{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Pluck Podcast","title":"Three Dimensions of Music with Michael Kramer","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":9108,"description":"In episode 3 of The Pluck, Dr. Jonathan Smith sits down with guitarist and composer Michael Kramer for a wide-ranging conversation about listening, practice, creativity, and the deeper forces that shape musical life. Michael reflects on early lessons from his uncle, formative guitar teachers, the importance of taking the blues seriously, and the path that led him from rock and jazz discovery into a broader philosophy of sound rooted in body, structure, and spirit.The conversation moves through ear training, groove, harmonic thinking, flow states, and the role of serious listening in artistic development. Along the way, Michael shares insights from his work as a performer, composer, and bandleader, including how he thinks about time, feel, organization, and presence in both practice and performance.This episode is for guitarists, composers, improvisers, and anyone drawn to the mystery of how music works on us from the inside out.Chapters00:00 Intro: Welcome to The Pluck01:06 Meet Michael Kramer02:05 Routines, family life, and starting the week03:08 Piano practice, Mahler, and memory06:45 First guitar and early encouragement09:46 Taking the blues seriously14:20 Blues, classical guitar, and early influences17:30 Hendrix, Dylan, Elmore James, and listening deeper22:10 The teachers who changed everything27:30 Learning tunes by ear and understanding shapes32:00 Discovering jazz and getting serious about music37:00 Listening as practice43:00 Flow states and music as presence50:20 Listening for joy vs. listening for analysis56:30 Breaking out of rigid listening rules1:00:30 Music, timelessness, and attention1:06:00 The three dimensions of listening1:13:30 Coltrane, perception, and changing lenses1:20:00 Beginner's mind and analytical mind1:25:10 Performance as body, intellect, and spirit1:32:00 Guitar practice through shapes and symmetry1:40:00 From physical motion to harmonic form1:47:00 Time-feel, rubato, and articulation1:55:00 Why the physical dimension still carries...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/lpdBazu6JyzgV8Z16sWE6dwNFUjkrAQP0r46EwgRtaI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82ZWU1/OTNjOTMwNzRjYjJj/YTE3NDdkZTJkMjcz/OWM3NS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}