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 b r u c e f o r m a n
MYMUSICMASTERCLASS.COM SEPTEMBER 2020
WHAT'S GOING ON?
Well, I'm getting sick of writing this, but So, let’s think outside the box. 
we’re still in COVID-Land over here.  Who Musicians are typically free “This is no time
knows when life will get back to thinking, intelligent, innovative
“normal”, but there are things we can do artists, right? We need to harness for ease and
to take advantage of this quarantined that radical reasoning and come
situation!  While some people need to hit up with some cool and inventive
comfort. It is
“rock bottom” before they can make a ways to change our realities.  Are time to dare
meaningful change, others ride the wave you with me?!
and adapt as needs arise. and endure.”
---------------
Let’s all try to be the 2nd type of person
in this scenario.  DO NOT let yourself Winston
spiral into a hole as it will only set you
back immensely in this very important
Churchill
time.

MMMC | 01
 NECESSITY
IS THE
MOTHER
OF
INVENTION.

PLATO

MMMC | 02
 WHAT’S YOUR
BIG IDEA?
_________________
We recently did a podcast episode
called “My Music Startup” where we
discussed the basic concepts of
starting your own business. 
In my case, I’ve founded a few
companies and have definitely
learned a lot along the way...
_________________
My Music Masterclass, Inc. was the first
business I set up and it was incorporated as an
S-Corp back in 2012. There are a lot of details
regarding the actual formation of a business,
but this article will focus on your concept,
which is the most important part in my mind. 
I mean, if you don’t have a good idea, nothing
else matters right? 

So, let’s look at what makes a good concept...

MMMC | 03
1) BE AN EXPERT
You need to be an absolute expert in your field and know the industry
inside and out. For instance, if you don’t have experience as a mechanic,
don't open your own garage, regardless of how much you like cars. I
guarantee that there will be more to it than you think! Now, since this is
a musician-centric guidebook, you are most likely a musician and
possibly thinking of creating a music-related business. This is probably
in your wheelhouse, but you may still need to bolster your skillset and
awareness of certain nuances before pushing forward. Being a talented
musician and having connections in itself doesn’t equip you to run a
successful business, which is why you need to jump to #2 below.

2) DO YOUR RESEARCH
OK, so you have an idea and you feel that you’re an expert in the field,
but now you have to do some crucial research. Has your concept been
realized by another company already? Are there already similar
products or services being purchased by musicians? Is there an actual
need for what you are offering? If your idea is similar to another already
existing product/service, what makes your idea better and will
customers choose you over the competition? If so, why?

3) BE HONEST
This goes hand in hand with #2 above. You must take an honest look at
the research. For instance, if your idea is to make play-along tracks and
sell them online, you must be aware of the vast options musicians
already have in this area. You can’t just say, “mine will be better”. First
of all, why is it better? And second of all, are musicians OK with the
options they already have at their disposal (free or otherwise)? That
brings me to the next point; Will customers pay for your product/service
or is there an already workable free or inexpensive product everyone
seems to be somewhat happy with? You have to be brutally honest
before you commit to this idea!

MMMC | 04
4) BE REALISTIC
This is a big one, because many people can figure out how to make a
better product or service, but only in pure fantasy. For instance, let’s
take the “play-along” example I mentioned in #3 and say that this idea
will be better than the competition because it will have only the world’s
best players, various feels and tempos, separate audio stems for every
instrument, 12 key transposition, crystal clear audio, every song ever
written, etc. The problem with all of these amazing features is that they
are not all possible if you want to make money in your business. The
bottom line is profit vs. cost of doing business. So, how much can you
feasibly charge for your product/service and how many people will buy it
daily, weekly, monthly and/or annually? Once you have these answers,
you will know what features are realistic and which are better off suited
for an alternate reality or timeline (queue theme song from "Dark").
There are so many variables here that you will need to go to step #5.

5) DO THE MATH
Yay, math is here to see if your crazy idea is even possible! WooHoo! So,
think about every possible cost you will run into and write it down. Get
advice from people who have started businesses to make sure you don't
leave anything out here. Realistically calculate how much
content/product you can produce weekly/monthly and how much you
can sell it for. Ask yourself how long it will take to make this
product/content and what kind of assistance you will need. Get
incredibly detailed with server costs, advertising, lawyer and
incorporation fees, studio time if needed, musician pay if needed,
software, gear, web development, independent contractors, whatever.
New business often don't make money right away so remember that
although you may not have to pay yourself in the beginning, your time is
incredibly valuable. You have bills too, right? So make sure to really
investigate how much work is involved so you don't get in over your
head. Write absolutely everything down and do some damn math!

