strat0124 Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 I know you guys have been there, club is packed, sound is right on, nice acoustics, cool staff, and somehow your amp sounds better than it ever has....in fact it's roaring. The crowd makes a difference to me, I seem to lean into it a bit more, the old swaggering alley cat in a groove thang. Also if my "tone" is happening, it really makes me play better. Somehow hearing your amp translate what you REALLY want to hear makes a huge difference. We also have those "we can do no wrong" nights where the band is tighter than George Bush's hand on his coke spoon, and the room is downright electric. Makes everybody smile, and you just want to play, don't want to stop. Nothing like hooting and hollering from the audience, and having the "fans" come by to tell you how much they enjoyed your playing. True story: An old girlfriend stopped by a gig, I was unaware she was coming, but when she smiled at me from her table, those memories sparked some sexual energy/tension that made me play with incredible passion, moreso than normal. It was highly obvious. She later said she knew I was playing for her. The flirt! Ha Ha!!!!! I have WAY too much fun. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 That's what it's all about. I know a good crowd makes me play better, or at least I think I'm playing better, because I'm not worried about screwing up so much as if they're sitting there analyzing everything I'm doing. But, I think just playing live makes you play better in general. Doing more solos. I'm in a situation where I really played about NO solos for several years...mainly chording an acoustic. My solos really suffered (and if you've heard me play, you'll know I AIN'T got a lot of room to work with in the first place). But, it's getting better. A little better all the time (it can't get much worse)... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted May 15, 2001 Author Share Posted May 15, 2001 Another thing that has helped me tremendously has been being in a band where I am the sole guitarist. We are a three peice with a singer....and I have alot of ground to cover. Playing live does hone my skills.... playing night after night, breathing new life into those same songs....it really is awesome, when you toe the line....I like it right there on the razor's edge. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 Drugs Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 Originally posted by gtrmac@hotmail.com: Drugs No, that just makes you THINK you play better. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I actually find that my playing is more influenced by my band than by the crowd. When the rest of the band is real tight and energetic, my playing is extra inspired. Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted May 15, 2001 Author Share Posted May 15, 2001 gtrmac.....if you'd said that twenty years ago....I'd have agreed. But for me, these days I could hardly tune if I were in that frame of mind.....hey I don't even drink at shows anymore. Besides, I imagine the audience in those days were more "spiked" than I was back then....so it really was an audience participation thing! Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 Well you knew I would say this but... A GREAT DRUMMER!!!!! If the drummer's on, I'm on. If he ain't, forget it. Nuff said! --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greed2000 Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 One guy mentioned his playing was better because he was the sole guitarist. I recently put together a band with another guitarist of comparable experience, passion and skill. We really feed off of each other. We have both been in bands where we existed in someone's shadow. Now we both share the spotlight. We do a lot of dual lead stuff that is just awesome. It's really fun because we compete not to outshine each other, but to make the band tighter. Our rhthym work is fantastic, along with being able to do some great "question & answer" type leads. We're not super technical, but we play with passion. Our new singer told us the other day that while he has played with more technically proficient guitarists, he has never played with a better pair of guitarists...quite a compliment from a 25 year veteran of the music biz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 All of the above. Well, except maybe the drugs (and I include alcohol) thing. Nothing wrong with just a tad bit of help to loosen up...but it's a fine line. I cross it and I suck even more than usual. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanner Posted May 15, 2001 Share Posted May 15, 2001 well bein a solo guitar act i have to agree that the mood of the band members does influence the playing! AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 I think all guitar players like to be the sole guitarist now and again but I am constantly amazed at how cooler it is to play with another (good) guitarist. Oh and a bit of weed or a couple of beers can help you to play great but certainly not every show. I think it depends on how anal retentive you are http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emile Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 Originally posted by Lee Flier: Well you knew I would say this but... A GREAT DRUMMER!!!!! If the drummer's on, I'm on. If he ain't, forget it. Nuff said! --Lee I was gonna say that. A great drummer that LISTENS, then all of a sudden we're feeding each other and I don't feel like I'm playing on top of him but with him. That's when the music happens. Same goes for all instrument but since the drummer's