Jake Cohan's Blog: Main Page

The video I have posted below is a clip from a very useful instructional DVD. A common tendency is focusing on the playing of leads and melodies rather than focusing on rhythm and chords. Our ear is more drawn in by single note playing and our fingers prefer it to clamping down full chords.

Rhythm and chords of songs are being overshadowed by the sexier melodies playing over them. As one’s understanding of music expands it becomes obvious that melodies are contained in the chords and the chords contain the melody as well. The two parts of the music are codependent. The relationship between the timing of a solo, and the rhythm of the song is also one of codependency.

That being said, in agreement that solo playing is over-emphasized, new ways are being used to teach and put emphasis on comping. Some great instructors have gone so far to say, “the chords are more important than the melody, and only after the chords are learned can one attempt the lead.” I agree with the application of this, but not the implication. It is not true that one is more important than the other, it is true that one is much more neglected.

This video is a great illustration of how important and intricate playing rhythm is when it is done well. Wyatt Rice is one of the best, be it bluegrass, jazz, or in-between. His playing is so tasteful and smooth it often goes unnoticed.

All of my favorite musicians and bands have one thing in common. That one thing is that they have nothing in common. This seems paradoxical at first glance, but with a more detailed view it becomes much clearer.

For simplicity’s sake I will start by discussing guitar alone. Some of my favorite players include: Django Reinhardt, Jimi Hendrix, Tony Rice, Chet Atkins, and Derek Trucks. The list can go on forever(this is just mine right now, think of your own list if you want). Each player has a singular unique sound, call it tone, or phrasing, or intonation. The technical aspect is not as important as the simple sound. Our ears know best, in a spit second the trained ear can tell what, or who it is listening too. Having an uncommon sound is good! The differences become more apparent with entire bands playing, or in the context of composers, and/or singer songwriters.

Whether you are a maestro seeking mastery of composition, or a weekend bass player trying to have fun in “Joe’s,” garage. The most important thing besides simply being pleasing to the ear, is sounding different. Having one’s own unique sound is what makes players like Miles Davis, Bill Frisell, Doc Watson, Keith Jarrett and the late great Earl Scruggs, “before their time.” It is also what makes their music so awe inspiring and timeless. Find a sound you like and try to repeat it, not to make a carbon copy of it, you might just find your own sound.

Using electronics or different instruments can help this process. But it is not the only way to stand out from other acts. Often having a unique tonal vocabulary can achieve this. Find great music from other parts of the world or stuff you really like that is not on the billboard charts. Often borrowing influences from different genres and incorporating them into one can create a new territory of music that has yet to be explored. If you are a string player listen to horn players you love. This can open doors and create a niche for you making you stand out in a crowd. Simply being technically great does not always translate to great music, one must be creative and original as well. Only with that combination can one find their sound. Good luck and keep delving.

I am in the process of completing a series of instructional videos for beginner/intermediate mandolin players. I have a handful of free videos on my youtube channel under the name JakeCohan. I call them “Jake’s mandolin tricks”. These videos will be posted here on my website as well.

Future videos will be more in depth and will include tab and notation so pickers at home can get the most out of this instructional material. The lesson plan will be a cumulative series of riffs, theory based exercises and songs that will be useful to players interested in bluegrass, jazz, classical, and beyond. Tricks one through six are free and available right now.

I am making a conscious effort to make this mandolin method unique, not something you can find anywhere on the web. I am focusing on intermediate players because in my experience I’ve found that at that level one reaches plateau in improvement. Often something as simple as a new warm-up routine or studying a tune out of one’s comfort zone can accelerate one’s playing over the plateau. The material in this series will be focused on resources that facilitate creativity and expression in playing. Less is often more in composition and playing, but in terms of the tools we use to get there, more is always better.

Stay posted for more instructional material. I have many lessons finished that will be uploaded in the near future. In the meantime I have one tip. Practice smarter not harder. Find a passage in a piece you have difficulty playing and focus on that instead of the parts of the song you already have nailed down. It will pay off.