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How to get over a bad gig?


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It's gonna happen again. Just wait until you get old! If I leave out the one young 20 something member, my band's average age is about 68. We have several lead singers and they forget lyrics all the time. One night China Grove was called and the guitar player started Rockin Down the Highway.

 

Now the young member remembers lyrics, but often forgets to prep his instruments and have them on hand. He plays saxes, accordion, percussion, etc. Friday night we started Listen To The Music in which he has a harmonica solo. He disappeared out the front door when the song started to retrieve it from his car, making it back in time for the solo.

 

Since I control the lights, I have instituted a policy of hitting the strobe for a couple seconds when somebody messes up. We all get a laugh and the audience is rarely the wiser.

Moe

---

 

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One of my worst "wrong patch" moments. The band goes directly from VH Black and Blue into Def Leppard Rock of ages. The drum beats are similar with the cow bell. The way it's supposed to go is that after a few measures of drum beat with the cow bell, it stops on the downbeat and I trigger a sample of the beginning of Rock of ages...the "oomda, eeemda....whatever". You get the idea, then drums come back in. Well I forgot to change patches so there was single piano note.....a C no less, not even in the key....with everything else, drums included dropped out. Just all eyes on me playing a single C on the piano and holding it for a measure. Not much else to do at that point. Even if I switched patches, too late to retrigger it since it's a measure long and in time. Oh, and this was an outdoor venue with huge production and probably 800 people.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Last night was a great gig, and nothing could have made it suck, but I had a nightmare moment. We do Thriftshopping, and I just cue backing tracks while the drummer/guitarist rap (it's just a schtick). I purposefully set it up so that I have to hold my finger down on the key to keep it going. I always worried that one day I might flinch and it would stop. I was having technical difficulties with my keytar last night and trying to fix it with one hand while holding down the note in the other... and WHOOOPS, I let go about 40secs into the song. Thankfully, everyone was in great spirits and we had a fantastic crowd, so we just started over and made a joke of it... night went on without a hitch.

Puck Funk! :)

 

Equipment: Laptop running lots of nerdy software, some keyboards, noise makersâ¦yada yada yadaâ¦maybe a cat?

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First post; been lurking for about a year, after I got back into regular gigging after a couple decades of mostly being away from the stage.

 

So anyway, had an awful gig today.

Welcome, jones-y! Same as you, I lurked here for years before finally starting to engage with the guys and gals in this forum. Was so glad when I did start - very cool people as you've already seen.

 

As you have now seen, EVERYONE has gig "fail" stories. It's a function of playing live music repeatedly in an environment where there are multiple variables to deal with - some of them not directly under your control.

 

I have selected wrong patches, played wrong intros, played in the wrong key, played the wrong song, stuffed up solos, triggered the wrong sample, you name it. And then the second set was even worse!

 

When I do make errors I pretend I'm having a great time on stage (while I quietly wish a hole would swallow me up) and try to remember that while I'm feeling awful, it's not all about me. The quicker I can get my head out of my own backside the quicker I can contribute meaningfully and productively again to the band. Cricketers never mean to drop catches, but if they sook about it for the next five overs instead of getting their head back in the game, they might also drop the next one.

 

Then a quick and humble "sorry fellers" to my band mates at the set break works wonders.

 

Go well!

 

 

 

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. One night China Grove was called and the guitar player started Rockin Down the Highway.

 

I saw Tom Johnston do the same thing at a concert in the 80's. Not those exact songs, I think he launched into Without You, got a few bars into it by himself, rock star pose and everything, finally it dawned on him that the rest of the band was just watching him play the wrong song.

 

You'll always have bad gigs, but the definition of what that is will change. Maybe it's not making bonehead mistakes, maybe it's just playing the same licks you've heard yourself play a million times so that you're just disgusted with your lack of originality and feel like you should just quit and work on your tennis game instead. The struggle to surpass your own standards never ends, and that's a good thing.