the rythm gate keeper I just dig interlocking with him picking up on each others idea and complementing. The notes almost become an after thought. Aaaaah can't wait for a next gig. Emile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 I gotta go with the crowd angle too. But with a twist. We've recorded alot of our shows(just on a cassette deck out of the board) and other than random mistakes I wouldn't be able to tell a show with 100 people in the audience or 1500(other than the crowd noise on the tape). Some shows are technically better han others, but it seems kind of random. To me the difference is my perception of the energy level of the show. When the hall is full and everyone is in to it, it's like the whole building is preparing for takeoff!!!! VERY COOL... Now that's a Contact High that won't make you fail a drug test!!! So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 A good hair day. Naked women dancing in front of me. Seriously - a couple of nights of clear headed rest before the gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile Posted May 16, 2001 Share Posted May 16, 2001 Both the crowd and bend are helping me play better. If the crowd is not happening, we're not happening. Once, we played on night of the living dead. Nobody moved muscle. And I couldn't get the right sound out of my equipment (though it's set always the same). If the drummer and bass guitar player are not grooving, the song won't come to life. If it sounds god, just play the darn thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted May 16, 2001 Author Share Posted May 16, 2001 We have a saying in our band "rather play for $50.00 to a crowd of 200, than make $200.00 playing to a crowd of fifty". The audience is very important, however there are exceptions. We've played where the crowd was more interested in social time and finding the next contestant on the orgasm show, so we just kept working and working, playing our asses off, really clicking. We call it a paid rehearsal. It happens. If you are a working band you're gonna have those nights. Something to do with the alignment of the stars or moon or something or another. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricknbokker Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Five bottles of beer. Trust me, I've been doing this a long time. A hot crowd. Always works, naked or not. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 As a bored college undergrad, I would find myself along with 300 or so other students in these massive lecture halls listening to some professor drone on and on about macroeconomics or something... and I would spend my time seeing if I could influence people to move by simply staring at them from behind... You know the feeling... someone's LOOKING AT YOU... Kinda uncomfortable... After a while the "victim" would start to squirm in their seat, scratch the back of their neck and eventually look around to see who it was... Well... although I can't prove that we all "project our aura" through our eyes or whatever... I know that when we're onstage, and there's enough eyes focused on us, the band responds... It's not the same if the room's full but the crowd is not paying attention, and it doesn't seem to matter if they are overly enthusiastic or not... just the eye contact seems to send some kind of energy from them to us... I know if they're looking... we tend to play more inspired, if not "better". Anyone else feel the same thing? guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 As a bored college undergrad, I would find myself along with 300 or so other students in these massive lecture halls listening to some professor drone on and on about macroeconomics or something... and I would spend my time seeing if I could influence people to move by simply staring at them from behind... heh, I thought I was the only one who did this http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif...back when I used to go to Church (a long time ago) I did this all the time. When I go see a band play I purposely send energy to the band, I can't prove it works but I enjoy the show more 'thinking' I might be helping the jam in some way. This message has been edited by Steve LeBlanc on 05-16-2001 at 06:00 PM http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockwirk Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 I try not to let the audience decide how I feel about the music I'm playing. Sure, it's a bonus when they're into it. You feed off of them, they feed off you...etc.. But I'm determined to get in touch with what the music's doing and making me feel regardless of whether the audience is jumping up and down or staring at me from behind half closed eyelids. I've played places where the audience seemed to be into it and I was totally bored. I've also played places where nobody seemed to be paying attention to what we were doing, but there was magic on stage and we were having an unbelievable moment together as a band making music. Unity and communication within the band makes for a great performance from me. If we all know where we're coming from and what we're trying to say, and we feel totally supported by each other, the audience can walk out the door and I won't care. I've had some of my most moving musical moments in practice, with just the band there to appreciate it. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I love it when the audience is into it, but for me, it's icing on the cake, not an end to itself. ~clockwirk~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Funny about sending energy by staring at somebody: If you guys want a seriously INTENSE musical/emotional experience, and you're in a band with some people you really dig, try this: at rehearsal, pick a band member and the two of you agree to stare straight at each other the whole time you're playing. I mean it's OK to look at your guitar once in awhile if you have to see the fretboard or something. