Do professional musicians intimidate you?

[knumbskull]

I’ve been lucky enough to play with a couple of semi well known guys (on drums, not bass) but i didn't really know much about them until afterwards.

So it wasn’t intimidating at the time but it might have been if i’d done my homework!

 

[JW56789]

All good. Nothing better to put steel in your spine than to play a 'skeet shoot' where the set list boils down to whatever somebody calls, and pros have done this before and IF you can hang, you're 'in'. Tell me where and when, I'm there. Anybody can rehearse something till the cows come home, but often it's liberating to have to stand and deliver, right now.

There's a certain buzz to standing out on that limb while somebody else is holding the saw.

 

[4001]

Its a show up and play job for a eating establishment outdoors and most of the folks are pro and do music for a living. Just call tunes at random. Country to jazz. No set list.

How do you feel about that?

Ps. I love it.

I guess if you are a songsmith and know everything, then it's great.
If I were to call out Yes "Close to the Edge", I bet it would sound just like the record, right?

 

[Silvio Dante]

Most of the “pro” musicians I know are snarky, cynical weaklings.

I love it when the music starts, playing with them is s joy, but afterwards I am gone.

Same here. Most of the "professional musicians" I know wouldn't last for a day in an industrial or office job.
Good musicians for sure, professional attitude is very poor.

 

[sears]

I am intimidated by everyone! That's why I'm here, to learn without being myself.

 

[4001]

I'm not sure about the professionals that you guys mingle with, but I don't know any pros who would play a gig without rehearsing. Now, if it's a straight-ahead jazz gig, that's different, but calling tunes across genres? That usually ends up sounding nauseatingly jam-bandy. No amount of talent can account for not knowing how a tune is actually supposed to sound, and that takes preparation.

But in today's world we give people a trophy for just showing up so they can feel good.
And the phrase "it's good enough" is about as overused as the word "amazing".

OK, so you call a tune I don't know. Can I return the favor?

And, by the way, if the band is struggling to get through tunes, how does that help with the beer selling?

 

[jamro217]

The few (very few) times anything even close to this scenario occurred was either a charity event or impromptu jam/gig/party thing. Not a club date or a normal gig, so the pressure was off, but it was still an event. As such you always try to do your best.

 

[IamGroot]

I guess if you are a songsmith and know everything, then it's great.
If I were to call out Yes "Close to the Edge", I bet it would sound just like the record, right?

If someone called that tune, Id sit out. But thats not a reasonable tune to call." Love will find a way" or "Aint Misbehavin" are. " Carry on my wayward son" was pushin the limit.

 

[4001]

If someone called that tune, Id sit out. But thats not a reasonable tune to call." Love will find a way" or "Aint Misbehavin" are. " Carry on my wayward son" was pushin the limit.

Right..but if you don't know the other tunes, it would be the same result.
CTTE is 20 minutes..I wouldn't expect anyone, except if you were at a Yesfans/musicians jam (wouldn't that be fun!) to know that one.. but even with tunes that might be really popular, shorter and easier to play for the ones who do know it, if you don't know it, you're screwed.

I couldn't do one of these type of gigs. There are people I know that could. They have done the bar band cover thing for decades and know tons of songs from all of the gigs they played over the years.
For me though, it's like being on an elimination game show. Once I butcher a tune up, I'm out.
That could be the first song for all I know...
A decent bass player that can learn most anything, given some time to learn the music and always shows up ready to do so, will look like a dufus to most if he or she is in a situation where they simply don't know the song. That isn't cool... but I guess if you throw yourself into a "call out the tunes cold" thing and you choke, then you have nobody to blame but yourself for thinking you could do that.
I'm thinking you'd also be hurting your chances for getting more gigs to a certain extent.... you wouldn't exactly have your phone ringing off the hook the next day after you clam all over a tune that most probably know but you never bothered to learn. OOOPS !

 

[buldog5151bass]

Generally when you go to one of these, they are playing standards, or they regularly play with each other. Part of the fun of playing jazz - if you know the form of the tune, everybody starts at the same place, then it comes down to listening to each other.

 

[Passinwind]

Its a show up and play job for a eating establishment outdoors and most of the folks are pro and do music for a living. Just call tunes at random. Country to jazz. No set list.

How do you feel about that?

Ps. I love it.

I do too, with a few caveats:

1) At least a few of the other players know who I am and what I'm about (i.e. a hobby player who can hang until I can't), and being true pros they want to make me look good up there.

2) They have charts for the tunes that are likely trainwrecks without them.

3) It's not meant to be a "just like the record" thing. I've never done a whole gig like that and #1 already has that covered.

 

[IamGroot]

Right..but if you don't know the other tunes, it would be the same result.
CTTE is 20 minutes..I wouldn't expect anyone, except if you were at a Yesfans/musicians jam (wouldn't that be fun!) to know that one.. but even with tunes that might be really popular, shorter and easier to play for the ones who do know it, if you don't know it, you're screwed.

I couldn't do one of these type of gigs. There are people I know that could. They have done the bar band cover thing for decades and know tons of songs from all of the gigs they played over the years.
For me though, it's like being on an elimination game show. Once I butcher a tune up, I'm out.
That could be the first song for all I know...
A decent bass player that can learn most anything, given some time to learn the music and always shows up ready to do so, will look like a dufus to most if he or she is in a situation where they simply don't know the song. That isn't cool... but I guess if you throw yourself into a "call out the tunes cold" thing and you choke, then you have nobody to blame but yourself for thinking you could do that.
I'm thinking you'd also be hurting your chances for getting more gigs to a certain extent.... you wouldn't exactly have your phone ringing off the hook the next day after you clam all over a tune that most probably know but you never bothered to learn. OOOPS !

