An epiphany.....

[veinbuster]

No, but when your standards are higher than the rest of the band, that may be where you need to go. And their "good enough to play out" may not be your "good enough to play out". Heck, we've seen that play out in famous bands a lot of times. And I'm sure we've all seen bands playing out that we thought should still be at home rehearsing.

So me going to an open mic to play with a couple guys (one of whom I had played with before) wasn’t appropriate practice for a gig 2 days later?

But I did meet my wife there, so it wasn’t a complete waste.

Oh....this happened 46 years ago today. Also the day my wife was allowed to come home from the hospital last year. I hadn’t made that connection at the time.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I can't see an outgoing personality with a bowler hat and a blue beard being satisfied sitting at home and playing.

Hey Nati boy, you might want to take a closer look at the hat... (clue: downtown Cinci icon)

 

[alantig]

So me going to an open mic to play with a couple guys (one of whom I had played with before) wasn’t appropriate practice for a gig 2 days later?

But I did meet my wife there, so it wasn’t a complete waste.

Oh....this happened 46 years ago today. Also the day my wife was allowed to come home from the hospital last year. I hadn’t made that connection at the time.

Not what I was driving at at all. Obviously that met your standards for the gig at hand. It's a line we'd all have to draw if we were playing out.

 

[Tucson Thump]

Hey Nati boy, you might want to take a closer look at the hat... (clue: downtown Cinci icon)

Unaware, willing to be educated. Does it have something to do with Batsakes?

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Unaware, willing to be educated. Does it have something to do with Batsakes?

Yep. You got it! My grandfather wore his hats (his business was down town, just a few blocks from the store) and apparently knew the original guy well. Our boy Aahzz getting his hat there was the first I'd heard of the store in years. I didn't even know it was still in business because I haven't worked down town in years.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Unaware, willing to be educated. Does it have something to do with Batsakes?

p.s. I figured a man about town such as yourself would be familiar with this.

My dad wore 3 piece suits to work and he never had one of those hats (not a big hat guy) but I distinctly remember my grandfather Coleman having more than one of them and was quite proud of them as they were kind of a status symbol for many.

 

[Tucson Thump]

p.s. I figured a man about town such as yourself would be familiar with this.

My dad wore 3 piece suits to work and he never had one of those hats (not a big hat guy) but I distinctly remember my grandfather Coleman having more than one of them and was quite proud of them as they were kind of a status symbol for many.

Well that explains it. My grandfather sold heavy construction equipment and bought his fedora at Shillitos.

 

[László]

Thank you Les for seeing my vision. Ppl are lazy and aren’t prepared to spend time practicing and perfecting. No excuse is good enough in my books. I don’t want ppl like this in my band. I come prepared to play everything to the best of my ability why can’t they?

I am really starting to get very frustrated and disgusted as to why things are not coming to fruition. My radar an is in tune to see who I can find to put together something new.

I am going to txt the other guitar player and in a black n white manner tell him how I feel about things especially in regards to how we practice. This is just not cutting it.

I actually don't think it's laziness with most players who only want to play through a song a couple of times at rehearsal. It's that they're not perfectionists, and there's the big difference.

If you're at all like me, you're driven. That means you're hard on yourself as well as others.

Most people aren't lazy, but they're also not driven.

"What if they take an Uber to the session? Then they're driven."

"Stop."

When it comes to music, I'm a perfectionist - it's 'das beste oder nichts'. But music is my art. It's the sole excuse I have for being on this planet, and I intend to do it as perfectly as I can. So...timing, tone, groove, vibe, melody, harmony, rhythm...need to be done as well as can be done. Otherwise nothing I create is going into the world.

This of course doesn't mean I'm the best at anything. I simply try very hard to be. So I applaud it when I see it in others.

I have a successful composer friend who likes to say, "If you want to be successful in the arts, you basically have to be a maniac with a one-track mind." This he knows because he is one.

I cut people slack if they're not maniacs, they're probably far saner than I am.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I actually don't think it's laziness with most players who only want to play through a song a couple of times at rehearsal. It's that they're not perfectionists, and there's the big difference.

If you're at all like me, you're driven. That means you're hard on yourself as well as others.

In sports, or in music, I could never be hard on the others who weren’t as committed as I was… but I also didn’t want to play with them IF it was serious… pickup basketball game, some guys playing who weren’t very good... No big deal. party jam with some friends who play… no big deal. But if it was a league, or a musical performance, well I’d still never be hard on others, but I did expect their best no matter what their skill level was.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

That said, Mr Easygoing, jokester, never serious here had quite the reputation for a temper (when playing sports!). But always only for being hard on myself, not others. If we played a game and you made 50% of your shots, and I made 9 out of 10 and we lost by a point, it was my fault because I shouldn’t miss any. Or if I made one turnover, it was my fault because I never should make one. Etc.. I was a TOTAL perfectionist. I’d get mad if I had a 3 point shot that hit the rim and bounced around before going in, because it wasn’t a dead swish.

 

[jxe]

That said, Mr Easygoing, jokester, never serious here had quite the reputation for a temper. But always only for being hard on myself, not others. If we played a game and you made 50% of your shots, and I made 9 out of 10 and we lost by a point, it was my fault because I shouldn’t miss any. Or if I made one turnover, it was my fault because I never should make one. Etc.. I was a TOTAL perfectionist. I’d get mad if I had a 3 point shot that hit the rim and bounced around before going in, because it wasn’t a dead swish.

lighten up, francis.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

lighten up, francis.