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif But the rest of the time, you have to look at each other. Do that for like a half hour or an hour and then trade off and match up with a different bandmate. If you've really got some balls after you've tried it a few times, try it at a recording session if you're tracking live together. It is INTENSE and you will be amazed at how much you learn about what your bandmates do, and how much better you listen to each other after having done that. Some people will freak out over the idea though! --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Yeah, I've been there Lee, especially when singing two part harmonies. You're definitely right about looking into eyes. I find that a clear mind is essential for a good performance. You have to play, NOT think about playing! You do your thinking and analyzing while you're practicing, but when you play, focus wordlessly on playing and being a conduit for whatever is inside you. For me, the number of clams I make is directly proportional to the amount of thought that's going on in my head while I play. IMO, performance technique is like driving. You learn it to forget it. While you're learning, you have to think about what you're doing. But once you've learned, you do it without thinking. That's when you concentrate on expression, and people pick right up on it 'cause they have fire in their guts too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosespappy Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 I just started playing in a band again.First time in 15 years. Low man on the totem pole.It's fun enough, but gotta think I must be a control freak or somethin'. A solo gig, when I'm well prepared,with a gutfull of passion.... always make a point to have a new tune with unfinished lyrics to fit in at the end of the night.Kind of a Your why I'm here kinda thing. Bizarre but true, I can tell if they buy frozen fish from the local IGA or just walked out of the GrainTrain! It's fun to fit a crowd,I love it when it happens. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Originally posted by guitplayer: and I would spend my time seeing if I could influence people to move by simply staring at them from behind... Definitely. I think .... if you're in the Zone, your mind is functioning at a higher capability that allows for certain "mysterious" things to happen. It's very, VERY empowering, I felt it tonight. You see someone in the crowd, but you DON'T stare or indicate otherwise that you're picking them out. But - you can feel when you know something you play is going to get them. The longer you play, the more this effect seems tangible.... There's a gig I used to do that lasted basically 6 hours. About halfway in it's almost like mind control. You see a group come in; I *know* I can make them tip. It's probably nothing supernatural, or a quantum entanglement thing, or some such... Instead, it's *probably* the part of your mind responsible for parallel analysis being turned on full, because you're in Fully Connected Music Mode. You notice a subtlety in body language connected to what you're doing. You don't register it consciously, but your subsconcious saves it as another piece of sensory input: playing this inflection against that chord that way at that time invokes this response.... while I'm in that state, it's like dreaming: no sharp focused thought, just impressions. You call upon your musician reflexes to play The Right Thing, and your mind responds based on criteria: this is what you expect the outcome of the Next Musical Moment to be. If it's to make the drunk that has been falling asleep over in the corner hoot, that's no different than if you want to invoke a certain type of feel - to the subsconscious animal mind. It's a really good thing if it means getting women to dance in front of the band.... As far as people staring in a crowd: a herd of humans has a very limited set of possible "acceptable" behaviors in the limited parameters of "an audience". It's how those comedy-club hypnotists work. Within the confines of that audience you put certain stimuli in you get a certain response. Skirt around it and weird things happen: that's how they "hypnotize" people, by forcing them outside the edge of the accepted parameters. If you look over at one half of the crowd, your brain instantly registers an amount of who is paying attention, who is pretending to pay attention, who isn't, what they're probably looking at, what direction they're probably going to look at, etc... cued from their posture and facial expression. A herd of humans in an audience is a very "flat" set. In this case, there's probably subtle cues that creates stimuli that will cause a certain outcome. Just like a flock of birds, or fish, where suddenly the whole lot of them switches direction - there are moments when if one person on one side of the room suddenly changes his posture, a person on the other side will respond likewise. So, your mind is constantly making note of this stuff, and you probably have a great understanding of human nature in that sense of awareness - but you don't perceive it that way - consciously. It all hinges on being able to Fold Space. I love that feeling, total selfish empowerment: you can play anything anyway you want, and you don't have to consider technique, theory, nothing - it's there. I *love* that, and it *always* affects someone in a crowd. I think it's the brain turned on "full", optimized for what's going on to the hilt - the way it should be. The mind in that state has not been studied at all; it's a literal human Heisenbergian connundrum: you can't study it without it going away. I knew tonight it was going to be there, because I didn't have any hassles setting up my rig, it sounded great, no one else had any technical problems, everyone else was playing good. Opens the door right up. Playing with bad A/C power, bad strings, someone in the band is off, the p.a. is screwed, etc... you can't call on it, it has to happen. It's harder then, but you have to realize it *will* happen, which makes it easy. Then it's like having telepathy. .. and it's *fun*, fun fun! Regardless - it would be really neat to see an integrated CAT scan/MRI in this state, but it can't happen. If it *did*, I think we'd have a much greater understanding of human potential. It would be a dangerous thing though, if they figured out how to synthesize a concoction to put the mind into that state. ------------------ New and Improved Music Soon: ]www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 What makes me respond is a crowd that's paying attention and applauds after the tunes are over. I'd rather play to 25 people who are 'into it' than a huge crowd that's just talking and milling about and ignoring us. I've done a bunch of overseas shows for the military and they are the best. As far as the drug thing goes, a few beers seems to make me relax a bit and helps my singing. The pot thing is bad because of 'state dependant learning.' If you rehearse 'high' then you'll always need it to play just to remember your parts. And look out if you can't score before the big gig cos you're gonna suck. That's why I've avoided it for years. It is quite good for writing tho... -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Lee said: >>>If you guys want a seriously INTENSE musical/emotional experience, and you're in a band with some people you really dig, try this: at rehearsal, pick a band member and the two of you agree to stare straight at each other the whole time you're playing. I mean it's OK to look at your guitar once in awhile if you have to see the fretboard or something. But the rest of the time, you have to look at each other. Do that for like a half hour or an hour and then trade off and match up with a different bandmate. That's like way too heavy for me...do folks in your band fall in love or fight with each other a lot? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif After that...you'd have half the band either kissing each other passionately or kicking each other's ass...possibly gender dependent. Or maybe kicking each other's ass while kissing each other... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 LOL Ted... actually you usually end up cracking up laughing! There's no law that says you can't crack a smile or anything. And yes, the falling in love with band members thing HAS happened once or twice... but not on account of doing that particular exercise. I think it's just inevitable, given the way I generally feel about drummers, and given the fact that the drummer is staring at my ass all night anyway. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted May 17, 2001 Author Share Posted May 17, 2001 Wow...Lee that brings up another HOT topic: Romance among bandmates......happened to me once as well. Right now I'm collaborating with someone who I am attracted to. I am trying to remain totally focused and objective, so far so good. A previous experience made me really aware of these things. It didn't end well, and of course once bitten, twice shy. I can imagine the drummer in your band ain't bitchin!!!!! I wouldn't be! Our band is all male so I don't have those distractions.....although we have thought of dressing up Big Al......to get more gigs! Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 17, 2001 Share Posted May 17, 2001 Well... whether romance among bandmates works depends totally on the two individuals. They BOTH have to be pretty mature people and if one or both of them isn't, it's a problem. I will own up to the fact that it's an ideal of mine. That is, I'd love to be married to someone I worked with. Even though my past experiences didn't work out in the long run, for reasons really having nothing to do with our working together, I have really great memories of them for the most part. I have tried to date guys who weren't musicians and there just seems to be too much missing in our daily interaction, even if we have a lot of other stuff in common. It makes life so much fun to work on songs or plan your next gig with your partner. Or just jam together - lots of fond memories here of being on the road and lolling around the hotel in our underwear whaling away on unplugged guitars. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Plus it solves the age-old musician's curse, being on the road or in the studio all the time and having to be away from your family, seeking solace with psycho groupies, etc. So the bottom line is it COULD be really cool. There are a lot of potential benefits to being together with a bandmate. But... most people can't handle it. That's too bad! --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosespappy Posted May 18, 2001 Share Posted May 18, 2001 LOL Lee! I have never lolled around the hotel room with any of my band members in our underwear. Could be a prude but, more likely straight. rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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