Songs get called that have a) are well known, and b) have a harmonic pattern that you can pick out by ear. Ctte aint one of those. A pro might know it, but hes not going to call it.

 

[eJake]

One thing to remember is that being a professional musician is not a uniform title. There are hip hop artists who are paid more than most of us will ever see in our lives who can't read music, play an instrument, sing or write songs. They are professional musicians. There are amateur musicians who never got the breaks who could blow away many of the acts filling the bills at gigs. When you have to choose between eating, living in a building, and wearing clothes or playing music, most of us find ourselves becoming amateurs or semi-pros (weekend warriors). Unlike other blue collar jobs, musicians aren't always in demand or paid well. Few can eke out a living through music alone. For those fortunate to have done so, it isn't always the case of the best qualified getting the job. KISS probably aren't the first call you'd hire as studio musicians, unless their notoriety was a perk for sales. All of us are human and are playing music, so getting along, finding common ground, putting on the best show possible (where KISS may be the first ones you'd call), putting our differences aside (especially egos), and concentrating on the task at hand is the primary goal. How you treat your coworkers onstage is just like you would at any other job: with courtesy, respect and kindness. Now all of you, GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

Do you actually know anything about Hip Hop? I hate it when people make generalized comments about genres that they aren't into...

 

[edro]

I think it would be fun as hell...

JWilson's up-thread term "Skeet Shoot" is a killer analogy...

Granted, it is not for everybody, but can be fun playing stuff you may not know...

Nobody is there to well-chunk you, they're not gonna hang you during break, and it doesn't matter if you dick up.

They are gonna dick up too. Some are better than others covering the dog tish up too...

Think of it as blowing off steam from the boring grind of rigidity for some... A kind of freedom....

 

[Savage_Dreams]

Just call tunes at random. Country to jazz. No set list.

I’m not sure I got the concept here. Is your band playing or is it an open jam thing? And the audience is calling the tunes?

Am I intimidated by pros, no. But no pro is going to know every song ever written that could be called out. I wouldn’t play that way in front of anyone, regardless of who the audience is. Would I get up and improv jam with pros or in front of pros.... most definitely.

 

[Zooberwerx]

A true professional, irrespective of discipline, is always an educator.

Riis

 

[IamGroot]

I’m not sure I got the concept here. Is your band playing or is it an open jam thing? And the audience is calling the tunes?

Am I intimidated by pros, no. But no pro is going to know every song ever written that could be called out. I wouldn’t play that way in front of anyone, regardless of who the audience is. Would I get up and improv jam with pros or in front of pros.... most definitely.

Its neither a rehearsed band nor an improv jam. Its a guy with a gig who likes to shuffle the deck, so to speak. He's a singer/pianist and some of the other 4 musicians have played with him over the years at various gigs. The guitarist and bass player never played with him before and hopefully it didnt show.

A lot of times he didnt even call the song. He would give a piano intro tipping us off with the melody or the hook.

 

[foolforthecity]

I’ve been able to open for many of my music heroes and most of the rock and metal guys who made it in big bands out of my area like sevendust and seether. I’ve also played festivals that included everyone from American idol contestants to legends like BB king and the Time. I love playing shows like that. It tends to be when I’m at my best onstage. I play better under pressure and there’s no better compliment than one that comes from a musician you have a lot of respect for. Contrary to some people’s beliefs my experience is that most pro musicians are super cool and down to earth and when someone is full of themselves they tend to become the subject of everyone’s jokes for the night. But yeah my experience is you have to be a certain type of person to go on the road playing music traveling with other people and that weeds out most of the jerks. Especially now that there isn’t as much money in it. Original music has very much become a passion thing and many big stars have been humbled by not making big money anymore.

Mucho truth here. Those that show up on schedule, play solid (not necessarily flashy), create no ripples, require no special attention, and generally get on well with others will win out virtually every time.

 

[mwbassace]

Background: I played for 20 some-odd years, but other than a few parties, and jam sessions, always as a bedroom player.

When I started playing again about 4 years ago, it was to reduce stress, increase dexterity, improve memory and become more well-rounded as a human being.

As I reacquired my abilities and even improved upon previous capabilities, I felt the desire to play with other people. Eventually, I found a blues jam and started going there . . . Feeling out the dynamics, etc. Started playing a song or two at the end of the night, and getting more comfortable playing in front of folks.

Now, a couple of months later, I am a bit more comfortable. Although I'm unfamiliar with most of the songs they throw out at me, it's not YYZ.

I feel both appreciative and honored to have the opportunity to play with local professionals and, in some cases, legends. Being a harsh realist, I don't kid myself to think that I'm in their league, but I can hang with them in this context, for the most part, and learn more with each encounter.

Here's a gang of us a couple of weeks back, including some long-time local pros:
(Actually I DO know who Chuck Berry was, but I'd never heard nor played the song before)

Is that Jerry Northup (or "Toledo Jerry" as I guess y'all nicknamed him down there ) on guitar? If not I'll let him know I found his doppleganger near him lol. I know & jammed with Jerry before he moved down to Florida. Damn good player.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

I’m no pro, more of a mediocre amateur. I’m not intimidated by pros, I’m appreciative. If I found myself in a situation where I was invited to play with a bunch of pros I’d probably pass on it unless it was a jam or a party - not a serious gig.