Guitar etiquette - Unsolicited playing

[jayswett]

Fascinating thread. I, too, have been guilty of picking up my guitar and playing a song or two in the midst of company. Usually, a stern glance from my wife highlights the stupidy of what I have just done, and soon thereafter the guitar is back in its stand, where it should have remained from the beginning. I guess my sense is that, as much as I hade to admit it, the guitar is probably best left untouched unless someone specifically asks you to play a song.

[AndyT]

I only invite people who like guitars to the house. Everyone else can meet at the local Zippy's. (A local eatery chain)

[haoli25]

AndyT wrote:

I only invite people who like guitars to the house. Everyone else can meet at the local Zippy's. (A local eatery chain)

Send 'em to the ABC Store, there's one on every corner! :laugh:

[mark]

I think I am the opposite.
If I am in a room with people and there is a guitar there, I'm scared to death that somebody is going to ask me to play it.

If I'm at home with people and I feel the need to play the guitar, I normally sneek away and play quietly upstairs for a little bit.

[suziko]

Mark,

It's fascinating to me to hear you say that. I feel exactly the same way; I always dread that someone will ask me to play, because I'm worried I'll bungle every song and secretly they'll be thinking, "Oh dear. This is just pathetic." But I always assumed that if I were better at playing guitar that I wouldn't hesitate to play for people. But if even you still feel "performance-anxiety", then maybe that doesn't go away for some people.

[Yamaha48]

I like the idea of only inviting guitar-lovers in to the house!

It is interesting to hear the spectrum of responses. Its funny re: being shy to play -- I often feel quite self conscious if I'm asked to play a certain song, or if the focus is directly on me. But I don't feel shy at all if I'm playing soft, finger-style instrumental stuff (i.e., just the songs I know without singing, travis picking or something like that) in the background, quietly, while people chat etc. Not sure why that is...

Thanks for all the interesting insights.

[johnrfeeney]

I suppose if one played like Neil or perhaps Steven King it would be a treat to play without being asked. But if one plays like I do - well ,,,, hmmmmm maybe they would pay me to stop

now that's another way of supplementing the income