| Getting ready for any type of guitar performance | | | | twelve songs and memorize them.2. Make sure |
| can be a little scary at first, but if you are well | | | | you select songs with different tempos and |
| prepared, you will find the experience much easier | | | | rhythms for your performance in order to create |
| to handle. Whether you're | | | | and sustain interest from your audience.3. Pick |
| playing with a band, or by yourself; are a | | | | songs with varying degrees of difficulty, but don't |
| seasoned performer, or a rookie; there are | | | | overestimate yourself. Be realistic about your own |
| several things you can do to make the most of | | | | ability. You want to pick songs that you enjoy and |
| your performance. First and foremost, realize that | | | | are able to play well on your guitar when no one |
| you are not the first one on the block to ever | | | | is watching. If you find that you are constantly |
| feel jittery about playing your guitar in public. It's a | | | | making mistakes in a particular song, give yourself |
| common experience among musicians, and being | | | | more time to get it down before actually |
| a little nervous can even work in your | | | | performing it in public.4. Practice playing with |
| favor.There is always a mysterious struggle that | | | | distractions. You will be amazed at how beneficial |
| goes on inside me when I'm about to give a | | | | this can be. I remember playing at an outdoor |
| performance. I think it's something akin to the Dr. | | | | concert once where the band that was to follow |
| Jekyl and Mr. Hyde phenomenon. Two voices | | | | mine was warming up right behind us! Tamborines |
| bantering for my attention, the good guy and the | | | | and all. One of the bandmembers actually started |
| bad guy. Mr. Hyde tells me that I must be out of | | | | asking me questions about my guitar |
| my mind. What makes me think I'm good enough | | | | performance and wanted to know how I learned |
| to get up on a stage and play my guitar before | | | | to play like that! It was very weird, but all I could |
| an audience? Who do I think I am anyway? On | | | | do was ignore her. After that experience and a |
| the other hand, Dr. Jekyl tells me that I've | | | | few others like it, I began practicing my repertoire |
| worked hard practicing my guitar and know the | | | | with the T.V. and radio turned up pretty loud to |
| material well. It will be fun to share what I've got | | | | mimic such distractions.5. Start your performance |
| with others so they can enjoy hearing it too. Be | | | | off with something that you find easy to play on |
| brave, live life to the fullest and go for it!Because | | | | the guitar and graduate to the more difficult |
| I am basically a shy person, it would be much | | | | pieces later. This will help you to warm up your |
| easier for me not to play my guitar in public. But | | | | fingers and get comfortable with being on stage. I |
| there is a certain drive, almost a need I have, to | | | | usually like to start with a strong, upbeat song in |
| express myself through music; especially with | | | | order to gain the attention of the audience and rid |
| regard to playing my own material. Yes, there is a | | | | my stomach of butterflys.6. Get a good night's |
| certain risk involved; it's called being vulnerable. | | | | sleep the night before your performance if at all |
| Anything could happen... A string could break (been | | | | possible. That will help keep you fresh and alert |
| there), you might forget the words or chords to | | | | and also reduce your level of anxiety.7. Avoid |
| the song (been there), you might make a mistake | | | | drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.8. Have all |
| and have to start over (been there too). But no | | | | your clothes, equipment, contact information and |
| matter what happens, the world will go on and | | | | directions ready the night before.9. Always have |
| you will discover that people are very supportive | | | | extra strings, pics and guitar batteries, etc. in your |
| and encouraging overall. I'm always amazed when | | | | gig bag.10. Relax, take a deep breath and try to |
| I get positive feedback over a performance that | | | | enjoy yourself. After all, it's just another part of |
| I thought was absolutely awful. It provides me | | | | the learning process and tomorrow's a brand new |
| with more incentive to continue on.So how can | | | | day!FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this |
| you make the most of your guitar performance? | | | | article in your e-zine or on your web site as |
| Below I've put together several suggestions for | | | | long as you include the following |
| you to consider. They are in no particular order of | | | | information:Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and |
| importance. Some may be relevant to you at | | | | webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been |
| certain times and irrelevant at others. Just take | | | | writing songs and providing guitar lessons to |
| what you need and ignore the rest.1. Develop a | | | | students of all ages for over 20 years. |
| repertoire (song list) of approximately ten to | | | | |