Really Bad Open Mic Experience

[Dloz]

Originally Posted by yukonkornelius

I'm not even brave enough to try an open mic. Chin up!

I don't have the stones either. Kudos to you.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by roylor4

If you play in front of audiences this will happen. Bad night as a player. Forgetting the words to stuff you can normally play and sing in your sleep. Crummy and rude audiences. Right crowd, wrong songs. Right songs, wrong crowd.

This stuff happens. The earlier you are in your performing career, the more disheartening it can be. I have had gigs early on that made me want to quit too, most of us have.

There is no magic cure, only practicing and then showing up to play. The biggest breakthrough you will experience is when you get to the point of being able to shake it off. After that, all the other stuff gets easier.

Exactly, even now I'll occasionally blow a song just because performing is like that sometimes. Earlier in my career, it would have killed me for the night. Now I make a joke about it to my audience, we all share a laugh at my expense and I kick off the next song. I've discovered that people like to find out you're human every now and then.

[dalep]

Originally Posted by C.F. Angee

For y'all real amateurs out there: Open Mic and Here's Wonderwall types.

Have you ever had a really bad open mic -- or other -- experience that made you just want to stop?

On my 12th open mic I forgot words, had a stammer at the critical end of one song, and I made a disastrous mis-read of the audience. My sad song collection went very flat. So it felt all awful. Yuck.

And at the end of the week I am still feeling exposed, like I've just been a nuisance on the stage all those times and should stop bothering people.

Ever experienced this? Got any meds for it?

Meds: Jack D. One shot for openers, then on the rocks sipping as needed.

I suspect everyone has probably had that experience. I do not sing, but as a player I have been in spots where I have not been in key, off tempo or in the wrong part of a chord progression. Sometimes it happened because I couldn't hear it (age has not helped), sometimes it was because after the 1000 time in the tune I drifted off (attention). When younger I would occasionally be "chemically aided" which turns out is not an aid at all. I used them as learning experiences. An ego check as well. Use it.

[Methos1979]

I'm surprised (and a little disappointed) by the people that state they "pick apart performances looking for mistakes" at an open mic, especially from people on this forum. Open Mics to me are all about people not talented enough (with the occasional ringer) to get gigs to be able to perform in public. The few open mics I go to around where I live everyone understands that and everyone is encouraging and supportive.

I've had great performances and good performances. I've never had a really bad one but I always make mistakes. My worst performances are when I can't hear myself so I'm always freaking out that what we're playing sounds awful. I've hit wrong chords (called 'jazz chords') and once my wife (the vocalist) blew right past the whole bridge of a song and went into the outro. Fortunately I was able to just go with it and no one knew better.

A few tips I've learned in the short time I've been going:

1.) If you want to be heard (and hear yourself) go on a little later as the place clears out of the people not there to hear you (bar types) and it get's quieter.

2.) Conversely, if you don't want to be heard go on early. Few are paying attention and won't hear you anyway so no harm, no foul!

3.) If you get to know some of the regular faces, try to go on right after someone that is much worse than you! That way you'll be better by default.

4.) Conversely, don't go on after the sleeper that turns out is a touring pro that snuck in to have some low-key fun. Note: These guys can be hard to ferret out until it's too late!

We get there early enough to have a drink or two to loosen up a bit. Not too much though, just enough to take the edge off. For me that's two beers or one martini!

We typically have 10 songs ready to go and a set order. We never get to play that many but it's good to have extras in case someone plays something you planned to play before you get up there!

Start strong, finish strong. We put our best songs first and last. Start great and people are more likely to pay attention. End great and people will come up to you and compliment you.

Regardless of anything and everything, relax and enjoy. Tell a few self-effacing jokes to set the tone. We call ourselves, "Nobody You Know". Always gets a laugh and I follow that up with, "If you were here last week then we're "Someone You Vaguely Remember". Again, laughs and we're off to the races!

Don't let one bad night stop you.

[NavyChap]

We all experience those "senior moments" -- mine started in High School at a Christmas Assembly. I was doing a solo on stage -- got through the first verse and TOTALLY blanked on the second. I remember ending singing at the same time that the organ finished but have absolutely NO RECOLLECTION of what I sang.

Then in a parish we had a school assembly for Columbus day and I spoke very convincingly that Columbus discovered America in 1620! (DOH!)

[ceragan42]

I haven't played an open mic in over a decade. They're a fate worse than death.

That said, back in the late '90s, I'd drag my 5 piece band to multiple open mics per night. I called them "Technical Rehearsals", and they'd let us play more than our allotted two or three songs since there was 5 of us and we had multiple lead vocalists. It was great practice for the band. We got gigs out of them and developed a small following because of it.

[Steadfastly]

It didn't kill ya. Once you realize you're still alive, go and do it again. It usually can't get worse, only better.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by C.F. Angee

Got any meds for it?

Yes.
When performing, the average person loses 50% of their skill and memory.

The medicine is knowing your material 200% before performing it.
Then when you lose 50% you're down to 100%.

