When they tell you you're good, when you're really bad!


Joseph
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Joseph
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12/11/2001 4:50 am
I remember years ago, my first gig, it was great. I felt the lights on my face, and my amplifier was all cued up. It felt great for the first few moments. And then our over zelous drummer kept missing a beat, and our bassist at the time was playing a bit out of tune with my guitar. And although everything felt like It was falling apart, I kept playing, and the show went on. Thankfully our amps didn't go out.

However, the audience saw that we were very motivational, and toward the end of our show, they really gave us a huge ovation. And afterwards they personally came up to me to congratulate us on such a successful night.

Does this bother you guys? When your audience tells you how great you were, but when in your heart you know you sounded bad?

-Joseph
www.ragmagazine.com
"Swoop and soar like the blues angels."
# 1
lalimacefolle
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lalimacefolle
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12/11/2001 4:46 pm
sometimes, you think you sounded awesome, but people have a different point of view... You might think your lick was totally cool, but all the audience hears is a bunch of notes, and sometimes, something you consider as easy will touch them deep inside... I guess that with time, you learn to focus more on emotion than perfection... What we consider as perfect is sometimes emotionless.
# 2
Raskolnikov
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Raskolnikov
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12/11/2001 11:44 pm
Originally posted by lalimacefolle
sometimes, you think you sounded awesome, but people have a different point of view... You might think your lick was totally cool, but all the audience hears is a bunch of notes, and sometimes, something you consider as easy will touch them deep inside... I guess that with time, you learn to focus more on emotion than perfection... What we consider as perfect is sometimes emotionless.


Amen.

At what my band has come to call "The Gig From Hell," one person had a video camera. Now we all felt like we were playing horribly. And we definately weren't on top of our game. But having seen and heard the tape, and as months have gone by, it sounds pretty decent. We rocked, we felt like crap, but we rocked anyway.

Sometimes you'll never be satisfied with what you do and still impress the hell out of everybody else.
Raskolnikov
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# 3
PittbullBlue
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PittbullBlue
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12/13/2001 1:53 am
LOL I feel the same way...when I was in a band...it was only our second gig at this dingy little club in Virginia. We sounded terrible...our mics went out then came back on in the middle of the opening number. Our bassist was sick that night so she wasn't playing at her best. But, after the show the enthusiasm from the crowd was awesome. In fact I had one guy tell me that we were the best band he'd ever seen and that he knew we were going to make it big. LOL of course that never happened but, it's definately neat to feel like you totally blew it during a performance and still have the fans cheering you on. :)
Practice...Practice...PRACTICE!!!! It really does make perfect. :)
# 4
Incidents Happen
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Incidents Happen
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12/30/2001 6:45 am
also, many of them probably have been doing some drinking;) lol
# 5
Pilgrimsong
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Pilgrimsong
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12/31/2001 3:54 am
I'm brand new here and was just scanning around the messages and came across this particular subject. And I guess one thing that illustrates this point is Eric Clapton's statement referring to the live Crossroads solo that got kinda tagged as a signature by the public. He said he never really particularly cared for the cut and got lost on a number of occasions during the solos themselves.

Our own awareness of our shortcomings are usually way louder in our ears than in others.
# 6
friskynibbles
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friskynibbles
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12/31/2001 4:43 am
i have people tell me all the time that i'm really good- i had no idea that i had so many deaf friends.
i guess those who do not play guitar might not have the same keen ear for woopsies as guitarists do. maybe. it bothers me too. but i always feel awkward when i get a compliment.
*shrug*
# 7
Christoph
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Christoph
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12/31/2001 7:18 pm
Originally posted by Joseph
Does this bother you guys? When your audience tells you how great you were, but when in your heart you know you sounded bad?


That's when you just shrug your shoulders, look at the floor, and say - "Yeah, I was alright."

That way you don't compromise yourself in case they're just trying to make you feel better. ;)
# 8
Schwigg
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Schwigg
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01/08/2002 10:08 am
It's awesome!
You played like garbage and they loved it?
Then they'll get alot more into your next show.
I see a bad show as giving me more enthusiasm for the next. I know that the next show couldn't possibly go as ****ee as the last. Therefore giving me hope...

