Been thinking about the many lessons I have had about music. I am not speaking of lessons on how to use a musical instrument as the instrument is not the music but merely a tool to allow the music to play (and that is a lesson I learned from Victor Wooten's book "The Music Lesson") but lessons in how to allow the music to play through you.

The one I remember the most was taught to me by Garry Shider when I asked that I be turned up in the side fill. He told me, "If you can hear yourself, you're wrong."


Muruga taught me to stay in the pocket and to not sing from my throat but from my heart.

Mark Whitecage taught me that if you're think about what you're playing you're not playing it.

G taught me not to get fancy but to maintain the groove.

Perry Robinson taught me how to play free - just play.

There have been many others but those are the ones that I remember most often.

What lessons have you learned?

turn knob to right to make volume louder .i cant play/sing tried guitar but my fingers cant stretch properly on the frets got alot of respect for anyone who plays in frontof a crowd of people.my life would be very boring without music

if it's too loud, you're too old!!!!

Nah, man. It's better if it's not loud at all. Forces you to listen and hear what everyone else is playing. That's when you get to the high.

Shakin Nagan wrote:


exactly, I also feel strongly about dynamics as a group. The Grateful Dead had great dynamics as a band, I feel like this sometimes gets un-noticed, I notice Furthur has that same magic I see it a lot on Scarlet during the solo's, The Dead also did it a lot on that song.

GreatestStoryEverTold wrote:


yeah nobody ever noticed the Grateful Dead worked well together :eyeroll: that wall of sound sure was quiet, man!

lighten up, francises

some of your best notes are the ones you don't play...make every note count
great life lesson, too

spring mountain high wrote:


I was not trying to stress that. I'm talking about dynamics in tone and volume between songs and in songs. I'm not saying no one ever noticed. I dont wanna beat a dead horse here, lets press on.

The Wall of Sound actually was not that loud. But I am speaking of stage sound not house. Two different animals.

but this one goes to 11