[Bards] Contributing problems

Robert Fitzmorgan fitzmorgan at gmail.com
Tue Oct 31 00:19:18 PST 2006


On 10/30/06, Cisco Cividanes <engtrktwo at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> However, I would like to say something that I feel needs saying.
>
> If anyone takes offense to this, I'll apologies now. But I feel that this
> is true, and have seen examples where it has really been a problem.
> There are bad bards out there, ...
>
> Ivo Blackhawk
> Bard of Wiesenfeuer
> _______________________________________________



     Bad bards are one of those things that we all know exist but seldom
talk about.  And I've certinly seen a few circles killed by a few really bad
performers who had no idea how bad they were.  And to be honest I'm sure
I've been guilty of a few excruciating performances in my time.
    Nobody wants to be the bad guy and tell them how bad they are.  I
don't.
   I think that many of us also know bards who started out awful and got
better.  That pretty much describes me.  I was fortunate in having an
experienced bard who took an interest and mentored me.  That changed my
life.  I can't imagine who I would be today if that hadn't happened.   Which
is why I try to mentor new bards myself.
   The trick, if you have the people skills to pull it off, is to offer to
help them in a way that doesn't make them feel bad or scare them off.  It's
not easy.  If someone just can't sing, and keeps proving it, offer to teach
them a poem.  Then help them polish the performance.  In addition to getting
them to do something other than sing you are also establishing a
relationship.  As the relationship develops you may then be able to bring up
the singing without driving them off.  It's tricky, but it can work.
     Sometimes the problem is stage fright.  They are so nervous that they
can hardly get the words out.  Help them find ways to relax or to use their
fear.  Then help them find their strengths.
     The thing is you have to establish that mentoring relationship first
before you can help them repair or avoid their weaknesses.
     Of course there are some people who are terrible and will never be
anything but terrible.   They are just ablivious to any criticism or
attempts to help.  There's not much you can do with them.  You either put up
with it or run them off, and I've never had the heart to run them off.

Robert


-- 
> "If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been
> much of a day."     John A. Wheeler
>
> Fitzmorgan at gmail.com
> Yahoo IM: robert_fitzmorgan
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