I am just a hobbiest musician, but I have been given the opportunity to work with some young musicians in our Boy Scout troop. I think I am learning more from them than they are from me. Today I had a musician who was playing a soft voiced instrument and was having trouble keeping up with the music. I had everyone else put a mute in so the musician having trouble could be clearly heard over the mix and the immediate improvement was amazing, both in timing and tone.
I my own experience, the pressure of knowing you are being listened to can bring you up a level. Even if you have the discipline to do your best when no one is listening, there is something about raising the stakes that can bring out a bit more. To paraphrase a popular saying " what doesn't make you choke, makes you better".
I would love to hear other examples of this principle from the great well of experince on this forum..
Last Edited by STME58 on Mar 18, 2015 6:36 PM
Well, my experience is that I am a better musician when I am playing for people, and if they are responding, even better. I do the best when I don't think about anything but the music; or rather, I let the music run the show. Or something like that--hey Steve, that's what I was doing on mando when you saw me, was that your perception?
I have played in bands that wanted to rehearse until every little nuance is perfect, this is OK, but in my experiences I find it better to throw the band into a live situation if you really want things to pucker up.
" better to throw the band into a live situation if you really want things to pucker up."
We will see what happens this Sunday when they perform. Fortunately the audience will be almost entirely made up of friends, parents and friends of parents. Kind of like a school play audience, but its Scouts.
Gary, it's been a while since I have heard you but I did like your work with "Champions"
What comes to my mind as I read these comments is finding a balance between virtuosity and authenticity. The pressure of an audience probably enhances authenticity more that virtuosity. You earn virtuosity in the woodshed, but authenticity is more of a mindset.
Last Edited by STME58 on Mar 19, 2015 8:22 AM
It helps when everybody's listening-- This reminds me of the jazz fusion from the 60's and 70's, when simplicity was a virtue. It can be what you leave out that matters most. Here's an example of what I mean, two chords and a dream . . .
I draw inspiration from interaction with other musicians. Playing with other musicians I think of things to play that I'd never come up with on my own. An appreciative audience is always nice, of course. and you can draw energy from a lively crowd. But it's the other musicians that make me play better.
In one room schoolhouses they used to have the older kids teach the younger kids. It's not just that it gives the younger kids more direct attention but in the process of explaining something the older kid can internalize what they have learned.
