DJs, karaoke performers, backing track musicians, and bands all share one important skill. The ability to read the audience, play what they need, and adapt the songs to their changing moods.

This skill is the main reason why I don't do set lists. I'm not clairvoyant enough to know what the audience is going to want 3 songs from now, much less an entire set.

I look at these artists as competitors, but not much differently from other musicians. I treat them as equals and we have mutual respect for each other.

We're in the same business, trying to get a piece of the market and survive in these tough economic times. We each have our own formula for doing it, based on our personal talents, skills, and chosen market venues.

There is more than one right way to make music.

We all have the same common enemy, TV - which isn't live at all - and is the main reason why people don't go out for entertainment like they used to.

And TV isn't even a true entertainment medium - it's a sales medium disguised as an entertainment medium. Plus it's the biggest drug addiction in the USA (and many other countries). The brain even emits Alpha and Theta waves similar to both a drug experience and hypnosis which the marketers use to plant those "buy this" post-hypnotic suggestions in the drug user's brain. They spent tons of money researching and testing the science of this and using it to their advantage.

Do you want to get your spouse to quit buying useless products like those pajama jeans, or useless 20 in one tool that will sit in the shed forever, or "frankenfood" that will just make you fat -- just turn of the TV.

I know I'm repeating what I've said before: Back when TV was black and white with narrow bandwidth audio and a 2" speaker, people had to go out for entertainment. Then TV turned color but still had narrow bandwidth audio, the entertainment factor of the tube was still lame. Now we have HDTV with surround sound PLUS a cable TV subscription that can easily top $200 per month (there goes the entertainment budget) and it's no wonder people don't go out as often as they used to.

I still don't know the answer to "What constitutes live performance?" but I'm finding the thread interesting anyway.

If anyone knows how to get the people to "Just say 'NO' to TV" and get them back in the clubs where they belong, let me know. I'll join the movement as long as nobody gets hurt

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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