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I hope it's ok to alter the discussion slightly...sorry, MINIMAL surf
content!! (I'm also asking 2 groups.)
I've been playing drums about 20 years. Almost 19 years of that I was
playing in surf bands. I know how to play surf music. No reason to get
nervous, unless I'm sitting in with a band that I've never played with before...
So here's the scenario: I've been playing other styles of music for about a
year now [folk/country/blues/r&b/oldies rock, etc.] and in order to
supplement my income from my day job I'm putting it out there that I'm a
"drummer for hire". I had my first job on July 4th, it went well except for
one tune. You know the drill...show up, don't know any of the songs, set up
and just play for 4 hours. I only knew one player, the leader who hired me.
We did basic rock/blues/oldies. Leader counts off the song and tells me the
basic beat. From there you listen and watch for cues. Afterward I was told I
did great.
I have my second job this weekend, sitting in with a different group 2
consecutive nights. I don't know ANY of the band members. The leader says
'don't worry', you'll know the tunes. Everything from rock/oldies to Miles
Davis to Chuck Berry. (I don't know how to play Miles Davis songs!!)
The question is: How do you prepare yourself for this scenario? I know that
the more I play the more gigs I'll get, the more contacts I'll make, and the
more confident I'll be. For me, it's a lack of confidence because I'm
playing songs I never heard before. Any suggestions are appreciated. Make 2
assumptions: (1)I won't have a chance to see a setlist before the gig, and
(2)I don't read music, I just play by feel.
Mucho thanks,
Jeff "Stretch" Riedle
At 04:54 PM 8/8/05 -0000, you wrote:
>I'm always a mental mess when I play live, here's how I deal with it.
>
>I never drink coffee before, my hand shakes so much I can't play.
>
>A beer of two is cool for me but I don't drink much before playing,
>after is a different story.
>
>Da Weed is out of the question; I will forget how to tie my own shoes
>on stage.
>
>A 20 min. warmup before helps me settle down.
>
>I practice my butt off in preperation for the gig so I'm confident
>that I know the tunes and I can focus my nervous energy into playing
>the songs.
>
>Rick
