Playing in front of other people

alexthecheese · 12 Apr 2007 at 16:39

How do you get over the 'my hands have gone to **** again' thing when people ask you to play?

I've only been a bedroom rocker and I'm not bad, but when people ask me to play I just turn to poo. It's frustrating. I know it's a confidence issue, and I can play in front of people if I've already done it before in front of me, but it's like new people freak me out.

Phalanx · 12 Apr 2007 at 16:40

alexthecheese said:
How do you get over the 'my hands have gone to **** again' thing when people ask you to play?

I've only been a bedroom rocker and I'm not bad, but when people ask me to play I just turn to poo. It's frustrating. I know it's a confidence issue, and I can play in front of people if I've already done it before in front of me, but it's like new people freak me out.

it's cos you never really know what to play cos you're trying to impress them (don't kid yourself, you want to give a good impression).

Just lay down something groovy that isn't very technical

Andelusion · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:08

Gah one of the most annoying questions "Play something then" :rolleyes:

I usually play something sarcastic like the neighbours theme tune or fireman sam :cool:

SexyGreyFox · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:36

Its just experience and having confidence in your own abilities.
Apparently I was first made to perform when I was 3 singing Wooden Heart by Elvis so by time I was 12 and seriously gigging with my dad everything was second nature.
The important thing is to be in your own comfort zone eg If anybody had asked me up until about 1985 to perform classic rock like Sabbath or Zeppelin I couldn't have done it. During that year I went through a transformation and I'll get up with anybody now.
On Tuesday I had a phone call to go and play bass with a blues band and I haven't played bass for about 1o years but I had aenough confidence to get through.
just remember that compared to 99.999% of the public if you can strum a guitar they think you are good anyway.

elevenseventysix · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:44

The trick is to do something simple. They won't care if you're virtuosic or not, they just wanna hear you play something - and if you play something fairly simple but really well it has much more of an impact. Just go for it!

sarutobi · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:47

when u play try to not think of them being there and watchin, pretend your by urself or with the people your comfortable with watchin u

lemonkettaz · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:51

It annoys me when ppl always ask you to play a song...

Dont play something that impresses you, play something that will impress anyone... anything.. oasis that always gets the masses ooooing

Christo · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:52

Playing with yourself in front of other people is never advisable nor easy I would have thought.

Converge · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:54

Chrisp7 said:
Playing with yourself in front of other people is never advisable nor easy I would have thought.

Bu boom Tsch!

Andelusion · 12 Apr 2007 at 17:57

Chrisp7 said:
Playing with yourself in front of other people is never advisable nor easy I would have thought.

Indeed, best to play with yourself all alone in your bedroom tbh.

elroberto · 12 Apr 2007 at 20:02

Chrisp7 said:
Playing with yourself in front of other people is never advisable nor easy I would have thought.

Hey! A Man's got to make a living somehow!

Doohickey · 12 Apr 2007 at 22:33

Andelusion said:
I usually play something sarcastic like the neighbours theme tune or fireman sam

Lol hahaha

As people have said, pick a song you like to play, as simple as you like, and perfect it, and it can be the song you play anytime anyone ever asks you. My go on, play something' song is Damien Rice - Cannonball, and it sounds pretty good, 'looks' more difficult than it really is but always works, but I have to say I'm getting bored of it now lol.

Neoni · 13 Apr 2007 at 01:08

all about nerves, i started when i was about 6 years old, and eventually you learn just to forget the crowd is there, and just play your heart out, and when they respond to the music ( a good response ) respond back musically.

Andelusion · 13 Apr 2007 at 01:24

Neon said:
and just play your heart out

If Jackgnic reads this he'll understand

elevenseventysix · 13 Apr 2007 at 08:18

Andelusion said:
If Jackgnic reads this he'll understand

Clear as mud... :confused:

EDIT: Crikey that took me HOURS to work out!

The thing is...

Andelusion · 13 Apr 2007 at 11:27

jackgnic said:
Clear as mud...

EDIT: Crikey that took me HOURS to work out! The thing is...

Doooh

penski · 13 Apr 2007 at 13:17

A friend of mine's "Go on, play summ't!" specialty is The Awakening including bending of harmonics...

*n

alexthecheese · 13 Apr 2007 at 13:23

I must admit it's easy to play silly songs in front of people rather than serious ones where you're actually putting your heart into it. Glad it's not just me though. I guess I'm not hugely confident in my playing as I know I could be so much better but hey.

A mate came round the other day though and saw my guitars hanging on the wall, did the whole "so are you any good thing?" and then asked me to play. After a few seconds mulling I chucked out the old Snooker 'Drag Racer' theme tune. Seemed to go down quite well.

Nitefly · 13 Apr 2007 at 14:37

Meh, at Uni my rendition of moonlight sonata got a '....'.

However, when I strummed the three chords to the Googoo Doll's Iris = :eek:

WOAH!

Crazy world.

Andelusion · 13 Apr 2007 at 15:07

Nitefly said:
Meh, at Uni my rendition of moonlight sonata got a '....'.

However, when I strummed the three chords to the Googoo Doll's Iris = WOAH!

Crazy world.

Haha exactly

Most people will think you're an absolute guitar hero if you play whatever happens to be popular at the moment.