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Hopefully the subject of today's blog caught your attention. (This is 2018's installment #3 blog) You may be a wiz at math or struggle with it like many people do. But, did you know that music and math have a tremendous commonality? It's true. One of the great geniuses of Western European music is: Johann Sebastian Bach, or, J.S. Bach as he's commonly known in classical music circles. Mr. Bach lived a few hundred years ago and wrote music for his church services on a weekly basis. Now, I play almost every week at church, but writing music every week is astounding! And we're not talking about a simple song. No, he wrote magical musical pieces that have intricate counterpoint in them. They're still studied in any music school worth its salt because they demonstrate the composer's ability to weave intricate phrases and scale structures together to make a compelling and ear-pleasing work. I mention this because of the symmetry of math and its sibling: music. Math itself is a very profound discipline to study and use. Imagine highways, computers, space missions, or even medicine being formulated or used without it. Impossible! If you've ever struggled with a complex equation in geometry or algebra, then you know that the brain power required to solve problems is also the same that can build a beautiful melodic composition. Imagine that for a moment; a beautiful piece of music has been composed, written, arranged, and then performed by highly analytical processes within our brains. Music can bring one to tears, inspire, sadden, and evoke any number of emotions. Now for the practical point of this blog: How do you, the musician, use these analytical processes to get out of your musical ability all that you can? I'm going to leave you with that point until the next blog. Give it some thought.... #Musicians #WebsiteDesign #Mathematics

Well, this is post #2 of the year and I thought that going back in time would be appropriate. I don't literally mean that I have a time machine, but I do have lots of good memories from when I first started doing music. It seemed relevant to look back at that time and offer up a couple of tips for the reader. When I was very young, I got signed-up for group guitar lessons. This was exciting and challenging at the same time. I remember racing home and wanting to practice because I had learned some new songs! I'm sure my playing wasn't very good at the time, but I stuck with it and then got to take private lessons as a young teenager. If you're young and you want to learn how to play an instrument, I can't begin to tell you how important it is for your parents to find someone competent to help you learn. You must also like your teacher! If you don't, see if you can find one you think will better suit you. Good teachers are hard to find, but bad ones are everywhere. Let me be fair about this too. I've taught many students, adults and kids, and there are some who are very serious about practicing. Many of them though are not serious. So in all fairness, there are some students who really need to be moved on by a teacher. Better to move them on than to waste time and money. One other comment I'd like to interject here: There are numerous online teaching methods and tutorials. I'm sure some of them are no doubt very good! However, nothing can replace the face-to-face time a teacher and student have. It's so good to hear someone give feedback in the same room about your playing. I still hear compliments (and criticisms) of my playing in my head every now and then. My final tip is about your personal ability to deal with criticism. If you are thin-skinned then taking lessons with someone will probably not be advantageous right away. Maybe you want to do some practicing on your own and get some confidence before trying lessons. That's totally cool! Why spend money if you'll be frustrated? For the others who are fine with some level of criticism, (and by the way, I mean constructive criticism in all of this writing,) listen to what your teachers have to say but don't let that sway you from your mission: Becoming a better player! I do have a picture here of guitarists, but these tips apply to any kind of instrument. I've heard students at music school practicing for hours. There were: trombonists, trumpeters, pianists, vocalists, cellists, etc. You get the point. But they never let constructive criticism stop them from attaining their objective: Playing! Now get out there, and perform! #Musicians #performance #music #Instruction

¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo! A mis amigos quien hablan español, ¡que seas bendicido con amor, risas, y música! Este es un temporada para todos gustar familia y amigos durante el nacimiento de Jesu Cristo. Es con mucho gusto que te deseamos Feliz Navidad! #Holidays #Musicians #Christmas #Navidad #Amigos #Familia

