Conference napalm::guitar

    Like many people at the time (about 20 years back, gag!), I got started on 
    my own and formed a band with a couple of friends at school. We hustled
    our own gig by approaching the guy who ran the local rock venue for a
    support slot, and eventually he let us play. Mind you, we only got the
    gig because the support band he'd booked didn't show up. Not only that,
    but the club closed down the following week. The week after that the
    band split up! Some start, eh? 
    
    This is probably not a lot of help to you, but as I say, at the time
    (and ever since, really) I've only ever joined/formed bands with people
    I know - I've yet to go through the auditioning in front of strangers
    bit.
    
    Probably even less help to you is the fact that my score rate with
    groupies has, so far, been totally zero, zilch, nada, zip etc. 
    
    Still, there must be something good about this rock'n'roll lark, after
    all I'm still doing it 20 years on and have yet to taste success (well,
    apart from once in 1977, but that's another story).
    
    Bob

    I got into my first band with people I worked with.  Just happened
    there was a keyboard player and a bass player looking for a guitar
    player and they heard from someone that I played guitar and offered to
    have me come and play with them to see if anything clicked.  It did and
    it worked out well.  I was fortunate in that I worked in a large
    facility where there was a lot of social interaction between people in
    different groups and I just happened onto people that played.
    
    We never played for money, but we did play several partys held by our
    friends.  Some of them were relatively large (~200 people).  It was
    good experience and a lot of fun!  Even though we all play in different
    bands now, we still get together in our old lineup every once in awhile
    and play partys.  8^)
    
    I don't do groupies.  
    
    
    
    
    Ok, ok, ok...I never had any...  ;-(
    
    ;^)
    
    Greg
                                                                 

Playing with other musicians is always a good booster shot
when you're getting to feel a little stagnant.  You don't 
necessarily have to get out and play/get a working gig.

Sometimes, it's tuff, hanging out at the house, working things out,,  
it can wear on you.  Sometimes, a rest is as good a change,
you really have to decide what you need to 'spark' you.  

Realize that sometimes, playing with people  works either way.

last band I was in went 10 years, lots of jobs,, pratice time, made a 
lot of dough, had a TON of fun, but eventually, it became "WORK" and 
"no fun", so we parted ways as friends.  That was most likely my 
last-ever band.  Prior to that, I spent at least 12 years in  various   
bands pretty regularly.   

I gotta confess, it all tended to wear on me...  But when I first 
started this last band, it something new, it was really fun, and
fun+playing=motivation/playing well.   

Sometimes that's all someone needs to turn it all around.  A few good nights,
a little confidence, a dash of innovation....

The best advice I can offer:
Find some people who you think have compatible goals to you, find
a way to put something low-keyed together.  If the chemistry happens to
be there, the rest will take care of itself. In the meantime, it'll
get you out of the house and making some noise for a few nights, and
have some fun,,  That's where playing's the best.  when it's fun

    It just happened that my two best friends played guitar and drums,
    respectively.  I, after having 13 years of piano lessons, decided to go
    and buy a keyboard and play in the group.  There was always great
    chemistry between the people in the band.  I played both bass and
    keyboards on songs from Rush, Yes, even some trash groups like G&R and
    Ratt.  We never officially had any gigs although playing for friends
    was always fun especially since they idolized us as Gods of Music in
    their drunken state.
    
    Really, trying to get a gig together takes quite a businessman.  Making
    money is nearly impossible.  So my advice is:
       	-have a good time but don't preoccupy yourself with getting a gig
    	 together because nobody will pay you enough right now.
        -Don't try to hard to imitate other bands, play it your own way.
    	-To get started on the road to mass success, invite about one-
    	 hundred of your closest friends over and play for them, maybe
    	 you'll get recommended that way.
    	-Have fun!

    I got started way back in 1977...the kid across the street (best friend
    scenario) played guitar.  I never really thought about playing, in
    fact, I think I was the ONLY guy on my street who DIDN'T own a guitar!
    One day out of adolescent boredom, this dude showed me three open
    position chords...an E7, a B7, and an A7.  The only one which was hard
    was the B7 (it was the 4 finger jobbie).  I said...woah, this is EASY! 
    I bet with some practice I could play some of those KISS tunes I really
    dig.  Low n behold, next Xmas brought a LP copy (real thang was too
    much $$$) and a Mel Bay book Volume 1.  I was self-taught in that book
    up until the chapter on "tied notes", at which I said "Huh?!?".  It was
    about Feb. by the time I hit that chapter, so then I blew off the book
    and started taking formal lessons.   My teacher was a wicked
    Berklee-grad jazz-head!  This teacher popped me right into the Berklee
    series of books.  In 6 months, I was playing STDs off of charts, and
    joined the HS Jazz band.  I grew a lot quicker than the other
    guitarists in the neighborhood, but also differently.  They were all
    playing Deep Purple and Rush licks, and I was clueless on that stuff! 
    I was reading charts and learning modes.  I didn't bend a note for 2
    1/2 years!!  
    
