Performance tomorrow

Patriots2006 · #1 03-26-2011, 06:11 PM

I will be performing at my companies' "Crisis Fund Show" tomorrow. It is a fund raiser to help employees who happen on to a hardship. I have an extreme case of fright and never really play in front of anyone. I have practiced the tune to death and have no problem playing through a mistake but what happens is I get so worked up I will have mental blocks and forget what comes next.(the dreaded trainwreck). I have read another thread here at the forum and have read all of the suggestions so please don't waste your valuable time rehashing what is already available to me. I am hoping by bringing it out in the open it my help.

The tune is When I Fall in Love. I will be playing a rubato chord solo through the entire form of the tune then at the turnaround go into a medium swing walking bass line and comp. I will also have eight bars of the melody in time where I will be playing like a horn section playing stabs. At least that is what I here in my head. Overall I think it works well. I just need to get rid of the vampire bats. Anyone have any garlic?

mr. beaumont · #2 03-26-2011, 06:28 PM

Breathe. Don't forget to breathe. You might consider starting a little slower than you practiced--chances are if you're really nervous you'll speed up--never good to speed up to a pace faster than you have something mastered!

Picture all of them naked, wearing black socks.

Patriots2006 · #3 03-26-2011, 06:35 PM

That's what I was thinking. I am not good with keeping perfect time to begin with. I get frustrated trying to play with a metronome. Should have done so in the early years.
Oh, forgot to mention I will be comping behind a vocalist. But you probably already figured that out!

Patriots2006 · #4 03-27-2011, 10:52 PM

Mission accomplished. Went in early and set up on the stage for a sound check. I was making some mental errors and playing to fast but surprisingly I began to relax. Then I found out we were the first to go on. Well, needless to say I got nervous as we got closer to starting. I took a breath and began playing. I got close to the end of the rubato portion of the tune when I went blank for about three two five seconds. The weird thing was all of a sudden my fingers found the next voicing and I went on from there. It definately was from my subconscience because I couldn't remember what came next. The up tempo section was great. A couple of mistakes that I played through, again nervousness, but by the time we got to the end I was feeling pretty comfortable. The people loved it and the vocalist did a great job which I expected. She sings in the weekly off broadway type shows they do here at the resort. I've already been asked to do it again. Now I'm to wound up to sleep. Ready for round two!