During the mid 80's I was in a band touring colleges, and one night we were rescheduled because they had booked Steps instead. We got free tickets and went to the concert. This edition of Steps had Eddie Gomez on bass, Peter Erskine on drums, Mike Mainieri on vibes, Don Grolnick on piano and Michael Brecker on saxes. All infallible gods, seemingly. After the show, I was standing next to Mike Mainieri when a student complimented him on something he'd played. Mike said, "Thanks," then turned to me and whispered, "I f***ed that up." Of course, no one in the crowd had noticed, and he had plowed ahead like nothing had happened.
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How do YOU deal with performance nerves?
- Thread starter Ozzel
- Start date
During the mid 80's I was in a band touring colleges, and one night we were rescheduled because they had booked Steps instead. We got free tickets and went to the concert. This edition of Steps had Eddie Gomez on bass, Peter Erskine on drums, Mike Mainieri on vibes, Don Grolnick on piano and Michael Brecker on saxes. All infallible gods, seemingly. After the show, I was standing next to Mike Mainieri when a student complimented him on something he'd played. Mike said, "Thanks," then turned to me and whispered, "I f***ed that up." Of course, no one in the crowd had noticed, and he had plowed ahead like nothing had happened.
Yes! I think you realize you are a pro, or getting there, when you do a mistake and you manage to make it sound deliberate.
Repeated exposure really is the only surefire way to get over nerves, though, depending on your personality type, it may take you more or less time than others.
What I have found works best for me is to forget that you're playing in front of a group of people that you're uncomfortable playing in front of, and focus on one person in the crowd that has seen you practice plenty of times. It may be your mother, your girlfriend, whoever.
Also, as others have said, knowing the song really well will help incredibly. So don't just play the song by yourself. Listen to recordings if possible, and get as good of a feel for the song as you can.
What I have found works best for me is to forget that you're playing in front of a group of people that you're uncomfortable playing in front of, and focus on one person in the crowd that has seen you practice plenty of times. It may be your mother, your girlfriend, whoever.
Also, as others have said, knowing the song really well will help incredibly. So don't just play the song by yourself. Listen to recordings if possible, and get as good of a feel for the song as you can.
I have a side project that is 100% jazz rock improv.
Awesome just showing up and relaxed jamming, play whatever you want situation...no rehearsal, no jitters...just concern with setting up amp and fx settings properly .
What this has done is make me realize that even the more structured stuff I play in other bands can be a little loose and enjoyable.
Awesome just showing up and relaxed jamming, play whatever you want situation...no rehearsal, no jitters...just concern with setting up amp and fx settings properly .
What this has done is make me realize that even the more structured stuff I play in other bands can be a little loose and enjoyable.
Exposure works, walk out on stage and expose yourself, after that no one will notice if you make a mistake....
While i have never had a problem with stages, in fack i love to be on them, i can give you one piece of advice.
turn "nervous" into "excited".
Try to get "pumped" and ready for the show.
Find the mental stated where you can tell yourself, in full honesty, that: "yes! i am doing it. i am going to put on a great show, and a brilliant performance. the audience should love me afterwards."
At least this is how i feel before a gig i've prepared for. the pre-gig excitement is one of the best feelings around, and you should enjoy this as much as possible.
turn "nervous" into "excited".
Try to get "pumped" and ready for the show.
Find the mental stated where you can tell yourself, in full honesty, that: "yes! i am doing it. i am going to put on a great show, and a brilliant performance. the audience should love me afterwards."
At least this is how i feel before a gig i've prepared for. the pre-gig excitement is one of the best feelings around, and you should enjoy this as much as possible.
Never heard of bananas for anxiety...I'll test it out to see if it works.
Although, I've pretty much conquered the stage jitters I used to have
Probably not the best choice, unless you want to play "Big Balls" all night. I've known a few players who can function perfectly while baked, and I have no idea how they can do it. It destroys me!
To deal with nerves in the past, I would start a gig with a beer or small shot of whiskey, bourbon or rye. Now I just grab a beer because I like beer! But of course, yours is not a bar gig, so that wouldn't fly. I don't recommend using alcohol as a crutch. It's not wise and you'll get trapped in a bad cycle and eventually need it to get on stage.
It's true - repeated exposure lessens your nervousness. Eventually you'll be right at home being the center of attention and won't get rattled at all.
Stage anxiety produces a real physiological reaction with embarrassment, accelerated heart rate and blood pressure...and consequently your brain goes into a mild "fight or flight" panic. It's tough to think clearly when all of these vital signs are going wacko.
