First time playing out with a band!

[jpfeifer]

Great job Steve. That's what it's all about. Just get out there and play. That's one of the best teachers in the world. I learn a little something every time I play out. When you play out it really helps you focus since there's no do-overs. You just put it out there and try to do it the best you can. There's always an element of fun to doing that unless you get bored with the songs or something. But then you just add more songs to keep if fun.

-- Jim

[sunvalleylaw]

Got to play out again tonight. This time with a different keyboard player. It was fun to see how he affected the mix as he plays with more flourishes and can be heard more in the mix. Also, we did not have the assistance of a sound guy and a PA covering the hole band allowing a balancing of the mix. I, and the other student guitarist and the drummer were not mic'd. Next time, if I am not in the PA and others are, I will turn up the amp just a bit more to give me a little more range with my guitar volume knob when I am not adding overdrive/distortion via pedal. I was set only at 3. The audience said they could hear us and that we came through, but we could have been brought up a bit. Hard to tell when you are playing. I could hear myself fine , right next to the drummer. It was very fun and well received, and I was very happy with my rhythm playing and pretty happy with my solos. A bit strange playing with the canopy of smoke turning the sunset a burnt red. At least the smoke was up wind a mile or so.

Oh, I also didn't wear the crocs this time. Black shirt, black jeans and vans this time. Though I did play for a while in bare feet on the grass!