When it comes to recording chops, how you are going to creatively translate those rhythms and notes into an “at your convenience” means to pay your bills?
A student made an appointment with me, as many do just before they graduate. They are nervous about the “real world” and want to come talk about what the future holds, knowing my history in the business might help shed some light on what they are about to face. When they enter my office, I have a series of questions from a list that I call, “You Are Not Ready For the Real World IF….” This list is based on my personal experience along with what I have learned from others who have traveled the same road, before me and after me. Most of the criteria on that list pertains to music: repertoire, reading skills, ear-training (the real world kind, on the bandstand: learn a song in one pass—not solfege, which I have never heard on a gig), improvising, rhythmic consistency, groove, and so on. Then come my other questions, which seemingly have very little to do with music, but in reality they have MUCH to do with being successful. One of these mini-quizzes is I have the student open