Hello my guitarrón friends! I’m glad you found this page, and I hope you will take some time to read some of my opinions based on my experiences. Of course these are my opinions that are solely based on my varied experiences as a student, musician, educator, arranger and ensemble member!
No matter what, the most important element in any of these roles is AWARENESS. BE AWARE! Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of what song is next. Be aware of what key you are in. Be aware of what type of song you are playing. Be aware of who you are playing for. Be aware of your appropriate volume for the situation. Be aware of your neighbor’s timing. Be aware of YOUR timing. Be aware of “the swing”;the amount of flex there will be in timing…i.e. ‘letting it breathe’. Be aware of how you will start the song. Be aware of your FIRST NOTE! Be aware of your sound (constantly). Be aware of your neighbor’s sound. Be aware of THE VOCALIST. Be aware of the vocalist’s phrasing. There is so much to be aware of during a performance and ENSEMBLE AWARENESS is probably the most important thing as a musician!
