I have been studying jazz guitar for about 4 1/2 years with my guitar
teacher, and for 4 1/2 years he's said, "Volume Separation". The
idea is very important, especially if you're playing around with #9s and
building it, or getting diminished qualities, etc.
If you're the soloist, get yourself oodles of command. Demand that your
instrument controls the volume. If you listen to a well recorded song
with a good vocalist, that vocalist is filling up half the dynamic range
of the recording. You should have just as much control. If the chord
man is playing a dom. seventh and you want that #9 sound, you play the
#9, if you're louder, you win. If he's not listening, you'll sound good,
he'll sound bad (we hope).
I think I would be unable to stand playing with someone who is doing less
than trying to make me sound great. The show is for the audience. If
you're the soloist, that song should revolve around you. If there are
politics, I think I can make whomever sound really lame in return.
But what will the audience think. If he's not paying you, get rid of
the guy.
Tacet is undoubtedly MAXIMUM volume separation! If you decide to take
a song in a different direction than practiced, or a new undeniable urge
possesses your horn, jazz is freedom. Louder is better.
)-(ammerhands
Brent_Burleigh@mbnet.mb.ca
Student of the Six-String Abacus