GUITAR
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS | James Duke
I learn a lot of songs. Like, a lot of songs. thirty songs, many of which I have never heard for a tour with completely new music where I
Some weeks, I spend multiple hours every day before, can be pretty overwhelming. I’ve spent was starting from scratch. I spent over a month
listening through and charting out songs. It’s as much as four weeks working on a setlist working every day. I’d set my alarm and wake
one of the parts of my job that actually feels like leading up to tour rehearsals – spending time up early in the morning just to get the time in. I
work. I’m not complaining. It’s not hard work, every day playing through the songs again had never worked that hard on music! I showed
but it is tedious and time consuming. There’s and again, getting the right guitar sounds, and up to rehearsals with my guitar and notebook
no way around it, though. I have to learn the making sure I am playing all the parts correctly. with their songs all charted in case I needed a
songs. I spend the time making charts off stage But the work is worth it when you can walk quick reminder of something, but I didn’t need
so that I won’t need charts when I walk on in on the first day of rehearsals and have the it. I was ready. I could tell they were surprised
stage. songs nailed, being able to focus on locking in and so happy that I was so well prepared.
with the band and having fun. Playing music is There wasn’t the stress of having to teach me
supposed to be fun, remember? certain parts or chord progressions. We could
It wasn’t always like that. I grew up playing at
church. I never received a setlist beforehand. I just rehearse the songs and hang out and get
would show up and everything I needed was to know each other. That was the best feeling. It
sitting on a music stand for me. I just had to was worth the effort. It was also pretty cool that
read the chart. That’s the way it was. The more
opportunities that I received, the more technical
the songs became. The charts were longer
and more difficult, but they were still there to
help me get through the song. I didn’t have to
memorize anything because it was all there in
front of me. Easy!
At some point, I started to realize that I was
totally dependent on charts and spending the
whole set staring at a piece of paper, trying not
to mess up, and not even enjoying myself. I
decided that I needed to get free from standing
behind a music stand and commit the music
to memory. Every rehearsal, I did my best to
get away from the charts as soon as I could. It
didn’t happen overnight. It took some time, but
the more I trained my brain to think that way,
I decided that
I needed to
the person that recommended me was proud
that he sent them the right man for the job.
There have also been times where I’ve had to
get free from
standing behind
walk on stage with an artist I’d never met and
perform in front of thousands of people without
as much as a soundcheck. I shook hands with
the artist, said thanks for the opportunity, and
we walked on stage and played the show. If I
a music stand hadn’t had been prepared, it would have been
and commit really well, and that one night led to some of the
a disaster. But thankfully I was. The show went
coolest opportunities of my career.
the music to
Maybe you are an aspiring musician looking for
your first big opportunity. My advice is to set
memory.
yourself up for success now by developing
a work ethic that will enable you to be ready
the easier it got. After a while, I was done with
when the phone call comes.
charts before rehearsals were over and I could
relax and enjoy myself during the set. I didn’t One tour that stands out in my mind is when
know it at the time, but that was something that I went out with a band from England called
would set me up for success throughout my A Silent Film. We were introduced through
career. a mutual friend when they were looking for a
guitar player. We met on Skype and hit it off.
Over the years, I have been hired by bands and I decided to do the tour. They sent me their
artists for tours before meeting them or hearing music and I got to work. Twenty-five songs.
much (or any) of their music. Getting a list of This was one of the first times I had to prepare
124
March 2019
James Duke
James is a musician, songwriter, and producer from
Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Most known for playing
guitar alongside artists like John Mark McMillan, Matt
Redman, Johnnyswim, and Steven Curtis Chapman,
James also records his own music under the name
All The Bright Lights. He currently lives in Nashville,
Tennessee with his wife and 3 kids..
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