# Holy Shit!  I just got a gig and I'm terrified!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-i-just-got-a-gig-and-im-terrified/579836>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 26, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-i-just-got-a-gig-and-im-terrified/579836 "2011-04-26T23:34:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-i-just-got-a-gig-and-im-terrified/579836/41 "2011-05-03T16:23:45Z")

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So, ‘this Friday’ has come and gone–how’d it go?

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**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-i-just-got-a-gig-and-im-terrified/579836/42 "2011-05-04T17:02:06Z")

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Here’s one of my favorite sayings about pro musicians:

The difference between a pro and an amateur is that an amateur practices a song until he gets it right. A pro practices a song until he can’t get it wrong.

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**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-i-just-got-a-gig-and-im-terrified/579836/43 "2011-05-04T21:32:42Z")

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> [@Sam\_Stone](#):
>
> The difference between a pro and an amateur is that an amateur practices a song until he gets it right. A pro practices a song until he can’t get it wrong.

Haven’t heard this one. It’s a good one. I think I mentioned on a thread about anxiety that I used to pound a pot of coffee to try to get into a panic attack and force myself to play a set in my apartment. I no longer have panic attacks, but I still stress myself when practicing all the time, by over-drinking coffee, even practicing drunk (and recording myself), talking on the phone, all kinds of stuff.

It’s been a good habit for me, anyway, to get into. Doesn’t help me get down the “Minute Waltz” (as prep to playing the "Black Minute Waltz) though. ☹

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