When I learn new tunes for a gig, I notate anything that will help me: tempo; feel (including brushes or sticks); specific rhythms (chart out any tricky stuff); and the form (or road map). To me, these things will help me get close to the essence of any song. I create a playlist and take some time to get the tunes in my head. Sometimes, there’s very little time for me to complete this process which makes these things even more important.
At the gig, I bring my notebook so that I can refer to it throughout the gig. The main thing I do at this point is to make sure my ears stay open, because anything can happen on the bandstand. People start tunes in different keys, different tempos, etc. Mainly, I try to keep a nice feel and play the music that’s being played right then and there. If I’m able to accomplish this, then fun will be right around the corner!
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