You can also thank sound guys for that phenomena. Every venue sounds different. LOUD LOUD LOUD...so like 3 decibal points will just make an already loud noise even more distorted. If it looks like you're into it, then it doesn't matter that the drummer is a half step behind, or the bassist is playing on the wrong string(this has happened). You can make that "we're losing it here guys" face to the band, but you can only hold it out for so long...


ps anyone get that?
"Not everyone can live the american dream like we do."
-me
# 9
gigginpig
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gigginpig
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01/08/2002 1:50 pm
Things that I've learned to keep in mind on a "bad" night:

1. No matter how "bad" you may think YOU performed, the drummer, bassist, singer, etc. may be having (in their mind) a "career" night. Don't dwell too much in yourself. If you're struggling (and we all do) join in someone else's joy.

2. When someone compliments you on a "bad" performance, ALWAYS look them in the eye and thank them. Be appreciative at all times. These are your "fans". If you feel you had a bad night, it's okay to be honest. You might say, "Thanks, I really appreciate that. I really felt I was struggling tonight and I didn't get where I wanted to go, but I'm so glad you enjoyed the show." People like to know you're human, and that you care deeply about what you do.

3. No matter how lousy you feel on stage, 99% of the people in the audience WISH they could do what you can do.

4. The same 99% only see the forest. They don't care about the trees. They hear music, not notes. It's only you that hears the occasional clams and mishaps. It's a "craftsmanship" thing. In every trade, there are perfectionists. Builders, plumbers, whatever, can show you every imperfection on every job they've done that you'd never find.

5. Be clear where the compliment is coming from. Mom will always say "You were just fabulous, dear!!" Your best friend will say, "Whoa. What was wrong up there??" Both should be thanked for their input.

JDu.
# 10
friskynibbles
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friskynibbles
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01/09/2002 10:46 pm
Amen.
# 11
Incidents Happen
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Incidents Happen
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01/10/2002 2:34 am
yo nibbles i checked out your webpage pretty weird **** ya got there
# 12
friskynibbles
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friskynibbles
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01/10/2002 5:17 pm
Thanks for visiting!
# 13
Parrot Head 1970
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Parrot Head 1970
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01/13/2002 6:18 am
Everyone has a different ear.

Personally, I can't listen to Hendrix. I appreciate his contribution to modern music, his innovation and his legacy but everyone has a different ear.
I've been told our band had a terrible night on an evening we thought we were great. It's all up to the listener.

Remember, they payed to see music and you gave them music. As bad as you may have think you played, they got what they payed for.

All the best!!! :cool:
# 14
jealousblues
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jealousblues
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01/03/2004 6:50 am
Man If I had a dime for every time someone said I was a killer bassist on a night I played just alright, well Id have like fifty cents...but thats still way too much for a GUITAR PLAYER!
Have you noticed that the best songs always seem be the most simple take, the classic song, "batman"... I mean its just Batman and Na...
# 15
chucklivesoninmyheart
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chucklivesoninmyheart
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01/03/2004 6:17 pm
On the more tangible side of things,what you hear on stage is vastly different than what your audience is hearing.You might just hear scratchy distorted vocals,weak bass and an overly loud crash or kick drum coming from you nearest monitor,but thats NOT what the audience is hearing...and if they do then its not your fault..throw the sound guy into the mixing board.
Try once,fail twice...
# 16
Gainer
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Gainer
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01/04/2004 1:16 am
It makes me feel like "What if I do play well, and they think it was bad. Are they always gonna patronize me?"


Which can drive you mad!
If I leave here tomorrow,
Will you still remember me?
# 17
metal_carnage
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metal_carnage
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01/05/2004 4:47 pm
As for me Im not happy with what I play until Im happy, I dont give a **** about the audience saying that was a good show, I still can think it sucked.
# 18
Death55
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Death55
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01/14/2004 11:33 am
My dad always says how good i am when i play something simple like a bit of tapping and then when i do actually play something really good doesnt say anything and he walks off half way through the piece i'm playing :(
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 19
metal_carnage
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metal_carnage
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01/22/2004 4:28 pm
My dad is like ok that sounds nice. now play some more :P
he loves good guitar music so when I play he tends to listen with half an ear. Then I suddenly get a msn message saying: Seek N Destroy!!
I turn the volume up enough so he can hear it :P and the neighboors ofcourse :)

most of the time he isnt listening though... he made me a compliment after my first gig, but most of the time ts just keep on playing you! :)

I will note my dad in my speech when im realy famous :P
# 20

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