{"id":17313,"date":"2024-05-19T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-19T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=17313"},"modified":"2024-05-23T08:23:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T15:23:03","slug":"become-a-music-influencer-land-gigs-jemma-heigis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/become-a-music-influencer-land-gigs-jemma-heigis\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Be a Music Influencer &amp; Land Big Gigs (ft. Keyboardist Who Played for Karol G)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>So you want to be a professional musician when you grow up. You\u2019ve done lessons, you\u2019ve practiced, maybe you\u2019ve even applied to Berklee! But how do you actually break into the music industry in the social media age of the 2020s? And what skills do you need to thrive in the real world music industry?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We recently chatted with <strong>Jemma Heigis<\/strong>, an American keyboardist based in Peru who toured with GRAMMY-winning superstar Karol G. You\u2019ll learn first-hand what it takes to land gigs and play stadiums!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#background-and-big-break\">Background and Big Break<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-be-a-music-influencer\">How to Be a Music Influencer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-play-stadiums-with-rockstars\">How to Play Stadiums With Rockstars<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#learn-another-language-if-you-can\">Learn another language, if you can!<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#sound-design-and-other-skills\">Sound Design and Other Skills<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#jemmas-own-music\">Jemma\u2019s Own Music<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Your Go-To Place for All Things Piano<\/b><\/h2><p>Get exclusive interviews, fascinating articles, and inspiring lessons delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><small><i>By signing up you\u2019ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don\u2019t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.<\/i><\/small><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"background-and-big-break\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Background and Big Break<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"hey-jemma-please-introduce-yourself-and-tell-us-a-little-about-what-you-do\"><strong>Hey Jemma! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>My name is Jemma and I\u2019m a keyboard player, producer, and composer. Right now, I&#8217;m working on my own music. But in the past year, I went on tour with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karol_G\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karol G<\/a>! She\u2019s a reggaeton superstar and we did the mainstage of Coachella, Tiny Desk, and also SNL.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Karol G: Tiny Desk Concert\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D8UWsFMVj_Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jemma performing with Karol G at NPR&#8217;s Tiny Desk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"whats-your-educational-background-and-experience\"><strong>What\u2019s your educational background and experience?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I started playing piano at three years old. I always knew that music was the thing that I was going to pursue because nothing else interested me quite as much. So I practiced a lot and I was always composing my own music.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before I moved to Peru, I was living in Minnesota and studying film composition because I wanted to be a film composer. I did an audition for McNally Smith (it\u2019s kind of like Berklee\u2014I didn\u2019t try out for Berklee because it was financially out of the question.) I got a scholarship and that\u2019s where I met my husband. We\u2019re both keyboard players and we\u2019ve been working together ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"you-have-a-big-following-on-instagram-and-you-play-for-karol-g-which-is-huge-how-did-you-get-your-big-break\"><strong>You have a big following on Instagram and you play for Karol G, which is huge! How did you get your \u201cbig break\u201d?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I posted a <a href=\"https:\/\/fb.watch\/s7vOUxNzII\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video<\/a> with my friend, Lucia Sarmiento (she&#8217;s a saxophone player) and it went viral. I was on a cruise ship when it happened and I didn\u2019t have internet access, so I didn\u2019t notice until after I came back that it had gone viral!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flusarmientomusic%2Fvideos%2F2031713610430852%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"314\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>I noticed there could be a way to advertise my own stuff and make a name for myself. So I started posting pretty regularly on social media. Just covers and trying to play impressively and stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I ended up not doing film composition at all because I felt a little constrained as an artist. I couldn\u2019t compose what I wanted to compose\u2014I had to compose what was best for the scene. A lot of modern film music is really minimalistic too, not the grandiose sort of stuff I would want to compose. But I guess that\u2019s work! (Where not everything is what you want to do.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I ended up studying more piano. And I think Instagram forced me to practice way more\u2026 Posting on a daily schedule was the biggest thing that helped me get better at my instrument. Which is funny, but it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-be-a-music-influencer\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>How to Be a Music Influencer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"your-social-media-content-is-pretty-impressive-would-you-say-youre-an-influencer\"><strong>Your social media content is pretty impressive! Would you say you\u2019re an \u201cinfluencer\u201d?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, I get paid to do posts for brands. That\u2019s what you would consider an influencer, right? It sounds almost like a dirty word\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"oh-no-i-think-its-just-the-reality-of-how-the-music-industry-has-evolved\"><strong>Oh no, I think it\u2019s just the reality of how the music industry has evolved.