Members Acadiafall Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 I just read about Minitruth and his first live performance. I though id pass on my experience about my first performance. It was only 3 weeks ago! Basically i got my first guitar when i was about 13. Played in a mates band but we were rubbish, it was just loud and i think at the time we thought we were brilliant. We only ever played in a friends garage so no live performances! Anyway last year i decided it was time to start again (im now 37) and i bought an electric and an acoustic and have been having lessons again to try to catch up. Three weeks ago i played 'The Zephyr Song' with my guitar teacher in front of about 100 people. Im fairly confident by nature but i was soooo nervous. Im told i hid it well but inside it was a different story. I did all the singing and what i noticed was, although in general it went well i could feel myself speeding up. To slow down would (i think) have been noticeable but knew it was happening and i couldnt do anything about it! Dont know if this is a normal thing and i think no one noticed, but i did and it spoilt it in a way, even though it was still great. Anyway it was a great experience and straight afterwards i had visions of 'open mic night' glory (hard here in Germany, no one really does it) and hundreds of adoring fans. Think im along way from that but i urge anyone who hasnt played in front of a crowd to do so. After the nerves youll see it was well worth it. Just try to keep the time...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 what i noticed was, although in general it went well i could feel myself speeding up. To slow down would (i think) have been noticeable but knew it was happening and i couldnt do anything about it! Dont know if this is a normal thing and i think no one noticed, but i did and it spoilt it in a way, even though it was still great. Yes--it's quite normal to speed up when you're nervous. And even when I don't feel especially nervous onstage, I still tend to go too fast--faster than I would tend to play the song at home or while practicing. Not sure why this happens. But don't worry--you'll get over it. i urge anyone who hasnt played in front of a crowd to do so. After the nerves youll see it was well worth it. Just try to keep the time...... Oh yeah--it's SO worth it. Just like jumping off the high dive when I was a kid. Took me forever to get up the nerve, and once I did it I had to do it over and over again. Congrats on taking the plunge! Maybe with your efforts you can help initiate an OM culture in Deutschland... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members burkedajerk88 Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 Yes--it's quite normal to speed up when you're nervous. And even when I don't feel especially nervous onstage, I still tend to go too fast--faster than I would tend to play the song at home or while practicing. Not sure why this happens. But don't worry--you'll get over it. Oh yeah--it's SO worth it. Just like jumping off the high dive when I was a kid. Took me forever to get up the nerve, and once I did it I had to do it over and over again. Congrats on taking the plunge! Maybe with your efforts you can help initiate an OM culture in Deutschland... +1. Performing is awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members horseman1 Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 Congrats! It sounds like you did real well. My first live performance I broke a pick right where I was supposed to get to the fancy part. Good analogy about the high dive too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarist21 Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 Oh yeah--it's SO worth it. Just like jumping off the high dive when I was a kid. Good comparison. That's exactly what it's like. Once you jump off the high dive for the first time, you kind of get addicted to it. As soon as I get up on stage and get the first song out of the way, I love the feeling and I play until they kick me out. Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted August 5, 2008 Members Share Posted August 5, 2008 This is why so many performers end up with substance abuse problems. I used to play out all the time when I was in my teens, but since I started doing it again (30 years later) I find I have a lot of anxiety I never had before. I wonder if it isn't because in the past when I performed I'd always had at least a beer and bong hit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acadiafall Posted August 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 Next outing will be at Christmas sometime. Not sure if i can wait until then. Its a shame about the open mic thing missing in Germany. Im English but i live in Germany. I mean they have bands playing in certian bars on certian nights and so on but ive never seen anything like an open mic night. Shame. Im going to check this out. im sure theres a business idea here somewhere but im too dense to work it out. I just want to play and hopefully someone will buy me a beer afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members picothinker Posted August 6, 2008 Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 You guys should investigate getting an open mic night started. It doesn't take too much gear, just some sort of very minimal mic/PA and a place to stand. A guitar amp and a 57 will work. Do some small-time advertising (posters). It can be a draw for a venue (bar, restaurant, whatever). You do need to have some set rules from the start, or people will abuse it. Pick a fixed amount of time, and stick to it. This can change, based on how many people you have. 5-15 minutes is a common amount to allocate. Have a signup sheet, and be firm about following it. Get the bar/restaurant to give each performer one drink, or a cheap appetizer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 Remember most of the "mistakes" you make are perceptible only to you. You know what you want to do, and if you vary from that. If you miss a lick now and then, you probably slide by with something that is still musically valid. So don't sweat it. 85% of boo-boos are known only to you. 14% are noticed only by other musicians. The 1% noticed by the general public will be forgiven, as they came to be entertained and they want to like you. If you don't stop in the middle of something and start swearing, it will be forgotten before the tune is over. Even if you do stop and swear, you will be in good company. I've seen Tony Rice do it several times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 This is why so many performers end up with substance abuse problems. I used to play out all the time when I was in my teens, but since I started doing it again (30 years later) I find I have a lot of anxiety I never had before. I wonder if it isn't because in the past when I performed I'd always had at least a beer and bong hit... No bong hits for me these days, but I do seem to do better with one beer before playing. But just one, or I approach the point of diminishing returns! (And then another celebratory beer afterwards, of course...that's the best beer there is...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dan Hall Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 All great stuff. I find that I can speak to very large crowds about technical stuff or lead large meetings establishing procedures, safety, organization all that easy stuff. When I was a teenager even the music flowed naturally. Nowadays I'm just horrified about the thought of a public music performance. I'm certain I'd soil myself. I remember when MM did his first one a couple of years ago and what a rush he had. I still think of that thread Michael. I'll get there. I'm just determined to get this monkey off my back. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acadiafall Posted August 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 Thanks for the tip Boxoxrox. Ill try not to stop if or more likely when i mess up. I remember seeing Queen (ages ago) and although i never noticed or heard anything wrong whatsoever i remember seeing John Deacon (bass) leave the stage and swing his instrument really hard into a nearby amp and just let it all crash to the floor. The amp was right at the back of the stage near the exit and i only saw it because i happened to be looking into that dark corner. I always wondered what pissed him off. The song had finished though so it looks like he stuck to your advice. Sort of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cappn Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 Congrats on your performance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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