That Jazz - Monkey Max Music and File Download

Chapter 16: So You Wanna Be in a Band: Fitting into a Jazz Ensemble
fellow musician, or by asking a club manager. If you can afford to record in a
professional studio, it can provide an engineer.
Sometimes the same person can serve as engineer and produce. In other
cases, one person or more can help you choose songs and critique your performances
(this can be a friend or fellow musician), while a technical person
handles the actual recording.
For more details about technology as it relates to jazz, check out Chapter 17.
Preparing Yourself and
Your Band to Perform
Giving your best onstage is a challenge similar to what Olympic athletes face
when, after months of training, they have to turn in their best performance in
competition. Many players have solid basic chops, but the special ones rise
to the concert occasion.
So what can you do to make sure that your best show comes out in front of
an audience? You need to practice, practice, practice. It’s not enough to just
make it through a tune. You should be able to play your part in your sleep.
Beginners sometimes have a hard time getting up in front of people and delivering
a stellar performance on demand. In a few of my experiences, there
were times that I choked horribly. Despite all the cool things I played alone in
my living room, the fear factor temporarily wiped my brain blank and rendered
my hands useless.
If you’re like me and suffer from performance anxiety, try these practical
ideas to overcome your fears:
� Practice relaxation exercises such as deep breathing and meditation.
It’s amazing how much difference it makes if you just close your eyes
and force yourself to take 15 or 20 slow deep breaths, all the way in
and out — the kind that feel like they fill you up with air right down
into your belly.
� Always open your set with the same song — one that you know and
play well. That way, you know you’re off to a strong start, smoothing the
way to good performances to follow.
� Write out your set list beforehand and go over it with your band. That
way everyone knows what’s expected.
� Scout the venue before you play it. Whether it’s a nightclub, an auditorium,
or someone’s living room, you can relieve a lot of performancenight
stress if you know how a room is configured and what your band
needs to do to set up and sound right.
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