This document is archived here with David Harley's permission. Please do not address any correspondance regarding any aspect of it to Dick Gaughan or Gaelweb as we are merely providing a home for it and are unable to handle any enquiries. Enquiries regarding this tipsheet should be posted to the newsgroup uk.music.folk

Have the courage to have a go! And don't expect to be perfect. Most of us who've been doing it since the Dark Ages are still making mistakes.

In general, people are pretty kind to beginners: they don't mind a few rough edges, as long as they can see that you're making an effort. And they very rarely attack and kill performers, even the crap ones. ;-)

Remember that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who *can* do what you are doing and those who *can't*. If they can't do it they've got no right to criticise. If they can, then at some point in the past they must have gone through the same thing so they should have some sympathy. Criticism is not going to be a problem anyway because in general people are very supportive.

In addition to everything else people have said:-

Enjoy yourself!

- Oh yes, if you sing in a pub, when everything goes quiet as you start singing, then that funny noise - that's you that is!!

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