This is such a big topic; I’m only really scratching the

surface here. You are essentially doing prep work for a
full business plan, which is something you’ll want to
do if or when you are ready to take the next step.
We’ve included a worksheet for you to plan your next
big idea, so get working!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE HERE!

MMMC | 05
 SWEAT EQUITY IS THE
MOST VALUABLE
EQUITY THERE IS.
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS
AND INDUSTRY
BETTER THAN ANYONE
ELSE IN THE WORLD.
LOVE WHAT YOU DO
OR DON’T DO IT.

MARK CUBAN

MMMC | 06
 ADVERSITY
AND
PERSPECTIVE
We recently did a very powerful and inspiring
podcast interview with Ray Levier. Ray is a very
talented and successful drummer, composer,
educator and speaker living in NY. Core to his
success in the industry is an inspiring story of
survival and perseverance.

At age 12, Ray was very badly burned during a

camping accident in a chicken coup when a fallen
candle set the area ablaze with flames 3 to 4 stories
high. The accident left Ray burned from his head to
one inch above his navel, and his recovery involved
6 months of excruciating skin grafts and hospital
treatments. Through the accident he lost most of
his fingers as his hands fused together like fists.

Now, many people would give up hope in this

situation, but not Ray. He not only learned how to
play drums, but excelled to the highest level. There
were many hurdles Ray had to jump, but his
positive attitude and perseverance led him to his
success. Instead of paraphrasing the rest of the
podcast episode, I really suggest you listen to his
own words so you can hear about his inspiring
journey. You can check it out here!

The reason I’ve included Ray’s story in this issue of “The Motivated Musician” is because
perspective is easy to lose and all humans need an occasional reminder. From Ray’s own
mouth, “It can always be worse”. He was given slim odds of living at all and he chose to live life
to it’s fullest. So instead of dwelling on the problems and obstacles in your life, work your way
out of that ditch and make something amazing happen today!
MMMC | 07
PRESCRIPTION
FOR TRANSCRIPTION!

The one thing that all the amazing musicians on My Music Masterclass can agree on is that
transcribing is one of the most important things that you can do on the instrument. MMMC artist,
Yotam Silberstein even goes so far as to transcribe Bach instead of reading the sheet music 😊.

Transcribing is such important work because you are training your ear and learning the nuances
of music at the same time. We live in an age where everything is now available and often handed
out in easy access packages that include written transcriptions, endless media content, books
and more. But just because you are able to access someone else’s transcriptions, doesn’t mean
that you should avoid doing that work yourself.

Do you want to be able to hear the music and understand all the harmonies/melodies being
thrown at you in a live performance (in real time)? Well, there is no shortcut besides doing the
work and that work is transcription! So, we’re going to start transcribing a little each day, OK? We
have included a worksheet and you’ll want to keep track of your progress. We didn’t include staff
paper and it is up to you if you want to write everything out or simply memorize it. Trust me, it
gets easier as time goes by and this work will pay dividends in your playing.

NOTE: Dida Pelled just released a super cool masterclass video for My Music Masterclass on
transcribing. Instead of the standard approach of simply putting pen to paper and notating
what you hear, Dida’s process involves quickly assimilating the content into your own playing
and vocabulary. She talks about how to “steal” ideas and make them your own, which is an
extra perk in the process! Subscribers are able to get this masterclass for 15% off this month, so
check the promo deals below if you are interested.
MMMC | 08
 19