    Anyways, I started a band with the neighbor dude who got me into it. 
    We were playing Beatles, Rush, Kiss, Aerosmith, Boston stuff, but I
    must confess the transition into the rock scene was really hard and
    awkward for me.  My rock playing didn't start happening til I switched
    teachers to this rock dude in Maynard (anyone remember Mike Robin from
    the band Kid Morroco?).  To this day I really don't consider myself a
    true rock guitarist...more jazzy, is anything, I guess.
    
    My suggestions to people starting off are:
    
    o Learn anything and everything you can...its all relative
    o Jam with lots of different people...you can scam tons of stuff that way
    o Know when a bad habit is a bad habit
    o Keep at it (the guitar, not the bad habits!)  ;^)
    

    
    I'm still getting started!    ;^)
    
    	Rock on,
    		Fred (who_still_has_his_learners_permit)

    I had always wanted to learn to play the guitar since I was a teen. 
    I had always enjoyed guitar-oriented music more than anything else and
    hoped someday I could learn.  About 2�-3 years ago, I felt inspired
    from various sources to finally start lessons.
    
    I have a long ways to go, but I've come a long ways too.  I enjoy it
    much more than I ever dreamed.
    
    Mike

    I started playing in about 1963, so I can't really remember how I got
    into my first band...I think it was an awful schoolboy band. 
    Anyway, I've just started playing in a band again, and this week played
    in front of an audience for the first time in 10 years.
    I got in touch with this band via an advert on the notice board of one
    of the music stores. Over here in the UK you can generally post an
    advert of this sort free.
    
    I would second the idea of checking-out the aims and motivations of
    people you might play with. It's no good spending time rehearsing with
    people who really want to go Professional when all you want is a couple of
    evenings fun a week. I was very up-front about my aspirations as to
    number of nights per week rehearsing etc. when I answered ads.
    Also, I would second that you forget the groupies.
    *DC
    

    For me it was the usual...some guys playing in a garage, I knew the
    harmonica player and the regular bass guy couldn't make it, so it was
    the old "Hey this guy sucks on bass, but he owns one and is willing to
    drag his amp over here".  At the time, everyone else in the garage was
    well above my ability so I had an excellent crash course in rock and
    roll.  
    
    Since then, it's alternated between word of mouth and ads posted
    in music stores and papers.  I'm still waiting for that call from Miles
    Davis, though....8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    						Brian

    Yeah, I'm still waiting for Eddie Van Halen to decide he'd rather have
    a two guitar band... :^)
    
    Hey thanks for all the advice everybody! I think it's cool to hear
    about how other people got started playing.
    
    Oh yeah, the groupie thing was just a joke! ;^)
    
                                    trickey(who, even though he thinks EVH
                                            is god, thinks "Wolfgang Van
                                            Halen" just doesn't sound right)
    
    
                                            
     

    Another good way to get noticed is to play in a Battle of the bands
    contest.
    

    I've never played in a band but have no doubt that if you do not play
    with other people, you can plateau and get stuck in a rut (if both
    things are possible at the same time :-) )
    
    I'm too lazy to practice... I just like to play and if I play with
    another guitarist things develop far better than if I play alone.
    
    Also, I've found that getting a really good instrument has improved my
    playing because I love the sound so much, and its so easy to play, I
    find it hard to put down.
    
    andy

<<you can plateau and get stuck in a rut (if both
<<things are possible at the same time :-) )
  

Quite possible!  at some point, innevitable.  

    
    
    I started off at 9 when I was forced to take guitar lessons by my
    parents.  They thought that it was important that I learn to play a
    musical instrument.  I basically practiced the absolute minimum and
    didn't progress very well.
    
    Then, in the 9th grade, some kids in school wanted to put a band
    together and heard that I played the guitar. Well, didn't that make a
    difference.  All of a sudden there were school dances and parties to be
    played, songs to be learned, fun to be had.  And to be the "lead"
    guitar player, which everyone wanted to be, meant being at least as
    good, if not better, than the rest of the pack.
    
