Just Play
Sound familiar? Maybe it’s an excerpt from something your high school band director told you when you were asking too many questions, or talking to the person sitting next to you when you should be making changes to your music. It was probably prefaced by “SHUT UP and just play!” or something to that effect. Maybe it’s something a music director told you when you were sitting in a pit asking about what voicing to use or which mallets to play on a marimba. Maybe it’s something you heard when you didn’t know the changes or form to a tune someone called on a particular gig or jam session. Maybe it’s something you told your drummer or guitarist about one of your tunes. Or maybe it’s just something we should all think about a little more carefully here in modern times. Wait… what? Is this just another voice ringing in my head (bad memories from marching band?) or is there something here that holds the key to what we are all trying to do?
If you are determined to be a playing, working musician in addition to or instead of being a composer, here’s an ounce of some truth: marketing, personality, great music, networking, and web presence is vital; but nothing is as important as getting out there and doing what you do: playing.
I remember being back at North Texas and getting close to graduating. There were a lot of really great drummers going out for a lot of the same playing opportunities I wanted. How on earth was I going to get any opportunity over and above everyone else? These guys were extremely talented, top notch, and hungry. I actually broke down and asked some of the other drummers “how am I going to succeed?” Why would I get this job over some of the most qualified musicians in the world? One of the best drummers in town at the time pulled me aside on a set break and told me exactly how I was going to do it. He said plainly, “if playing the drums is what you’re supposed to do, you’ll do it.”
The simplicity of his response took me quite a few years to understand. I was expecting some sort of “secret”, like in a Bruce Lee or Karate Kid movie. I was expecting that if I went and studied hard with a particular teacher, surely he would pass on the secret moves and some sort of shortcut I would need to succeed. Maybe he would make me shine his car (wax on, wax off?) and then I would magically appear on the scene after a very short leave of absence, take the industry by storm, and wow everyone with my skills! I could even have music for my montage… You get the point.
“If playing the drums is what you’re supposed to do, you’ll do it.” How on earth could this possibly be the answer I was looking for? It was way too simple. and certainly not the answer I was expecting. After all, I had a degree in music. I sat through ear training and ethnomusicology! I studied my instrument with some of the top teachers in the world! I understand odd times, polyrhythm, complex music theory, and counterpoint. There had to be something along those lines that contained the “secret”! Change the quote to fit however you need, but the truth is just that simple. “If playing music is what you’re supposed to do, you will do it.”
We live in a computer age where the internet rules and digital audio is king. Rightfully so, it’s all very cool stuff, and computers are a great thing. The good news is that computers will never be able to replace LIVE music, after all, the very definition of LIVE music is music played by people – i.e. NOT computers. While the climate has changed in the music industry, no computer will ever replace music played by humans. There will always be an art to LIVE music, and nothing is as important as getting out and playing live. A shortage of venues and good paying gigs are both realities, but also excuses.
Another reason people avoid playing is criticism. Is my music good enough? Will people like it? It’s much easier to stay home, create music in a home studio and try to sell it online than it is to get out, play, and interact with other musicians. It’s safe, and you can avoid the potential annoying disapproval of an actual audience. Unfortunately, playing live is all part of what creates an actual musician. I’ve received several bad reviews for my work (both live and recorded), but I’d much rather be down on the field playing the game than in the bleachers writing about it. Let the critics be critics and just play.
Sitting at home in front of a computer googling ways to sell 1 million CD’s with the help of an online promotional website might be constructive compared to watching reruns of the WWF from the 1980’s but personally, I would turn off both the computer and the TV and find a place to play or simply practice. An online presence is a must, but if you only exist online, sorry, you don’t really exist. Nobody created a career by spending all day on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, or surfing the web.
The music business has always been difficult. It was difficult for the pioneers, it will be difficult for us. Buddy Rich spent his whole life gigging and guess what? Running from bill collectors! Did that ever stop him from playing? At age 67 when asked if he was going to keep playing against the advice of his doctors (he had suffered a heart attack and 3 seizures), he said with all arrogance and honesty, “I’ve got to, what else am I going to do?” Buddy played from the time he was 18 months old until 2 weeks before his death at the age of 69.
Miles Davis played at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2 months before he died in September of 1991. Miles was 65 and had been playing since he was 13. Maynard Ferguson played a week at the Blue Note a few days before he died in August of 2006. He was 78 years old when he died and had been playing since he was 9. Charlie Parker died at age 34 and had been playing since he was 11. Frankie Valli is 75 years old and still out there performing 80 dates a year. He has had peaks and valleys in his career, but he’s been doing it since 1951. The list goes on.
If you are striving for greatness, follow in the footsteps of the greats. Poverty, bad reviews, and obstacles never stopped the greats from playing, why should it stop you? “If playing music is what you are supposed to do, you’ll do it.” Just play.
About the author
Great post Craig! I know how easy it is to get sucked into other things. I just started a new blog and it is consuming me! But I find if I get down to the practice room, even if I bring the computer with me, I will practice in between my blogging/emailing/RSS feed reading.
Keep the posts coming.
