Stage Fright

[Mike Warren]

My phobia is different in that I find it difficult to record - ridiculous when you think that you always get another go (especially in your own studio) and you can do so much to clean up stuff these days, but there it is - I tend to play much more conservatively, stiffen up and worry about mistakes. Which then lead to mistakes, of course!

 

Oh yes. I stiffen up too, and often find I completely forget what I'm supposed to be playing.

 

[Phred]

...look at the people...not the audience.. the people.

 

This might be odd, and unusual for some of you, but when I get nervous (stage fright) is when there are very few people. Or when someone is playing close attention to just me.

 

I have played a gig for 4,500 people once and we had 500 - 700 on the dance floor (BIG dance floor). I was blown away. Not a iota of fear. But if I have a few people who are very interested in ME, and what I am playing, that's when I get nervous. I kinda feel that if they watch too closely, they'll figure out that I am a hack. They'll see the smoke and mirrors...

 

 

[fjzingo]

To not stiffen up whe recording I usually record set my sequenser on repeat, the first take might be stiff or the best:)

 

If record with full band, being well rehearsed is the answer.

 

Sometimes playing stiffer while recording can help you from overplaying.

 

Must agree that playing for few people of importance is much worse than 5000 who looks at the singer anyway, or perhaps are lost in the eyes of who they are dancing with.

 

/Fredrik

[Mogut]

I've had stage fright so bad my hands were shaking. (2) Shots of Crown before every gig became mandatory for me ever since.

[SK]

My phobia is different in that I find it difficult to record - ridiculous when you think that you always get another go (especially in your own studio) and you can do so much to clean up stuff these days, but there it is - I tend to play much more conservatively, stiffen up and worry about mistakes. Which then lead to mistakes, of course!

That's been the case with me too, Aidan, in live studio sessions. I've never felt right about someone saying "play" when the light goes on. (maybe studio fright instead of stage fright.)

 

Often I'll think my playing sucks in that controlled situation, whereas I could be fine to play anything before or after the session. I also think a piano player is more of a victim in those circumstances, since we have to rely on a provided piano, new acoustics, etcs., while all other players and singers can walk in with their own personal instruments.

 

That's a big reason why I home record so much now, to become at ease with the process. Even now, doing home recording, I'm never quite as free or adventurous as I am on a gig.

[Joe P]

I'm never quite as free or adventurous as I am on a gig.

 

Indeed, the recorded note lives on and on, the live note exists for a mere moment. Don't record your gigs!

 

Just kidding. I try to record as much of our live stuff as I can. Video too. Becomes part of the job, you get used to it. Of course, we are only playing rock and blues covers in bars....maybe a festival or two...

 

 

 

Regards,

Joe

[Mogut]

I try to record as much of our live stuff as I can. Video too. Becomes part of the job, you get used to it.

 

Sometimes reviewing gig video is hard to watch too.

[Jamie Finstad]

I've had stage fright so bad my hands were shaking.

 

... and then my hands start sweating and sliding on the keys.

 

Jamie

[GDP]

................But if I have a few people who are very interested in ME, and what I am playing, that's when I get nervous. I kinda feel that if they watch too closely, they'll figure out that I am a hack. They'll see the smoke and mirrors...

 

That's just an awesome statement, man! Especially if its another respected keyboardist

[theGman]

I've had stage fright so bad my hands were shaking. (2) Shots of Crown before every gig became mandatory for me ever since.

 

Same here, except Wild Turkey.

[Dave Horne]

I've had stage fright so bad my hands were shaking. (2) Shots of Crown before every gig became mandatory for me ever since.

 

Same here, except Wild Turkey.

 

What do you do if it's a very early job?

[JpScoey]

I've had stage fright so bad my hands were shaking. (2) Shots of Crown before every gig became mandatory for me ever since.

 

Same here, except Wild Turkey.

 

What do you do if it's a very early job?

 

Hey Dave - the guy's a muso..... what does it matter what time of day it is?

 

[Phred]

................But if I have a few people who are very interested in ME, and what I am playing, that's when I get nervous. I kinda feel that if they watch too closely, they'll figure out that I am a hack. They'll see the smoke and mirrors...

 

That's just an awesome statement, man! Especially if its another respected keyboardist

 

Don't I know it. There is one guy in my area who is a great blues piano, stride player, and likes to come to my bands gigs. I have I hard time playing when he is around, but he has never said anything.

