After 8 years you should really be able to play without looking at the fretboard all the time. I think you may have just panicked a bit when the lights went out. I'm sure, by now, you have a feel for where the notes are. Use the force young Skywalker.
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How bout some gig wisdom?
- Thread starter fatbassman
- Start date
I tried the mirror trick myself and all it did was mess my head up 
I had the same problem, getting blinded by lights and playing in the dark. I did the little glow in the dark stickers from ebay (most of them are actually still on the fretboard, which comes in handy at 3am to not trip over the bass on its stand), but the best thing was to just turn the lights off and play along with the songs. Closing my eyes did no good because a) I'd just open them and b) I started playing with them closed live!!!
I do still need light to see the first note, or a reference note from somebody else so I can find it
. I still look at the fretboard, but a lot of times it's because there's no where else to look. Plus it's an old habit... try to make it a point to keep your eyes up even if you're notlooking at anything in particular.
Our typing class taped paper over our hands so we couldn't see the keyboard...... my basketball coach had these shields that stopped you from being able to see down when dribbling so you *had* to not watch the ball.... pretty much you just have to get tossed into the shark pool to unlearn to not watch what you are doing It'll come......I'm still waiting for it....
I had the same problem, getting blinded by lights and playing in the dark. I did the little glow in the dark stickers from ebay (most of them are actually still on the fretboard, which comes in handy at 3am to not trip over the bass on its stand), but the best thing was to just turn the lights off and play along with the songs. Closing my eyes did no good because a) I'd just open them and b) I started playing with them closed live!!!
I do still need light to see the first note, or a reference note from somebody else so I can find it
. I still look at the fretboard, but a lot of times it's because there's no where else to look. Plus it's an old habit... try to make it a point to keep your eyes up even if you're notlooking at anything in particular. Our typing class taped paper over our hands so we couldn't see the keyboard...... my basketball coach had these shields that stopped you from being able to see down when dribbling so you *had* to not watch the ball.... pretty much you just have to get tossed into the shark pool to unlearn to not watch what you are doing
It'll come......I'm still waiting for it.... 
I tried the mirror trick myself and all it did was mess my head up
I'm glad I'm not the only one. Thought there was something wrong with me.
