My First Gig Trilogy: Music; Stage presence; and Finger Cramp.

Jamestrouton · #1 11-19-2011, 09:28 AM

I'm not the most active poster on here but I needed to tell/ask someone who understands, and you lot are a knowledgeable bunch after all.

FIRST INSTALLMENT

Just yesterday (Friday) I played out for the first time ever!

In school there is a charity group called 'Lifeline' and they were running a Rock Concert. (I'm 16 btw)

On wednesday I was asked if I'd be able to stay behind for a practice after school. We practiced Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day. Had to pick it up by watching the guitarist and by ear because we cant get tabs in school because of internet screening.

Practiced during school Thursday, got it down pretty tight.
Practiced quickly during school Friday and then the guitarist asks if I'd be able to learn I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness from the guitar tab he had. Threw it together in a few takes and 10 minutes jamming acoustically with the guitarist.

Green Day song went really well and it got my nerves out of the way. (There were 350 people packed into the hall!)
Came on to play Thing Called Love and after the first riff of the chorus I GOT CRAMP IN MY HAND!

Fluffed some notes, but we got through pretty well.

Is it just me, or is fantastic to play out and hear the applause of the crowd afterwards? especially as it was loads of my friends.

SEQUEL

When September Ends is a pretty slow song anyways, so I didn't need to move round like a mad man anyway, but in songs like Thing Called Love what are some basic things i can do to not be a statue? I didn't have much space in my corner due to amps, cabs and other musicians.

FINAL CHAPTER

As I said before, during I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness I got cramp in my left hand. The chorus is kinda fast so it was really difficult to keep up with a cramped hand. Has this ever happened anyone else? and what can I do to stop it happening in future?

If you've gotten this far, you deserve a medal.

**powmetalbassist** · #2 11-19-2011, 09:49 AM

Ok kid. Not my style of music but heres my .02 cents. Playing live is probably the best feeling in the world.Depending on the music you can bob your head? or get a wireless and move into the crowd (if stage allows for this). To stop the cramping practice more and relax your hand when playing. The cramp could have been caused by tensing up.

Snakeman1066 · #3 11-19-2011, 10:32 AM

also

Bass Finger Exercises

congrats on your first outing....mine was at a party thrown by a classmate...we played Talk Dirty to Me by Poison...lol and i think i just dated myself..

winstonthecat · #4 11-19-2011, 09:09 PM

Congrats on your gig. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" is a fun song to play. Just keep practicing and getting that riff down, and that should make it easier.

JonnyAngle · #5 11-19-2011, 10:11 PM

Watch the ZZ Top Live in Texas DVD. Those are all of the moves you will ever need to know.

Derek5272 · #6 11-20-2011, 02:55 PM

As far as not being a statue goes, I don't have a lot of advice. I don't move around much myself, but I try to feel the music through my whole body and sometimes it moves me. Not really something I think about.

For hand cramps: practice, practice, practice. Make sure when you practice that your hands are as relaxed as they can be while still doing what needs to be done. Do things slowly if you need to in order to get your muscles under control, then speed it back up. Also, the more you play, the stronger the muscles in your hand will become, and as a result your hand will not cramp up as much.

PerlNinja · #7 11-21-2011, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyAngle

Watch the ZZ Top Live in Texas DVD. Those are all of the moves you will ever need to know.

QFT.

96tbird · #8 11-21-2011, 09:24 AM

Congrats, I remember my first time and the rush and it was at school too! I'll date myself. We played Anarchy in the UK, Sex Pistols, and the guitar player/singer slashed his finger on a string. His guitar was covered with blood. Cool.

As for moving, begin with your head and just let the music move you! I always dug bass players that stand basically still, but nod to the music and or sway the neck of the bass. It gives a sense of "hey, my job here is too important to be jumping around like a singer! I have to remain focused." But exagerate your movements a bit; like you are acting on stage.

Just hold your head high, fix your stare on some cute young woman, and bob your head knowingly to the beat. Don't smile at her. LOL.

