Only ONE more practice til first show!!!!!

Essthreetee · #1 07-29-2008, 10:39 AM

We have one more band practice together until my very first time in front of people...this Saturday!!!!!

Everytime I think about it, my stomach starts turning, and my hands get a little shake in them. It should be a good time, the party we are playing is going to be fairly large...250+ people...I am hoping that once we get through the first song, I will settle down...but I guess I will find out Saturday night.

Anyone got any tips to help me get through????

chakah · #2 07-29-2008, 10:41 AM

relax -
take a few deep breaths
make a tiny mistake in the first song - the rest of the show will go smooth.

ric1312 · #3 07-29-2008, 10:47 AM

I like to practice the set I'm going to do every day, on my own besides band practice, 1-2 weeks before every gig. It just makes my physically prepared. I find that way even If I'm nervous muscle memory can take over. I usually practice the hell out of the first song. Because after that one you generally calm down.

Try not to think about it, you end up building it up in your head too much and getting nervous over nothing. Don't think about what if's. Just adopt a, "what the hell, I don't care, this is fun attitude."

mrokern · #4 07-29-2008, 10:47 AM

Just relax, enjoy yourself, and don't get concerned about every little screwup.

Nobody in the audience will notice 99.999% of mistakes unless you MAKE the audience notice it. They'll be too busy rocking out along with you.

Plus, if you really mess up...do it a few more times and call it jazz.

-Mark

barbarbass · #5 07-29-2008, 10:52 AM

There are no mistakes. There are only nuances.

Joel S. · #6 07-29-2008, 11:08 AM

I get a hell of a nervous tick in my right leg sometimes. I saw a band I know/am in at a local bar the other night. They called me up to sit in for a few songs, but I had never played there before so I was nervous as hell. Not to mention the bassist of that band is really a guitar player (he's the lead in the version of the band I'm in), so he plays a short scale bass. Thing felt weird, had to keep an eye on my hands...

After the first song I was fine.

kesslari · #7 07-29-2008, 11:25 AM

Use your breathing to help you relax.
And remember that "anxious" and "excited" are the same, physiologically. Use the nervousness to push you into an excited state.
Then have a kickarse good time.

ric1312 · #8 07-29-2008, 12:02 PM

Also, I find one redbull before playing helps be focus and feel energetic. Just one though, otherwise you get the jitters. But, I'm an old guy so I need pick me up sometimes.

Diddii · #9 07-30-2008, 11:29 AM

act like a bassist and you won't feel anything rather than having a good time

chodax · #10 08-01-2008, 04:16 PM

Don't worry if you mess up it doesn't matter since no one can hear you anyways.

bassmodder · #11 08-01-2008, 04:19 PM

Cold.^^

jimmy rocket · #12 08-01-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbarbass

There are no mistakes. There are only nuances.

can I please use that in my signature?

Baird6869 · #13 08-03-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrokern

Just relax, enjoy yourself, and don't get concerned about every little screwup.

Nobody in the audience will notice 99.999% of mistakes unless you MAKE the audience notice it. They'll be too busy rocking out along with you.

+1.

Last night I thought my band's first set sounded so crappy that I called a break to regroup after only 35 minutes. I was angry, embarrassed and really neg-ed out.

Anyways, the other guys didn't think it went that bad, my wife and dad were there and said we sounded great (they know music too) and the bar owner loved us.

Point is... I made a TON of BIG mistakes and NOBODY but me noticed. The rest of the gig? Best we have ever played. The crowd made us play a bunch of encores and finally shut it down at 2:20am.

Good Advice? Start with a really easy song. A 3 chord type thing is best. My band plays RHCP, Yes' Roundabout and some other complicated stuff but ALWAYS open with Keep your Hands to Yourself, Hard to Handle or a ZZ Top tune. Leave the Jaco stuff for later!

My guitard is ALWAYS nervous as hell for the first few songs and he has played with the Stampeters, Isaac Hayes, etc. It is normal.

Have fun!

Essthreetee · #14 08-03-2008, 07:27 PM

Last night went off GREAT!!!!! And we did just that...I think the other guys knew I was gonna be nervous, so we started out with ZZTop...and right out of the gate everyone was rockin'!!!!!

Freakin' INCREDIBLE is all I have to say...more fun/excitement/adrenaline everything rolled into one...and now becasue of last night, we have 4 other gigs to get ready for....WOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to get back to practicing....