phsycoandy Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 After literally decades of playing Gospel music all over the place, a few months ago I decided to join a secular band for some fun and b4 I get too old to pick the thing up! After 2 months practice we have our first gig on the 11th April at a club. The difference in clientel as it were worries me and I'm getting nervous, any tips for a cure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneythedog Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 know every song in the set. know every song in the set backwards know every song in the set upside down know every song in the set blindfold then go and practice the set every day between now and the gig you probably get the point by now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huge Hands Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I'd just go out and enjoy yourselves! I used to play in a serious blues band who got booked to do a work's Christmas party because the main boss had seen us elsewhere and liked that sort of music. He was grooving away at the back, but we went down like a lead balloon with the 16 year old junior secretaries and YTS kids who kept asking "Do you play anything we know?" We knew it would happen, and beforehand I even tried to get the band leader to have us practice some Christmas tunes to a blues feel, but he was having none of it. He wanted to remain "pure". In the end, we just tore through our usual set and had a really good gig musically, while laughing at the dead silence between songs. It's all we could do, but still walked away with the dosh at the end of the night. I had a ball! I'd also mention that I played drums many years ago for our local church doing Graham Kendrick style music. We often got out and about round the diocese - those are some of the scariest gigs I've ever played Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote name='phsycoandy' post='160561' date='Mar 19 2008, 11:34 PM']After literally decades of playing Gospel music all over the place, a few months ago I decided to join a secular band for some fun and b4 I get too old to pick the thing up! After 2 months practice we have our first gig on the 11th April at a club. The difference in clientel as it were worries me and I'm getting nervous, any tips for a cure?[/quote] Nerves are good, shows you're human. I find they help keep me focused on the gig. 2 months practice? I reckon you'll be cooking, enjoy the jitters or nerves, You've obviously put the work in, so why not enjoy the reward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 5 pints and a shot of tequilla should sort it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 (edited) [quote name='gilmour' post='160585' date='Mar 20 2008, 12:39 AM']5 pints and a shot of tequilla should sort it [/quote] Yeah - and about 5 more... And knowing you'll feel great when it's over. And that the 1st is the hardest. Downside of the 1st is the hardest is that 1st is also about the biggest relief I've only done 6-7 or so with my current band - and about 4-5 with a band 15 years ago. Both the other 2 in band have literally 100s if not 1000s. They get jealous Edited March 20, 2008 by bigjohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teen t-shirt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 my first and worst.... was infront of 800 people that all knew me and i knew them that didn't help... all i did was take my self to the bathroom bout ten minutes before hand and after well ya know.... i just wet my face down and just did some breathing infront of the mirror focused my self and went on... the crowd loved us... had some hickups with the microphone tho which threw me off a bit since then gone down a treat everytime... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Just sit out the nerves. Two minutes after you step onstage they'll be gone. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote name='barneythedog' post='160568' date='Mar 19 2008, 11:42 PM']know every song in the set. know every song in the set backwards know every song in the set upside down know every song in the set blindfold then go and practice the set every day between now and the gig you probably get the point by now [/quote] and if you don't, sure you can bluff you way through the gaffs - i do it week in week out, stand there shaking my head while i'm playing, but no bugger ever notices anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I find being able to play a set unaccompanied from top to bottom. Just counting bars and feeling the song is the best way to make sure the set goes ok. That way if you can't hear the rest of the band properly at least you can follow the song. This only works though if the rest of the band know the set inside out. Otherwise you end up playing on your own while the rest of the band falls apart. I wouldn't worry about the change in clientel either. The only difference is in a pub/club the punters might have had a few beers. Which means they are more likely to be accepting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote name='barneythedog' post='160568' date='Mar 19 2008, 11:42 PM']know every song in the set. know every song in the set backwards know every song in the set upside down know every song in the set blindfold then go and practice the set every day between now and the gig you probably get the point by now [/quote] This man Knoweth the truth. Practise Practise Practise until you hate every note that you play because it bores you that much. This then gives you the right to inflict the "look of death" upon you bandmates when they make mistake/s... Surely you have encounterred the "look of death"? Bum note/beat. They band whirl and stare at you... mid-tune. That be the "look of death!