(no subject)
Hoowee!
The past week has been rough.
We got up early several days in a row in the hopes of getting more new music to practice.
No such luck. We averaged 1-2 pieces per day, and one of those was usually a revision.
Three days ago was the worst. The Preview Show is when most things are supposed to be complete.
We were missing about five pieces on the day of preview show, and got three of them within a few hours
of showtime. So basically we were sightreading.
It wouldn't be so bad if, like, the audience somehow knew that the band got screwed, but that's totally unrealistic.
No one blames the composers when the band sounds bad. It's our fault through and through.
It was freaking embarrassing to play half-assed like that.
I guess that must be normal around here, but it really bothers me because that's exactly the kind of shit that leads to the decline of live music. You don't want your first impression to be a bunch of wrong notes and missed entrances. The producers are sitting RIGHT THERE. They probably know why we sound like shit, but they still have to listen and are still forming an opinion based on what they hear. And they are probably asking themselves, "why do we pay these guys again?"
This is my first winter quarters so I probably am not seeing the whole picture.
Regardless, I do not want to sound like shit EVER, if I can help it. I want to do my best. But if the opportunity to do my best is taken away from me, what can I do? I can't make the composers write faster or better, or get us the music on time.
It's totally obvious that I love this job, and the only reason I'm complaining about this is because I take pride in my work and in my employer. I value this job, and I value the opinions that my coworkers have of the band, and I think the band is important here. And I want to protect it...my job, and this environment.
Anyway.
I guess this is turning into a circus rant journal. Whatever, I've got to do it somewhere.
Everyone is itching to hit the road again. It's strange sitting still for so long. I often dream that the train is moving.
The past week has been rough.
We got up early several days in a row in the hopes of getting more new music to practice.
No such luck. We averaged 1-2 pieces per day, and one of those was usually a revision.
Three days ago was the worst. The Preview Show is when most things are supposed to be complete.
We were missing about five pieces on the day of preview show, and got three of them within a few hours
of showtime. So basically we were sightreading.
It wouldn't be so bad if, like, the audience somehow knew that the band got screwed, but that's totally unrealistic.
No one blames the composers when the band sounds bad. It's our fault through and through.
It was freaking embarrassing to play half-assed like that.
I guess that must be normal around here, but it really bothers me because that's exactly the kind of shit that leads to the decline of live music. You don't want your first impression to be a bunch of wrong notes and missed entrances. The producers are sitting RIGHT THERE. They probably know why we sound like shit, but they still have to listen and are still forming an opinion based on what they hear. And they are probably asking themselves, "why do we pay these guys again?"
This is my first winter quarters so I probably am not seeing the whole picture.
Regardless, I do not want to sound like shit EVER, if I can help it. I want to do my best. But if the opportunity to do my best is taken away from me, what can I do? I can't make the composers write faster or better, or get us the music on time.
It's totally obvious that I love this job, and the only reason I'm complaining about this is because I take pride in my work and in my employer. I value this job, and I value the opinions that my coworkers have of the band, and I think the band is important here. And I want to protect it...my job, and this environment.
Anyway.
I guess this is turning into a circus rant journal. Whatever, I've got to do it somewhere.
Everyone is itching to hit the road again. It's strange sitting still for so long. I often dream that the train is moving.