Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
CURES FOR STAGE FRIGHT
- Thread starter guitardefector
- Start date
Like so many of the other responses, this is a goodie. Selecting the opener is so important.
There are many differences between (a) being a bit nervous and (b) having stage fright to the degree where you can't enjoy yourself or can't function. The former goes away with time, practice and experience (and maybe a relaxing and delicious beverage); the latter needs something more...
I don't do anything against it. I embrace it.
Stage fright adds to the Woohoooo! effect, the rush and and post-rush feelings you have after a gig.
The type of things that made me jump skis and motorcycles.
My main motivation for losing weight is currently to be under 220 lbs so I can do a sky dive, as this is the maximum weight apparently.
I am a thrill seeker
Embrace stage fright. Face the crowd. Do crazy things. Let be heart beat hard, the blood flow fast, feel alive.
Who knows what happens once you die. This may be your only shot.
Stage fright adds to the Woohoooo! effect, the rush and and post-rush feelings you have after a gig.
The type of things that made me jump skis and motorcycles.
My main motivation for losing weight is currently to be under 220 lbs so I can do a sky dive, as this is the maximum weight apparently.
I am a thrill seeker
Embrace stage fright. Face the crowd. Do crazy things. Let be heart beat hard, the blood flow fast, feel alive.
Who knows what happens once you die. This may be your only shot.
What I found helped years ago is to not make direct eye contact with the audience but not to stare at your fret board either, pick a few spots throughout the room like a picture, bar sign ect... and look at those spots once and a while, smile and have a good time, no one will notice. Also interact with your band often, the more you gig the easier it will get.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Recognizing that stage fright is a perfectly normal emotion, and there is no reason to worry about being nervous prior to a show.
This is more from a theater background since I'm pretty new as a musician, but I think the principles are pretty much the same:
1) practice till you can play in your sleep. Once the first few notes come out, the rest will flow by habit.
2) Old public speaker trick; imagine the audience in their underwear, if not outright naked. Now they're the ones who should feel embarrassed, not you.
3) Channel the stage nerves into performance energy
4) Actor's trick; the fourth wall. Actually visualize to yourself a whole scene between you and the audience. When you look out, look at your scene (windows or paintings or whatever you've imagined there) rather than at the people looking at you (obviously, you can't do both this and #2). Another alternative to this is to look at the back wall of the house if you're nervous to make eye contact with the audience; as long as you're not looking at the floor, they think you're interacting.
5) Stay connected to the rest of the band so you don't feel on your own in front of the audience, and keep busy so you're not sitting there with nothing to do wondering what they're thinking looking at you.
6) Never worry that anything you do is too big or flashy. People who try to keep things mild and restrained on stage out of nervousness come off as hesitant and fidgety, unless they REALLY are relaxed. Play it big and crazy and even when you screw up the audience thinks its all part of the show.
Oh, and it never hurts to bring some guaranteed friendly audience members (friends and family, etc.) who will cheer for you no matter what you do.
1) practice till you can play in your sleep. Once the first few notes come out, the rest will flow by habit.
2) Old public speaker trick; imagine the audience in their underwear, if not outright naked. Now they're the ones who should feel embarrassed, not you.
3) Channel the stage nerves into performance energy
4) Actor's trick; the fourth wall. Actually visualize to yourself a whole scene between you and the audience. When you look out, look at your scene (windows or paintings or whatever you've imagined there) rather than at the people looking at you (obviously, you can't do both this and #2). Another alternative to this is to look at the back wall of the house if you're nervous to make eye contact with the audience; as long as you're not looking at the floor, they think you're interacting.
5) Stay connected to the rest of the band so you don't feel on your own in front of the audience, and keep busy so you're not sitting there with nothing to do wondering what they're thinking looking at you.
6) Never worry that anything you do is too big or flashy. People who try to keep things mild and restrained on stage out of nervousness come off as hesitant and fidgety, unless they REALLY are relaxed. Play it big and crazy and even when you screw up the audience thinks its all part of the show.
Oh, and it never hurts to bring some guaranteed friendly audience members (friends and family, etc.) who will cheer for you no matter what you do.
There is a psychology theory that states you must be in the same mind set when studying as you are when doing. So, don't practice high = don't play high. The opposite can be said as well.
To the OP, wear shades.
clam: fishy noise coming out of your bass that is most likely caused by poor note choice and/or placement. Also known as "taking liberties with the arrangement/melody" or "alternative chord voicing." Typically causes keyboard players to pinch up their nose like they're smelling a rotten hockey bag. Clams are not often noticed by lead singers who don't play an instrument - even when they sing them.
Have your show down perfect. Be able to perform all your material without stressing. Never resort to doing drugs or alcohol just to loosen up. That is not good, especially if you are under the legal age. Find a spot behind the crowd to stare at like a sign or a clock, that way it looks like you are looking at the crowd. Have fun and be proud that you have the skill and opportunity to be up there.
Mix white wine half and half with water & start drinking 30 min. before you go on~ it tastes kind of weird, but it will take the edge off and put you in rock star mode.
Peter Lufrano
Blues. and nothing but the Blues.
