Counting in for Performances?

[cboling]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqnUn3Dh_Ek&pp=ygUcc2VuZCB0aGUgbGlnaHQgdHJhdmlzIGFsbHRvcA%3D%3D

I posted this link originally in the conversation on a different thread (Sleigh Ride... Only Much Better!). I was watching the video and noticed that Andy Leftwich counts them all into the song. This is around 0:44 in the video. My question is, in a performance setting, is it acceptable for the band leader to count into the song, especially if two or more instruments start at the same time? What would be the best way to handle something like that?

For example, my sister and I were playing together at a local nursing home. In one of the songs, the piano and guitar started at the same time. Should I have counted into that song to set the tempo and start timing?

[Michael_Mark]

It’s a great idea to count the song off if multiple instruments start simultaneously, or there’s not much of an intro to give everybody a proper grasp of the tempo:

[cboling]

Ok, thank you that’s kind of what I was thinking. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t off my rocker!

[Brent.H]

Thanks for bringing this up. This has been a big topic of discussion for me as of late. While taking a lesson from Bill Evans, I’ll kick something off and he’ll stop me and ask “did you count that in your head before you started?” Of course, I hadn’t, I just started playing. He stressed that I get in the habit of counting, more specifically, setting the tempo before I start playing. One, it’s a Best Practice. Two, when I start playing with others, it’ll let them know what tempo we’ll be playing at. After writing this out, it all seems so simple and obvious, but apparently not, as up until recently I would just start playing. Ben 100% teaches this practice, it’s on me for it taking this long to penetrate my skull.

[cboling]

Thanks, @Brent.H! I’d never thought of counting in when practicing on my own. This is something I’ll work on, too!

[JohnM]

Count or no count, as long as you can make it count, you’re good!