Performance Crashers

Great warm up!  Chops rock.  It's conquer-the-world day!  Next stop however is the concert hall where some strange things have been known to happen.  Stepping onto the stage you suddenly sense an onslaught of unseen and unwelcome party-crashers about to impose their music-inhibiting tactics upon you at will.  Quickly they advance and begin their merciless hounding like haunting spirits assuming all rights to the stage.

Because their inflicted wounds are unplanned for, they are quite discouraging. Just like that, your hallowed concert hall experience has turned haunted.  Laughter ensues as these phantom foes have once more triumphed over their ill-prepared victim.

Here are some of the telltale signs of their work:

• Greatly restricted air flow
• Loss of dynamic contrasts
• Lack of steady rhythm
• Frequent pitch violations
• Inability to communicate the music
• Only one kind of articulation possible - thuds
• Shaky sound
• Unimpressive stage presence
• Loss of control 
• Inability to conceal a defeatist mindset

There is good news!  These performance demons can indeed be exorcised, but only at an enormous cost to you!  Yes, the victory can be won, but only after a great war has been waged.  A few halfhearted but well-meaning practice battles will not prevail for long against these ever-present performance adversaries.  Sadly, there are very few music competitors willing to enlist for the fight or willing to endure combat for more than a few weeks.

First class performance doesn't just happen by chance.  The odds are against you.  To beat those stacked odds, you need an obsession mindset, a wise strategy and plenty of good counsel not to mention a good bit of Job-like patience.  Success will happen when these are habitual.

Daily battle agenda:

• Basics
• Listening
• Recording
• Lessons (guidance)
• Countless run-thrus
• Rhythm
• Dynamics
• Intonation
• STAND-OUT MUSICIANSHIP

Crush the Crashers!!!