Sign of the times

[62Jazzbass]

A friend of ours has a 12 year old son who plays drums, and he has put together a band with some friends. I heard about this through my wife, and told her to tell his mother that if they'd like to record some songs I'd be happy to help out. I like the family, they are good kids, what the hell? I know it will involve a lot of turd polishing, but it could be fun.

So the mom has the idea that they could do a CD (just a couple of songs, that's all they know) and they could be given out to his friends at his bar mitzvah. Cool with me, clever idea, I'm on board. I will be handing them a disc, they will make the copies, do the artwork, labels, whatever.

So she sends me a link to a video they put up on Myspace of them playing one of the songs in the garage. I mail her back telling her that they will need some, er, coaching (ok, a LOT of coaching), but there is something to work with there.

Well, the kid is psyched and passes this info on to his bandmates and………they are not hip to the idea………..they don't think they are good enough to record yet (OK, they really aren't, but that's not the point). He is trying to persuade them, we'll see what comes of it.

My point is that these are the same kids who put up a crappy sounding video on Myspace for ALL THE WORLD TO SEE, but are afraid to make a recording that they will have complete "distribution" control over.

It is clear to me that kids really don't "get" the internet and all of the implications of what they put out there. It's no wonder that some run into trouble and find themselves in situations way over their heads.

[blackieC]

This is just a hunch, but I think the untold truth of the matter may be that they are happy to suck up a storm in front of thier twelve year old friends but are intimidated by an older much more experienced musician who not only has a pile of shiny devices with blinky lights but also has the mystical voodoo power to operate them.

After all, is there anyone on earth more insecure than a pubescent musician?

[nomad]

After all, is there anyone on earth more insecure than a pubescent musician?

A middle-aged chick singer songwriter?




I'm sorry, was that a rhetorical question?

[CurtZHP]

This is just a hunch, but I think the untold truth of the matter may be that they are happy to suck up a storm in front of thier twelve year old friends but are intimidated by an older much more experienced musician who not only has a pile of shiny devices with blinky lights but also has the mystical voodoo power to operate them.

After all, is there anyone on earth more insecure than a pubescent musician?


I'm with Blackie on this one. It's easy to get laughed at when you can't see the people laughing at you. Quite another matter to crash and burn in front of someone who you can see is looking right at you.

I'm impressed with the fact that, as young and green as they are, they're not walking around thinking they're the next big thing. They seem to appreciate just how inexperienced they are.

[62Jazzbass]

I'm with Blackie on this one. It's easy to get laughed at when you can't see the people laughing at you. Quite another matter to crash and burn in front of someone who you can see is looking right at you.

I'm impressed with the fact that, as young and green as they are, they're not walking around thinking they're the next big thing. They seem to appreciate just how inexperienced they are.

Yeah, I think you guys are right on target. When I thought of doing this for them, I figured they would be somewhat intimidated by the whole thing. I remember how I felt the first time I did a recording, and I was ten years older than they are now.

It's actually one of the reasons I want to do this, break the ice for them a bit. If even one out of the four of them continues with music (understanding this could just be a "phase" for them), hopefully this experiance could be a plus down the road.

But I still find it funny that kids (and adults, really) are so casual about putting things out there on the internet, like it's not exactly real. Certainly we have all see examples of people saying things on line they would never say in a room full of people. I know I am guilty of it, although these days I try to always keep that in mind.

[jerryskid]

By all means, talk them into it, I would have loved to be in the studio at 12 or 13 I was nearly 20 the first time I was in a session. A recording session is a valuable learning experience, and they're at the age where you can teach them studio etiquette and they'll remember it. That way when they go in for a real session they'll be prepared....



good luck

[blackieC]

If you want to look for examples of people that say things on the internot that they would not say in "polite coversation", then you need look no farther than me.

In real life I am only slightly less vulgar and and take a millisecond or two more to think about how what I might say may make others feel.

My meager experience with "Myspace Kids" is that they seem to believe that their exposure goes no further than their freinds list without taking into consideration that they have posted both their strengths and their weaknesses in a place that that has almost limitless exposure to an international audience.


For God's sake don't tell them this as it would most likely make them shit their pantaloons with merde that they did not know existed.

Offer instead to show up at one of their rehearsals as an "advisor". Use every diplomatic bone in your body to gently guide them in the direction of non-sucktitude.

I can only rely on my own faded memories of being a twelve year old muso in this regard, but if they are anything like the me that was, they want a little support, hedged with honesty.

Guide, don't denegrate. Point out what they are doing right, and then as an aside, suggest what they may do better.

Do not torture yourself with weeks of turd polishing on a project that will take time away from your own musical exploration and growth.

It is indeed a fine line that I do not envy you for, but a little bit of honest solid advice at this juncture may save them years of believing that they are better than they are and that the wizard with the magical box can save them from actually knowing their instruments.

If at some point they should lay down even a hint of a groove, point it out and praise them for it.

Honest praise from one that knows the difference goes far beyond the hollow adulation of ones peers at that fragile point of development.

If they feel that they are not ready to be recorded at this point, then I think that their opinion is to be respected.

Should you hear something that they don't on the positive side of the spectrum, make sure that they know about it.

These cats may be kids, but they deserve both honesty and encouragement.

[jerryskid]

Good Advice, Blackie....

[Mixerman]

It could be that they wouldn't want to "waste" an opportunity. I mean, how many times are you going to let them come in for free and record, right? So maybe, from their perspective, they'd rather have it a bit more together before they use up that cool opportunity.

If you want to find out if that's the case, tell them you'll record them now, and then they can come back in a year to try again. Two more songs.

Enjoy,

Mixerman

[Brendo]

Yeah, point out to them that maybe doing a recording will help them progress in ways that playing in the garage... and that you can beat detective and autotune them :lol:

[Brendo]

My meager experience with "Myspace Kids" is that they seem to believe that their exposure goes no further than their freinds list without taking into consideration that they have posted both their strengths and their weaknesses in a place that that has almost limitless exposure to an international audience.

We were a victim of this until we got a gig through Myspace. Sheer craziness, a guy who'd never seen our live show gave us a gig on the strength of two songs on our myspace which only has a couple hundred friends... We still don't know how he found us, but seeing as I knew the band after us on the bill, I think he may have looked in their myspace's friends, found the drummer of that band, and looked in their friends, and found us...