TOPIC: Mental Glitch

As quite a few of you already know, I taught school for 35 years, American History and Spanish. My Spanish classes had to do an oral quiz every Friday which consisted of a conversation with a classmate...topic assigned by me. My students for the most part prepared quite well for this but once in a while a "kid" would come up and have a total "mental glitch"...I was pretty understanding about this and would allow them to sit down recoup and try again after a couple of others had done theirs. I always "understood" but honestly I had forgotten what it felt like! Well, last night I was brought back to my school days when I was the one with the mental glitch. Totally forgot what I was in front of the class for....I heard Steve say we were doing Dark Hollow and that's all I remember...next thing I knew I couldn't even remember what the chords were.. ..and we practiced well in little room 5. The point I'm trying to make is this...had this happened to me about a year ago when I had just started out I would have been mortified....probably would've left the room in tears or maybe even tried to run out. Last night I didn't care. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want to mess up, and I wish I had done it as we rehearsed but again my point is that I messed up BIG, but so what....there's still next week and the week after that and I gave Sam and my nephews something to tease me about. We'll all have those days...I had them during my racing days, surely have them when I bake....so it's going to happen in my music class...and probably quite often...but ....Life goes on and it's still a FUN TIME there.

Well said Sylvia. I feel like I have the "Mental Glitch" almost everytime I get up in front of class. What helped me was when I realized that even the best players in class mess up sometimes, but everybody in class is in it together ..and pulling for each other. I am learning, not just from Dave but from everybody who participates...and each time I'm up...it bothers me less, so who knows...maybe some day soon...I will play a well timed glitchless song. But regardless, I appreciate the positive comraderie

I have experienced brainlock a few times in class also. In the little room everything is great, then when I get up in front of the class everything goes blank. The week before last I was supposed to take the first lead. The other players were strumming rythem and looking at me and I was wondering why, then it hit me. D'oh. But the class experience "Performing With Others" has taught me how to pick it up and continue on, something I would not have known how to do without it. Thanks, Dave.

I think the magic of this class is that it forces you from your comfort zone. I know before i wouldn't really want to play in front of and with others because of performance anxieties, our intimidation or whatever. I've learned some concentration skills that help prevent those little mental glitches. I don't even look at the crowd really, just concentrate on my band mates. That helps me to focus on timing, and get into the groove of the song.

This really happens to all of us. It wasn't too long ago my group was playing Old Joe Clark and when it was time for my break I couldn't figure out why I was having so much trouble keeping time. I suddenly realized I was playing Boil Them Cabbage Down. Talk about wanting to dissapear.

Yup that happens - remember the nine pound circle.