    So I practiced.  From the minute I got out of school until I went to bed. 
    Every day.  Like someone already mentioned, I'd fall asleep in a big
    chair, guitar still in hand.  It was easy to do it then because all I
    really had to do was get good grades and keep the 'rents happy.
    
    I got an after school job in high school to buy more guitar gear.  I
    saved $425 to buy my guitar (Swede) when I was a senior, and it took me
    six months to do it. When I hit college I discovered rock band nirvana,
    i.e., frat parties.  Not much money to be had, but the party was great.
    8-)
    
    And, along the way, I've made some great friends.  The drummer I play
    with now was in my high school band! 
    
    As a low-cost hobby, I'd recommend it. 8-)
    
    Kevin
    
    
    

    
    	Last week, I broke outta the blues scales and learned the Gmaj
    	scales.  I'm excited by the possibilities now of learning more
    	and adding soloing dimensions.  This may seem funny to the 
    	pro's, but I was absolutely blown away when I learned how to
    	apply a Gmaj pattern to relative minor keys.  
    	

    
    You too!!!
    
    Last week I was shown how to apply a relative scale to compliment the
    one you are currently in.......ie. Play in A minor, switch to C major,
    the only thing I have found is that where you can be 'sloppy' in A
    pentatonic minor, you need to be very melodic when you switch to the
    relative major.
    
    As for the pro's thinking this funny....
    
    a. I bet there was a time when they were blown away when they learnt
       this. 
    b. Who cares what they think anyway.
    
    J. (It is a blast tho' isn't....all of a sudden...WOW! loads of
        notes to chose from.......if you want to really muddle with your
        head, work out the notes you play in one scale and then draw a
        picture of your guitar neck with all those notes marked. Now
        pick the relative major/minor and do the same.........*loads*
        and *LOADS* of notes......how do they ever remember them?)
    

    How do you guys use the relative minor with the major? I just 
    learned the major and relative minor scales about two weeks ago,
    but I'm not really sure how to "switch" between 'em or whatever.
    Guess it has something to do with chords? Aw hell, I don't really
    know what I'm talking about. Anybody wanna enlighten me on this?
    Does everybody use scales when they solo, or do you just basically
    wing it? I mean do you think in your head "ok, now I'm gonna go to
    the 5th!"(or whatever) or do you just think "well that might sound
    cool!" Well, I'm just rambling on, but any comments are appreciated!
    
                                        trickey
    

A good example of one way to do it is on "The Lemon Song" on Led Zepplin's 
second album.  There is a quiet bluesy solo in the middle of the song; I think 
it's after a section where the vocals are accompanied by bass and drums only
for the most part.  The solo starts in the major and alternates between major 
and minor every phrase.

Listening to it and learning to play may give some insight into how to use the
keys.

Will

    Re -.2: If you're playing a C chord in the tune, then you can solo
    using the notes from C major or from Cmajor's *relative minor*: Aminor.
    
    You can build a table: a major chord's relative minor is three frets
    down the neck.  So, C -> Am, G -> Em, ...
    
    Soloing: Hear it, play it.

    So if I'm playing a C major scale, an A minor scale is the same pattern
    only 3 frets down?
    
    
    
    
    Jim a real rookie who just learned C major scale and just stumbled onto
    this discussion.

    -1
    
    No.  A C major scale and an A minor scale are  the SAME SCALE!  You
    don't need to move anyplace, it's all in the "root" note.

    You've stumbled onto the most basic element of "modes".
    
    A minor (known as the "Aolian" mode) contains the same notes as C
    major.
    
    The same can be said of:
    
    	B Locrian mode
    	D Dorian 
    	E Phrygian
    	F Lydian
        G Mixolydian
    
    So, in the simplest of terms (which is how I tend to think) if your
    song is in C,  take the root of each chord in the song and play a C
    scale starting at THAT note for the duration of that song and you
    will "hear" that it "works".
    
    That's the most simple way to think of applying the basic modes.

I you're having trouble visualizing the relationship between major and minor
try this:

Find a piano or any keyboard.  Look at the white keys.  Just the whites.  The 
white keys make up a C major scale.  Those very same keys also make up A minor.
Scales are circular, that is, they start over again on the next ocatve.  Like
this:



White Keys on a piano----|
                         |
                         V
   ...A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D...
                        \_____________/
C Major Scale------------------^		Starts and ends on any C
                                      \_____________/
Another C Major Scale------------------------^
                    \_____________/
A Minor Scale--------------^			Starts and ends on any A
                                                \_____________/
Another A Minor Scale----------------------------------^


Same notes, right?  Just different starting and ending points.

