Hello all. I know I'll get lots of "duh" answers on this one but I'm gonna ask it anyway. What cured you of "stage fright". I'd love to hear everyone's unique story and tips.
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CURES FOR STAGE FRIGHT
- Thread starter guitardefector
- Start date
- Apr 20, 2009
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- I'm the Squier of Fenderbirds
a few shots of jack daniels ... not to where i'm drunk ... just enough to loosen me up and calm my nerves.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Beer and playing lots of shows. Nobody is looking at the bass player anyway, though. 
I've also recently dicovered that the best shows always start with a vodka & red bull. Just my personal experience though.
I've also recently dicovered that the best shows always start with a vodka & red bull. Just my personal experience though.
Playing "badly" for an audience cured me. The audience nearly always liked what they heard. I heard every clam & mistake, they heard music.Hello all. I know I'll get lots of "duh" answers on this one but I'm gonna ask it anyway. What cured you of "stage fright". I'd love to hear everyone's unique story and tips.
Play in front of an audience often. Find benefits in your community, Farmer's Markets, PTO (school) Fairs, promote the Pizza Shop, get permission to play in a nearby Mall ... be creative, you don't have to be paid! We tend to be very critical of our performances but, have no idea what the audience heard. Experience in front of people is essential.
You're going to need a demo recording so people know they are going to get music not raw, screaming emotion or 4 beginners who can't keep time. Record rehearsals & performances to .mp3 or .cdr on a disk with a nicely printed label.
Read this; go to www.halgalper.com - click on the Articles Tab & select "Stagefright & Relaxation". Follow Hal's the instructions. He is a wise man.
Whenever possible avoid playing for an audience full of musicians until your confidence is rock solid.
1) Make sure you've done the homework ( be comfortable with the material ).
2) Make sure the gear is in good shape ( if you take the variables out it takes alot of the nerves away )
3) 2, shots of Crown Royal just before start time
4) funny faces or manerism's seem to help also. Gain energy from your bandmates
5) 1, additional shot after each of the first 3 sets.. then cruise on through.
2) Make sure the gear is in good shape ( if you take the variables out it takes alot of the nerves away )
3) 2, shots of Crown Royal just before start time
4) funny faces or manerism's seem to help also. Gain energy from your bandmates
5) 1, additional shot after each of the first 3 sets.. then cruise on through.
You believe something is threatened. Nothing is threatened by walking on stage.
You believe that the audience's opinion is important. It's not.
(this will fall on deaf ears- no offense intended) You believe with 100% conviction that what you think is correct. It's not. Don't believe what you think.
Get on that stage and play.
While it's fun to take a shot or hit of something for courage, it's not courage. Do you have the balls to actually face what you're afraid of, something you've imagined, and tell it to f off?
You believe that the audience's opinion is important. It's not.
(this will fall on deaf ears- no offense intended) You believe with 100% conviction that what you think is correct. It's not. Don't believe what you think.
Get on that stage and play.
While it's fun to take a shot or hit of something for courage, it's not courage. Do you have the balls to actually face what you're afraid of, something you've imagined, and tell it to f off?
what helped me was to have what you are playing down perfectly, and to get on stage and just play like your practicing.
I agree with most of the posts in this thread. Definitely be prepared. I used to drink before playing, but I don't drink at all anymore, due to liver problems. I have had a couple gigs go bad from drinking a little too much in the past, so I don't recommend it.
This might seem like a big "duh" but I think I should throw this out there: NEVER smoke pot before a gig! It can mess with your sense of time really badly, and make you forget chord changes, etc.
This might seem like a big "duh" but I think I should throw this out there: NEVER smoke pot before a gig! It can mess with your sense of time really badly, and make you forget chord changes, etc.
I'll echo the "preparation" advice.
I'll add one more: learn and practice material that's way above the skill level of what you'll be playing onstage. If you push yourself in private, you'll have no trouble being confident in public.
I'd save the drinking until after the gig.
I'll add one more: learn and practice material that's way above the skill level of what you'll be playing onstage. If you push yourself in private, you'll have no trouble being confident in public.
I'd save the drinking until after the gig.
Good advice here. I got over my nerves by doing more gigs, and realizing that nobody really knew when I was making mistakes. or cared.
know the hell out of the material.
You can't possibly mess up if you can play the song in your sleep.
You can't possibly mess up if you can play the song in your sleep.
It's one of those things that comes with time, the more you play on stage the more comfortable you get. Hell, I'm more comfortable on stage than off the stage. Also, whiskey goes a long way 
So many good guys here with knowledge.
- Careful with the drinking, but if you do have drinks at rehearsal, don't have more than that at the gig.
- Know your stuff and listen
- Remember that you're not alone and get into what your bandmates are doing - forget about the audience
- If you clam, don't let it throw you. Happens to everybody. I mean everybody.
- Keep gigging.
- Careful with the drinking, but if you do have drinks at rehearsal, don't have more than that at the gig.
- Know your stuff and listen
- Remember that you're not alone and get into what your bandmates are doing - forget about the audience
- If you clam, don't let it throw you. Happens to everybody. I mean everybody.
- Keep gigging.
As long as you stay in key and keep the beat there is no way to tell what was intentional in the mind of the audience, especially with originals.
