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Talking While Playing, Sub Division, and Translating Scat
by Mr. P.C.
Talking While PlayingDear Mr. P.C.: You are in the middle of an improvised solo, eyes closed, really in the flow, when someone walks up and starts talking to you. What do you do? Sure, I can have a conversation while strumming the chords to a pop song or some repetitive part, but while navigating ...
Bits and Bytes
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: Do you really have to suffer to be a great artist, or is that just Hollywood BS? --Pete L., Chicago Dear Pete: It's absolutely true, and that's why you should always seek out and play with the worst musicians possible. Dear Mr. P.C.: ...
Do the Math
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: Here's what I don't get. Say you're the leader on a $400 quartet gig, and the club owner offers you a 50% raise, but “changes his mind" a week later and cuts your pay by 50%. You wind up with less than you started with--$300! ($600 -$300) But then look at ...
Count-Off, Off of My Cloud, Going Off
by Mr. P.C.
Count-offDear Mr. P.C.: I have a question. What's the difference between “counting it off" and “counting it IN" ??? I know it's “counting off the beat" and “counting IN the band," but it's still weird to me. —K.M., Seattle Dear K.M.: Actually, the opposite of counting a ...
Sneezing, Spouses and Singers
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: I'm playing solo piano at an old folks home. Suddenly I feel an explosive sneeze coming on, and I can tell it's going to be “productive." I don't want to be responsible for infecting the vulnerable elderly. Where am I supposed to point my problematic proboscis? Do my hands get involved? ...
De Bass
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: When a pianist and bassist argue over chord changes, who's usually right? --Believing Either Bass Or Piano Dear BEBOP: Does it matter? It's purely ritualistic behavior, as inborn and inescapable as bucks tangling antlers in the spring. But the feuding still establishes dominance, ...
Disgruntled Masters
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: Is it okay to grunt or hum while playing the piano? I'm looking for a career in jazz but don't have any musical talent, but I'm pretty sure I could figure out a way to remaster the great tunes from the likes of Oscar and Erroll to exclude the annoying 'hum' ...
Bits and Bytes
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: On the bandstand, in the middle of a tune, is it okay to move your lips while you're counting? —Patient Percussionist Dear PP: Of course--if you don't, you'll sound really strange. Dear Mr. P.C.: I saw someone post on Facebook, just ...
Faking Bad
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: I'm in a band with a bassist who wants to rehearse every week. Considering that all we do when we have a gig is fake standards, isn't he being a little OCD? —Kevin A., Raleigh Dear Kevin: The hardest thing about faking standards is that ...
Ouch!
by Mr. P.C.
Dear Mr. P.C.: Should jazz musicians marry one another? --J.S. Dear JS: Here's something that may surprise you: Tone deafness is a dominant gene, which means the ability to carry a tune is recessive. Since most jazz artists—when forced to—can carry a tune, the ability to play jazz ...
