Tag: Chicago Piano lessons

  • All at once

    The world of musicians is sometimes similar to the one of people with 9 to 5 jobs. There are some instances where it crosses path. And not because the politicians decided it, but because of fate. Yes, fate, absolutely. Bam! I’m going strong. Follow me. This way, please. Mind your steps. My daughter, this week,…

  • Don’t let the crowd get to you. Part 3.

    Once you have rehearsed and prepared your performance, you’re just about ready to go on stage. Just about. Because there is something else that needs to be addressed: don’t let the crowd get to you. Yes, we are finally coming to the title of this series of blogs. Let’s look at the wrong script. You…

  • Don’t let the crowd get to you. Part 2

    Once you have chosen what your direction will be, what you want (hope) the audience will get from your performance, it is time to prepare. That’s where the discipline comes in. And the creativity. Because, no two ways about it, playing music is a handicap. You have to use an instrument to entertain crowd. Yes,…

  • Don’t let the crowd get to you. Part 1

    The power of a performer can be a deadly thing… for the performer. He or she can get carried away, and destroy the show he had spent so much time putting together. But, before he steps on stage, a performer has to ask himself this question: what is a party? No escaping that. We need…

  • Burn out

    Being a musician is the most beautiful job in the world! Can you imagine being able to make a living at exactly what you love doing? What a thrill! A lot of people trapped in a 9 to 5 day job dream of being musicians.  And yet, so many musicians do not enjoy their craft…

  • Warming up

    That’s it! The day is here. The long awaited day when you can perform in front of people what you have prepared. The instruments are set up on stage, the audience is slowly pouring into the room and the time is clicking.  You, you have practiced. You know your stuff inside and out. You are…

  • Humble like a pro

    How do they do it? You hear them on recordings, you see them on TV, you search them on YouTube. Those guys play the drums in all sorts of bands, all sorts of styles, all sorts of situation. They manage to execute incredible feats of speed or technique. And they never make a mistake. never.…

  • Polished up basics

    Playing the drum set is usually done with a pair of sticks. You have the pieces of wood in your hands, you strike the surface, you get a sound. The principle seems simple enough. It is not. Nobody has the same strength, the same touch, the same personality and, of course, the same training. When…

  • Dealing with performance anxiety

    Concerts are nerve racking. So much preparation goes into a rock concert, so much is expected to go well, so much shame can overwhelm the player if he messes up. More often than not, the performers get butterflies in their stomach, they feel sick, some of them even puke before stepping on stage. Also, sadly,…

  • Keeping it real

    I often wondered, when I was a young man going to concert, what it took for the huge bands I saw to get the crowd going. Everything seemed magic: the music was great, the performance was energetic, the sound was impeccable and the crowd, oh Man! the crowd was with them heart and soul. We…