iPhone LIVE!
Covid-19 put a stop to bar-hoping and… live music performances.
How to maintain live-performance skills?
Well… there’s always an iPhone!
• “Losing My Religion” — R.E.M. Click on image to view video.
• “The Tower” — Chris de Burgh. Click on image to view video.
• “Your Song” —Elton John. Click on image to view video.
• “Nine Voices” — YES. Click on image to view video.
Almost the Real Thing
Like a live performance:
It feels REAL — and this time viewers/listeners can rewind!
Critical eyes are on you — most especially your own!
Conditions are (very) far from perfect
Distractions abound
Things will go wrong
Your voice may not be up for today’s “required” performance
If you make a mistake, you gotta keep going!
You will deal with ANXIETY!
• “Bright Side of the Universe” — Cat. Click on image to view video.
• “Best Song Ever” — One Direction. Click on image to view video.
• “Me & Julio Down but the Schoolyard” — Paul Simon. Click on image to view video.
• “City of New Orleans” — Arlo Guthrie. Click on image to view video.
Get Over It • Just Do It
It’s been said:
Amateurs play well when they feel good.
Professionals play well regardless of how they feel.
The goal of an iPhone-as-audience practice, then, is to “Get Over It” and “Just Do it” — regardless of how you feel.
• “Sweet But Psycho” — Ava Max. Click on image to view video.
• “Blue Wonderful” — Elton John. Click on image to view video.
• “Vision” — Peter Hammill (of Van de Graaf Generator). Click on image to view video.
• “Come a Little Closer” — Dierks Bentley. Click on image to view video.
Don’t Let the Perfect
Be the Enemy of the Good
A few of my (ongoing) Notes to Self:
Anxiety is a powerful enemy — relax
Anxiety… oh boy am I learning about this one… anxiety messes with the brain…
The guitar may sound “too quiet” to the player, but be plenty loud for the listener — chill
Smile! — I’ve got to fight my grumpy Swedish genes!
Spending time getting one song right is a good investment: what’s learned carries over to other, less-practiced songs
Tripping up on lyrics? — read them aloud, like poetry, a few times
Keep up (almost) daily recording — you’ll learn a lot!
The more (regularly) you do something hard, the easier it gets
Learning and playing something completely new — I’ve always used a pick/plectrum; I’ve never finger-picked — is a steep-learning-curve challenge, but fun and deeply satisfying too
I really am a big Kacey Musgraves fan — a really big fan!
• “Die a Happy Man,” Thomas Rhett. Click on image to view video.
• “The Knot,” Cat. Click on image to view video.
• “Lean,” The National. Click on image to view video.
