Your First Time on Stage

[Inspector #20]

Good for you.
I drove the second half of my working life hard towards one ambition, to retire at 55. For complicated reasons I failed and retired at 56. Ten years later I have no regrets other than I stayed one year too long.
So in July we'll all be having a virtual party with you

Good job!

I retired from the police department on March 11, 2011 after 20 years - at age 46.

 

[Tony M.]

First time ever.
I was taking guitar lessons.
There was a recital.
My band played 3 surf music instrumentals.

First time I played and got paid was a graduation party in the
back room of a bar on the SE corner of 101st Ave and 116th St.
The bar was named the Imperial Room. The drummer was named
Paul, the bass player was Greg and the singer was Bobby.
I had a Hagstrom III and a Fender Twin Reverb.
The girl who graduated was named Clare.
This picture is from that job.

...and yet I can't remember what I had for lunch today...

 

[Tony M.]

My son has been gigging for more than 25 years and before EVERY show he's wound up as tight as a drum. As soon as he hits his first note it's cool, he just loves it.

Me too. I double check everything then I check it all again.
I'm ok once noise starts coming out of my amplifier though.
(I say noise because of my questionable skill level.)

 

[kevinpaul]

Please ask Ms Harry if she's available to sing at my upcoming first gig. She could become famous on TTR

That was a one night thing! She never wrote, called or sent me one of her signed posters. I felt cheap and used. She did smile at me.

 

[kevinpaul]

She is still sleeping.

Some place far away. That is another unknown place.

 

[Kerry Brown]

No idea when my first time was. In a former life I used to go on speaking tours for Microsoft so I have quite a bit of public speaking experience. I played in several bands back in the late 60's and early 70's. Fast forward to now and I just play in bar jams and open mikes. Even after all these years I'm still nervous every time before going on stage. I think the adrenaline rush is part of the reason I do it.

 

[Bocc69]

The first time that I can remember being on stage...about '80.

Playing a performance in a concert band at school. I only had one drum, and had to stay on beat to keep everyone together. For some reason, I don't think it went so well.....I remember being more nervous than I had ever been.

My dad was so happy......he did me a favor and said it was great. What a kind sole.

 

[gball]

Pretty sure it was our junior high talent show in 1977. It was before I had my first Gibson but I was already learning to play so there is a fairly small window. I accompanied one of our teachers who played and sang. Then I was in the school band, the first time they had guitars actually, and did a couple of performances before getting to high school and fooling around in rock bands where were played parties and minor functions at first.

 

[jtcnj]

Very interesting hearing about your experiences.
I was in some plays in middle school / Jr. High.
I dont have any guitar gig goals. I would like to play in a band setting at least, even if not on stage.

I get typical butterflies before and public speaking I have done, but am always prepared.
So, once I get going it just flows and goes.

 

[Gahr]

Very interesting hearing about your experiences.
I was in some plays in middle school / Jr. High.
I dont have any guitar gig goals. I would like to play in a band setting at least, even if not on stage.

I get typical butterflies before and public speaking I have done, but am always prepared.
So, once I get going it just flows and goes.

You bring up something I find very interesting: Why do we react so differently to situations that really are quite comparable.

I get a lot of butterflies before every band performance, but they disappear when we start playing.

When I was a kid I did a bit of theater, some in school and a few with a fairly well known (at the time, at least) Norwegian entertainer called Per Asplin. I was NEVER nervous at all. Not even the slightest hint of butterflies. And I can safely say it had nothing to do with me being good at or confident about what I did. I was never a tough kid, and I didn't like sticking my head out. I only went along with the whole theater thing because my teachers and parents thought it was a good idea, and I was too nice to say no. I never felt in control, but still it never bothered me.

When it comes to speaking it is the same thing. It has never been a problem. Being a teacher I naturally gained some experience talking in front of audiences (quite often fairly unappreciative ones at that!). Generally I was well prepared and knew what I was talking about, but I used to volunteer as a substitute teacher quite a lot whenever some of my colleagues were sick, so I got used to winging it in subjects I normally didn't teach as well (maths probably being my favorite subject in that regard). These days I do quite a bit of beer tastings and lectures on brewing, stuff I have to say I know a bit about, and I'm never nervous. Granted, I feel am in control of what I'm doing when it comes to beer, so I guess it is more natural that I should feel that way in such situations.

