Bouncing Back After A Bad Show

BlakeJustBlake · #1 06-01-2010, 12:25 PM

I'm sure a lot of people have had the experience of playing with some people in front of other people and you just feel like you're tanking. For me it was a really depressing experience, and I'm sure it can be for a lot of you too. Just the fact that you've been spending so much time practising or preparing and then you get to something to apply it all to and you just flop.

I was at a jam last night and I got up to play after this guy who is a lot better than I am and I start playing a lick that I had been messing around with that sounds like it would work pretty well accompanied by a funky drum line, but the drummer decides to take it completely straight bebop, throwing me completely off guard. Then we played Chameleon, which is an alright song, but it's not very fun to jam on because the band never pushes towards the break where the song goes toward an actual bass part instead of the one the song starts out on played by the keyboard that the bass player just has to follow.

What's the best way to bounce back mentally from that so you don't depress yourself so much that you don't even want to pick up the bass?

lbanks · #2 06-01-2010, 12:27 PM

Just keep playing. Bad nights happen. And don't dwell on it.

iri5h_punk21 · #3 06-01-2010, 12:28 PM

Brush it off and kick ass at another show.

Just make sure to practice and be clear with the other musicians you play with what you expect to achieve during the show

steveinohio · #4 06-01-2010, 12:29 PM

Let it go. Try not to think about it. Happens to everyone.

Floyd Eye · #5 06-01-2010, 12:36 PM

Forget about it. You'll kill 'em next time.

tZer · #6 06-01-2010, 12:37 PM

Yep - don't dwell. You can't change the past and dwelling on it only saps you good energy and uses it for bad things.

Next time you may want to tell the drummer you were thinking 'funk' before you start and you may also consider the idea that other players may not hear the part the same way you do and be prepared to take it in other directions.

Bottom line - it happens. As a matter of fact, it happens for a good reason - we all need an occasional reality check to put us in 'tighten up' mode!

Phalex · #7 06-01-2010, 12:50 PM

I jammed with a couple of guys in front of a bunch of people last Sunday. It sucked. Bad.

I'm playing with these same guys in front of a few hundred people in a couple of weeks. It's all cool. I don't have any problem looking stupid in front of spectators.

There is no sucking or not sucking, there is only playing.

Spraeg · #8 06-01-2010, 01:09 PM

I strongly disagree.... Whatever you do, DON'T forget about it- Learn from it! It's all about trial and error, and the best thing you can do it walk away from a bad gig saying "What went Wrong?" and more importantly "What can I do to make the next one better?". There is no perfect formula for everyone, you have to learn from the bad experiences in order to minimize them.

funkinbottom · #9 06-01-2010, 01:32 PM

Drinking heavily

phatbass · #10 06-01-2010, 01:35 PM

Fall to the floor, curl up in a ball, and start crying...

Phalex · #11 06-01-2010, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatbass

Fall to the floor, curl up in a ball, and start crying...

I thought that's what you were supposed to do during a bear attack?

AnthonyBrown · #12 06-01-2010, 01:50 PM

Keep it in mind, and try to work out the problems at the next rehearsal. Next gig you will have to worry about new problems.

Joe Milo · #13 06-01-2010, 02:00 PM

Don't sweat the small stuff Blake. I screwed up one of the easiest songs in the world to play.....Living After Midnight. Its no biggie......Just rock out the next time and forget about the past time..

Floyd Eye · #14 06-01-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

I jammed with a couple of guys in front of a bunch of people last Sunday. It sucked. Bad.

I'm playing with these same guys in front of a few hundred people in a couple of weeks. It's all cool. I don't have any problem looking stupid in front of spectators.

There is no sucking or not sucking, there is only playing.

lol

This may be the best post EVER. I like your attitude.

bassbully · #15 06-01-2010, 02:13 PM

Like i say Its only music... nobody dies. We hope not ...nevermind

yem · #16 06-01-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlakeJustBlake

What's the best way to bounce back mentally from that so you don't depress yourself so much that you don't even want to pick up the bass?

I like to remind myself of the worst gig I ever had. That always makes me laugh and feel better about so/so or even bad shows.

yem · #17 06-01-2010, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

I don't have any problem looking stupid in front of spectators.

This helps too. That said, most spectators don't know what they are hearing.

azureblue · #18 06-01-2010, 02:34 PM

As Satchmo says," Leave it all behind you!" Chalk it up to experience, learn from it and move on.
Or never underestimate a crowd's ability to hear it totally different from you.

Flabass · #19 06-01-2010, 02:38 PM

I can't count all the gosh awful gigs and jams I've had over the years. But mostly I look back and laugh about them, although not when it happens.

The next great jam or gig will more than make up for it.

jgroh · #20 06-01-2010, 02:47 PM

My band had an awful gig a couple of months ago. It was really kicked off by the sound guy we hired. There were high pitched squeals throughout the whole show, enough that people were doubling over holding their ears. Then I couldnt hear the bass...AT ALL...after he convinced me to leave my rig at home and run direct. There was this loud sound coming through the monitors, sounded like waves at the beach. All those things really threw us and our playing suffered. It was a grade A trainwreck.

But, the next week we came back and gave probably our strongest performance to date. It can either bum you out or fire you up.