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Topic: Picking harder at shows? |
Greg Vincent
From:
Folsom, CA USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 8:19 am |
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Hi folks,
Maybe it's just the adrenaline, but I feel like I'm picking the strings harder at shows than during rehearsals or while practicing. The result seems to be that I misplay licks that I shouldn't have any problem with.
Anybody else notice this problem? Just a matter of nerves? -GV |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 8:27 am
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The way I see it, you're supposed to work harder at the shows! 
Seriously, we play loudest when we're doing shows, so it stands to reason that there'd be more pressure...of all types. |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 8:27 am
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I catch myself playing harder at gigs because it seems that the band is so d@mn loud I have to hammer the guitar to get above the din. For me, finesse seems to go out the window with a lot of volume.
I recently subbed a gig with a band that had moderate stage volume and it was a real pleasure being able to play with dynamics. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 9:33 am
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Try practicing at home without an amp. To hear it and get a decent tone you need to be picking right. Buddy Charleton told me I should always be able to feel the strings jump behind the bar. I pick pretty hard all the time.
As far as the difference goes between practice and gigs goes its no big deal. Practice more and down the road the problem goes away.
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Bob
My Website
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 11:22 am
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It sounds like possibly two related but different issues to me, Greg.
I'm with Bob H. in terms of practicing without an amp - I think it's really important to understand that it is your guitar that produces the better part of the tone that the pickups then transfer into electrical energy. Playing without an amp is a very good way to learn how your guitar responds to your picking efforts, hard and soft.
The part of missing notes at gigs, well, you've just put the whole world into a nutshell there. Just about every steeler I ever met has had to deal at some time or other with the psycho/motor skill issues of executing a what is essentially a very complex set of physical movements under the pressure - imagined or real - of public scrutiny. I've never had any trouble at all playing the right notes when playing the bass to an audience of thousands but sit me down behind a steel guitar and put a couple of really good steelers in front of me and it is all I can do to settle down and forget that anyone's watching so that I can just play the music I know how to play without my head getting in the way.
The science of performance, it kicks everybody's butt now and then, musicians, athletes, writers, etc. - if every day you practice the same, sleep the same, eat the same - you still can't always seem to perform the same and nobody's figured it out 100% yet. |
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 21 Jul 2005 2:38 pm
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That comment hit me like a light bulb going on, Greg....I've been experiencing that very same "symptom" and I never attributed it to picking extra hard....which I do when playing a certain very loud venue we do from time to time.
It's funny, because it's only this one place we play that I find I miss a lot of licks I normally get, but never realized it's probably becuase I tend to pick extra hard....and lose the finesse required to execute properly.
Good insight![This message was edited by Tony Palmer on 21 July 2005 at 04:46 PM.] |
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Wayne Franco
From:
silverdale, WA. USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2005 3:56 pm
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| Lately I've been listening back to myself regularly because I've set up a little recording in my music room. Seems like I can relate more to what I am doing live by thinking back and remembering the feel of what sounded the best when recorded. As a matter of fact I know I'm sounding better live because of it! Its taking my mind off of the audiance when I'm playing and making me concentrate more on the feel I know will sound good. Does that make sense?, Maybe it'll help. |
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Larry Allen
From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
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Posted 23 Jul 2005 9:57 am
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I learned years ago that I had to rehearse and practice at the same volumne and intensity that we played at work, guitar or steel. Not easy at times but the only way to play consistantly especially with adreniline added at work.  No more missed notes.....LA
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