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Gigging Archives - Page 14

Essential Terms and Concepts for Playing Blues
Blues Bass

Essential Terms and Concepts for Playing Blues

In case you missed it, check out part 1 of this series. Since blues is an ideal genre for jamming and improvising, your knowledge of certain terms and feels can dramatically boost your value as a player. Whether you’re doing a blues gig, going to blues jam at a local club, or getting together with other musician friends to play...

How To Be a Great Blues Bass Player (Part 1)
Blues Bass

How To Be a Great Blues Bass Player (Part 1)

Ok, I admit it; I’m not the person that you think of when you envision a “blues bass player.” I’m exactly five feet and one quarter of an inch tall, I’m a 24-year-old girl from a suburban neighborhood in Philadelphia, and, as many people point out, the bass is bigger than I am. I don’t know whether it was the...

Grace Under Pressure
Ask Damian Erskine

Grace Under Pressure

This week’s column is inspired by a conversation I had with someone on a recent tour. Everyone in this story will remain nameless, so as not to get anyone into trouble. The “someone” is one of the best guitarists I’ve known, and he’s a stand up guy. He’s played with just about everyone who you can imagine over the past...

Rockin’ Your Stage Sound: A Musician’s Guide to Professional Live Audio
News

Rockin’ Your Stage Sound: A Musician’s Guide to Professional Live Audio

Hal Leonard’s latest book in their Music Pro Guides series is Rockin’ Your Stage Sound: A Musician’s Guide to Professional Live Audio, a step-by-step guide to improving your stage sound. The book, penned by professional live-sound engineer Rob Gainey, features over 170 stage tips, including 100 tops from players in nationally recognized acts. Topics including microphones and miking technique, monitor...

Playing by Ear (and Self-Evaluation)
Ask Damian Erskine

Playing by Ear (and Self-Evaluation)

Q: I have been playing bass for about 12 years now, and over the last 5 years, I have been practicing more and more. I’m definitely seeing progress in the areas of practive, but sometimes I feel there are holes in my playing. For example, I get very nervous when I´m in a situation where I need to play by...

Rants and Doodles
Ask Damian Erskine

Rants and Doodles

So, I had a night off and decided to go see some music at a local club here in Portland, Oregon. It was early in the night when I was faced with one of my biggest musical pet peeves: noodling on stage before your set. In short: please, don’t do it! This was a friend’s pop band and although they...

Ready, Set… What To Play?
Ask Damian Erskine

Ready, Set… What To Play?

Q: When I’m in jam situations and someone asks me to “kick it off” or start something, I just freeze and draw a blank. How do you know what to play? A: This is something we’ve all dealt with at some point. The problem is all in our minds. Our analytical and critical minds see the myriad of possibilities and...

Doing the Best You Can
Ask Damian Erskine

Doing the Best You Can

Q: I tend to get very nervous before any live performance. How do you deal with performance anxiety? A: Everyone, at some point in their development, gets nervous before a gig or feels inadequate to the task at hand. It’s natural. The best thing you can do is over prepare! Still, the nerves are there. What do you do? This...

When the Song Plays Itself
Ask Damian Erskine

When the Song Plays Itself

I just got back from a week spent in a recording studio in Northern California, a singer-songwriter session with Alice DiMicele. The band was absolutely smoking and we tracked 16 tunes in four days (complete with horns). The band included some guys who have been around the block quite a few times and have recorded and played with just about...

Beyond the Weekend Warrior
Ask Damian Erskine

Beyond the Weekend Warrior

Q: I wanted to know if you have any advice for players like me who still work a full time 9-5 but want to eventually move to playing professionally. My goal is to session/sideman and teach, but opportunities are harder to come by and I’m having trouble getting my foot in the door. A: Man, it’s a tough biz! A...

Ask Damian Erskine: Working with Tricky Drummers
Ask Damian Erskine

Ask Damian Erskine: Working with Tricky Drummers

Q: I was wondering how you play with jazz drummers who seem intent on messing everyone up with syncopation. I’ve seen and played with drummers who will start a polyrhythm and repeat it for two measures to set up a downbeat, and they expect me to come in on time? I want to be able to have fun and interact...

Ask Damian Erskine: Confidence
Ask Damian Erskine

Ask Damian Erskine: Confidence

Q: I’m a newbie and a beginner bassist from Bangladesh. I’m playing (or you can say I’m practicing) with a progressive/metal core rock band. I’m happy with the band, as they are all my friends. But the band leader says I’m not ready to perform on a gig, and that I’m the weakest one, although my bandmates disagree. I’m pretty...