My favorite time of the year for music (after summertime) is Christmas. There have been some great musical creations done throughout the past three hundred years that still bring joy to my heart. If you live in a city, you may be treated to a time of caroling by roving singers who are celebrating the season. You may also spend some time with family and friends at a local restaurant or at someone's home. These are all special times. Where would we be without music? It's such a gift that we can share with others. It's one of the true common languages spoken through that part of our hearts that God created to enjoy in unity with our fellow sojourners in life. If you don't believe this, watch this YouTube video done on a global scale of 'Stand by me': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiPzU75P9FA. Truly moving! I also realize that there are many challenges people experience during this time. My wife and I have. We've experienced loss of family members, loss of health, loss of friends, challenging finances, and many other things. We all experience difficulties in an imperfect world. The good news is: Jesus has overcome this world by coming to this earth as a little baby and giving His life as a grown man for our sins. You can have hope that there is a savior! Perhaps this message sounds trite to you or just nonsense. Well, that's one of the choices we have in life with free will. As for me, I believe we have a wonderful Savior and many truly inspired musicians who've composed, arranged, and played beautiful music for this time of year. I've recorded some music especially for this season and have posted it freely on this website. Give it a listen and enjoy this season. It only comes once a year! God Bless and Merry Christmas!

It's getting to be that time of year again where our thoughts turn to family, fun, and food! For many this is a joyous time of the year. For others, this time can be difficult as it can bring up memories of disappointments and difficulties. Either category you may fall into, this time of year has some great music! It can uplift and encourage. I would like to encourage anyone who may need it to download a couple of the tracks I've posted on this website, especially Silent Night and O Holy Night. They're tracks that I love to play and listen to every year. Musicians by nature are very philosophical as they love to question everything. I've not met a musician who didn't ask questions about life, love, and especially human nature. What does this have to do with this website you may be asking? Well, let me explain. We all have an innate desire to express ourselves. It's a God-given attribute embedded in our make-up. One of the great ways musicians have to express themselves is through their music. Why not create a website to share that creation with others? After all, that's what I'm doing here! And for any who may struggle during the holidays, I can relate completely to how you feel. I spent many years as a single man who craved the company of someone to love. I did find a refuge in music that helped my heart to feel God's presence during those difficult times. Being alone doesn't mean that we're not loved. We are loved passionately by the God who created us! If you'd like to share your music on the web like I'm doing, send me an email or give me a call or text. It could change your whole outlook on life! Contact info can be found at: https://gentlehavenmusic.com/about #Holidays #Christmas #Thanksgiving #Musicians #WebsiteDesign #Musicartistry

Writer's note: This post was written while waiting for a flight in the airport which goes to show that creativity can happen anywhere! Have you ever played a riff in a performance and then thought: "That probably sucked"? If you are anything like me, then yes you have. After years of performing and leading worship, I can say emphatically that as an artist, our craft is challenging! Even my dear wife who knits for fun criticizes her own work. In fact, she's her own worst critic. Instead of being subjective, I've found that we need to take a stance of objectivity in our playing. Ask yourself: How am I sounding in this phrase, song, work or whatever you're playing. Ask someone to record you or record yourself. (See my blog on Gentle Haven Music for more about recording software.) An adage that I've learned over the years is: Less is more! Think of movies or books that give you a hint of what will or has happened but leaves your imagination to fill in the rest. It's the same with music. You can always play better. But maybe it's time to play less! This can also make you sound better. Using filler is an art, not a science. Please email me if you're interested in learning more about building a web presence and remember, artistry is really a mix of your right AND your left brain! #Musicartistry #Performance #Musicrecordingsoftware

