Scenario #1- I’m having a rough gig. Can’t hit my ass with both hands. I go for something, a lick, a bend, an idea and can’t find it. I feel like I’m constantly phrasing things a millisecond early or late. Just feeling off.
Scenario #2- I’m playing with precision. Everything falls under my fingers effortlessly. I’m nailing everything I go for. I am on.
Over the years, I’ve seen both play out many times.
The odd part is, and it’s happened over and over, at the end of the night with the first one; people come to me and say-”that was great!”. Can’t they tell? Can’t they hear what’s going on?
Conversely, after scenario #2…nobody comes by to compliment. Can’t they hear what’s going on?
Now, there have been times when I felt good about a performance and people have reconfirmed it for me and, nights where I played bad and heard “you seemed a little loose” as well. But, a lot of times it’s hard to figure.
You are always “transmitting” stuff that goes beyond the notes. Music is communication and there are things you transmit, that people receive, that run on a deeper level.
I have come to the conclusion that the trick is to try and be aware of what you transmit. It’s not really a “power of positive thinking” kind of deal. That’s more like “projecting”. In other words, if you look inside and get a glimpse of what you might be transmitting, rather than just trying to cover it up with some polyester hokum, you can let the transmission flow honest and natural.
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