Hondo
227 posts
Aug 12, 2013
7:33 AM
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I cashed in a couple of gift cards, at the electronics store, and bought a camcorder. Took it to the gig Saturday night and I just can't get more than a minute or two into it before I just want to give up the instrument.
I tell myself, play a few simple notes, hang on one for a bit, don't get fancy and you'll be fine. It comes out sounding draggy.
In my defense, I've never been given a set list and have to play on the fly ( except for Stormy Monday which I've played enough to know ). People come up tell you that it's great but I just can't watch it.
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easyreeder
387 posts
Aug 12, 2013
7:55 AM
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Don't give up, learn from it. An open mic I frequent is recorded every week and highlights are broadcast on the local college radio station. It's all about the "you never know what you'll get" of an open mic. Occasionally I'll do a solo bit but most of what I do is impromptu sitting in on tunes I've never played before (and often never heard before). Sometimes it's golden, but mostly it's just average or worse and train-wrecks are to be expected. There's enough recorded material of me playing badly to make a documentary. After I got over the "Gawd I sound like shit" reaction I started using the recordings as learning tools, and it definitely helps. Now when I hear myself playing sour notes or dragging the tempo into the cellar it's just a useful reminder of what I need to work on.
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tookatooka
3436 posts
Aug 12, 2013
8:14 AM
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@Hondo. Maybe the new camcorder is faulty :) Can you post any examples?
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The Iceman
1087 posts
Aug 12, 2013
8:16 AM
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what don't kill ya will only make you stronger
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The Iceman
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kudzurunner
4193 posts
Aug 12, 2013
8:31 AM
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We've all been where you are. My feeling was always this: those who ultimately succeed are those who manage BOTH to confront the bad news without illusions (i.e., hear just how bad they are) AND use the bad news in a creative, constructive way, to focus on what needs improvement. Above all, they don't give up! Get past that impulse as quickly as you can. Those who ultimately got very good were players who were continually capable of hearing, and willing to hear, the places where they sucked--ah, needed improvement. It's the players who DON'T, or CAN'T, or WON'T hear their own flaws who never improve.
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rbeetsme
1331 posts
Aug 12, 2013
9:24 AM
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Adam is right, too often I hear terrible players who think they are rock stars. I'm glad you recognize where you need to improve, the first step. BTW: We have all been there, if not, your name may be Gus.
Last Edited by rbeetsme on Aug 12, 2013 9:25 AM
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Hondo
228 posts
Aug 12, 2013
9:48 AM
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Thanks for the sound advise. @Tooka- it would take some time for me to get through the clips and find something that I would have the nerve to post. @ Adam and rbeetsme- I have no illusions about my playing and am conscious about not being "that guy". At the same time I realize that I will be harder on my playing than anyone else and fully understand why so many people own acoustic guitars that they haven't touched in years. I have a strong desire to do this thing but man, you really have to willing to take your lumps. The Werner book is already ordered!
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1847
967 posts
Aug 12, 2013
10:48 AM
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i was going to start a thread entitled
record record record. it is a good idea to record everything. not sure if a camcorder is the best option
they generally have poor sound.
i have been playing awhile and still, there have been only 2 or 3 occasions where i am not completely embarrassed.
with my playing.
i played last week, i went home thinking i sounded pretty good. then i listened to the recording, just like you i thought to myself, that was painful.
yesterday the guitar players says to me
i listened to the tape, with genuine heartfelt sincerity
he says to me... i sounded great. so i go back and re-listen
to the recording, yes it is still painful, but,
there is some good playing in places.
let's face it not all of us will be the next adam gussow or rod piazza. but certainly any one can learn to
play well enough to have a lifetime of enjoyment.
here is an idea... perhaps someone can start a thread
where we post some of our worst moments.
that would be fun. i have hours and hours of embarrassing playing lol.
i get a lot of request when i play
”but i play anyway"
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master po
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JInx
493 posts
Aug 12, 2013
1:17 PM
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no problem, just get back in the shed. come out when you're confident that you have something to sell...then give it another shot.
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Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
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SuperBee
1355 posts
Aug 12, 2013
2:30 PM
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Totally, I understand that. But you have heard people who sound great, yeah? You just found a really important skill in getting to sound great. It's probably just a couple of things you do which don't sound good, so now you know to stop doing those, and can work on the things that do sound good. Now you are gonna really start to be able to say something with the harp, you're hearing it!
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didjcripey
597 posts
Aug 12, 2013
2:39 PM
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Been there, done that.
All good advice above, but also consider a live performance is a different thing to a recording. In a recording flaws are there for all time, again and again, but in a live situation its a fleeting moment, gone forever. I've made some terrible stuff ups that nobody remembered or even noticed.
Another big thing is that most amateur live recordings will sound like crap, even if it sounded good at the time.
If its still shocking after taking that into account, accept you suck,
man up and either do something about it or give up (I strongly advise the first option).
And remember, you are only as bad (or as good) as your last performance; do better next time.
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Lucky Lester
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1847
970 posts
Aug 12, 2013
2:48 PM
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, but in a live situation its a fleeting moment, gone forever.
up until someone posts it on youtube or facebook
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master po
i get a lot of request when i play
"but i play anyway"
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robbert
234 posts
Aug 12, 2013
4:00 PM
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Congratulations. You've just taken the first step to becoming a good player. And you'll do it over and over again. Actually, I'm not sure it ever stops.
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jbone
1329 posts
Aug 12, 2013
8:02 PM
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Hondo, when I started this harp thing video was still pretty rare, cassettes were king. Sound only. The adage was, tape don't lie. I used to record every set we did. Believe me, it was hard to listen to. We thought we were really hot stuff until we heard ourselves. I got told to quit recording or at least don't share it with the band. I was not with those guys long.
It still took some real effort on my part for quite a while to kill the bad habits and improve. It's a funny thing, you find some pl;aces that need to get better and you work on them and keep working, and eventually you want to give up. Maybe you take a break and when you get back to it, everything seems different and better. You are playing stuff you did not know you knew. You can tell you're doing better.
I'm an extrovert to the bone. Harp and me always belonged together. It took a very long time for me to really get this and begin to emulate my heroes and sound good. But it came. Some inspiration but mostly perspiration is what it took for me.
Take a break. When they call to you from the shelf you will know it's time to try some more.
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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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Thievin' Heathen
237 posts
Aug 12, 2013
10:48 PM
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A pro bass player I know tells a story of one of his professors who use to say "a baseball player who bats 300 is a pro, a musician who plays 300 is missing 7 out of 10 notes".
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