WorkshopLive interview with Joe Rose
Education: Brown University, BA; Rhode Island College and University of RI, Teaching Certificate
Started: Age 9 in 1962
When did you start to play? When I was 9 years old.
When did you start to notice that your playing was different from everyone else's? I can't pin down a date or time, but after playing ten years or so, I started not to care about heroes anymore or even my local competition; I started believing in my own playing and accepting it for what it was, and what it might become.
How do you keep your playing fresh? I'm constantly studying recordings of players whose sound I like but don't yet understand. Sight reading and practicing classical music is very helpful in all areas of my playing.
What do you do when you get stuck? There are so many excellent resources available for music study that when I get stuck, I can usually find a solution online or in my own library.
What do you still find hard to do? I get really nervous playing classical recitals - I still don't understand why! I've fearlessly played nightclubs and private parties for what must be tens of thousands of people by now, but an audience of six people at a solo classical recital makes me worry. Probably not enough SLOW PRACTICE!
How often are you surprised by your playing, or what you're listening to, or music in general? It's always a nice surprise when something I've practiced slips into my playing unconsciously and at the right time.
Do you have a regular practice regimen? Do you have a practice "tool-kit" - metronome, tuner, recorder, etc.? Do you have a special place for practice set-aside in your home? How do you practice on the road or when you travel? I play four hours three nights a week, and another hour or so daily at my jobs, so my practice regimen is not regular. I budget time for it when I need to learn new material; I enjoy playing so much that I practice whenever I have some free time near my instruments. I use a metronome frequently and also use the "Amazing Slow Downer" on my computer to grab licks and transcribe tunes. I'm very fortunate to have a room totally dedicated to instruments and recording gear.
Is there a piece of gear you just can't live without? I'd be very sad without my acoustic piano, Hammond, and computer setup. I'd live, though.
Are there one or two core ideas that are central to your teaching that you make sure every student learns? I think students learn faster when they know what it is they want to learn, so I try to find out what they want as soon as I can. Playing instruments involves solving technical playing problems, and I believe the best way to solve them is to always work so slowly at first that you can't make a mistake. Then you're never playing in a fearful, panicky state.
Do you find yourself returning to listen to the artists who inspired you when you first started to play? Who are they? I always get inspired when I hear early Procol Harum (a somewhat pretentious 60's piano and organ band), the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and early Santana recordings. There's a lot of old pop tunes I listened to when I first started playing, and they still have great meaning to me.
Does your playing change when you switch instruments? It's funny how different instruments will make me play differently; when I play electric piano my ear pulls me towards electric piano chops; ditto for organ, and piano.
How often, when you're playing, do you find those moments of pure music, when your head is clear, your fingers are working, there are no distractions, and it's just you and the music? Fortunately that happens a lot these days, but that's one of the benefits of playing solo piano at a very quiet gig!
We have a feature called "Big Ears", where we suggest interesting music to our members that they might not have heard before. What would you suggest for them? This question is way too 'Big'. There is so much music out there... I'll list a few recordings which I found 'ear opening'... Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come" album, Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark," Kraftwerk's "The Mix," It's a Beautiful Day's first album (amazing, but not technical, organ playing), the first two Mahavishnu Orchestra albums (yikes, those guys play fast!)
What are you listening to these days? Do you search out music that's new and unfamiliar to you? I'm currently on a solo jazz piano kick and salsa, so I'm listening in those directions. Yes, I search out the unfamiliar... some of my most fundamentally favorite music was found totally by chance and other people's suggestions. I'm also listening to a recorded series of lectures on classical music during my drive time... I'm learning new things every time I get in the car.
Do you have a musical wish list - other instruments to learn, people to play with, artists or styles to explore? I'd love to have a regular opportunity to sit in with a large Latin band on piano, and I'd like to spend more time on my conga playing.
Have you ever had a really great teacher? What made him/her so good? I had a great English teacher once, and what made him great to me was how he communicated his love and respect for learning. His love of learning was contageous.
How do you learn best? I learn quickest when I'm working under a deadline, but I'm not sure if that's "best". I keep a hand-written notebook of music theory discoveries I make, and go through it now and then. Sometimes, the answers to questions I currently have are already answered in my notes, but I never really absorbed the implications of the original discovery. So, I kind of enjoy teaching myself in this fashion. It might not be the fastest or most efficient, but it's fun, and I'm not in a hurry.
Do you have any practice tips we can share with our subscribers? Back in question 9 I talked about VERY slow practice. In addition to that, I insist that you find time to PLAY your instrument and have fun. Make a ton of mistakes and bad choices, but make some noise and create your own good time. There has to be a balance between free play and organized practice... I feel that if there's too much of either one, you'll either get frustrated at all the hard work, or you'll fool yourself into thinking you're great when you're just posing. Work and play are equally necessary if you want to go the distance with an instrument. Also, play with other people... you'll learn all kinds of musical things you'll never find in solo practice.
