So I can't chicken out

I had started a thread a few days ago about my one year anniversary with the ukulele. I appreciate all the well wishes and kind words, it was very nice. As I stated making music is new to me as I am not a trained musician of other instruments.

I am making my virigin solo performance on stage tonight at our uke jam. There are usually 60 - 80 people in attendance so even with a friendly crowd it is still intimidating.

I am posting this so I don't chicken out between now and 8:00 pm tonight. Figured if I made it public I could not back out.

Excuse me while I go throw up

Good for you, DUD1! Get down! Break a leg! ld:

Just relax, don't forget to breathe. Remember that you are there to have fun. If you happen to make a mistake, it's ok, just keep going. Good luck!!! You should have someone record the performance so that you can watch it. Then, post it, on YouTube, so we can all enjoy it.

Kudos to you!

Awesome! You'll do great. And a key thing to remember when you're playing live is: you hear/know of mistakes that are totally transparent to the listeners. They're gonna dig it!

Enjoy the ride brother. They gon' love you.

Thanks everone you have been a huge help. Got my ukulele and I am heading out the door.

With a similar lack of musical background, I can completely identify with you. I did an open mic at a uke festival and was shaking like crazy. I knew people would be encouraging/supportive, but was still crazy nervous (irrationally so). I ended up loving it and was happy I did it. So, good luck and enjoy!!

I'm not holding you to anything. If you are comfortable or if you want a challenge then I say go. But if you feel overwhelmed then I say no. Follow yer gut on this one. I'm envious that you have a group to play for. I can't seem to find other uke players around here.

Well I see that you are out the door so good luck and I'm waiting for the report. You rock Dave. (you also bob up and down)

You'll do fine Dave. You have come a long ways since you started, and along the way provided much encouragement and advice to the rest of us. We're all pulling for ya!!!

How'd it go??? Did you have fun? Details, man

Big kudos for jumping out there. I'm sure you did great. (by now you may be basking in the audience adoration and paprazzi!):bowdown:

Good for you, Dave! Have fun...

Not sure about the time zone thing but I'm assuming the event is over and am awaiting confirmation that all went well.

Woot, woot, and woot again!!!!!! So happy for you. Once you do it, you won't regret it!

How did it go?

You'll kill them Dave. If you get nervous just think about what happened to me the first time on stage. On my first strum I dropped my pick into the sound hole. Have a good laugh about that and just have fun because that is what it is all about.

My darlin' lovely wife gave me some sage advice 35 years ago, before we became romantically involved, the first time she ever saw me at an open mic.

"Jim," she said, "probably no one would notice your mistake if you didn't say "$#!+" into the mic right after you made it."

I've tried to follow that advice and would highly recommend it.

Yep, saying "$#!+" into the mic right after you make a mistake is a dead give-a-way.

You folks are awesome, so were my fellow uksters last night. There were 7 performances and I was the lone "virgin". Some very good players went before me as I was second last, this did not help, man I was nervous. I sang "Big Rock Candy Mountain" from the O Brother Where Art Thou sound track, a surprising number of people knew it and sang along.

I could gloss over this and say it went ok but that would not be of any help to those reading this who might be thinking of going up for the first time. The microphones really threw me off and were a major feeling of discomfort. First I felt I was not loud enough, got closer, too loud, backed off, started to feel self conscious and heard my voice going flat and breaking. I lost a few chord progression but I never stopped strumming and I never stopped singing. That cures most flubs, just keep rolling. I looked at a few friendly faces, they were smiling and pulling for me so that helped to keep me going

Someone here said you will hear all your mistakes and I did, man did I ever. But talking to others afterwards about the volume variance and my voice they said they never heard any of that.........good friends are good fibbers I walked off the stage feeling a bit down because I know that song backwards and forwards and sing it well. A lot of people say I have a good voice, it certainly did not feel like it last night. Nothing felt good coming off the stage last night

I got a lot of congratulations and "good job"s last night. When I sat down I thought I am never doing that again, talking to others I thought well at least I did it. Driving home I started thinking "first time for everything". Anytime you do something for the very first time it is not going to be perfect. The stage and the mics were all very new and it made me uncomfortable, so what. Now typing this I am thinking of ways to improve. The only way to improve is to do more of them. Gotta hit thousands of golf balls to be a good golfer.

Taking some congrats from our sound man who is a fabulous player and singer I mean REALLY GOOD I said, it did not sound as good as it does from my kitchen table. He simply replied "it never does for me for me either". That blew my mind and has given me great perspective and hope to move forward.

If you are thinking of getting up just do it. You are a unique voice and deserve to be heard.