| I agree completely. At least you had the chance to have a rehearsal prior to the gig. I can't tell you how many gigs that I've had where we show up for the performance and are handed some ridiculous book with half the charts missing or in the wrong key.
My favorite was transposing (live) a french horn part on my flugel at a republican party fund raiser for the governor where the french horn was the feature. I've many times had to improvise a lead part on some big band charts while looking at the 2nd and 3rd books for reference. I've played many gigs with our brass quintet where the second trumpet player (he's arranged most of our music and is very good at it) sprung about 10 new tunes on us to site read during the performance. I don't even want to get into the church gig, pit orchestras, orchestras and community bands where you called to show up for a performance and expected to be great.
The reality is real musicianship is the key. I've been fortunate enough to have played with some ass kicken MUSICIANS who can play anything, anywhere, anytime and make it sound like they've played everyday of thier life. It tought me more then anything else that the horn, mouthpiece, triple high C or whatever doesn't mean sh%t if you can't play it pretty under adverse conditions. Unfortunately, it's rare in the music business where everything goes as planned, usually there's some curve ball thrown in there somewhere, at least that has been my experience. |