JeffLeites
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Posts: 343
North Hollywood, California
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 07:07 PM
I’m not trying to make up excuses, but I’d like to give an explanation of our crash and burn at the member jam. I’m afraid it was like a perfect storm created by my lack of experience, my stage fright, and my tendency to panic when things don’t go right.
I didn’t know just how loud to set the volume on my amp, and apparently, I had it set way too loud compared to Carol’s volume. I should have checked it before we started, but you know, it’s always amazed me how when you are on a big stage like that, how hard it is to hear an amp on the other side of the stage. So Carol stated playing, and once I hit the first chord, I knew I was in trouble. I tried playing softer, and lowering the volume a little on my guitar, but it wasn’t enough. I lost my concentration, and missed some of the intro chords. I should have stopped us, adjusted the volume, and started over, but I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly. Then I realized that I had forgotten to change my chord progression from using Am, F, and E7, to Dm, Bb, and A7. I didn’t realize it at first, because I couldn’t hear what Carol playing. I went into my lead part, but by now, Carol and I were out of sync. She also had a hard time hearing me. I kept hoping things would get better, but it just didn’t work out. Our tune, Crystal-T is a favorite of Chantay and Duo-Tones fans, and when I told PJ what we were going to play, he came right up front to watch us. I was hoping to impress him, but ended up embarrassing myself, and dragging Carol down with me  . Carol had left BTD’s barbeque early the night before, to come to my house to practice, and once we got a few kinks out, we actually had it pretty close to perfect. I want to thank the group for your support, and I hope that we get a chance to redeem ourselves in the future.
Oh well, In the grand scheme of things, we didn't hurt anyone 
If you’d to get an idea of what it was supposed to sound like, the tune was my contribution to the 2010 SG101 compilation.
— My Web Site - Tunes - Pictures - Guitar Projects - Hard Rock Cafe Guitar Pins
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Rob_J
Joined: Sep 29, 2007
Posts: 500
Sacto, CA
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 07:35 PM
Hey Jeff,
Without having been an "in person" witness I can say that I feel your pain but my advice (worthless though it may be) is to try not to beat yourself up over it. We've ALL BEEN THERE! All you can do is learn from it and vow to do better next time. You are a good player, and from what little I've heard from Carol, she is too. You just had a bad set of circumstances that threw you for a loop. There are tons of "would be" players who never even get the chance to try.
Last edited: Aug 15, 2011 19:37:08
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BillyBlastOff
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1070
Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 07:40 PM
Drop and give me 10 push-ups Jeff! You guys did fine. It takes a set of big ones to go up in front of a good sized crowd with little rehearsal time, especially with just two guitars in the mix. Commend yourself!
— Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent...........................
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LHR
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 08:16 PM
I must have missed something, because I don't recall anything so bad.
Y'know, my wife recorded my contribution to the jam and when she played it, I just laughed and laughed. I was awful! I mangled our song. Lots of reasons why, probably, but so what? And I am not upset in the slightest, cuz that was the whole idea: try something totally new, with complete strangers and see what happens. The point was to make new musical friends, get out of the comfort zone, and wing it! Humbling and fun. Same goes for the Wave Machine thingy at Don the Beachcomber. You gotta laugh at yourself as you paddle like hell to keep your head above water with alien arrangements. Otherwise, you aren't doing it right.
— SSIV
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mom_surfing
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 5310
the outer banks of north carolina
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 08:31 PM
Jeff,don't beat yourself up.....I couldn't hear you so I was playing from hearing the tune in my head. On the plus side it was the first time ever that I've played in front of people without shaking hands. Train wrecks do happen and this wasn't the first for me.
— www.surfintheeye.com
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elreydlp
Joined: Sep 04, 2009
Posts: 1800
Temecula, CA
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 08:40 PM
BillyBlastOff wrote:
Drop and give me 10 push-ups Jeff! You guys did fine.
It takes a set of big ones to go up in front of a good
sized crowd with little rehearsal time, especially with
just two guitars in the mix. Commend yourself!
