Recently you’ve heard me ramble on about all kinds of mumbo jumbo. Topics like "Rolling With It" are extremely important as well as my favorite concept of listening. I hinted toward today’s subject when we talked about adapting to the ever changing world of music. To truly adapt to your surroundings in the wondrous world of music you have to completely blend into said surroundings seamlessly. Now you are asking "Baldy Locks, what in the heck are you talking about?" and we all know you’ve asked this before. Just wait. I'll eventually make a point……….maybe.

Chameleons are one of GOD's greatest mysteries. They blend into the background with their own natural camouflage and spin those big eyes of theirs all over the place watching every single move. Guess what? That is exactly what makes a successful musician. The fine art of blending into any gig or session and watching those around you to learn your environment keeps you from becoming the prey. The best trait you can learn in your journey for a long music career is to become a musical chameleon. All of the top sidemen in the World have learned this simple concept and you should too.

Picture this, your phone rings at the last minute and the next thing you know you are cramming gear into the hatchback of your car and are on the way to a rehearsal for a gig you just agreed to sub. We all know this is a common thing. You get to the rehearsal and it is in the basement of this house that should have been bulldozed in '73 but somehow is still standing. "I could have sworn the guy was a signed artist when he called." Anyhow, you walk in and the drummer is half drunk, the singer and the guitar player are yelling at each other ( more than likely because they are competing for space in front of the mirror ), and the keyboard player is on his iPhone researching "something". Now your gut impulse is to duck and run for your life but then you realize that the artist IS actually signed and decided to have what appears to be the "Rehearsal From Hell" at the guitar player's house because he/she wanted to actually give the players more money and a better per diem. WHEW….that was a lot of info at once. Scary part is that under this massive mound of unmentionables you realize "My GOD there is another butterfly in this cocoon." So what are you to do? Blend baby!! Keep your cool and ALWAYS be courteous. This is their gig, not yours. Watch each and every person's mannerisms as well as the way they play. Find each of their musical idiosyncrasies as well as personal ones. As you watch them you will find what the common ground is. Remember that these people have been playing together for some time so there is something out of the mayhem that makes it work. Our jobs as low-enders is to find it.

Hopefully this introduction into The Chameleon Effect makes sense. EVERY musical situation has some similarities but reality dictates that there will more differences in every gig than anything else. Your role as a professional musician relies on how you adapt to these situations both musically and socially. We all wish that people were always cool but some gigs just aren't as enjoyable on the surface. Once you change your own "colors" you may find that below the surface the gig isn't actually that bad, the drummer actually has a taste for good wine, the keyboard player found a great deal on that recording interface on the internet, and the vanity twins are willing to share their mirror. Guess what? The check cleared.

Later,
S

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