'Perception' vs 'reality' in improvising... what's the difference? Is there one?

Buco

Well here's something Will: they're both perception and they're both reality. How's that for philosophical?

Lango-Django

Yeah, it’s real hard to sort out that difference, isn’t it?

Did you ever see the Japanese film called “Rashomon” where four different narrators offer very different versions of the same events...?

Or the old story about the five blind men describing an elephant?

We can only perceive reality using the perceptions we’ve already got...

***

Anyway...

I’ve been studying/playing music in the general vein of gypsy jazz since about 2008.

Am I satisfied with my own playing yet?

No!

Will I ever be satisfied with it?

Probably not.

Is 68 year-old me way better than I was at 28, or 38, 48 or 58...?

Definitely!

pdg

To try to achieve the group sound, I think it's better to play at, say, 70% of your most recent technical pyrotechnics. Don't try to fit your latest stuff in. That leaves more mental space to care about the group sound. And as your playing improves, you'll put correspondingly more into the group sound. But always less than your most recently-acquired (and less solidified) skills.

billyshakes

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/104239#Comment_104239

Paul, I've heard that sentiment put slightly differently. It was speaking about tempos and playing things in practice at much faster speeds than you intend to, such that when you slow it down to the tempo you intend to play during a gig (i.e. to ~70%), you will be in a comfort zone. I think both speak to playing well within your abilities on the gig and not flying off the edge of control. That said, abstractly I do think there is merit in @bbwood_98 's suggestion to "run the tap" at some point to push yourself. Much like in muscle growth, I think this sort of "stress" is how we build up our skills.

littlemark

I would argue against practising fast. You don't want to learn mistakes and get sloppy.

On a similar note. I think some of the best performances are when performers are at the edge of their performance level. Taking chances is exciting. That's why the bGlen Miller band is so awful (IMO). They are all great musicians, but playing it really safe. It's so boring to listen to.

pdg

Yes, push yourself during those times in the gig when you get really enthused or inspired. But don't constantly be thinking about showing everyone the newest things that you can do.

billyshakes

@littlemark I agree. Practicing fast when you can't play something leads to sloppy play. Increasing the tempo slowly to improve your proficiency is valuable. My friend's comment was more along the thinking that if you can play a piece comfortably and accurately at a tempo exceeding your desired performance tempo, then when you back it down for the gig you will have a far less likely chance of messing it up. It is a sort of corollary to Paul's 70% comment that I was trying to make.

@pdg Agree with you 100%.