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Hi Marek,
Make it a day not the day. Focus on your actual playing level and be authentic in the sense of playing as well as you play not as well as you'd like to play. Connect with your audience and share with them rather than play for them. If you suceed at sharing your own, authentic sound on that day that's as much as anyone can ask.
Good luck!
Larry
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It's not too early because as John Lennon said, "One hour of performance is worth a thousand hours of rehearsal."
Try to get good sleep the night before. And as Watazumi recommended do something physical before the performance. I usually jump rope and work out with resistance bands. Also drink tea, not coffee and definitely not alcohol.
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Hi Marek,
I would spend a hour earlier in the day to go over the toughest things in the repertoire. Not more because I don't want to stress over it. After that, I go do something completely unrelated. It can be physical or mental, but no alchohol. Before the show, I usually remind myself what it is I want to share with the audience. I personally do not worry too much about how well I play things correctly, just how much I connect with the music.
Break a leg, Perry
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Eat a nice lunch. Get some wine! Make sure to invite your friends for support. That always helps.
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geni wrote:
Get some wine!
Not! [Get some, perhaps, but don't drink any of it. Why would you spend all that time practicing SOBER, only to get up in front
of people with a buzz on?]
Last edited by edosan (2008-12-21 01:01:35)
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I am not a pro in shakuhachi, but after 25 years in Martial Arts I may have several useful things in my "bag of tricks"...
So, once upon a time the disciple came to his teacher the night before a very important battle and asked for a good advice.
- What?! - the teacher exclaimed. - The night before the battle you have to sleep, not to ask stupid questions! At this time the smart man does not need any advice. The fool, in turn, won't be able to use it because it takes time to get smarter. Before the battle you need to find out your enemy's secrets, not the advice!
- Thank you, teacher! I just got several very good advices from you. I will definitely use them. - The student replied.
The teacher smiled.
- It always helps to get a good advice...
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I was an "A" student at school and at the university. One of my rules suggested to never study during second half of the day before the exam. Work out always helps, not to the degree when it hurts, though. Don't wanna be sore the next day. I definitely never suggest any alcohol.
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Hi Marek. Get to the venue with plenty of time to spare. Don't leave yourself at the mercy of traffic. Go for a walk and feel comfortable in the area/space.
During the performance, focus on the zen experience-don't try to judge your playing. Don't become attached to your inner criticisms just observe them and let them pass.
Believe me, your audience will enjoy your performance. You also have great presentation skills and can introduce your pieces and gain the trust of your audience.
Just breath. Enjoy the 'ma'.
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edosan wrote:
geni wrote:
Get some wine!
Not! [Get some, perhaps, but don't drink any of it. Why would you spend all that time practicing SOBER, only to get up in front
of people with a buzz on?]
I'm not sure about that. It makes sense because from what I've read you remember things best in whatever state of sobriety you learned them in. However, even though the example I'm about to mention was dance and not music, it might relate. The example is that at a pro swing dance event I observed once a lot of the competitors rushed to the bar and each ordered a double before the event. There's a major difference between two drinks (a double) and being drunk though, and since it's usually harder to overdo it with wine maybe wine is a good suggestion.
I don't know what the reasoning was with the pro performers in that dance event situation, but it makes sense that a musical performer, especially a beginner, would want something to help because nerves can really mess up musical performances. I've experienced that personally and observed a few very good amatuer players be reduced to looking like real beginners due to nerves. I understand that many pro classical performers used to, and maybe they still do, use beta-blockers to help with nerves. Since it's a zen instrument though I think a more natural approach would be a better suggestion. So my best tip would be several (at least 5) deep breaths any and every time you feel nervous, and if you don't think you feel nervous throw in a few just to be sure.
Also, since you get over stage-fright eventually (at least the debilitating kind). it might be equally helpful to perform the piece for every friend and relative that you can corner into a room for a few minutes. That comes during the days leading up to the performance, not on the day, but is the best tip I can think of aside from deep breaths.
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I meant have a good lunch with a glass of wine. Where are you playing? Whats the venue? How many people?
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Hi geni,
I haven't seen the venue yet: a friend aranged it for me, I think its some kind of art cafe. I think there shouldn't be more than thirty people. I'll be playing there sometime after the New year, so I am not asking a day before a battle.)
Thanks for all the advice, I think doing something shakuhachi unrelated before the gig is a really good point.
Marek
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Here's a good one. I did a gig where I opened up for Clarence Gatemouth Brown. Between sets we were engaged in some "social activity" (which flies in the face of what I said earlier......but never mind that). At a certain point I said, "OK Gate, I'll get out of here and let you prepare for the gig."
He looked at me like I was mentally retarded.
"PREPARE for the gig!?!?!?!?!? PREPARE for the gig!?!?!?!?!?......Fuck that man, you just DO the gig!"
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