Thursday, July 01, 2010

time to relax

Big plans tonight. We have decided to... just sit back and relax... maybe watch a movie and read a bit. It should be nice.

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Friends, last night I ran sound for a band, and one comment got under my skin and bugged me the whole night. One of the guys picked up a cabasa and started shaking it like a maraca. I was re-doing the keyboard setup, and heard this man say that all sound is music; it just depends on your interpretation. I guess I could take that kind of pseudo-philosophical drivel better if he was an accomplished musician, but that was not the case. I could not stay silent; I challenged his position and attempted to show him the folly of his argument.

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There is a sense in which a person can listen to leaves rustling in the wind, and consider it music. But when a musician is part of a band, it is important to work together with the rest of the members. Learn the harmony. Hit your notes. Make sure the sounds you make convey the meaning of the words... that's music.

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Doing your own thing is fine for a child playing in his or her house, but not for a mic'd musician on stage. I'll tell you this, if it was up to me to assemble the band, I certainly would not choose someone who thinks like this quirky cabasa guy.

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As you can probably tell, I'm still wound up about this. I could sure use a break.

10 comments:

EG CameraGirl said...

Oh, dear! I hope you didn't make the guy too angry...even though we both know you were absolutely correct. :)

imac said...

Sounds like the spring - just sprung.lol.
Did you get your thoughts thru to him ??

Craver Vii said...

EG, if he cared, he didn't show it. I don't mind if a person is not gifted to deliver excellence, but when they don't even try, it lets down the whole team.

Imac, I think it will take a while to get through, and it would be helpful if there were a few more passionate voices striving to do the best with what we have.

I don't care at all about what people sound like in the audience. But when a person takes the microphone, they better have done their homework.

Gaelyn said...

Hope you're feeling better after this vent. Very frustrating when someone can't keep the beat. Sounds like you'll have a chance to chill this evening.

Carletta said...

This brings to mind for me those wonderful people whose music I enjoyed for years but no longer can hold the notes they once did. I cringe.
As it is late at the time of this visit I hope you have enjoyed a relaxing and quiet evening. :)

Chris said...

Hope you got to relax as planned ;-) here a storm is now coming so we are not that relaxed even if it is only the forecast for the south of the country.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Oh how I wish I could sit back and relax!! Well, maybe in a few months time. :) Oh, I lied!! I relax every morning in the bath for about 10 minutes, does that count? LOL!!

mommanator said...

Hey buddy RELAX, at least you ahve sound! At my mother in laws memorial service at the church we couldnt get any sound hooked up! That was interesting to say the least. We had to do the service the ole way without mics! and the slide show! that my niece worked on for hours had no musice to it! Although we did get to see it. Anthing that could wenty wrong thta day! OWELL its all memories now!

Craver Vii said...

Thanks Gaelyn. To be honest, today I am distracted by a physical malady. :-(

I can tolerate the loss of a gift much easier than the lack of passion. Carletta, it is apathy and lack of commitment that drive me batty.

Be careful out there, Chris. How is your precious new son?

Joan, relaxing at bath time works best with bubbles and a rubber duckie. Ten minutes? That's hardly enough time to prune.

Wow Mommanator, I'm sorry to hear that things went so badly at the memorial service. I hope the time of fellowship was good.

lime said...

i hope that delicious scene yo usnapped soothed your soul since the "music" is what riled it.