, although the

possible?”, you choreographed dancing had a lot to do with

that as well! Anyway, what am I getting at

might ask. Well,

here? Well, it’s all about finding inspiration
outside of your instrument and although
every artist is influenced by their heroes
let me explain. and/or peers, it’s important to look outside
your craft.

MMMC | 03
As musicians we often draw Try to think about them when you sit
inspiration from other musicians or down to compose and see if you can
simply from what we are practicing in capture their essence. I know that
the shed. It’s normal for our this may seem abstract, but you’re a
development as players. And as artist and art doesn’t always follow
we’ve spoken about before, it’s along the grid lines.
incredibly important to transcribe
and find the essence of your heroes So, find a quiet place and see what
as well as incorporate things you are comes out. Don’t be discouraged if
working on in your compositions or it’s a struggle at first. Just chip away
improvisations. This being said, you at it day by day with no judgements.
can’t disregard inspiration from the This process will hopefully bring your
outside world either. In order to entire personality into your music,
really get to an artistic place with which is ultimately the goal!
your music and playing, it’s vital to
introduce non-musical, inspiring
things into your world. If your only
influences are music, you are bound
to recreate something that has been
done many times. Plus, it’s mentally
healthy to take your mind away from
your musical obsession and enjoy life
in a different way.

S O ,
H O W D O W E
W O R K O N
T H I S ?

Well, one way to approach this is to

look at it as a form of meditation.
Last month we talked about being
present and grounding yourself by
taking in your surroundings. This is
definitely a good place to start and
you may be surprised how much
inspiration can be gained by simply
being mindful of the world around
you. Do you have any hobbies or
passions outside of music?

MMMC | 04
 BEFORE I
COMPOSE A
PIECE, I WALK
AROUND IT
SEVERAL TIMES,
ACCOMPANIED
BY MYSELF.

ERIK SATIE
MMMC | 05
 LIGHTEN UP!
One of the things
musicians often
struggle with
is some form of anxiety and
fear. And we’ve all heard that
old saying, “Laughter is the best
medicine”. So, can “lightening
up” be the answer to these
problems? Well, there is an art
to being serious about the
important things while
simultaneously not taking
ourselves too seriously. So let's
discuss!
Throughout history there have
been many examples of humor in
art; and in my opinion, if we can’t
poke fun at ourselves to a certain
extent, we are more prone to
dwelling on the dark side of this
career. Being a musician is a tough
business not only monetarily, but
also emotionally. There is a
vulnerability when you share your
work with your peers and we all
hope for acceptance and praise for
our talents.
MMMC | 06
But in order to perform our best, we

ROMUH
need to tear down the defensive walls
that shield us from scrutiny and just
go for it! Again, it is scary to be both
professionally and emotionally
vulnerable, but as musicians, we must
enter this zone every time we take the
stage.
So how do we ease this burden?
Humor is typically effective and I
suggest we start by looking at stand-
up comedians. Now, that’s a damn
hard job in my opinion! Comics bare
their souls to an audience utilizing
humor in a way most of us would hide
from.

Comedy can be amazing, hilarious,

uncomfortable, contemplative
CITIRC
and more. That being said, comedy is a
very serious discipline and professionals
obsess over their routines to the same
degree as any fine artist.

