Category: Classical Music

Guitarslinger vs. the Toilet, When is a Guitarist not a Guitarist

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Click the link to hear Ennio Morricone’s great composition for the theme song of Clint Eastwood’s, “The Good , The Bad and The Ugly.”
It will help set the comical scene described below.

The stars were aligned today. My family was out of the house and I didn’t have any pressing projects it was gonna be just me and my guitar! A chance to work on some music, clear my mind and make everything right in the world…like a workout does as it releases endorphins.

So, what happens… an evil varmint toilet in our house sprung a leak. I had to take action. I had to put down the guitar and pick up a wrench.

The scene was like an old fashioned western dual, two determined gunslingers battling out! If you can imagine the camera focusing on me with a menacing look on my face then panning to the toilet staring me down…back and forth.

For most of you, fixing a toilet not a big deal…but…for a musician who’s brain likes creative projects better than manual ones it kind of is. Not to mention these types of projects don’t normally go too good on the fingers.

No music in today but the towns folk are all safe!..and the bathroom is all better too.

12 NOTES & THE TRUTH!

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Our music is based on 12 notes!

That’s it!

No more!

“12 Notes & the Truth!,” this blog,  focuses on everything those 12 little notes offer.

These 12 notes not only make up the music of every band and artist we listen to but make the world go ’round, as well.

“12 Notes & the Truth!,” will cover anything and everything in music that strikes a chord

with myself and hopefully you, as well!.

Guitar music, pop styles, jazz, classical and the social issues attached to them all will be featured in the blog.

Expect a little high brow education,  low brow comedy and anything between that helps convey the world of music

in my head. Of course I will let you know what I am up to from time to time, as well, performances, projects, etc.

You can follow the blog:

from this site or on

Facebook: Mike Slayen Studios

Twitter: @mikeslayen

However you do follow come back early and often to check out “12 Notes & the Truth!” and feel free to comment on the posts.

From one music lover to another I will try to live up to these 12 notes and their truth.

Guitar Practicing Tips- Keep it Out

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Have you ever been walking around your house bored and say, ‘Ooooh I am gonna practice my guitar?’ You find that it is in the case, tucked in a room you never practice in and a full stack of junk on top. You know, just like your gym equipment….’Maybe I’ll practice later…’

It happens to the best of us!

One way to avoid this is to keep your guitar out of the case, of course you want to make sure you find a safe spot for it. Also keep it in a room you frequent so you can pick it up at anytime. If it is staring you in the face you are more likely to pick it up. If you pick it up you can get in a quick practice session. If you get in a quick session who knows it may turn into a full blown practice session.

Keep your guitar out, keep it protected and keep it where you can easily pick it up at anytime!

Keep practicing!!!

Wedding Venues

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My original thought with this page was to list all the venues I have played over the years. After quickly coming up with a whole lot of venues off the top of my head, I realized that it would be an extremely long list and not really necessary.

What is important is that having played so many venues I’ve learned how  how to take care of all the little things needed for performance whether or not I have played at a particular site.  My experience  makes things easier for everyone involved; wedding coordinators, venue staff, myself and most importantly…YOU, to make your day special and easier on you…in essence the music will be one less thing to worry about!

Regardless, I thought it would be fun to post the original list of venues I came up with. The list is certainly not all , but a representative of wedding venues I’ve performed at throughout Southern California; San Diego to Santa Barbara, Coronado to Temecula, La Jolla to Palm Springs. ..

For those of you still looking for a wedding site perhaps this list can help give you some ideas.

Balboa Park-

-Japanese Friendship Gardens

-Prado (Rest. & Wedding Bowl)

-Museum of Man

-Café del Rey Moro

Bayfront Hilton

The Beach House

Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Calumet Park

Coronado Beach (on the sand)

Coronado Cays

Coronado Golf Course Clubhouse

Darlington House

El Camino Country Club

El Cortez Hotel

Embarcadero Park

Estancia Hotel

Fairbanks Ranch Country Club

Four Seasons Aviara

Georges at the Cove

Grand Del Mar Resort

Heritage Park

Hornblower Cruises

Hotel Del Coronado overlooking Coronado Bridge
Hotel Del Coronado

Hotel del Coronado

L’ Auberge Hotel Del Mar

La Costa Resort & Spa

La Jolla Cove Bridge Club

La Valencia Hotel

Levyland

Loews Coronado Bay Resort

Manchester Grand Hyatt

Martin Johnson House

Mission Hills CC-Rancho Mirage

Museum of Contemporary Art-La Jolla

Navy- Admiral Kidd Club

Navy- Submarine Base

Orfila Vineyards &Winery

Palm Desert Visitor Center

Ponte Winery-Temecula

Powerhouse Community Center

Paradise Point Resort

Presidio Park

Rancho Bernardo Inn

Rancho Bernardo Winery

Rancho Valencia

Rose Creek Cottage

San Diego Convention Center

Santaluz
Santaluz

Santaluz Clubhouses

Seagrove Park

Soledad Club

Summers Past Farms

Thursday Club

UCSD Faculty Club

Wedding Bowl -Cuvier Park

Wedding Bowl at Cuvier Park
Wedding Bowl at Cuvier Park

Tonights Practice Session

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Tonights Practice Session

This is one of the pieces I played for my Junior recital working towards my B.M. I haven’t played it in 15 plus years. This piece, “Nortena,” by Argentinian composer Jorge Gomez Crespo is a lullaby which combines European and Amerindian influences.
All apologies to the emails I haven’t gotten to this evening but I need to get some music time in tonight.

Guitar Practicing Tips – Use it or Lose it!

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Last night I was working on some music and decided to find some of the pieces I played for my college recitals. Found the folder and could not believe my eyes. There was SO much music. Music I haven’t played in years. Great music that I need to start playing again! Ponce, Villa-Lobos, Bach, Scarlatti just to name a few.

Excited to play these pieces again I dug into the thick stack of sheet music. I must of spent a few hours easily sight reading. Amazing that I forgot all about so many of these great works. Not only do I need to re-learn them but I completely forgot that I ever played many of them.

So here is the ‘Use it or Lose it’ lesson. As musicians we spend a lot of time on our craft, novices to professionals alike. No one wants all that time to go to waste! This is something I preach to my students. Work on new music as your main practice items but everyday work on some old music, as well! Play a few old pieces every time you practice and they will always stay in your head and fingers. It’s when a piece is tucked away, not seen or heard that musical atrophy sets in and although anytime a guitar is in your hands is a good thing, it is NO fun to have to re-learn something you already worked so hard on in the past!

Another advantage to practicing many songs weekly is to develop a full repertoire.  When friends and family know you play guitar they WILL ask you to play for them. So you get set to perform and realize you have only been working on a couple of pieces and they are in the development stage, not really ready for prime time. But if you have a handful of songs ready to go you will be the life of the party!

Keep practicing!

Brahms Symphony No. 4 Movement No. 2

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If you are looking for some new music to add to your listening repertoire try Brahms Symphony No 4, 2nd movement. It is a great piece!

What to listen for: The piece starts with a distinguished theme in the French horns. Listen then as it moves between different instruments throughout the piece. Brahms not only had different instruments playing the theme throughout but accompanied by different orchestrations as well.

Ready for some relaxing music to unwind to this piece should do the trick.
Try the rest of the fourth symphony’s three movements if you get a chance.

Enjoy!