There are some weeks when recording three tracks and "making the ask" for 10+ venues feels like an absolute win to me -- and when I say that, I do think these things are wins, but it doesn't always feel like it, you know?
After all, I don't have finished tracks to share with you, and I've only asked to play rather than getting a total confirmation that I will play in these places.
But of course these things have to happen in order to get to the finished product!
It made me think about goals that I've had around practicing and learning Irish traditional music, and what activities can parallel as "behind the scenes."
Most if not all of us want to play this music with other people because it brings us joy, community and a breath of fresh air when the rest of life feels heavy. This could be in a professional setting, or simply for the fun of it and an excuse to get out of the house.
In order to play and enjoy playing with others, there's a certain musical proficiency that needs to be reached -- just like in order to play a gig, the venue needs to know that you're interested!
But doing an exercise to practice identifying what thirds sound like in a jig or a reel pattern may seem far removed from that relaxed, connected environment you're envisioning when you say you want to play more tunes with more people.
It doesn't always feel like a win, Reader. And yet, one day you find that you just played a phrase of a tune you'd never heard before when your friend starts it at a session, and your brain remembered it's heard those notes in that exact pattern in this other tune before!
Call them baby steps, call them tiny wins. They truly compound over time!
I'm excited that because of this week's steps, I will have new music to share with you soon and new places to play and connect with you (even if you're not in the Midwest! ๐).
And I hope you'll take some time to reflect on a win, whether small or big from this week and let that fuel you towards whatever step is next!
Happy playing!
โ