So, my personal experience is that certain situations give me butterflies, others don't, but the butterflies are never really due to me feeling out of my depth in the given situation. I was definitely out of my depth in the theater thing, but I was always ok with it. Teaching subjects in school that I really knew nothing about was never a problem. But playing the guitar in front of people (in situations where I generally know I'll do fine, knowing the songs properly and not having a personal history of screwing up) makes me nervous. Not to the point of it being a problem, but still. It just fascinates me.

 

[smitty_p]

You bring up something I find very interesting: Why do we react so differently to situations that really are quite comparable.

I think a lot of what it takes to do something musical, whether singing or playing, is so different from things like public speaking or acting.

Of course, with acting there is the challenge to know your lines and to act convincingly. That is a sizable hurdle, indeed.

However, music has some more exacting requirements. First, you have to deliver a note on pitch. If singing, you're not singing in your natural voice. You have to hit a specific pitch or you'll be sharp or flat. If playing, you have to do the same thing - hit the correct note or notes. Then there is timing. In speaking or acting, timing the delivery is important, but there isn't the same type of unforgiving requirement that you have in music to play or sing a specific note or chord at a specific time.

Of course, different parts are more challenging than others. Slower parts with a less obvious beat are actually more difficult to get right.

So, since there is more to music that is fundamentally less natural and requires more precision, I think it can make one feel more anxious.

 

[Gahr]

I think a lot of what it takes to do something musical, whether singing or playing, is so different from things like public speaking or acting.

Of course, with acting there is the challenge to know your lines and to act convincingly. That is a sizable hurdle, indeed.

However, music has some more exacting requirements. First, you have to deliver a note on pitch. If singing, you're not singing in your natural voice. You have to hit a specific pitch or you'll be sharp or flat. If playing, you have to the same thing - hit the correct note or notes. Then there is timing. In speaking or acting, timing the delivery is important, but there isn't the same type of unforgiving requirement that you have in music to play or sing a specific note or chord at a specific time.

Of course, different parts are more challenging than others. Slower parts with a less obvious beat are actually more difficult to get right.

So, since there is more to music that is fundamentally less natural and requires more precision, I think it can make one feel more anxious.

Good answer! The sheer complexity of the musical delivery might certainly be a factor.

 

[Don O]

Good answer! The sheer complexity of the musical delivery might certainly be a factor.

I totally agree. Was practicing tonight with my work colleagues for our Monday lunch time gig. It’s mostly elevator music, but what the heck. The first song is Margaritaville and I haven’t played it in a year. The signer is playing acoustic and I’m playing electric doing the “lead” parts. The opening, no sweat; comes time for the solo, and I rushed like a speeding train. No where near on time. I was like, that was a train wreck. Second time was much better.

 

[Inspector #20]

Good answer! The sheer complexity of the musical delivery might certainly be a factor.

The first time a bunch of us were playing at a seance and we tried to conjure up Randy Rhoads. My friend's sister was a witch they said. I was afraid he would actually show up and be angry with my lack of prowess.

 

[Inspector #20]

I totally agree. Was practicing tonight with my work colleagues for our Monday lunch time gig. It’s mostly elevator music, but what the heck. The first song is Margaritaville and I haven’t played it in a year. The signer is playing acoustic and I’m playing electric doing the “lead” parts. The opening, no sweat; comes time for the solo, and I rushed like a speeding train. No where near on time. I was like, that was a train wreck. Second time was much better.

Awesome!

 

[Tony M.]

Good answer! The sheer complexity of the musical delivery might certainly be a factor.

Complexity?
What complexity?
There are only 12 notes.
All we do is play them over and over.

Oh wait.
We're guitar players.
There are only 5 notes.....

 

[Inspector #20]

Complexity?
What complexity?
There are only 12 notes.
All we do is play them over and over.

Oh wait.
We're guitar players.
There are only 5 notes.....

One of my friends is doing a refret on a Stratocaster. It only has the first 5 frets at present. Another colleague walked over to the bench, picked it up and said, "Hey Look...the Blink 182 Signature model..."