LEVEL UP YOUR
LIVESTREAM!
The concept of livestreaming has entered a new If you have a soundcard with more inputs and more
realm since COVID19 came into the world. With microphones, you can produce a bigger group or a better
this new reality, musicians have had to learn how sounding performance (depending on your instruments,
to video-stream lessons through Zoom, Google, microphones and choices).
Skype and others. We’ve seen many musicians
take the easy route using just their phone, or If you only have a 2-channel or even 1-channel interface, but
their laptops (internal mic and camera) for the have some sort of small mixer around, you can plug all your
audio and video, but we feel there could be more instruments into the mixer, and run a signal OUT from the
effort put into this. It’s definitely a tough financial mixer INTO your interface and BINGO! The goal here is to have
time for most people, but let’s look at how we clarity with your livestream audio, and using real gear will get
can make some improvements in order to you there.
provide a better experience for students and
audiences alike. One little trick with something like ZOOM meetings is to shut
off any compression, gating or effects for audio (in Zoom’s
settings). Remember, these programs are meant for boring
For this edition, let’s just look at meetings and they are coded to be used with laptop/phone
getting our audio to a better place. mics, so they try to kill any outside noise and compress it like
crazy! You DO NOT need these settings if you are using studio
audio, because this is a more controlled environment. Shut
Many musicians in the modern world have some those effects off, crank the input volume in the software
sort of basic home studio setup, which means settings and then control your input gain from your audio
there will be an audio interface (soundcard) interface, the way you would if you were recording.
involved. This is sometimes overlooked and
people don’t realize that this interface can be Remember to listen to your mix and make sure everything
used as your audio source for livestreaming. If sounds balanced. Make adjustments and provide the best
your drivers are installed correctly and you have listening experience you can. Also, some audio interfaces have
even a 1-channel interface (Focusrite, Presonus, built in effects that could be helpful for these types of live-
Apogee, Zoom, whatever), you should be able to streaming situations. Adding a little reverb, slap-back delay or
find this device in your software settings. For something small could help add a little production value. And
example, if you’re using ZOOM meetings, you can again, there are options for almost every budget here, so you
go to the AUDIO SETTINGS tab at the bottom can go as far down the rabbit hole as you like.
and it should be listed.
Be aware, USB microphones are easy to setup and can sound
Now, once you assign your interface driver, you pretty good, but typically offer no room (or little room) for
will get studio audio through your video chats. expansion. Plus, placement may be an issue depending on
Let’s say you have a 2-channel interface and you your instrument. So, if you want more versatility with your
want to live-stream a performance. You can investment and think you may someday like to produce a live-
throw a vocal mic in channel 1 and your guitar in stream with more than one sound source or instrument,
channel 2 (for instance). soundcards are the way to go. We recommend checking out
some interfaces so you can take your lessons and livestreams to
the next level! We'll get into the world of video options in the
MMMC | 09 next edition, so stay tuned!
 FEATURED CATS DIDA
PELLED
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. 

JOEY
ALEXANDER
SZYMON
MIKA

Dida Pelled
“Dida sings in a voice
sometimes playful, warm,
resonant, no frills. She sings the
words, giving them their
meaning, their weight, with
This is important work for musicians because perfect diction and charm."

although there are only 12 notes in western Joey Alexander 

The youngest musician ever
music, techniques and sounds evolve.  So if you nominated for a Grammy
want to continue working in the scene and Award in a jazz category; and a
media favorite who’s earned a
remaining relevant across generations, you profile on 60 Minutes.
must stay aware of what’s trending in music.  Szymon Mika 
In this section we feature artists who in our one of the most talented
opinion are doing some really cool stuff!  Here guitarists of young generation,
prizewinner of International
are this month’s picks… Jarek Śmietana Jazz Guitar
Competition

MMMC | 10
 TO ME, MOVIES AND
MUSIC GO HAND IN
HAND. WHEN I'M
WRITING A SCRIPT,
ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS I DO IS FIND
THE MUSIC I'M
GOING TO PLAY FOR
THE OPENING
SEQUENCE.

QUENTIN TARANTINO

MMMC | 11
Regardless of what style of music
you play, learning tunes is an
integral part of developing
This will make the process more
enjoyable and it won’t seem like a
task. Also, since you will get
Repertoire
yourself as a musician. Not only is much faster at learning tunes
it crucial for playing with others (after doing a lot of this work),
(so that you know the same save the homework repertoire
songs), but also so that you can until later.
train your ear, learn harmony,
strengthen your memory and Once you’ve compiled a list of
more. songs you really like, do what
Mike Moreno says in his video
The one thing that all of the “How to Learn Standards”. Break
musicians on My Music up all the songs by the same
Masterclass will also agree with is composer and put them in little
that you should not be learning subcategories.
repertoire from a book (real book,
etc.). You will have to do it the Then when you learn them, you
“hard” way if you have any can do it in packages by
intention of ingraining it into your composer since there will be
being. commonalities within their
catalog. You will be learning their
Many musicians struggle to learn writing style, habits and more.
repertoire because they feel
overwhelmed by the amount of We have included a little
music they “have to learn”, but in worksheet this month to help you
reality there are ways of keep track of your repertoire and
organizing your practice into progress! NOTE: Mike Moreno’s
smaller subsections that help you video on Learning Tunes is really
retain music. amazing and this month we’re
offering it to our subscribers for
I would suggest that the first step 15% off, so check the promo deals
is to learn the tunes that really below in this edition.
“speak to you”.

MMMC | 12
 BRUCE FORMAN
5 QUESTIONS

What have you been listening to

recently?

Alas, such strange times, I have been mostly going

back through my collection, listening to Art
Tatum, Bird, Cannonball, Trane, Miles, Wes...
comfort music for me. Although, thanks to
Facebook and Instagram I'm getting to hear
what's been going on with both my peers and the
younger players..

MMMC | 13
What are some of your favorite albums of all time and
what is so special about them?

This is, by nature, the most difficult question to ask anyone I think. Of
course, anything Bird, Trane or Miles did is by default on the list...In this
case, I'm choosing to avoid the ones that we all know (which I would
have of course included)...some things that come immediately to mind:

Miles Davis "My Funny Valentine"

The band was on fire, and particularly Herbie's use of triplets on "All of
Me" still continues to inspire and shape my idea of the possibilities with
phrasing.

