Quote:

See, Notes, YOU have done it right, and are continuing to do it right. You actually WORK at your craft. <...>



It's a business, I'm the business owner, and if I treat it like a business, it should take care of me. That means putting out a quality product, and trying to do better than my friends who are also my competitors. May the best act get the gig.

If you want to succeed, you have to play the songs they want to hear (no big "I'm an artist and won't play that" ego), ... you have to watch and pace the audience playing the appropriate song at the right time (no set lists unless you are clairvoyant), ... when they are on the dance floor you have to go from song to song immediately, ... when they are eating dinner you have to play low enough so they can talk to each other across the table, ... when it's time to talk on the mic you have to have good mic skills, ... when it's not time to talk on the mic you have to keep your mouth shut, ... You have to realize that the audience came to see you, and to honor that kindness, you have to do your best to make sure they have a good enough time to want to come see you again. It's a dialog between the musicians and the audience and if you do it right you will both satisfy each others needs.

Two rules make it easy:
  1. If you are playing a commercial venue, conduct yourself as if you were going to make the money that goes into the cash register and do your best to maximize that. That means making sure they have a good time and stay longer
  2. If you are playing a private party, conduct yourself as if you are the host of the party and you want your guests to leave with a smile on their face and a "thank you for a great party" on their lips.
Do those two things and the rest of the decisions come easy.

I don't mind being on the road, but I prefer not to and to do my traveling for fun instead of gigging. Fortunately the Band-in-a-Box sales make just enough so that I don't have to travel in August and September, the traditional dead months here in Southeastern Florida.

I've played in almost all the lower 48 states, in Canada, on Cruise Ships in the Caribbean and all the way to the People's Republic of China. I enjoyed it all.

It may be my bliss, but it's also my business. And a bad day at playing music is better than a good day at any other job I can think of. Take care of your business if you want it to take care of you.

Notes

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

100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks