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[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1331283814' post='1570642'] There's better ways to remedy stagefright without resorting to alcohol. Ovaltine is very good! [/quote] Sadly I'm not keen on Ovaltine. What about hot chocolate? Actually scratch that, I don't think it would help my vocal chords...;-).

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1331283626' post='1570636'] HAHAHAHA Just try and hold back a video of Tal from me Happy to publicly love Rickenbacker's if it gets me my Tal video [/quote] Nah, couldn't deny some Tal love. ;-)

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1331283244' post='1570633'] Moral of the story? Booze gives you a delusion of grandeur. You don't sound as good as you think! [/quote] Actually, I used to record gigs. The gigs where I was completely sober invariably had far more mistakes than the ones where I'd had a few drinks. See my thread on stagefright. ;-) Of course, YMMV.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331282943' post='1570627'] The OP asked about professionals specifically. Maybe the thoughts of amateurs/semi-pros should ber another thread? [/quote] Indeed. ;-) Also can't help thinking of all the fabulous world-renowned musicians (particularly the jazz and rock set) who've been out of their box whilst recording or on stage....not that I'm necessarily condoning it, but who am I to judge?

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1331218203' post='1569642'] ... but I don't suppose there's any correct interpretation. [/quote] Except the one you've just given, which I pretty much agree with!

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1330900629' post='1564683'] I think they are some of the most beautiful basses ever created. Just a shame they play horribly and feel horrible to play. [/quote] Beautiful? With all that chrome? ;-)

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1330907125' post='1564776'] Did we say they look ugly and are really unbalanced? [/quote] You do still want that dvd don't you? ;-)

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331281459' post='1570598'] Yes. A lot of pontifficating on this thread. [/quote] +1.

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1331229990' post='1569974'] I'd say it depends on the attitude of the person who is hiring and whether it affects the playing of the person who is doing the drinking. [/quote] This. End of.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1331026565' post='1566352'] Having suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the past, I have a great deal of sympathy. I've been in the situation where I could get up on stage no problem but could not sit in a pub as a 'punter' (I would take a panic attack). I'm sure, for me, it's all about that feeling of being in control. A phobic reaction is - by definition I think - an extreme reaction to a stressful situation. It's reasonable to be nervous getting on stage - it's not reasonable to have debilitating fear. Perhaps you should find some professional help? It took group therapy to allow me to cope (not cure) with my anxiety issues. I'm naturally sceptical about such things but I'm very glad I went along. Most people were much worse than me !! [/quote] BTW, very sorry to hear about your issues and glad you've found ways of coping. I'll see how it goes but I'm certainly not averse to professional help having had some success with counselling before now (although not the NHS sort which was beyond hopeless!).

