Have you forgotten how to play your instrument on stage? I have

[Rad Synner]

The title pretty much says it all.

I wanted to share something that happened to me today because it honestly is something that I feel is worth sharing AND actually showing. So, today was the Christmas show at my school and I was set to play ''hey Jude'' with teachers on stage. I wanted to do it just for fun and because why not. I've been playing keyboard for 5 month, been singing as well and just wanted to go for it.

Okay so what actually happened? Well, I was stressing before I went on stage and started doubting myself a bit. And so, when I went in front of the keyboard and it was my time to play, I legit completely forgot what I was supposed to do. Not joking, I had a giant blank and I couldn't figure it out for a solid minute. So what was going in my head? Panic. Absolute panic. I wanted to check my phone to remember but it wasn't with me, it was actually filming this! I DID think about leaving the stage in shame but... nah not my thing. When everything goes wrong, the show must go on. We must find a way. Eventually I got around to starting it and we did the song and all was good.

But here's the kicker for you guys: as I mentioned, I was filming it! So here's the video.


Now a bit of context, this is in french of course because I live in a french speaking part of the world. The people alongside me on stage who are talking to me may seem like they are aggressive towards me by the way they speak BUT it was actually all part of a skit where I would come on stage and insult them and blablabla so just so you know, nobody was in any ways shape or form mad at me or anything. It's ALL good fun!


So at the end of the day, I just wanted to share this because, well, it happens! And honestly, hours after it happened, I am just laughing about it and I will practice more for the next performance.

It's all about having fun!

 

[William B.]

I think maybe cause your still focusing on what your playing, looking for the notes, that's how it seemed to me
The other day I read coincidentally like after 1-2 years with an instrument it would become less of a problem, like that's what it came down to

 

[Chris Johnston]

It takes an iron set of balls to post things like this, so thank you Radu! I know if it was me I'd delete a mess up and try to pretend it never happened. But this is a great lesson in not taking things too seriously and realising we are all humans that make mistakes

To answer the question this has happened to me a good few times, but it has stopped ever since you guys gave me that gig anxiety advice

Everyone has weird gigs, it gives us funny stories to tell, keep on keeping on man and you'll nail it the next time

 

[Holly Vin Gruinelle]

You know what's funny? I don't really have an issue so much with that as much as I forget lyrics and I mean straight up forget Melody and lyrics completely. The song will start and as soon as I am set to sing it's like it all goes out the window lol. It sucks haha but it's true sometimes you just have to keep on going and then eventually it comes back to you.
But this is really cool that you overcame it and you took a lot of gall to post this. Definitely a cool thing to look on and realize that everybody goes through it

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Stage freight is a real thing. That's why I tried to get on uploading videos from day one of my guitar journey. Those videos are still iYouTube and they are horrible..I got hate i almost every one. If you can handle.the hate after playing an awful solo youd like to think stage freight would be easy. I'm hoping so but doubting that I wouldn't have it. Cant dought yourself tho. The moment you did is when the riff or lyric leaves your head. It's all a part of anxietys way to fool you into thinking something that isnt real.

 

[Alicia Willis]

I fucking love that you shared this !
I especially love how everyone just rolled with it. I don’t have much stage experience, obvi lol, but many moons ago I was a dorky ass theatre kid, and one thing that always stuck with me was “the audience isn’t going to know if you fuck up unless you let them know, they’ll just think it’s part of the show”.
I had a situation where I totally blanked ALL of my lines in a performance once and went 100% off script and even out of character….but the other cast members rolled with it and nobody in the audience ever knew.
Life is all about rolling with the punches and making the best out of every situation. Everyone fucks up, you just don’t realize they fucked up sometimes.

 

[TheRedMageGuitarist]

OMG I love you for posting this!! It happens to us all. I haven't had this before but I'm usually the one being @Holly Vin Gruinelle 's lyrical guide
But I actually get this while practicing!! Just last month I actually had to watch my own HTTK tutorial in the middle of practicing it because I practiced a part so much i suddenly forgot it!

 

[Saphyra]

The title pretty much says it all.

I wanted to share something that happened to me today because it honestly is something that I feel is worth sharing AND actually showing. So, today was the Christmas show at my school and I was set to play ''hey Jude'' with teachers on stage. I wanted to do it just for fun and because why not. I've been playing keyboard for 5 month, been singing as well and just wanted to go for it.

Okay so what actually happened? Well, I was stressing before I went on stage and started doubting myself a bit. And so, when I went in front of the keyboard and it was my time to play, I legit completely forgot what I was supposed to do. Not joking, I had a giant blank and I couldn't figure it out for a solid minute. So what was going in my head? Panic. Absolute panic. I wanted to check my phone to remember but it wasn't with me, it was actually filming this! I DID think about leaving the stage in shame but... nah not my thing. When everything goes wrong, the show must go on. We must find a way. Eventually I got around to starting it and we did the song and all was good.

But here's the kicker for you guys: as I mentioned, I was filming it! So here's the video.


