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first time playing in front of a crowd AHHHHHHH!
- Thread starter 60's Bluesman
- Start date
well tmmrw is d-day for me, i kinda freaking out cuz there has been very little said about whats being played, is there anyway i can prepare myself in this situation??
You'll be fine. Others have mentioned alcohol as a relaxant and I agree--that is if you drink at all. The first time I played in front of people I was lubed enough to relax and overcome the fear but not so buzzed that I couldn't play. I have 3-5 beer window with one for maintenance between each set. It works for me.
But if you're inclined to drink, don't get the place 4 hours in advance. Get there sober about an hour before the show.
If you don't drink, then you'll still be fine. No one should NEED booze to play anyway. I play completely sober about half the time and it's still a blast.
Anway, get up there, do your thing, and have as much fun as you can, because that's what this thing is supposed to be--fun.
Oh, and don't glue your face to your fretboard or the floor. Be you, be who you envision you want to be onstage and have a good time. Good luck!
But if you're inclined to drink, don't get the place 4 hours in advance. Get there sober about an hour before the show.
If you don't drink, then you'll still be fine. No one should NEED booze to play anyway. I play completely sober about half the time and it's still a blast.
Anway, get up there, do your thing, and have as much fun as you can, because that's what this thing is supposed to be--fun.
Oh, and don't glue your face to your fretboard or the floor. Be you, be who you envision you want to be onstage and have a good time. Good luck!
Ask your bandmates what ever questions come to mind BEFORE the gig. The sooner, the better.
You'll be fine. Others have mentioned alcohol as a relaxant and I agree--that is if you drink at all. The first time I played in front of people I was lubed enough to relax and overcome the fear but not so buzzed that I couldn't play. I have 3-5 beer window with one for maintenance between each set. It works for me.
But if you're inclined to drink, don't get the place 4 hours in advance. Get there sober about an hour before the show.
If you don't drink, then you'll still be fine. No one should NEED booze to play anyway. I play completely sober about half the time and it's still a blast.
Anway, get up there, do your thing, and have as much fun as you can, because that's what this thing is supposed to be--fun.
Oh, and don't glue your face to your fretboard or the floor. Be you, be who you envision you want to be onstage and have a good time. Good luck!
thanx for the advice and kind words, one thing tho i am only 18 so drinking is out of the question....mostly because lots of adults who know my family will be there and my dad will be in the crowd too lol plus i dont think there will be any beer since its in a schools basement
hell ya never know thoughTry to relax and enjoy the experience. Make sure you're in tune and your volume is neither too loud or too soft. If you make a mistake, just keep playing. 99% of the audience will be focused on the vocalist and lead guitar player. Let them do the worrying.
just channel your excitement to the bass and you'll be just fine as soon as you hit the first note
in fact you'll be more then fine you will be...
A STAGE JUNKY!!!!!
there is no going back
in fact you'll be more then fine you will be...
A STAGE JUNKY!!!!!
there is no going back
I've been thinking about this thread for a couple of days now.
I think that you'll be nervous for awhile until you figure out what works for you.
What I do is trust the soundman - i. e. don't worry about the sound in the house. Play to your bandmates on stage.
Try not to care what the audience thinks. Only worry about what YOU think. I wouldn't drink at all on a gig.
This works for me. It also makes it easier to play your best when the crowd is small or ignoring you.
I think that you'll be nervous for awhile until you figure out what works for you.
What I do is trust the soundman - i. e. don't worry about the sound in the house. Play to your bandmates on stage.
Try not to care what the audience thinks. Only worry about what YOU think. I wouldn't drink at all on a gig.
This works for me. It also makes it easier to play your best when the crowd is small or ignoring you.
Congratulations on your first "large" gig. Anyway, I suggest eating about 3-4 hours before the show and then eating nothing until after the show. Have 1-2 bottles of water close by and make sure you take a drink if you feel dizzy or nauseas.
Then, simply enjoy the moment and have fun.
Then, simply enjoy the moment and have fun.
My dad always told me "you'll be just as nervous playing in front of 10 people as you will in front of 300". I have always played in punk bands since i was 16. i always tell myself "i dont give a sh*t if these people like it or not, cause were playing either way." that may not work for everyone but it works for me
There will probably be some ugly folk in the audience to take care of any excitement.
The first time I ever played in front of a significant amount of people, I was playing guitar and singing.
I'm bad at both of those things.
