Thought on frequent occurance; Flub ups when playing before others

[BigBear]

haoli25 wrote:

That video camera can appear to be a shotgun pointed at YOU at times! One trick that many professional broadcasters use is that they place a picture of a loved one behind the camera or microphone. It does have a calming effect on many people.

Years ago, a young woman came to work at one of the radio stations I was associated with. She was just terrible and could not get over her case of the NERVES (or Mic fright). I told her about this technique and she decided to try it. She came back and asked me if it had to be a picture of a loved one. I told her no. The next day she came to work with a huge picture of Tom Selleck. The change was IMMEDIATE and DRAMATIC!!! She was great! She and that picture of Tom Selleck went on to make a LOT of money in broadcasting!



Bill

Tom Selleck might not do it for me but I can think of a few women in bikinis that might! lol! Actually, that is a great idea! I try to ignore the camera but it doesn't help. Maybe your idea would. I'll try anything!

Thanks Bill! :cheer:

[haoli25]

Rick, we may have created another marketing idea for Matt!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Get your TG posters here!!!

Actually, you will be surprised, in no time you will not need that picture. The image is just as clear in your mind and it is an excellent focal point whether you are playing for a live camera or a live audience.


Bill

[eagle670]

Bill[/quote]

Tom Selleck might not do it for me but I can think of a few women in bikinis that might! lol! Actually, that is a great idea! I try to ignore the camera but it doesn't help. Maybe your idea would. I'll try anything!

Thanks Bill! :cheer:[/quote]

If I had a picture of women in bikinis in front of me, I'd probably forget who I am for a while, let alone try to play the guitar.

Anyway, great topic guy's. We have went down this road before, but really not many solutions out there. It all boils down to confidence really, which is probably one of the reasons why we are all here. I do like the idea of maybe bringing in a mental coach to offer some advice. I know that one of the reasons I joined this site was the quote Neil had about being able to play fearlessly in front of anyone. I hope to get there some day. Unlike some of you, I still dread having to speak in front of people, even though every time I have it has went very well. I always leave with renewed confidence and ready to take on the world, but because I don't do it often enough the confidence starts to fade. I would think that if you could get through that first performance and then continue to do it on a regular basis then slowly you would begin to get use to it. I would love to be able to play for folks, but right now that day looks quite aways off.

Kevin

[neverfoundthetime]

What brought this question on is recently I had work on a guitar part (for months) had it down, at least in my mind, and called a guitar playing pal on the phone, ask him to listen to what I had learned and tried to play it over the phone, and completely made a fool of my self. Is this unique to me, and why does it happen, any guesses?

I've done that one Fry!

I remember years ago trying to play some song for some Germans at a Robinson Club in Greece. They asked for a song I could play alone in my room but I fluffed it and after 3 trial runs at it stopped... they just walked off showing me the cold shoulder and it actually help me get over my performance angst because I recognised their bad manners and realised I'd could feel better about my self than they could about their behaviour.

[BigBear]

neverfoundthetime wrote:

I remember years ago trying to play some song for some Germans at a Robinson Club in Greece. They asked for a song I could play alone in my room but I fluffed it and after 3 trial runs at it stopped... they just walked off showing me the cold shoulder and it actually help me get over my performance angst because I recognised their bad manners and realised I'd could feel better about my self than they could about their behaviour.

Chris- you've been living in Switzerland too long!! Now you're telling bad stories about the Germans! lol! You should have told them to sit down, shut up and drink some more Ouzo or Metaxa!! I love Europe!! :silly:

[tovo]

This is a great topic. I think the answer is repetition. I often wonder about professional entertainers and their nerves. It appears they don't have any but in interviews established acts often confess to being extremely nervous before or even during a performance. I also wonder if, at the point where they no longer get those feelings, if that's the point where they start to go downhill and performing starts to become a chore. Those iconic songs that they have played literally thousands of times hold no fear anymore, and hence there is no rush.

I enjoy getting on top of my nerves, but it's still a real challenge. At first, I had exactly what Frybaby describes, an inability to play songs I knew well whenever I tried to play them for anyone. All I can say is that they ability to do so improves with practice just like your playing improves with practice. Here at TG, you will never get a more supportive environment to put your songs in an open forum so take advantage of it!

Good thread.

[frybaby]

Music Junkie wrote:
[quote]LOL...... :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
Iam beginning to think that the trick is to just play as often as possible in front of others so it becomes less stressful. Now that is easier said than done, but if we are to get better in those situations, they need to be more normalized....

This suggestion made me call to mind, that I had hear the same advice before. I recall that in the past I had put it to practice and it worked. When ever we had guest, rather than wait for them to ask me to play, or hope on the other hand that they would not ask me to play, I would ask them to listen to some little something I know I could play, maybe just an intro, lick, a rif, somethiing I had been working on, and had down pretty well.
Never played a full song, but I made it a point to play some little something for every body that dropped in. I took the initiative and ask them to listen to what I just learned.
As mentioned never a full song, or anything complicated, just enough to accomplish my goal of playing in front of someone regularly or at least at every chance I got. It's been a while since I've done it,.( maybe that’s why we don't have to may visitors these days) but I recall it was working. I got comfortable doing it.
Playing a full song never worked that well cause most of the song I know are 3-4 chord song, so playing verses after verse is a bore, and played with out vocals most of what I know come off being repetitious.

So to conclude. MJ, thanks for the reminder. Drop by the homestead and I play someting for you.

Regard to all,
Frybaby.

[dennisg]

Before I play for anyone, I try to be aware that my tendency is to play too fast ... probably due to performance anxiety. So I make a conscious effort to slow the song down about at least 10 percent. If I can do that, the song feels easier than normal, and the playing goes relatively smoothly.

[sws626]

I rarely play in front of others, but definitely have this as a goal. I have this same experience when I sit down in a guitar shop. Usually, I draw a complete blank and can't remember any of the songs I know. I imagine it gets better with more experience. One thing I think would help is to make sure you just play right through the flubs -- keep the time first, then worry about the chords, then the right notes.

[mark]

I also rarely play in front of others.
The last time a couple of friends put a guitar in my hand and basically said play something.
I played through a couple of songs I have played hundreds of times.
I played bits in the wrong order but somehow kept going and seemed to get away with it.
When I was playing romanza I could see that my fingers were actually shaking.
It's amazing how your mind can go completly blank.

As others have said, I sure doing this more often would really help.