Stage Fright!!!!!!!!!

[shortyprs]

Hey Lesterpaul, some people just sweat more. I play with a guy who can't play a maple neck when its hot because the sweat seems to stick to the maple finish so much more. Nothing you can do but talc or resin...or a fan.

I used to get nervous. A few guiding principles have helped:

1. Neither Satriani or Yo Yo Ma showed up, so they are stuck with me;
2. They are here to have fun and if I'm not having fun, they won't either;
3. I'm just here to have fun;
4. F@%k 'em if they can't take a joke!

Steve Goodman used to make up whole songs from mistakes and the crowd loved it. It ain't no big thing to screw up. Its only a mistake if you make a big thing out of it.

 

[BillyFurnett]

Hello all,

Fmmahoganyrush's post reminds me of a wedding gig a friend of mine up in Canada once did...

During the reception dinner they were doing a soft jazzy number when suddenly a few pistol weilding (Uninvited) guests annouced they were holding up the reception!!! The band just kept playing while these guys stole all the envelopes, gifts, jewlery and pocket cash from the guests!!! (But nothing from the band.)

Sweaty hands get me when I playout too, but it's usually my right hand and causes me to drop my picks. I've learned to keep plenty close at hand, but have never tried any of the "Sticky" products such as I believe Gorilla Snot is.

A few shots of "Groove Medicine" work wonders and are consumed regardless of nervousness or not, but a big help for us has also been veiwing the gigs as less of a be all end all event and more of a glorified practice session.

There are parts I have that no matter how much I practice I still botch, so not to freak myself out, I often think "Okay, here's the part I screw up, lets see how unnoticable I can do it" Vs. "Oh fuck, here's the solo I have to nail perfect note for note everytime or the world will implode!!"

Knowing songs inside and out is pretty mandatory, but learning to elicit a contagious comfort zone from one's self can be a great help as well. Unless you're playing to a room full of scrutinizing muscians, most audiences are gonna be unaware of little screw ups and more tuned into the "Vibe", be it from wild stage antics, catchy hooks or an infectious foot tapping beat, the Vibe and fun level is what they'll likely remember most.

In my case, sometimes putting my best foot foreward is acheived by taking a step back.

 

[AcidRain]

know the songs inside and out, then put your head down and go!

 

[lesterpaul]

hey shortyprs my problem is also on a maple neck strat so it must be my problem is rooted there ,but, i have been using talc and that helps alot ....thanks for all th feed back everybody

 

[King Elvis]

I dont get nervous, but after reading this thread I might. I just get caught up in the excitement. One other thing to remember is that you are doing something that you have always wanted to do and that everyone in the audience wishes they were doing...so...

 

[BillyFurnett]

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One other thing to remember is that you are doing something that you have always wanted to do and that everyone in the audience wishes they were doing.
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Excellent point King.


I once had a conversation with a lawyer that had the career, the cash , the home, the car, AND the chicks and with some serious gravity he turned to me with a sigh and said "..Yeah, but I can't play guitar."

 

[Toki987]

I threw up a few minutes before every gig until I was about 20 yrs old. Back then I`d say "Damn.... I`m glad I got that outta the way", and then go play and forget about it.

 

[jacobs]

^
|

What he said.

What the hell, try a little talcum powder on the palm of your left hand. Just a touch.

and by talcum powder on your left hand, he means vodka in your throat. just a touch.

solves the problem every time.

 

[shortyprs]

I don't know why maple necks stick more. I play with a guy who's a great luthier and he says its ture, not all in our heads. He suggests sanding the finish and refretting or just switching necks. Pretty wierd!

 

[PFDarkside]

Amazingly enough... my stage fright has progressed into something wierd...

I play pickstyle bass in a punkish band... and when we play gigs I dig in so hard with both hands (in fear of making a mistake... that no one will notice anyway ) that they both get cramped up before we are a third done with the set. I have found that one shot of good old JD gets those little jitters out, though. If one shot doesn't cure them, then you probably need to practice more... lol

 

[2muchstuff]

It's great to see all these posts. I didn't realize so many people shared the "just have fun" philosophy as a balm for stage fright. It really makes a difference when performing to let go. We walk a thin line between perfectionism in practice and professionalism when performing for an audience. It may seem a contradiction, but professionalism is about having fun, as long as the band's prepared. True performers don't just look like their having fun, they ARE having fun; which leads me to a change of direction.

How about some advice for those nights when we're just not into it, but the show must go on? Personally, when I'm not having fun, I can't fake it well, and I don't really want to. It's not about stage fright, but just an off night. I don't want to be an actor, but I'd like some advice on getting back into it when I'm out of it.

 

[grinder]

I don't know why maple necks stick more. I play with a guy who's a great luthier and he says its ture, not all in our heads. He suggests sanding the finish and refretting or just switching necks. Pretty wierd!

If the neck has a finish on it that is what your hand is sticking to, not the wood.I have the same problem with any neck with a thick finish on it.Using #0000 steel wool on the neck helps, it will dull the finish.The smoothest neck I've played on was maple with a very thin oil finish. How would refretting help?

 

[alien]

How about some advice for those nights when we're just not into it, but the show must go on? Personally, when I'm not having fun, I can't fake it well, and I don't really want to. It's not about stage fright, but just an off night. I don't want to be an actor, but I'd like some advice on getting back into it when I'm out of it.

That was every night I played with the last band I was in. I was sick of the alternative crud we were playing and the over-played classic rock numbers, plus their resistsance to originals didn't help.

It finally got to me and I literally broke up the band when I found out the drummer was popping Xanax's with whiskey chasers at a show. The tempo would shift every other beat...I wonder why?

Atthat point you cna do one of two things. You can put on the happy face and hope like hell everyone believes it OR you can become Mr Enraptured In My Own Little World Of Music. In other words, the eyes are closed, head leaned slightly back, look on the face is neither sad not serene. It's that mystical look musicians get w hen they are lost in their instrument. IF I couldn't get lost in the band, I tuned in just enough of them to play the same song, but otherwise, I was in my own world.

It's the transition from "fun, party musician who can rip it up" to "queit, yet really cool musican who can make it sing"

It's all in their visual and your perspective

 

[2muchstuff]

This is the first band I've been in where I've been more concerned about the audience than the music. I never cared what kind of performer I was when I was playing what I wanted to play, but, what I like to play isn't dance music. I've had to trade off one experience for another. On one hand, I wish I played more of the music that inspires me, on the other, I get off on a crowd of people having a great time dancing to a three chord song. Some people think I'm into it when I'm mellow, but most want to know what's bothering me. It's a simbiotic relationship. I rely on the crowd to get me going, and they rely on us. I just have trouble sometimes breaking out of a bad mood to get things going.

I don't really think there's anything that can be done about it except for me to shake it off and do what I'm there to do. My big excuse for those nights is that I'm playing it right, so what's the problem? I have to work on being less selfish and separating my feelings from the work to be done. My problem is I don't ever want it to feel like work, but sometimes it does.