 

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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How did I screw up? Let me count the ways ...

started in the wrong key

started the wrong song

completely forgot the solo intro that I've played many times

forgot the signature riff that I've played many times

played the signature riff in the wrong key

went completely blank just as the song was counted off

forgot the ending that we rehearsed just a few days ago

came in at the wrong place

didn't come in at the place I was supposed to

and on and on and on ...

 

These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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Floyd:

at 2:17 bad first notes

 

Van Halen classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXPM6d9IdiY

 

In the end, nobody will remember your faults, only you for a short time.

There is a big chance that only a few people will notice this and then only the musicians, that are probably wasted already...

 

I made many mistakes, just smile and continue. Also helps if you do not look at the musician that makes the mistake.

 

 

Nord Piano 5-73, Nord Stage 3
Author of QSheets: The fastest lead sheet viewer in the world that also plays Audio Files and send Program Changes!
https://qsheets.eriknie.synology.me/

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I don't post on here very often because I gave up performing some years ago and I am now 82, but I like to read fellow musician's comments - it brings it all back! The worst thing that can happen is that the band fires you, and second worst that they refuse to pay you for the gig. Both you can easily recover from. So your mistakes were most probably only obvious to fellow band members and I can assure you that they will all have made similar mistakes at some time during their musical careers. If it's something that can be rectified, you will autiomatically take care of it. Don't beat yourself up over this otherwise that might cause you to do it again, Heaven forbid! :-)
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There is an old saying that "time heals all wounds" so eventually most learn that we all are just human and boo-boos are part of life. Forgive yourself and don't fret over the gig. Have you looked into the idea of using an Iphone or Ipad to program your patch set-ups? It's relatively easy to do, apps are cheap, and that takes away most of the worry. Forgive yourself and move on ! Don
Yamaha MOXF8, MOXF6, Radial Key Largo, Yamaha DXR 10's
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Bass player and I start the intro to a song, and he"s playing in the wrong key. We"ve done this song a hundred times.

 

Two bars in he realizes his mistake, gets a little 'oh crap" look on his face, and gets back in key.

 

I look over to him and (because I was recording that night) said with a big s$&t eating grin, 'I"ve got this on tape!'

 

Nobody in the audience understood why the two of us were doubled up with tears and laughter as the head kicked in.

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I've made some mistakes that are in the full on train wreck category. If you dwell on them, it will make the rest of the performance worse.

 

When I lived in Alaska, I had an instrumental that I had written called "Ronnie's Boogie". Started with walking octaves in the left hand. I screwed it up so badly one night that I had to stop. The guitar player joked, on mike, that I needed a shot to be able to play that properly. As if by magic several shots of my drink of choice showed up. I drank one of them with great flourish, then proceeded to play it perfectly.

 

Next night, the same thing happened. From that moment on, the song name changed to "Ronnie's Boogie, A.K.A. Playing For Shots"

"In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome.

So God helped him and created woman.

 

Now everybody's got the blues."

 

Willie Dixon

 

 

 

 

 

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I screwed it up so badly one night that I had to stop. The guitar player joked, on mike, that I needed a shot to be able to play that properly. As if by magic several shots of my drink of choice showed up. I drank one of them with great flourish, then proceeded to play it perfectly.

 

Next night, the same thing happened.

I need to tell my bands about this, and start making more mistakes onstage. :wink:

 

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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In my band, we like to say "If you don't have a Spinal Tap moment now and then, you're doing it wrong"

 

I've clammed an intro to songs I've played thousands of time. We just roll with it and continue.

 

As someone mentioned above, I, too, have seen Grammy winning seasoned touring pros have the occasional misstep. In addition to those listed, Bill Joel once stopped a song when he lost his place in the lyrics. He made light of it by saying something akin to, "now you can see it really is live."

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Jones-y - There's lots of great advice here. The only thing I have to add is my concern about the half of the band that is pissed at you. If they don't or won't get over it, be careful about them. The only reason to get pissed at a band member that screws up is if they keep doing it. I wouldn't stick around a band that had people treating me like that. Most cats will say, "don't worry, you'll get it right next time" and are cool about it. Anything else is their own problem. Hopefully they just had a moment and were frustrated at the time.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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I agree with everything Joe said above. I've made many mistakes, fellow band members have made many mistakes, and the only times I've ever been angry at fellow band members is when they don't cop to the mistake, repeatedly make the same mistake, and/or don't put in the energy to fix it, or for completely non-musical reasons to be angry at someone (for better or for worse).