 

Funny story kind of about that... There is a blues band that I have filled in with a few times that has since hired a full time keys player. One night I was watching them play and I noticed the keyboard player didn't take any solos. When I played with them I played a solo on almost every tune.

 

At break I was talking to the guitar player (band leader) and mentioned "what happened to the keys solos...". He laughed and said that the guy was too shy to solo in front of me - as he had heard the recordings of me playing the same tunes... I asked him if I should leave. Pretty funny.

[B3_borne]

................But if I have a few people who are very interested in ME, and what I am playing, that's when I get nervous. I kinda feel that if they watch too closely, they'll figure out that I am a hack. They'll see the smoke and mirrors...

 

That's just an awesome statement, man! Especially if its another respected keyboardist

 

That happen to me last night at a gig. Keith Emerson was in the audience and I knew it. I never get nervous on stage ... but Keith's presents rattle me. Then in the middle of a raggie groove (I'm on tour with a reggie artist) a hand flies passed me and starts playing my snyth while I was playing the Hammond. Keith and I seg-wayed into some Prog Rock jam over the reggie groove for about 10 mins and I started to settle down ... I was fine after that.

 

I'm playing Fanfare for the Common Man with Keith on Thrusday Night ... What can I say the guy was a GOD back in my Prog Rock days (early 70's) and still is in my eyes.

 

Ron

[frogmonkey]

Then in the middle of a raggie groove (I'm on tour with a reggie artist) a hand flies passed me and starts playing my snyth while I was playing the Hammond. Keith and I seg-wayed into some Prog Rock jam over the reggie groove for about 10 mins and I started to settle down ... I was fine after that.

 

Wait... you mean to say that suddenly and unexpectedly you noticed that Keith Emerson was onstage with you, playing your rig with you? That sounds like it could be unsettling, to say the least

 

I get nervous whenever I play a gig where people sit quietly and listen attentively. I get to wishing they'd dance, or clink some glasses, or talk or something

[B3_borne]

Then in the middle of a raggie groove (I'm on tour with a reggie artist) a hand flies passed me and starts playing my snyth while I was playing the Hammond. Keith and I seg-wayed into some Prog Rock jam over the reggie groove for about 10 mins and I started to settle down ... I was fine after that.

 

Wait... you mean to say that suddenly and unexpectedly you noticed that Keith Emerson was onstage with you, playing your rig with you? That sounds like it could be unsettling, to say the least

 

I get nervous whenever I play a gig where people sit quietly and listen attentively. I get to wishing they'd dance, or clink some glasses, or talk or something

 

Yea .... unexpectedly. It had the opposite affect on me I settle down and started playing like I know how.

 

Ron

[Gary75]

Holy cow, Keith Emerson sharing keys on stage with you! I'm trying to picture if I would up my playing or fall to pieces, I'd hope it would be the former! To enjoy the moment, of playing with a hero. Tell me, how is his hands doing?

[B3_borne]

Not good ... looks like arthritis or CT, his fingers were very stiff and lacking dexterity... he said "Oww that hurts" a couple of times, when he was playing ... I didn't bring up the subject after the set when we were talking ... so sad. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Keith not to be able to play at the level he once did.

 

The event was filmed ... we have a film crew follows us around on this tour. But I don't expect to see any footage for awhile.

 

Keith came across as a very gracious person .. no rock star syndrome and he made me feel welcome to comp to what he was doing ... so I'm sure you or any player on this forum would've felt comfortable playing with Keith.

 

Realy looking forward to playing Fanfare for the Common Man with Keith ...

 

It definitely will be one of the high point in my life.

Ron

[Joe P]

Not good ... looks like arthritis or CT, his fingers were very stiff and lacking dexterity... he said "Oww that hurts" a couple of times, when he was playing ... I didn't bring up the subject after the set when we were talking ... so sad. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Keith not to be able to play at the level he once did.

 

The event was filmed ... we have a film crew follows us around on this tour. But I don't expect to see any footage for awhile.

 

Keith came across as a very gracious person .. no rock star syndrome and he made me feel welcome to comp to what he was doing ... so I'm sure you or any player on this forum would've felt comfortable playing with Keith.

 

Realy looking forward to playing Fanfare for the Common Man with Keith ...

 

It definitely will be one of the high point in my life.

Ron

 

Dude!

 

I remember you posting about it a couple weeks back. Man, that is cool, we need details, pics video everything.

 

And it is not necessarily a thread hijack, Keith himself suffered from stage fright. Unfortunately, his solution was cognac.

