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Do you need to play a lamada just before the splash ? I would hate to embarrass myself in a toilet in madrid if an officianado was 'powdering his nose' nextdoor .
When life is particularly mad, I 'practice' for gigs by watching videos of myself. Is there an equivalent lazy method for guitarists because mine seems to find this 'heavy workout' incredibly amusing. Karenanne
I never smoke weed. Maybe it's because you almost stumble over it here in Holland. It's nothing special is. And besides that, I hate to lose control. Especially when I forgot where I stored my cases of wine.
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socrates: to be is to do sartre: to do is to be sinatra: do-be-do-be-do
I find it absolutely impossible to play at my best after one beer or even just one plain (or menthol) cigarette. I have played with a guy who premiered a show drunk and stoned as a cat. The rest of the band were terrified, he was bouncing of the walls on the way to the pit. Somehow he played terrific anyway, very first not out of tune (he was a violinist) and from that point on sublime and expressive playing. But we were all terrified for a reason, if any of us had tried that we would have been sent home in a taxi before the end of the first number and never asked to play again. Responses to drugs differ from person to person but the guy who can play equally well high is one in a thousand.
One performance enhancing drug I have used (when teaching full time and finding it hard to find the energy for practice) is caffeine. Also cheers you up at the start of another bloody awful restaurant gig and keeps you going from your meal break to the inevitable cavatina request.
I once played with a band with very good musicians. The rehearsals where just magic. I was very concentrated to keep up with the level. It was rock and roll ala ZZtop, ACDC.
Then in the weekend we had a gig. All dressed up well and nice sound. Then around midnight I heard the drummer do a solo and turned around to look at him. It was awful, he looked right through me and could barely hold his sticks, the rest of the band was in seventh heaven too and I got really pissed.
Then we he had this discussion. They thought it was going great whilest the audience just heard a bunch of crappy musicians. Discussion was useless, but the next day they left their stuff at home.
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socrates: to be is to do sartre: to do is to be sinatra: do-be-do-be-do
florian, I think you and I have discovered the enlightening secrets of the poo. I mean what could be funnier, bring more joy, and be as interesting as poo?
Seriously, as an 8 year old, everyone thought it was funny. Find something else that everyone else in the world thinks is funny, seriously lol.
i dont really deserve any respect for this i mean its not my choice to be in this situation , i got no choice its not as if i am beeing dignified and classy about it lol as you read above i am kicking and screaming and winging all day all the way trogh lol.
I just respect that you believe in something and work hard for it. It's respectable. Still getting out there and playing after working your ass off. I mean you could just stay at home in front of the TV evenings or live off of social security like a lot of musicians. Soooo....RESPECT
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things
I mean you could just stay at home in front of the TV evenings or live off of social security like a lot of musicians. Soooo....RESPECT
well lol thats what i aim to do once i get my guitar only i wont watch tv, il practice 12 hours a day again like i used to.
mibe try and record a commercial bolleros cd or rumbas cd, make a litlle money on the side ... or compose some of my own fasetas.. i dont know, got to try something.
otherwise you can risk of never doing anything out of fear of not beeing good enough, all the strugles, all the money on the guitar all the sacrificies, for what ?
I mean i like doing the shows with the dancers but the money is allways limited (sometimes great), and when the show ends after you spent the pay, u still back where you started , u got nothing to show, u got to start over again.
id like to have something to show for it all good or bad, atlist somehow give myself a chance to make a litlle money of music.
I'm currently working away from home and living out of a crappy hotel (excuse the pun). Only advantage is the size of the bathroom - no need to deviate off axis and risk unnecessary decorating of the toilet while strumming away (guitar).
Guitar sounds loud and lively due to early reflections from tiled walls - excellent!
However the right leg crossed over the left position does lead to certain dificulties - any further advice from the resident Heath Robinson design engineer?
well lol thats what i aim to do once i get my guitar
That's more like it
quote:
practice 12 hours a day again like i used to
Yeah, I'd love to be there again. For the past 3 years I've rarely given myself a free evening or weekend, the fear of not being good enough or missing a gig keeping me going.
