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Dark's Corner
Starvin' Vol. 2, No.3- 'H#'
Somewhere along the line it has become common to perceive performances as holy ground and rehearsals as places where anything goes. For example, it's okay to flub a note in rehearsal because the adage goes, if you play a funky note without an audience, does it actually sound funky? But don't you dare hit an H# while on-stage. In reality, both rehearsals and performances are holy ground, because performances aren't anything but public rehearsals when you think about it. And what about those missed notes? Who gives a shit? In most cases, only the originators of the songs and some rabid fans know the mistake--everyone else thinks you're an improvisational genius, so don't blow your cover by fessing up and making The Mistake Face. That's the look that says, "Jesus! What was I thinking? I suck!" and then the whole crowd knows that you beefed it. Hit a sour note, then hit the bad boy again. I've said it once and I'll say it another time, if you screw up once--it's a mistake, but if you screw up twice, it's jazz.
Okay, so maybe you're one of those purists who needs to be technically pure on-stage, that's fine--but during rehearsals, truly--anything goes. You should be allowed to fully depart from your standard methods of playing in order to explore new lines, riffs, leads, fills or whatever your musical heart desires. I know a lot of guys and gals who shy away from experimentation during rehearsals because they're afraid of hitting bad notes and feeling wierd around more experienced musicians. Don't worry about it. Every one of us has played H# at one time or another, and that links us together as aural linguists. We've all stammered before we have learned to speak.
A native of Los Angeles, Bing Futch moved to central Florida in 1993 and immediately began performing. Since then, he's been actively involved in the local scene both as an artist and as a member of the media. Currently, he can be seen and heard playing Appalachian mountain dulcimer around the state with the band Mohave. Send flames and fondles to www.darkstudios.com or bing@ink19.com and you can also subscribe to The Dark's Corner Mailing List which is the official mailing list for this column. Send press kits, music and legal drugs to: J.O.B. Entertainment Inc. P.O. Box 560727 Orlando, Florida 32856
