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Many of us know how to play very well, good technique, high-level improvisation, speed on the guitar, mastering the guitar, learning different styles, but not all know how to play with people.
Playing with people is not something that can be learned from a book. It is not something that can be learned from a teacher, and yet, in my opinion, it is the most important thing to do as a musician.
Why is it important to play with people?
It could be that when you play at home, you play amazingly, and people compliment you every time they see you playing. It makes you feel like you’re a good guitarist and that you’re getting better at your playing.
I’m not saying it’s not true, I’m just saying it’s not everything. The day will come when you will want to go on stage and get some glory, because between us, who does not want to?
Going on stage alone is nice, but it’s not like going on stage with the band, and how will you get on with the group if you do not know and have no experience playing with other people?
As one who has played quite a bit with others, I can tell you that I learned the most from just that. You suddenly know to go in other directions with your music. You learn to communicate with people while making music and turn it into language, and you discover entirely different worlds while playing a tune that someone else wrote. In short, you are expanding your world of music.
So we got back some friends, but what are we playing?
I know this question, and it has only one answer for me.
You meet in rehearsal, and the first thing I suggest you do is Jam (jam-improvisation, one person starts some chord move or a particular line and the rest join him).
Jam is good for several reasons.
1) You see where each player takes the piece and what style, so you start to recognize him as a player.
2) You can prove yourself as a player more than you could in a familiar song.
3) When playing a familiar song, everyone has a role, and you know what will happen all the time. In a jam, you suddenly discover new things that you did not expect, and maybe you would not continue the piece this way and show more interest in the piece.
During the jam session, I discovered that I was much lower than the other musicians. What to do?
Look, it sucks, I know, but in the two months you play with them, you’ll reach their level. Let time do its thing. Even if you are ashamed to take a solo or at all ashamed to play with those who are better than you, do not be afraid of it.
I remember a few cases where people I played with did not take a solo and did not understand why. For me, if someone does not take a solo, it lowers the open atmosphere that was before it. Think about it.
Playing with them will only improve you in the future.
While rehearsing, I realized that the one who plays with me loves an entirely different style from me. What to do?
Sharp and smooth, keep playing with it. The jazz musicians also have something to learn from the metal heads, and the classical musicians also have something to learn from blues players.
The metalheads also have something to learn from country musicians.
If you play with someone who does not play the same style as you, there will, of course, be disadvantages, he will take the playing to his place more than yours, he will put in the section/melody shades that you may not like, but that does not mean you have nothing to learn from him just because he plays differently.
You will expand your musical horizons to places you never knew existed once you played with a player different from you. It is essential to play with such people, and a big part of playing with people is also that part.
Tips for those who want to play with people:
If you are jamming along with people and someone in the band is making a mistake, take his mistake and make it part of the tune. Even if it does not sound the best, it will create a more pleasant atmosphere in the room and between you.
Smile when playing with people. You should not have sour faces. You should get excited about the music and smile, and it will create an atmosphere of fun and creativity in you.
Try new things. If you already know what you’re going to play and what the next move in your solo is not good, try another lick or a new scale you’ve never tried.
Listen to the band, there are so many musicians I have seen who play not bad at all but do not listen to what the bassist does or what the drummer does or the keyboard or any player in the band and it does not sound good, listen to the band and play accordingly, and do not play and be focused only on yourself.
And most importantly, it is to enjoy.
