groyster1
1947 posts
Jul 15, 2012
6:50 AM
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in the london howlin` wolf sessions with clapton,winwood,bill wyman and charlie watts there is a take on little red rooster where eric does feel he can play it unless wolf plays along and the wolf chastises him for it....fear of failure or being afraid to make mistakes can be a huge roadblock in playing any instrument,harmonica included
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Cole
6 posts
Jul 15, 2012
7:17 AM
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I have struggled with that myself. Self doubt, fear of failure, afraid to make mistakes and being chastized by others (especially by those I seek approval from)have been great stubbling blocks for me in the past... some were very debilitating setbacks and slowed my progress on goals. Then there is the fear to succeed too...
The desire for my soul's expression through music somehow has endured a life time of battering, yet these are the very things that some how made it stronger. Grow or die is our daily choice...
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Cole Stevens
www.colestevens.net
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Frank
893 posts
Jul 15, 2012
7:24 AM
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IT does seem the blues dudes of ole did not lack bravado...
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Littoral
560 posts
Jul 15, 2012
7:41 AM
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Last night I got put through the ringer. I really knew maybe 2 songs, but it's not easy to lay out with just a drummer and a guitar player. I seem to excel in those situations. I completely crash too. I told the group I was playing on faith. Truth is that I had to hyper-listen.
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eharp
1887 posts
Jul 15, 2012
8:12 AM
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when i heard that, i thought it was just eric's attempt tp get the wolf to play.
i think keith does the same thing to chuck berry on "hail, hail, rock and roll."
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Tuckster
1095 posts
Jul 15, 2012
8:54 AM
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I agree with eharp.
I've lost count of the times I've fallen flat on my face playing harp. It always teaches me something.
Last Edited by on Jul 15, 2012 10:25 AM
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Noodles
116 posts
Jul 15, 2012
9:27 AM
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eharp wrote: Last night I got put through the ringer. I really knew maybe 2 songs..... Truth is that I had to hyper-listen.
--
What kind of tunes were throwing you? Was it a lot of chord changes? Was it Boogie, Blues, etc? I'm trying to understand.
Last Edited by on Jul 15, 2012 9:29 AM
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Frank
894 posts
Jul 15, 2012
9:35 AM
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Cole mentions..."Then there is the fear to succeed too"...
Then there is the fear of once having achieved and tasted real success, of having to constantly live up to the standards you or your audience have placed upon you.
We watched a documentary on the rock group Queen and it was amazing how they stepped up an up and up the ladder of success - to become as the song goes "the champions of the world"
A lot of folks don't make it out alive trying to perform their way to finding love, acceptance and understanding.
It did Freddy in! The drummer and the guitarist somehow made it out the otherside alive and in one piece. BTW, the bass player is the one who thought up "another one bites the dust",which became I think Queen's biggest hit.
Like most anything there is good fear and bad fear. but if your in the wrong place at the wrong time neither will probably do you much good.
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eharp
1888 posts
Jul 15, 2012
9:56 AM
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noodles- you're asking the wrong poster.
and can we get tuckster to repeat that post?!!?
frank- i thought freddie died of something aids related. i dont see how success was the cause.
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dougharps
232 posts
Jul 15, 2012
10:19 AM
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I think all have struggled with this at one time or another. With me it is more likely when I am playing unfamiliar material/changes with musicians I respect, and in front of an audience. You just have to commit, and play it like you mean it. If you stumble, keep going. You just have to go out on the limb and do it. And choose wisely when in unfamiliar territory, taking a pass if you need to hear more before playing.
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Doug S.
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Frank
897 posts
Jul 15, 2012
12:10 PM
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Success as they say is fleeting thus the pressure to keep it within arms reach - I'm sure he had a lot of fun reaching for it and he certainly did'nt seem to lack confidience.
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eharp
1890 posts
Jul 15, 2012
12:59 PM
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i agree, frank- you dont see too many people that others would consider to be successful without having confidence.
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Noodles
119 posts
Jul 15, 2012
1:25 PM
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RE: lack of confidence in playing
I don’t know who wrote this, but when I heard it, it helped me to push through life’s challenges.
“You must never let your fear of failure be greater than your dream to succeed,”
Last Edited by on Jul 15, 2012 2:08 PM
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Liljane
1 post
Jul 15, 2012
1:41 PM
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Every person's perception of success and failure is unique. I feel confidence comes when you accept where you are and make the most of what you have. It always helps to practice. I like Noodles last post very much. I've read that some of the most talented people feel like they are impostors at their craft.
Last Edited by on Jul 15, 2012 1:42 PM
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BronzeWailer
725 posts
Jul 15, 2012
4:47 PM
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Agree with Liljane. My busking partner (guitarist) said he used to get mad when people make mistakes. Now he gets mad when people don't make mistakes because they are playing it too safe.
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eharp
1891 posts
Jul 15, 2012
6:15 PM
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and some of the most successful people have boatloads of confidence.
wow! that sounds like almost any segment of the population.
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garry
243 posts
Jul 15, 2012
6:54 PM
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it gets better.
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Frank
899 posts
Jul 15, 2012
7:21 PM
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It better get better cause if it ain't- it's no longer better.
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jbone
1000 posts
Jul 16, 2012
4:44 AM
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antidote to a lack of confidence is to work harder and play more often.
if you want to excel in the music world you HAVE to make a percentage of errors, and learn to keep going regardless of them.
for myself, i am ready most times to get on stage with virtually ANY blues act and some others to boot. not that i won't flub something but i know enough to come out looking good and sounding good a large percentage of the time. this did not happen overnight, in fact i was a very poor player for about 20 years and then marginally improved for a while even after that. in the past decade i have made the leaps i needed to and have begun to be the player i envisioned myself to be.
i have found that most times when i make a mistake it is so fleeting, it's gone in a few seconds and people don't hold it against me. very seldom has an audience member or band mate tell me about some flub i did in a song. these things are soon forgotten. more likely i remember them myself and i can really neg myself out if i am not careful.
last week i was doing a duo with my latest partner, Bluesboy Jag, and i just didn't feel right for most of the first set. we were on a rooftop at a new place and it was still probably 90 in the shade, the sound was not where i would have liked it, and things were just kind of sharp and strange sounding. but he told me how good it was all sounding and i have learned to graciously accept praise and compliments, and i relaxed into the second set, and things seemed much smoother.
rather than trust my own inner critic, a lot of the time i would rather trust the people i am playing for and with. many times i have been unreasonably hard on my own self. of course a lot of times what comes out is not what i want, but that does not make it "bad".
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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jbone
1001 posts
Jul 16, 2012
4:52 AM
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forgot to mention: if someone DOES criticize i take that as a favor. they want me to sound better and esp if it's a partner i have learned to listen and change my behavior.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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