practice makesperfection WANT A CAREER LIKE MIKE GARSON’S? N Playing piano for rock innovators Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, and David Bowie… collaborating with jazz O giants such as Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Clarke… composing hundreds of modern classical pieces? S R NOTHING TO IT , SAYS GARSON :"B ASICALLY ,I STUDIED CLASSICAL PIANO backrealtimeperformances."Theconceptisabitsimilartoa for tenyears,thenstudiedjazzforsixorsevenyears.Afterthat, playerpiano,butyouhaveinfinitelybettercontrolandtone A Ipracticedeighthoursadayforanothertenyears.IestimateI’ve becausetherecordingmethodandthepianoitselfareso putinbetween50,000and70,000hourspracticing." sophisticated,"notesGarson."TheDisklavierchangedmylife. Brooklyn-bornGarsonwasanintellectuallyinclinedjazz WhenIusedtowritewithpencilandpaper,myheadalways G musicianwhenBowiehiredhimfor1972’snow-legendary wenttoofastformyhand.ButinthelastfiveyearsI’veman - SpidersfromMarstour."Iwasjustajazzmusicianinshock!" agedtowrite900piecesontheDisklavier." chucklesGarson."Ionlyplayedaboutfourbarsattheaudition AthomeGarsonusesatop-of-the-line9’Disklavier,but beforeMickRonson,Bowie’sguitarist,said,‘You’vegotthe ontheroadwiththePumpkinsandothers,hereliesonacom - E gig!’"Garsonwentontolendhisfreeformpianoflourishesto pactGranTouchmodel."TheGranTouchisadigitalpiano," theclassicAladdinSaneandDiamondDogsalbums. hesays,"butithasarealpianoaction,andthe32mg K Garsonreturnedtojazzandclassicalpursuitsafterhis memorymakesitthebest-soundinginstrumentofitstypeI’ve I Bowieyears.Buthistoryrepeateditselfin1993whenthe heard.Andyoudon’thavetodealwithmikingthepianolive singerre-recruitedthepianistforhisBlackTie,WhiteNoise eachnight." disc.MorerecentlyGarsonhascontributedtoboththe Eventhoughleadingclassicalplayershaveperformed Pumpkins’Machina:theMachinesofGodandN.I.N.’sFragile. Garson’simprovisedcompositions,Garsonsayshe’sreceived M "WithbothbandsIhadthesamesortoffreedomIhadwith staticfromsomesegmentsoftheclassicalcommunity:"Now Bowie,"hesays."MaybeitwasbecausethoseBowierecords Musicfrightensthem.Oneclassicalpianistperformedoneof arewhatTrentReznorandBillyCorganwerelisteningtowhen mypieces,butafterIwenttothepremiereandtoldhimhow theywere12or13,thesamewayIwouldlistentorecordsby I’dwrittenit,helostinterest.Somepeopledon’tlikethefact BillEvans,ArtTatum,orMcCoyTynerwhenIwasakid." thatIcancomposeapieceinfiveminutes,buttheyhaveto NowthattheSmashingPumpkins’farewelltourhas understandthatit’sreallyfiveminutesplus48yearsofprac - drawntoaclose,Garsonhasreturnedtohisprincipalpassion ticing.Therockpeopleunderstanditbetterthantheclassical ofthelastsevenyears:acompositionmethodhecalls"Now peopledo.That’swhyIhangwiththem!" Music.""It’smyownwayofcomposing,"heexplains."Isit ButGarsonremainsconfidentthatmanymusicianswill downataYamahaDisklavierandimproviseclassicalpieces. soonembraceNowMusic:"Ithinkitwillbeamovementover Mike also plays the S80, Itstartedasanexercise,butIwoundupwritingnocturnes thenext20years,likeImpressionismorRomanticismor EX5 and CS6X andpreludesineverykey,32sonatas,39rhapsodies,apiano Classicism.I’mnotsayingI’masskilledasMozartorLisztor concerto.Thesepiecesareentirelyimprovised,butthey Debussy.I’mjusttryingtocarryonthattradition.ButItellyou soundwritten." —ifthoseguyshadhadthetechnologyIhave,itwouldhave Garsonwasoneofthefirstplayerstoembracethe beenscary!"HearsomeofGarson’sscariestsoundsforyour - Disklavier,aconcert-qualitypianothatcanrecordandplay selfatwww.mikegarson.com. 28 yama ha all access winter 2k1 29.