So proud of my kids...

Dobb

Hey All, I guess i could've posted this into the jamming with your family thread, but I didn't really jam with them. Last week I went back to Canada to visit with my kids, and my younger son (13) was having a school talent show. The band he sings in played two songs, and for a bunch of 13 yo's...they were pretty damn good! I videod this on my regular camera so its not that great but check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwfCFVXlL90&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifkHk0tWj1I&feature=channel



My older (15) son, whos growing into a fine guit' fiddler, was visiting from his high school and was invited up onstage for an impromptu jam with his brother, and his favorite teacher on drums :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfqNLLMllJw&feature=channel

I know the quality kinda sux, but both of my kids (especially the older one) are considering music as a career, so I'm sure they would love to read any comments from us grow'd ups.

Thanks all,
Dobb.

shredd

Yup. Vid sucked.
But the playing was good and I think it's stellar that the yung'ns are getting comfortable in front of crowds. That's more people than have cheered for me altogether. EVER. :oops:
I'd only offer one bit of advice for an aspiring pro - get \"tight\". When you're a pro, you're an entertainer, and you have to present yourself and your music in a way that entertains. g3456 and 'taus have done many great postings about this, as both are pro/working musicians. Maybe have your boys go through those?

Rawb

Pretty darn cool 8) Considering when I was 14 all I could play was the main riff to Smoke on the water, and a few BTO tunes :roll: I've learned like 4 more riffs since :shock: LoL The way I got it figured, my set list should be up to about ten riff's in another 35 yrs :P LoL

I figure as long as they stay true to themselves and the music and the right mates. The timing and 'tightness' will come naturaly imo

Throw that chest out! You have some fine boys there!

Manitou

8) You are very blessed! Way to go man!

The problem with your video camera...doncha know by golly geez, you might have to convert it to metric
or something for filming Canadian? Maybe that was what it was aboot....eh? :?

guitar3456

I love seeing kids performing and having a great time. Even at that age, it's difficult to perform to crowds. I've worked with many kids in the HS Rock Off competitions in our local area. What's really good is for them all to take something from their competition or at least see how some of the others performances are in comparison.

I had many kids that thought they were the shiizzna, but when competing against another school they had their egos reduced when they see a stellar performance. It's to bad sometimes that one group may play and then leave after their 20 min.. they can learn more from hanging around and watching and learning from the other groups.

Dobb- kids have some talent..

I coached some groups about their performance aspects.

1. Polish the material you will be playing. Practicing over and over and over can get boring, but knowing the songs like the back of your hand is the difference maker in regards to the music.

2. Always work out some backing vocal arrangements. Even though a cd orig version may not have any, sometimes it adds to the song presence and shows more to get your audience to participate.

3. Do not toy around on stage wasting any time. During the HS rockoffs we had many bands fiddling trying to get their stuff together, tuning and other oddities and they lose the audience interest fast. When you only have 20 min or so to perform, every second counts. Don't waste a lot of time talking about the song you are going to perform... unless maybe you have a perspective or relative part addressing your audience. Even at that, no more than a few seconds. This is the same for any cover groups with a front man. I've seen audiences sigh .. as in \"come on already dude\"

4. ENERGY- this matters most. Your group has the task of entertaining. That means everyone involved. A bassist can't hang off the side and let the front man and guitarist fire up the crowd. Always be in view. I've suggested even to drummers, stand up occasionally, click the sticks, roll the sticks, anything for visibility.

I had my son (drummer) watch Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater as an example 0f drummer visibility and the immediate reaction from the crowd when doing so.. it's vital all members are visible and promote stage presence.

FRONT MAN- you are the front man, and the reason they call it that is you are the leading aspect in regards to visibility, crowd participation etc. Being \"out front\" of your group is your role... when that role is achieved you win !

Other members need to pace and walk around. You don't have to be all over and in between each other, but create some movement on each side of the stage but NOT impede with the FRONT MAN. Let the Front Man relate to other members as in when solos or musical breaks happen.. When a FRONT MAN leads the members parts, it looks like the band knows their stuff. When a solo part comes up, the Front Man backs away and makes the next guy the center of attention for that moment. It's another part of stage presence that gives the player identity and also introduces that player to the audience without a formal introduction. Often times on solos, Front Man will back off and hang near the drums or other member away from center... when that part is done, he's right back to center stage!

It's that level of choreography that takes a simple song and makes it magical. Having a lasting impression of the spectators is your goal. Get the kids to follow these basic steps and their performances will be give 100x the level of audience appreciation than if the music is stellar and the band is not as visibly appealing. It makes all the difference!!

Dobb- looks like they are off to a great start!

Dobb

Thanks so much for your input guys! I directed my older son to the site, and after reading your posts...he was so stoked! Now he wants to send and audition tape to GIT, to see if he can get accepted. Thanks again for your input guys, especially G3456, as usual, your in depth, thoughful and experienced comments really made a difference.

As the stomach turns, my ex-wife, has decided to take off to the UK to follow her (former) best friends husband, and is letting me take custody of the boys and move them down here to Michigan, and I couldnt be happier about it. After countless lies, deception, and cancelled phones, I finally get a second chance to be the father they really need. I'm looking for a bigger house so I can have more room and create the dungeon studio ver. 2.0 so my boys and I can grow musically together.

I told Shredd in his job loss post that when God closes a door, he opens a window, and I am living proof (Don't even think of going there cobaltblooz).

Peace and love and Rock N Roll!

Dobb.

guitar3456

I hear ya! My ex and I parted company many years ago. It was messy and I was awarded custody of our 3 sons. Having to accommodate the new lifestyle changes was a challenge. Having traveled the country often as an EE/Trainer and then switching to a home based plan was tasking. The most important part was creating a stable environment for our sons. I think the lifestyle was not as much as setback since I was involved heavily with their education/teachers/activities more than I would have been had I been the traveling woolbury I was. It was weird not waking up on a Sat to find Fedex delivering the itinerary for the week and instead a newspaper to read.

Company turned me loose and I went on to pursue other things. Mutual arrangement, but when the kids are sick, school issues or other things and you have to leave it makes it difficult to manage a complex career. In the end, my kids needed me more than my career did. You learn to manage more with less, but it opens up a new reality in real terms of being more committed as a parent, how to manage things more effectively. In the end it worked out for the better.

You never know what changes can happen or how to be prepared for them. You just react as best you can since there are really no proactive measures for either the emotional aspect or the physical/lifestyle changes required of you. For me, I always assumed I had my eye on the ball so to speak.. but admittedly, it wasn't the one that was always in plain sight.