Now a bit of context, this is in french of course because I live in a french speaking part of the world. The people alongside me on stage who are talking to me may seem like they are aggressive towards me by the way they speak BUT it was actually all part of a skit where I would come on stage and insult them and blablabla so just so you know, nobody was in any ways shape or form mad at me or anything. It's ALL good fun!


So at the end of the day, I just wanted to share this because, well, it happens! And honestly, hours after it happened, I am just laughing about it and I will practice more for the next performance.

It's all about having fun!

Oh damn, it reminds me that once, in 2011, I had to play a piece (I don't remember the name) for my music school like a mini concert (students have each one piece to play), and I worked so much on my piece, I was happy to show what I could play at 2nd year of study piano, I started to play and in the middle or early end of the piece, I play a wrong note, then a few seconds later a second + a third, I litteraly stressed and then cried because I felt shame inside me because I played like one or two wrong note
Since I am still affraid to play in front of like more 150 people

 

[Rad Synner]

I think maybe cause your still focusing on what your playing, looking for the notes, that's how it seemed to me
The other day I read coincidentally like after 1-2 years with an instrument it would become less of a problem, like that's what it came down to

Maybe! All I can is keep practicing to try to not repeat my mistake!

It takes an iron set of balls to post things like this, so thank you Radu! I know if it was me I'd delete a mess up and try to pretend it never happened. But this is a great lesson in not taking things too seriously and realising we are all humans that make mistakes

To answer the question this has happened to me a good few times, but it has stopped ever since you guys gave me that gig anxiety advice

Everyone has weird gigs, it gives us funny stories to tell, keep on keeping on man and you'll nail it the next time

To be fair, we had 2 shows yesterday and this was the first one! Second time was much better! But yeah, it's all part of the game. I'm just 100% okay with making mistakes and owning it!

You know what's funny? I don't really have an issue so much with that as much as I forget lyrics and I mean straight up forget Melody and lyrics completely. The song will start and as soon as I am set to sing it's like it all goes out the window lol. It sucks haha but it's true sometimes you just have to keep on going and then eventually it comes back to you.
But this is really cool that you overcame it and you took a lot of gall to post this. Definitely a cool thing to look on and realize that everybody goes through it

I think it honestly comes down to not thinking about it if that makes sense! Because see, I had to sing while playing that (I do love to make my life hard...) and because I was so focused on trying to play the right notes on the keyboard, the lyrics flew so well and I didn't need to think about it. But yeah, I think once the stress at the beginning leaves, it all becomes easier!

Stage freight is a real thing. That's why I tried to get on uploading videos from day one of my guitar journey. Those videos are still iYouTube and they are horrible..I got hate i almost every one. If you can handle.the hate after playing an awful solo youd like to think stage freight would be easy. I'm hoping so but doubting that I wouldn't have it. Cant dought yourself tho. The moment you did is when the riff or lyric leaves your head. It's all a part of anxietys way to fool you into thinking something that isnt real.

I do agree with you! Though to be fair, I don't think this was quite stage freight cuz im really good under the spotlight. I just blanked as simply as that because I was overthinking everything! But it honestly build character!

I fucking love that you shared this !
I especially love how everyone just rolled with it. I don’t have much stage experience, obvi lol, but many moons ago I was a dorky ass theatre kid, and one thing that always stuck with me was “the audience isn’t going to know if you fuck up unless you let them know, they’ll just think it’s part of the show”.
I had a situation where I totally blanked ALL of my lines in a performance once and went 100% off script and even out of character….but the other cast members rolled with it and nobody in the audience ever knew.
Life is all about rolling with the punches and making the best out of every situation. Everyone fucks up, you just don’t realize they fucked up sometimes.

YES my fellows were so great in just rolling in with the fact that I forgot. Fun fact, some people after came and said that they thought that the skit was really fun. You're right, no one realised that there was a problem because we all just fucking owned it and all sort of stayed in character!

OMG I love you for posting this!! It happens to us all. I haven't had this before but I'm usually the one being @Holly Vin Gruinelle 's lyrical guide
But I actually get this while practicing!! Just last month I actually had to watch my own HTTK tutorial in the middle of practicing it because I practiced a part so much i suddenly forgot it!

Yesss there's a certain point where there's so much in your head that even the think you practiced so well get out of your mind... part of the gig!

Oh damn, it reminds me that once, in 2011, I had to play a piece (I don't remember the name) for my music school like a mini concert (students have each one piece to play), and I worked so much on my piece, I was happy to show what I could play at 2nd year of study piano, I started to play and in the middle or early end of the piece, I play a wrong note, then a few seconds later a second + a third, I litteraly stressed and then cried because I felt shame inside me because I played like one or two wrong note
Since I am still affraid to play in front of like more 150 people

Yeah it can get quite stressful to play in front of people, I get you! I guess that I believe that a lot of practice helps to have the confidence to go on stage but that's the first half. The second is just like accepting that something might go wrong and then just accept it and try to go with it! The biggest advice I usually give to my student (and that I applied to myself) is to just own the mistake and have fun with it! Once you accept the cringe, you become truly free! Also, people will love it!

