Members pogo97 Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 I'm struck by the insidious, computer-driven tendency to take things out of the domain of muscular activity and put them into the domain of mental activity. The transfer is not paying off. Sure, muscles are unreliable, but they represent several million years of accumulated finesse.Brian Eno, Wired 1/99, p. 176 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 12, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 12, 2016 Ever been in a room full of twenty somethings? They don't talk to each other, they text each other.I think Eno oversimplified the issue then, which has now become a wider problem than he envisioned. A growing percentage of people in the developed world get no physical exercise, except for their fingers and eyes, preferring the digital domain to the physical. Reminds me of the Bruce Willis movie 'Surrogates' where everyone has a cyborg that does their daily routines, while the people sit in recliners all day, wired into their cyborgs, but never physically moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted March 14, 2016 Members Share Posted March 14, 2016 nah, ive been unplugging on a more and more frequent basis and for longer periods of time... real life is far more satisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted March 14, 2016 Members Share Posted March 14, 2016 Ever been in a room full of twenty somethings? They don't talk to each other, they text each other. I think Eno oversimplified the issue then, which has now become a wider problem than he envisioned. A growing percentage of people in the developed world get no physical exercise, except for their fingers and eyes, preferring the digital domain to the physical. Reminds me of the Bruce Willis movie 'Surrogates' where everyone has a cyborg that does their daily routines, while the people sit in recliners all day, wired into their cyborgs, but never physically moving. It's pretty sday state of events. It's not just the 20 somethings either. We do almost everything on computers at work and my eyes have suffered. I have 3 PhD's that are across the hall from me, we email each other throughout the day and rarely talk. something happens when we talk not when we text. I should really talk because my post post count is quite embarrassing here, but I have a ton of stuff to say. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fT0MDQKew0 Is your desk killing you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2016 ^ yeah, that's the other image that came to mind...that was from Wall-e, right...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 17, 2016 Members Share Posted March 17, 2016 We all need more gigs!!! That's what I call exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 17, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2016 agreed, I'm down to three a month regularly, and the occasional pick-up or casual. Doing an odd ball St. Paddy's casual today, 4-8PM...the money is okay, but I'm just a hired gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 18, 2016 Members Share Posted March 18, 2016 We just finished a week of St. Patty Parties (our annual Patty Melt), today is a day off and back at it tomorrow. We're delightfully busy, but we'd be even happier if the slow summer season wasn't around the corner. If we had 6 a week, then we wouldn't need more gigs. Until then, we're just greedy for performing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 18, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 18, 2016 funny, I was musing over this after playing four sets in four hours...I really have not had to work that 'four hour four set grind' in years, most of our 'corporates' are two long sets, maybe an hour and fifteen minutes each. With the Jam hosting, I play the first hour, then get up occasionally as needed. Even my solo act is usually no more than two or three hours max. But I used to do the 4/4 five nights a week...how did I ever survive that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 19, 2016 Members Share Posted March 19, 2016 Most of our gigs are 3 hours straight - no breaks (we can take them but choose not to). I do remember the 6 nights a week from 9 to 2AM on the road. But I was younger, single, and there were potential female short-term relationships out there. Playing the sax was foreplay We do one-nighters now, so the 3 hour gig includes setup and tear down, so it's a 5.5 hour gig anyway. But I don't mind. I love performing, so does Leilani, and we really do have a lot of fun playing together. Moving the gear isn't fun, but it's just what needs to be done. And they say weight bearing exercise is good for you (no need for a gym membership). Now back in 2005 we worked 7 nights a week for a couple of months. That was too much. We need one day off per week to rest the brain and recharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Said it before but.... most of my solo gigs are downtown. Crowded trains, crowded sidewalks and seemingly youthful able bodied young people walking at a snail's pace - because they are texting or reading a text! They do this across streets, in front of delivery trucks, off curbs and so on. Is one more lol that important... apparently so. Now, on to sets. Just did a four hour gig today in a band. I occasionally do them as a solo, and I find that in both cases, I just get bored of being there. Music, music, music. I just don't like doing it anymore. I'm mainly doing two and three hour gigs these days. Even though, in the hotels I get paid by the hour, I prefer the three or even two hour calls. and I sure couldn't do three hours straight. That's stamina I don't have, and don't even want to develop. In fact, in a duo, I work with one guy who enjoys a beer or three. If the crowd is really going, I might push the set to fifty or sixty minutes, whereupon, he gets a pained expression on his face and says, please make this the last song, I've got to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 We did a pool party yesterday at an RV park on the ocean. Over 300 people - 4 hours straight - no break. We played 3 extra songs, a polka ("Clarinet Polka"), "Hot, Hot, Hot" and "Last Dance" because they asked so nicely. The patio "dance floor" was full from the first song to the last. It rained for about a half hour (we were under a shelter) and they kept on dancing. Enthusiastic applause every 5 minutes, a dozen or more people coming up to tell us how good we sounded, my partner and I playing off each others creativity - a delightful afternoon. To tell you the truth, we were having too much fun to take a break. It's the most fun I can have with my clothes on We've done this party for 7 straight years now, and they booked us for next year already. People come up to us and say, "You look like you are having so much fun" and we say "We are!" When we say we play music, we take the word PLAY seriously. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Sorry you are burned out. I'd like to help, but I don't know what to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Addition. The most we played without a break was 6 hours. We played for a Birthday Party - 10 people in attendance. A German guy was investigating property for a hotel chain, he flew his friends over from Germany to party with him. We set up in the kitchen of his rented house, and they were in the living room. We only saw them when they came to get more beer out of the refrigerator. At the end of 4 hours, he put a few $100 bills on the keyboard and asked if we could do another hour. We said "Yes". At the end of 5 hours, a few more hundreds and the same request. As the end of 6 was nearing, we were hoping he would throw more money in the keyboard, and at the same time hoping he would not. He didn't. They loved us and helped us lug the gear back to the van. I guess we have "the biggest bladders in the business" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 from Wikipedia: His playing once put him at risk of injury. Waller was kidnapped in Chicago leaving a performance in 1926. Four men bundled him into a car and took him to the Hawthorne Inn, owned by Al Capone. Waller was ordered inside the building, and found a party in full swing. Gun to his back, he was pushed towards a piano, and told to play. A terrified Waller realized he was the "surprise guest" at Capone's birthday party, and took comfort that the gangsters did not intend to kill him. It is rumored that Waller stayed at the Hawthorne Inn for three days and left very drunk, extremely tired, and had earned thousands of dollars in cash from Capone and other party-goers as tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Oops, I just reread my post and it sounds like I'm getting tired of the whole thing, but that's quite the contrary. I suppose, I'm just getting spoiled by the two and three hour gigs I've been doing lately. I like the whole movie thing where Elvis sings a song, and that's his set for the evening. I played a five hour gig last Christmas and Boxing Day. By the end of each night, I was getting tired of hearing my guitar and hearing my singing. It was like saying turkey over and over again. I enjoyed the gigs, but I guess I'm developing late stage ADHD! After two or three hours I'm ready to pack it in and do something else, even if it's just moving down the street to do another gig. Still love playing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Strongest bladders indeed! Like I said, I can't get much more than an hour out of the sax player I work with, not without a porta potty on hand. As a solo or duo, I can count the number of times I've gone for 90 minutes on one hand. Once at a an outdoor party where people were dancing and once on New Year's. Played a NY's in a high energy horn band from 9 pm to 3 am once (with breaks of course). Never did that again, it was insane. Very hard to sustain that level of energy for a six hour gig.. In fact, the same band now does New Year's with another band. We alternate fifty minute sets, for a total of two sets each, and end around 12:30 am - perfect. Not as much dough as I can make elsewhere but much more relaxing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 21, 2016 Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 I guess we're just weird. When we are done, we are tired, but a good kind of tired. Music is like vitamin M for me. As long as the audience doesn't peter out, my energy is up there. We play a private club about 8-10 times a year. 4 hours straight - no breaks - but the room usually thins out about 30-45 minutes before we're done. Energy dwindles, but then we play gentle jazzy music (as close to cool school jazz as we can play in a duo) and there are a few people who stay just to hear that. As much as I like high energy music, I like tasty gentle music as well, and it gives me a chance to play that side of me. I'm officially an senior citizen, I should be retired, but I have no intention of doing so. As long as I can fog a mirror, I'll be playing music. As long as I can find an audience, I'll be gigging too. Actually, I can't remember the last time we took a break. There are occasional times when the party throwers want to make announcements or do a 50/50 lottery. But I don't count those because we don't leave the stage and get right back to the music. I just absolutely love playing. Playing the sax makes me very comfortable, and my newer instruments, guitar and wind synthesizer are still in the adventure discovery stage. Plus we are constantly learning new songs. Perhaps that keeps it fresh. Or perhaps, it's just brain damage Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 21, 2016 Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 Talk about tension and release. If it happens to me, I hope I'm wearing a brown suit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 21, 2016 Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 Speaking of material and long sets, I ran into someone that didn't even have enough material for three sets. They are getting booked everywhere AFAIK. So that's the other side of the coin. I have enough material to do six sets of Pop/Soul, four sets of Jazz/background, three sets of Blues, and three or four sets of dance music, whether that's Rock or whatever, and then I've got some other specialty stuff (Ballroom, Country...). However, I'm good for about three sets and then I need my rocking chair. Kudos to you Notes, the marathon man of music! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 22, 2016 Members Share Posted March 22, 2016 Marathon man - thanks. I don't know why I love it so much, I just do. My partner Leilani is the same way. We feed off each others energy and the energy that comes back from the crowd. We're running about 550 songs at last count. We would have 300 or so more, but back in the early 1990s I lost that many that were written in a proprietary Yamaha arranger keyboard format. We learned new ones and only re-learned the classics. After that, I save everything in standard MIDI file format. The sequencer in the Yamaha was very easy to use, but it didn't save in SMF files. I bought a computer sequencer and never looked back. I save everything in both the proprietary and standard formats. I make my own backing tracks, so relearning those lost songs would take a long time, and that time is better spent learning something new. I don't know how much use I'd get out of songs like "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" today. Song list is already outdated, we've learned about a dozen more this season. http://www.nortonmusic.com/cats/songlist.html I guess when the work slows down I'll update the website Another road story....... I have been in bands that went out with 45 songs. We'd have to say "We had a request to do this one again." and work like crazy in the daytime to learn more. But we needed to work so we went out as soon as we could. I remember back in the disco days doing "Dazz Dazz Disco Jazz". We did it for about 10 minutes. I was a month self taught on the flute. I bought it from a girl who gave it up along with a fingering chart. She showed me how to blow into it (embouchure) and I took it from there. I didn't even have all the fingerings of the third (highest) octave down yet. I played this 4 or 5 minute solo, growling, flutter tonguing, and humming ala Ian Anderson at times, and the solo was about 10% technique and 90% energy and Bull S***. At the end of the set a pretty girl came up to me and told me how much she loved my flute playing -- never said anything about my sax playing (and I was actually good at sax). Go figure. She made my night though Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GtrGeorge! Posted March 24, 2016 Members Share Posted March 24, 2016 Alot of stuff here to comment on,.,,but everyone is just venting...I am happy to do 4 hr gigs, I think the few short breaks are good for the band AND the audience, And everything just kinda flows. I have no complaints. I see playing for people as a privlidge,not a right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted March 24, 2016 Members Share Posted March 24, 2016 It's a whole different culture here with regards to sets, I am simply contacted to perform on a certain day/evening and any set lengths are never discussed, just a start time. I turn up and play until I have bored myself, usually between two and a half to three hours, without a break as once I have started its just easier for me to keep the momentum going. Then, unless there are some requests accompanied by dosh, I tear down and leave or maybe stay to chat with customers over a nightcap. The owners managers just trust that I will read the room right and that suits us all. The only exception to this is if on the rare occasions I have booked two gigs in a day I will be very specific about when I will leave the first one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 24, 2016 Members Share Posted March 24, 2016 Going with the flow of the audience is the secret of a good gig. If they need a break, take one, if it will chill the mood, play through. It's a dialog with the audience. You are playing to that audience because they want to hear you. And they want to hear you enough so that you can make a living do what you love do to. I call that lucky and agree with George - it's privilege. A prostitute tells you, "Time's up" - a lover doesn't quit until you both are satisfied. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 24, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 24, 2016 drain bamage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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