 

Regards,

Joe

[Phred]

Whoa - that's amazing. I'd probably say something into the mic "Ladies and Gentlemen! Keith Emerson!" and then go sit down in the audience.

 

Craziness.

[Dave Horne]

I had an incident many years ago and used my nerves for my own benefit. A hot shot piano player was standing in front of me while I was playing a job. I was filling in for another band and this other piano player and I had a history.

 

Since I knew he had much faster technique than I, I decided to play a block chord solo in the George Shearing style of playing. I could read his face and knew that not only was he impressed, he couldn't have done it - he was just a single line soloist.

 

I don't really get nervous anymore as I prepare myself before all jobs. I refuse to take book a job for anything less than three days after I return from vacation.

[Bill H.]

My advice to B3boy is to just play, play, and play some more. But once the material is worked up, not at home. You've got to get out there and perform in public.

 

It's a whole different regimen when there's anyone at all listening to you. That's the experience you need in order to get over the jitters. And it's easy if you are willing to play for little or nothing. It can be senior centers - it doesn't matter who the people listening are, they just have to be people and not the walls of your house.

 

You can rehearse forever at home but chances are you'll still wilt the first time you step up in front of an audience. That's just a wholly different thing.

 

There's no shame in playing for free if you are getting something out of it. As an example, I play for free at my mother's assisted care center several times a year. What I get out of it is my mom's appreciation. It makes her happy.

[Dave Ferris]

There's no shame in playing for free if you are getting something out of it. As an example, I play for free at my mother's assisted care center several times a year. What I get out of it is my mom's appreciation. It makes her happy.

 

Very cool

 

I'll tell a little story hopefully not too long-

 

One Summer Tuesday night maybe 18-20 years ago I was playing at this local bar/restaurant here in Glendale. To most older serious players, this place has a long history of hiring shall we say the not so much creme of the crop cats. Not all of the time but generally speaking. The piano seriously blows, the PA sounds like a Shure Vocalmaster--maybe worse! The audience has never been knowledgeable about Jazz or into listening. The only thing that MIGHT get their attention is some Sax player up there wacking off, honkin' at Stadium Rock venue level, doing circular breathing BS ala Kenny G. In other words not a place one goes to in town if one is inclined to hear serious music. Mention the name of the club to anyone who has been around and the usual reaction would be

 

HOWEVER, the food is out of this world, everything on the menu kills!

 

Now that I've laid the initial groundwork---I was there with this not so good sax player. He didn't do any theatrics, he was just basically pretty lame. We somehow had a steady Tuesday for about 6 months ( I think he might have been dating someone in the office that booked the place) and he left me in charge to get the Bass & Drummer--that was the the only saving grace of the gig. This guy would muddle around awhile and then the trio was free to play has we wanted---the fun then started.

 

We were going through the first set warmup motions has usual trying to hear ourselves but not overwhelm the diners who are 10 feet away stage left. I remember being in the middle of a solo and my soulmate, the late, great bassist Eric Von Essen yelling at me..."hey Ferris!" I thought that's very unusual for Eric, he never does anything like that. I look over at him and he's nudging his head real hard to his right trying not to take his fingers off the bass but obviously wanting me to look over towards the dining area. I'm scanning the crowd with my eyes thinking WTF is he talking about and all of a sudden my heart drops in my stomach has my eyes focus on a very familiar face......it's friggin' Chick Corea sitting there having dinner looking directly at me.

 

Well needless to say my whole comfort/familiarity/ here I am again/I really hate this place/ zone changed in an instant. Eric and I looked each other and both our eyes got huge. We finished the tune and Eric whispered over to the drummer. We all just looked at each other and it was like ...whoa!! No one said anything to the Sax player, he called one of his lame originals that we used to do during the first set...it was hilarious, we all said in unison has if on cue...."nah, let's do something else". Eric suggested "Soul Eyes" since it was a Ballad and at the point in the evening you could still hear yourself play. We launched into it, I was trying not to be too obvious by continually looking over Chick's way but I couldn't get out of my head of this HUGE "presence" to my right. Every note, voicing, phrase of mine from that point on became magnified like X 1000! I don't recall really freezing up but just playing with the concentration that I was auditioning for Bird's Quartet upstairs with Bud Powell looking over my shoulder.

 

I do remember at first I was ok and the further we got into it my brain started way over second-guessing. I got into this horrible mode of: "he's listening and hearing EVERYTHING I'm doing"..." I should have practiced LONGER and HARDER" ..."I suck" ..."Oh great, why did I play that there, I know he thinks that stupid line sucks" "I started studying way too late, I'll never be good, why did I waste all those years in my teens"?

