It's time to continue our journey down the 8 Steps to Improving your Musicianship with step 5: You can’t change something that has already happened. Don’t let it stop you. This step is all about how we react to the much feared, and ever present... MISTAKES! I spend a lot of time with all of you talking about your mistakes, and for good reason - we all make them! I've mentioned to many of my students that I've never played a song perfectly, and the looks that I get usually suggest that you don't believe me. However, it is very true. The difference between the mistakes that I make and the mistakes you make are in how much importance I give them. Almost zero. They're but a minor speed bump on the journey from the start of the song to the end, particularly when there's no consequences at stake.
When I was playing with my band, the most fun we had was when things started to go a little wrong. One of us would hit a wrong note, or sing a wrong line, and each time it happened, our reaction was the same - we'd laugh! I don't know why it was so funny each time, but it's a reaction that suits the audience as well. We all want the show to go on, which is why it's so very, very rare to hear someone stop in the middle of a song and start again when they're a paid performer. Mistakes aren't all-or-nothing when it comes to your performance, they'll be forever lingering around the corner ready to strike. How you respond is up to you. Things I've been watching/listening to this week:
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