Performance anxiety?

[Fawkes007]

OK, how many of you have gone through this sort of thing, and what have you done to counteract it?

Here's the deal - I play in a tribute band, where the material is challenging. I have the Tascam MP3 unit and practice along to the songs almost every day. I play great at home - no clams. Then, when I get together with the band, for some reason I make really stupid mistakes. It gets a little worse at gigs, where it will take me two to three tunes to settle in. I've never really had performance anxiety before, but I wonder if that's what this is - being so afraid to play a wrong note that I land up playing wrong notes (usually during the easiest parts of the song).

Anyone else have this experience? If so, how did you beat it? Thanks.

[dmusic148]

In my experience it comes more from the fact that when using recordings for practice, everything is perfect and the same for each rundown. So certain sounds lead you to the right parts after awhile, without thinking. Could be just one note on a guitar, a snare hit, whatever. But with your band, things sound and are played differently, so those audio cues from the recording aren't there. If this trips you up, again, in MY experience, it means you don't know the songs as well as you think you do.

[Fawkes007]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

In my experience it comes more from the fact that when using recordings for practice, everything is perfect and the same for each rundown. So certain sounds lead you to the right parts after awhile, without thinking. Could be just one note on a guitar, a snare hit, whatever. But with your band, things sound and are played differently, so those audio cues from the recording aren't there. If this trips you up, again, in MY experience, it means you don't know the songs as well as you think you do.

I agree. Unfortunately, the band doesn't get together to rehearse all that often, so it's been challenging getting to know everyone's nuances. We've played together a total of ten times since last summer. It's a source of frustration for me because in my experience, even with a cover band, you have to rehearse more than once a month. As we are a bit of a specialty act, we play out once every two or three months.

[cutthroatmolloy]

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

I agree. Unfortunately, the band doesn't get together to rehearse all that often, so it's been challenging getting to know everyone's nuances. We've played together a total of ten times since last summer. It's a source of frustration for me because in my experience, even with a cover band, you have to rehearse more than once a month. As we are a bit of a specialty act, we play out once every two or three months.

maybe talk to the other members and see if they can be available to rehearse more or at least a couple of extra times before shows.

[Leftybass12]

I remember that when I first started performing. I had similar anxiety. When I was in a rehearsal with my band, the drummer asked if he could bring a friend along, so that they could listen to us. The friend was a friend of mine also and I had known them for many years already and they knew I was a good bassist. But for some reason I was so focused in thinking about not hitting a wrong note that I began too. Eventually though I settled into my zone and things went much better. As far as your anxiety when playing at a show, that's fine. It may take you a few songs to settle in and there is no problem with that. None of us are perfect, I'm sure that your bandmates have similar things are far as their anxiety. Also, professionals even get anxiety when performing. It happens to the best of us. Really what you have to do is say to yourself "Okay, I'm going to play this song and I'm going to play it to the best of my abilities. If I make a mistake, oh well, I'm not perfect. A good thing is that I recognized the mistake and I know what to work on when practicing now."
Have fun playing and enjoy the fact that you can play the song.

You have to remember that we are our worst critics and, at least I think, we will never fully satisfy ourselves when we play. There is always something else than can be added in or taken out.

Hope that helps out!!

[Bassmanbob]

Yes. This definitely happens to me too. I acutely recognized it after the 18 month break I took to work on my marriage. Now that I'm back, my first gig was subbing for another bassist who couldn't make his gig. After two rehearsals with the band, I had my first gig in about two years. I was all discombobulated throughout the first half of the first set. Fortunately, it wasn't a big deal for the audience or the band. I got lots of compliments especially I was sitting in after two rehearsals.

I gigged with them again about five weeks later after one more rehearsal. I wasn't nearly as nervous and had a great time and a great gig. I try to remember that a vast majority of the people out there have no idea what the bass does anyway, so I can sit back and have fun.

I also agree with the statements above about rehearsing with the original recordings and playing live with real people.

[klokker]

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

OK, how many of you have gone through this sort of thing, and what have you done to counteract it?

Here's the deal - I play in a tribute band, where the material is challenging. I have the Tascam MP3 unit and practice along to the songs almost every day. I play great at home - no clams. Then, when I get together with the band, for some reason I make really stupid mistakes. It gets a little worse at gigs, where it will take me two to three tunes to settle in. I've never really had performance anxiety before, but I wonder if that's what this is - being so afraid to play a wrong note that I land up playing wrong notes (usually during the easiest parts of the song).

Anyone else have this experience? If so, how did you beat it? Thanks.

I think a lot of this issue has to do with how we practice. Its a concentration issue in my experience.

