The Session >> Discussions >> What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
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What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Hypothetical:
What would you do if- like an absolute idiot!!! - you agreed to perform a solo medley of Irish tunes in front of a large crowd, and you DIDN'T...I repeat, did NOT want to suddenly forget these tunes that you know like the back of your hand because you accidentally started thinking about the notes instead of something else?
What if, hypothetically, you knew from your painful experience of playing at sessions, that every time your consciousness turned to the dumb notes and where your fingers should be at any given time, instead of feeling the music in your sternum and just playing what comes out like your supposed to, that you will suddenly and rather completely forget what your doing and have to stop playing altogether?
What might those of you who have been in this unenviable position recommend regarding how to avoid over thinking this music that almost demands that we don't over think it?
The beta blocker is a given. I don't drink alcohol (which may be part of the problem here) so that won't work. How 'bout some mental trick...some Koan or tried and true mental maneuver?
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Forget the beta-blocker! It will dampen your reflexes. Adrenaline is all part of the fun. The nerves you feel are the same as when you feel excited about something, so get excited about it instead. Accept that you will make mistakes and play through them. Nobody will notice (except you). If you make a really obvious mistake, laugh it off and the audience laugh with you. If you cringe with embarrassment and start sweating, the audience will be on edge too.
When you're practicing, learn how to play through mistakes while staying in time and groove. Don't stop for anything!
Make sure you're properly warmed up before you go on stage! Find some hand and finger excersies/stretches. Shake your arms around and jump up and down. If you have a chance, talk to the audience before you start playing. Get them on your side and they will forgive you for anything, especially if you can make them laugh.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I did something like that at a fiddle contest. I lifted my bow to to start my first tune... and suddenly forgot it entirely. So I looked around for help - and realized there was no one else on the stage who knew the tune! Including the guitarist, who's good enough he was just gonna follow my lead. Well, I looked around at him anyways & asked him for help -- which was basically a stall that appeared to the audience as a chord-consultation or something -- and then first three notes came to me, and then I was fine. But, it was no fun to just forget the tune entirely!
As far as forgetting notes whilst in the middle of a tune - I've done that plenty of times too. I usually just make up some other notes, and just try to stay in time. The new notes might not sound great (although, sometimes they do!), but, eventually the fingers land on a note they remember. And then the fingers are back to the tune they know, and are fine again.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
From now until your performance keep visualizing yourself playing the tunes perfectly. Think about the notes of the tune and how you exercise them on your instrument. Make sure you stay positive to capitalize on the abilities that you do have, not the abilities that you don't. This is how sports psychologists coach athletes, but it really applies to any learned talent.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Well, as long as I'm agreeing with Michael, I'll agree in advance: it's easiest if you learn the tune by ear, then you don't have note names to distract you - and it's the names of the notes that are getting in your way, not the notes themselves!
That's an unhelpful response, however, to your immediate concern. For the immediate situation, a few things come to mind. One is, between now and the performance, to focus on learning the tune better. Try this: run through the tune in your head, without an instrument. Try to listen to it as if someone else is playing, letting each piece of the tune lead you into the next without your intervention. Then do the same, but this time visualize yourself playing along with that phantom player you're listening to in your head. This will just take a few minutes of your day, but do it once or twice a day, it should help.
Then, on the day of the show, try to be sure you're well fed and watered, and don't spend your time looking ahead to the performance. The more you anticipate, the more opportunities you'll have to worry yourself into a panic. Just do your normal routine, read a good book. Play a few tunes, but don't hammer out your one set over and over again - play some nice tunes you know well, play them slow and see if you can find something new in them.
Finally, when you're on stage, look at the audience before you start playing. Then breathe in for four counts, exhale for four, repeat, and start playing. While you're breathing, pick a spot that's not the audience to focus on - not a clock, either, if there's a picture in the back of the room, that's perfect - and reach out for the tune. If by some mischance you lose the start of it, get the end in your head, that'll lead you to the repeat.
