Cover Songs. Most musicians and artists hate them because they aren’t original–they don’t feature one’s authentic voice. Despite that opinion, covers are generally the method for how people learn to play. To perform a great cover requires internalizing the song, interpreting it, memorizing it, then making it your own.
Listening to a few versions of Fugazi’s Waiting Room performed in a variety of arrangements , ranging from a middle school string orchestra to an acoustic guitar to other bands doing it verbatim, there’s an appreciation for each version– even though there are both nuanced and not so nuanced differences in each.
The performance, interpretation and musicality illustrate true artistry.
Closer to home, my youngest daughter is a violinist who prefers to perform pieces from the baroque period. Each year she selects a particular score to stretch her skills and learn from. After a year of interpretation, internalization, study, memorization and practice, she’s ready for a recital. Because the piece requires her to learn new technique that stretches her skill, she likely learns something about herself– never complaining that it is a “cover”– instead, she’s grown as a performer.. Her one teacher once stated that violin performance is the greatest teacher of all because it shines a light on your weaknesses and blind spots and forces you to get better. If it has any value at all, it’s that.
Literary Arts: When it comes to literary arts, many writers and artists do imitations of the masters in order to hone their craft, learn and be apprenticed by the the greats, whether living or dead. Pope did imitations of Donne, Virgil and more. Because there were no copy machines, some writers would have to visit libraries, and copy texts by hand to take home and study. Hell, even Hunt S. Thompson typed Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby. No matter what the temperament, writers and artists have used imitation for years to learn and get better.
But when it comes to leadership , coaching and, teaching, we seldom follow the path of musicians and artists.
Although much of what teachers and leaders do is performative, there is little internalization, interpretation, practice and imitative performance that replicates a masterpiece by a person at the top of her game.
This was apparent when I was teaching in Rochester, where I was expected to internalize, memorize, and perform a master teacher’s lesson plan . According to my boss, the activity produced a large amount of “cognitive dissonance” . She could physically see my disgust and hesitance as I memorized, practiced and performed. As my coach, she’d follow along with the scripted lesson plan and berate me with the necessary feedback. However, after a few months of this practice, I noticed that my thinking became more precise, that my language was more economical, and that my students were learning more. In the next phase of the process, I learned to interpret the lessons and cater them to my voice and students’ needs– soon earning the designation as master teacher myself.
I hate to say it, but the memorization of these lessons was a world class training. I’m better for it. Taking the breath and thought of a master practitioner deeply into your being fills you with a wisdom template.
Reflecting back, implementing the following steps made all the difference:
- Select the right master script, song or source material. This is important. It needs to be high quality, something that will stretch you but not break you, and it must be something that will bring you joy– even when challenging. Furthermore, understanding the tone and outcome you are looking to build toward is key.
- Interpret and internalize the master source material so deeply that it becomes your own while keeping the spirit of the piece alive. Interpretation and internalization isn’t just memorization. It’s comprehension and understanding. Studying others’ interpretation and performances in conjunction with the piece is key. Here’s a short tale for what this looks like when done wrong: One time in college, we were performing four one act plays by Chekhov. Before opening night, we enjoyed dinner with the acclaimed playwright Edward Albee, who was pleasantly surprised in our decision to do Chekhov’s farces. We just about dropped our forks. We’d interpreted them as tragedies, and the show was directed as such. Reversing the interpretation and the muscle memory achieved from incorrect practice was almost impossible. The show would open the next day and nobody would experience the intended emotional outcome.
- Practice, Practice, Practice : First, practice verbatim– know it cold. After muscle memory is acquired and you can do it in your sleep, personalize it and practice again.
- Record. Periodically record and review yourself to assess effectiveness, then make adjustments.
- Lastly, change your metaphor when it comes to scripts. By thinking of a script as a mentor source, or by perceiving the process of using a script as an analog to a musician preparing a cover song for a crowd, the practice gains more purpose — eventually causing your own humility to empty you of your ego so that you can learn.