[Harp-L] Stage Fright

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 12:57:14 -0500> From: "Abner Galdos" <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica for Dummies> To: "Richard Hunter" <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>,> 	<harptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> > Question:>  How did you lose your fear of being on stage ?>  Fear of making a mistake ?>  How do you get the confidence when some other band member makes a mistake and you don't fumble?> > abner (blueyes, 48 yr old freshman to the blues)For me, it was learning the instrument AND music theory sufficiently to feel comfortable playing. Initially, I was scared to death of making a mistake. My older brother (a pro keyboardist) helped me with that. He pointed out where he or other musicians had made mistakes, without compromising the song. One of the most important things to realize is that the audience (in most cases) are actually wishing you success, and are not nearly as critical of a wrong pitch (occasionally) as we are of ourselves. You do NOT have to be "perfect" (whatever that means) in order to play enjoyable music. When you are playing for an audience, pick one person (perhaps someone who came specifically to support you) and play directly for them and them alone at least some of the time. It will increase your self-confidence when you see them smiling, nodding and enjoying what you're playing. When I realized that keeping TIME is much more important than the specific PITCH of the notes, it was quite liberating. I did an experiment at my Harmonica Club. I first played a simple song, keeping with the timing but varying the pitch of every melody note. I was not really improvising, just deliberately playing the "wrong" pitch. The second time through, I played the melody but "missed the beat" so to speak; the rhythm was all wrong. The other club members thought the first rendition sounded pretty good. They were begging me  to stop playing the second rendition within two bars. KEEP IN TIME, even if the notes are totally wrong. If you have to, play percussively on the home chord in time with the rhythm until you can get back in sync. That old melody "hound dog" has to go home eventually. Having some knowledge of chords and the notes that make them up AND where those notes are located on your harp is very helpful when you make an unintended mistake. Rather than panicking (NEVER stop playing unless you are just totally lost), move quickly through the intervening notes (in the scale or chord) towards one of the chord notes and get back in sync.  If you do it smoothly and in time with the rhythm, you may even get congratulated for your brilliant improvising! Know where your "home" (tonic) notes are, and where the "avoid" notes are. When you get off, drop out for a short time, and then pick back up at a chord change with the appropriate note. This requires that you LISTEN at least as much as you play. Know the basic chord changes for the style of music AND the particular song. The traditional 12-bar blues format has a set chord progression. Memorize it; after all, there are only three basic chords used. (Yes, I am well aware that there are many variations on the theme. However, you can get by with knowing the root triads and falling back on them if needed to re-sync.) One of the great things about playing with other musicians is the capability to rely on them to carry things if you get stuck or lost. Trust your band mates to carry you, and then, when one of them gets lost, you carry them. Things will go much better if you approach playing from a cooperative viewpoint rather than a competitive viewpoint. Always leave "space" for the others to shine. As someone remarked about Miles Davis and John Coltrane, if you are trying to play continuously so that you don't lose your place in the song, "Take the *@#* harp out of your mouth!" Playing LESS is definitely MORE musical. Forget about emulating John Popper or Jason Ricci or Sugar Blue or PT Gazell or Charlie McCoy or any of the other  legendary fast players. There's not one thing wrong with any of those players, but until you  build your chops sufficiently, leave the fast stuff to those who've spent decades perfecting it. You too can get there, but you will have to "pay your dues" just like them. (As an aside, please don't flame me because it sounds like I am dissing your favorite player in the list above. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those players and their fantastic playing skills, fast or slow.) Just some thoughts off the top of my head... HTH, Crazy Bob
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