I had a huge problem with public performance until I learned how to practice. I was like two different people, which was at the heart of the problem for me. I listened more intently and concentrated differently during performance than in practice. I also wasn't bothered with the screw ups in practice that I was bothered with in performance. I played my bass a lot "harder" during performance than practice as well which made the music flow less easily.

There is an "inner poise" that needs to be PRACTICED, so that your state of mind when you practice and perform is similar at least. This involves emotional detachment, paying attention to physical sensations, listening intently to everything we do during practice as well as performance.

Also it helped me anyway to get very picky about playing with as much ease of action as possible.

I really had to work at the "inner poise" issue to get good at playing in public.

[G00D+~VIBES]

Most of my input has already been given, however, I notice that if I feel confident post sound check it is easier to carry that into the performance. Also, I like to hang around for a while before the show and get a good "feel" for the vibes of the place...oh, and a drink or two never hurt...but only one or two...

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

As we are a bit of a specialty act, we ONLYplay out once every two or three months.

Fixed it for you.

Seems like you're not gigging enough (and rehearsing) for the challenging material that you play.

In 25 words or less, IMO, there's the answer.

You might want to record your rehearsals/gigs and practice with them as well.

[samson3382]

whenever possibble, my band gets together and plays a few songs at the jam spot a couple hours before the gig. Seems to really help. Its nice to already be warmed up...

[Knifedge]

Practice.. that's the only way you can weed out the little nuances with the rest of your band.. each band member will have their own way of cueing, interpretation of the song etc. With practicing, you will all settle into that happy medium.

[RJC1811]

I have had that problem myself. Knowing there were high caliber guitarists or bassists in the audience would really make me nervous. Even after them complimenting my tone and playing afterward several times. I would still stand up there as I was about to play the intro to a tune or solo and think about them critiquing my playing. The answer for me was to focus on my tone, not the amp tone but what was coming from my fingers. I know the parts, many times they were simple riffs. If I just stopped thinking about what I was playing and instead focused on making a beautiful sound, you know, touch, vibrato, holding the note for the full duration, letting it become music and the anxiety stopped. I still get nervous and have to watch that I don't play too hard but I don't choke anymore. Now the mistakes are just dumb mistakes.

[Lady Kayri]

Agree with Stumbo that you need to record your band practice/rehersals rather than just work with the CDs. That way, perhaps you'll start catching the 'ques' that your current band may play, rather than listening for ques that are in the CDs of the original material but aren't there with your band. Couldn't hurt to try, anyway.

[Mike151]

I've made simple cheat sheets at times for this reason.
I just take the set list and put down the main keys or even just the note that the song starts on and maybe a big space and then the break info.
Like B A E D E G F
I get this sometimes when other bands show up where I worry just a little. Happened last night but once I started playing, it was all fine. Just be confident in what you are playing and if you are unsure about the next note, just hold it back after the beat. Also, I like having the guitar player to my left so that I can glance at his fret hand when needed.

[pdbass]

Originally Posted by klokker

I think a lot of this issue has to do with how we practice. Its a concentration issue in my experience.

I had a huge problem with public performance until I learned how to practice. I was like two different people, which was at the heart of the problem for me. I listened more intently and concentrated differently during performance than in practice. I also wasn't bothered with the screw ups in practice that I was bothered with in performance. I played my bass a lot "harder" during performance than practice as well which made the music flow less easily.

There is an "inner poise" that needs to be PRACTICED, so that your state of mind when you practice and perform is similar at least. This involves emotional detachment, paying attention to physical sensations, listening intently to everything we do during practice as well as performance.

Also it helped me anyway to get very picky about playing with as much ease of action as possible.

I really had to work at the "inner poise" issue to get good at playing in public.

This is one of the most insightful things I have ever read on talkbass! Detachment is something that I continue to work on, just about everyday. Playing the bass at any time should be like taking a big, deep breath--easy and refreshing and fun, without thought or much effort. I think what most gets in the way is thought. It tends not to happen when you're practicing alone, but add another environment, other musicians, an audience, and other variables and 'thinking' happens almost automatically! The less thought, the less judgement, the better I play...IMHO.

[steveksux]

It may be that the problem is due to you concentrating so much on what YOU're doing so you don't make a mistake, that you aren't paying enough attention to what everyone else is doing, and you're missing the cues. Are you playing so loud you have trouble hearing the others?

When I fill in with a band I haven't rehearsed with much, or at all, I concentrate on what everyone ELSE is doing, not on what I am playing.

As for volume, the goal to play quiet enough so you can hear everyone else. Most people play loud enough so they can hear themselves.

