[Musicians] Dots

[Thomas Verdot]

Hi Jeff,

While I understand your point & agree with the outcome that you suggest, 
  I see a sheet of music more like a dashboard in a car - the gauges are 
there to glance at once in a while as need be but the important thing to 
watch is the road.  For myself, the best example is the (thankfully) 
rare occasion when we are asked to do an unending grand march.  We 
string 3-6 tunes together, in different keys, 6/8 & 4/4, etc to keep it 
interesting. I always scribble out the first couple of bars of each 
tune, in order, so that I don't blow a transition or start into the 
wrong tune in the agreed upon order.

As for "playing by ear", do we really mean learning by ear?  If that is 
the case it doesn't matter much to me.  Whether I learn a tune from a 
friend, a recording or a piece of paper, by the time it gets used it is 
memorized & has entered into a state of constant flux.

Finally, It is guys like you, the "rhythm section", who can most easily 
create excitement via rhythmic & chord moves.  If that is solid & 
driving, the melody instruments can float on top & add the filigree.  As 
proof, I can remember you with the Synchpaths going several times in a 
row through a tune with no melody at all & without a single dancer 
looking perplexed.  Maybe all of us fiddle players should just pack up, 
forget about the tune & go out on the floor & dance.

Regards, Tom Verdot

On 5/17/2019 8:52 AM, Jeffrey Spero via Musicians wrote:
> I’m in complete agreement with Jeff Kaufman.  If you have the music in front of you, you’re much more likely to play exactly what you see on the page as opposed to being in the moment and playing WITH the other musicians and FOR the dancers. For those that can play by ear, I encourage them to do so.  And for those who are uncomfortable with that, I encourage them to learn the music off the page, and then put the music away while playing.
> 
> The other Jeff
> Culver City, CA
> 
> 
>> On May 17, 2019, at 3:53 AM, tom hinds via Musicians <musicians at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> I’d like to know people’s opinion of using music while playing for a contra dance.   Is it easier to create excitement if the musicians play by ear?  Thanks in advance for your opinion, Tom Hinds
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>> _______________________________________________
>> Musicians mailing list
>> Musicians at lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/musicians-sharedweight.net
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Musicians mailing list
> Musicians at lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/musicians-sharedweight.net
>