The Doctor Is In: Molly Miller on Structure, Theory, and Jamming

This time on Dipped In Tone, Rhett and Zach chat with Los Angeles-based trio troubadour Molly Miller, known for her work with her own Moller Miller Trio and pop star Jason Mraz. Miller’s virtuosic playing, chameleon-like genre flexibility, and uncommonly deep knowledge of the guitar and music theory—courtesy of her nine years spent at USC attaining her doctorate—have made her a sought-after of jack of all trades in the guitar community. As you might guess from the name of her band, Miller’s home turf is trio playing, and her latest record, The Ballad of Hotspur, is a tumbleweed Western rendition of the power and imagination of the sparse band configuration. Miller explains how she configures her guitar tones with her arrangements, why recording live off the floor works best for her threesome, and how to write instrumentals that don’t drag. Unlike many musicians who like to live on a dangerously flexible schedule, Miller loves structure, usually rising early to fit a regimented schedule. But do things like routine and an academic’s knowledge of theory take some of the magic out of music? Miller has good insight for how to strike a balance between intuition and musical book-smarts. Later in the episode, stay tuned to learn how the algorithm might be changing how we learn guitar, and the eternal importance of jamming with strangers. Go check out Molly's website: https://www.mollymillermusic.com/ Get 10% off your order at http://stewmac.com/dippedintone Subscribe, like, and leave us a comment Sign up on our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iaCee5 Support us on Patreon for access to our discord server and other perks! https://www.patreon.com/dippedintone Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dippedintone Dipped in Tone is: Rhett Shull https://www.rhettshull.com/ Zach Broyles / Mythos Pedals https://mythospedals.com Premier Guitar https://www.premierguitar.com/