I thought the same thing Billy (well, not the pushups). Last year, I played a song I have played in front of an audience hundreds of times with the support of three excellent musicians, and I was scared s**tless! To do a duet under those conditions takes cojones!
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 09:44 PM
Welcome to the club..blow it off and move along..no worries
— www.northofmalibu.com
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1683
Georgia
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 09:50 PM
Yeah, what everyone else said. Things done in real-time are rarely perfect. I managed to take a few others down with me this year as well. As far as I know, everyone is still alive.
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
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BillyBlastOff
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1070
Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 10:46 PM
Well said everybody. This isn't American Idol! Nobody came to the SG101 Convention to judge you! ;D
They came to have fun and share a truly magical Surf experience among friends within the Surf family. That, my friend, is the difference between Surf music and mainstream commercialized, digitized, artificial crap music! Money can't buy that!
Cheers!
— Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent...........................
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2366
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 10:52 PM
You have a video, Trey? Oh man, I'm scared to watch!!! hahaha
I was so nervous about messing up that it made me mess up. Same at Matt's gig at Don's. I practiced it almost flawlessly on Trey's guitar then biffed it about 5 or 6 times when I got on stage 10 minutes later (I knew I should've stuck with that beautiful Tele with a Bigsby!). But honestly, afterwards, I was smiling and laughing, and OH MAN what a blast it is to play in front of people!! Especially so many fellow reverb geeks!
Don't sweat it! And don't let it deter you from trying again.
As for me, I'll be back at Don's playing with Matt as soon as I learn a couple more of the songs on his list. And I'm sure I'll biff it again. But I'll biff it with a smile on my face 
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19308
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 15 2011 10:53 PM
I totally agree with LHR and the esteemed Billy Blast Off. The "jam" is a chance to give non-band members a chance to get up on stage and play through really good equipment and have fun. Don't sweat it Jeff! Come to Matt Q's wave machine next time! More chances to play great music with good friends!
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5097
San Francisco
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 12:10 AM
I think the member jam is the most fun of the day. Don't sweat it at all. In case you didn't notice, some of the bands made a few errors as well!
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB
Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
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LHR
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 12:29 AM
Heck, I think I biffed my band's whole set at last year's convention! 
And I agree with Ferenc. Chalk it up to short attention span, but I loved hearing all those different bands crammed, rapid-fire into a one hour set.
— SSIV
Last edited: Aug 16, 2011 00:32:46
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Abe
Joined: Mar 12, 2008
Posts: 1237
Bay Area
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 12:45 AM
Haha! Im not gonna lie, when I walked into the Starting Gate it was during the members jam and I heard some questionable lead guitar playing and then I looked and it was you, Trey. Playing some sweet looking Telecaster. The jam was pretty fun to watch though.
— The Deadbeats
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LHR
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 12:55 AM
Abe, there is no song I cannot destroy.
— SSIV
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3813
North Atlantic
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 09:17 AM
It's only music. Just enjoy playing and don't fret (bad pun) about it. Happens to everyone!
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 09:48 AM
I am sure everyone on this forum has had a 'trainwreck moment' while on stage. Cough it up to experience and move on.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 10:38 AM
I've had plenty of foul-ups on stage, but the important thing is not to get fazed by it and keep going. The real problem isn't the mistake itself but rather it's effect on what you play after. If you focus on a mistake, it can have a ripple effect and mess up what you play after the mistake. To quote 'Reservior Dogs': "You did the right thing kid, just shit yourself and keep going". Just forget it and focus on where you're at in the song. I find however, that the less I think about what I'm playing the better it comes out.
— https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5097
San Francisco
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 10:55 AM
This option may not be shared by others, but if I or my my band badly blows an intro, I'll stop the song, make a joke about it, and start over. No big deal.
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB
Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
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JeffLeites
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Posts: 343
North Hollywood, California
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Posted on Aug 16 2011 06:17 PM
Thanks for all the support. You guys are the greatest.
Carol - Don't forget how to play it. Someday, someway, we've got to try it again
— My Web Site - Tunes - Pictures - Guitar Projects - Hard Rock Cafe Guitar Pins
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