Good luck - it's perfectly normal to be nervous about performing, but if you're prepared, it shouldn't be a problem.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Have a fall-back short list of tunes *very* familiar to you, in the various rhythms and keys you play in.
If you have a memory blackout playing a reel in D, say, just splice it into some tune you may know on autopilot - The Wind That Shakes The Barley or The Silver Spear, or something. And if a change to G is due and again you can't remember your intended tune, do Miss McLeod's or whatever.
Not ground-breaking stuff but good enough, if you play them adequately. Happens to me often (not that I'm a gig star). You can always deprecate yourself afterwards to the cognoscenti in a seemly manner.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I think it's about connecting with the audience. If you establish a rapport with everyone, and that partly comes (in my own experience) from being able to talk for a few seconds about the context for each piece, that will ensure you are more connected with the music. And if it really happens that you forget - then it will be a really easy matter to stop and tell them what's happened. Believe me, it really won't matter - quite the reverse. People will warm to you and they will feel more part of the music (which after all, they are - there's no performance without an audience).
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some great points Joel. Overcoming the nerves is part of the
performance, not that I ever play solo, but even with a small
group the audience loves to see the players overcome the odds and emerge victorious. You can't be anyone else but yourself in front of an audience, and agreeing with Joel again. if you make "so called" mistakes normally at home or at the session, you will indeed make them on stage so f#@k it, enjoy your mistakes, swim in them. revel in their brutality and the
audience will too. An additional point that is worth noting to is that I have stumbled across my best pieces of variation and
ornamentation through "mistakes" while practising at home.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some years ago, at a Summer School concert in Listowel, Brendan McGlinchey was playing solo on stage. He stopped suddenly in the middle of a tune, laughed and said "I've forgotten me own bloody tune!". He then restarted the tune a few moments later, completing it without problems. The next day he referred to the incident during a workshop and used it as an example of how to deal with an unexpected crash.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Imagine the funniest or politically incorrect joke as you try to play. This will automatically make you crack a smile. When you smile as you play, you will look and feel like you are having a great time. This also puts your listeners at ease. It doesn't matter if you make a mistake now and then. Relax and have fun!
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
It's fairly common to have butterflies before playing in front of an audience. The comments above are good. Do it for the craic. 'cuz that's why people really go out for music.
When the time comes you don't have to think, "oh, I'm playing for all these people!" Often I imagine I am playing for just one person. A very good friend who is also a player. I cannot explain how it works, just that it helps with my nerves & with finding the zone.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
lazyhound - good one, I'll definitely hang onto that idea.
...lots of good advice here already, but here's my paltry $0.02... Try to not think of the situation as "me" and "them", but rather as "us". Or, like it's a big party and all these folks are your friends/guests. If you have any stories about the tunes, racy titles, bad puns, etc, definitely share them. A few of what I think of as my best moments as a performer had nothing to do with the notes, but rather with being able to connect with people...
Above all, relax and have fun.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I just tried Jon's tip about imagining someone else playing the tune in your head, then imagining yourself playing along- harder than it seems. The other guy stops as soon as I start
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Hey Fiddler - we used to have a few of those show up at more than one of the string band gigs. The women, I mean, not the penguins. And since I was the only guy in the group, I can only assume...
Unfortunately, I was married to the leader, who didn't share my opinion about being a "welcoming host"...sigh...
I'm supposed to be "working from home" today, can anyone tell?
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
No SWFL, not women, they get the mind off the musical track quicker than anything. Waitress walks by, and only the fingers remember where the tune should be going......
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some great ideas here...thanks. One of the things that really seems true is that it's a set up to assume I'm not going to make mistakes. Previously when I've bombed at session it's when (a) nobody else knows the tune or they're waiting to join in (I really hate that....I KNOW you know it....SAVE ME!!!!) and (b) I make a minor mistake. After making the minor mistake, my brain immediately and against my will starts focusing on the mistake...which then diverts my attention from the upcoming bend around the corner. Then it's all bad.
