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Posts: 407
Joined: Oct. 10 2010
From: Wooli, NSW Australia
No rehersal
Ok it's been over a week now and I haven't picked up my guitar ( I have been thumping the bass ) . It feels so strange like I'm trying to overcome some habit or another . Anyway I have a gig on sunday afternoon no real pressure it's a background music thing in a local restaurant ( first time here and I do need some repeat work ) , I have done no preperation and I am trying to stop myself from feeling the need to do any . Right know I have no fingernails ( I am buying some tommorow ) . What are the feelings out there toward performing , I have beat myself up to many times trying to prepare myself to be as good as I can be , that I think I am missing the point of playing and sharing the experience of playing for those present . I have mentioned here that I can get a lot of milage out of C and G , anyone else have any chords they use as value ambience .
Ramirez , it's background music ,a space I give a lot of thought. C and G can give me at least five to ten minutes , of course I am improvising with scales using tremelo rhythm etc , something about those chords make for a happy atmosphere . I am concerned about my own pieces however I am telling myself , " Trust in music , music will be there " , as if music where an entity of it's own . I do believe this , I just have never taken that leap of faith yet . Doing it this time though.
Well I learnt a lot from this experience , I resisted the temptation to reherse apart from putting new strings on my guitar and playing them in a little . My feeling ariving at the restaurant was good , I really believed in what I was trying , however I won't do it again . I was positioned right in front of a group of music lovers , one of wich was a keen guitarist so I was watched from start to finish . I managed to improvise a lot and this was my goal , but I could feel that the table in front of me wanted pieces , so I played all of my pieces I am most comfortable with and this was pleasing them , however without rehersal I didn't have the confidence to play some of my more challenging work .
Anyway after playing for two hours , one of the waitresses said the host would like you to get everyone's attention and play a couple of your favourite pieces for a moment my fingers went into total cruise control as I wondered what the hell I could play to pull this of ( about fifty guests). I decide to take a break , I walked outside and seriously thought of going back grabbing my guitar and going . I can't do that , what am I , do I really want to be a musician . I knew if I tried to impress instrumentaly I was going to fail , so I went back in got everyones attention thanked them all for having me in thier presence for the afternoon and anounced that I would play one of my original songs as a parting gesture , so the place goes silent I belt out one of my original songs , and the place loved it . relieeeeef
The Host was happy and asked me back next month , OMG I will be rehersing this time , with a set list , and an encore prepared . I am happy with my experiment and I do believe music has given me a great lesson and oppertunity.