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It started out as kind of like a resume\u2014and that\u2019s how it ended up. And I\u2019m glad I got in when I did because it\u2019s hard to grow. I started maybe six years ago or something, and now it\u2019s become for musicians. It <em>is<\/em> your resume. Like, my degree means nothing! \u2026I mean, I have a bachelor\u2019s degree and I\u2019m glad I got it because it taught me so much and I\u2019ve met a lot of great people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If being an influencer is what it takes to be a successful musician then sure, I\u2019ll consider it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What if \u201cChunky\u201d had a solo? \ud83d\ude2e#brunomars #synth\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/y4kGRRupTc0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jemma&#8217;s most successful Instagram reel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"lets-dig-into-being-an-influencer-a-little-more-if-you-were-talking-to-someone-who-wants-to-be-one-what-advice-would-you-give-them\"><strong>Let\u2019s dig into being an influencer a little more\u2026 If you were talking to someone who wants to be one, what advice would you give them?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I would say that it\u2019s consistency\u2014just continuing to post all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have a Patreon\u2014that\u2019s where I\u2019m getting most of my income. I do lessons and for every post, I do a transcription of it. And I extend the backing tracks so people can take the exercise they\u2019ve learned and improvise over it. I\u2019ll give them the best scales to use and stuff like that. So, I\u2019m trying to gravitate more towards the sort of videos you guys do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think being a music influencer is good because people tend to know who you are\u2014people that you wouldn\u2019t expect. The fact that I posted so frequently made me appear in people\u2019s algorithms. So, post regularly even if you\u2019re a nobody! Chances are one of your videos will do well and that\u2019ll recommend you to people you never would have had access to. Then, those important people might see you, think you are a good fit, and reach out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-play-stadiums-with-rockstars\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>How to Play Stadiums With Rockstars<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"was-that-how-you-got-the-karol-g-gig\"><strong>Was that how you got the Karol G gig?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The way I got that Karol G gig was like this: Lucia got a huge gig with Pitbull. Now, the music director for Pitbull was the same musical director for Karol G. And Karol G\u2019s keyboard player went to play with Jacob Collier, so there was an opening. (That\u2019s Bryn Bliska, by the way. She\u2019s amazing!)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyway, Lucia said that I was a good fit so I got an audition. I had to record three songs and I had to do it as if I was performing. One of the songs was solo piano: it was a grandiose intro while someone might be talking. I also did some vocal and piano stuff to prove that I could also sing\u2014and they picked me!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"This is the video that got me the Karol G gig\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mai97nqzDTM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When I was in Minnesota and posting videos on social media, I was working as a waitress so my income wasn\u2019t even from music. So, I basically went straight to giant stadiums and this huge artist!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was so surprised\u2026I had heard the name Karol G but I didn\u2019t know how famous she was. Especially where I live now in Peru: everyone knows who she is. I would go through immigration and there would be Karol G playing in the speakers. So it was pretty surreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact that I had built up a small following\u2014I think I had 10k around that time\u2014helped too. If you\u2019re a musician and you post videos consistently, people have a smorgasbord of things to choose from to say, okay, this girl can do funk; she can play synth; oh, she has a singing video here so maybe she can do background vocals, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"learn-another-language-if-you-can\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Learn another language, if you can!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"so-karol-g-is-columbian-right-did-you-have-to-learn-spanish\"><strong>So Karol G is Colombian, right? Did you have to learn Spanish?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I moved to Peru because when we came back from the cruise ship, my husband ran into visa problems entering the States. We were going to get married\u2026but unfortunately that never happened and he got stuck in immigration. So I dropped all my stuff and moved to Peru. His parents were very, very generous. They let me live in their house and we built my social media career from there. His parents even helped me put up lights and they would lend me clothes to help me have more outfits!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We got married in Peru and I learned Spanish in the process. I\u2019ve lived here for five, six years, I think. When I showed up, I just knew stuff you learn in high school. And now I\u2019m fluent!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was a huge benefit when they were picking who to audition and who they were selecting. The fact that I was American also helped because of being able to perform in the States. But the fact that I spoke Spanish was a big plus because Karol works in Spanish; everybody talks in Spanish in your in-ears.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17144227\/jemma-keytar-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Woman with long blonde hair playing keytar with red background and kicking at camera.\" class=\"wp-image-17329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17144227\/jemma-keytar-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17144227\/jemma-keytar-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17144227\/jemma-keytar-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17144227\/jemma-keytar.