Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Full Version)

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Ron.M -> Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 21 2006 20:39:27)

There was this half hour programme on the radio today about David Gilmour (of Pink Floyd) where he was talking about his life and current work.
The interviewer mentioned that after all the ex band member's legal acrimony that everybody was totally amazed that Bob Geldof actually managed to get the band together to play for the Live Aid concert.
The interviewer (obviously a big Pink Floyd fan himself) said something like, " When you guys came on and started playing...it was like you just intuitively picked up again from where you left off after decades of not playing together...It was amazing....How did you do that??!!"
Gilmour laughed and said " Well, after a good few rehearsals with the band members, I made a CD of our set for the gig and practised the whole set all the way through, four times a day, every day for the next two and a half weeks....even then I was nervous!"

I love when you get a little glimpse of what work actually goes on behind the scenes of the myth that the audience really wants to believe..[:D]

cheers

Ron



Miguel de Maria -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 21 2006 21:07:32)

At Barcelona, a bar/restaurant here in town that has a lot of live music, I was talking to the soundman, who had been on tour with some big acts. He said he was at an Elton John show, and watched the guy practice piano and singing for 4 hours, onstage, and then go out and give a big concert that night!



koella -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 21 2006 21:25:22)

I know what you mean Ron. They control every second of what appears to us as a spontaneous event.



seanm -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 13:37:48)

Realizing this was a big 'discovery' for me. I used to doubt my abilities when I would have to learn a full recital in 6 months for school and wondered why I couldn't get it as clean and secure as say John Williams. But then you realize that he's been playing much of his repetoire for 20 years!

And realizing how much work professionals do to so sound ...errr ... well .. professional is very revealing. I'm always bemused how so many good players are 'fooled' into thinking the great players they admire are some how blessed when, in fact, for the most part they just worked their butts off and meticulously control every detail of their performances. Of course, once that is done, you let loose in concert and the magic happens and every one forgets about the rabbit in the hat :)

Sean



Miguel de Maria -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 14:47:11)

I had a friend who was a fan of the "rock en espanol" group Mana. He saw them several times on one tour and was a bit disappointed that they told the same stories and same jokes each time.

So many people, in any walk of life, adopt a strategy of minimizing the amount of work it takes. They want people to think their abilities are natural and spontaneous. Perhaps it makes them seem more powerful or talented. Or perhaps they realize the masses don't want their illusions of how much work success takes to be punctured.

One point is that most people have never mastered anything in their lives. They coast through their jobs, they throw something together for dinner, they drive well enough to not hit anything (usually). But where is the discipline and concentration that creates mastery? It is simply not in their world.



seanm -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 14:56:00)

Here here. Let not forget that famous quote ... Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.

I knew a player in school who had perfect pitch (real perfect pitch) and near perfect musical memory (i.e. he could hear a song once and recite back all the note to you) but even so .. he still worked really hard at playing as well as he did but everyone just saw it as 'so easy' for him and 'a gift'. I wonder if that is at all frustrating for those types of players ... not really getting credit for all the hard work?

Sean



Miguel de Maria -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 15:07:43)

Sean,
I don't know, it's been my experience that really good players want credit BOTH for being naturally talented AND working harder than everyone else. Cough, cough (Todd's going to kill me! :))

I have heard some ridiculous stories like some guy who learned how to play the Chaconne in a single day. Here I was proud of learning how to play Xodo de Baiana in one day. Got a loooong way to go.....!



seanm -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 15:15:14)

Yeah, well there is always the "I played till my fingers bled" crowd for sure.

Funny you should mention the chaconne because I was playing is in a common area one day at school and the fellow I mentioned started naming and singing the notes and chords I was just about to play a beat before I played them ... for all 13 minutes!. I knew it wasn't in his repetoire and I asked his old teacher if he's ever played it and as far as I know he didn't. Just that kind of memory from hearing it on record I guess. Sorry for the anticdote but it always stuck with me.

Sean



Miguel de Maria -> RE: Interesting insight into "professionalism".. (Jun. 22 2006 15:24:31)

Oh, that must have been weird. A couple of times people have tried to whistle along at gigs and it actually bothers me a lot. I think the chaconne guy would have killed me.

It's one of my goals to learn the Chaconne and play it well. One of my favorite pieces of music for sure...



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