Conduct

• Clear communication is crucial to the success of all relationships. (Marriages included.)  That said, music artists must have a universal way to communicate with one another purely, intentionally and expansively together, across all boundaries.  There are only a few who can do so straight from the core, with a great ear and a sensitivity to every other musician involved.  These are jazz cats who have, for decades,
• Named the UpperHand, these are a combination of existing and newly created conducting hand gestures that best suit today's musical adventures, including traditional classical motions, common gestures used in jazz, and sign language.
• Using the UpperHand, for instance, a DJ can easily conduct an accompanying musician in and out of his set.  When, for how long, what expression or quality or simply to solo for any chosen amount of bars... or to sit out for a little while.
• Musicians and Bands:  This approach of involving fluid conducting throughout a set, where you work your songs into one another, also enables venturing into themes and grooves which give way to great personal expressions in a performance.  Note:   Record it all.

"Briefly about the UpperHand.  With existing conducting gestures used by conductors today, and introducing newly formed gestures for today's musical expression by today's creative minds.  It's for all to incorporate and familiarize themselves with.  The intentions are to come together with a unified method of communication.  The UpperHand, so aptly named, is intended to help move musicians beyond current musical vocabularies and relationships. 

Putting talented music artists with talented music artists, across all musical platforms.  It shouldn't be hard to recognize the possibilities derived from this.

The UpperHand benefits one and all in the world of music, regardless if they are an established band using UH to conduct between their set song list, a house music DJ bringing on stage a sax player and percussionist, or a string quartet incorporating a jazz trio.  Simple conducted moves, impromptu, fluid, focused, controlling the jam session. 

Music being performed through the night is to be a sanctuary to enter into, incorporate, influence, stimulate, manipulate...  Always to be recorded, with rights benefiting directly those involved in the recording's magic, along with composers and producers.  The rest is up to each of us, really."

-John Juster  2.15.05

Benefits

What you can do with the UpperHand:

• Incorporate or conduct a solo musician or a group.
• Reference to pre-written sheet music is possible.
• Easy-to-learn DJ friendly gestures (music theory not required), and easy to pass on to the musician so that you both understand one another.
• the Easy-to-learn UpperHand Book (music theory required), and easy to pass on to musicians.  (Note to DANCE MUSIC PRODUCERS:  Some of you may not DJ, but I'll bet you can conduct your own tracks.)
• Communicate complex musical ideas in real time using over 100+ combinations of easy-to-learn and use variations.
• Perform new unrehearsed music sets with confidence.  Even when combining artists who have never played together.  IMPORTANT NOTE to musicians:  music theory, a trained ear, fluent in your chosen instrument(s) and an understanding of dance music arrangements is not enough.  Be sensitive to the integrity the producer (composer) intended of the track.  A live musician adds to what is considered someone else's finished product.  So, add well, or sit out. (The dance music DJ is conscious of the dynamics and quality of the overall presentation of music.  It is important to recognize this.)

The UpperHand

As a DJ or a band leader incorporating the UpperHand, you have the ability to communicate, in real time, the musical vision you desire.  Below are a few of the fundamentals of what you'd be expected to communicate to the musicians with:

1. What you want from each musician

Clear gestures to conduct

Rhythm

• Desired length of loop desired (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32 bar loops)
• When to come in and when to go out (there are ways to describe loop length, how long each player should play as well as keeping the time period open, making it possible to conduct your musicians in and out at will)
• Control and work the energy (communicate desired energy level)
• Desired volume and volume changes over given time (crescendo/decrescendo)
• To simplify or magnify: The UpperHand allows the conductor to guide musicians towards the desired level of complexity.  An example is to have a drummer simplify or magnify a beat pattern.
• Dropping and/or adding elements (ex. kick drum muted for conducted amount of time)
• Pre-defined rhythm cues, written-out phrases, hits and fills.
• What kind of musical expression you want (eg. hits or long smooth notes, a solo or a 2 bar loop, in harmony or in unison...)

Chordal

• Ask to create chord progression, with amount of chords desired
• Describe the desired chord progression
• Request preset, pre-conceived, composed changes, melody or riff. (composed ideas may be written down and exchanged between artists and conductor and given a theme name for easy reference later.) 
• High or low register
• Long holds or staccato
• Dark or bright
• Effected sounds (for example guitar with effects)

Single Notes (monophonic)

• Request for melody or riff
• Request for counter point to an indicated theme
• Hits or long notes in desired range
• Solo, speak your mind, share your soul

The UpperHand enables you to go beyond the limits of verbal language, for example yelling on stage to your guy who is playing the wrong progression.  It's now easy to overcome language barriers and other obstacles.  You are now free to communicate silently and firmly, and in real time.  Neither distance nor volume of the current track will keep musicians from exchanging ideas about what music will be played next.

Get a handy reference sheet of basic gestures of the UpperHand (.PDF format), to help you get going on having the upper hand, literally.

Simply click here.  We promise to look after your personal information.

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We encourage you to share the site with as many music artists and music lovers as possible.  The future is to perform together spontaneously at any venue, at any time.  (Given professionalism and musical know how).  But as we all know and learn to understand more and more is that the more people have it, know it, use it, the more powerful everyone becomes.

You have the UpperHand.

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