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1331053536' post='1566934'] Interesting topic Sean. I have suffered quite horrifically from debilitating panic attacks over the last 15 years. I can be at work or in any social situation (even 1 to 1) with everything going fine then *voomp* I suddenly become self aware and start to panic. Oddly enough, whenever I play on stage it all goes away. I should say though that I'm not immune, I think in probably the last 25 years or so of gigging I've maybe had had that "trapped" feeling about 2 or 3 times... but the fingers just kept doing their thing (I think) and the thoughts subsided. I did used to use anxiety medication and slight inebriation as a preventative during my worst years but then I came to realise when gigs were sprung on me or the running order suddenly changed that I didn't in fact need it. I think it's because I'm comfortable with what I am doing and know that 99% of the time I'll be doing it better than 99% of the people watching me can... unless your at a bass bash or something. Shaun, you are a fantastic bassist. It wouldn't do any harm to take a moment to remind yourself of this before your next gig. Indeed you should take strength on the night from knowing you are probably better than anyone else in the room at it. If you think you might need a little chemical assistance and have a good relationship with your GP then perhaps you can go have a chat and request to try out some mild anxiety meds for stage-fright and no other time (diazipam 2s work well, are light but effective for occasional use and will not impair your performance). Docs (quite rightly) tend to get hung up on the addictive nature of these meds, so enforce the point that it would be strictly short-term and for gigging purposes only. Try it for a few gigs then try it without. It might be enough to get you out of the panic cycle. Some have said that hiding at the back of the stage is a solution. I can't see the point of performing live if you're just going to feel uncomfortable and hide - stay at home and play if that's the case. Most people who have seen me play will bare witness to my "[url="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/310571_111093565665413_100002943117272_77580_1574260302_n.jpg"]mental Rich[/url]" stage persona (who is the complete antithesis to "off-stage Rich" who tries to fade into the background a bit) and I think this indulgent escapism seems to be another key to holding off those bad feelings too... I've always done it and don't know any other way to put on a good show... it works for me anyway. My drummer (who has logged less stage time than me) has bad nerves (not stage-fright - I don't think). He gets very twitchy in the run up and always disappears off to the bogs 5 minutes before we go on and recently I've been helping him with this by letting him know he's not alone in feeling like that - probably half the guys in the bands we play alongside feel that way too. I also remind him how I practically zone out what's behind the glare of the spotlights even though from the outside it looks like my performance is interactive. And regular eye contact with the band is another way of keeping out of your own head too. Out of necessity, I've recently started rehearsing as bass [b]and vocals[/b] with my new outfit. I've not fronted a band for about 20 odd years, so we'll see how that goes. I'm not too comfortable with the thought of it but perhaps it's just the next thing I have to prove to myself. [/quote] Hi Rich, Firstly, a big thanks for the very generous comment about my playing; brought a tear to my eye (I'd have said I had to get the kleenex out but you may have got the wrong idea!). The cheque's in the post. ;-) I guess part of the initial mental problem with me is that even if I was the second coming of Jaco I'd still think I sucked. So that's a big step one down the slippery slope. I remember once being on a training course at work and after a week my trainer turned to me and said "why are you so hard on yourself?". Can open, worms everywhere....."no idea" is the answer. "Dr Freud, I'm ready for my close up..." Secondly, really, really sorry to hear about the panic attacks. I know from experience what that's like as I started with them 2 or 3 years ago whilst going through some personal issues. Absolutely horrible. I think since then they're always closer to the surface and I think possibly the extra pressure at a gig is just kick-starting the mechanism, plus the fact that I don't drink like I used to (not that I was an alcoholic or anything by any stretch but now I seldom drink at all) takes away my main coping strategy for gigging. I think often in the past no matter how terrified I've been the fingers have indeed "kept doing their thing", but in recent years it's even got past that; they're pretty much ceasing to function. Reading up about it (quite interesting) IIRC the fight or flight mechanism draws blood away from the extremities which combined with the mental confusion, change in breathing etc means your limbs don't function as they should and start shaking (something that I became horribly aware of when I went to pick up my drink between songs). Looks like the best way of coping with that is to do something physical (in the absence of groupies - whatever they are - star jumps or a run round the block may suffice!). I was prescribed diazepam for my panic attacks but the dosage was light and the attacks pretty strong so it didn't really work; luckily I got through the worst of it (partly by - ironically - ditching the other medication I'd been prescribed fo anxiety and depression, lol) so didn't take any further steps. It's something I'd consider but my entire family seems to have problems with many types of medication so it would probably be a last resort. I'm not sure I believe in hiding at the back either. My old drummer, one of my best friends, suggested I just don't gig anymore, but then it's beaten me and I won't have that unless there really is no other option. I'm sure there are ways round it. Must admit I've also had some (unconscious) success in previous bands by slipping into an onstage "identity" (usually enabled by dressing differently than normal) but I seem to struggle with that these days, probably because at 48 I'm more scared of looking daft. ;-) I have definitely become far more self-conscious on stage as I've got older(not good as I started self-conscious at the beginning!). I think you've hit the nail on the head (rather fittingly) about keeping out of your own head. For some of us it's not a good place to be.... Best of luck with the band-fronting, I really hope it works out. Just before my last band imploded I'd started to work towards doing the same thing & I think subconsciously for similar reasons. Of course then the band fell apart and that was that. It's something I'm still considering for the future though, however bizarre that may seem in the light of this thread!

[quote name='clarkpegasus4001' timestamp='1331052375' post='1566905'] Don't look too hot welded together though do they? There seems to be a lot of Rick haters on this site, I can't understand why? [/quote] No they don't. Same reason some people hate anything that isn't their preference I guess; "I don't like it so it's crap". Of course they are a bit marmite, possibly more so than many.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1331032260' post='1566472'] I used to get some huge thrills playing in bands, these days it's rare. I get good feelings quite often, and once in a while, a deeper thrill. It happens more often live, but while I used to love rehearsing, these days, it's not so much 'fun'. It could be over-familiarity with the material, the higher (probably TOO high) standards I set myself, or just getting older .. The best times for me are either working on a new song, or performing live. What about you? [/quote] Writing and recording (when the recording is going well). Have had some fab times live in one band, but haven't had any for years. I actually prefer rehearsing to playing live most of the time (see my thread ).

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1330984860' post='1565963'] The only time I ever got stage fright was at my wedding. I learned the speech, and who to give what to. My father-in-law did his speech and completely knocked me for 6. I stood up knowing exactly what to say, looked around the room and just forgot everything. It's the pressure of trying to live up to other peoples expectation when you think their expectation is greater than yours. [/quote] The first part is pretty much it. The second part......I doubt anyone's expectations are greater than mine, which I suspect is part of the problem!