Today I'm going to talk about effects and how to incorporate them into your playing. If you already do this, very cool! Maybe you can help someone else out. If you need a little help, that's why I'm writing this post today. I've been using effects for decades and have found that most guitar players struggle with getting good effects synced with their playing. That's not to say they're not trying, but often times it comes across as hair-pulling noise. If you really want to get the most out of your effects, here's the good news: You gotta use them! And here's the bad news: That means, practice, practice, and yes, more practice! Having had a Dad who used to yell at me about turning the volume down, I get it. However, you've got to find a time to practice and see what works and what doesn't. Also, find someone who has experience and ask them to help. It's not as hard as you think. A couple recommendations - Okay, now you may be thinking: 'He's going to tell me what to buy next'. Actually, no! What I am going to do is recommend you try out as many different setups as you can. This will give you an idea of what works for you and what doesn't. It's kind of like shoes, what feels comfortable will most likely work best. You also need to consider whether analog or digital effects are best for your setup. They can be very different! I personally like the Boss ME 80. It gives me what I need in a compact unit as an all-in-one solution. You can also download patches from the Boss website and update it. But your situation could be very different than mine. There are great setups from Ibanez, Behringer, and numerous others. Doing a little research can go a long way. Final thoughts - There is an artistry as well as a science to using effects. My take is be judicious. Putting on reverb, distortion, EQ, compression, and delay all at the same time may sound like fun but may really turn-off your audience. Knowing your gear, your ability, and your limitations will go a long way to getting the premiere sound. #performance #effects #electricguitar #music

Well I've decided to make my first relevant post to this blog about guitar playing in front of people. In particular, I would like to discuss what is sometimes a touchy subject: Playing at a place of worship. This may seem like it's not relevant to your personal experience if this isn't something you do on a regular basis. However, some of the most relevant playing tips that I've learned have been in front of people who are worshiping their Creator. There is definitely an art to doing this that goes beyond description. If anything it's a sense and a feeling that comes over a musician when they play in this venue. Like most performing, this is what I call an act of worship to the One who deserves it, Jesus! I've been playing in church settings since I was a young boy and the most important aspect to have with you is an attitude of calm. It is the ONE thing that can help you be a better musician. Think about it for a moment. What would a policeman or fireman or even a lifeguard look like if he were panicking? Or an athlete. Yet, you rarely see them do it! So why should playing an instrument be any different? This leads to the second point: Be prepared! Never take for granted that everyone else has practiced and that it doesn't matter if you do. It always matters! If nothing else you will pull them up to your standard instead of them pulling you down to theirs. That doesn't mean every team or situation has a good dynamic. But, at least you did your part. Lastly, know your instrument! If you're just starting out, then get somebody knowledgeable to help you. If you're a skilled player, then you probably already know what works best for you. For further assistance - This is where I would like to mention my friends at Uptown Music in Keizer, Oregon who sell the finest Taylor guitars as well as many other brands. They are great to work with and will set you up with something in your skill and price range. I mention them because of the fine musicians who work there and the awesome instruments I've played there. So to sum things up, staying calm, being prepared, and knowing your instrument are key components to being a highly sought-after musician! #guitar #electricguitar #performance #artistry #ministry #worship #God

What is Gentle Haven Music? - Since this is a first post on this new website, I would like to provide a little context to you, the reader. I'm building a business for aspiring musicians to get a web-presence. Many musicians struggle with getting their music listened to and distributed or sold. The name of the new business I'm building is called: Gentle Haven Music, A safe place for musicians to play! Since I've been working in the Information Technology field, I've seen a huge evolution of the music industry and how music is promoted/published/distributed. What better way to get an artist's works out there than to build a website to do it with! Thus, the blending of music and technology. Please take a look at our Gentle Haven website and see if there's something we can help you with. I think there are more musicians around who would benefit from the exposure that a web presence would give than they realize. By the way, you can also get some tips from our website on how to get your music seen in the blog. Building your chops the fun way - Having said all that, I would like to introduce my blog on this website: Guitar Artistry - the Goolsby way. You're probably wondering: So what can this guy possibly know that a bazillion other guitar players already do? Well, that's a good question! I've been playing guitar now for many decades as a solo artist, in duets, trios, bands, jazz choirs, and yes, even at a funeral! To say that my experience is diverse would be somewhat of an understatement. There are so many little aspects about learning how to play a stringed instrument that I would like to share so this is my way of doing it. Stay tuned, I'll post more content as soon as I decide what the best subject to start with is! #guitar #music #musicians #electricguitar #performance