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Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 28 2008, 04:21 PM

Ok thursday and tuesday I have a gig.
So tomorrow and ...

It's my first gig (only 1 song it's at school but I think at least with 200 people) but I'm nervous

you can't imagine

the problem is, if I'm nervous there's always 1 piece that I play wrong
Do you guys have any tips to get less nervous?

thanks

Posted by: coffeeman Jan 28 2008, 04:30 PM

Hi m8,

Relax. Before the concert sit in a quiet place and concentrate only in your breathing, do it very slowly. Think in your song , see yourself playing it perfectly in front of those 200 people. You know the song, so everything is going to be awesome.

Posted by: Dejan Jan 28 2008, 04:41 PM

More you think about it, more nervous you may get. If you can play the song perfectly, and I suppose you can, just relax and forget about the audience and play it as you do it alone. At the end, even if you make a mistake, hardly anyone will notice it

Posted by: Smells Jan 28 2008, 04:41 PM

when we play gigs we usually start off the set with a pretty straight forward song just to settle any nerves but as this is the only song, before I left home I`d run through it a few times just to keep it fresh, then I`d probably have a bit of a laugh with some mates to settle nerves, I find sitting quietly thinking about the song will almost have the opposite effect and I`ll be blank before I start.
If you`ve prepared well enough then you`ll walk it mate, no probs whatsoever .. goodluck

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Jan 28 2008, 04:55 PM

QUOTE (Smells @ Jan 28 2008, 03:41 PM)

when we play gigs we usually start off the set with a pretty straight forward song just to settle any nerves but as this is the only song, before I left home I`d run through it a few times just to keep it fresh, then I`d probably have a bit of a laugh with some mates to settle nerves, I find sitting quietly thinking about the song will almost have the opposite effect and I`ll be blank before I start.
If you`ve prepared well enough then you`ll walk it mate, no probs whatsoever .. goodluck

Posted by: MickeM Jan 28 2008, 05:08 PM

If you know the song good enough there's no need to be nervous - Then you know you will deliver just like that!

But since there's a part you don't know that well I suggest to start working on it right away. If you can't master it, just replace it with something a bit simpler. I think the important thing is to be comfortable with the song and makeing the difficult parts easier in order to get there is alright. Is you start hesitating when playing that will be noticed by the audience and by yourself, and if you noticed that they noticed you played an error there's a risk the easier parts afterwards will not come out right either.

Like Smells we always start with a no brainer just to get warmed up and confident. First couple of songs are just for warming up. But in your case with only one song to play you really got to know it well.

So if you have time, get to work on it. Adjust the difficult part if nesseccary.. but then on stage, stick to the plan and don't start thinking about "which part should I play, the easy or the hard part?", play what you know!

I'm sure with your mind set on it you'll do good tomorrow!

Posted by: Stevie·Ray·Vaughn Jan 28 2008, 05:10 PM

You'll do fine! People are always afraid that they will mess up (me included) but its human nature, everyone makes mistakes and people will still like you even if you mess up! Best way though, is to practice the song so you dont mess up

Posted by: Pavel Jan 28 2008, 05:11 PM

Just relax and have fun. But stay concentrated and you'll have a great gig

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 28 2008, 08:36 PM

What should you do?? You should be chasing chicks right now

Kidding... .... the chicks will chase you after... and before the gig, just relax, and know that most of the people in the crowd are not musicians and don't know about mistakes. Just play, if you make a mistake and stop, make a joke, do a freeze poze, like elvis or something, and move on.

Posted by: Bogdan Jan 28 2008, 08:52 PM

That is a cool feeling you get before your first gig...You'll miss it later on If you know the song it will be ok , if you make a mistake continue and it will be forgotten You are not playing for Ed Sullivan show I will be cool gig I promise

Posted by: Fsgdjv Jan 28 2008, 08:55 PM

Don't worry so much, if you mess upp, nobody will notice it except you. And well, when I played in school last year, there was one song that had some really annoying and fast chord changes, I basically couldn't play it right.. But then when we were playin in front of the entire school, everything went perfect, so just relax and you'll be fine. If you mess up, just pretent that's what you intended to play, and nobody will notice.

Posted by: Siggum Jan 28 2008, 08:59 PM

Hey m8,

What helped me alot at the first gigs, was to just focus on the music, and really enjoy it yourself, that way the audience can feel it as well. But imo you should always feel alittle nervous no matter how many times you play, afteralll its a great kick to play in front of an audience.

So my advice is, if you like the music you play, try to enjoy playing it for others

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 28 2008, 09:06 PM

Thanks for all the support guys.
It really helps me.

Posted by: chast Jan 28 2008, 09:20 PM

Hey good luck with your first gig
And we want some recordings!

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 28 2008, 09:27 PM

QUOTE (chast @ Jan 28 2008, 09:20 PM)

Hey good luck with your first gig
And we want some recordings!

