Yes, there is a big difference between a band/solo artist that plays music with high energy or playing with heart. High energy means performing tight, something that will give people’s heads to bounce up & down to or dance to at live music shows. Playing with heart, means performing with feeling, the music slowly comes out naturally, giving the listener goosebumps. I do like performances with high energy, but the problem with bands, that a lot of them lack heart in their playing. Not enough feeling. That’s the way I always listened to music. I will be a fan of a music artist or band if they play with enough feeling or heart, the notes they play that will make me watch the performer in awe and never get bored. Feeling the goosebumps all over. If I don’t feel that with a performer, I’m not interested. Doesn’t matter how good you think they are.

With my own music, I try to play with heart. Playing with heart, really draws people to your music. When other musicians say, when you make music and your own songs that you write, make you smile, that means you’re onto something and it’s a possibility other people will like your music too. This is why you should record all of your song ideas down and listen back to it. If you don’t like your song, it’s best that you trash it, and only play the songs that you are proud of publicly.

The fact is, you can promote yourself to death as a musician all you want. You can promote yourself to death on the internet or put up ads in town, people are not going to support you, if  your songs aren’t good enough. Bands have this problem of releasing every song they write publicly and then they get all kinds of negative feedback because of it. If you want people to enjoy your music, only release the songs you like. I’m proud of the music I did and have learned this lesson myself. Next time I put out a new batch of songs which will be coming up ahead soon, I’m only going to release the songs that I like and being more careful this time on what I put out there. If you put a song out there and if it doesn’t get a response at all, then you’re doomed.

Take your time on songwriting, there’s no rush. You can take over a year to keep your songs to yourself and when you’re ready to make songs public, go ahead only if you’re proud of the work. You want to put out songs that people can respond to. You don’t have to be a classically trained guitarist or a virtuoso, all you need is just a few chords and you can still play your songs with heart. Neil Young did it. Neil inspired me that anybody can write great songs, no matter how good or bad you play guitar or sing.

I’ve been concentrating on more guitar and getting deep in music theory, I need to learn it all. If you want to be a better songwriter, theory will help improve yourself. Yes, I am also writing new songs again and hoping to get a new batch of songs out in 2011.

Kev