Re: [Harp-L] When to Lay Out

[46long Blake <46long@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've thought for a while now that one of the signs that I was maturing as a
player was knowing when to shut the heck up, listen, and let tohers shine.
Obviously this improves the music as well as the audience's experience.

One of the things that I think prevents players from doing this is stage
confidence. If you're not singing or playing, what the heck do you do?  You
feel that the audience is all out there, looking at you, but you're not
doing anything.  It's a horribly insecure feeling.  Now there are those who
are more natural hams and will continue "entertaining" some way or another.
But for those of us who either aren't the frontman, or even if we are and
don't have the type of stage persona that begs "pay attention to me at all
times! Look at me, I got my mojo woikin !" (some might call this being an
entertainer) I've found some solace during those "awkward" moments in
focusing my attention on whoever is soloing and / or singing at the time.
It will draw the audience's attention naturally away from you, and you'll
feel less self-conscius about "not doing anything."  In other words, act
like there's something really cool going on across the stage...it will keep
good vibes among the players as well - either stroking guitarists' egos, or
making yours seem less big.

On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 9:43 AM, <IcemanLE@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Laying out or empty space may be considered a passive involvement with the
> music - killing time until you get to play harmonica some more.
>
> A valuable shift in awareness is to learn to actively play the silence,
> considering that the silence is just as important (some consider even more
> important) as the notes. After all, if it weren't for the silence between
> the
> notes, you wouldn't perceive it as music.
>
> Another aspect to develop is to relax and embrace 'not-playing' while on
> stage, being secure in yourself and your abilities.
>
> As artists mature, so many of them discover that it is not what you say,
> but what you leave unsaid or alluded to that makes the music so compelling.
> Spaces that surround your musical ideas and lines will actually create a
> stronger impact to the ear of the listener.
>
> Isn't it true, for the most part, when you are stuck in a conversation with
>  someone that won't shut up, that you often become disengaged and stop
> listening to what is being said?
>
>
> In a message dated 4/27/2009 11:30:50 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> gkester@xxxxxxxx writes:
>
> it was  rare to find a harp player
> who knows when to lay out as well as when  to play. I've always tried
> to be judicious in my playing; looking  for the right phrase or set of
> notes to compliment the music, even  if it's short or relatively
> subtle. It was nice to have someone  recognize this. I think I have a
> fear of harmonica overkill. I'd  rather leave the audience wishing they
> could hear MORE harp, rather  than filling up every empty space. If I
> was Jason Ricci it might be  another matter, but given my own skills I
> sometimes take as much  pleasure in well-considered fill as I do in a
> solo (not that I'm  averse to those either!). I wonder if this is the
> case for other  players?
>
>
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