Posted by: Hisham Jan 28 2008, 10:34 PM

dont worry man we are musicians passed in this period so just relax and if you are playing with band try to be
all so cloesed to each others thats will help you little.

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 28 2008, 10:51 PM

Thanks guys.
Ok tomorrow from 9AM till 12AM It's general repetition so I'll see how it goes there.
I let you guys know how the repetition was tomorrow in the afternoon before the gig.

Now I'm going to sleep and make sure my batteries are fully charged by tomorrow.

Posted by: kevin-riff-after-riff Jan 28 2008, 10:57 PM

go to your nearest off liscence and buy a big bottle of vodca.... no comment on what you should do with it though

Posted by: Owen Jan 29 2008, 12:02 AM

QUOTE (kevin-riff-after-riff @ Jan 28 2008, 01:57 PM)

go to your nearest off liscence and buy a big bottle of vodca.... no comment on what you should do with it though

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 29 2008, 04:39 PM

Ok today it was big repetition. All went very good. Now I'm off to the shower, relax a bit and then I go to the place where the gig is.

Posted by: Smikey2006 Jan 29 2008, 04:54 PM

Good luck! I can remember my first gig in highschool I played We are the Road Crew by Motorhead I messed up the solo twice but surprisingly only 1 guy noticed and he was a huge motorhead fan... If you know the song in your head and you know you can play it then it'll get played i usually forget about the crowd halfway through the first song anyways just don't worry about it... erm.. picture the crowd naked ?

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 30 2008, 12:57 AM

The gig was a HUGE succes. I had nerves but when I was on stage all went over.
Afterwards many people (mostly girls lol) but also a few teachers of me came to me and said it was really good.

Thursday its the second and last gig but after today I'm allready very happy.

Thanks for the tips and when I have video I will post it here but I dont know when I'll have it.

Cheers

Posted by: Smells Jan 30 2008, 01:05 AM

glad to hear it mate, well done

Posted by: PolackHax0r Jan 30 2008, 01:18 AM

Nice, glad to hear it went well! Congrats!

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Jan 30 2008, 01:20 AM

Glad it went well. Our gig on Thursday wont go so well as we just found out other band pulled out so we need to play a double length set. Got 4 hours to perfect an hour set. Will be 'reet lol

Posted by: Dejan Jan 30 2008, 09:25 AM

QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Jan 30 2008, 12:57 AM)

Posted by: Siggum Jan 30 2008, 09:32 AM

QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Jan 30 2008, 12:57 AM)

The gig was a HUGE succes. I had nerves but when I was on stage all went over.
Afterwards many people (mostly girls lol) but also a few teachers of me came to me and said it was really good.

Thursday its the second and last gig but after today I'm allready very happy.

Thanks for the tips and when I have video I will post it here but I dont know when I'll have it.

Cheers

Posted by: mattacuk Jan 30 2008, 10:50 AM

thats great it went so well. An interesting point on nerves/feeling anxious is that its impossible to feel that when your being creative because the brain can only do one at a time

So for any future giggers you can rest well knowing that feeling nervous before a gig will soon vanish

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 30 2008, 12:43 PM

Hehe thanks to you all. Tomorrow its the last gig and I'll post how it was.

Posted by: Mrblomme Feb 1 2008, 12:21 AM

The gig was even a bigger succes. Though we played a few mistakes nobody (also the guys who know the song) noticed them.
I allready have some girls who chase after me ... and thats no joke.
One of them sended me a text message with sleep tight I love you ...

GUYS I allready have a girlfriend

The father of our singer (Andrew) has filmed it and I think it'll be on youtube by the week-end.
I'll let you guys know.
But I think I drank to much "Jupiler" (Belgian beer) afterwards .

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiihaaa

Posted by: Davidian Feb 1 2008, 07:39 PM

Jupiler is good, too good !
Cool that youre gig was nice ! And if you ever play in Bruges let me know

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 1 2008, 07:44 PM

QUOTE (Mrblomme @ Feb 1 2008, 12:21 AM)

The gig was even a bigger succes. Though we played a few mistakes nobody (also the guys who know the song) noticed them.
I allready have some girls who chase after me ... and thats no joke.
One of them sended me a text message with sleep tight I love you ...

GUYS I allready have a girlfriend

The father of our singer (Andrew) has filmed it and I think it'll be on youtube by the week-end.
I'll let you guys know.
But I think I drank to much "Jupiler" (Belgian beer) afterwards .

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiihaaa

Posted by: Iluha Feb 1 2008, 08:03 PM

I'm glad it went well man, by the way what song did you play?

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Feb 2 2008, 12:28 PM

Our gig was amazing this time. We got asked back to play a bank holiday in August and to play acoustic songs at a folk/blues night. Didn't get a girlfriend however Nevermind there is always the next gig.

Posted by: Mrblomme Feb 5 2008, 09:50 AM

QUOTE (Iluha @ Feb 1 2008, 08:03 PM)