SWINDLESMANSHIP 101
(colorful language alert)
(colorful language alert)
In his book, A Comprehensive Workbook for Bass Trombone and Trombone with F-attachment, my old teacher, Jeff Reynolds, attributes the following to "R.B." (I suspect Roger Bobo): “When the going gets rough, the smart player turns on a higher ‘swindlesmanship’ quotient.” (Gene Pokorny has also attributed "swindlesmanship" to Roger.) Jeff has also echoed Max Bialystok, "when ya got it, flaunt it." True dat. My corollary is, "when ya don't got it, don't flaunt it."
Phil Teele told me, early on, about studio work: "What we do isn't as perfect as you think it is. You need to be able to do 98% of the stuff at a 98% level 98% of the time." (Compound "interest" is not involved.) But what about the other 2%? Well, as my friend, Bruce Otto, once told me, "sometimes ya gotta lay in da weeds" (or "ghost" a note – or twelve) – that is a very important skill.
But sometimes – there's no place to hide – and you gotta play something! As I have said, "Timely, Confident, Bullshit, will take a young musician a long way in this business!" The important words in that sentence are "timely" and "confident." If they think you played it . . . you played it. (Human perception is notoriously unreliable.) Si Zentner once told me, "Just play the time, the notes will take care of themselves." (This will not serve you well at auditions.)
However, this should be an absolutely last (but sometimes absolutely necessary) resort! If you want to work, get good!
Swindlesmanship is not to be confused with Edward Kleinhammer's advice – (but perhaps with Bob McChesney's trick) – see Slide Technique.
Phil Teele told me, early on, about studio work: "What we do isn't as perfect as you think it is. You need to be able to do 98% of the stuff at a 98% level 98% of the time." (Compound "interest" is not involved.) But what about the other 2%? Well, as my friend, Bruce Otto, once told me, "sometimes ya gotta lay in da weeds" (or "ghost" a note – or twelve) – that is a very important skill.
But sometimes – there's no place to hide – and you gotta play something! As I have said, "Timely, Confident, Bullshit, will take a young musician a long way in this business!" The important words in that sentence are "timely" and "confident." If they think you played it . . . you played it. (Human perception is notoriously unreliable.) Si Zentner once told me, "Just play the time, the notes will take care of themselves." (This will not serve you well at auditions.)
However, this should be an absolutely last (but sometimes absolutely necessary) resort! If you want to work, get good!
Swindlesmanship is not to be confused with Edward Kleinhammer's advice – (but perhaps with Bob McChesney's trick) – see Slide Technique.