First live experience with the axe...

T

torkolort

Inspired
The occasion was just my dad's 50th birthday celebration, but they rented a local club in Oslo where big names like Clapton and Springsteen have performed on stage. So I show up an hour earlier with just my guitar, Axe and Macbook. I could see the sound guy's skepticism to the Axe while we hooked up to the PA. Then I played through the song once with the backing track. When finished, he immediately stepped out of his booth, came over to the stage and I could see it in his eyes. And he said "What the hell is that thing?? I need the name of that box NOW!" He reacted exactly the way I thought he would :D

As I have only used the Axe at home, and, 98% of the time, with headphones, I finally got to play at real volume. It was really fun, but obviously the patch translated very differently than what I'm used to. I had to back off on delay and reverb, and I had some trouble with the highs etc.

I knew I made some mistakes, but I didn't know until now listening to it that the mistakes were so loud and noticeable...A lot of the bends went completely wrong and out of tune. When playing, I had a hard time hearing myself on the high notes, and felt the backing was drowning it, but on the recording it's the complete opposite. I guess all the mistakes are due to a combination of this, and that I was VERY nervous....!

Anyway here it is:


And here is the original patch recorded direct:
 

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DonPetersen said:
good stuff.

however, unless it's your 50th (or beyond) or you're doing atmospheric stuff: don't. sit. down. :)
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Hehe I know...it was a hard decision. I tried at first, but it was so much harder to play standing. I had to choose between looking good or sounding good...but yeah, I need to practice that obv :)
 
yek said:
:) +1

Another unless: Unless you're a hot chick who plays the cello.
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What about the really hot chick responsible for arranging the show saying it was ok to sit. Could that count as a third unless? I'm gonna use it anyway :)
 
That was a great performance. Very triumphant! My chest is still sticking out out. LOL
 
Excellent on both versions.

Any chance of sharing patch?

Thought I would ask before everyone else does when they hear it :)
 
Well you certainly picked an easy song to play :) Sounded great! I think all of us only hear our mistakes when we listen to recordings of ourselves, while everyone one else just hears the total performance. My only thought was " I wish I could play that well." I just played one of those JPM's at a guitar store last week and was blown away by how well it played. That upper fret access may be the best of any guitar, ever.
 
I know that this sounds silly, but I was actually kind of nervous for you just watching the beginning of the video. :) I have no problem getting up and speaking in front of a crowd, but when it comes to playing I get horrible stage fright, I can't imagine what was going on in your head waiting to start playing. I think that you did fantastic and I don't know if that's your dad over on the right hand side, but I think that I saw him wipe a tear from his eye.

Seriously; I'm impressed and I can only imagine that the nervous feeling was only beaten out by the rush of adrenaline and relief that probably hit right afterwards when the applause came.

Great job!
 
shit ....what is in the water in these scandinavian countries :O

all you guys are monster musicians....
soudns great!
 
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Thanks guys!!

I'll upload the patch when I get home.

shasha said:
I know that this sounds silly, but I was actually kind of nervous for you just watching the beginning of the video. :) I have no problem getting up and speaking in front of a crowd, but when it comes to playing I get horrible stage fright, I can't imagine what was going on in your head waiting to start playing. I think that you did fantastic and I don't know if that's your dad over on the right hand side, but I think that I saw him wipe a tear from his eye.

Seriously; I'm impressed and I can only imagine that the nervous feeling was only beaten out by the rush of adrenaline and relief that probably hit right afterwards when the applause came.

Great job!
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Good to hear I'm not alone :) I really don't feel comfortable in front of a crowd. Not in any situation. I would rather play than talk though. The stage fright is really a shame because it kinda ruins the great fun of playing, at least for me. I guess if I did it over and over again it would be better, but it won't change who I am. The relief you mention actually came a while after I went off (with a little help from the champagne). But the feedback and compliments from both people I know and people I've never met was overwhelming. I think they were quite surprised, because I opened with a classical guitar medley I put together, and then suddenly switched to something completely different. My dad was not in the video, but he did wipe quite some tears :)

Thanks for the kind words!
 
Great stuff. Practice at home standing, it really does change between practicing one way and playing out another. Vibrato due to the angle change etc. My kids give me a hard time for throwing on the strap and walking around while playing "do you think you're a rock star?", but it is yet another facet that needs to be practiced, right along with not looking at the neck the whole time which gets me "why are you stairing at the ceiling?"
 
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