One of the things you learn learning music is to always do your best. Sounds clichéd, but as in other things in life it can be tempting sometimes to just mail it in. You might be playing an event where the people are more interested in each other than your music. Or you’re preoccupied with something else going on in your life. Or you’re just tired and don’t feel like exerting yourself.
But there’s no time off when you’re playing music. No mailing it in. When you’re on. you have to be on, have to play your best.
The reasons are many. Most importantly, you owe it to your fellow players and your audience. Even if it seems that no one’s listening as you play, someone always is, typically more than you realize, even if you can’t see it. Many times at big events where people are circulating with drinks in hand and talking animatedly with each other, I’ve had people stop as they leave the event to thank us for our music, even comment on a particular song they liked, maybe one of their favorites, a song that means something important to them, that reminds them of a special time or place in their lives.
It’s also a matter of respecting the music. It’s one of the things that’s different about playing music from other types of work or play. The creation of music, the execution of a song, requires your attention and commitment; it’s not only essential to playing well it’s a scared duty if you are to call yourself a musician.
It’s also important to you to give everything to every song you play because your reputation is at stake. I’ll borrow a quote from the sports world, Michael Jordan, known among other things for his “unquenchable competitive desire,” talking with golfer Tony Finau. “It might be the only time some of those spectators see us play, so we always have to give it our best.”