"Charlie Parker With Strings"

...Just Friends, Laura, April in Paris...need I say more?

Count Basie "April in Paris"

Swing and unity defined... if it only had Splanky.

"The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery"

Not a note that isn't perfect, and "Gone With the Wind" is the most epic
guitar solo I've ever heard.

Charles Lloyd "Forest Flower"

Live at the Monterey Jazz Fest in the 60's, with a very young Keith
Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette, the spirit, enthusiasm and unbridled
willingness to explore and take chances just jump off this record.

Art Blakey "Free for All"

This is the most intense and burning swingin' thing I ever heard
recorded, but get the LP, the CD mastering reduced the heat by a
million degrees...oops that's six...see what I mean? And I've only just
gotten started!

MMMC | 14
What are you currently working on in the practice room?

It's been a very interesting time...in this strange new paradigm, I realize
how much of my almost 50 years playing has been spent with project-
oriented practice (for a recording, gig, audition, etc) or just making sure
that I'm keeping up with the cats, not letting any new concepts or things
get away from me. Now that gigs are pretty much extinct, I have
returned to the kind of practice I did when I was first learning, basically,
just following sounds and discovering things that excite me. It's like how
water finds it's place, naturally. I am just playing things that I want to...for
me. And the revelations are not always what I would've expected. Mostly,
I'm just playing and trying to corral things I hear, get deeper into the
sound and embrace the feeling, meaning and purpose of what I'm
playing...

What younger or up-and-coming musicians are you

digging right now?
So many young guys inspire and impress me, but I find myself more often going
back in the catalog, it's my comfort music, and who in these times doesn't need
that? That's why I'm grateful for social media, it enables me to hear and stay
aware of what everyone is doing, and there is some amazing and inspiring music
out there!
MMMC | 15
How are you staying sane in this quarantine and do you
have any tips for other musicians currently in isolation?

This is the big question. I am staying active playing all the time, doing a twice-
weekly TV show, called GrumpsTV, it appears on Facebook Live and then I post it on
my YouTube page. It gives me the chance and responsibility to produce a project
twice a week. I infuse concepts, comedy, entertainment and socially-conscious
ranting along with playing and I have my friends send me clips to play along with
live (and I force my wife, who sings, to participate)...it's not perfect, but it's the only
game in town.

I also, do a 'first chorus of the day' on my Instagram page: @formanism. It's like a
Zen morning ritual. I know that there aren't any gigs or sessions, and the times are
bleak for us, but I try to stay positive and be and represent someone who makes the
most of the world around him. It would be easy to get down and bitter, but then I
think of all the great musicians who inspire me (many listed above) and I know they
dealt with hardships, but their love and commitment to the music was indelible
and unstoppable. I try to look at it like: we got a new set of changes and we just got
to learn how to play them. I think that's what our forefathers would expect, and
what the music deserves, and I want to set an example for the younger generation
to encourage them to find and lead the way out of this...

Don't forget to check out Bruce's podcast with Scott Henderson and Troy
MacCubbin. Listen to GuitarWank here!

MMMC | 16
Discounts
Monthly Discounts for Subscribers Only!

Site-wide Discount:
10% discount on our videos, bundles, T-Shirts,
facemasks, micro-credentials and PDFs.
COUPON CODE: GETMOTIVATED2020
EXP: 9/30/2020 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Not applicable to Gift Card purchases.
Cannot be combined with other offers.

Bruce Forman Discount:

15% off any Bruce Forman video(s) on My Music
Masterclass. Bruce has 12 awesome videos and you
can see them listed HERE!
COUPON CODE: BRUCE15
EXP: 9/30/2020 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Cannot be combined with other offers.

Dida Pelled Discount:

15% off "Internalizing Transcription " by Dida Pelled.
Dida's method is super cool and practical and it can
be found HERE!
COUPON CODE: DIDA15
EXP: 9/30/2020 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Cannot be combined with other offers.

Mike Moreno Discount:

15% off "How to Learn Jazz Standards" by Mike
Moreno. This video is incredibly useful for learning
repertoire and it can be found HERE!
COUPON CODE: HTLJ15
EXP: 9/30/2020 @11:59 EST
NOTE: Cannot be combined with other offers.

MMMC | 17
CONCLUSION
OK, that's it for us this month, but it's
just the beginning for you. This is a
pivotal time for you to turn up the
heat and get moving with your plan
of awesomeness! And as always, if
you feel uninspired, revisit these
words or the content in our back
issues. We're always here to help get
you back on track!

MMMC EDITION 003