Even if you’re not a professional comedian

(like most of us), making light of stressful
or uncomfortable situations is a part of
many of our lives. It’s a natural defense
and for good reason. If we can poke fun
at ourselves, it takes the sting out of the
critics and hopefully the inner critic. So,
let’s look at one of my favorite musicians
who was also a wise-ass!
MMMC | 07
 French composer and pianist Erik
Satie was born in 1866. He was an
influential artist in the late 19th
and early 20th-century Parisian
avant-garde scene. Satie poked
fun at everything and everyone,
especially music critics! So, when
the critics complained about a
lack of shape in his meandering
piano works, he composed “Three
Pieces in the Shape of a Pear”. He
also famously wrote a set of "Truly
Flabby Preludes for a Dog”, but
that’s another story. Essentially
Erik Satie diffused the attacks of
the critics with satire and it
worked. His music is beautiful,
serious, but also playful. And
Satie is not the only composer to
SATIE
use humor effectively.
MMMC | 08
Bach, (who most people would
think of as incredibly serious in
regards to music) wrote a short
opera about coffee obsession.
Apparently, he drank about 30
cups a day. Haydn’s string quartet
in Eb (subtitled “The Joke”) is full
of false endings aimed at making
the audience applaud too early
over and over. And of course, Igor
Stravinsky’s quote sums this whole
thing up, as he says, “My music is
best understood by children and
animals”. So, take some pressure
off yourself and lighten up! If you
remove some of that “serious”
weight off your shoulders, your
music will flow in a smooth,
unrestricted stream or creativity!
 I NEVER DECIDE IF AN IDEA IS
GOOD OR BAD UNTIL I TRY IT. SO
MUCH OF WHAT GETS IN THE
WAY OF THINGS BEING GOOD IS
THINKING THAT WE KNOW. AND
THE MORE THAT WE CAN
REMOVE ANY BAGGAGE WE'RE
CARRYING WITH US, AND JUST BE
IN THE MOMENT, USE OUR EARS,
AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S
HAPPENING, AND JUST LISTEN
TO THE INNER VOICE THAT
DIRECTS US, THE BETTER.

RICK RUBIN

MMMC | 09
GETTING THE
MOST OUT OF
YOUR AUDIO

OK, I think this will be the final part of

this series and again, please check out
parts 1-3 in the back issues if you haven’t
seen them.

So, let’s start where we left off.

At this point you should have EQs and
compressors on your tracks and your
panning should be in good order.
Everything should be sounding even and
pleasant to your ears. Awesome, so
what’s next? Let’s say you want to add a
little reverb to the snare drum and
possibly some other instruments. The
first thing to keep in mind is NOT to add
the effect directly to the instrument
channel (ex. the snare drum). Instead,
you want to make an effects return.

MMMC | 10
 Depending on your software, you’ll
have to follow different steps to make
a return, but it’s easily Googleable
using that terminology. Once you
make you effects return, add a reverb
plugin to that channel and make sure
that it’s set to 100% level. Now go
back to a track that you want to add
reverb to (the snare for instance) and
add an effect send. Make sure to
SEND to the effect return you set up
(with the reverb) and slowly dial up
the amount of “send” until you reach
the level of reverb you desire. This
process can be repeated with other
instruments too, but there are various
nuances and philosophies you may
want to be aware of here.

Panning reverbs is a very

common thing to do in mixing.
Essentially, stereo reverbs can
sound very full and lush, but can also
make your mix sound like mush in
certain circumstances. Panning reverbs
can alleviate this issue and add ambience at the same time. In order to keep this
article under the length of Moby Dick, I suggest you Google “Panning Reverb” for more
info on this concept.

For certain situations, you may want to use a slap-back delay instead of
reverb on your track(s). This is a popular method of avoiding a washed out
mix. Again, Google “using slap-back delay instead of reverb” for more info
since this is another super cool and detailed subject.

You may want to use different reverbs or delays for certain instruments. This
would require setting up several effects returns and sends.

MMMC | 11
 Keep your sonic goal in mind. Do you want the mix to sound natural? If so,
make sure to think of every instrument like it is on stage and only add reverb
to solidify that multi-dimensional environment. For instance, things that are
more “in front” have less reverb, etc. Alternatively, if your goal is to have an
“unnaturally” produced mix, you can make the vocals sound like they’re in outer space
while the band is on earth.

Adding ambience (reverb or delay) is an art and overdoing it can sound

really amateurish, so be thoughtful with your decisions and always listen,
listen, listen!

OK, so let’s say that you have your basic mix together.

Now what?

Well, it all depends on if you are getting the track mastered externally or if
you are doing it all inside your DAW. If you are sending the file off to be
mastered or even mastering it yourself later, make sure the output bus is
clear of compressors and that your track is never peaking. If you “squash” a
mix before mastering, you are not allowing the mastering engineer to work
their true magic. Also, if your track is distorting due to peaks, it’s pretty
much unfixable later on.

There is a lot of benefit to mastering a track outside of its original DAW since
you have a fresh perspective, etc. That being said, if you need to pump out
something quick (at the proper loudness), you can use the master bus
approach.
MMMC | 12
Now, I want to clarify that this “master bus” approach is not a substitute for
mastering your audio professionally, but it can be quite effective if you
know what you’re doing. Essentially you want to add 3 plugins to your
master bus in this order: EQ, Stereo Compressor, Limiter.