Randy

[DeluxeRed]

When I have a bit more time, I'll find some citation links, but much of this has been explored in the context of sports psychology. Basically, there are three layers of your brain; we are concerned with the outer two. The outer layer is your "thinking" brain. The inner layer is the older, more instinctive "animal" brain. This inner layer is tougher to teach new things, like a motion or action, but when it does learn them, it is able to reproduce the action consistently and very quickly. This is your "muscle" memory, where your repetitive drilling on your bass has made it where your hands can play a song all by themselves without you really having to pay "attention". (Have you ever tried to start-up in the middle of a song, but kinda have to sing through it up to that point? That's because your "thinking" brain doesn't know the song--your "animal" brain does, but the outer layer cannot access that inner layer memory in the same way it can access outer layer memories.)

So, what happens in music and in sports is that an athlete/musician trains their "animal" brain to perform some action, then, during that performance, the start thinking about it with their outer brains--but the outer brain doesn't contain the skill (the song), so suddenly you feel like you have forgotten the song. This is the classic "choke". And, as mentioned, the "animal" brain is much faster in reacting, so that's how you can pull of some blazing riff that's just right, but you couldn't then stand there and speak the names of the notes you just played. (There are, of course, gifted individuals who can cross that barrier better than others.)

Anyway, that's the "choke". Prevalent in tennis, golf, and music. The counterpoint is "clutch", which is basically the reverse.

When playing, I call it "getting into my hands". It means to stop thinking with my slow outer brain and let my fast animal brain play the song it knows so well. It does make it hard (for me) to socialize a lot during breaks because I've sorta blanked or detached that outer, modern, socialized part of my brain in favor of more primative physical responses, and it takes me a while to get back--which I don't necessarily want to do if I have to jump back up and play some more.

Worth doing some net searching and reading about, because as you become more aware if this purely phyiscal division of brain responsibilities, you become better able to control which part is doing which, when (which has been proved scientifically, in the sports context).

[electracoyote]

I think the cues you're used to when you rehearse versus the cues you hear with the live band is a big factor. Even the tonal differences between the studio versions and the tones of your bandmates' instruments can be a subconscious distraction. You guys need to rehearse together more, with the CD less. And you can take that "tribute" note-for-note attitude a step too far and intimidate yourself for being one note different, even if it's not neccesarily a bad note. Stick to the script, but don't sweat bullets and stifle yourself into mistakes.

[Fawkes007]

Originally Posted by DeluxeRed

When I have a bit more time, I'll find some citation links, but much of this has been explored in the context of sports psychology. Basically, there are three layers of your brain; we are concerned with the outer two. The outer layer is your "thinking" brain. The inner layer is the older, more instinctive "animal" brain. This inner layer is tougher to teach new things, like a motion or action, but when it does learn them, it is able to reproduce the action consistently and very quickly. This is your "muscle" memory, where your repetitive drilling on your bass has made it where your hands can play a song all by themselves without you really having to pay "attention". (Have you ever tried to start-up in the middle of a song, but kinda have to sing through it up to that point? That's because your "thinking" brain doesn't know the song--your "animal" brain does, but the outer layer cannot access that inner layer memory in the same way it can access outer layer memories.)

So, what happens in music and in sports is that an athlete/musician trains their "animal" brain to perform some action, then, during that performance, the start thinking about it with their outer brains--but the outer brain doesn't contain the skill (the song), so suddenly you feel like you have forgotten the song. This is the classic "choke". And, as mentioned, the "animal" brain is much faster in reacting, so that's how you can pull of some blazing riff that's just right, but you couldn't then stand there and speak the names of the notes you just played. (There are, of course, gifted individuals who can cross that barrier better than others.)

Anyway, that's the "choke". Prevalent in tennis, golf, and music. The counterpoint is "clutch", which is basically the reverse.

When playing, I call it "getting into my hands". It means to stop thinking with my slow outer brain and let my fast animal brain play the song it knows so well. It does make it hard (for me) to socialize a lot during breaks because I've sorta blanked or detached that outer, modern, socialized part of my brain in favor of more primative physical responses, and it takes me a while to get back--which I don't necessarily want to do if I have to jump back up and play some more.

Worth doing some net searching and reading about, because as you become more aware if this purely phyiscal division of brain responsibilities, you become better able to control which part is doing which, when (which has been proved scientifically, in the sports context).

The experience of "letting the music take over." I've been there at several times in my life. Sometimes, I have to remind myself to relax before a particularly tough passage - when I do, it's magic. If I think too hard about it, I mess up. Kinda similar to golf; when I have been able to completely relax my body as well as my mind - voila! - the ball goes where I intended. Tiger Woods must have this down to a science. There is something about becoming "one" with the instrument, the golf club, your lover, what have you - where you don't have to think about, it just flows. That, I imagine, is the melding of the three layers of the brain.