Hi guys and gals,<\/p>\n
I will be filming Video Tab Volumes 3 and 4 this weekend. Volume 3 will concentrate on Intros and Volume 4 will concentrate on Fills.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m selling the Video Tab series at $39.99 each on my website but I\u2019m selling them to my mailing list members at $29.99 each so watch the next newsletter for the link. I don\u2019t want to take orders too far in advance of the videos being ready to ship but now that I\u2019ve invested in duplicating equipment, I can create them as needed. This is much better than the situation before when I had to order several thousand dollars worth of product and hope that I\u2019d get enough orders to cover my costs and not so many that I\u2019d run out of product.<\/p>\n
This weeks tip is in response to an email I got from my buddy Stu Peters up on Ontario, Canada. First of all, here\u2019s what Stu wrote me \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cSay I really enjoy reading your tips on Steel Guitar, great material. Up here in Ontario in my area there isn’t many places left to play anymore. The clubs are watched by police so it has scared a lot of patrons off from attending and also musicians as well so people that have the room have created what you call small Jamborees where they have open stage … you’ve heard of that I am sure, now, to play much now it is either go and play for nothing to keep in practice or just sit home and let dust settle in. A lot of people write their own material so you are kind of lost backing them up \u2026 what would be a good approach to working with these\u00a0type of song writers\u00a0in order to not feel your lost all the time? You probably never hear the song again. \u00a0Have you ever had the feeling that if they are not very good that they drag you right down to their level of playing??? How do you recover in order to make the best of the situations???? Is the answer to stay away or keep steelin?????<\/p>\n
Thanks for all the wonderful tips ….I wished you were closer to my area, I would sure enjoy going out to see you play …..Stu Peters …..Ontario Canada\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Thanks for the email Stu. Now here\u2019s the way I feel about it \u2026<\/p>\n
Definitely keep steelin\u2019. The new singers and writers that are writing their own material that you will only play one time \u2026 you don\u2019t really need to worry about it that much because you\u2019re only playing it one time, however, it is the responsibility of the singer to furnish a chord chart written out in numbers or letters in the correct key to all musicians that will be backing them up. Again, it is their responsibility if they expect quality backup to do one of three things \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026 letter charts<\/p>\n
\u2026 number charts<\/p>\n
\u2026 or rehearsal (preferably paid rehearsal)<\/p>\n
It is very inconsiderate for a singer or songwriter to just assume the band can get by just following them.<\/p>\n
When it comes to working with musicians that are nowhere as good as you are \u2026 and we all know we have been in these situations \u2026 NO, you cannot play anywhere near your peak abilities when working with a band where at every chord change, every member goes to a different chord and everybody is playing a totally different volume than what they should be, or everyone is preoccupied trying to impress their family members or picking up one of the waitresses working in the club etc. Is this situation uncommon? No. It seems like most players and bands are more interested in the perks of the job than they are in doing a good job. The best you\u2019re going to be able to play is when the band itself is doing a great job \u2026 when everybody is trying to play as a team and not a bunch of individuals on the stage. It\u2019s hard to play any better than the musicians around you. It may even be said that a band is no stronger than it\u2019s weakest member.<\/p>\n
Sometimes when I get into these situations \u2026 as we all do \u2026 I do what I\u2019ve seen Buddy Emmons do \u2026 don\u2019t fight it. Don\u2019t play twice as loud trying to guide everybody through \u2026 it doesn\u2019t work. I\u2019ve seen Buddy just take a deep breath, lean back on his pack-a-seat, fold his arms, look at the rest of the band and just smile. There\u2019s no way you can teach them on the bandstand. With the band going in different directions all around you, when you do play, just concentrate real hard, don\u2019t follow anybody, but do play the song correctly the way you would if the band were perfect.<\/p>\n
Your buddy,<\/p>\n
Bobbe<\/p>\n
P.S. For anybody within driving distance, I\u2019ll be performing at the Eagles Lodge in Columbia, IN. on July 27th<\/sup> at 2:00 P.M. and you can email me for directions. Tickets are $7. at the door.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi guys and gals, I will be filming Video Tab Volumes 3 and 4 this weekend. Volume 3 will concentrate on Intros and Volume 4 will concentrate on Fills. I\u2019m selling the Video Tab series at $39.99 each on my … Continue reading