One could make a reasonable argument that IRTRAD music just wasn't meant to be sent through an amplifier and played in large halls to golf claps. It was meant to be played - mistakes and all - in small places with people having beer or tea and letting the melodies take them away for a bit.
I'm GOING to screw it up. The crowd should at least get a few notes that sound good...it'll give 'em the basic gist. If they want more, they should go to the session.
It will be a song/air I heard Cathal McConnell play called The Flower of Finae, followed by George White's and the Sally Garden. All in G. There's only so much you screw those up, right?
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I'm sure it will be fine and you'll do OK. The only clue it's going wrong is suddenly you are lit up by little dancing pinpoints of laser light, and then it's time to abandon the performance and run like hell (or at least, take cover behind something substantial). It's unlikely that will happen!!
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I try not to think of anything except the music or technical details like
whether the bow stroke is straight or not. Otherwise my mind will
leap all over the place. I definitely try not to look at women.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
What to think about: a sort of blind blank canvas on which your automatic tune pilot can do its stuff.
What to avoid thinking about: Where you can get some cash to buy beer until payday, if the last bus has left, any TV prog you were watching earlier or book you've been reading, any arguments with the dearly bloved, Beethoven's Ninth, your increasing need for urination, the route to the West Country (A30 or A303?), Kylie Minogue, Brucie, Queen Victoria (or whoever) pleasuring you or maybe themselves.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
make sure the audience can see you playing - don't hide behind a music stand (if you use one)
before you start to play, look around the audience and smile - get them on your side
whatever you do, dont have an inane, fixed grin, shake your hair about or sway wildly from side to side (someone might video you and post you on utube and you wouldn't want anyone thinking you were a "celtic music" star)
introduce your set briefly and clearly (and throw in a witicism, as long as it is witty)
make sure you always have at least one tune ready as an emergency parachute
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Once a long time ago I remember a gig where a very beautiful young woman walked in front of the boys and me. She wasn't paying the least bit of attention to us but as the tune began to fall apart I looked around at the boys and noticed by their slack jaws and vacant stares that the music had temporarily left them.
If your gig is really important and you're certain that you need to nail it, practice practice practice. Play through your material a dozen times a day for a couple of weeks prior. After you've played through the tunes a hundred or so times they start to fall under your fingers, that's when you really begin to make music. Works for me.
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
And I thought I was the only one with this problem.
Just Kidding.
The biggest thing is not to get into a conversation with yourself-
1. Here comes the phrase I have a problem with
2. I am a screw up because I know I cant play this right
3. Geez I am really nailing this-sounds fantastic
4. God it was embarrassing when the nuns made me play the Blackhawk Waltz in front of my fourth grade class. And someone even mentioned it at our 45th class reunion!
5. Fill in the blank __________ Better here than when you ae in public.
Take my teachers advice. Listen in your head to the ideal version of what should be played, and play along.
Forget tjhe drugs and alcohol. I will bet that most screw ups come dwelling on the demons of one's past. You have to get past them
What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Hypothetical:
What would you do if- like an absolute idiot!!! - you agreed to perform a solo medley of Irish tunes in front of a large crowd, and you DIDN'T...I repeat, did NOT want to suddenly forget these tunes that you know like the back of your hand because you accidentally started thinking about the notes instead of something else?
What if, hypothetically, you knew from your painful experience of playing at sessions, that every time your consciousness turned to the dumb notes and where your fingers should be at any given time, instead of feeling the music in your sternum and just playing what comes out like your supposed to, that you will suddenly and rather completely forget what your doing and have to stop playing altogether?
What might those of you who have been in this unenviable position recommend regarding how to avoid over thinking this music that almost demands that we don't over think it?
The beta blocker is a given. I don't drink alcohol (which may be part of the problem here) so that won't work. How 'bout some mental trick...some Koan or tried and true mental maneuver?
