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So this bass player comes home from the gig and his house is gone. There's just a big black charred spot on the ground where his house used to be. He's standing there scratching his head when his neighbor walks over and says, "Hey, while you were gone some guy showed up ranting and raving. It seems he was in the audience at your gig tonight. He said he was listening to you and you made so many mistakes he just couldn't take it any more. He left the show early, ran right over here and burned your house to the ground. Then he killed your dog, stole your car and drove off with your wife."
And the bass player says, "Someone in the audience was listening to me?!?"
And the bass player says, "Someone in the audience was listening to me?!?"
Amen! I always have a cheat sheet, and I've played for years. I am guaranteed to hit at least one audible clam in every number, but most of the time I'm the only one who notices. Music isn't math, not every note has to be perfect, and emotion carries you a lot. I'm not diminished by having a paper reference that I glance at before a tune to remind myself of the chord progression. One band I play in, everyone uses a tablet with Songbook software to follow the chords. Never seen any sign that the audience cares.
Congrats on your first show! Don't be hard on yourself. It's all about the experience... When it's your first show, you're a newb! Embrace it, learn from it, and get over the small stuff. You got out there and did it, now get out and do it more.
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After a few gigs and your more comfortable with the material record yourself. I think you be amazed at how good the SONG sounds. Which is the goal. A good sounding song. Even if you had mistakes, the song usually ends up sounding good. It's greater than the sum of its parts, even with a few mistakes in the bass line.
I'm your age and played guitar for a long time before taking up bass a few years ago. I always get some nerves before I play. I think a lot of people do. Typically once I get on stage the nerves subside. Think about what your playing. I know it's easier said, but focus on your playing, not the crowd. If you look at the crowd look over their heads if you can. I try to avoid eye contact as I'm sure to make a mistake.
I'm your age and played guitar for a long time before taking up bass a few years ago. I always get some nerves before I play. I think a lot of people do. Typically once I get on stage the nerves subside. Think about what your playing. I know it's easier said, but focus on your playing, not the crowd. If you look at the crowd look over their heads if you can. I try to avoid eye contact as I'm sure to make a mistake.
No worries, mate.
- The more you play out the better you'll get.
- The better you get, the more confident you'll become.
- Soon confidence becomes 'stage presence'.
- Stage presence attracts groupies.
At that point you'll have more to worry about contracting than the flu. So stop beating yourself up. Just keep playing and enjoy the ride.
- The more you play out the better you'll get.
- The better you get, the more confident you'll become.
- Soon confidence becomes 'stage presence'.
- Stage presence attracts groupies.
At that point you'll have more to worry about contracting than the flu. So stop beating yourself up. Just keep playing and enjoy the ride.
Great advice. I played for years in clubs and I ALWAYS got very uptight before the gig. Our drummer threw up a few times. After a couple beers and a couple songs, it became enjoyable.
I find that I can only reliably do about 90% live versus what I can do in my practice studio. The solution (at least for me) is to continue practicing and raising the bar so that the 90% live level continues to improve.
If playing music were easy, everyone would do it, or no one would do it.
If playing music were easy, everyone would do it, or no one would do it.
In my mind every audience member contemplates and discusses every single one of my mistakes while shaking their heads in pity and disgust.
Probably not true. Practice more and carry on.
Probably not true. Practice more and carry on.
My advice is get back on stage as soon as possible, a few clams during your first gig shouldn't stop you.
I'm almost 49, there is not one single gig I played that did not include clams.
Go up there and have fun!
I'm almost 49, there is not one single gig I played that did not include clams.
Go up there and have fun!
Let me relay a story of a gig I did a couple of weeks ago. The guy who was singing and playing keys on this gigs was an old pro - been gigging forever. He was playing all new music that he had just learned and having to sing it at the same time. He was flawless in rehearsal, dead bang on everything. Come gig time, the old pro got a case of nerves and blew chunks on the first two songs - made some glaring keyboard mistakes in very obvious spots and even went to the bridge too early on a tune - lost the crowds respect and the whole first half of the night was rough as a result even though he got it back under control after the first two songs. It took a long time to get the crowd rocking after that.
Don't feel so bad, it happens to everybody at one time or another. Get well and keep at it.
Don't feel so bad, it happens to everybody at one time or another. Get well and keep at it.
Most people wouldn't know you made mistakes. If the band sounded really off just tell people you have a poopy drummer and/ or guitarist.
madbass6
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hey don't get discouraged that sounds like a Tipical normal first gig experience!
Relax & stop beating yourself up just learn from your mistakes keep practicing and enjoy the second gig!
One thing I've learned from my limited experience playing in front of people, is that I can recount essentially all the things I did wrong, and almost no one else can. Our band has the idea that we all make mistakes that, for the most part, no one else notices unless we all make mistakes at the same time.
In a way, making mistakes in performance is a skill you must build.
It means learning to continue gracefully in spite of the inevitable mistakes.
On your own, you can practice this skill by never letting yourself stop for mistakes:
always practice the songs completely from end to end.
If you mess up , your priority is NOT to stop, go back in time , and get it right
your priority is to get back on track as quickly and smoothly as possible.
there is little difference between a mistake with a smooth recovery and an improvised fill.
High level players are not mistake free: they simply recover better.
It means learning to continue gracefully in spite of the inevitable mistakes.
On your own, you can practice this skill by never letting yourself stop for mistakes:
always practice the songs completely from end to end.
If you mess up , your priority is NOT to stop, go back in time , and get it right
your priority is to get back on track as quickly and smoothly as possible.
there is little difference between a mistake with a smooth recovery and an improvised fill.
High level players are not mistake free: they simply recover better.
Sounds like you did great too me. Work hard and play as well as you can, but most importantly have fun.
During the gigs, let go of mistakes immediately. If you focus on mistakes while performing, you are likely to make more mistakes! The time to deal with mistakes is after the gig and the next time your practice. No reason to beat yourself up as long as you are doing the best you can. If your self-talk involves unkind thoughts or destructive comments, you need to learn to stop doing this.....trust me, there are plenty of people who will do it for you.
I’ve played nearly 3,000 gigs since starting in 1967. I’ve made mistakes in nearly all of them.
You’re doing fine. Relax, get healthy and keep at it.
All the best to you.
You’re doing fine. Relax, get healthy and keep at it.
All the best to you.
