When did you decide to perform?

[phxguy]

There have been a few threads recently regarding confidence, stage fright, etc. and it got me thinking about how and when did you feel ready to perform or play out at an open mic for example. There are obviously many members on the forum that do perform both professionally and others at amateur events and I would love to hear the stories from you when you felt you were ready to give it a go. Did you just know that you were talented, was it just because you wanted to do it and really didn't care if people would like what you did, etc. I haven't as of yet performed in public and wonder should I or shouldn't I at this point. I guess you could say I keep asking myself am I good enough yet where people will enjoy what I do and I can't seem to find the right measuring stick, if that makes any sense.

[posternutbag]

There was never a time when I was unwilling to perform in front of an audience. Correspondingly, I have never felt "ready" for any performance, ever.

I think that if you wait until you are "ready," you will never do it. I believe that if performance is something you want to do, you should begin as soon as you can play something. This doesn't mean you should jump on stage or barge your way into a jam as soon as you can play "Three Blind Mice." Start slowly, performing in front of friends and family in private and begin to look for a beginner jam or open mic. When you find one, go observe to get a sense of how "beginner friendly" it is. Then you can judge when you are ready for a debut.

[Toby Walker]

Someone once said that when you're starting out you need to practice at 125% before you hit the stage because you'll probably lose some of that percentage by the time you're on the stage. It's normal to be nervous but don't let that inhibit you. Know your material inside-out, backwards and forwards and then despite the butterflies get up there and do it.

The more you do it the better you'll get at it. It's like anything else... confidence doesn't come easy but it does come eventually.

[mr. beaumont]

I was 14 and too dumb to realize there was such a thing as "not ready."

I highly recommend my method. I've been performing ever since...20 years. Never once concerned about how good I really was, only with "can I play these songs or not?"

if you can play the songs, tell any inhibitions to take a hike. All across America tonight there's 100 bands/artists playing out despite the fact they can't play the songs. Get out there and do it.

a wise player once told me, if you think you're ready to gig, you were ready three months ago. If you don't think your ready, you're still ready. If you think you're God's gift to guitar, you got a lot of work to do before you're ready for anything.

[ljguitar]

Hi phx...

Started lessons in 3rd grade, and assumed from the beginning I'd be playing in front of people.

In fact I started performing in front of people in 3rd grade.

[guitarjamman]

After 15 years I am still not ready to play! My interest in guitar never put me in front of people on a stage, I play for the mental exercise and personal enjoyment while sitting on the couch.

That said, I have played in front of my wife while she cringes with a smile on the couch, and played in front of the dogs while they run away howling in terror.

[Pualee]

I started playing in front of others after 3 months...

Ooops. I'm in my 30's and used to play trumpet in middle school. It was only natural to me that if I play, I have to perform as well. I tried and failed several times in front of a forgiving audience (church). I stepped back, and tried real hard for another 6 months (now) and have an hour of music prepared between me and my son (7 years old) to play for a men's group in 3 weeks

I really don't know if I'm ready again or not... but I'm better than I was 6 months ago, and not as good as I'll be next year.

----

I'm thinking I am <almost> satisfied with my 'rythm guitar' and want to switch to some different forms of accompanyment, and also start some lead in praise, and also blues...

So maybe I have to start finding a new teacher soon, or maybe I can find time for 2 teachers?

----

Preparing to perform for others makes you better. It gives you a focus and drive you won't have otherwise. My advice... get some easy songs and do it. Then get some more songs and do it again!

[RevGeo]

I guess I'm just a ham. I've never not wanted to perform. My first paying gig was in 1969. Got five bucks and a plate of lasagna. The best and worst thing that ever happened is when somebody actually gave me a buck to play.
I never even considered 'being ready'. I just went for it and have never looked back.

Rev George

[6L6]

When I was in 8th Grade (1960) my English teacher enrolled me in a public speaking forum/contest sponsored by The Optimist Club International. My instructors were college professors and the training was terrific.

It was the best course I ever took and it got me to where I felt totally comfortable doing public speaking at a young age.

That experience carried on through as I learned to play guitar and by my second year of college I was performing both solo and in a Folk music trio. I've never been nervous performing or speaking to groups of folks thanks to that early exposure.

A big "HAT'S OFF" to Tracy Cogswell, my 8th Grade teacher!

The Optimist Club hosted Public Speaking contests (the same program is still around today). You had to write a speech, and memorize it before delivering it.
That was good experience for playing music.