 

I wouldn't say "forget" about the mistake you made, but use it as a tool to focus your practice time, and to be hyper-aware of that spot on the next gig.

My Site

Nord Electro 5D, Novation Launchkey 61, Logic Pro X, Mainstage 3, lots of plugins, fingers, pencil, paper.

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Bone Muskeleton, I agree it is a bit concerning having guys mad at me, but to be fair to them, it wasn't until after the second guffaw that they got sour. Normally there's a semi-serious 'you f-ed up but you're still my guy' kinda vibe. I'm pretty sure they aren't STILL mad right now today, but we'll see how practice goes Wednesday...

 

There is some subtext to this whole thing though. It's a bit much to get into, but the short of it is, the band leader has an evolving vision of the band's style, and based on certain comments from certain folks, it appears that maybe some of the longtime members don't want to go in that direction. The problem is he's sort of putting me in the middle of it. He's essentially asking me, the new guy, to be the torchbearer of the style adjustment, and it's starting to seem like they're holding it against me.

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There is some subtext to this whole thing though. It's a bit much to get into, but the short of it is, the band leader has an evolving vision of the band's style, and based on certain comments from certain folks, it appears that maybe some of the longtime members don't want to go in that direction. The problem is he's sort of putting me in the middle of it. He's essentially asking me, the new guy, to be the torchbearer of the style adjustment, and it's starting to seem like they're holding it against me.
Ah, the rest of the story ...

 

These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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Here's a favorite of mine (I thought of sharing this before I read the rest of the thread and saw that others had also posted some memorable, high-end musical screw-ups!), more proof that it happens to the best of us. This is from the David Letterman show in the 80's I think, 90's maybe. Notice how the guitarist Sid McGuinness starts the song by himsellf in the wrong key, which becomes apparent the instant everybody else comes in:

 

 

 

Rich Forman

Yamaha MOXF8, Korg Kronos 2-61, Roland Fantom X7, Ferrofish B4000+ organ module, Roland VR-09, EV ZLX12P, K&M Spider Pro stand,

Yamaha S80, Korg Trinity Plus

 

 

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A lot depends on how mistakes are handled. When someone messes up the agreed song structure in one band I'm playing with, instead of going with the flow as if nothing was wrong then discussing at the break or next practice, there's often an on-stage post-mortem and "joking" to the otherwise-none-the-wiser audience about how we stuffed it up. As Jackson Browne wrote (at age 16): "Don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them".

Kurzweil PC4, Expressive E Osmose, UNO Synth Pro, Hammond B-3X on iPad, Rhodes Mark II Stage 73, ART 710-A MK4s

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watching Monday Night Football. Imagine how you would feel as a pro football player and you fumble the ball and the opposing team recovers. On national television. How do you get over that bad gig?

 

So you blew the intro in your cover band at the local bar. Get over yourself.

These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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[As you have now seen, EVERYONE has gig "fail" stories.

NO NO NO. Not me. In approximately 4,000 gigs I have never made one mistake. Not from my first garage band to my current role as lead keyboardist and musical director for Taylor Swift, I have never had one error, no mental breakdowns, no forgotten notes, no vocal bobbles, no angry groupies, no equipment malfunctions. In the shockingly unthinkable circumstance that I was to make a mistake, I'm sure that I would handle it superbly and flawlessly.

 

Welcome to perfection Jones-y, that's how we roll around here. :roll:

Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

Tommy Rude Soundcloud

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If you"ve still got the job, it wasn"t a bad gig. It was a Good Story. ;-)

 

Ah, that moment when the band stares at you and you look blankly at the set list thinking 'wait, am I supposed to be playing something right now?'

Until the guitar player steps in and plays your intro hook.

 

Oh...right. That.

"The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk)

The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio

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