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CURES FOR STAGE FRIGHT

#41
MatticusMania said:
Fixed. I smoke before nearly every gig and my sense of timing is impeccable.
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I think it helps. for rock or covers a shot or beer maybe perfect. but a good bong rip puts me in a funk jazz trance that is unshakeable. For more freeform stuff pot is a great stage freight reliever because you just about completely fall in love with the music and pretty much forget the audience is even there. :D
 
#42
Channel your anxiety into the excitement of anticipation of getting up and entertaining a crowd. I love the feeling I get on the drive on the way to the show. It's a sort of "I'm stepping into a situation where anything could happen" thing. Potential suckage is part of the equation, but I learned a long time ago that I'm going to make mistakes at every gig ... hell, every song. So now that I know that, I don't have anything to be afraid of.
 
#46
Be prepared and makesure your band mates are prepared too. Sometimes them messing up can make you seem like you messed up such as the guitarist going into the chorus too early. If the rest ofthe band catches on and you don't, it becomes your mistake to anyone who notices. Learn to fixistakes. Miss a note or lose your spot in the part your in?do a fill in key till youfigure out where you are. You're taking a solo and the guitarist is playing the wrong rythm? Give him the signal to switch places. You go and miss the end of a song? Play a fill and signal the drummer to hit a symbol so you can make a new ending together. Practice saving mistakes with your band it takes teamwork. And you shouldn't need to drink or smoke to get courage, that's cowardly in my opinion.
 
#47
Dpduder said:
I think it helps. for rock or covers a shot or beer maybe perfect. but a good bong rip puts me in a funk jazz trance that is unshakeable. For more freeform stuff pot is a great stage freight reliever because you just about completely fall in love with the music and pretty much forget the audience is even there. :D
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Definitely. I play in an Improv Rock band. A good toke helps me lose myself in the music, though I dont normally drag the bong with me, as its 2ft. tall and kind of noticable.

Munjibunga said:
Channel your anxiety into the excitement of anticipation of getting up and entertaining a crowd. I love the feeling I get on the drive on the way to the show. It's a sort of "I'm stepping into a situation where anything could happen" thing. Potential suckage is part of the equation, but I learned a long time ago that I'm going to make mistakes at every gig ... hell, every song. So now that I know that, I don't have anything to be afraid of.
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I was having a conversation with my gf akin to this last night. She teaches piano to youngsters and she was telling me how frustrated the kids can get when they make a mistake, thinking that their playing needs to be perfect. They'll make a mistake and just lose it. No longer able to function. She says she tries to tell them that its okay to make mistakes, everyone does, and points out to the kids when she does so herself.
 
#49
Honestly I just talk myself out of it. My first ever live gig I was terrified from start to finish, but I did well. After that I just kept telling myself "you're going to do awesome just like last time" over and over until the nervousness went away. Now I rarely get it. I love being on stage, I don't get nervous about it.
 
#52
For me, since I don't drink, I had to accept the fact that I'm at the event. I accepted the gig and I need to make the most of it. I don't go to shows to try to impress anyone, I go there to play and because I love to play.

As for making mistakes, I guess for me, it's just about being down to earth and realizing that we're all human beings because (no matter how big of a rock star you think you are) we can all screw up; it's just a matter of how you don't let the audience know that you screwed up - That's the trick.

I also just try to keep myself pre-occupied and have fun.
 
#53
Goober1206 said:
Be prepared and makesure your band mates are prepared too. Sometimes them messing up can make you seem like you messed up such as the guitarist going into the chorus too early. If the rest ofthe band catches on and you don't, it becomes your mistake to anyone who notices. Learn to fixistakes. Miss a note or lose your spot in the part your in?do a fill in key till youfigure out where you are. You're taking a solo and the guitarist is playing the wrong rythm? Give him the signal to switch places. You go and miss the end of a song? Play a fill and signal the drummer to hit a symbol so you can make a new ending together. Practice saving mistakes with your band it takes teamwork. And you shouldn't need to drink or smoke to get courage, that's cowardly in my opinion.
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Cymbal.

You don't play a base, do you?
 
#56
I've never had stage fright. I've had stage excitement, but that's all. I do my homework, hit the stage prepared, and I have the attitude that if anyone out there thinks they can do better than me, they're welcome to come up and try. Of course, it's kinda hard to play a bass when it's stuck up your butt!;)
 
#59
Jerose said:
Just make sure you go to the bathroom before you go on.

Then you're all set!
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that was the first bit of advice i got before my first show! MAN i still follow that rule !! i never have social anxiety and my legs wouldn't move that show- but man does it feel good afterward.

bring stuff to wipe the sweat off your forehead/pits/balls.
 

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