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Do you get nervous??


barneyg42

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Just wondering how you guys get on, I'm not posting just to brag but I never ever feel any nerves despite the circumstances. I've mainly played in covers bands so maybe that accounts for it, very comfortable with the material and no real worries. Even in originals bands I've never had a problem. I've done an originals band third support behind Wilko J and the Pirates at Dingwalls and absolutely loved it and yet the lead singer was almost crippled with nerves. Once we'd got a few songs in he was okay. Also we were the first electric band on at a blues weekend in Skegness, when the curtain opened there were about 500+ in the audience, again I loved it. I know we're all different, I just wondered if I'm lucky or if many of you out there just get on with it or if you struggle? 

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I played in a thrash band for around ten years and never got nervous until the first night I had to drive myself to a gig so I couldn’t drink whereupon I discovered that, in fact, I got incredibly nervous. I stopped drinking before gigs at that point and found myself playing much better and enjoying myself lots more.

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Years ago I used to get quit ebad stage fright when it came time for me to play a guitar solo. Now I get more apprehensive about getting to the venue on time, getting access, parking etc than I ever do about playing. I play both guitar and bass btw, it's not just about being able to hide at the back!

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I have only been nervous once, that was the first time I had friends and family in the audience. Apart from that I am fine. A mate of mine is a truly stunning musician who can play almost anything to some degree and most things to a high standard but almost never plays live due to horrendous nerves. It’s really sad that he suffers so badly.

 

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It depends if I'm being thrown in the deep end or not.

49 gigs out of 50 I won't feel nerves because I'm in my comfort zone but occasionally, usually when I'm depping and am unsure of the songs, I'll feel a bit anxious.

I like to feel a bit of nerves, because it shows you're stretching yourself.

Edited by gjones
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No. Which is a bit odd as I always think that I should. A little bit excited, maybe. Perhaps it's because I am not that good that to get through to the other side without too many pink torpedo ups is an achievement...

Edited by Mister RLP
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When I first started gigging in pubs when I was 19 I did get very nervous. After about 6 months the nerves went and I really began enjoying gigs.

I don't find depping worrying either as it's someone else's band so if anything goes wrong etc then it's up to them to sort it out. As long as I've learned my bit, arrive in plenty of time and do as I'm asked then there's noting to be nervous about.

My main concern is zoning out during gigs which does happen while playing certain songs from time to time

 

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Had my first proper (i.e. not school) gig at the tender age of 49, and I was quaking in my boots.  About a couple of dozen gigs later I do sometimes still get a bit nervous but settle down after a couple of songs - I wouldn’t want to play anything that wasn’t pretty simple for the first song though.  I have found since I started doing our sound, which means wandering out among everyone in the pub to have a listen while we sound check, has helped with that - you’re quite exposed when you’ve stopped playing to fiddle around on the iPad you’ve plonked on someone’s table, and they haven’t a clue what you’re up to!

As for the audience - strangers, no problem as I’ll probably never see them again; family, no problem as they’re supportive; work colleagues - now that is scary!

 

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I don`t get nervous, but I put that more down to being properly rehearsed and prepared than anything to do with my personality. It`s the same with presentations at work, things like that, no need for nerves if you`re ready.

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I get slightly nervous, but it always settles after one or two songs however...

Last night I was absolutely bricking it.  We had Eric Bell, (guitarist and founder member of Thin Lizzy for younger members. :) ), joining us.  I settled after the first song and by the time he decided to do Whiskey in the Jar, I was OK.

And for the record, he was a pleasure to play with.  Humble, friendly, funny, and what a guitar player!

Frank.

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1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

Bloody male chickens are making a mockery of this forum!!

Some of us have purple chickens...

*ahem*

Back on topic xD I find I rarely get nervous as I spend so much time judging my own performance that I don’t have the time to care about what other people think!

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I don't get nervous about audiences, playing with other musicians who are more accomplished than me or, the material I'm going to play. However, if I'm singing, and that one little thought enters my head  "what's the first line"  that's it. The panic sets in.

The audience usually notice what's happened by the time we've done the intro four times😂

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used to get very nervous but over time it got less and less so now I don't get nervous, a bit apprehensive sometimes, but it's soon ok when I start playing, the first time I did an open mic on my own was the worst. All this performing to the public came in very handy when I delivered a very accomplished Father of the Bride speech at my daughters wedding :), I've seen some poor blokes reduced to gibbering wrecks

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I suffer very badly with nerves. I’ve been playing for 37 years and gig regularly and it seldom goes away. Doesn’t matter how rehearsed I am; I can know the material back to front and inside out and it makes not one jot of difference (and I’ve always written all the bass lines too!). I used to deal with it by having a couple of drinks, but several years ago gave that up except for the odd gig. I have PTSD and suffer very badly with anxiety and depression which I’m on medication for (and I’m currently undergoing my 2nd solid year of therapy) which I’m sure factor in a great deal. Often it’s pretty paralysing. 

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3 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I don`t get nervous, but I put that more down to being properly rehearsed and prepared than anything to do with my personality. It`s the same with presentations at work, things like that, no need for nerves if you`re ready.

If only this was the case. Sadly, for those of us with mental health problems, it isn’t.

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10 minutes ago, 4000 said:

I suffer very badly with nerves. I’ve been playing for 37 years and gig regularly and it seldom goes away. Doesn’t matter how rehearsed I am; I can know the material back to front and inside out and it makes not one jot of difference (and I’ve always written all the bass lines too!). I used to deal with it by having a couple of drinks, but several years ago gave that up except for the odd gig. I have PTSD and suffer very badly with anxiety and depression which I’m on medication for (and I’m currently undergoing my 2nd solid year of therapy) which I’m sure factor in a great deal. Often it’s pretty paralysing. 

Thanks for your honesty. I work in mental health support, and am angry that so few people understand the difference between normal healthy "anxiety" and crippling clinical anxiety. So many of the young people I support are made to feel even worse by people saying "Oh everyone gets a bit anxious", or "Why don't you just stop worrying about it" - as if they wouldn't if they could!

A bit of alert raised attention makes most people play better, the demon can make you stop playing altogether. Much respect to you for managing your demon and carrying on gigging.

The first time I played in public - solo bass and vocal at my very supportive local open mic, where I was well known and had been encouraged - I could barely manage a note. Looking back at the video all you can see is a battle with sheer terror. I had spoken at international research conferences to hundreds of people with complete confidence - that first om is still the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. But their response was purely huge support that I'd done it at all. These days the nerves are usually just a buzz that raises my game.

Froggy - I walked out of my Grade 2 literally in tears, convinced I'd totally ****ed it up, and got a distinction. Hope you will too :-)

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I rarely suffer from getting nervous on gigs. The only time I do is when I know someone else is,

and then it gets infectious and makes me uncomfortable. I'm fortunate enough to work with great

people / players so it doesn't happen often, but when it does I have to have a word with myself.

 

Also things going wrong onstage make me nervous for a while afterwards, but am guessing that

probably applies to most performers?

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