Off Topic Playing live for the first time
- Thread starter Jamie M
- Start date
beej
Moderator
Preparation is your best friend. It's like having to give a big speech- rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Then on the night of the show, just do your best to relax and your fingers will know what they're doing.
Maybe have a beer to loosen up ... but by all means don't get drunk
Enjoy it! The whole thing will go by in the blink of an eye.
Maybe have a beer to loosen up ... but by all means don't get drunk
Enjoy it! The whole thing will go by in the blink of an eye.
when i started playing live for the first time, i was so bloody nervous usually made my brain blank several times lol.
then i started picking out audience, meaning.. i looked across the crowd and find a couple of people that were very "INTO" the music lol and have eye contact with them throughout the sets.. reason being.. they show interest; that will be like your anchor point to feeling a little more confident of what you're doing on stage.. more confidence on stage = lesser screwups = great day on stage = crowd pleased. hope it helps you! and congrats on your first live show.!! all the best.
then i started picking out audience, meaning.. i looked across the crowd and find a couple of people that were very "INTO" the music lol and have eye contact with them throughout the sets.. reason being.. they show interest; that will be like your anchor point to feeling a little more confident of what you're doing on stage.. more confidence on stage = lesser screwups = great day on stage = crowd pleased.
hope it helps you! and congrats on your first live show.!! all the best.
fbecir
Well-known member
Hello Jamie
It's hard for me to imagine how you feel ... I made my first concert when I was 6 years old ... (I was playing the clarinet in a conservatory).
But, I think the two difficult points you have to cope with are :
In order to cope with stress :
In order to help your memorization :
But in every case, the most important thing is to have fun. If you enjoy yourself, you will feel good and you will play good !
Good luck
It's hard for me to imagine how you feel ... I made my first concert when I was 6 years old ... (I was playing the clarinet in a conservatory).
But, I think the two difficult points you have to cope with are :
- Stress : of course people are watching you
- Memorization : with stress, your memory plays tricks and you forget what you have to play
In order to cope with stress :
- Warm-up : try to play just before the show. Your hands will be warm and able to play ... even if your head is not
- Start with an easy song, the one you play without thinking. If you start well, you will relax and you gain confidence
- Don't drink ! It will not help you
In order to help your memorization :
- try to play every day the songs
- prepare "cheat" papers
But in every case, the most important thing is to have fun. If you enjoy yourself, you will feel good and you will play good !
Good luck
paranoid70
Well-known member
If you really want to impress the audience, keep a cucumber in your trousers.
lol i will keep that in mind
LawDaddy
Well-known member
Smile, and play through mistakes. Your average audience member will only suspect something is wrong if you stop and make a concerned face. If you smile and play through it, it must have been on purpose, right?
People really react to players that look like they're having a good time. Don't be a shoe-gazer.
And dress a little better than the audience.
Most of all - HAVE FUN! If you are really enjoying yourself, your bandmates and the audience will pick that up.
People really react to players that look like they're having a good time. Don't be a shoe-gazer.
And dress a little better than the audience.
Most of all - HAVE FUN! If you are really enjoying yourself, your bandmates and the audience will pick that up.
ozzyrules
Well-known member
Picture in your mind the whole audience is naked.
Jack FFR1846
Well-known member
I'd take that one step further. If you make a mistake, do it again, and again. The ear gets used to hearing it and it becomes inspired, purposeful improvisation. I do that all the time.
LawDaddy
Well-known member
"Play the wrong note once, it's a mistake. Play the wrong note twice, it's jazz".
fbecir
Well-known member
Well, it depends if you play your own songs or if you play cover songs ...
I remember a band that was trying to play Sweet Child of Mine ... every time, the guitarist missed a note in the intro riff ... painful !
meenahga
Well-known member
The first time I gigged, I may have as well strapped on a 2x4 piece of lumber. Totally forgot how to play guitar for about the first 2 or 3 bars of "Sunshine of Your Love". After that I never looked back. Playing above all should be fun!!! Just smile and go.
BrickGlass
Well-known member
Remember that if you make a mistake 90% of the crowd won't even know that you did. Seriously, unless it is an absolute bomb of a mistake most people won't even know. You, and possibly the band members will be the only ones who recognize the mistake. Just keep playing as if nothing happened and be confident. Being prepared and well rehearsed helps with the confidence.
I've seen so many people make a mistake and just shat themselves over it that about 20 more mistakes will follow. For some reason people think that the audience really cares if you miss a note/chord. They don't.
I've seen so many people make a mistake and just shat themselves over it that about 20 more mistakes will follow. For some reason people think that the audience really cares if you miss a note/chord. They don't.
kbaim
Well-known member
Not sure about this advice, but if you follow it, the front is probably better than the back.
Astrofreq
Well-known member
1. Don't wear shorts! (In case it is cold).
2. Find the hottest chick in the room and throw a guitar pick at her eyeball. Show her who's boss!
3. Keep your solos simple.
2. Find the hottest chick in the room and throw a guitar pick at her eyeball. Show her who's boss!
3. Keep your solos simple.
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#1 preparation
#1b - watch your volume -- keep it down a bit when other people are singing or soloing and let her rip when it's your turn. Don't forget to turn back down when you're solo is done. (this alone can be a factor in getting invited back...)
if you're using a wah pedal, make sure it's off when you want it to be off
wrap that guitar cable through your strap before you plug in
make sure you have extra picks real handy -- it gets hot on stage, and sweaty/nervous hands sometimes cause unusual amounts of pick droppage.
bring a spare guitar -- you just never know when a string will break...if it's only a one hour set or something and you're on a fresh set of strings (Slinkys, of course) then you'll probably be ok, but for a full night bring a spare.
If you get a sound check, make sure your monitor levels are good and that you can hear yourself very well. Sometimes things sound completely different by the time you get on stage (other bands before you, more people in the place instead of an empty room, etc.) and not being able to hear yourself can make things pretty tricky....
#1b - watch your volume -- keep it down a bit when other people are singing or soloing and let her rip when it's your turn. Don't forget to turn back down when you're solo is done. (this alone can be a factor in getting invited back...)
if you're using a wah pedal, make sure it's off when you want it to be off
wrap that guitar cable through your strap before you plug in
make sure you have extra picks real handy -- it gets hot on stage, and sweaty/nervous hands sometimes cause unusual amounts of pick droppage.
bring a spare guitar -- you just never know when a string will break...if it's only a one hour set or something and you're on a fresh set of strings (Slinkys, of course) then you'll probably be ok, but for a full night bring a spare.
If you get a sound check, make sure your monitor levels are good and that you can hear yourself very well. Sometimes things sound completely different by the time you get on stage (other bands before you, more people in the place instead of an empty room, etc.) and not being able to hear yourself can make things pretty tricky....
straycat113
Well-known member
I think everyone has given sound advice and the only thing left is to make sure you are prepared -bring extra strings, cable, picks,tools, and a back up guitar, even if you have to borrow one. As stated play right through any mistakes and dont dwell if it happens as it happens to the best. Just be prepared and have fun as you are there to entertain, so look like you are having a good time and halfway through the second song you should be.
kbaim
Well-known member
You may also want to have a towel handy in case you start sweating buckets. Maybe change of shirt if its a long night with 2 or more sets
mesaboogieman
Well-known member
Unless you tell anyone, no one there will know that you have never played live before. Just go out and enjoy yourself!!! Be sure to record it - no matter how you do (and I'm sure you will do great) you will want to look back on it fondly. Have a great time!!!
