From: someone@anywheret.net   
      
   "JimD"  wrote in message news:201809302228229778-email@nowherecom...   
      
   > No one can.  Period.    At least not all the time.  If you're ok with the   
   > drummer only screwing up a few songs a gig, then trying to play along with   
   > backing tracks without some sort of a click is easy.   
      
   Essentially Forcing, or trying to, Nonliving Machine precision from Living   
   persons...why?   
      
   > It's easy until you screw up. Then it's not.   
      
   Screw up meaning not constantly matching a Machine's precision - what a HELL   
   of a way to 'enjoy' Music!   
      
   Imagine using a similar technique for speaking, simply talking! Or as the   
   Star Trek episode, "Court Martial" portrayed it, Capt. Kirk's lawyer,   
   defending him against a charge brought against him based solely on a   
   deliberately reprogrammed computer, stated basically that when a machine is   
   given as much importance and authority as a living person, it reduces,   
   Depersonalizes the living person DOWN to the level of the machine, a   
   Mindless, Soulless, Nonliving thing.   
      
   Obviously, there's nowhere near enough Rehearsing, and/or Practicing going   
   on!   
      
   At least with the Yngwie Malmsteen crap I'm playing, there's LOTS of going   
   over things until they're down, because Malmsteen, being such a showoff,   
   puts the entire focus on himself, which means that pretty much the only way   
   to learn his material is to WORK on it until it's learned, and thanks to all   
   the deliberate breaks and other variations, at least that part eliminates   
   the ability of using machines as a substitute for Genuine Learning - at   
   least that part is a positive factor ;) - too bad the rest aren't :(   
      
   > People who think they can play along with tracks without a click just   
   > haven't tried it.   
      
   That appears to indicate that they can't Clearly Hear the 'tracks', because   
   playing along is still playing along, even with a machine.   
      
   Still, there's NO substitute for Practice. Whether they're clicks,   
   electronically generated, or ticks, mechanically generated by a wind-up   
   metronome, it's still a matter of whether to focus on what you're playing,   
   OR the clicks/ticks, since focusing on both simultaneously is pretty much   
   out of the question, which means that focusing on the tempo (clicks/ticks)   
   is important Training to Practice, until the musician's ability to keep the   
   tempo naturally, becomes Sufficient enough to not need tempo cues, like   
   clicks.   
      
   > Some songs have parts where the bass drops out. Or the bass just isn't   
   > playing on the beat, or it's some syncopated thing. Not all songs are mid   
   > tempo, blues format 4/4 format.   
      
   No problem...***IF*** there's Sufficient Practice in Thoroughly Learning the   
   material - LAZY 'shortcuts' Won't cut it!!!   
      
   > I am doing them live.  Live right here in my little house.   
      
   I meant Live with a band ;)   
      
   > People who make the recordings.   
      
   I guess it's because I taught myself to play by playing along with the   
   radio, ALL 'tracks' in the privacy of my home, often in my room, that I'm so   
   grossed out at the  very idea of Daring to do that on stage for an audience!   
   About as bad as using the washroom without at least closing, if not also   
   locking the door if anyone else is around.   
      
   What that 'track' Nonsense, Both click and 'backing', means to me is that   
   thanks to Abject Laziness, resulting in Thoroughly Insufficient Personal   
   Practicing and band Rehearsing, it's being used as some Silly, LAME kind of   
   intended 'fix' so that the band can ostensibly, 'practice' and 'rehearse'   
   while playing a show on stage...IT WON'T WORK, because it CAN'T, and NEVER   
   WILL!!!   
      
   That's no joke, at least not a very funny one, only Disgusting!   
   A couple of CopyCatfish Clowns I've played with in the past actually   
   referred to their gigs as PAID 'practice' and 'rehearsal'..SHAME ON   
   THEM...if only then knew what Shame is, or cared!!!   
      
   > I agree with that.  I want to play with the recordings I've made.  I don't   
   > want someone onstage with me that isn't comfortable with doing that.   
      
   Only problem is that the recordings are STATIC while Live Music is DYNAMIC!   
      
   > This always reminds me of magic acts.  It's an absolute disaster for a   
   > magician to have a clumsy half interested assistant who blows the tricks.   
      
   And Music is NO PLACE for TRICKS!!!   
   But then that's why 'tracks' gross me out, they're only *attempts* at Tricks   
   that really CAN'T FOOL anyone!   
      
   > all you'd need would be someone to transport the pa and lights and to push   
   > the play button now and then.   
      
   > Ever hear of " dj's "   ?   
      
   PRECISELY!!!   
      
   If you want STATIC Music, you want a DJ!   
      
   If you want DYNAMIC Music, you want a TOTALLY LIVE band!   
      
   > They do. They did.  We received several comments over the gig, all   
   > positive.  One made to me was from a womaw who ws herself a musician. She   
   > saw exactly what we were doing, and was fine with it.  Huh, that surprised   
   > even me.   
      
   The surprising part is how they can apparently pay attention to the band,   
   and dance too ;)   
      
   > All those chairs were full.   Did their ears work, I don't really know.   
      
   Oh, okay, sounds like not everyone was dancing but rather that many were   
   listening.   
      
   > If they don't like us, they are free to leave.  It's simple   
      
   Yeah but that indicates preference, and I was wondering if they even had   
   that ;)   
      
   > There aren't any " right band members " to play my music.  I play my   
   > music.   
      
   Obviously, you just haven't found them yet...which is after all a Major   
   Challenge.   
      
   > The club was about 3/4 full. We were told afterwards by a trustee that the   
   > kitchen sold very well, a lot of people ordered dinners.  There were   
   > dancers all night.   
      
   Sounds like one of those something-for-everyone type of venues, that's good,   
   at least you won't be stuck with only dancers.   
      
   > We were complimented several times by people over the evening.  I'm ok   
   > with the gig.  In a week we start the square dances, and those will be   
   > every week all winter.   
      
   Variety. Sounds interesting.   
      
   > Possibility to get bored doing that. Or maybe not. That'll be determined   
   > by my attitude. I can see them as an adventure or an ordeal, my choice.   
      
   How can you get to choose there? ;)   
   I'd venture to think that the number of square dance tunes (I wonder how   
   many there are) might be a factor, at least insomuch as boredom is concerned   
   )   
      
   > Thinking about not taking the keyboard to those gigs. Just guitar / fiddle   
   > and the computer. Of course wife will be on drums and band girl singing.   
      
   It's too band we're such a distance apart, because I'd sure Love to bring a   
   keyboard!   
      
   > It's a shock using tracks and seeing just a guitar,   
      
   No, not a shock, only Disgusting ;)   
      
   > but hey, maybe I'll make a sign with an arrow ... point that at the   
   > computer and say it's doing everything, we're just there faking and taking   
   > the money.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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