The Music Lesson: A spiritual Search for Growth Through Music – Book Review

The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music by bassist Victor Wooten is unique, inspirational and has the potential to completely revolutionise how you approach music.

Summary

This book is unlike any other instructional book. It doesn’t attempt to teach you anything but rather shows you how to deepen your relationship to music. And it does this through the use of story. The story follows a young bass player who is trying (unsuccessfully) to make a living from his music. When literally out of now where a very unconventional teacher, Michael shows up in his life. Michael uses a hawk, animal tracking, adolescent, psychic, frogs and a homeless man to introduce his student to music.

The Audiobook

I highly recommend you consider getting this book in its audio format because it is absolutely fantastic. The Audiobook is almost like a radio play. Each different character is read by a different person which adds depth and life to the lively conversations that occur between teacher and student. Wooten also produced a soundtrack which manages to complement the text without competing with it. The soundtrack also provides timely and appropriate musical examples. While you can purchase the soundtrack separately it really needs the overlayed dialogue to reach its full potential.

Thoughts

The Music Lesson invites readers/listeners to move away from an approach that is primarily focused around notes. Victor presents the idea that each of the elements of music needs to be of equal value. Notes are only one part of music. Many musicians spend the majority of their time practice notes and yet still feel like they can’t play music. Wooten explores the areas of articulation/duration, technique, emotion/feel, tone, tempo, phrasing, space, listening and groove and how musicians can incorporate all these into our daily practice. You will also learn how to make mistakes, gain your audiences attention and how to approach music like you would English or any other language.

Some ideas presented by Wooten are a bit ‘weird’. However, if you can remember to read some of the chapters through the lenses of simile and metaphor there is still much that can be gleaned from these unusual experiences.

This is a must-read book for anyone who has completed their formal musical training but is feeling stuck in their playing. It offers an incredibly different yet extremely valuable perspective on music, being a musician and living a fulfilling musical life.

Available On:

• iTunes
• Amazon
• Audible
• Book Depository

(These are not affiliated links)