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by MarcoTam
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Forget the beta-blocker! It will dampen your reflexes. Adrenaline is all part of the fun. The nerves you feel are the same as when you feel excited about something, so get excited about it instead. Accept that you will make mistakes and play through them. Nobody will notice (except you). If you make a really obvious mistake, laugh it off and the audience laugh with you. If you cringe with embarrassment and start sweating, the audience will be on edge too.
When you're practicing, learn how to play through mistakes while staying in time and groove. Don't stop for anything!
Make sure you're properly warmed up before you go on stage! Find some hand and finger excersies/stretches. Shake your arms around and jump up and down. If you have a chance, talk to the audience before you start playing. Get them on your side and they will forgive you for anything, especially if you can make them laugh.
Good luck!!!
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by Joel McDermott
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Tough problem. I once forgot how Over The Ocean goes after I called it in a session, and started the Kesh instead.
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
...that should be Out On The Ocean...there goes the brain...
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I did something like that at a fiddle contest. I lifted my bow to to start my first tune... and suddenly forgot it entirely. So I looked around for help - and realized there was no one else on the stage who knew the tune! Including the guitarist, who's good enough he was just gonna follow my lead. Well, I looked around at him anyways & asked him for help -- which was basically a stall that appeared to the audience as a chord-consultation or something -- and then first three notes came to me, and then I was fine. But, it was no fun to just forget the tune entirely!
As far as forgetting notes whilst in the middle of a tune - I've done that plenty of times too. I usually just make up some other notes, and just try to stay in time. The new notes might not sound great (although, sometimes they do!), but, eventually the fingers land on a note they remember. And then the fingers are back to the tune they know, and are fine again.
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by fiddlejen
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
From now until your performance keep visualizing yourself playing the tunes perfectly. Think about the notes of the tune and how you exercise them on your instrument. Make sure you stay positive to capitalize on the abilities that you do have, not the abilities that you don't. This is how sports psychologists coach athletes, but it really applies to any learned talent.
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by rob_handel
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Well, as long as I'm agreeing with Michael, I'll agree in advance: it's easiest if you learn the tune by ear, then you don't have note names to distract you - and it's the names of the notes that are getting in your way, not the notes themselves!
That's an unhelpful response, however, to your immediate concern. For the immediate situation, a few things come to mind. One is, between now and the performance, to focus on learning the tune better. Try this: run through the tune in your head, without an instrument. Try to listen to it as if someone else is playing, letting each piece of the tune lead you into the next without your intervention. Then do the same, but this time visualize yourself playing along with that phantom player you're listening to in your head. This will just take a few minutes of your day, but do it once or twice a day, it should help.
Then, on the day of the show, try to be sure you're well fed and watered, and don't spend your time looking ahead to the performance. The more you anticipate, the more opportunities you'll have to worry yourself into a panic. Just do your normal routine, read a good book. Play a few tunes, but don't hammer out your one set over and over again - play some nice tunes you know well, play them slow and see if you can find something new in them.
Finally, when you're on stage, look at the audience before you start playing. Then breathe in for four counts, exhale for four, repeat, and start playing. While you're breathing, pick a spot that's not the audience to focus on - not a clock, either, if there's a picture in the back of the room, that's perfect - and reach out for the tune. If by some mischance you lose the start of it, get the end in your head, that'll lead you to the repeat.
Good luck - it's perfectly normal to be nervous about performing, but if you're prepared, it shouldn't be a problem.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Have a fall-back short list of tunes *very* familiar to you, in the various rhythms and keys you play in.
If you have a memory blackout playing a reel in D, say, just splice it into some tune you may know on autopilot - The Wind That Shakes The Barley or The Silver Spear, or something. And if a change to G is due and again you can't remember your intended tune, do Miss McLeod's or whatever.
