Lights, camera, action!
Shenali BOTEJU
You are performing your first ever guitar gig tomorrow. And no matter
how many times you try and convince yourself that it's going to be all
right, you have still got a serious case of the butterflies. And you're
downright nervous.
So what are you going to do? This is the first time you are ever
going to be playing onstage, live, and you just know that so many things
could go wrong. Don't worry, look at me, for instance. Been there, done
that, and it's not so bad.
First, you have to keep in mind that being a good guitar player is a
mix of desire and spending countless hours of actual practice. Surely,
you will have at least a month ahead to get yourself prepared before the
big day.
And until then, you have to be willing to spend at least 45 minutes,
practising. Each day, you'll get better and you could gradually extend
the time period. But if you really will be playing in a week, or worse,
tomorrow, here's a bit of advice that would come in handy.
Give your guitar a thorough check up. Believe me, nothing could be
worse if you get up on stage and realize that you've snagged a string.
To avoid such catastrophes, put on a fresh set of strings. Remember, you
should change the strings one at a time. Get the help of your guitar
tutor if you don't know how. After changing the strings, tune more often
to get the correct pitches. If you simply would like to avoid changing
the strings, oil them at least once a week. Guitar strings become dirty
and loose their brightness, giving out a dull, lifeless tone if not
oiled. But I would advise you to put on a fresh set of strings to be on
the safe side. Remember also to memories your parts and songs.
Memorizing is just a matter of playing the same songs over and over
again until it sinks in. But if you are confident with your note sheets,
then so be it. If you play in an open area, however, make sure you don't
let them get blown away. You can't be chasing music sheets in the middle
of a concert!
Apart from that, make sure you have with you an extra pick or two.
You might loose yours in the dark and you will have no chance of finding
it. Warm up before you perform and do a final tuning check up. Warming
up with finger exercises helps to unstiffen your fingers, and its speed,
to run over the fret board if you're playing lead, especially if you're
playing in an air conditioned room. The best warm up exercise is to have
a small jam session with your fellow guitarists before the curtains go
up.
So go out there and play your best, for confidence is the most
important key.
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