8 pm at my place
It’s coming soon. Only three more days to go. And no, I’m not speaking of BlogHer, I’m speaking of my own personal house concert. And you can still be invited, only drop me an e-mail at diapersandmusic AT web DOT de. I have sent out 18 invitations to about 25 people. So far there are two people coming and two not. (And I checked. I got the date right and there’s a little paragraph with “please tell me whether you’re attending” and my phone number and e-mail-address are correct.
So that is my first anxiety. Will I be playing in front of an empty room? And when only two people come, do I play regardless of my small audience? And I’m not counting my husband and son, who both will be there. ‘Though my son had to sit through half the program this morning and after each song he asked me “Are you done yet?” He patted me on my thigh while I played and asked a million questions and then announced that he can’t be quiet for such a long time. So maybe he won’t be staying for the whole thing. (I have a babysitter in attendance.)
My husband got real grumpy today, because this concert adds to our regular every year pre-summer break stress. And I had to get myself a new haircut. But I refrained from buying clothes.
What I bought instead was a new microphone. It’s amazing. A few weeks ago we tested a couple of microphones. My husband is setting up his studio for a new CD. And we found out that the mike that I had used all the years was by far the worst. Even a simple Shure 57 sounded better than that.
And I found out something else, my performance problem was due in part to not stage fright but microphone fright. Since I have been using microphones only in settings where there are a lot of reasons to be nervous, such as on stage with live audience, or in the studio, I never realized that I am afraid of the mike as such.
During the last two weeks I have therefore set up my keyboard and my new marvelous wonderful microphone and practiced with the actual setup. I have to confess, I have been sloppy in this regard. In the past I have neglected to warm myself to the PA. Big mistake. And since I’m quite unusual for a singer in that I’m actually able to tell a technician what I want and since I’m able to set up my own PA, I thought I was good. Ha!
I should know it by now. Every time I think I got something down pat, it rears its head again. But now I’m working on it. And the new fabulous microphone helps and the new tube amp too.
But apart from a few problems I’m really looking forward to Saturday. So, if you’re in M.U.N.I.C.H. On July 29, come.
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singer, stage fright, microphone
Technorati Tags: microphone, singer, stage
5 Responses to “Pre-Concert Anxiety”
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I think a person has to be a reasonably good cook in his or her own right to make these things work correctly – as you had to make a number of adjustments and substitutions.
In December I did a smaller version of freezer meals, but we have not liked the recipes at all. I never knew what fussy eaters we were until now! Also, I belong to a mothers’ club that makes meals for you when you have a new baby, and of about 2 1/2 weeks of meals, we only really liked one or two. Picky!
The next step I’m going to take for simplifying the whole feeding process is to try the grocery delivery service. For a nominal charge, you can order your groceries online and have them delivered to your kitchen. Most of the women I know have been doing this for at least a year & I’ve never heard anything bad about it.
Grocery delivery sounds marvelous. I don’t think one has to make any substitutions when you live in the US, own a grill and a crockpot.
What I really like about http://www.savingdinner.com is that there are lots of free recipes to try out.
I keep meaning to try one of these kinds of things. This has been very encouraging. I like the idea of having a freezer full of dinners.
Will you do it again?
Wow, this is interesting. I’m not sure, it’s for me… (my freezer would be too small anyway). I love to cook. I love to cook everyday. It’s so much part of my day.
Glad, you found my blog. I’ll be coming back here. 🙂
GG
@meno: Yes, I’ll definitely be doing it again. From what I heard the usual freezer meal establishments have lousy food. But I really can recommend http://www.savingdinner.com (And no, I’m not getting paid.
@de: I don’t think you are fussy eaters, I think you are just used to food of better quality. I’m not picky anymore, but when I eat at friends’ or relative’s places I almost never like the food. It’s because my husband a much better cook than most of them and we use high quality, often organic, ingredients.
And if you’re living in the US (and own both a crockpot and a grill) you don’t have to adjust anything. It becomes a little harder when you have to look up half the ingredients in your dictionary.
@GG: You still have to cook the meals. You just plan ahead and have everthing ready. That’s what the original savingdinner menu-mailers were about. Every week you get a menu plan complete with shopping list and recipes. You still have to buy and cook everything, but you won’t stand there in the evening right before dinner wondering what to cook and then hurry off shopping (or calling for pizza).