how would you go about playing live for the first time?

please excuse the copy/paste (have put this up on musicradar also).i just want to state that i have absolutely no interest in wanting to join a band e.t.c am a rubbish guitarist for one thing (who can only play 4 tunes (badly) all the way through. when i finally get an amp for my new tele,i would quite like to attempt to play in front of people (just to face one of my fears/say i at least tried it once).how would you recommend going about it?i live in devizes wilts (do not know if there are any open mike places in coffee shops nearby).to be honest just wanted to play at most a couple of songs then bugger off,before i get hit by flying debris 😉 p.s am still wary about actually doing it tbh as i really am a pretty ropey guitarist.thanks 🙂

As you say, open Mic nights are a good route. You also may try posting videos on YouTube etc to get a sense of public reaction, though be prepared for some idiotic responses such is the internet veil of anonymity…

What about busking?

Bike Bash in August which is down that way iirc?

enter X factor?

How about ‘get better at playing’? Less fears then and you might enjoy it more? Lessons would be good if you don’t get them already. Better for your ego and the public!

Play for people you know first they are less likely to slow hand clap you off the stage.

Just turn it all up to 11.

Just go for it. It’s one of my greatest regrets I’ve never been able to conquer the fear of playing and singing in front of people. Like you I’d have loved to just play a couple of my songs live.
If you wait till you feel ready you may wait forever.
Open mic nights are the best way to start as far as I’m aware.

practice, practice, practice.
and some lessons.
learning guitar is on my to do list for 2012.

If you’re anything like me, no matter how many times you’ve practiced a song – the *instant* it comes to playing in front of someone, all that practice goes out the window! Mistake city, and once you’ve made one, you become even MORE nervous and make more.

Getting good at guitar is one thing, getting good in front of others is entirely another. It’s like starting from scratch again*

*this can, however be cicumvented by yet more practice in front of people

+1 for open mic. Go along a couple of times to your selected session to get the feel. I go to an old fashioned pub session where they just like people to join in regardless of how good they are.

Lots of drink before the off?

Spirit of ’77…

thanks everyone 😀 i must admit to having uploaded some videos to youtube (covers).if i did pluck up enough courage to attempt playing live,i was planning on playing nothing else matters by metallica/spirit of radio rush (if i felt i could pull it off 😉 being truthful,i just wanted to do it to face one of my fears.i wouldn’t do it again (am happy being a crap bedroom player tbh 🙂

Busking and open mic are pretty much it really.

Busking can be fun, and don’t worry about not getting money, Bombay bicycle club have done it, and I think got 50p or something. Open mic can be awful, room full of people not interested and not paying attention. Best way round it is to pack the audience with your mates ( not that I have ever stooped to those tatics…ahem) LOL

Learn to play simple stuff first. Spirit Of Radio by Rush is not simple, Learn to play a good AC/DC song

Learn this, it’s easy and sounds ace, pretend to be Lemmy 😉

Another vote for open mic nights. Some have open spots for people to get up and do their thing (which only really works if you’re a singer/songwriter – and it can often depend on the ‘host’ of the evening giving you a space) or other nights are run by a sort of house band who have guests get up. That’s how I did it – I turned up and played rhythm guitar for a Johnny Cash/Elvis cover band. It was pretty simple stuff ‘This one’s in A – go!’ but it was really good for learning to be less scared on stage. When it comes to playing with my own band now, I’m less terrified. Merely nervous… And practice your songs! Do it until you’re bored of them. Then, when your brain has left the building, you can still do it on autopilot. After enough times though, you learn to finally enjoy it too…

stop talking about it and do it. find your local jam night (there will be loads), and have a chat with the person that is running it, tell them what song you know, and off you go. Easy. Everyone will clap and be supportive, even if you screw up.

after you have actually done it a few times, you will wonder why you were getting so worried.

I never really got nervous when I played infront of people. I think partly because I know I’m pretty shit on the guitar so I never had anything to lose.

Plus I always made sure I played the Black Sabbath – Paranoid riff at some point during the set, not only did it piss off/amuse my band mates, but everyone loves that riff.