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a blessing in disguise that I moved to Peru. I don\u2019t know if the same thing would have happened if I had remained in the States. I could still be a waitress right now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sound-design-and-other-skills\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Sound Design and Other Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"going-back-to-young-musicians-who-want-a-job-like-yours-what-music-skills-would-you-say-they-need\"><strong>Going back to young musicians who want a job like yours: what music skills would you say they need?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a good question. Playing for Karol G is not about how many chords you know or how great your music theory or ear is. It\u2019s about sound design. I thought it was going to be a live, acoustic-sounding arrangement or something like that. But it wasn\u2019t at all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had never used expensive keyboards before (my Roland Juno DS was probably $400) so I had to learn all these keyboards and it was kind of a shock. Every song had to have its own specific programming. You would have the keyboard split into the flutes on top, a piano over here, a synth bass there\u2026and you would have to know how to program all of that. The pedal might be routed to how much reverb there is on the strings alone, and the mod wheel might be routed to how much delay is on the flutes. It\u2019s like learning a computer, you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"that-sounds-stressful\"><strong>That sounds stressful!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I had never done so much before. And when you\u2019re in an environment where there\u2019s so much pressure\u2026that\u2019s what teaches you the most.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Karol G Live KEYS CAM \ud83c\udfb9 (Bichota\/Makinon Medley)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UimesQxIJ5s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keys cam featuring Jemma during a Karol G concert.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the same for Spanish: I would say something silly and embarrassing that I would never forget. For sound design, I was on the spot so many times because everybody else in the band would be like, \u201cNo, that sound is not it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I did the sound design for her latest album. But when I was first brought in, I had to get the other keyboard player on a call and help. She very generously gave me a backup of all of the sounds that she had used and I learned her programming. There was also a musical director and he would tell me, \u201cNo, that&#8217;s not how she did it; I think she had this over here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was nerve-wracking, I\u2019m not gonna lie! It was two weeks of rehearsals and maybe eight, nine hours per day of rehearsing. But, to answer your question, I would say for a big gig like this you need to know how to program keyboards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"and-how-would-someone-learn-how-to-do-that-im-guessing-you-didnt-learn-it-during-your-degree\"><strong>And how would someone learn how to do that? I\u2019m guessing you didn\u2019t learn it during your degree.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn\u2019t. (I learned a lot about working with DAWs like VSTs, Logic, Pro Tools, Ableton.) I knew a little bit about programming keyboards because of the cruise ship that I worked on. But what my $400 keyboard could do was pretty limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17145845\/jemma-many-keyboards-1024x683.png\" alt=\"Woman with long blonde hair and cartoon character hoodie playing multiple keyboards at the same time.\" class=\"wp-image-17331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17145845\/jemma-many-keyboards-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17145845\/jemma-many-keyboards-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17145845\/jemma-many-keyboards-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17145845\/jemma-many-keyboards.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These keyboards that big-time artists use are mostly Nords. So, learn how to use a Nord! I would rent one or get a used one and just practice. You can practice by listening to songs and trying to replicate them. It\u2019s not just about learning the keyboard; it\u2019s also understanding what is a cut-off, what is an envelope, and how\u2014if I change the attack\u2014will it make it sound more similar to the reference?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a lot of experimenting. I would first use some VSTs and try to emulate sounds. Even GarageBand has some VSTs included with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"and-how-different-are-these-keyboards-are-things-standardized-or-is-learning-a-new-keyboard-like-learning-a-new-instrument\"><strong>And how different are these keyboards? Are things standardized or is learning a new keyboard like learning a new instrument?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like learning a new instrument. The way you recall patches, it\u2019s all different. Yes, there are similar things like envelopes and filters\u2014and some parameters will be standard on any synth\u2014but each one has its own thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"what-other-things-have-surprised-you-other-than-sound-design\"><strong>What other things have surprised you other than sound design?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The rehearsal time is way more than I would have ever expected. When I was in bands in school, a long rehearsal would be three hours. But in the real world, everybody\u2019s mentality is: we\u2019re here to put on a giant show and we\u2019re going to do whatever it takes to make that happen. And so rehearsals will sometimes go until 2am, 3am\u2026 Or they\u2019ll start in the middle of the night. It\u2019s a lot more work than you would think. A lot of standing up, rehearsing the same song 20 times in a row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with long blonde hair in cartoon character hoodie sitting with elbows on red keyboard.\" class=\"wp-image-17327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/17142716\/2024-02-21-Pianote-Jemma-Heigis-Day-2-248-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Get yourself a Nord!