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Monday, November 9, 2009

Share Your Stuff

I watched a PBS special last night. George Carlin was posthumously being given the Mark Twain award for comedy achievement.

George used to do a funny bit on 'stuff,' and it made me think of musicians and their 'stuff.'

I know a number of musicians that own multiple instruments. Some of them are eager to have others play their instruments, but others refuse to let anyone touch their prized possessions.

May I suggest that you freely let others use your gear? It's just 'stuff.' You can't take it with you. In a few hundred years it will probably be dust, just like you.

I'd rather have a few 'dings' on my instruments and share the joy of playing them, than to have a collection of 'pristine' instruments that only I played.

Give it try. The next time somebody asks to borrow a guitar or sit-in on the drums, be the first one to offer yours up. It's a 'freeing' experience.

And, BTW, George Carlin was a genius.


3 comments:

  1. Busking down town last weekend I handed my guitar to a stranger who had said he was a guitar player.
    Took a break and enjoyed his rendition of a Petty cover. Went home and learned how to play it myself. Sharing can go both ways :)

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  2. there's only one thing though. be careful to who you share it with!!!! we played a couple of gigs at our favourite venue back in my hometown, i landed my baby to one of the kids who wanted to have fun with it(should've landed him the spare one) and got it back full of sour apple bootlegger and beer. this is why i'm a little reluctant to land my guitar. not to mention that one of my amps got fried once(repaired it myself so it wasn't that bad but stil...).but i still agree, sharing is great!! especially sharing music.i guess as long the person you hand it to is between sober and slightly drunk.. ha ha. anyways, very nice tips i'm gonna try to remember them and keep up the good work.now i don't know if you near montreal but we should arrange a jam someday here's my email. pat@liveground.com hit me someday if you feel like it

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  3. i recently did a community-center thing in Spring Valley Ca., and a fellow i knew was a piano player ask me to sing a song because he wanted to sing along in the back and harmonize. i ask him to take a mic and he said NO because he wanted to merely sing along. It was Christmas songs but he said he liked my voice. The whole thing was gratifying because the moment was priceless.

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