My experience with music and performance is probably not unique. Like a lot of people starting a craft or sport, learning to play an instrument or act, I just didn’t have a lot of confidence or even history to know how I was doing. I mean, at this point I am not even asking ‘when will I be good enough to …). Still fairly young at this point, I really like playing drums and percussion. I tapped out rhythms everywhere I went. We got a small organ for Christmas one year and I was drawn to it for months. Harmonicas, a cheap guitar lead up to recording gear.
As I played instruments and fiddled around with lyrics or microphones and power amps over the years, I realized two things pretty quickly; 1) I knew and understood things a lot of people will never understand and 2) I knew a lot of really good players/musicians/artists, and they were much better than me. I rationalized that I considered myself to be a songwriter (not even singer/songwriter early on) and that was good enough for me.
Today, I encourage each of you to think not just about the target or the goals in your musical performing careers, but to think about how you will continue to improve your craft. Writing songs, performing someone else’s or running sound and making everyone sound great – each takes practice and effort. But eventually it takes confidence. Can you really do it. What if you totally screw things up? What if they don’t applaud (or laugh or cheer)?
I spent quite a long time before I realized I had everyone else’s confidence BUT mine! Knowing what I do now, I would have accepted a few more challenges. I might have encouraged more projects. I could have inspired someone else. So now, let me inspire you. Don’t wait until everyone in the universe thinks you are “good enough” to get out there and jump in. At my job I tell trainees that I know as much as I do because I have made every mistake possible. Do what you love. Put your heart into it. What if you screw things up? You learn from it and the next time you do better. Do it a bunch, and you will be great.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
MidiMike 