[Dixielandjazz] keeping track on measures in a song

[Craig Johnson]

Luis,
You said "keeping track of TIME". I think one thing is to
keep track of "the song" as you really meant position in the
tune -- i.e., which measure.

I'll be the first to admit getting lost once in a while when I
get too fancy. I've got the chords "in mind" as I hear them that is,
but if the song has multiple similar progressions I can forget which
one I'm on. And, more embarrassingly, if the progression is identical
to one in another tune, whether I know it intellectually or not, I've even
gotten into the wrong song.

All of this can happen when I forget the cardinal rulem - keep the tune
in mind - hear it in side your head. In fact "Satchmo" is reported as saying
if I remember it, something to the idea of "Think of the lyrics." If you
know the
lyrics, you know the tune.  But essentially all of what I've said is the
same thing.
You are playing a song, not following a mathematical formula of chord
progressions.

At least it works for me when I remember to follow this rule and don't try
to make
it an exploration of technique.
Craig