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1330973763' post='1565680'] It's just like being scared of heights - the first six rungs of a ladder are the hardest, once you've cracked those then rungs seven and eight are pretty much inconsequential. [/quote] Not entirely true; see post above!

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1330970607' post='1565601'] As mentioned by others I think being nervous is something that most people would feel to some degree [u]but[/u] suffering from a debilitating stage fright isn't so common and also quite hard for people to understand, I remember being told once, "you'll be all right once you get up there and start the first tune" but that's when my brain trashes all memory and my fingers stop working. [/quote] Exactly. Friday I was fine until we were announced; then everything just went. Anyone suffer from fear of heights? I mean the real thing, not just a slight nervousness. It's a similar feeling. I remember being on the third level of a mall in San Francisco and having to back to the farthest wall and sit on the floor because my brain just exploded. It's happened dozens of other times too. Reading up on it it seems, in simple terms, that certain people who are overly reliant on visual stimulus for their spacial awareness struggle with heights because trying to process the relatively extreme visual information in an effort to orient themselves in space causes their brains to effectively overload. I guess something similar could be the case with true stagefright; an anxiety overload that just causes everything to switch off. I shall have to do more reading on it.

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1330973992' post='1565689'] I don't think it matters how long you've spent in music, I believe that some people suffer more than others. I've known professional musicians who have been in music all their lives who suffer with debilitating stage fright. I would have thought it's treatable - hypnotherapy already mentioned, it's a mind thing after all. [/quote] Thank you. There seems to be a theme running through here that suggests I haven't played much / enough; I've been gigging fairly regularly (except for the last 3 years or so) for over 30 years (I'm 48). It has NEVER gone away, with the possible exception of the band I was in for 3 years or so that I mentioned earlier (although I'll add that I was always fairly hammered when we went on and the band was a very loose affair where I could play pretty much what I wanted; ironically it was the most popular band I've ever been in.). I'm also aware of many musicians who suffer debilitating stagefright (I mentioned a couple, including Ozzy; no one can tell me he hasn't gigged enough!). Maybe hypnotherapy is a serious option.

You know what worries me the most? IIRC only one person in this thread (who now doesn't gig) has admitted to suffering from it. And here was I thinking it was pretty common and people just had better coping mechanisms then me!

I used to have an ESP J that must have weighed that (my Jaydees weren't far off either). The ESP sounded huge but there was nothing I liked about the tonal quality.

Sorry, I don't know. It doesn't look the same as that (different case and no lettering), and I know that Aaron custom winds for Sei so it could be a custom wind or off the shelf (I'm not the bass's original owner). Of course it could be the same pickup in a different case. KAs have a reputation for being very neutral and uncoloured with good output; I know they custom wind for a lot of high-end builders.

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1330945246' post='1564989'] I remember similar posts from other events. Apparently he's a very talented bassist and just does that kind of thing at shows because some people like it. Unfortunately any tight sweet bassline would be totally lost in the noise as previously mentioned so you're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't to some extent. But yeah, enough! ped [/quote] Indeed. Naysayers should look up the comments from last years Bass Day where he apparently showed a bit more of what he can do. Anyone who thinks he can't play anything else is sorely mistaken. Oh, and FWIW he's a thoroughly nice guy; he used to be one of the sales guys in A1 music when I used to go there. Perfectly humble too.

Can't speak for that pickup specifically but I have KA soapbars in my current Sei and prefer them to the Barts I've had in the others. They seem very open with a good output; they don't seem to colour the sound of the instrument as much as the Barts (which appears to be the general consensus)and somehow seem more balanced sonically. They certainly suit me, although YMMV. If I was having another Sei or similar built I'd have KAs in it.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1330871671' post='1564108'] I'm afraid that 'Comfortably Numb' and 'Wish you were here' will forever be "Uncomfortably Dull" and "Wish I was somewhere else" in my book. [/quote] That's exactly how I feel about Must Hang Sally.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1330872880' post='1564126'] I played three Sadowsky's this week and off the shelf, none of them struck me as particularly heavy at all. The basses that consistently strike me as the weightiest are always Ernie Balls. I don't think the weight of an instrument will ever bother me until I get a bit older but man, Stingrays can be heavy. [/quote] Light weight is one of Roger's preferences. He says he's not interested in building heavy instruments.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330893584' post='1564554'] I can't imagine suffering from stage fright because it would kill the enjoyment I get out of playing and can offer no useful advice to you other than my sympathies... [/quote] Nail, head. Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll work it out somehow......might help if/when my hand /arm are healed and I can actually start to practise again.