He has, through dieting and exercise!

 

[László]

In sports, or in music, I could never be hard on the others who weren’t as committed as I was… but I also didn’t want to play with them IF it was serious…

Yes, same here in the case of music. I couldn't stand playing with people who weren't both serious and committed enough to be at least very good on their instruments. But I never gave anyone a hard time, I'd just politely decline any offer to keep playing with them.

A person has to have standards!

 

[alantig]

A person has to have standards!

Absolutely. And that's all, just standards. And Customs. Standards and Customs and that's all I need. I need a 594. But that's it, Standards, and Customs, and a 594. And a Silver Sky and, that's all I need.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Absolutely. And that's all, just standards. And Customs. Standards and Customs and that's all I need. I need a 594. But that's it, Standards, and Customs, and a 594. And a Silver Sky and, that's all I need.

Whole scene with his pants at his ankles...

 

[Moondog Wily]

Absolutely. And that's all, just standards. And Customs. Standards and Customs and that's all I need. I need a 594. But that's it, Standards, and Customs, and a 594. And a Silver Sky and, that's all I need.

And if you stick to your standards (and customs . . . and 594's . . . and silver skies) one day, the new phone books will arrive with YOUR name in PRINT and you will BE somebody! Best of luck!! And this guitar cable, and I don't need anything else!!!

 

[Aahzz]

Yep. You got it! My grandfather wore his hats (his business was down town, just a few blocks from the store) and apparently knew the original guy well. Our boy Aahzz getting his hat there was the first I'd heard of the store in years. I didn't even know it was still in business because I haven't worked down town in years.

I freaking LOVE Batsakes! For those not from the Cincinnati area, it's pronounced bat-SACK-eez. It's the oldest continually family owned hat shop in the country. Gus Miller, the nephew of the original owners, is the current owner and still works there 6 days a week, at the age of 90. Stepping into Batsakes is like stepping into the past - they have shoeshine chairs, and all of the tools they use are the originals from when they opened in 1907. They refuse to advertise, and Gus still hand shapes the hats they sell. Sadly, he no longer makes custom hats, but he shapes and fits the ones they sell. Yeah, my Bowler cost as much as a PRS Horsemeat pedal, but I wanted it from the man who is a legend in the world of hats. Gus shaped my brim, and embossed my initials on the inside. It will be a sad day when Gus is no longer behind the counter.

Batsakes Hat Shop owner outfits music festival attendees

Batsakes Hat Shop owner benefits from Music Festival

spectrumnews1.com

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

If anyone is still listening, I was thinking about this thread last night. While what I said above about being on the same page is 100% needed, you also have to adapt to the circumstances involved for specific purposes. Example: while I expect people to show up knowing the songs and knowing their parts when practicing songs we've already done or at a 2nd or 3rd practice, the first time you practice a new song is the time to sit and work out everything. Tempo, structure, are we adding to or subtracting from the written music, who's playing what solo, how many measures is the solo, etc. All those things are worked out at the first practice on a new song. By second, it should be play through with minimal stops for discussion, and later that session it should be play through as you'll perform it. Then any practices afterwards you should show up ready to play your part perfectly.

That is how we've always done it. But that applies to doing things "our way." If you're going to play it exactly like it's written, or exactly like the track artist, then yeah, show up the first time ready to play. But we're always adding a tag or chorus or solos or whatever, so the first run throughs are getting down HOW we'll do the song. I usually show up with written music printed off, and then my notes on it in blue ink are what WE do to the song. And I've said before, I either don't take music on stage at all, or do ONLY so I can follow my blue ink notes, and not to "read" the music.

YMMV. Do what works for your band and situation. Consult your physician for erections lasting over 4 hours. And let me know how you pulled that off (no pun intended).

 

[aphantomvaper]

I freaking LOVE Batsakes! For those not from the Cincinnati area, it's pronounced bat-SACK-eez. It's the oldest continually family owned hat shop in the country. Gus Miller, the nephew of the original owners, is the current owner and still works there 6 days a week, at the age of 90. Stepping into Batsakes is like stepping into the past - they have shoeshine chairs, and all of the tools they use are the originals from when they opened in 1907. They refuse to advertise, and Gus still hand shapes the hats they sell. Sadly, he no longer makes custom hats, but he shapes and fits the ones they sell. Yeah, my Bowler cost as much as a PRS Horsemeat pedal, but I wanted it from the man who is a legend in the world of hats. Gus shaped my brim, and embossed my initials on the inside. It will be a sad day when Gus is no longer behind the counter.

Batsakes Hat Shop owner outfits music festival attendees

Batsakes Hat Shop owner benefits from Music Festival

spectrumnews1.com

I just got back from NOLA and was super stoked to get back to Goorin Bros hat shop, as I've been inspired to find a Bowler/Derby.

Look through the entire store and nothing. Inquire with the hipster counter girl about them and receive a contested look and dry "we haven't made those in quite a while" and she's back to whatever is more interesting on the counter.

Looks like my next trip to KY from Chicago its to Cincinnati and Batsaki's for me!!!

 

[Aahzz]

I just got back from NOLA and was super stoked to get back to Goorin Bros hat shop, as I've been inspired to find a Bowler/Derby.

Look through the entire store and nothing. Inquire with the hipster counter girl about them and receive a contested look and dry "we haven't made those in quite a while" and she's back to whatever is more interesting on the counter.

Looks like my next trip to KY from Chicago its to Cincinnati and Batsaki's for me!!!

An excellent plan .