Re: [Harp-L] Musicians' etiquette



Hi Guy,

I appreciate the fact that you didn't "Guss" the band by sitting on the bar stool playing as loud as possible like your friend described. As a working musician who plays several instruments in addition to Harmonica I'll make a few general observations.

1. It depends on the gig: Bands playing in a venue where the management is OK with "guest" musicians getting up for a few numbers are a far cry from a performance at a major festival or state fair. Some club owners frown upon guest musicians for the simple reason that if I let one person "sit-in" a whole crowd may appear out of nowhere waiting their turn. Suddenly it's bad Karaoke with a live band night at the bar instead of a quality musical performance.We actually had a fellow harp player "guss" the band by playing blues licks right in front of the stage during a bluegrass festival for a whole set and then get pissed off because he wasn't invited onto the stage to play inappropriate solos with the band.

2. If you feel like you would be a good fit with a group, it's OK to ask during a break if they ever let guest musicians up on stage. Don't be hurt if they say "no". Some groups have strict policies due to past issues. example: The band lets someone up on stage one time and they turn into "stalkers" following the band to every gig they play for the next ten years!

3. Less is More! Use your ears as your primary instrument. Play stuff that fits with the song and stay well within your ability level. You are more likely to get invited up again if you error on the side of playing too little.

I must say that it seems to be a singular peculiarity of harmonica players to drag our instruments from club to club hoping that a band might let us onto the stage for a song or two. (When was the last time you saw an oboe player drag their instrument to an orchestral performance, "just in case"?) Even when I'm good friends with all the band members, my harps stay in the car until I'm invited to play along. I also make a habit of not being conveniently available to play every time I show up someplace. It's a real treat to be on the audience side of the stage once in a while and I often let the band know that I came to enjoy them, not join them.

Most communities have jam sessions featuring different musical genres. Open mics, harmonica clubs, churches, and impromptu sessions with other musicians at festivals are always a good source of places to get a musical fix.

--
Best Regards,
Dennis M. Cooper
http://www.dennis-cooper.com
http://HarmonicaBootCamp.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/crossharp
http://www.ubl.com/denniscooperharmonica

"Practice hard, play well, and entertain the audience"





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