Re: Sit-in ettiquite(sp?)

[Craig.Smoot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Harvey wrote:
> :I give him the old "you guys sound great, you wanna humor a harp player on a
> :song?"  The guy looks at me, looks at my friend, pauses, then says "no" and
> :walks away.  Not "Thanks, but no thanks" or "Thanks for coming tonight, but
> :we just got this band together and are having a few problems as you can see"

Then Tim wrote:
> This is one of those cats that has been soured by the harp. Even so, he
> could have been a little more polite. After all you just complimented his
> band.
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A similar thread was on Blues-L not too long ago about Sit-In ettiquite(sp?)
and Harvey's story seems to fall into this category.  Harvey, sounds to me
like the guy was a flat-out jerk, but if you've ever been in a band...
then you've probably been in this position before.  

*OUR* band's policy is:  If we are GOOD friends with the asker *OR* they 
are credible musicians, then no prob.  If we don't know the asker, then 
during a break, we will call the guy up to the stage and show him our song 
list to find out what (if anything) he knows.  If he does know a song or 
songs, then I'll usually probe further by saying somthing like, "In what 
key or how did *you* learn this song, because we might play it a little 
different from you?"  (And we do usually play it different.)  Then with 
the volume down on my guitar, I'll proceed to play the the song the way 
we do and have them play along or follow - I'll then be able to tell whether 
they can play the song or not.  If not, then I'll just say something like, 
"Well, y'know man... I don't think we'll have time to work you in, but come 
out next time and we'll definitely work you in somehow! :-)  Thanks for 
coming out anyway! :-) "  

And I wouldn't just be saying that to be nice.  If they did come back, 
chances are they probably have practiced or actually learned the song 
and therefore we let them jam. :-)  It's always a point of mine to be 
polite as possible, because WE ALL were at that level at one time or 
another, and it's not in my nature to shoot anybody down and hurt their 
feelings. :-)

When it is the other way around, well, to tell the truth, I almost NEVER
ask to get up to jam (unless I know them REAL well).  Seriously.  But 
whether I know the band or not, I as a basic rule just don't do it.  
However, if they ask ME to jam, then I'll say, "Sure!  You don't have to 
twist *my* arm." ;-)  That way, *they* have INVITED me, and I don't feel
like I've imposed anything upon them or put them in an awkward position.

I'm curious what some of *your* (Harp-L'ers) Sit-In policies on BOTH
sides of the performer/patron fence are?

LAter Harpin' people,
Craig S.

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|  Craig Smoot                                                        |
|  Systems Analyst / Programmer / Musician                            |
|  Gradkell Systems, Inc. - Huntsville, AL                            |
|  (craig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) ...And NO, I'm not in the Army! ;-)   |
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