Hi Friend!

This issue is all about ideas and inspiration to make you a better performer. Whether you’re a performing musician or not apply the concepts from this newsletter will improve the quality of your playing tenfold. Enjoy!

Something To Think About

Play to the back of the room

The best performers play to the back of the room. They’re unapologetically confident and this confidence carries through in the way their music sounds. Whether you’re playing to one person, 10, or 50,000 you should play so that person at the back of the room can see and hear you. This doesn’t mean playing loud (the PA will make sure you get heard), it means playing confidently and with the conviction that you can deliver the most compelling musical experience to your audience. 

The way you play affects the musical choices you make and the way you sound. Therefore whether you play for yourself, or an audience, you should practice as if an audience is there so that you can make the best music possible.

Something To Practice

Imagine an audience when you practice

Take a piece of music you already know. First play it like you would normally. Then play it as if you we’re trying to make sure the person a the back of the room could hear and feel what you’re trying express through the music. Ideally you would record yourself so that you can compare them back to back to hear the difference. 

Here’s an example of me putting this exercise into practice.

Something To Enjoy

Be like Leo P

If you’ve not come across Leo P you’re in for a treat. Leo P is the consummate performer. He always plays to the back of the room. Check out his performance at the BBC proms below and and then check out his other videos on YouTube. Whether he’s performing for a video or live, he always gives 100%.

That’s it for this one. If you want to help me improve Fretboard Philosophy simply reply to this email and let me know your thoughts.

See you in two weeks!

Alasdair 🤘