Sirsucksalot
23 posts
Mar 01, 2009
10:05 AM
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I play in front of people everyday. but last night was the first time i had been on stage since high school orchestra. My god was i nervous. My hands were shaky, until i started playing thankfully. I barley made it through the song. When it ended i tried to make a quick getaway, thinking the worst. JT the lead singer told me to hang on, they wanna play another one. Having been just conscious enough to hear the guitar player say what key the song was in, i quickly grabbed for my d harp and away we went. I have to say, the band wanting me to do another sure boosted my confidence. Sadly my legs were still having problems holding me steady. The song ended and i hurriedly thanked the band and got off stage. A few bar patrons i knew as customers from work complimented me on my performance, shaking my hand. but i couldn't hang out and indulge myself in all the flatery. I had to get to work. As i made my way to my car, my legs gradually regained there strength but i was still flying high. I thought to my self as i pulled up to work "what the hell am i doing working HERE!?".
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tookatooka
137 posts
Mar 01, 2009
10:20 AM
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Hi Sirsucksalot. I couldn't imagine how you felt. I'm in awe of you doing it though. It's something I'd love to be able to do but as you say it's the old jelly legs routine that tells you to take flight. I have a relatives birthday bash in a hall coming up soon and at the moment I'm kidding myself that I'll get up and do a number but I know that when the time comes I'm gonna chicken out. Does anyone know of a cure for stagefright?
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
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Sirsucksalot
24 posts
Mar 01, 2009
1:03 PM
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Hi tookatooka, what drove me to do it were all the times people asked me to sit in with them and i had chickened out. I guess i was just sick of it. I don't think it was courage. I felt confident enough in my ability and the band i was playing with had heard me the day before and had thought i was really good. So i thought, if the band likes it, what do i have to be afraid of. What also helped was that i live and work in a small town and even though i had never been to that bar, i knew a bartender and some of the patrons from my work. its all about positive thinking and willing to jump off that cliff and see what happens.
good luck.
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jbone
27 posts
Mar 01, 2009
7:50 PM
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guys, that nervousness fades with a few repetitions. i had it as did and do many players. for me the key was to finally realize, i do something most people can't conceive of. people WANT me to succeed and are forgiving of mistakes- if i learn from them! and what better exam room than the crucible of live music!
i was working with bands long before i "should" have. and no regrets! i learned as i went along.
but i do recall very well the first few times, and esp a time or 2 when someone on stage was pretty rude to me, or at least impatient. i thought my "career" was over but never showed it to the a-h who was dissing me. whether it's deserved or not, in a sense, disrespect is a terribly negative thing. constructive criticism, even from strangers on stage, is a real benefit and can help keep my ego in check.
walk through your fear and once the first note is hit, you'll be fine. repetition strengthens.
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MrVerylongusername
176 posts
Mar 02, 2009
2:00 AM
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"Does anyone know of a cure for stagefright?"
Straight Jack Daniels and a pair of dark glasses.
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Tryharp
110 posts
Mar 02, 2009
2:09 AM
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Congratulation Sirsucker, that took a lot of guts, and it can only get easier for you now.
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the frozen canuck
9 posts
Mar 02, 2009
3:31 AM
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hey know that feeling we did our first recording on wed evening ,only been playing for 6 months ,though it was for 1 song only but the band liked my sound and ask me to hang around for a couple more .was quite an experance even to hear my self .PS it does get easer
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djm3801
44 posts
Mar 02, 2009
2:57 PM
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Well I am not on stage and I am not wearing sunglasses but I am drinking some straight Jack after clearing the snow away here in Eastern PA. And playing my harp... Good way to clean harps - Drink some Jack Daniels and play.
I cannot ever see myself on stage but I hope to be good enough to play there. Congratulations on your guts.
Dan
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Andrew
144 posts
Mar 07, 2009
3:05 PM
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Last time I played in front of an audience was probably about 1982. You never lose your nerves.
In fact I got just as nervous playing for a tape recorder!
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Stank Breath
13 posts
Mar 07, 2009
6:41 PM
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I nearly passed out when I first played in front of a crowd of people. It was in a bar in Austin TX, I got so scared that I didn't remember any of the harp parts of Zappa's "Trouble Everyday," It was a disaster! Good thing most of the patrons were piss drunk! :)
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All the best music has already been written by guys in wigs and stuff.
-Frank Zappa
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SPANKY
17 posts
Mar 07, 2009
9:36 PM
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hey man congrats . it is cool to play on stage ain't it . i had less fear than i should have the first time . now everytime i get the chance i jump at it. but i have very little fear of making an ass of myself. just remember to play politely. and don't forget not to play when you shouldn't. if the singer is singin' it's alright to play little accents or fills to punctuate after their lyric, and if you desperately have the urge to play but it's not the appropriate time , listen to the bass player and chug the rythym.sometimes helpin nail down the rythym is just right. especially if it's a loud electric jam , because the guitar players are usually thinkin' the whole damn thing is all about them. just try to do your part to help make the song work. i've found that the bass player is my best friend on stage . you'll hear the chord changes tempo changes and everything else through him.man it is one helluva rush bein up there. i haven't been on stage since october and hearin your story gives me the itch.it's also really cool that the band asked you to stick around for another one. that means you were doin' what you were supposed to do.don't be afraid of it just roll with it. hell you gotta have some cool stuff to tell kids and grandkids about don't you. who knows you might get to play with somebody famous maybe even before they become famous.don't worry about not soundin' like little walter big walter or anybody else.noone else usually sounds as good as stevie ray vaughan or john entwhistle or john bonham. psssst also heres a big secret the general public doesn't usually have the first clue what a great harp player really sounds like .i mean the general public still thinks that bob dylan and neil young know how to play wink wink.or even bruce springsteen or alanis morissette . if you have been through your first book , harmonica , cd combo you're probably better than any one of them. because they are really lousy. and the public thinks what they are doin is just cool beans . so keep on doin' what you're doin. and good luck.
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