Re: Re: "play with proper stratigies"


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Posted by Rick Denney on October 01, 2001 at 12:24:21:

In Reply to: Re: "play with proper stratigies" posted by js on September 30, 2001 at 19:51:25:

The "when in doubt, leave it out" aphorism was a survival technique when I started playing again. I was in a group that took all comers (as proved by their tolerance of me), but I followed the strategy: Do no harm.

I still follow that strategy, even though I've improved dramatically since those days. But sometimes it is difficult, because occasionally other players in the section will play so loudly or with such inappropriate style that the most musical strategy for me to follow is to lay the horn down. When I lay out because the section is too loud, it just makes me mad--always a poor strategy.

I do my best to find the pitch center of the group. In the groups in which I play, that is quite a task, with so many pitches to choose from. My head can't sort out all the pitches and compare them to my own, even though I can easily hear when others are off pitch. Sigh.

These strategies it seems to me are very similar to those repeated by Matt, and even those offered by Sean. They are based on understanding the musical imperatives and taking actions only in support of those imperatives. The difference is only in scale.

Rick "who someday may be able to really think musically" Denney


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