Silenced Fred Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Been a while since I've played live, hell almost 6 months. Got an acoustic set tomorrow night, then a larger show at my college for April 29th. Everything is running through my mind. I'm fairly confident in my playing, but I'm really worried about messing up lyrics. Any tips, stories, etc. to help calm my nerves? PS, pre show "drinks" probably won't be the best idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I always drink lukewarm tea with honey.... good for the vocal chords, good for the soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Make sure you eat really well and have fruit as they encourage feelings of well being -bananas are great especially! Also go to bed early tonight and as you are going to sleep, imagine the concert going really well! Lastly, forgive yourself in advance, there will be some screw ups, there always are with a live performance! So what? Just enjoy it :) Matt Ps a vegetarian pizza a couple of hours before always seems to help me LOl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I don't freak out. The worst possible thing that could even likely happen to your performance is you flub a couple of notes. Nobody's going to throw a drink or a rotten tomato at you. IF you break a string, you finish the song (very very few people in the crowd ever notice this), then swap to your backup guitar. IF your amp dies (an even bigger, more remote IF) then one of the other bands' guitar player will let you borrow his, trust me. It's like being nervous before getting a girl's number. Why? She's not going to laugh at you, slap you, throw her drink in your face, spit on you, or kick you in the balls. You just have to realize that your worst dread fears are outlandish, and your mind is playing tricks on you. Don't give in to the paranoia. You've put in the practice, don't stand in the way of letting your practice & hard work shine through at the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witmer Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I don't freak out. The worst possible thing that could even likely happen to your performance is you flub a couple of notes. Nobody's going to throw a drink or a rotten tomato at you. IF you break a string, you finish the song (very very few people in the crowd ever notice this), then swap to your backup guitar. IF your amp dies (an even bigger, more remote IF) then one of the other bands' guitar player will let you borrow his, trust me. It's like being nervous before getting a girl's number. Why? She's not going to laugh at you, slap you, throw her drink in your face, spit on you, or kick you in the balls. You just have to realize that your worst dread fears are outlandish, and your mind is playing tricks on you. Don't give in to the paranoia. You've put in the practice, don't stand in the way of letting your practice & hard work shine through at the show. This It helped me that for years and years I was not the front-man, so the pressure was never on me - I had great confidence in our singer/rhythm guitar to manage the crowd, and I just hung out on the side. I know, no such luck for you, but brundaddy is right nonetheless. My own classically-trained and super-observant wife often misses mistakes in songs she knows when I play live. There's just so much more to a live performance than a single botched chord or some bad notes. If you roll with them, you and the audience will have more fun than if you never make an error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Well, if the warm tea, bananas and vegetarian pizza don't transform you into a Rock 'n Roll powerhouse, you may want to try a big bowl of yeast and some alfalfa sprouts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Imagine that you're playing at home. Unless you play crapp there Actually, you know they're all there to see YOU! They are there for YOU, they want to watch YOU! Don't worry about them lyrics, just let them flow through you. In the event that you do mess up, it's fine, maybe add some humor like, (you forget lyrics at the beggining of a song) just say: "well, that's pretty much all I can remember of the song" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Codeine tablets seem to help by accident, by accident as they are for an injured leg, but those opiates seem to make me very happy too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 HEHE..no matter how much you freak out, it won't change a thing. Think about it. what does it change? So, just feel free to freak out how ever much you want. It's going to be ok whether you like it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahKeen Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Don't over do it on caffeine as it raises your heartbeat and makes you more nervous. For a headbanging show, I guess a couple of Monsters would probably do the job, but not here, IMO. Relax and close your eyes before the show and slow down your breathing and your heart beat, and/or eat "soothing" foods like suggested here. Remember, nerves are a part of it. If they weren't you'd go to sleep onstage. The more you gig, the more you'll become more confident overall. Do what you do best and you'll be alright. I used to get real nervous that I'd never look at the audience and then would terrible headaches after the shows (because of all the self-imposed stress). Now, I walk off happy whether I felt I did great or if I flubbed a couple of times. Everybody experiences both situations. Two years ago I played a two hour "solo" show at a tavern. I played instrumentals and even sang a few songs. I hadn't sang live, by myself, ever! But I remembered that it wasn't American Idol, so it was ok to have a not so perfect voice (Dylan, Cocker, even Clapton, etc...). Funny because I don't consider myself to even have a good voice. And the patrons of the place told me I should sing more for future shows. Go figure. As far as playing, there were a couple of guitar players in the audience, and I just gave it all I had. They came up at the end of the night and gave their complements. Just have an attitude that you're large and in charge and (not cocky though) and do your thing, man. It's all going to be a growing experience. We'll be here for the after party! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Ive got a funny story. I had this show for my school, I wasnt really nervous but I knew something was going to go wrong. Mainly because I was working with a different sound crew. So when I got on stage, I played the intro to the song, and when I tried to sing into the mic, nothing. The mic had not been turned on! I made a funny face, the audience laughed. So I was fine, but I was frustrated by the ignorance of this sound crew, and I saw the saw that put my mic on stage(without turning it on) And I pointed him out and got him up on stage, I showed him the mic switch and said "does this look on to you?" He shook his head, I turned the mic on and said into the mic "Great job moron!" I played the song, and got over it. But the funny thing is, I influenced the entire school to bully him. I didnt get in trouble, the VP of the school even walked up to me after the show and said "yea, he's definitely fired." Hope it helps? Beast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Ive got a funny story. I had this show for my school, I wasnt really nervous but I knew something was going to go wrong. Mainly because I was working with a different sound crew. So when I got on stage, I played the intro to the song, and when I tried to sing into the mic, nothing. The mic had not been turned on! I made a funny face, the audience laughed. So I was fine, but I was frustrated by the ignorance of this sound crew, and I saw the saw that put my mic on stage(without turning it on) And I pointed him out and got him up on stage, I showed him the mic switch and said "does this look on to you?" He shook his head, I turned the mic on and said into the mic "Great job moron!" I played the song, and got over it. But the funny thing is, I influenced the entire school to bully him. I didnt get in trouble, the VP of the school even walked up to me after the show and said "yea, he's definitely fired." Hope it helps? Beast That's funny. I mean, why do they have mics with switches? Think about it....? I also have guitars that sometimes play the wrong chords and the wrong notes. They need to go to the shop to get that fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 That's funny. I mean, why do they have mics with switches? Think about it....? I also have guitars that sometimes play the wrong chords and the wrong notes. They need to go to the shop to get that fixed. it was a cheap min, that school is run by a bunch of cheapos. good thing I dont go there no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 it was a cheap min, that school is run by a bunch of cheapos. good thing I dont go there no more. but..why do they make mics with switches? why?..... Hint: you are getting warm, and you are right. They use them a lot in schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Btw..still funny. We all funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Tari Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sorry fella's but I'm a born HAM from Drama times in school, I love a good turnout. More people, the better I like it. I know I'm good and if other people got a problem with what I'm playing. Next time they better check out what's going on before they want to come in and say something about my set's. I'm not out for the money (Thank the Lord) I've had a job for 27 years that takes care of me and my wife very well. So when I play it's for the enjoyment of a writer and musician. So when I get on stage I put myself all out. If they don't like it, maybe next time they should listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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