Fine print: All numbers in this post were pulled out of where the sun don't shine.

[TrapperB]

Originally Posted by C.F. Angee

For y'all real amateurs out there: Open Mic and Here's Wonderwall types.

Have you ever had a really bad open mic -- or other -- experience that made you just want to stop?

On my 12th open mic I forgot words, had a stammer at the critical end of one song, and I made a disastrous mis-read of the audience. My sad song collection went very flat. So it felt all awful. Yuck.

And at the end of the week I am still feeling exposed, like I've just been a nuisance on the stage all those times and should stop bothering people.

Ever experienced this? Got any meds for it?

Yup, don't worry about it. I've never done an open mic, can't even sing to my wife. You had more guts than most people. You pushed through a wall most of those people wouldn't. So their opinion doesn't matter.

[Sponserv]

Do yourself a favor. Google Super Bowl 51.

Watch Tom Brady play the worst post season half of his entire career.

Then watch the second half.

Everyone makes mistakes and has bad days. You absolutely have to put them behind you and move on.

Chin up

[Sasquatchman]

I played an open mic recently, it was officially called a "jam" but there was LOTS of time and only a few performers. I was really not ready with a pile of material, I kinda just went to check the place out.

On learning I could play half decent, I was pretty much invited to join the house band for basically the whole time, and invited to sing whatever I wanted a few times.

I know lots of songs, lots I have played out many times.

This time around.... mind a blank. Can't remember songs, chords, lyrics, like its awful.

I stumbled through some simple stuff - made a hash of Copperhead Road, Comfortably Numb, and a few others. Flat on my face man. Terrible.

After the show, I was packing up, and this little old lady walks up and says "I'm so glad you played Copperhead Road, it made my day! That's my favorite song!"

I was just shocked. So you never know who is listening, or who likes what you are doing even if the audience isn't going wild.

[piper_guitarist]

Yes. The last one I played I got booed off stage within the very first song. I will never, ever play another one. I'll stick to playing in the confines of my own home where I'm alone and can only bother myself.

[Photojeep]

I've never played an open mic but I'd like to sometime.

Having said that, I did screw up in front of God and everyone about 20 years ago in church. During Lent, choirs aren't supposed to sing "Alleluia" so about 30 seconds before I launched into the intro to the "Great Amen" we normally played it hit me I was about break that rule.

No worries, I'll just switch to the "slower" Amen we did occasionally so I quickly moved my fret hand to play the opening barre chord Cmaj7 and gave it a very solemn strum only to discover I'd fretted C#maj7.

As soon as I hit it, my choir hit their notes based on the incorrect chord I just played. If I had played the correct one, I would have followed it with a Fmaj7. However since I played one fret sharp I needed to to play F#maj7. I have no idea how to play a F#maj7...

The change of key mid-Amen was horrible to say the least but the priest never said a word.

It happens.

Best,
PJ

[Mr Fingers]

Most people in life will never step to a mike, never take the floor in a competitive basketball game, never step to the plate, never out themselves out there. It's not just a matter of having courage to enter the arena -- though it does take courage -- it also takes love of music and a wish to contribute. (If you're just feeding your own ego, I don't think people want to be subjected to that.) Congratulations for putting yourself out there. And congratulations for being honestly self-critical and troubled by an unsuccessful performance. That's important. Even the greatest players are always searching for more, excited about what goes great and challenged by what doesn't. How proficient and comfortable will you get? No one can answer that. But I can say from my own experience that it's possible to go from a nervous, therefore tight and bungling screwup (capable of making audiences feel bad about my own angst) to an enthusiastic performer and bandmate, to a relatively successful crowd pleaser and performer. After paying loads of dues on stage, I got to the point where I was calm and proficient enough to recognize that people were there through the desire to hear and experience something good, and that they wanted me to be successful in doing my part in that. This knowledge helped me feel comfortable offering more. Took a long time. Not easy. Doesn't always happen. Music needs players. Keep it up!

[Mischief]

I don't think there is a bad open mic experience.

My first ever open mic, during my first song, I had a dude off his head walk up on stage, proceed to walk around looking for a mic left on and knocking into stuff. He found a working mic and since the sound guy had slipped to the toilet the dude chimed in for some looped out harmony.

Next song he turned his attention to the drum kit. Some other dude was tuning his violin off to the side but it was blaring in my monitor. He could hear it coming from somewhere but didn't know where. I could go on. The whole set could have been considered a nightmare.

Here's the thing. I mustered through and kept going back. Fast forward a year and a half. Now the drunk guy that was going through some tough times. Turns out to be a good musician he's cleaned up and we are very friendly. He's a nice guy I would play with any day. The guy on violin also a very great guy I would be happy to play with any day and that open mic has been my main one.

I think all experiences can teach you and help you grow. I try and be friendly and courteous. I compliment whenever I can. We need to build each other up and not down. Networking can only help everyone. Musicians dissing one another only hurts the live music industry.

So get back out. Have some music on paper and tablet just in case. As they say the show must go on.