[6string]

No I don't mean playing sober/straight compared to being under the influence.

This poll is inspired by this thread. guitar shop conspiracy blues

Are you more self-conscious playing in front of friends, strangers, or in a guitar store

[6string]

Maybe I should have put a 4th answer

I have no conscience

[Matty22]

I generally do the whole self deprecating thing first.
Make everybody think i am UTTERLY crap, then i try and play something, that i can play spot on, the fact if somebody said can you play that in G id have to sit down with a pen and paper, and figure it out..

But my friends are pretty forgiving. And to be fair, the guys at both shops i go to (billy hyde blackburn, and house of music in ringwood) are all pretty good.

So strangers got my vote, because you never know how their going to take you playing...

[r1p32]

i think im more self conscience playing in a store, because theres more ppl and usually there are some really good players at the guitar center i go to. wen i try out some of the guitars and im playing a song. i sometimes notice ppl watching me and then i start to mess up all over the place on things i normally wouldnt.

strangers that dont play guitar i think are easier to impress. i can just play something really simple and they'll be impressed but im not too good playing for friends, all though they can be forgiving..

[John Burr]

Good Poll but the only thing that gets me really nervous is playing and singing for one person. Doesn't matter too much which one, family excluded of course. I can play something for a few folks in a group or in front of a bunch of folks at an open mic but trying to play something just for one friend at a time is a bit self concious for me. OK, it's not that big a deal so maybe I should be in that other group

BSR

[WernHalen]

Guitar store??? I think I am more intimidated in front of people that i know can play really well, but that I dont know very well myself. I picked up a friend that I had just recently met's PRS McCarthy jsut the other day and I could not put two notes together decently. He left for a while and I was playing up a storm... Might also be that I was worried about damaging his beautiful guitar... Come to think of it I played infront of him before and then I was not really worried... Must have been the PRS

Now that is logic...

[bluesguy]

I have become pretty comfortable playing in front of strangers for some reason. I have been complemented numerous times. When I travel I take my guitar as either carry-on or gate checked. While waiting to get on I get it out and play it in the lounge. The best times have been when little kids come around and start dancing to what I am doing.

I find playing for friends is pretty easy as well.

The only other place I have 'nerves' is in church playing. I have to remind myself that I am not performing but rather helping lead people in worshiping God. So it is important to be 'adequate' for worship.

[WernHalen]

That is where I am a bit different to you BluesGuy.. At church I am completely at ease. I know the songs well and I realised long ago that Jesus is the focal point of the worship. For that reason i am totally at ease. He anoints even a ruckus if your heart is right...

[Stratrat]

I vote for the guitar store. Friends are a "safe place" because even though they might give you guff about it, they're generally impressed that you even play guitar. Strangers (especially non-guitar playing ones) are suitably impressed if you can play anything that vaguely resembles a song.....double points if you can sing along to it. Playing in a guitar store you're surrounded by people who are enthusiasts and (at least in my case) most of them are far better guitarists. It's a very nervous and humbling place for me to play!

Although I have to say that the sales guy was pretty cool the other day when I went in to buy my Squier Tele. He didn't demean me over buying a 'cheap' guitar, try to talk me into the MIA versions or anything like that. He took me over to an amp, plugged in, let ME tune the guitar, then sat there tapping his foot and acting like he was digging listening to me as I fumbled through my limited repertoire....he didn't play the "guitar god" role (snatching it from me and doing speed runs up and down the neck or anything) - just sat there and let me groove on it until I was done (which didn't take long.)

[skinnybloke]

Guitar Store....

[Chaotic Kittie]

I'm more self-conscious in front of strangers. In front of friends it just won't work.

[737blues]

One or two people have threatened to render me unconscious if I don't stop playing .... does that count?

[randomaire]

Ouch. Yeah my neighbors thought that of me the other nite, then I realized it was 3 in the morning

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by 737blues

One or two people have threatened to render me unconscious if I don't stop playing .... does that count?

LOL....me too, and one of them happens to be married to me!