“It’s OK, I’m with the band…”
I spent the seventies touring throughout the eastern U.S. in a rock & roll band. I was fortunate to have the full support of my parents, but my Aunt Emmie saw it as a frivolous fling of wasted youth. Aunt Emmie notwithstanding, I am constantly reminded of how relevant many of the lessons learned while sowing these wild oats remain meaningful some 3 decades later. Here are a few in no particular order:
Quality over quantity.
It’s not the number of notes you play; it’s where you place the notes. Technical virtuosity alone is useless without an appreciation of the nuance needed to express the essence of the piece.
Keep adding to your repertoire.
When I was making a living playing music, we performed night after night in clubs six, sometimes seven nights a week. With that schedule, even the best tunes in the repertoire get stale. We discovered that if we took the time to learn a few new songs here and there, the entire playlist remained fresh.
Never give up.
When attempting to learn a new technique or riff (a short repeated melodic phrase), you sometimes hit a wall. Even with the best instruction or ear for music, you’ll try & try and just can’t seem to get it. Keep going – when you do finally break through to grasp this musical segment, it will open up a whole new plateau of understanding that will prepare you to learn the next new piece. Perseverance will make you a better player.
Keep focus on the Big Picture.
It takes more than great lyrics & melody; the true meaning of the piece will be lost if attention is not paid to rhythm, tempo, volume, and arrangement, as well as the interaction between the players.
Learn to improvise.
Whether it is Jazz, Rock & Roll, R&B, or Hip Hop, the most respected musicians are those who can make up music on the spur of the moment according to instinct; in other words, the musician does not follow notes on a printed page, but rather relies on his or her own imagination to create music that bears a spiritual relation to the original source.
Listen intently.
A great monitor system is crucial. With all the volume in an R&R band, you still have to hear yourself to make sure you are on key and in tempo. It is equally important that you clearly hear the other players in the group to make sure the band is balanced.
Know your audience.
For a successful band or musician, the most valuable skill of them all may be the ability to “read” an audience. A clear understanding where they want to go will help you take them there. And you should always be prepared to take requests.
Know how to handle a solo.
When you are ready, there will come a time for you to be featured. Learn how to perform in the spotlight – gracefully. Just as important is the ability to skillfully back up another player when it is their time to shine.
Assemble a great team.
No matter what backgrounds, skills & temperament individuals bring to the band, if each player rehearses faithfully and commits to the skillful expression of the piece, you will succeed.
Catch a groove.
There are times - even though you may have played a piece thousands of times and begun to run on automatic – that an unexplained joy happens and the material takes on a life of its own. When the mundane becomes magical, that’s called “catching a groove.”
Focus on outcomes.
Great band leaders are those that can define a musical outcome, identify the often varied resources & personnel to achieve it and then guide these pieces toward the desired result. In his book, A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink, calls this “Symphony”. Paraphrasing, a good band leader requires “a signature ability of composers and conductors, whose jobs involve corralling a diverse group of notes, instruments, and performers and producing a unified and pleasing sound”.
Have fun.
Enjoy what you are doing. Believe me, when you don’t, your audience knows it.
I have successfully applied this hard-earned knowledge throughout my business career – and continue to do so every day. Not bad for a not yet recovered Rock & Roller.
Take that, Aunt Emmie.