+1 to not caring what people think. If you mess up, chances are people won't notice, and if they do, what does their opinion matter anyway?
I'm bad at both of those things.
+1 to not caring what people think. If you mess up, chances are people won't notice, and if they do, what does their opinion matter anyway?
I second the eating early thing! You don't want to be going into a food coma right before a show, or have a bad case of the nerves and a full gut.
And like Bigsack said...once you hit that first note, you'll be fine. If you bang out a clam...don't sweat it. Most of us hit a bad note (or more) over the course of a set...it's not a big deal if you do.
And yes...you'll become a stage junkie.
Have a blast!!
Well, the same situation here, I´have a gig tomorrow...first big one...don´t know how many people....it´s in open air so....expecting many...
actually it´s my first gig as a bassist...as I already gigged as a keyboardist but I have my balls up on my neck...I really don´t want to screw it as a bass player because I like it too much.
Sorry if I hi-jacked the thread...
actually it´s my first gig as a bassist...as I already gigged as a keyboardist but I have my balls up on my neck...I really don´t want to screw it as a bass player because I like it too much.
Sorry if I hi-jacked the thread...
People are usually nervous because, more than anything, they are stressed about making a mistake, messing up. Tow things to keep in mind.
(1) Most of the mistakes you'll make (and make no mistake, you'll make 'em, we all do) will be tiny ones. Almost everyone in the audience will never hear them. You'll notice, but it's because you are a musician and are acutely aware of every little thing you're doing. There may be a few other musicians in the audience who will notice. But if they've also played on stage, they'll have empathy because it's happened to them too.
And the major ones?
(2) In 1984, my older brother went to see Bruce Springsteen at the San Diego Sports Arena. During the song "Born In The USA", The Boss, one of the most experienced performers you'll ever find, forgot the words to the song! And this was on the "Born In The USA" tour!!!! What did he do? He joked about it with the audience and moved on.
Because I had some stage experience as an actor when I was very young, I didn't have much of a problem being in front of people (which is strange because I was VERY shy as a kid). But I always had a fear of forgetting my lines. As a bass player, that fear carried over and my fear was indeed making a mistake while playing. I have to say that when I eventually absorbed the totality of the lesson that my older brother gave me with the Springsteen story, that helped me so much. I actually made less mistakes on stage because I was no longer anticipating and creating anguish over it. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like making mistakes, and work hard not to. But, if the Big Boys, those guys who, you know, do this for a living, can forgive themselves for making an "Oopsie" on stage, then I, the raging unprofessional, who does this at best as a side job, well, I can cut myself a little slack.
This leads me to my last point.....
(3) RELAX!!!!! Have a good time!
(1) Most of the mistakes you'll make (and make no mistake, you'll make 'em, we all do) will be tiny ones. Almost everyone in the audience will never hear them. You'll notice, but it's because you are a musician and are acutely aware of every little thing you're doing. There may be a few other musicians in the audience who will notice. But if they've also played on stage, they'll have empathy because it's happened to them too.
And the major ones?
(2) In 1984, my older brother went to see Bruce Springsteen at the San Diego Sports Arena. During the song "Born In The USA", The Boss, one of the most experienced performers you'll ever find, forgot the words to the song! And this was on the "Born In The USA" tour!!!! What did he do? He joked about it with the audience and moved on.
Because I had some stage experience as an actor when I was very young, I didn't have much of a problem being in front of people (which is strange because I was VERY shy as a kid). But I always had a fear of forgetting my lines. As a bass player, that fear carried over and my fear was indeed making a mistake while playing. I have to say that when I eventually absorbed the totality of the lesson that my older brother gave me with the Springsteen story, that helped me so much. I actually made less mistakes on stage because I was no longer anticipating and creating anguish over it. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like making mistakes, and work hard not to. But, if the Big Boys, those guys who, you know, do this for a living, can forgive themselves for making an "Oopsie" on stage, then I, the raging unprofessional, who does this at best as a side job, well, I can cut myself a little slack.
This leads me to my last point.....
(3) RELAX!!!!! Have a good time!
I've never understood it either. But in answer to your question... I don't know about you, but we don't exactly play to packed houses of Victoria Secret models. I'd guess of all the people we play to there's only about 6% that I'd care to see in their birthday suit.
The rest of 'em... all out there a dancin' and a jigglin' all naked and sweaty... a comedy of horrific proportions.
Ignore mistakes as 90% of folks can not hear them... music is only about 10% of live performance.