Not ground-breaking stuff but good enough, if you play them adequately. Happens to me often (not that I'm a gig star). You can always deprecate yourself afterwards to the cognoscenti in a seemly manner.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by nicholas
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I think it's about connecting with the audience. If you establish a rapport with everyone, and that partly comes (in my own experience) from being able to talk for a few seconds about the context for each piece, that will ensure you are more connected with the music. And if it really happens that you forget - then it will be a really easy matter to stop and tell them what's happened. Believe me, it really won't matter - quite the reverse. People will warm to you and they will feel more part of the music (which after all, they are - there's no performance without an audience).
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Mark Harmer
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some great points Joel. Overcoming the nerves is part of the
performance, not that I ever play solo, but even with a small
group the audience loves to see the players overcome the odds and emerge victorious. You can't be anyone else but yourself in front of an audience, and agreeing with Joel again. if you make "so called" mistakes normally at home or at the session, you will indeed make them on stage so f#@k it, enjoy your mistakes, swim in them. revel in their brutality and the
audience will too. An additional point that is worth noting to is that I have stumbled across my best pieces of variation and
ornamentation through "mistakes" while practising at home.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by chuneboi slim
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some years ago, at a Summer School concert in Listowel, Brendan McGlinchey was playing solo on stage. He stopped suddenly in the middle of a tune, laughed and said "I've forgotten me own bloody tune!". He then restarted the tune a few moments later, completing it without problems. The next day he referred to the incident during a workshop and used it as an example of how to deal with an unexpected crash.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Imagine the funniest or politically incorrect joke as you try to play. This will automatically make you crack a smile. When you smile as you play, you will look and feel like you are having a great time. This also puts your listeners at ease. It doesn't matter if you make a mistake now and then. Relax and have fun!
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Leendah
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I try to avoid an illegal melodic interval of an augmented 2nd.
Hey, it works for me.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
close your eyes and think of England.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by ceemonster
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Have a few jars and take comfort in the knowledge that no one is listening for your mistakes. 99% of the audience is pulling for you.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Farr
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
It's fairly common to have butterflies before playing in front of an audience. The comments above are good. Do it for the craic. 'cuz that's why people really go out for music.
When the time comes you don't have to think, "oh, I'm playing for all these people!" Often I imagine I am playing for just one person. A very good friend who is also a player. I cannot explain how it works, just that it helps with my nerves & with finding the zone.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Random_notes
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
In the unlikely event of my performing, I would try to avoid thinking about what llig might say.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by P-K
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
In the unlikely event of my performing, I would try to think about what llig might say. It would bring a much-needed smile to my face.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Smiling while playing- I'd need lessons for that.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by P-K
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
lazyhound - good one, I'll definitely hang onto that idea.
...lots of good advice here already, but here's my paltry $0.02... Try to not think of the situation as "me" and "them", but rather as "us". Or, like it's a big party and all these folks are your friends/guests. If you have any stories about the tunes, racy titles, bad puns, etc, definitely share them. A few of what I think of as my best moments as a performer had nothing to do with the notes, but rather with being able to connect with people...
Above all, relax and have fun.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by tomw
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I just tried Jon's tip about imagining someone else playing the tune in your head, then imagining yourself playing along- harder than it seems. The other guy stops as soon as I start
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by P-K
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Beautiful women. Very beautiful women. Or men, if that's what floats yer boat. Or penguins.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Hey Fiddler - we used to have a few of those show up at more than one of the string band gigs. The women, I mean, not the penguins. And since I was the only guy in the group, I can only assume...
Unfortunately, I was married to the leader, who didn't share my opinion about being a "welcoming host"...sigh...
I'm supposed to be "working from home" today, can anyone tell?
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by tomw
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
No SWFL, not women, they get the mind off the musical track quicker than anything. Waitress walks by, and only the fingers remember where the tune should be going......
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Some great ideas here...thanks. One of the things that really seems true is that it's a set up to assume I'm not going to make mistakes. Previously when I've bombed at session it's when (a) nobody else knows the tune or they're waiting to join in (I really hate that....I KNOW you know it....SAVE ME!!!!) and (b) I make a minor mistake. After making the minor mistake, my brain immediately and against my will starts focusing on the mistake...which then diverts my attention from the upcoming bend around the corner. Then it's all bad.
