When I had the opportunity to be playing at Carnegie Hall with the great Wouter Kellerman, I had to say yes. With the gig five days away, thoughtful, strategic practicing helped get the music where it needed to be in a short amount of time. Read the post.
Watching yourself in a mirror while you perform or practice can help you elevate your music and performance, so find opportunities to gaze while you play and learn from what you see. Read the post.
Strategies that involve focused listening and practice are key to learning new material quickly, and looking closely at song structure can lessen the amount of time it takes you to get from first listen to a strong, quality performance. Read the post.
If you’re in a situation where you have to learn lots of new music in a very short time, these tips can help you develop a strategy so you can tackle the task and perform with confidence. Read the post.
Whatever happens on stage, you can take it in stride if you remain detached from specific outcomes. Here are four thoughtful tips for managing music performance anxiety. Read More.
A performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” can be a powerful musical experience when done right and a national embarrassment if things go wrong. Consider this advice if you’re ever called to perform it. Read the post.
“Should my band play gigs for free?” has been asked a million times. Is any gig worth playing for free? Is it better not to play at all? Read More.
You’ve put together a great set of music and you’re ready to perform. How do you make a connection and impress a talent buyer to book you for a high-profile gig? Read More.
Here’s the strategy I used to book high exposure music gigs opening for Rick Derringer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joan Jett, Fuel, and many others. This same method will work for booking gigs at local venues as well. Read More.
An input list should include every instrument, DI, and vocal that’s part of your stage set-up. Here are some tips to help you put together an effective input list with minimal headache. Read More.
Think you’ve told your live sound engineer everything he needs to know for your big gig? Don’t forget these important details. Read More.
A well-crafted stage plot – customized to the lineup and tech needs of your band – can go a long way towards setting yourself up for success once you hit the stage, especially for a multi-band event. Read More.
The fifteen minutes between one artist’s final note and the next group’s first “hello” are precious. How you handle the transition can set you up for your best performance at your next music gig. Read More.
If you want success as a singer/songwriter, I already know these five things need to be addressed without even seeing your show. Read More.
In our second post on Alexander Technique for musicians, we use practical examples to demonstrate how subtle postural changes can make a big difference. Read More.