The best thing for me was to keep in mind that I'm the best freakin' bass player these people have ever heard...and they're going to be amazed at the simplest trick in my toolbox.
Yep, and the audience is not on stage for a reason: they don't know music like I do, and I can count on the fact that most of it goes over their heads anyway. I'm not trying to be cocky, but it's predominantly true, and it's how I approach performance.
Keeping all this in mind, if I make a mistake now, it's very momentary and the recovery is fast. Only the die-hard musicians in the audience (which are very few) ever detect any mistakes. And, all my musician friends totally understand the nature of making mistakes, so it doesn't bother me to screw up in front of them!
Yep, just get up there and do it.
Each time you step off the stage a changed person.
Eventually, you'll have no problems whatsoever.
Yes, I remember thinking before a gig, "is this nervousness or excitement?" I couldn't differentiate the two...they're very similar sensations. Then I recalled how I would have the same feeling the day before Christmas when I was a kid, anxiously awaiting the next day. It wasn't dread, it was joyous anticipation...even though the butterflies felt the same.
As a vocal major, I've found that nerves can make or break a performance. The only things I've found that work to ease nerves are experience and preparation, with the latter probably being a little bit more important than the former.
How you practice is really important. I've found that, especially with piano music, it's easy to get into a practice mode where it becomes more about muscle memory than anything else. You can play it 100 times without making a single mistake in rehearsal. Then you get to the performance, and because you're nervous, you start thinking differently, and you can choke up on phrases that were previously flawless. In practice, I've found that it's important not just to drill your pieces, but take them apart, and work on them in as many different ways as possible. Play every other note. Play it double time. Play it half time. Play it in three (more difficult, haha). Anyway, but the more you know a piece, the less likely it is that nerves will affect your performance. Even experienced performers will get nervous, and there's really no way to predict when you'll get nervous and when you won't.
That having been said, the more you play out, the less of a big deal it becomes. Play for people whenever you can. There will still be occasions where you get nervous; it's just part of being a performer. But it'll happen less and less the more you play out.
As a FINAL suggestion, I read in an interview with Ginger Baker from Cream that the way he deals with nerves is just treating a gig like a job, almost like a sort of drag that you've just gotta get through to collect your pay. So if it helps just tell yourself "Ugh, man another show. Alright let's get it over with."
How you practice is really important. I've found that, especially with piano music, it's easy to get into a practice mode where it becomes more about muscle memory than anything else. You can play it 100 times without making a single mistake in rehearsal. Then you get to the performance, and because you're nervous, you start thinking differently, and you can choke up on phrases that were previously flawless. In practice, I've found that it's important not just to drill your pieces, but take them apart, and work on them in as many different ways as possible. Play every other note. Play it double time. Play it half time. Play it in three (more difficult, haha). Anyway, but the more you know a piece, the less likely it is that nerves will affect your performance. Even experienced performers will get nervous, and there's really no way to predict when you'll get nervous and when you won't.
That having been said, the more you play out, the less of a big deal it becomes. Play for people whenever you can. There will still be occasions where you get nervous; it's just part of being a performer. But it'll happen less and less the more you play out.
As a FINAL suggestion, I read in an interview with Ginger Baker from Cream that the way he deals with nerves is just treating a gig like a job, almost like a sort of drag that you've just gotta get through to collect your pay. So if it helps just tell yourself "Ugh, man another show. Alright let's get it over with."
Hasn't happened to me for many many years, but when it did, the only antidote I had was one that came from sports... practice, be prepared, know that you're prepared, positive self-talk, bring your best to the "game."
this one is an easy one you will need the following
1 bar of soap,
1 yellow sock
1 blue sock
1 pair of womens panties 2 sizes to big for you
1 pair of underpants (y fronts work best)
ok now the method strip naked, place the socks on your feet, the panties around your waist then carefully place the y fronts so there hanging off your ear now eat the bar of soap so you foam at the mouth you are now ready to go onstage
how does this help? simple the crowd is now far more scared of you than you are of the crowd
1 bar of soap,
1 yellow sock
1 blue sock
1 pair of womens panties 2 sizes to big for you
1 pair of underpants (y fronts work best)
ok now the method strip naked, place the socks on your feet, the panties around your waist then carefully place the y fronts so there hanging off your ear now eat the bar of soap so you foam at the mouth you are now ready to go onstage
how does this help? simple the crowd is now far more scared of you than you are of the crowd
Lots of exposure. I started playing bass at church and the first couple services i was scared out of my mind. But now im super comfortable performing. In a couple weeks in gonna start doing 2-3 shows a week in front of my school at basketball games and assembly's. My first time being broadcasted live on a news station was very stressful though. Now im bomb proof unless something horrible happens on stage.
