Hi Dave,

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. We really appreciate how openly and clearly you explain everything, and that you take the time to do so.

My question is: Do you have any advice, or experiences, you'd like to share with us with regards to keeping the musicians happy (and trusting) while being bluntly honest about their performances/arrangements/etc??

Thanks again!

This is a great question! I would also like to hear advice from Dave about diplomacy.

I tend to use the method of: I like this ___ and this ___ BUT why are you doing this ___ like this?

Musicians seem to respect musicians, but all engineers are not musicians. I would take a cue from your dentist. You don't know this guy, but you trust him to grind, put needles in your mouth, and generally ruin your day. If he walked in with a wife beater and some flip-flops, you probably would run out. Everything in his office is designed to give you confidence in him and relax you. The way he dresses and talks gives you confidence. Except for a couple of well placed copies of his diplomas, we don't even know for sure he is a dentist! Think about this and the applications to our profession should be obvious.

Very helpful answer, Dave -- thanks.

wonderful answer

Best regards
Thomas