{"id":6913,"date":"2022-01-28T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=6913"},"modified":"2023-01-09T15:55:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-09T23:55:44","slug":"jesus-molina-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/jesus-molina-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"There Is Always More to Learn With Jes\u00fas Molina (Pianote Podcast #18)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Discipline, talent, opportunity. Melody, harmony, tempo. In this episode of the Pianote Podcast, Lisa sits down with Jes\u00fas Molina to discuss why &#8220;music isn&#8217;t just playing&#8221; and the prodigious Colombian pianist gives succinct yet value-loaded answers. It&#8217;s an inspiring episode that touches on everything from the &#8220;secret&#8221; behind improvisation to how to manage frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/1gdSdV7CAWqzOGef3HCqJs?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>If you (like us!) feel inspired by Jes\u00fas, you&#8217;ll be excited to learn that Jes\u00fas will be our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/jesus-molina\">featured Coach<\/a> in June 2022. And you can access his course on improvisation and musical freedom by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">becoming a Pianote member<\/a> today!<\/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><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Learn Directly From Jes\u00fas Molina<\/strong><\/h2><p>Master playing with one of the best pianists in the world.<\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/jesus-molina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GET LESSONS WITH JES\u00daS MOLINA<\/a><\/center><br><\/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=\"music-as-lifestyle\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Music As Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\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\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p>Watch Jes\u00fas Molina play piano, and it&#8217;s clear that he&#8217;s in his element. For Jes\u00fas, music is a spiritual experience; it&#8217;s a part of his soul. In his words, it&#8217;s a &#8220;lifestyle,&#8221; not just something he does. To see this in action, watch his fingers dazzle audiences at the <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/JsIaOg1dUr8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2018 NAMM show<\/a>, a video that&#8217;s racked up 2.2 million views.<\/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\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\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=\"How To Improvise On Piano With Jes\u00fas Molina | Quick Piano Tips\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FJ-Y21kBkMk?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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Jes\u00fas will share some important tidbits of music knowledge in this interview. But while knowledge is important, for Jes\u00fas, it&#8217;s all about how you use that knowledge to create beauty.<\/p>\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=\"from-piano-to-sax-to-piano-again\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>From Piano to Sax to Piano Again<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jes\u00fas began his piano journey at age four, but he didn&#8217;t pursue it seriously until he was around fifteen years old. He took up saxophone briefly at age twelve, but it wasn&#8217;t as exciting as the piano. Inspired by Brian Culbertson, he yearned to play chords and explore jazz. So he returned to the piano three years later. The transition felt natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jes\u00fas considers the support he got from his family a &#8220;blessing.&#8221; He is the first person in his family to pursue music and he hopes to pass the baton to future generations.<\/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\">\n<center><h2 style=\"font-size:24px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn From One of the Top Pianists in the World \u2728<\/b><\/h2><\/center>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Jesus%20Molina%20Podcast\/lisa%20and%20jesus.jpg\">\n<p>We\u2019re proud to announce Jes\u00fas as our newest Pianote Coach. Pianote Members can access Jes\u00fas&#8217; exclusive Improvisation and Musical Freedom course, which includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>9 video lessons covering improvisation in jazz, bossa nova, classical, and more<\/li>\n<li>Downloadable PDF exercises<\/li>\n<li>Access to EVERYTHING in Pianote, including the Pianote Method and song library<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<center><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/jesus-molina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JOIN PIANOTE<\/a><\/center><br><\/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=\"frustration-is-good\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Frustration is good<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every pianist gets frustrated at some point. And the pros haven&#8217;t transcended this. They get frustrated too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, Jes\u00fas doesn\u2019t think he\u2019s really \u201cthat good.\u201d He has a constant hunger to learn more because there\u2019s <em>always<\/em> more to learn. So, if he gets to a point where he <em>doesn\u2019t <\/em>need to practice, <em>doesn\u2019t <\/em>need to struggle, \u201c<em>that\u2019s<\/em> a problem!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Jes\u00fas, feeling fed up is normal. In fact, he still has days where he wants to give up! But frustration forces you to choose between two paths: to quit or to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>If you say, &#8220;you know what, this sounds great, I don&#8217;t need to practice!&#8221; That&#8217;s a problem!