Many people don’t feel comfortable in front of a large crowd. That’s why for some it is very difficult to adapt to a live audience when playing an instrument such as the guitar. In this article I’ll give 4 tips to play guitar on a gig.
Of course, when it comes to perform an instrument, this means much more than the performance itself. Unlike other endeavors, playing in front of a public requires personal skills that are not necessary when you’re alone at home or at school.
Unfortunately, the idea of being in front of a large public make some people uncomfortable. Notice that it is common for people to sing in the shower, but as soon as you have to do it in front of others, things became more difficult.
Here are three useful tips for you to start your path to become comfortable while playing the guitar in a gig.
Don’t forget to practice.
Whether you sing or just play the guitar, consistent practice is the key to being relaxed. As you get more practice and become familiar with the instrument, you also reduced the pressure at performance time.
Another benefit of constant practice is learning to do when you mess up. You need to have the practice of getting back to normal playing after making a small and unintended mistake. This ability can also reduce your anxiety during a live presentation.
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Just Don’t Stop to Playing on Gigs
A secret of dealing with problems during your performance is to avoid the temptation to stop. If you’re playing a song during performance and make a mistake, don’t think of stopping to correct that.
Most people don’t know the song enough to understand if there was a real mistake. By stopping, you’re just ruining the experience of people watching your guitar presentation.
Don’t Be Too Critical of Yourself
A big problem that most people have is take themselves to a standard that they cannot yet achieve. For example, a beginner guitar player may feel bad because she cannot play as well as her favorite player.
But this is not a useful feeling. Of course you cannot play at the same level of a professional player who has being playing for several decades.
You need to stop being too critical of yourself and let the performance flow at your own level and ability.
Think About the General Experience
Another useful skill during presentations is stop thinking at the level of tiny details, and focus on the whole picture of playing guitar on a gig.
While thinking of details is essential during practice, things change when you’re during a gig. This is a time when you need to stop paying attention to tiny details and look at the general experience.
Think about how the song feels and how the audience is connecting to your sound. This will help you to get more in tune to the audience, and improve your experience.
If you need to improve the technical details, you should consider to use a better resource, books or online tools, to improve your abilities. I have collected 14 online resources that will help you to do just that.
In summary, let the technical decisions to be made during daily practice, and learn to enjoy your gigs as a fun and enjoyable time with the audience.