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Nerves can be overcome with a bit of thought and practice. Imagine your state of nerves as a horseshoe shape, and number, like a clock from left to right, one to ten. One is not bothered, ten is scared shitless, learn your calm state, and keep in your mind that relaxed but with some stimulus is your optimum operational mode. learn your panicked state and realise that you can barely function (butterflies, sick feeling, sweaty hands, shaking etc) Now consider the points on the horseshoe and aim to mentally control your state at between four and six. If you go over, deep breathe, think nice thoughts, anything that will calm you down. If you are blase, think about something that gets you fired up, jump up and down, scream, anything that winds you up a bit. If you consider this seriously it should lead to you having a handle on your performance state and should lead to you learning to operate at optimum operational mode most of the time. Jake PS This is a tried and tested performance technique and is used by sports psychologists/athletes, actors, musicians etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 You're the bass player. No-one is listening to you. Forget it and enjoy yourself. I did a jazz gig once and myself and the pianist were a little frustrated that the audience weren't listening so, to prove a point, we did a fast be-bop 12-bar blues. He played it in Bb and I did it in B. After a chorus, he swapped to B and I swapped to Bb and so on throughout the whole piece. Yes, you've guessed it. No-one in the 120 strong audience noticed. Not even the drummer! The BiBeefChief will love that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='160699' date='Mar 20 2008, 10:59 AM']You're the bass player. No-one is listening to you. Forget it and enjoy yourself. I did a jazz gig once and myself and the pianist were a little frustrated that the audience weren't listening so, to prove a point, we did a fast be-bop 12-bar blues. He played it in Bb and I did it in B. After a chorus, he swapped to B and I swapped to Bb and so on throughout the whole piece. Yes, you've guessed it. No-one in the 120 strong audience noticed. Not even the drummer! The BiBeefChief will love that one![/quote] No Bassists or Pianists among the 120, then... That helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='160579' date='Mar 20 2008, 12:14 AM']Nerves are good, shows you're human. I find they help keep me focused on the gig. 2 months practice? I reckon you'll be cooking, enjoy the jitters or nerves, You've obviously put the work in, so why not enjoy the reward [/quote] What he said! Have a good time, all of the time :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Bassassin' post='160665' date='Mar 20 2008, 10:03 AM']Just sit out the nerves. Two minutes after you step onstage they'll be gone. Jon.[/quote] Yup that's the best advise, my first time playing live was the scariest thing in my life, i have sat in a van with 5 machine gun toting Serb rebels, jumped out of aeroplanes but that first gig was the worst. I had enough to drink to take the edge off but was still sh****g myself, half way through the first song i looked at the drummer and he just smiled, it was a try out so i only had 4 songs to do and they had to chuck me off the stage in the end. My father-in-law was a well known actor with the old vic and when i asked for advise he told me the nerves never go and smiled, somehow that reassured me. Edited March 20, 2008 by steve-norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsycoandy Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Well huge thanks to all the replys, i guess a small drink b4 might help. My biggest problem is being tied to the music book, ive tried to learn patterns and stuff for songs which helps, but ive only mastered about half the set without music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='160699' date='Mar 20 2008, 10:59 AM']You're the bass player. No-one is listening to you. Forget it and enjoy yourself. I did a jazz gig once and myself and the pianist were a little frustrated that the audience weren't listening so, to prove a point, we did a fast be-bop 12-bar blues. He played it in Bb and I did it in B. After a chorus, he swapped to B and I swapped to Bb and so on throughout the whole piece. Yes, you've guessed it. No-one in the 120 strong audience noticed. Not even the drummer! The BiBeefChief will love that one![/quote] Been there, done that. Playing eating music on a dep with the keys shouting out chords from a songbook as we we. Got to the end of one particularly painful number (when the keys found there was a page missing from the book) and all the knives & forks went down and we got some applause - Bizarre. Already said, but know the set & enjoy yourself - end of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneythedog Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 And above all - enjoy it. I only go on about practice because I have been there and died on stage because I thought I could blag the whole evening. I still wince every time I remember. Since then I have honestly found that if I really KNOW the material, I have very little to fear. This then allows you to chill out and ENJOY the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='160693' date='Mar 20 2008, 10:52 AM']This man Knoweth the truth. Practise Practise Practise[/quote] or even Practice Practice Practice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 [quote name='gilmour' post='161493' date='Mar 21 2008, 04:48 PM']or even Practice Practice Practice... [/quote] [Lynn Truss] Sorry to have to do this, but Lfalex was correct: 'practise' is the verb, 'practice' the noun in UK English. [url="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=62103&dict=CALD"]http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp...3&dict=CALD[/url] [/Lynn Truss] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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