Modes work the same way, but I wouldn't worry about them until you're clear 
on the Major/relative Minor relationship.


The solo I referenced a note or two back modulates between (I think) E Major 
and E Minor.  That's very different and shouldn't be confused with the above 
description.

Hope this helps,

Will

    
    
    My $.02 worth.  
    
    From one beginner to another...On the subject of playing major scales.
    Please accept my apologies in advance for misuse of terminology/theory.
    I'd be interested in what I have wrong.

    My instructor explained to me that the 6th note in a major scale
    is the relative minor.  Something like this (for Cmajor).

    	C D E F G A B  
    		  6

    So, Aminor is the relative minor to Cmajor...  Of course that is
    kinda rough to do backwards music/math in your head when the song's
    in Am and you really just want to know WHERE DO I PLAY IT!

    		
    		***	***	***	***	***

    
    Here's a little trick my instructor told me for applying a major
    scale to a song in a minor key.

    Example)  Song in Aminor

    1) Make a A Minor chord (a six string barre chord version)
       as in fig 1 (numbers on frets are fingers).

    2) Move up the neck replace your 3rd finger with your 1st finger.
       This is where the Cmajor scale lives - fig 2.


        fig 1			fig 2

    	===========		===========
    1	| | | | | | 		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    	| | | | | |		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    3	| | | | | |		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    	| | | | | |		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    5	1 1 1 1 1 1		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    	| | | | | |		| | | | | |
    	-----------		-----------
    7	| 3 4 | | | 		| 1 1 1 | 1
    	-----------		-----------
    	| | | | | | 		2 2 | | 2 2
    	-----------		-----------
    9	| | | | | |		| | 3 3 | |
    	-----------		-----------
    	| | | | | |		4 4 4 4 4 |
    	-----------		-----------
    

    Re: -1
    
    That's exactly what they mean about going down 3 frets to find the
    relative minor.  Using E form barre chords, the C is at the 8th fret,
    move down 3 for the Am.
    
    It's probably just as easy, and faster (imho), to just go to the 6th 
    degree of the C major scale that you're in.  Playing the C Major scale
    from the 6th degree gives you the Aeolian mode (Relative Minor mode)
    that DB referred to a few replies back.
    
    Mike

    re: .23
    
     It just so happens I just bought the Led Zeppelin II Music Book
    and looked over the Solo you mentioned earlier and it flips between
    the E Penetonic Minor and E Major Scales with a lead in note here 
    and there.
    
     If anyones wondering the E Penetonic Minor can be found in the G
    Major Scale. It's a trimmed down version of the E Minor. 
  
    Ted 
     

    Pentatonic scale has a cute property.
    
    You've probably heard of I-IV-V songs - this is the basic rock'n'roll
    progression (like "Old Time Rock N' Roll").
    
    That means the song starts on the root, moves to the IV (which would
    imply the lydian scale), then to the V (which would imply the
    mixolydian scale).
    
    Note that the lydian scale which is a major scale with a sharp 4th.
    
    Note that the Mixolydian scale is a major scale with a flat 7th.
    
    Here's the key: Note that the major pentatonic scale is a major scale
    that SKIPS the 4th and the 7th and thus "works" wherever a major,
    lydian or mixolydian scale would work (which is ALL of I-IV-V).
    
    That's a sorta simplified explanation of why penatontic is used so
    much by rock guitarists.  You learn one scale pattern and it works
    in most applications. 
    
    	db

    Could somebody give me a real quick definition of "root".
    
    
    
    
    
    Jim who thanks to the stuff in this topic finds stuff starting to click
    a little bit.

    Re: .28
    
    Root: The base note; i.e in the key of C or a C scale or chord of any
    kind, the C note is the root.
    
    						Brian

    Re: a few back
    
    Not that I've "arrived", but I remember asking similar questions a
    couple years ago when I first started reading in here (I just started
    playing guitar before that).  Keep at it and you'll be explaining this
    stuff to others before you know it.
    
    Mike

    
    	Modes?  Omigosh!!!
    
    	my 2 cents - I don't think of the C major scale as being the
    	A minor scale.  I know it is the Aeolian mode etc... but I
    	usually use the dorian mode when playing "minor".
    