I've had some of the worst shorted cables and amp failures on stage. It certainly put my composure to the test...everyone said I looked completely calm and made them feel good. Frantically trying to fix things looks unprofessional...I just calmly laid down my instrument, took a drink of my beer, and focused on the problem. Fixed in no time...and the audience didn't skip a beat.
Once you go through the fire like that, nothing can faze you!
well, this might sound bad or conceded to some. i play in a all original rock/metal band and i know you said your playing for the church so keep that in mind. here it comes, i just act like i am the complete shizz and every note i play is clad in pure gold. its not more of me acting like that but to me its more of a mindset that i get into before i go onstage. im not saying i act like an arsehole or anything but it does work for me. im not sure why but the 3rd show i ever played that kind of mindset just popped into my head and since then i have had no stage fright or nerves. even if im playing outside in 30-40 degree weather it keeps me from shaking, i dont know why. just try to be confident in yourself without being over confident if that makes any sense. its hard to explain but hey, it works for me. i dont condone this but i have tried it once at the very first show i ever played. there is a medication that some people take, i think its to lower blood pressure but i guess some people take it often to keep there nerves down. it actually worked for me somewhat as i thought i was going to die at my first show. i cant remember the name of it but i do know it is prescription so it might be out of th question for you. my brother actually had some leftover from a prescription awhile back. it more or less just keeps your hands steady and your heart a bit slower. hope this helps, merry christmas and god bless. AARON.
p.s-try saying a prayer before you go on, the lord may help you get in the right mindset to jam for him!!!
p.s-try saying a prayer before you go on, the lord may help you get in the right mindset to jam for him!!!
I found the best cure for my nerves, anything from a rock/metal gig, to a jazz ensemble performance, to a high school "pep" band, is to just dive into the music head-first. Hit the stage running and give it your all. Calmed my nerves right away, and got me addicted to performing live.
Look at performing the way Tom Brady looks at playing in a football game. He'll spend the week before the game studying film of his opponent's tendencies and defensive schemes, he'll practice plays over and over again until they're second nature and he prepares his mind and body for the rigors of the upcoming game. Of course he's nervous before a game, but it's more of an excited nervousness, like he just can't wait to get out on the field and lead the Patriots down the field. So it must be with you.
Oddly enough, performing on a stage is a bit like playing a football game. The stage is your playing field, nerves and anxiety is the opponent, and a successful performance requires preparation and a certain amount of cockiness. You've rehearsed your songs, you know your parts, your equipment is in good functioning order, you're brimming with confidence, you hit the stage, and BOOM! You're like Tom Brady! You're playing you bass, you and your band sound great, the crowd is cheering like crazy, you're winning the game! And it's all due to the preparation you put in.
This is a high that drugs will never touch!
Oddly enough, performing on a stage is a bit like playing a football game. The stage is your playing field, nerves and anxiety is the opponent, and a successful performance requires preparation and a certain amount of cockiness. You've rehearsed your songs, you know your parts, your equipment is in good functioning order, you're brimming with confidence, you hit the stage, and BOOM! You're like Tom Brady! You're playing you bass, you and your band sound great, the crowd is cheering like crazy, you're winning the game! And it's all due to the preparation you put in.
This is a high that drugs will never touch!
Our church recently just finished our Christmas production. On average we had 2,000 people each performance, and we performed 6 shows in 4 days. I was on Double Bass duties in the orchestra, and was the only chair, so if I made a mistake, it was darn obvious. I also had quite a few solo bow passages, so I was a bit nervous.
The easiest way to get over nerves is to play a lot of gigs and to focus on reading your music. I was nervous the first show, but it went away after 15 minutes and I began to enjoy the production. Focusing on the sheet music can really help, and it's what you are suppose to do anyways. It will be bad for you if you lose concentration and focus on something else.
The easiest way to get over nerves is to play a lot of gigs and to focus on reading your music. I was nervous the first show, but it went away after 15 minutes and I began to enjoy the production. Focusing on the sheet music can really help, and it's what you are suppose to do anyways. It will be bad for you if you lose concentration and focus on something else.
