| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Professionals and a "pro" sound | |
| ziggysane66 -- 02/03/2004, 22:53:05 -- #575 | |
| Hey, What are the qualities that seperate the professional or "pro" pianist from an amatuer? I've usually heard the label used in context with a type of sound and/or um...intangible quality rather than outright technical virtuousity. If those of you who have been around the biz could weigh in with opinions or examples or even tips for attaining the "pro" sound of lore it would be cool. Thanx. Danny | |
| ziggysane66 -- 02/03/2004, 23:35:50 -- #576 | |
| I should also note that I speak of non-classical-exclusive pianists in general. | |
| 7 -- 02/04/2004, 09:47:37 -- #590 | |
A true pro realizes that s/he must do what the arrangement calls for. Play less. Drink more. 7 Whoops. I meant "Less is more". | |
| Scot -- 02/04/2004, 10:57:47 -- #595 | |
| There are a lot of angles to this question. First one I'll take is the actual piano part. A pro plays with confidence. You get up on stage and own it. A pro is prepared to play whatever the gig calls for. A pro plays with the band and not against it, that is, a pro doesn't show-boat because it's the music, the final product that matters. Lots of non-pros think that if they really outshine everyone else on stage (or try to) they'll get recognized as being great, but it usually works the opposite. The sound of a pro is the sound of someone who has a very good handle on the vocabulary of the music they are playing. Most of us can't talk shop with a neuro-surgeon, right? That guy has years of training and experience. So it's the same with music. The pro players can sit around on stage and speak the same language. Like those great jazz festival jam sessions - Ray Brown, Clark Terry, Monty Alexander, etc... those guys are on the same page. But playing is just a small part of being a pro. Being a pro also means always being on time, showing up for gigs and rehearsals, acting professional when things don't go right, that sort of thing. It's also how you talk. How you hang out. Professionals don't want to hang out with the "kids", the players who don't yet realize that once you get to a certain level, EVERYONE IS GOOD. Not just the highschool super star, but everyone. Technically the pro sound you might be asking about usually has to do with time. A pro knows how to lay down time. An amatuer often hsa time problems, turns around the beat, that sort of thing. Back when I couldn't play a note, I still got hired. I think it was because I had pretty solid time. And you know what? You can hear someone that doesn't have time after they play their first two notes. But when you hear someone with time playing their first two notes, you automatically relax a bit and the feeling is that "this guy knows how to play". Ok, so it was a rambling post :) | |
| ziggysane66 -- 02/03/2004, 23:35:50 -- #576 | |
| I should also note that I speak of non-classical-exclusive pianists in general. | |
| 7 -- 02/04/2004, 09:47:37 -- #590 | |
A true pro realizes that s/he must do what the arrangement calls for. Play less. Drink more. 7 Whoops. I meant "Less is more". | |
| Scot -- 02/04/2004, 10:57:47 -- #595 | |
| There are a lot of angles to this question. First one I'll take is the actual piano part. A pro plays with confidence. You get up on stage and own it. A pro is prepared to play whatever the gig calls for. A pro plays with the band and not against it, that is, a pro doesn't show-boat because it's the music, the final product that matters. Lots of non-pros think that if they really outshine everyone else on stage (or try to) they'll get recognized as being great, but it usually works the opposite. The sound of a pro is the sound of someone who has a very good handle on the vocabulary of the music they are playing. Most of us can't talk shop with a neuro-surgeon, right? That guy has years of training and experience. So it's the same with music. The pro players can sit around on stage and speak the same language. Like those great jazz festival jam sessions - Ray Brown, Clark Terry, Monty Alexander, etc... those guys are on the same page. But playing is just a small part of being a pro. Being a pro also means always being on time, showing up for gigs and rehearsals, acting professional when things don't go right, that sort of thing. It's also how you talk. How you hang out. Professionals don't want to hang out with the "kids", the players who don't yet realize that once you get to a certain level, EVERYONE IS GOOD. Not just the highschool super star, but everyone. Technically the pro sound you might be asking about usually has to do with time. A pro knows how to lay down time. An amatuer often hsa time problems, turns around the beat, that sort of thing. Back when I couldn't play a note, I still got hired. I think it was because I had pretty solid time. And you know what? You can hear someone that doesn't have time after they play their first two notes. But when you hear someone with time playing their first two notes, you automatically relax a bit and the feeling is that "this guy knows how to play". Ok, so it was a rambling post :) | |
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