If you want to lose a crowd instantly, take sheet music up on stage with you and look at it while you play. Nothing turns a crowd off faster than that! Memorize what you're going to play and have constant eye contact with the folks you're performing for.

Always.

That goes back to the suggestion above that suggests you PRACTICE the piece(s) you're going to perform until you know them absolutely cold. No need for crib sheets if you do this!

Good luck.

[Mr Fixit eh]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

I think that if you wait until you are "ready," you will never do it.

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

a wise player once told me, if you think you're ready to gig, you were ready three months ago. If you don't think your ready, you're still ready. If you think you're God's gift to guitar, you got a lot of work to do before you're ready for anything.

There's alot of truth to these two statements.

I organized a Christmas carol singalong at a local nursing home one year after I started playing the guitar. Probably not my smartest move, but at least I had the good sense to invite an experienced guitar player to join me. And I've been playing out ever since.

You'll find that nursing homes and hospitals are very eager and forgiving audiences. I'd suggest finding another singer or musician to join you, it helps to reduce the 'stage fright' You'll be more comfortable, and to some extent, you'll cover up each other's 'sins'.

It's also good to make sure that you can play your song selection fairly comfortably and not totally 'suck'. I'd recommend that you record yourself. At first you'll probably say to yourself that you'll never be fit to play for another living soul - ever! But after working at your songs for a few months, you'll likely feel ready to go out into the spotlight.

[RustyAxe]

I thought of performing from the first time I mastered a C chord on the guitar at age 13. I had been playing piano and accordion for over 7 years at that point, knew music and theory, and had performed in public on many occasions. I would sit on the edge of my bed with my guitar, facing the large dresser mirror, and fancy myself playing for an audience. Coincidentally I played my first "real" gig, on bass guitar that same year. I don't think I actually got a guitar gig (solo guitar/vocal) until I was about 17. Been giggin' since (I'm 59 now).

[Methos1979]

My wife and I started an acoustic duo gig back in January. I had been playing for a while before that and was pretty comfortable with most open and barre chords so once the wife (vocals) was up to speed we went for it.

We probably had 10 or so songs 'down', very simplified versions of very mellow songs. We went to a local open mic and left our equipment in the car to gauge the crowd and performances. There weren't many people there and the performers abilities ran the gamut.

So after a couple brews we went out and got our stuff and played just three songs. We were nervous as heck and I'm sure we sucked but no one threw stuff at us, so bonus. We kept going back until the gig got canceled and now we are considering running our own open mic somewhere.

For us, this whole thing was predicated upon the fact that we are not doing it for money or fame - just for fun. If you have that attitude then you can do no wrong. Even if you suck you can still have fun! Go for it.

[JonPR]

All good stuff above. My first gig was an open mic, 10 months after first picking up a guitar. (I was quite old by then, 17.)
I was only strumming a few cowboy chords, hiding behind a singer and another (slightly better) guitarist. And it was only 3 songs.
My first full-length gig with the whole band was a couple of weeks after that - but then I was playing washtub bass, so I don't know if that counts...

But the comments of posternutbag and mr beaumont that lj quotes are right on the money. Personally I just wanted to be up there on stage with my mates, even before I could play anything at all. I don't know why (I was a shy guy), it just felt like a primal urge. "Ready" meant being able to play 3 or 4 chords, and remember my way through 3 or 4 simple songs. (Or twang a washtbub bass in time, of course.)

Even when you're starting out, you're a better guitar player than most (if not all) of your audience, who can't play at all! And they're not generally looking for technical skill anyway; they want to hear a good song, played (at least sung) competently.
Toby's exactly right about the "125%", but you can look at it the other way: only ever choose songs that require 75% (or less) of your technical skill; don't play a song you've only just mastered. Even if you don't lose that 25%, use it to add expression/feeling.

47 years after that first gig, I'm still too self-conscious on stage. Still feel like an amateur. Luckily I'm still a sideman most of the time, someone else (the singer) is running the show and getting most of the attention. When I occasionally do a solo open mic, I feel like a nervous beginner all over again. I want to be there, more than anything, but - aaagh! they're all looking at me!
But you always look more relaxed than you feel, so don't let nerves get to you. When I see video of myself on stage, I always look calm and in control - often boringly so.

[GuitarDogs62]

Soon as I could change basic chords consistantly and could start playing songs is when I started the weekly Jamming session. I played the first year nothing but rythm and learned to play different rythm /backup strums that others were more than happy to show me. This also forced me to want to learn and play better and excellerated my learning of the guitar that much more. Now I have taken on breaks and also sing and play in the jam as well.