This is to all those who gig, teach, travel, and play - who have changed a tire in a dress or tux, who know no distance too far, no venue too unusual, and no coffee unwelcome. If you've ever glanced in the backseat to make sure you instrument and music were still there, then this list is for you.
You Know You’re a Busy String Musician When…
- The contents of your car’s glove box are plastic forks, a bowtie and a mileage log. And your trunk is home to your folding stand(s).
- You have eaten nothing but sandwiches for every meal inside of your car for the last week and a half, and your car is full of crumbs. The back seat is empty bottles and wrappers.
- You just walked offstage, you’re putting away your instrument and you already can’t remember which piece you just finished performing.
- You consider whether or not to take the gig based on whether or not your friends are coming too. But that’s only because your social life pretty much consists of your carpool friends.
- You're an expert on the acoustic quality of every Church, Temple, School Auditorium, and Concert Hall in the region.
- Your route to the gig will depend more on where the best drive-thru coffee is than traffic.
- The wait staff, bartender, or receptionist sees your instrument case and asks, “What on earth do you have in there?”
- You’re not 100% sure your gig clothing is 100% clean… in fact, you’re 100% sure it’s not clean.
- You have serious anxiety before boarding the airplane. Will they make a fuss? Will I be forced to check my instrument? Aughhhhh!!
- Your finger callouses are top notch.
- Tax season rolls around and you’re frantically searching for all 9million of your receipts and paystubs.
- You look forward to Monday being your day off (when the rest of the world is headed back to the office—haha!).
- You’ve booked the gig while in your car at a stoplight.
- You’ve considered bringing your own chair or cushion to every gig. Or if you’re a bassist, you do bring your own chair to every gig.
- You head to the bar after the concert, and you’re the only one in the bar wearing a tuxedo.
- You often use whatever weight or clip you possibly can at gigs to keep your music from blowing around, because your paperclips and clothespins seem to disappear from existance.
- You’ve told a friend more than once, “Sorry, I can’t. I have rehearsal.”
- No amount of coffee will be sufficient enough to keep you awake for the rest of rehearsal.
- You clip your fingernails in public. No big deal.
What would you add to the list? Comment below!