    	If I'm playing out of Am, I would tend to use the F# as opposed
    	to F.  So, in my mind, I'd say Am is the G scale and not C.
    
    	To play out of C major, use the Dm scale instead which has the
    	F.  That F is now the sus4 of C.
    
    	I know this is just a technicality but...
    
    	So, tape a rhythm playing C maj for a few measures then go to
    	Dm.  Play your Dm riffs over both but RESOLVE on the notes of
    	the chord your playing.
    
    	Hey, then play a Bb and do your Dm riffs over it.  Welcome to
    	phrygian_dimeola_land.
    
    	Tom
    
    

    -1:
       huh? What do you mean "I usually use the dorian mode when playing 
    'minor'"? When is dorian minor? I'm lost! :^{
    
                                           trickey

    -1
    
    Bob,
    
    Dorian mode is ALWAYS minor!
    
    Out if the 7 modes, three are major (ionian, lydian, mixolydian), 3
    are minor (dorian, phrygian, aeolian), and one is half-diminished 
    (locrian).

    re .32
    
    see in particular notes 420.* and 827.* for lots of discussion about
    modes. That should keep you busy for a few months! :-)
    
    - Dave

    
    	When I see someone write in and discover a major scale I
    	immediately remember when it happened to me.  I'd bet that
    	virtually everyone starts off with minor scales.  My neighbor
    	said to me, "you can play Eminor riffs, right?".  "yeah, I guess
    	that's what I'm doing.  But how do I play out of D ??"  "Well,
    	just use your Em notes but finish up on the notes of the D chord."
    
    	Whether that previous noter knew it or not, he discovered
    	modes.  A great way to immediately expand your "riffs".
    
    	Just imagine - all those minor riffs are suddenly useable over
    	a major chord...
    
    	Mitch Chakour taught me about modes - I remember it seemed like
    	it took forever to get it.  
    
    	Enough about modes - let's talk about pics?
    
    

    .3something:
    
      Hey Buck! Is it because of the minor third?
    
                               rob T. (who thinks he may be onto something)
    
    ps. These jazz III picks are purty cool!
    

    re: minor third
    
    you got it!
    
    Remember, think "key of the moment"!

    Geeze, and I thought I was confused before :^/
    
    
    
    
    
    Jim

	If there was a mode for guitarists who are losing their hair,
	would it be Minoxydilian?

    -1
    
    I don't get it.

    I got it, Buck (or did I already have it ??  ;)
    
    Yeah and Rogaine is Upjohns answer to thinning hair...
    Maybe I ought to get me some...
    
    jc

    yeah Coop, you need some ;-)

>    Yeah and Rogaine is Upjohns answer to thinning hair...
>    Maybe I ought to get me some...
    
    Little late for that I think...
    
    ;^)

    >  If there was a mode for guitarists who are losing their hair
    
    "Panic"

    
    
    
    	yeah, that's what I do... actually, I got so depressed about
    losing my hair that I began eating 3-4 dozen glazed donuts every day
    and got so figging fat that now nobody even notices the fact that I'm
    going bald...   Use a diversion!!   [;^)   hmmmm maybe if I put a
    couple of earrings in my nose people wouldn't notice that I'm fat OR
    bald!!   Yaaaaah!
    
    Gree Vee King

    I'm rollin' Greve unit ;-)
    
    Mike

    Not me Grevie !  I started playin' the blues...
    
    Yo Greg - Pfffft.                   :)
    Yo Mike - Those in glass houses...  :)
    
    

    
    I would like some feedback on this.....I've been playing for 7/8 months
    and my guitar teacher has told me I should go out and play with a band
    and do some gigs..........the thing is I don't know how to approach
    this, I could either get my own band together...but then that means
    starting from scratch, working out the material we should do,
    rehearsing, etc,etc....or try and join a band that has either already
    gigged (I imagine that they wouldn't want to know me tho' coz I haven't
    gigged at all yet) or join a band that is forming and let them decide 
    the material, sort out the practice room etc.
    	I sort of fancy the last idea because I know from past experience
    that just trying to arrange a jam is a pain!!!
    	The only thing I really don't want to do is make a complete tit of
    myself..........I don't know any 'songs' but *I* don't see this as a
    problem I know the basic chords, majors, minors, all the 7ths
    (major,minor,dominants...although obviously not *all* the positions you
    can play them in!), I know some 9ths and some 6ths,diminished, 7b5's...
    you get the idea? I also know my scales...and I can get my way through
    a solo....(all you muso's out there would say my solo's are safe and
    boring.....at the moment....but my teacher says not to worry coz the
    punters who will be listening don't care...they don't listen to guitar
    solo's like a guitarist does.)
    
