The Sunday Musician

Okay, so the first step toward finding ‘moments’ is to be comfortable and at ease with the material. The second thing you need is a good monitor mix. Great ensemble playing—which is what gives birth to these moments—depends on hearing each other. And not just hearing each other, but hearing a comfortable balance.

When I was music directing, we had a sound guy who also played trumpet. He’d occasionally sit in when I put horns onstage, and one day he said, “I don’t see what the big deal is with everyone needing their monitor mix ‘just right’. Why can’t they just play their parts, and trust that it will add up to the right thing?”

After I took him out back and beat him senseless, I explained that combo musicians (an outdated, but accurate term) are not playing exact parts. They’re playing within the boundaries of the harmony and rhythm (one hopes) laid out in the chart, but beyond that they’re making it up. They’re ‘playing off’ each other all the time, moment by moment, listening, adjusting, deciding what to play next. In order to do that, they need hear each other accurately. In short, when it ‘feels’ right, musicians play better as an ensemble. When they play better as an ensemble, they’re far more apt to find ‘moments’.

So make sure you can hear yourselves. And while I’m at it, make sure you can see each other. Eye contact is critical. Which leads me to the next condition: listen and watch the other players!

Seriously—pay attention.

You’re playing music you feel good about, music that’s easy enough that you can relax, and the sound is good—you can hear everybody. Now start listening and watching, and in a particular way:

Ask yourself how it all feels. Step back, outside your instrument (this is why you need to be comfortable with the music) and see if the song, and everyone playing it, feels right. Does it need anything? Does the singer look like she’s gonna really belt it out on the chorus, like she’s winding up to really let it out? Be ready to support that. Does the drummer have some really great little rhythm he’s laying down? See if you can pick it up. Is the guitar player doing some great little line? Play it with him. Has the song gone on too long at exactly the same volume/energy level? Lay out on the next verse, and catch someone’s eye to let them know you’re doing it.

The song is nothing more than what you’re making it right now, as you play it. Forget how it’s supposed to go, and play it how it needs to go.

This is getting long, so I’ll pick it up tomorrow or Monday. Hope this stuff helps!