How to Be An Asset In Any Musical Situation

If we’re honest, most musicians go into any musical situation wanting to have fun and be the center of attention, right?  I know I played many, many gigs with this mindset – OUCH!

Eventually, I realized most of the playing situations I found myself in weren’t fulfilling and usually ended in some sort of personal issue.

The sad thing is I was usually the problem! Yep, you read the right. I blew several great opportunities because I had the absolute wrong mindset and made everything about me instead of helping the musical situation thrive.

My guitar wasn’t loud enough in the mix. My songs weren’t being played enough. My ideas weren’t being validated BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!

Luckily, through the tutelage and patience of some very gracious mentors, I got things on track using some extremely simple strategies and tactics.

Making the Switch from Whinng to Winning

My entire musical career changed when I embraced one very important point:

It’s not about me.

While my ego fought hard to abolish this crazy notion that music is bigger than me, I was able to win the battle and haven’t looked back since. In fact, once I understood the end goal was good music my entire perspective shifted.

The Excellence Versus Perfection Connection

Before: I expected everything to be perfect!  Scratch that!  I expected EVERYONE to be perfect! That meant if my unrealistic expectations weren’t met it was a bad day for everyone involved.

After: Letting go of the things I couldn’t control (Bad sound system, technical glitches, other players abilities, etc.) allowed me to focus on what I could control, playing with excellence and my attitude. It’s much easier to become an accomplished player when you focus on your playing instead of everybody else’s, for sure!

Building the Tribe

Enjoying the company of others to support an overall goal of great music is far better than being an individual who basks in their own glory, alone! A cohesive, joy-filled band environment will always produce a more pleasing end result which in turn will build a bigger following. Plus, being part of something bigger than yourself just feels more rewarding than the alternative:-)

Take away

While perspective changes, attitude adjustments and becoming a team player are simple concepts; that doesn’t mean they are easy. The time invested in making these changes will not only improve your experience as a musician, it will greatly impact your bank account!

Until next time, stay focused, stay consistent, and expect the best from yourself. 🙂

About the author: Ty Morgan is a professional guitarist in the Phoenix, Arizona area. He also owns and operates one of the premier guitar education academies in the area. If you’re searching for rock/blues guitar lessons in Mesa, AZ  and ready to discover the science of learning and mastering guitar be sure to contact Ty!