Guitar Playing In Front of A Crowd

Yeah right, how tough can that be huh? Well, imagine yourself enjoying your favorite drink in the bar and then your girlfriend gets up, goes on the stage and announces that you’ll be playing her favorite song, right now. If you were a saint, you would do what she wants.

However, if you were one of the normal human beings residing on planet Earth, you would either wish that the stage exploded or just drink yourself to death to save the embarrassment of playing a song in front of a full house. It’s not uncommon to have stage fright, but if prepared it is very easy to conquer your fear.

There are many ways to ease the stress before stepping on the stage and playing your guitar. Given below are some of the tips that you can keep in mind before your let your fingers loose on the strings.

Never forget a capo: A capo is something that you should never forget to take on the stage. A capo is nothing but a small device that you can strap on to the neck of your guitar. It really comes in handy when you want to change the tune of your song according to the singing rhythm of the audience. The best way to achieve this is sliding the device along the strings, which in turn helps in changing the tune.

Know when to bring in the good keys: Don’t get in the best part right in the beginning. As they say, always save the best for last. So, if your singers include both, men and women, chances are that you’ll have to make use of the capo to capture the proper rhythm. It is always better for the men to sing in a lower tone so that the women are comfortable in picking up the higher notes. Therefore, you’ve got to adjust your tune according to their singing.

Practice before the main event: This goes without saying that practice makes you perfect. Practice all you can before you step on the stage. If you’ve decided on playing a certain song, try and find some keys that would make the song more interesting, go through the song structure (chorus, verse, chorus) and the most important part, always remember the tune you’re going to play. That’s because, if you forget it midway during the performance, well, you know what’s going to happen.

Have fun

• Well, that’s why you took the guitar in your hand right? Set the mood for the crowd and don’t forget to get involved in it. Even if you make a mistake, just laugh it off and continue playing.

The basic objective of the guitarist is to captivate the audience and have a good time. And remember, playing the guitar is supposed to soothe you, not to make you sweat. Look forward for your next performance, not an early exit and only practice will make you achieve this confidence.