    	So is there aything else I should know? As I said I don't know any
    songs but if someone told me a chord progression I'm (fairly) sure I
    could play it...(after 7 months of trying I can finally strum the main
    riff to Pinball Wizard....but only for about 2 bars!!)
    
    	So whats the verdict? How would/did you approach joining a band,
    what level were you...and remember...I am absolutely paranoid about
    making a total dickhead of myself...the other alternative is to stay in
    and practice until I feel confident about playing out....but my
    teacher says that I am never going to be *really* happy with my playing
    so I should just go and do it.....of course he may just be winding me
    up?
    
    J
      

    I don't know *any* guitarist that is completely comfortable with the
    way they play - we're a very crital lot.  Sounds to me like you'd be a
    good candidate for playing either rhythm in an established band, or
    doing rhythm/lead stuff in a forming band.  There's nothing completely
    safe about playing live ... you *will* screw up, and you *will* make a
    d*ckhead out of yourself at one time or another.  What seperates the
    men from the boys is that the boys keep making the same mistakes over
    and over.  As long as you don't fall into that category, you'll do
    fine.
    
    As far as where to start, I'd try and find an established band (hey,
    why waste your time forming one, if you can ?).  The personalities of
    the members is a lot more important than everyone's level of skill. 
    The world is jam packed with killer players, it's aalso packed with
    egotistical a$$holes, and the figures are VERY close to eachother.  A
    good band is like a good marriage ...
    
    Good luck !  But remember, it's supposed to be fun, so go have some fun!
    
    Scary

  re: find an established band.

  I'll play the devils advocate to this statement. MOST musicians don't want
 to go through the pain of a startup situation.

  But there are only so many established bands. If all the players wait around 
 to compete against one or two openings, well, a lot of players will still
 be sitting around waiting for the next opening.
 
  Folks need to be more adventurous and put something together so us unemployed
 types have someone to play with. ;-)

  While as a beginner it may be preferable to be in an established situation
 you might also wait a long time. Don't completely eliminate the startup
 situation. You might also consider finding one other guitarist who sings
 and have some fun, just the two of you.

  
   - Bob

    
    
    
    	Good advice from your teacher!  At least IMHO.  My teach told me
    that about a year ago and he was right!  It hasn't all been fun, but my
    playing has developed, I actually know 20 or 30 songs that I can play
    all the way through, and I'm getting close to organizing a bunch of
    music friends into a band.. fun stuff...  Enjoy, tell your teacher I
    think he's/she's brilliant!
    
    Gree Vee King

Jason,


Let an old-timer of 25 years playing sit you on my knee.......!!

	I met you once briefly, and you seem an OK guy.

**You just passed all the IMPORTANT requirements to go play live !!**


I reckon this topic is a bit like a collection of pre-pubescent teenagers 
discussing sex !!

You can scan all the books, hear all the gossip, lies, exagerations, 
scare-stories, highs, lows, play with yourself...etc etc etc.

The first time you do it, you will blow your mind, you will loose all natural
flow, be on edge, sweat like a pig, worry about your instruments performance,
lay like a plank..........and float on a high for weeks afterwards. 

Cockups n' all !!!

Stand up, get out there and do it. Like everything else in life, the fear of 
doing it (playing live....pay attention !), scares the **** out of you, but 
doing it is easy and no big deal. 

REMEMBER. You are up there playing, THEY are down there talking, drinking,
picking up crumpet. THEY don't play, but I bet sometimes they wish they could
See the audience as folks who want to be entertained, not as judge and jury
waiting to hang you for the first bum note!

I just spent the last 1/4 century making fun, music and money, with 0.2 cents 
of talent. No-one noticed, and I gave me, and lots of audiences a great time.

Here Endeth This Mornings Lesson....one of you young shavers give me a hand 
down from this soapbox......

Dave

    What he said! You'd be surprised how many bum notes you can get away
    with and still be a guitar god!!!
    
    Bob

    I had my 4th lesson from my new instructor last night..we did some
    jamming on a couple of songs with me playing lead..wasn't too flashy,
    but a lot of fun!  I walked out of there higher than a kite.  Learning
    to play has gone from a casual interest to near obsession..heck I don't 
    even want to eat when I get home from work..just want to practice!
    
    
    
    
    Jim