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And it\u2019s a lot of trying to keep your brain from turning off. Because after you understand sound design, the music is not that difficult. Reggaeton by nature is not super harmonically advanced. So if you lose focus, you start getting worse the more you play! It\u2019s almost like saturation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s how it works: you have dancers, you have a production team, and the show is tomorrow. So you\u2019re not going to take a break. I would say be prepared to have a very, very long rehearsal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing would be: there\u2019s no room for improvisation. If you think you have a better voicing, that\u2019s not your job. (That was my experience anyway.) Because the people that listen to Karol G\u2014they know the song so well that having it sound any different would be weird. Also, we have a musical director and he makes the executive decisions of what you\u2019re going to play.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"thats-so-interesting-because-it-almost-sounds-like-classical-music\"><strong>That\u2019s so interesting because it almost sounds like classical music!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah! That\u2019s a good comparison. Even the mentality of it. It&#8217;s not a relaxed environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not like a gig with your friends where you\u2019re like, \u201cAlright, you guys want to order a couple of beers? When do you guys want to go? I can stay an extra hour.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a very structured environment. It\u2019s a big production. It needs to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"jemmas-own-music\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>Jemma\u2019s Own Music<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"lets-move-the-spotlight-a-bit-what-are-you-working-on-personally\"><strong>Let\u2019s move the spotlight a bit. What are you working on, personally?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, I started by doing vocal pop. I\u2019m a singer, but it wasn\u2019t really my forte (I didn\u2019t feel that comfortable as a frontman).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through social media, I discovered a niche: people that like video games and jazz. It\u2019s this really cool combination. Adam Neely did a video on the \u201cjazzification\u201d of Nintendo that really resonated with me because he talks about how a lot of today&#8217;s video game music will be the \u201cAll the Things You Are\u201d of the future. It\u2019s true because a lot of really classic video games are being adapted by big bands. I thought that was really cool and it makes sense why so many people that love Sonic covers also appreciate the sort of fusion that I do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Nintendo-fication of Jazz\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oKWgLe-jQjc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So, I decided that I wasn\u2019t going to be a singer anymore. I post fusion video game covers, anime stuff, some pop\u2026but for the most part I&#8217;ve been doing funk and fusion. One day it occurred to me that I should be making instrumental music because that\u2019s what I listen to: Snarky Puppy, Mark Lettieri, Tribal Tech, Jeff Lorber\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just released my first instrumental single. It took me a really long time because it took me a while to find a soloist. But I did and I\u2019m so glad that she did it even though she was really busy! Actually, she\u2019s the trumpet player for Karol G right now! Her name is Ella Brice\u00f1o and she did an amazing trumpet solo. She\u2019s a virtuoso and so I\u2019m super glad I got her on my track and finally released it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Press Start\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gu_LFfZIpP0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jemma&#8217;s instrumental single, &#8220;PRESS START.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"one-more-question-you-did-a-video-game-song-medley-with-us-how-did-you-learn-those-songs-how-do-you-learn-new-music\"><strong>One more question\u2026 You did a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/best-video-game-songs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video game song medley<\/a> with us. How did you learn those songs? How do you learn new music?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I was supposed to read music because I took so many classical lessons, but I faked it the whole time! (My music teacher, Peggy Andrews: I&#8217;m sorry if you&#8217;re reading this!). I&#8217;m able to read and arrange and when it comes to actually notating it, I&#8217;m fine. But my sight reading is terrible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve always liked ear training and that\u2019s the fastest way for me to learn because it forces me to memorize as well. So whenever I\u2019m learning a song, my first route is ear training. Unless it&#8217;s so difficult that I could never get it by ear\u2014then I will sit down and try to read it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ear training really helps your skills as a musician. That&#8217;s another thing for people that are starting out in music: just learn the songs you like. Sit down and play them as best as you can. And there are tutorials out there that can teach you the best way to voice it. Or fingerings and stuff like that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But yeah. Whatever you like, sit down and try to play it yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size:22px;\"><b>Master the Piano YOUR Way \ud83d\udd25<\/b><\/h3><p>As a Pianote+ Member, you\u2019ll get access to our 10-step Method, song library, and growing community of piano players just like you. Plus: get coached by world-class pianists and learn whenever you  want, wherever you want, and whatever you want.<\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><br><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jemma Heigis is a music influencer who has played stadiums with reggaeton superstar Karol G. Here&#8217;s how she got there!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":17405,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1132],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17313"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17404,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313\/revisions\/17404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}