Avoid: Playing too much. Taking up too much space!

Dive into how playing less will make you more of a professional musician.

One of the quickest ways to play as a professional is knowing when and when not to play. The following ideas are designed to pinpoint how to do this well. The best part is that playing in the right spots in a song is fun!

The 100% Rule in a nutshell.

While this could be a post of its own, every musician should know about the 100% Rule. Also, it’s known as the whole pie rule. Think of a song and all of its components as 100% of the slices of a really good pie. Each of the pieces is the sonic space that individual instruments should take up in the overall mix. The best musicians know how much and when to play to add their portion to the greater whole without overdoing it.

Typically, vocals take up about 40% of the mix with the lead vocal being most out front. Drums and bass take up another 25-30%. This leaves about 30% for keys, guitars, loops, and effects.

A song will ebb and flow. So the keyboard player may play more during quieter sections to fill the mix and less during bigger choruses. This would be the exact opposite for a bass player.

The best band members know their role and know what their percentage of the 100% Rule should be. Playing too much will overload a mix and is unnecessary.

It’s fun to add your part, building it in and out of a song.

Here’s the best thing about using the 100% Rule: it’s fun! Adding in your part to the song or mix at just the right time is a bit like launching the football as a quarterback for the winning touchdown. Okay, well, it’s not like that, but I hope you can see where I am headed.

Maybe you are the main keyboard player and have that particular low note that defines the chorus. Or you have that amazing lead line before the bridge that is signature to the song. These are what laying out or playing sparse until those perfect moments afford. If you were to play loud and strong the entire time leading up to your special moment then there would be no punch; no unique surprise. However, if you spend thirty seconds waiting to enter the song and then add your part it’s satisfying. Satisfying to you as a player, but also to the audience.

Professionals play just the right amount. Amateurs play the entire song without thought of what else is going on.

Take time today to listen to some of your favorite songs to analyze when instruments come and go. I bet you’d find that they come in and out quite often. This works for both recorded music and when live on-stage. Professionals know this and so do you! Amateurs play every note and chord that is written on the page. Professionals play just the right amount holding restraint and enjoying the process. Plus, find joy in listening to the other musicians around you.

Summary & Action Steps

The 100% Rule is one of the main factors in becoming a professional musician. When you listened to your favorite songs, what did you hear? When did the instruments enter and exit? What stood out the most? We’d love to hear how you approach music and playing at just the right time. Please comment below and join in the discussion.