First gig

Gary Slabaugh · From: Scottsdale, AZ

I played for a group of about 20 friends today at a BBQ, my first time playing in public. I needed to push myself here is what I found:

My temperature went up about 20 degrees.
Neither my B11 or C6 necks seemed in tune.
I could no longer read tab.
My bar hand could not find a straight up fret, let alone a slant in either direction.
My picks felt like they were going to fall off and had a hard time finding the strings they were going for.
Timing, what timing?
And my amp did not sound right.

Other than that is was a good experience. I played a little more after lunch and most of these maladies cured themselves. I need a lot of practice but the experience was invaluable. Next step will be to try to play with some musicians.

People seemed to enjoy the uniqueness of the steel. A Chinese lady was very facinated by the instument and told me about a stringed Chinese instument that she is trying to learn at the age of 50.

"former closet steel player"

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Gary,

Welcome to the world of live performance. You just got to keep "getting back on the horse" in order to get past, or at least tame a bit, the stage fright. It's something we all have to deal with.

There are two things you didn't experience which you most ceratinly will if you continue performing in public.

1. You play a song and you know it sounds absolutely perfect, all the notes sing, you are loose and expressive and all the forces of the universe are smiling on you. When you finish the song you realize nobody was listening.

2. You play absolutely the worse you can. Your guitar is out of tune, you forget the second half of the song, you break a string three measures into the chorus and you can't stop sneezing. After the song three people come up to you and tell you how great it sounded.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

Andy Zynda · From: Wisconsin

1st Time public appearance? You have done well if you didn't:

1) Crap your shorts. (I know guys who have..)
2) Puke. (I have)
3) Passed out. (not yet..)
4) Drawn a complete blank for lyrics. I once played Wabash Cannonball, and repeated "From the hills of minnesota where the ripplin' waters fall" no less than 8 times in a row. I just couldn't think of any other words!
I thought my wife (keyboardist) was going to piss herself onstage she was laughing so hard.

5) Show up on the wrong day. (done that)

Cheers, and don't let anything stop you from performing. Live music needs live musicians!
Not friggin DJ's!
-andy-

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Gary,

Keep at it! Like any other activity, it will only get better with practice.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

TRUST ME! I've never lied to you before, right?
It was nothing more than the gravitational pull of the moon. That happens at irregular intervals. It won't be there the next time you play in public!
Go back and do it again, and again and again.

Fred Brown · From: Austin, TX

Gary,
Know EXACTLY how you feel. I only started about 3-4 months ago. But several months ago I mentioned to the worship leader at church that one of the songs that we did would sound good with a steel guitar. He said Great, when do want to get together? So we did it about a month ago. I backed him up on 3 songs during the singing part of the worship service. I even did a solo at the start and end of Amazing Grace, with him adding some fills on his electric guitar. Most people thought the stereo vibrato was pretty cool. All it was was both hands shaking uncontrollably at the same time. I got lost, I forgot some of the chords. I was scared spitless. But I wouldn't trade that experience in the world for anything! Now I'm hooked. I am looking forward to the next time.

Long story to say, I'm with ya.
Fred

Brooker Buckingham · From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Gary, I know how you felt!
I just played my first steel gig, and all I kept thinking through the whole thing was, "Isn't this premature?" Lots of fumbling, bum notes, and way too much pumping on the volume pedal. Playing steel involves coordinating so many things, that it's gonna take my brain a long time before it becomes natural.
Plus, the band we opened for (Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys) had a monster steel player (Jimmy Roy.)
All I wanted to do was run home with my tail between my legs and practice non-stop.

Gary Slabaugh · From: Scottsdale, AZ

Brooker,

Practice has taken on a whole new definition for me.

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

I've been hearing good things about Jimmy Roy, has he done any recording yet with Big Sandy? All of the stuff I have has Lee Jeffries on it (and he ain't too shabby!!).

John P. Phillips · From: Folkston, Ga. U.S.A., R.I.P.

Brooker Buckingham · From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Chris. From what I know, Jimmy Roy has joined since Big Sandy recorded his last album (Night Tide from 2000.)
Jimmy Roy used to play in Ray Condo & His Ricochets, a Vancouver-area band that mines the same territory as Big Sandy.
And I agree, Lee Jeffries is no slouch either!

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

thanks Brooker!!

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