Join The Band Turkey Jam 2019

118th Concert Review – Turkey Jam 2019

November 23rd and 24th, 2019 at The Mint

27 Bands Rocking The Mint!

You did it! Congratulations on performing at the “Join The Band” Turkey Jam 2019. We had 27 bands perform over the weekend. Over 20 new band members played at their first concert.

As usual we had quite a variety of music played from pop, blues, jazz, rock n roll, metal and more.  Kids as young as 8-years-old, teenagers, adults, and our most senior band members performed.

There is nothing better for your musical growth than playing live shows.  Having a performance goal sharpens your focus and prioritizes your practice routines. The only way to practice playing on stage is to work on your preparation time.  

Every time you play a show you will learn something. “Things” happen in live performance.

Your preparation time makes a difference. Ask yourself these questions:

• Did I put in proper time to learn my songs? 

1. 1. 1. You know the answer to this question. Be honest with yourself. 
      2. Put in the time. Work with your teacher.
      3.  Listen to your teachers input and apply their advice.

• Did I put in the time to memorize the music and song lyrics? 

1. 1. 1. Really?  You had 3 months and you still need a lyric sheet?  Come on man! :)
      2. Playing with your head buried in a music stand isn’t fun for your audience to watch.
      3. The most successful performances I see are minus music stands. :)
      4. Listening to the song is key. Listen to your songs when you are commuting in your car, going to work, going to school, etc… 
      5. Listen to the songs until you can’t stand to hear them again. Then listen to them some more. :)
      6. Is my instrument show ready? 
      7. This applies to guitar and bassists. 
      8. Do you need new strings? Is your input jack working? Volume and tone controls clean? etc…

• Drummers… Did I bring my own sticks?

1. 1. 1. Really? You don’t bring your own sticks?  Come on man! :)

• Guitar players… Are your effect pedals ready to plug in and play?

1. 1. 1. You should be able to drop your pedal board on the stage, plug it in with 2 cables, and be ready to rock within 2 minutes.
      2. Are you gain stages set properly?
      3. Are your connection cables working properly? No shorting out? no intermittent problems? etc…
      4. Are your pedals mounted on a pedal board with a power supply?
      5. We can assist you with your pedal board set up. Just ask. :) 

• Avoid filling your head with “what ifs”. 

1. 1. What if I forget a lyric? 
   2. What if I forget a chord? 
   3. What if my sticks break? 
   4. What if I break a string? 
   5. What if…? What if…? What if…? 
   6. All you are doing is creating an image in your head that you don’t want to happen. In other words. “Worrying is like wishing for an outcome that you don’t want”.

Things that are challenging to plan for:

1. The audience: The only way to get used to playing for an audience is to play live. Nothing else works. Remember, go in with the attitude that your audience wants you to succeed. Your preparation time is crucial.
2. Lights in your eyes: This advice sounds simple but I’ll say it… Don’t look directly at the lights. 
3. Night clubs sound different than rehearsal rooms. Every night club/venue you play will have its own sound.Some will be similar but they are all different. The only way to get good at adjusting to a room is play live in a lot of different venues.
4. Sound engineer: We had two different engineers over the weekend. Both were good, but they each had their own “touch” on the sound.

Practice Routines: What is yours and how do you make the best use of your time?

Let’s face it. We are all busy. Computers, phones, tablets, and even our watches are supposed to “simplify our lives,” but many times they are vehicles for distraction and wasted time. There is always one more post to send, one more to read, one more email, one more text, one more tweet, one more whatever to keep us from doing the work that really matters.

Plan your practice schedule and stick to it. Setting aside the same days and times for practicing will get you into a solid routine.  During this time, do not use your phone, tablet or computer to read charts and/or lyrics. Instead, print out your music and/or lyrics to avoid spiraling down a “digital rabbit hole”. Place your phone in a different room, or just shut it off.  Believe me, the world will continue even if you are “not connected”.

See you at the studio!

John Mizenko

Join The Band

“Play Music – Make Friends – Have A Blast!”