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I mean that literally but also figuratively. My main instrument is guitar, and I've written a bit of singer/songwriter material, but I couldn't fathom playing any of it in front of people. Live performances terrified me, but in college a friend asked me to play bass in his band, and I went for it. It turns out this was the best introduction to playing on a stage. I got to just hang out with the drummer, focus on rhythm, and just assume nobody was paying attention to me because all of the showmanship was happening up front. From there, I played bass in other bands and got more comfortable with performing and started chipping in on harmonies. Eventually I'd step up to sing a cover or two on guitar (which seemed less intimidating because it wasn't original material). Last year was what I'd consider the first real solo set I played. It was a long road to get there, but I'm proud of it. If it's something you really want to do, there's a way to get there.
So if playing literal bass is a possibility for you, try starting there! I don't know what that looks like for other mediums, but basically: hang back, get into the groove, and someday you'll step in front of the mic. Maybe for podcasting, that means being a guest on other podcasts, maybe for poetry it's immersing yourself in that world and helping emcee an event to get used to being at the front of the stage. I think it's mainly a matter of slowly training your brain to not go into fight or flight mode.
Other things to consider: Start small - Try in front of a couple friends first and work up from there Find your people - It's way easier to do the thing when you don't feel judged or rushed Practice the hell out of whatever it is you're doing - So even if your mind starts to panic in the moment, your muscle memory can carry through it without getting tripped up too much The universe is chaos - Nobody will remember the mistakes that feel huge in the moment, but they're totally insignificant and can even be charming/funny
So if playing literal bass is a possibility for you, try starting there! I don't know what that looks like for other mediums, but basically: hang back, get into the groove, and someday you'll step in front of the mic. Maybe for podcasting, that means being a guest on other podcasts, maybe for poetry it's immersing yourself in that world and helping emcee an event to get used to being at the front of the stage. I think it's mainly a matter of slowly training your brain to not go into fight or flight mode.
Other things to consider: Start small - Try in front of a couple friends first and work up from there Find your people - It's way easier to do the thing when you don't feel judged or rushed Practice the hell out of whatever it is you're doing - So even if your mind starts to panic in the moment, your muscle memory can carry through it without getting tripped up too much The universe is chaos - Nobody will remember the mistakes that feel huge in the moment, but they're totally insignificant and can even be charming/funny
Apr 27, 2024
Related Recs
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šØi only have an associates degree in illustration and had to further my skill set on my own and i taught myself how to play [mediocre] bass and the most important thing is consistency. iāve always been told practicing something five minutes a day regularly is better than once a week for two hoursā¦and itās true!
for visual art, try doing a self portrait every day, a plein air painting or sketchā¦ really anything! even if you donāt like it youāre learning and growing. donāt bombard yourself with fancy supplies and remember you have to learn the rules to break them. art history and foundational drawing practice are very important. hone in your skills with line and value and once you master that explore some basic color theory. drawing observationally (still life, models, landscapes) will help you immensely no matter what you decide to do with your talent. if youāve got the budget for it, see if you can take a class at a local arts council or community college. digital art is just as valid if youāre worried about going through materials and a great medium for quick warm ups and practice. youāre really interested in painting, try doing master copies, thatās where you copy an existing work to kind of get a feel for the techniques the artist used and itās completely fine and dandy to do so. i had a professor who would make us do weekly pencil self portraits in the style of various artists and it was extremely helpful in terms of problem solving. art is basically just problem solving with form and color.
as for instrumentally, i had no background in music and no schooling or guidance to help me. i also decided to play bass with no background in guitar which i am told is slightly blasphemous but i just really enjoy a juicy bass line! iām def not perfect, in fact i am quite a wonky bassist, but iām having a good time āŗ research different styles and models of the instrument you enjoy along with basic maintenance and caretaking. do you need any additional materials for this (pick, amp etcā¦)? sort of like the master copies, find a few players of said instrument that you really look up to. i taught myself VERY basic music theory via youtube (that site will be your best friend!) and scales and warmups there as well. once youāve got the muscle memory for all that you can begin to emulate the music you look up to. i would teach myself the bass tabs of my favorite songs, and once i got the hang of them, sort of dissected them to see what makes them work, which helped me develop sounds of my own invention.
