dynamics pitch theory listening articulation duration performance

If this is your first performance, I recommend that you choose a song that's not difficult for you to play. This way your mind is not focused on "can I play this difficult passage," but on the performance itself and all the x-factors involved. X-factors are the elements you cannot control... your environment, the musicians, how well you can hear yourself, how the amp sounds and all the other stimulus that's involved in performance.

Here are some more elements to consider in selecting a song. It's good if you choose a song with... continue reading...

Accompaniment King judging comments are now in. Take some time today and listen to some of the entries. Before listening to each one, read what Gary Smith, Rick Estrin and Mark Hummel have to say first so that you can listen for the elements they bring up. This is a great lesson. http://www.bluesharmonica.com/accompaniment-king

If Ryan did hear something was wrong, how could he of figure out where they were in the form? How should he have fixed this situation?

This is where the tunnel vision comes in... Ryan learned the song from beginning to end, and most likely worked on individual pieces, but when playing his song he was so focused on remembering all of his parts and what he was doing, he wasn't tracking with the band. continue reading...

Why didn't Ryan hear what was going on?
For new players, the band is thought of as "The Band," an entity that just happens and the thought process that they may be off is a distant one. Up to this point most players have commonly only played to jam tracks, which are infallible. It's important to listen to the form to make sure you're hearing what you expected/requested. continue reading...

Let me first state that Ryan played the hell out of "Take It Easy Now"... his technique, dynamics and tone were stellar!... very proud of him. With that said... here's what happened...

He instructed the band to start from the V7, which is correct. After counting the band in the guitarists are on the V7 (bar 9), as requested, but the bass player started on the I7 (beginning of the form) and then the guitarists quickly changed to the I7 to match the bass player.

So... the band is playing from the I7... continue reading...

"Do you want people to remember YOU or the MUSIC you played?" This seems like a strange question, but it does help us to think about the purpose of the music we write/play and our stage persona. A great stage show can hide weaknesses in a player's skill set. A lackluster stage show may not matter if one's music is exciting and engaging on it's own. A self-centered performer may play too much... to the elevation of them, but to the detriment of the music and the other musicians. continue reading...