Success Beyond The Score

Today, I want to tell you about an experience that one of my sax students lived recently, and what there is to learn from it.

My student posted a video of herself playing that got shared to many people. One person from those she reached liked what they saw, and contacted her to book her for an event. It sounded great, until it was revealed that the gig was in only two weeks.

Panic ensued. She did not know what to do. On one hand, she did not want to pass on the opportunity to play in public, even if for free. On the other, she did not feel ready. After consulting with family members and with myself as her teacher, she decided to go for it, playing a song she already knows well, and one she was working on. She did her best, and while she received no complaints, she ended up feeling overwhelmed and a tad regretful. She told me that she wished she could have an entire year to properly prepare. I can understand, I have been there!

Last minute gigs can open many doors, but they can also ...

One of the things that I learned in the early stages of my music career is the importance of having a sound check.

In the early stages, I would turn in at the start time of the event with my instrument, put it together while I was in my seat, go on stage when my name was called, and play. This made it so I didn't normally get the sound experience I hoped. Fast forward to today, when I arrive 90 to 60 minutes before the starting time of the performance, depending on whether I’m bringing my own PA. I make sure that my sax mic is working, that my setup is correct and that my tracks work. Then, I walk around the stage in order to identify any zones where the signal of the radio mic may drop or stutter, or where feedback could be generated.

This is how I can guarantee a good sound and therefore a good experience for my audience. To illustrate, here is a little clip of me doing a sound check before playing Kingston Town at an event this summer:

There's a saying in Germany that translates to something like, "there is no bad weather, only wrong clothing". If you are a gigging musician willing to perform outdoors, you better remember this bit of wisdom!

A few months ago, I was booked to play at a women's conference. I was directed to the garden of the building, so attendants could listen to my music while enjoying some fresh air. Now, you must know that I keep my receiver, microphone and other equipment in a hard case that protects it from collisions and the weather. Once I set up, though, my PA system is as exposed to the elements as I am. That day, once we were done and had all the equipment out, it started to drizzle. Of course, panic ensued! You just can't allow electric devices to get rained over, unless they are made waterproof (and even so, it's better not to risk it).

It was stressful, but fortunately, the light rain passed, and at the end, I could perform. Soon after, I started looking into acquiring some specialised ...

Here is the transcription of episode 3 of season 3 of the podcast "Success Beyond The Score". Happy reading!

- Watch the video of the episode here: YouTube

- Listen to the audio of the episode here: Kajabi

PODCAST INTRO:

It's kind of a strange title, really: "killed by sound". But in my experience going through music and watching other people, the sound system, the PA (public address) system, microphone, stuff like that, really gets in the way of our playing. And let's face it, you put in a lot of time practising. You learn the notes, you learn the chords, you learn the rhythm, you learn what you're gonna say, all that kind of thing. And then, it's just time to go and deliver. And when it's time to deliver, what lets you down is a PA system. 

EARLY EXPERIENCES:

Well, my experience —oh gosh, going back a few years— I sort of started playing, um, certainly for my sax, I was in my late teens, early twenties when I started. And that's sort of back in the eighties. And what I did ...