Welcome to the Acoustic Guitar Community.
1st Public Performance. WOW! How did you feel after your first time?
Well, I just tried to play for the first time in front of a real crowd (a little more than 60 folks at my college). Fortunately, I was mostly there to talk about blues music, but I wanted to demonstrate some stuff, which didn't go so well. Fortunately, I had another player who demonstrated what I said.
I opened for two great professionals (Mark Galup and Governor Davis & the Blues Ambassadors). Anyway, the talk part went great, while my playing stank, but I still feel good because I did something that scared me and survived. The pros really like what I said, and told me to keep working on the playing but they were extremely positive and supportive.
Now I know what to work on. I would have liked to play and sing better, but I think that I had to go through this to get to the next level. The feelings during performance were so much different than the what I feel while preparing.
What was your first time like? How did you feel afterwards?
Tags: first, performance
Views: 181
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Sheer on -
Thanks, Jason. Great topic for discussion, by the way.
-
Permalink Reply by Al Bettis on -
Wow...That sounds awesome! I play mostly christian tunes and my first performance will be the same way. I am really nervous though. Sounds like you did great!
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Sheer on
-
Al, all I can say is have fun and your nerves won't get the best of you. After about the second song I started flowing with the other band members and the energy of the crowd and my "deer in the headlights look" went away. At least that is what my buddy told me after the service. Oh and one more thing to think about when you are in front of the crowd, make a joyful noise and I know that the Lord will be pleased.
-
Permalink Reply by Tom Boyles on -
Now it's my turn.Spring Festival 1972 Linganore High School and I still get so nervous I can't spell or even type right.But I survived and I won't give up the experience or the memory.
-
Permalink Reply by Charles on -
I remember my first time well and it underscores a number of things related here already.
As a freshmen in college I had played a lot of guitar with a dorm mate. He was into Irish Music and I was into blues. However we learned to collaborate on a number of songs.
His girl friend was a music student and a very good singer. They came up with the idea to play as a trio at a student union gig. I agreed, however, after she chose the songs we would do (Joan Baez and PP&M) I was a little taken aback as we had never attempted these together (Know your MUSIC!)
Well we did the gig...we had rough spots but the crowd seemed to respond well. I had fun! I enjoyed performing.
My band mates felt otherwise...they wanted to rehearse the same set "to get it right". They were mortified of our rough spots. I responded that JB and PP&M music was OK but I did not want to concentrate on it.
I later joined open mics and hoots while in college with other players and had good fun at each. I never saw my original bandmates perform again (even though I thought they were very talented). I think their attempts at perfection got in their way of enjoyment.
-
Permalink Reply by Edward Sparks on -
Hi Jason,
Take it from a 30 year music vet...it's all uphill from the first time! Things may not go as planned from here on out, but you gain experience with each one!
Edward
http://mysite.verizon.net/emsparks/index.htm
-
Permalink Reply by Rev. Matt Fontana on -
My first time playing guitar ever was on Easter '09. I had just bought a new Ovation Celebrity CC44 which has great action and put new strings on the day before. Not only was I playing one song on the Ovation (Jesus Messiah), I was leading that song! It went fine. The only thing I didn't do right was hit the last chord on time.
My first experience in leading a full worship set was about seven months later. I was not given the exact details on arrivial times and the start of service, which meant due to having practice earlier I was late ; I had to deal with no possibility of putting the songs on powerpoint because the tech in charge of that was not there; and I had to cut my list short. When I was playing, there weren't that many problems other than trying to keep my pick in my hand so that was better than it could have been.
-
Permalink Reply by Jason Jimerson on -
Way to keep on keeping on. :)
-
Permalink Reply by Rev. Matt Fontana on
-
Yeah, thanks Jason.
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Dupuis on -
My first time performing in public with my guitar was my 9th grade talent show. I played in front of over 2000 people(yeah, you could say I was nervous!) and I did two songs I Saw The Light by Hank Williams Sr. and one of my own compositions, a song called Memories, which I had written for a girl I was smitten with. After I was done, I acutely remember getting two standing ovations and an encore but the school principal wouldn't allow me to go back on, as it wasn't fair to the other acts. How I felt afterward was indescribable! It was like nothing in the world to me, the positive energy was incredible! It was my mom's first time seeing me perform on stage and she cried.
Since then, I have gone on to play my music on many stages but I will always look fondly upon that first time!
-
Permalink Reply by Rev. Matt Fontana on
-
Wow that's great for a H.S. freshman! Even though I don't agree with it, I can understand the principal's no encore decision but then again really, I would have said why not.
-
Permalink Reply by Adam Hayes on -
I recently played out for the first time. It was for a group of older veterans at our VA hospital. What a rush that was! I couldn't have envisioned a better (and more forgiving) audience.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
Check Out the Latest in Acoustic Guitar
Featured Title
Free e-newsletter!
Sign up for Acoustic Guitar Weekly—the weekly e-mail newsletter that delivers coverage of players and gear, lessons and technique tips, and advice about performing and recording. Get it now!
Badge
FOLLOW US!
Be alerted to the latest articles on AcousticGuitar.com, including lessons, CD, guitar, and gear reviews, how-to tips, and player profiles.
© 2013 Created by Acoustic Guitar.