 

[William B.]

accept the cringe

a song name bwahahhahaa

 

[Saphyra]

Maybe! All I can is keep practicing to try to not repeat my mistake!

To be fair, we had 2 shows yesterday and this was the first one! Second time was much better! But yeah, it's all part of the game. I'm just 100% okay with making mistakes and owning it!

I think it honestly comes down to not thinking about it if that makes sense! Because see, I had to sing while playing that (I do love to make my life hard...) and because I was so focused on trying to play the right notes on the keyboard, the lyrics flew so well and I didn't need to think about it. But yeah, I think once the stress at the beginning leaves, it all becomes easier!

I do agree with you! Though to be fair, I don't think this was quite stage freight cuz im really good under the spotlight. I just blanked as simply as that because I was overthinking everything! But it honestly build character!

YES my fellows were so great in just rolling in with the fact that I forgot. Fun fact, some people after came and said that they thought that the skit was really fun. You're right, no one realised that there was a problem because we all just fucking owned it and all sort of stayed in character!

Yesss there's a certain point where there's so much in your head that even the think you practiced so well get out of your mind... part of the gig!

Yeah it can get quite stressful to play in front of people, I get you! I guess that I believe that a lot of practice helps to have the confidence to go on stage but that's the first half. The second is just like accepting that something might go wrong and then just accept it and try to go with it! The biggest advice I usually give to my student (and that I applied to myself) is to just own the mistake and have fun with it! Once you accept the cringe, you become truly free! Also, people will love it!

Yeah, I tried to play again in front of people, at first around like 30-50 people, it's was in 2014, each student was playing his own piece that we did during a composition lesson
It was also my first time I composed ^_^

 

[Rad Synner]

Yeah, I tried to play again in front of people, at first around like 30-50 people, it's was in 2014, each student was playing his own piece that we did during a composition lesson
It was also my first time I composed ^_^

That's awesome though! Do you remember your first composition? You should share them with us!

 

[Saphyra]

That's awesome though! Do you remember your first composition? You should share them with us!

Yes my first composition was "La valse de Cauterets" because I wanted to do a little mix between a valse and some classic base in music
Why this name ? Because since my childhood, I go every winter holidays to Cauterets in Pyrénées, in the middle of mountain, this place means a lot for me and I wanted to make a composition for this city ^^
I wrote it in 2014 ^^

 

[Rad Synner]

Yes my first composition was "La valse de Cauterets" because I wanted to do a little mix between a valse and some classic base in music
Why this name ? Because since my childhood, I go every winter year to Cauterets in Pyrénées, in the middle of mountain, this place means a lot for me and I wanted to make a composition for this city ^^
I wrote it in 2014 ^^

Now I am really hype to hear it! Please share a video of it with us!!! The story behind it is lovely!

 

[Saphyra]

Now I am really hype to hear it! Please share a video of it with us!!! The story behind it is lovely!

Haha of course but maybe it is not really good what I did so you can give some tips that I can use to improve ^^

 

[Rad Synner]

Haha of course but maybe it is not really good what I did so you can give some tips that I can use to improve ^^

Absolutely! That’s what we do best here! Help each other grow!

 

[Matt Wildcat]

I fucking love that you shared this !
I especially love how everyone just rolled with it. I don’t have much stage experience, obvi lol, but many moons ago I was a dorky ass theatre kid, and one thing that always stuck with me was “the audience isn’t going to know if you fuck up unless you let them know, they’ll just think it’s part of the show”.
I had a situation where I totally blanked ALL of my lines in a performance once and went 100% off script and even out of character….but the other cast members rolled with it and nobody in the audience ever knew.
Life is all about rolling with the punches and making the best out of every situation. Everyone fucks up, you just don’t realize they fucked up sometimes.

As an ex-theatre kid, this is fucking spot on, and I was about to comment this until I saw you'd already done it! I can't tell you how many times I'd forgotten my lines or an action, or where I was supposed to stand at a point... But unless the audience knows your performance inside-out, they ain't gonna notice a damn thing!

Radu, it was seriously great of you to post this. People panic about fucking up all the time, and it happens to EVERYONE. From the beginners to the best of the best. But what truly speaks is how you handle the situation. Even if ya panic, if you keep going instead of throwing in the towel, you're immediately doing yourself a huge favour. So to everyone reading... Just roll with it! Work with it, improvise, do whatever ya need, but just get thru it! You got this!

 

[Ryan Vega]

Damn dude that's rough can honestly say i've never had that one happen to me LOL

 

[Ed Seith]

I’ve never had this, either, but thanks for sharing. Now it will probably happen next time I gig.

 

[Rad Synner]

I’ve never had this, either, but thanks for sharing. Now it will probably happen next time I gig.

Make sure you film your next gig cuz I want to see that!!