Edit: learn this. The girls who dig singers and shredders are groupies. The girls who dig Bassists are special, intelligent, warm people.

bassmanrocke · #9 11-21-2011, 10:08 AM

The cramping is probably from lack of practice, but there are 2 other factors to consider. The adrenaline rush you can get those first few times you play can make you play rediculously hard. You have to make a conscious effort not to squeeze the neck. The other is that beginner's basses are frequently set up poorly with very high action. Take it to a good tech and get it set up well. This will reduce the effort you play with and hopefully end cramping.

Baron Von Vik · #10 11-21-2011, 10:34 AM

I love hearing stories like this. It sounds like you had a really good time, and it will probably just keep getting better as long as you keep at it.

As to moving around, it may sound stupid, but practice in front of a mirror. Hey, it's a show, and it's up to you to put on a good one. Actors, public speakers, and politicians all do it, and we share one thing in common with them... a stage.

Start off with something simple though, or you'll lose your place or bump into your pals.

As to hand cramping, practice will help. You'll still feel the burn on some songs, though, it happens. Shake it off.

Anyway keep rockin'! Kick some butt, have some fun.

denhou1974 · #11 11-21-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamestrouton

I'm not the most active poster on here but I needed to tell/ask someone who understands, and you lot are a knowledgeable bunch after all.

FIRST INSTALLMENT

Just yesterday (Friday) I played out for the first time ever!

In school there is a charity group called 'Lifeline' and they were running a Rock Concert. (I'm 16 btw)

On wednesday I was asked if I'd be able to stay behind for a practice after school. We practiced Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day. Had to pick it up by watching the guitarist and by ear because we cant get tabs in school because of internet screening.

Practiced during school Thursday, got it down pretty tight.
Practiced quickly during school Friday and then the guitarist asks if I'd be able to learn I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness from the guitar tab he had. Threw it together in a few takes and 10 minutes jamming acoustically with the guitarist.

Green Day song went really well and it got my nerves out of the way. (There were 350 people packed into the hall!)
Came on to play Thing Called Love and after the first riff of the chorus I GOT CRAMP IN MY HAND!

Fluffed some notes, but we got through pretty well.

Is it just me, or is fantastic to play out and hear the applause of the crowd afterwards? especially as it was loads of my friends.

SEQUEL

When September Ends is a pretty slow song anyways, so I didn't need to move round like a mad man anyway, but in songs like Thing Called Love what are some basic things i can do to not be a statue? I didn't have much space in my corner due to amps, cabs and other musicians.

FINAL CHAPTER

As I said before, during I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness I got cramp in my left hand. The chorus is kinda fast so it was really difficult to keep up with a cramped hand. Has this ever happened anyone else? and what can I do to stop it happening in future?

If you've gotten this far, you deserve a medal.

Congrats on the first gig! Now you're hooked, there's no turning back.

I've played probably 500 gigs in my lifetime and I still fell the same way when the band gets applause, it's awesome.

Make sure you stretch your arms/hands and warm up with finger excercises slowly before gigs. Keep your arms and hands loose while you're playing. You probably just tensed up. It happens.

Continue to learn by ear. Tabs are overrated and are usually wrong anyways. The guy who can learn songs quickly and 'by ear' will be the guy who's always working.

You can tap your feet, chew gum, walk forward, walk back, bend forward, etc. Any movement is good.

Derek5272 · #12 11-21-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denhou1974

Continue to learn by ear. Tabs are overrated and are usually wrong anyways. The guy who can learn songs quickly and 'by ear' will be the guy who's always working.

+more than I can count. Probably the best thing I've ever done for my playing was to start learning things by ear. It's hard at first, but it gets easier, and is incredibly rewarding.

thejames · #13 11-21-2011, 06:12 PM

Sounds like you made it through without stopping, that's a win. The cramping is mostly just an excercise thing, it'll stop happening if you keep at it and play frequently. Happened to me once, when I was just starting to play; I was sitting in with a pro band (in East Tawas) for just three tunes, and my left hand cramped up. I kept going, playing the roots with my thumb until the cramp passed, and all was well.