There are no tired tunes, just tired players.

On this installment of @yamahamusicusa #silentbass and @laklandbasses Friday, we discuss the saying, "there are no tired tunes, just tired players...". We have all played in some situation where a large number of the same tunes are played every gig...cover bands, wedding bands, tribute bands, etc. Unfortunately, things can get stale very quickly. We all have our "kryptonite" tunes....Freebird. Mustang Sally, Celebration, Brown Eyed Girl, Sweet Caroline...the list goes on. The issue here is no one cares if u have played them a million times...or that u HATE them.The job of the band members is to keep the excitement in the music for the audience. People have come for entertainment and that is ur responsibility. But, let's face it, sometimes it is so difficult! So, how can we work on this? There are several fronts. First start with urself. Bassist Charlie Haden in his book "Conversations with Charlie Haden" says u should look at music with "fresh eyes" every time u play. Now, this is difficult with "cover" tunes, but TBH, even a little of this can go a long way. Sometimes just being in the moment can help. Forgetting about how much u hate the tune and digging into the groove. Believe me, that translates to the audience more than u think. Next, the whole band. Setting up different seques and/or medleys to keep things interesting. Like individually, bands that groove together and play off one another (not just go thru the motions) make the most of the material. Something, again, the audience will experience. Obviously, new material helps..especially, different genres (if applicable). Depending on the playing situation, rearrangement of tunes can also be interesting and fun for listeners. The key us to find different ways to put the "spark" back into the music while still meeting the requirements of the playing situation. Remember, these tunes are popular, and many have been for decades. People love hearing them again and again. The "staleness" does not come from the tunes, it comes from US! As always, I invite your insights. #yamahamusicusa #makewaves #pirastro #glasserny #laklandbasses #sitstrings #tsunamicables #philjonesbass #uptonbassstringinstrumentcompany #basslessons #remotelessons #www.charleysabatino.com