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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Mistakes On Stage

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Apr 18 2012, 12:49 PM

I always had a great time watching myself and the faces I made when making a mistake during a song laugh.gif Over the years, I somehow managed to develop a so called 'instamatic mistake repair technique' to distract the audience from what I am doing when I knew I blew it.

For instance, Dave Navarro stated that if he makes a mistake on stage, he plays that note several more times so that the audience would really think that that's how the song goes biggrin.gif ain't that spiff? (Kudos to Todd for teaching me this awesome expression tongue.gif)

Have you ever been placed in such a situation? What did you do? biggrin.gif

Let's share some bloopers mates biggrin.gif

Cosmin

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Apr 18 2012, 01:02 PM

I have developed this art of covering up over the years smile.gif
I found out the worst thing I can do is to make it obvious for the audience by making a facial expression or something. They just don't notice anything really as long as I'm not playing a completely different song smile.gif
Also, if you are playing bass - you can just stop playing for a bar or two, they won't even know it, especially if you are pretending that you are playing hehehe laugh.gif I do that when I loose concentration and track where I am in a song structure.
Make a pause - catch up and continue playing.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Apr 18 2012, 01:20 PM

QUOTE (Bogdan Radovic @ Apr 18 2012, 12:02 PM) *
I have developed this art of covering up over the years smile.gif
I found out the worst thing I can do is to make it obvious for the audience by making a facial expression or something. They just don't notice anything really as long as I'm not playing a completely different song smile.gif
Also, if you are playing bass - you can just stop playing for a bar or two, they won't even know it, especially if you are pretending that you are playing hehehe laugh.gif I do that when I loose concentration and track where I am in a song structure.
Make a pause - catch up and continue playing.


Maaaaan laugh.gif I never actually tried that tongue.gif I always felt I would be caught or something laugh.gif

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Apr 18 2012, 01:31 PM

I just remembered one thing about this as well : wrong note is not a "wrong" note any more if you are playing it in a groove smile.gif

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Apr 18 2012, 01:36 PM

QUOTE (Bogdan Radovic @ Apr 18 2012, 12:31 PM) *
I just remembered one thing about this as well : wrong note is not a "wrong" note any more if you are playing it in a groove smile.gif


biggrin.gif man, I have this really nasty note in this vid here, during the solo - the chord shapes are pretty tricky at the tempo and I kinda bumped it at 02.39 it felt like the whole ceiling was coming down on me laugh.gif


Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Apr 18 2012, 02:00 PM

QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Apr 18 2012, 02:36 PM) *
biggrin.gif man, I have this really nasty note in this vid here, during the solo - the chord shapes are pretty tricky at the tempo and I kinda bumped it at 02.39 it felt like the whole ceiling was coming down on me laugh.gif


Yet it sound great since its in the groove! smile.gif
Another proof to the theory laugh.gif

Posted by: thefireball Apr 18 2012, 04:04 PM

I would have thought that was just another note, Cosmin. biggrin.gif I don't know enough theory to explain what it sounds like to me, but it sounds okay. smile.gif

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 18 2012, 05:02 PM

hahaha we use that Dave Navarro's way when we do mistakes at the rehearsals but as a joke. tongue.gif

When I do a mistake live I tried to continue as if nothing happens, but if it's so obvious I just smile... biggrin.gif

Posted by: PosterBoy Apr 18 2012, 05:19 PM

I've had lots of practice covering up my mistakes. I'm getting good at it now!!!

Posted by: Gitarrero Apr 18 2012, 06:05 PM

Smiling and laughing always worked for me and my former band laugh.gif

Cosmin, I really thought you'd say "oooops!" into the microphone... wink.gif

Posted by: DeGroot Apr 18 2012, 07:35 PM

I wouldn't have really noticed that mistake. I would think its expected to have the occasional slip up when you are moving around on stage. I guess if you would have played that note over and over agin like Dave Navarro maybe it would have been more obvious? biggrin.gif

I was in a band years ago where we had a drummer who would occasionally loose his place in a song and would just stop playing! huh.gif So, we would say something like "we are just warming up!" tongue.gif the crowd would usually just laugh. Granted we were an inexperienced band and usually played in front of about 15 people. It happened during a few shows so my nerves were shot before and after playing live with this band.

Posted by: jstcrsn Apr 18 2012, 10:32 PM

i have acted like my mistake was a bitchin guitar riff and no one noticed

Posted by: rokchik Apr 19 2012, 12:25 AM

I've never performed live on stage before so have never had the experience in front of lots of people. When playing with friends at say a house party no one has every really noticed or at least didn't seem to care... I usually laugh and try to make it look intentional smile.gif

As a spectator, I like it when a band makes the occasional slip up when playing live to be honest. Reminds me that even the best have their moments and it's OK. Seems more real to me...

rok

Posted by: thefireball Apr 19 2012, 12:34 AM

Some people just keep going. biggrin.gif The lead singer for Skillet took a tumble at 1:45.

Posted by: derper Apr 19 2012, 02:41 AM

I think Dave Navarro got that from Jerry Garcia, fyi... wink.gif


QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Apr 18 2012, 04:49 AM) *
I always had a great time watching myself and the faces I made when making a mistake during a song laugh.gif Over the years, I somehow managed to develop a so called 'instamatic mistake repair technique' to distract the audience from what I am doing when I knew I blew it.

For instance, Dave Navarro stated that if he makes a mistake on stage, he plays that note several more times so that the audience would really think that that's how the song goes biggrin.gif ain't that spiff? (Kudos to Todd for teaching me this awesome expression tongue.gif)

Have you ever been placed in such a situation? What did you do? biggrin.gif

Let's share some bloopers mates biggrin.gif

Cosmin



Also, Coz, that's an AWESOME video!! I haven't gotten to see you in action with your live bands much yet. Though I'm just listening on my laptop, your "mistake" sounded very minor, especially mixed with the powerful sound of your band.


For me, live, if I make a mistake I try not to emphasize it. One of my favorite pro/jazz drummers here in Portland, Carlton Jackson, just smiles bigger, nods harder and emphasizes the "one". It's so killer! He makes the mistake (the band's mistake, usually) look like it was totally on point!

If I sit in with a band, and don't know a certain part of the progression ("when in doubt....lay OUT!") I'll just turn down and "air-guitar". It works for several reasons.... no one in the audience knows, PLUS I add energy by rocking (instead of standing there making the "I don't know" face) and then you just get in where you fit in!! It's not a "mistake", more of a tactic to avoid such, when sitting in with a band on the spot.

Other than that, MY mistakes are an easy recovery.... just make it look like that's what you wanted to do, and rock on. SOMETIMES, during a solo, you can hit that "grace note" 3 times (Jerry/Dave Navarro!) to make it work or build into a tension and release. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it helps.

I really hate the full band mistakes!! THAT is the WORST, and what I strive to avoid at every show!!

Posted by: Alex Feather Apr 19 2012, 04:56 AM

When I am messing up I just call it Jazz smile.gif

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Apr 19 2012, 11:41 AM

+1 Alex! biggrin.gif

@Gabe: yeah man, when the drummer makes a boo boo, well that's the worst laugh.gif because it usually drags ALL the crew with him to the pits of rhythm hell laugh.gif

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