hope this didnāt sound like too much! itās hard to comprehensively give advice on this sort of thing as being self taught isnāt a linear thing in my experience. i hope this helped some and best of luck with your creative endeavors and remember having. fun triumphs over all else <3
for visual art, try doing a self portrait every day, a plein air painting or sketchā¦ really anything! even if you donāt like it youāre learning and growing. donāt bombard yourself with fancy supplies and remember you have to learn the rules to break them. art history and foundational drawing practice are very important. hone in your skills with line and value and once you master that explore some basic color theory. drawing observationally (still life, models, landscapes) will help you immensely no matter what you decide to do with your talent. if youāve got the budget for it, see if you can take a class at a local arts council or community college. digital art is just as valid if youāre worried about going through materials and a great medium for quick warm ups and practice. youāre really interested in painting, try doing master copies, thatās where you copy an existing work to kind of get a feel for the techniques the artist used and itās completely fine and dandy to do so. i had a professor who would make us do weekly pencil self portraits in the style of various artists and it was extremely helpful in terms of problem solving. art is basically just problem solving with form and color.
as for instrumentally, i had no background in music and no schooling or guidance to help me. i also decided to play bass with no background in guitar which i am told is slightly blasphemous but i just really enjoy a juicy bass line! iām def not perfect, in fact i am quite a wonky bassist, but iām having a good time āŗ research different styles and models of the instrument you enjoy along with basic maintenance and caretaking. do you need any additional materials for this (pick, amp etcā¦)? sort of like the master copies, find a few players of said instrument that you really look up to. i taught myself VERY basic music theory via youtube (that site will be your best friend!) and scales and warmups there as well. once youāve got the muscle memory for all that you can begin to emulate the music you look up to. i would teach myself the bass tabs of my favorite songs, and once i got the hang of them, sort of dissected them to see what makes them work, which helped me develop sounds of my own invention.
hope this didnāt sound like too much! itās hard to comprehensively give advice on this sort of thing as being self taught isnāt a linear thing in my experience. i hope this helped some and best of luck with your creative endeavors and remember having. fun triumphs over all else <3
Jul 31, 2024
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š«One of the most consistently fulfilling activities in my life. If it wasn't for their encouragement to be less embarrassed about it when I was younger, I would have been too shy to enjoy this simple pleasure and eventually get to play shows (something I could never have fathomed doing at first). It deepens your relationships, makes you a more confident player and person, and it's just a cathartic experience. To anyone out there that literally shakes too much to play in front of other people, I was there once. Try to find your people - there's always someone out there that will help break out of your shell!
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š¬iāve always wanted to do youtube and music, but always stopped myself from doing so due to my insecurities. would it be too late to start now? i know how to work a camera and have edited some videos before. iāve also been writing songs since i was like 11.
i know deep down this can go down one of two ways, i fail and it doesnāt really affect my social life, or i start uploading videos and working on my music and find the right people to surround myself with, and succeed. this isnāt even really about the people in my life that could potentially find out about it and find things to criticize about. itās more just, that if i put myself out there will there be anyone even willing to watch and listen to my videos/music?
i know this takes a lot of patience and im willing to give it a try i just feel as if i need a little push for me to come out of my comfort zone and get in front of a camera and press record.
i know deep down this can go down one of two ways, i fail and it doesnāt really affect my social life, or i start uploading videos and working on my music and find the right people to surround myself with, and succeed. this isnāt even really about the people in my life that could potentially find out about it and find things to criticize about. itās more just, that if i put myself out there will there be anyone even willing to watch and listen to my videos/music?
i know this takes a lot of patience and im willing to give it a try i just feel as if i need a little push for me to come out of my comfort zone and get in front of a camera and press record.
Jul 7, 2025
Top Recs from @theclack
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The perfect lil snack for when you donāt want a big snack
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Here it is, folks! Volume I of what could very well be a continuous project. Thank you so much to everyone that submitted - I smiled the entire time I was putting this together. It's best listened to with headphones āŗļø
Liner Notes:
This collection of field recordings is a collaborative effort with users of PI.FYI, each of which recorded their own pieces. It features audio from all over the world and exhibits eclectic moments from London Underground commutes to cuckoo bird calls in Dhaka to the sounds of a century-old American diner.
Online communities like PI.FYI often represent a diverse set of people, places, and experiences, but together, the submissions form a living collage that highlights the commonalities of modern life - a unifying message for such a tumultuous time. The first track features all of the sounds played at once in an attempt to create an audio snapshot of an online community but in their offline lives.
The individual recordings are unedited except for minor gain and compression adjustments for consistency across the collection.
Online communities like PI.FYI often represent a diverse set of people, places, and experiences, but together, the submissions form a living collage that highlights the commonalities of modern life - a unifying message for such a tumultuous time. The first track features all of the sounds played at once in an attempt to create an audio snapshot of an online community but in their offline lives.
The individual recordings are unedited except for minor gain and compression adjustments for consistency across the collection.