One could make a reasonable argument that IRTRAD music just wasn't meant to be sent through an amplifier and played in large halls to golf claps. It was meant to be played - mistakes and all - in small places with people having beer or tea and letting the melodies take them away for a bit.
I'm GOING to screw it up. The crowd should at least get a few notes that sound good...it'll give 'em the basic gist. If they want more, they should go to the session.
It will be a song/air I heard Cathal McConnell play called The Flower of Finae, followed by George White's and the Sally Garden. All in G. There's only so much you screw those up, right?
Thanks again.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by MarcoTam
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PcjnbIF1yAA
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I'm sure it will be fine and you'll do OK. The only clue it's going wrong is suddenly you are lit up by little dancing pinpoints of laser light, and then it's time to abandon the performance and run like hell (or at least, take cover behind something substantial). It's unlikely that will happen!!
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Mark Harmer
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
I try not to think of anything except the music or technical details like
whether the bow stroke is straight or not. Otherwise my mind will
leap all over the place. I definitely try not to look at women.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Hup
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
take courage
i always think about my mum and dad _ it's so simple if you think about it
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by lisaniska
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
What to think about: a sort of blind blank canvas on which your automatic tune pilot can do its stuff.
What to avoid thinking about: Where you can get some cash to buy beer until payday, if the last bus has left, any TV prog you were watching earlier or book you've been reading, any arguments with the dearly bloved, Beethoven's Ninth, your increasing need for urination, the route to the West Country (A30 or A303?), Kylie Minogue, Brucie, Queen Victoria (or whoever) pleasuring you or maybe themselves.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Krick Stahlschwanz
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Sorry folks, forgot the [/sarcasm] tag.
Yoda works though. "Clear the mind, you must, young Skywalker."
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
make sure the audience can see you playing - don't hide behind a music stand (if you use one)
before you start to play, look around the audience and smile - get them on your side
whatever you do, dont have an inane, fixed grin, shake your hair about or sway wildly from side to side (someone might video you and post you on utube and you wouldn't want anyone thinking you were a "celtic music" star)
introduce your set briefly and clearly (and throw in a witicism, as long as it is witty)
make sure you always have at least one tune ready as an emergency parachute
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by geoffwright
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
And make sure your tape recorder is well out of sight and can't be knocked over
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Once a long time ago I remember a gig where a very beautiful young woman walked in front of the boys and me. She wasn't paying the least bit of attention to us but as the tune began to fall apart I looked around at the boys and noticed by their slack jaws and vacant stares that the music had temporarily left them.
If your gig is really important and you're certain that you need to nail it, practice practice practice. Play through your material a dozen times a day for a couple of weeks prior. After you've played through the tunes a hundred or so times they start to fall under your fingers, that's when you really begin to make music. Works for me.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by pbassnote
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
1)
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Jmbu
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Oops...
1)
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Jmbu
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
Yee gad, I can't control this thing
1) don't be surprised at the sound of your own playing
2) don't think about which fingers have to be on which notes
3) do listen for the musical phrasing (phrases) of the tune
...finally
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Jmbu
Re: What to think about (or avoid thinking about) during a performance
And I thought I was the only one with this problem.
Just Kidding.
The biggest thing is not to get into a conversation with yourself-
1. Here comes the phrase I have a problem with
2. I am a screw up because I know I cant play this right
3. Geez I am really nailing this-sounds fantastic
4. God it was embarrassing when the nuns made me play the Blackhawk Waltz in front of my fourth grade class. And someone even mentioned it at our 45th class reunion!
5. Fill in the blank __________ Better here than when you ae in public.
Take my teachers advice. Listen in your head to the ideal version of what should be played, and play along.
Forget tjhe drugs and alcohol. I will bet that most screw ups come dwelling on the demons of one's past. You have to get past them
# Posted on January 15th 2009 by zippydw