Reasons for doing it have changed over time. As a teenager I wanted to be the best guitarist in the world. After lots of thinking about what I'm doing and why, I realized at the end of the day I just want to play. The guitar is the only thing I enjoy working hard at, so I want to do it as much as possible so I have a happy life. If nobody outside my town knows me, that's okay too.
Getting there, step by step...
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things
i work in a factory during the day and practice at night, my figer nails are black and my hands sore from lifting and moving heavy things all day, i have to have a nap after work so that i have the energy to pick up the guitar.
Yeah I think John is right, you do deserve credit for that.
See Flo we realise you're not just some Romanistralian with a smartass sense of humour and is full of poo. Just kidding!!
ORIGINAL: John O. As a teenager I wanted to be the best guitarist in the world. After lots of thinking about what I'm doing and why, I realized at the end of the day I just want to play. The guitar is the only thing I enjoy working hard at, so I want to do it as much as possible so I have a happy life. If nobody outside my town knows me, that's okay too.
Getting there, step by step...
Ole !! John. Spoken like a true craftsman. I feel exactly the same.
As a teenager I wanted to be the best guitarist in the world. After lots of thinking about what I'm doing and why, I realized at the end of the day I just want to play.
John O - You are a philosopher! I am sure many of us had dreams of being the greatest, being inspired by "guitar heros" and practicing like crazy to be like them or better. Later you just want to be the best you can be.
Carlos Santana once talked about this attitude. He said something like if you are going to sweep the floor, do the best job you can, if you are gonna play guitar put everthing youve got into it. The great thing about flamenco is that if you want to be a concert virtuoso, there are so many people to aspire to but it is equally valid to aspire to accompany an Alegria dance in perfect compas, or to accompany a singer in solea with real feeling, or to get that old diego gastor falseta really right. If your ambition is to do any of those things well and you work towards them, not only will you get there but you will be playing real flamenco. Speed and virtuosity are not the goals, they are the benefits. Play as strongly and as rhythmically as you can. Get the simple stuff strong and accurate. All of those unknown accompaniests in Spain play with with real heart. It doesnt matter that they cant pull off a paco run. They can still move an audience!
However the right leg crossed over the left position does lead to certain dificulties - any further advice from the resident Heath Robinson design engineer?
yes in fact, i use a gitano guitar support. no right leg up. makes for better back and hip health. that, and i think everybody should probably snag a pilates roller, straightens out the old back in about 26 seconds.
The only thing more interesting and exciting than poo is.......doggy poo!!
I remember up in the Albaicin having to step over the cacas de perro! The street cleaners were always out, trying to keep the lovely cobbled streets clean, but they couldn't always keep up with those pooches!
Koella, you know that admitting your needs is the first step in bringing about a change, so, in a way you can admit to yourself that you have already started by just thinking about it. Practice is important, yet getting away for a while can make things new again, and you will get it back and you will probably suprise yourself. Ya just have to pick up that guitar and blow those cobwebs out, and you will be back in form and even better. You will be playing again in no time. Trust in your experiance and the rest will take you there. You'll have it going on again. You know that you will..... Gary
the easiest thing to do, is to schedule a whole bunch of other stuff you really hate doing. that way, you'll be forced to practice in order to procrastinate doing the others. and then you can poop'n'play all day
The great thing about flamenco is that if you want to be a concert virtuoso, there are so many people to aspire to but it is equally valid to aspire to accompany an Alegria dance in perfect compas, or to accompany a singer in solea with real feeling, or to get that old diego gastor falseta really right. If your ambition is to do any of those things well and you work towards them, not only will you get there but you will be playing real flamenco. Speed and virtuosity are not the goals, they are the benefits.
My words exactly. It's never wrong to aspire to be the best, it'll get you as good as you can be, but one shouldn't be disappoionted with "just being good" in flamenco (which is a difficult enough goal and really something special outside of Spain). It's bad to get so caught up in being the best that you forget to have fun doing it. Being the best isn't the most important thing. If you're doing what you enjoy most and making money at it, you have something most people don't have and are VERY VERY lucky. This is why as an adult I've made this to my new goal
You like my cha-cha monkey boy? I'd kill to have a pet like that
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things
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just a Romanistralian with a smartass sense of humour and is full of poo. 
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