<\/p>\n<cite>Jes\u00fas Molina<\/cite><\/blockquote>\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=\"on-skill\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>On Skill<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jes\u00fas no doubt has technical prowess. He\u2019s known for his speed, and his deft fingers are an agile blur across the keys. It looks effortless, but speed is just one component. Accuracy is more challenging. In Jes\u00fas\u2019 opinion, performances should have not only \u201cright tempo\u201d and \u201cright expression,&#8221; but clarity. \u201cA lot of people can play fast, but you can barely understand what they are playing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Jesus%20Molina%20Podcast\/Jesus%20Molina%202.jpg\" alt=\"Angled-up photo of young man with blonde hair playing grand piano in well lit studio.\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Being as relaxed as possible is essential to playing fast (and well). No one is relaxed right off the bat; it takes practice. So play with other musicians, perform, and expose yourself to slightly scarier situations. Relaxation comes with experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The three things Jes\u00fas focuses on each day are: melody, harmony, and tempo. And in his opinion, tempo is the most important. Why? Well, if you look at music closely, you\u2019ll find that tempo is the structure that anchors harmony, melody, and everything else. Including speed.<\/p>\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<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=\"Jesus Molina\/How To Solo?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/40KqC0E8p80?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\">Jes\u00fas Molina masterclass on improvisation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\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<p>Tempo also anchors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-improvise-on-piano\/\">improvisation<\/a>. Improvising can be anxiety-inducing for many because it\u2019s easy to worry about playing \u201cwrong.\u201d But \u201cmistakes are part of us because we\u2019re human beings,\u201d says Jes\u00fas. When he makes a mistake, he just tries to &#8220;make the mistake make sense.&#8221; So if you\u2019re improvising and you play a bum note, ry to resolve the bum note as well as you can and move on. And \u201cwith good tempo, literally everything sounds good!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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=\"discipline-talent-opportunities\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Discipline. Talent. Opportunities.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jes\u00fas Molina is involved with 27 albums this year! He\u2019s also our featured Coach for the month of June. And he\u2019s undergoing a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/tgBrPrg9YtI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dramatic health transformation<\/a> that takes time, energy, and commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How does he do it all?! Jes\u00fas admits he\u2019s a very organized person, though he also likes to be \u201cresponsibly spontaneous.\u201d There was a time when he practiced during &#8220;office hours&#8221; like 9:00 to 12:00 and then 2:00 to 4:00. Today, how much he practices depends on how much work he has lined up. \u201cIf you distribute your time the best you can do, you\u2019ll have time for everything. Even for having fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>With good tempo, literally everything sounds good!<\/p>\n<cite>Jes\u00fas Molina<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Jes\u00fas Molina is a world-class pianist and a Berklee School of Music alumnus who has made it big in the U.S. When he reflects, there are three keys to success: talent, discipline, and opportunity.<\/p>\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>Talent is a gift, but you don\u2019t need Mozart-level talent to become successful. If you\u2019re reasonably talented and put in the discipline, you can be just as successful as someone who relies on talent. People like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/oscar-peterson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oscar Peterson<\/a>, Stevie Wonder, and Prince are what happens when you combine raw talent and channeled discipline. And once you\u2019ve combined your talent and discipline, opportunity tends to follow.<\/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-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=\"NORD LIVE: Jes\u00fas Molina - Omnipotent\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dcqcrDF-qLc?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\">Studio performance with Nord keyboards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, listen to music and build community. Jes\u00fas credits his mentors and compatriots at Berklee for imparting in him the knowledge he has now. He also loves being friends with drummers, from whom he\u2019s learned the importance of tempo. \u201cDrums and piano? So connected!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, Jes\u00fas encourages musicians to share their music. \u201cUse social media. This is the best resume you can have these days.\u201d After all, music is meant to be heard.<\/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\"><h2 class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Never Miss an Interview<\/strong> \ud83c\udf99\ufe0f<\/h2><p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Get exclusive access to world-class pianists and what makes them tick. Subscribe to <em>The Note<\/em> today.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Known for his speed and improv, we sit down with Jes\u00fas Molina to discuss talent vs. discipline and how to overcome frustration at the piano.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musicianship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6913","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=6913"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6913\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10430,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6913\/revisions\/10430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}