Msg #4A: How are we doing?

Before I begin, a quick list of useful links, repeated:

• Run Through Calendar
• Tools for recording yourself
• Map of participants
• Additional learning tracks available to attendees, order from Music VP Will Johnson
• $15 per part, electronic only
• $17 per part, electronic + CD plus $3 shipping per order

Let me ask you a question - how is it going?  Sure, it's early days yet, but how are you doing?  If you are having difficulties (or think you might be) - let's get you help now.  If you haven't started, let me encourage you to start today.

I encourage people to start now, and get help now - because most problems can be solved by brainstorming better ways to learn the music.  And why not find your personal best way to learn NOW, while we are early in the process?

I cannot emphasize enough - it's not merely OK to be humble.  It's GREAT to be humble.  Loving your difficulties and errors is how you erase them.  Deny your troubles, and you get to keep them. Coming to the Rally with those troubles intact will sharply diminish your fun.  Everyone wants everyone to be ready - people are absolutely eager to help.  (And sometimes it helps to hear "yeah, that part of the song is kicking my behind too....")

People you can ask for help include:

• Me, your Chief Preparedness Assistant (and Cheerleader)
• Your sponsor (if you have one)
• Other members or attendees of NEHB
• Your music team
• ANYONE at a run-through

I'm breaking this note into TWO posts today - this is your general reminder, and the next will be my personal learning techniques.

One of the principles people in business use is a Japanese approach called Kaizen.  Kaizen literally means "change for the better".  It focuses on making constant (usually small) improvements in how you do things.  After all, if you do the same thing the same way every time, you get the same results.  But by slowly improving the way you do things, you can get better results.

So - read my other post, and use it as a springboard to look at your approach - and make a small improvement.  Maybe you will see big results in your music learning.  I did.

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Bare Necessities

Not Bear Necessities, although the pun is obvious, was written for Disney’s animated
movie The Jungle Book, released in 1967.  Our version is heavily modified for barbershop,
but still contains the original melody and feel. It's also much shorter. (Original lyrics)

It has been covered countless times, in many different formats:

• Alvin and the Chipmunks (animation voiced by Dave Seville)
• Los Lobos (American Rock with Zydeco influences)
• Lou Rawls (for the TV Show Jungle Cubs, in Hip-Hop style)