"That's not hip enough, too Be Bop, now he really thinks I sound white"..." "By now I just know that he generally thinks I suck".

ALL of these very negative thoughts when in fact I'll bet he was just probably enjoying the excellent Steak & Lobster.

 

From what I remember, this was a long time ago, we maybe played a Jobim Bossa and then something like Scrapple to finish out the set.

 

Well of course we went over to the booth, it was Chick and Gayle and two friends of theirs. Chick was very cordiale and supportive..."Yeah you guys sound good, I love Soul Eyes and some of the other stuff". I don't know Chick but he came across has very sincere. He looked over at me and said, "How's the piano"? I said something like..."Typically brutal". He shook his head in acknowledgement saying, "I know what you're up against here, sounding good, stay with it, keep practicing". That broken sentence will stay with me the rest of my life.

 

Of course the word got out that Chick was there and a few people started coming up to him---he didn't seem too crazy about that although he was again cordiale to everyone but obviously just wanted to finish dinner. The Sax player at the beginning of the 2nd set makes the announcement..."Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a special guest in the house tonight ...." Surprisingly (probably not so much has when I now look back at it) there was only a smattering of applause and an overall puzzled look among the people in the Bar area of......Who?!?

 

Chick gets up there and being the experienced somewhat entertainer (and I don't mean that in a condescending way) that he is shouted out --REQUESTS ?

Someone in typical fashion yelled out Take 5..actually we heard someone call out Sweet Home Alabama. Chick said OK we'll do Take 5. He started in on the infamous opening vamp, the tempo he set was definitely brighter than the original but certainly doable . They all sounded good together, the Tenor player, obviously digging deeper than he normally would, was playing the head in tune for a change He didn't blow has long has usual, I think he probably was a little overwhelmed by the situation. Chick took a real nice solo although I could tell he was scuffling a bit on the "Old Chang" has we used to call that dog. He was doing some repeated note and two hand connected riffs that would be real hard to execute on that beast. They finished and there was a big roar from the crowd....turns out the Dodgers has just hit a Home Run and gone ahead of the Giants. Oh well. Welcome to my world Mr. Corea

 

He got down then because I think Gayle had ordered one of their killer desserts. They stayed for maybe two more tunes and then split waving goodbye has they were exiting out the back door into the alley.

 

I wouldn't say I had stage fright per se but certainly it put me in a zone that I wasn't used to being accustomed to---which is good. Jeez this went on longer than I expected...sorry.

[Mike Warren]

Jeez this went on longer than I expected...sorry.

 

No need to be sorry. I enjoyed the story. Thanks.

 

[Eric Jx]

Great story! Just Great!

[SK]

Excellent story, Dave.

 

That almost happened to me. I was doing a Sunday jazz brunch gig in a hotel once with a strong quartet and great drummer. The saxophone player was good and he was also learning to play piano at the time. So being a brunch, I let him try one song, and I went for a walk.

 

When I came back, standing on the balcony above watching the band was Chick Corea. He heard the sax player play piano, and left. When I went back up to play, the drummer told me he was there for the whole song and it was the most embarrassing moment of his life.

[Dave Ferris]

Thanks everyone. It was a great experience, once he left I remember the guys commenting on how much more authoritative and inspired I sounded for the rest of the night.....if that won't do it what will!?

 

I was younger in my early to mid 30s then. Today I think I would probably be a lot more comfortable in my own skin then I was back then.

 

I searched the thread and to my surprise no one put this up, unless I missed it. Maybe I'm really showing my age but this was one of my all time favorite songs and albums. I think it pertains here. Still sounds great "after all these years"....I think they call that timeless.

 

[B3_borne]

Great story Dave

 

You hit the nail on the head Dave ... that exactly how I was feeling. It was weird

 

Ron

[Moonglow]

Not good ... looks like arthritis or CT, his fingers were very stiff and lacking dexterity... he said "Oww that hurts" a couple of times, when he was playing ...

Sad news. Man, I wonder how he's going to play that one-off ELP show next July?

[Gary75]

Is his hand condition due to the way he played stacked keyboards, or is it just a generic condition anyone can develop? In these days where one keyboard can cover everything, do you think there is a phase after the standard pianist and before the one board answer where keyboard players had to stack rigs and have very unnatural hand posture? I guess I'm talking the 70's here.