6/1/2009
Thanks for the reality check! It’s recently dawned on me how many of the musicians I most respect have nothing to do with the internet, and don’t even have business cards! They just do their thing and answer their phones.
I might just add something about listening to one’s “musical conscience.” If you end up playing a lot and not having much fun, it might be because you say “yes” too quickly and often.
6/1/2009
A very inspirational & necessary attitude; one which I live by & consistantly pass on to my students. Thanks for sharing.
6/1/2009
Hey Craig – what a fantastic post. I’m a full-time musician, and I’ve played with a number of people who spend a ton of time with their online networking and then wonder why they don’t seem to progress in popularity/networks. They forget to take the time to either 1) practice enough so that they know their stuff, or 2)actually get out there to play, to hear & be heard – playing with other musicians is some of the best networking there is.
Thanks for the post, and I’ll be back to read more!
6/1/2009
Craig, thanks for this post, akin to Nike’s “Just do it”. I wonder if some musicians in these tough economic times may not be playing as much because there aren’t as many paying gigs out there. However, we have to keep ourselves out there and stay in shape. I guess you don’t have to say ‘yes’ to everything, but let supply and demand guide the price. If you are out there playing a non-paying or low-paying gig, you have a better chance of getting hired for some other gigs than if you are sitting in your practice closet alone and waiting for the phone to ring. For people who are typically sidemen, now might be the time to participate on more original projects (which typically don’t offer much money anyway). For band leaders and singer/songwriters, be up front about what you can offer and chances are that you will find people who are willing to collaborate or play for very little. Let us all be creative about finding venues at which to perform, especially if you are in a city that is pay to play. House concerts are a great alternative to live venues. And, behind the scenes, finding the balance between practicing and networking is key so that when the tide changes, we are the ones who are called – and we are ready to play or sing. I feel inspired and encouraged by your post, as this month I’m embarking on some shedding and catching up behind the scenes after a period of organizing a number of gigs. But I’m going to remember to get myself back out there again soon!
6/1/2009
Great article, Craig. It IS very easy to worry about making the living and forget about making the music. I’ve passed this little reminder on to my (hopefully)following through my blog.
Play on!
6/1/2009
Hi Everyone,
Great article, Craig! Getting out there so people can hear and see you “live” is best. And this is precisely why I participate in musical showcase/open mic events when I’m in between gigs. I play for Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party at Birdland, the musical salon at the Algonquin Hotel and Trudi Mann’s musical showcase at Butterfield 8 – all in NYC. I also play at other spots in NYC. Believe me, you will get fantastic exposure! And networking opportunities abound. I’ve met so many people. It is helping me. I would urge you to go! I can guarantee you won’t regret it. And “Cast Party” recently won a coveted MAC award for the best open mic in NYC. Jim Caruso is just incredible!!! Also, if you perform at “Cast Party,” you will probably get your picture posted at http://www.jim-caruso.com. It happened to me each time! It’s like free publicity!
Carolyn Ohlbaum
6/1/2009
“I’m a full-time musician, and I’ve played with a number of people who spend a ton of time with their online networking and then wonder why they don’t seem to progress in popularity/networks. ”
Absolutely true. People can’t really get to know you online. It is best to have “live” contact. In that way, they can really see you and get to know you and watch and listen to your performances and know how talented you are. Once you are with other musicians, you make friends and build a rapport. And in professional music, the real way to get work is by knowing people. It’s by word of mouth. If you have good musician friends who like you and the way that you play, they will want to work with you.
Carolyn Ohlbaum
6/1/2009
Good point.
6/1/2009
The internet is a great way for people to find you, but first you’ve got to be someone worth finding.
6/1/2009
Great article!
It goes hand in hand with:
No matter how bad you are doing financially, never sell your instrument. If you have many keep at least one to play live and make some bucks.
6/3/2009
Is it ever to late to study?
I am 25 years old and I’ve been playing guitar on and off since I was 14. I’ve been singing as long as I can remember. Music is truly the only thing I want to do and it’s the thing I’m naturally best at…here’s the catch: I can’t read a note, I know NOTHING about scales, keys, etc…
Would doing a full degree at this point be crazy?
Should I just teach myself what I need to know and carry on doing what I’m doing?
I love music and I love to play but I feel trapped by my lack of knowledge.
Thanks for a well written article!
6/16/2009
Nate,
It’s never too late, and I recommend you try to learn as much as possible. While some may argue that there are many great musicians out there that couldn’t read music, and it’s just a fact of life that musicians that can read music have more opportunities for gigs. When working with other musicians, sometimes the easiest way to describe something is to talk in terms of scales or intervals. I simply believe that music is a language and it never hurts to have a big vocabulary.
Good luck!
6/16/2009
I thought this great post by Derek Sivers was on-point to your article, Craig. Derek hits a homerun with this one (well, he does with most of his posts!):
http://sivers.org/goals
6/23/2009
Haha, I love the part where you say, “An online presence is a must, but if you only exist online, sorry, you don’t really exist”. I have a professor that always makes the point that if you don’t exist online, then you don’t exist. Of course, he would certainly agree with you too. It’s just funny that in order for someone to really exist, they have to exist in so many ways. I’d better go get practicing.
11/16/2009
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