Try not to use this at all, but if necessary, you can

EQ apply small boosts or cuts to make a mix sparkle or
become clearer. If you hear a problem in your mix, it’s always
better to make the adjustments on the particular tracks instead
of the master bus.

Stereo I typically use this at very moderate settings, so that

I can increase the loudness without affecting the
Comp- dynamic range or attacks too severely. Use your
ressor ears, but remember, less is more. I’m not a fan of
overly “squashed mixes”, so I try to even out some of the transients
without it being obvious, hence creating a louder and more “radio
ready” version of the same mix.
There are a lot of different philosophies about how
Limiter you should set your brick-wall limiter. However, the
consensus is that you should always set it below 0db. I typically
try not to hit the limiter very often, instead using it as a safety net
for peaks. This is a big topic and I suggest you Google it for a lot of
info!

Alright, so I hope this series has been helpful and remember, there is a
lot of amazing information on mixing out there. So, don’t be shy about
investigating any of these subjects further. And lastly, always use your
ears regardless of what you learn from others. Your ears are the most
important thing in the mixing process. Good luck!
MMMC | 13
 FEATURED CATS ALEXANDRA
WHITTINGHAM

Many of the elite musicians we film at My

Music Masterclass talk about how they like to
practice new things to stay current.  Many also
say that they are always checking out the
young cats to see what new sounds are
becoming part of the musical landscape. 
MACIEJ
KULAKOWSKI

JD
BECK

This is important work for musicians because
although there are only 12 notes in western
music, techniques and sounds evolve.  So if you
want to continue working in the scene and
remaining relevant across generations, you
must stay aware of what’s trending in music.  won 2nd Prize at the TONALI
In this section we feature artists who in our
Alexandra Whittingham
Studied classical guitar, piano,
jazz guitar and composition at
the world-renowned Chetham's
School of Music for seven years,
then at the Royal Academy of
Music in London.
Maciej Kulakowski
Studies at the Kronberg
Academy. In 2016 he received a
scholarship and special prize
from the Deutsche Stiftung
Musikleben at the Deutscher
Musikwettbewerb, and in 2015
Competition in Hamburg.

opinion are doing some really cool stuff!  Here JD Beck

are this month’s picks… A 16-year-old
Drummer/Producer from Dallas,
TX. Played classical piano at age
5 and soon developed an
interest in all things musical but
drums are his primary.
MMMC | 14
HAVE
YOU
ARRIVED?
We just did this amazing podcast episode with jazz
guitarist/composer Mike Moreno and we were
discussing social media. Mike said that only a small
percentage (about 5%) of his followers actually
convert to him making money. And because of this,
many musicians think they “have arrived” on the
scene, but in fact it’s a lot harder than just getting likes
or comments.

It’s important for us musicians to remain visible and

active on social media because our audience is likely
glued to their devices looking for content. That being
said, you shouldn’t spend so much time on these
platforms that other aspects of your musicianship
suffer. The most important thing for most
instrumentalists is playing with other musicians and
you need to spend time cultivating that. This means
you must hang out at music venues, meet people,
play sessions, learn on the bandstand, etc. I know
that we are currently in COVID-land and these options
are severely limited, but things will get back to
somewhat normal eventually. And when things begin
running smoothly again, you need to hit the ground
running. Utilize any traction you have been getting
with social media and apply it directly to real world
situations. Remember, life and music are much bigger
than what social media can offer. So, always make
sure to take a break from the small window our online
world offers and gaze outside at the vast universe.
Make things happen in a tangible way, not only in the
Matrix!
MMMC | 15
 WITH SO MANY WAYS
TO COMMUNICATE AT
OUR DISPOSAL, WE
MUST NOT FORGET
THE TRANSFORMATIVE
POWER OF A LIVE
MUSIC EXPERIENCE
AND GENUINE HUMAN
EXCHANGE.

JON BATISTE

MMMC | 16
 MIKE MORENO
5 QUESTIONS

What have you been listening to

recently?

Henry Mancini,
Dolly Parton,
Edu Lobo Presented by Sergio Mendes,
Kevin Hays New Day Trio,
Lionel Loueke - HH,
Paul Motion Electric Bebop Band,
Charlie Haden Liberation Orchestra,
Gonzaguinha,
Charles Mingus.

MMMC | 17
What are 5 of your favorite albums of all time and what
is so special about them?

This is just a list of things off the top of my head. Excluding

the most iconic Jazz records that are already talked about
so much. These are records that changed the way I looked
at music at whatever point I was at when I heard them.

Tony Williams Lifetime - Believe It

Steely Dan - Aja
Antônio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina - Elis & Tom
Pat Metheny - Question & Answer
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely
Joni Mitchell - Blue
Kenny Garrett - Trilogy
Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube Da Esquina
Miles Davis - In Berlin
Steve Wonder - Where I’m Coming From

What are you currently working on in the practice room?

Piano!!!
MMMC | 18
What younger or up-and-coming musicians are you
digging right now?
I really like this school of players in the
Immanuel Williams, Joel Ross, and Micah Thomas crew.
Those guys are playing some serious music.
I like all the guys in Jonathan Barber's group,
Visions. too.
How are you staying sane in this quarantine and do you
have any tips for other musicians currently in isolation?

Getting way more into the home recording world. The Live
Streaming world. Cameras, mics, software, sound boards and
interfaces, monitors all have been things I’ve researched like
crazy since this all began. And also using this all to go towards
teaching as well. I designed a course I taught in the summer fo
2020 called Standards From Film and then I updated it with all
new gear. Green Screen etc for the fall semester in workshops
around the world. And it will be given again in the summer of
2021! It’s a historic look on the evolution of some of the most
iconic Standards in Jazz. But focusing on the ones from films.
Studying the harmony in the films and then how it changes in
the hands of the masters decade after decade.

House Guest Live Stream Series Shows

February 8 Adam Rogers

February 15 Taylor Eigsti
February 21 Waiting for guest Confirmation
February 28 Chico Pinheiro
MMMC | 19
 STAY IN SHAPE
Yes, we’re in a pandemic and
there are no traditional gigs, but
don’t let yourself get rusty!
It may seem like an artistic ghost-
land out there, which is why it’s
more important than ever to
commit to performing.
So, how are we going to do that?
This month, you’re going to
schedule gigs for yourself
(streaming or otherwise) and
regardless of if 2 people attend or
200, you’re going to follow
through. You’re going to play
every song from beginning to end
without stopping regardless of
how many mistakes you make.
You’re going to give it your all
regardless of attendance. If the
gig is scheduled for an hour,
you’re going to perform at least
that long if not longer.
MMMC | 20
This is seriously important work
that will help you tremendously
when life is “back to normal”. So,
remember, you are going to book
this gig publicly (social media,
email, forums, whatever) and
you’re not going to get hung up
on if anyone is attending. You (or
your group if you’re doing a small
livestream) are going to carry on
with a seamless performance even
if there are ZERO spectators.
Lastly, this is super important:
Make sure to archive the show and
watch it afterwards!
How did you sound? What can
you do better? This is amazing
work to do and there is no better
time than now since people are
used to tuning in to livestream
performances. So get to it and
remember to email me at the
website when you book it.
I’ll try my best to attend :)
Discounts
Monthly Discounts for Subscribers Only!

Site-wide Discount:
10% discount on our videos, bundles, T-Shirts,
facemasks, micro-credentials and PDFs.
COUPON CODE: GETMOTIVATED2021
EXP: 02/28/2021 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Not applicable to Gift Card purchases.
Cannot be combined with other offers.

Mike Moreno Discount:

15% off all of Mike's Masterclasses. Check them out
HERE!
COUPON CODE: MORENO21
EXP: 02/28/2021 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Cannot be combined with other offers.

MMMC | 21
 CONCLUSION
We’ve done several editions of
“The Motivated Musician” so far and we
encourage you to go over past editions
regularly to keep yourself on track.
These guidebooks aren’t entirely linear
and articles/challenges from past
editions may be exactly what you need
to get you out of a “funk”. So, stay
strong, stay healthy and keep moving
forward!

MMMC EDITION 008