Conquering Stage Fright: What Are Your Strategies?

[john]

Hey gang

 

How do you deal with stage fright or nerves before a performance?

 

Getting up on stage can be as nerve-wracking as it is thrilling, no matter how seasoned a performer you are. Today, I want to open up a discussion on a topic that I believe many of us have wrestled with at one point or another: stage fright.

 

How do you handle the butterflies before stepping into the spotlight? Do you have any rituals or routines that help calm your nerves? Maybe there's a particular song you listen to, a pep talk you give yourself, or even specific breathing exercises that prepare you mentally and physically.

 

Whether you've found a foolproof method to soothe your nerves or are still experimenting with different techniques, your insights could greatly benefit others in our community who might be struggling with the same issue.

 

Share your experiences and tips on how you transform those pre-performance jitters into an electrifying presence on stage. Looking forward to learning from all of you how to turn anxiety into energy!

 

Cheers

 

John

[MisterB]

I never did. After about 30 years, I gave up performing. Although I loved playing, performance anxiety, and the resulting poor performance just ruined it for me.

 

I'm not sure if this is the same for everyone, but for me, "stage fright" isn't exactly the right phrase. I'm not afraid of being in front of a large audience... it's literally performance anxiety... the anxiety of thinking I'm not going to be able to hit the notes, and I've proven it to be a real thing on very many occasions. The anxiety itself is almost completely responsible for it.

 

Edited April 14 by MisterB

[john]

3 hours ago, MisterB said:

I never did. After about 30 years, I gave up performing. Although I loved playing, performance anxiety, and the resulting poor performance just ruined it for me.

 

I'm not sure if this is the same for everyone, but for me, "stage fright" isn't exactly the right phrase. I'm not afraid of being in front of a large audience... it's literally performance anxiety... the anxiety of thinking I'm not going to be able to hit the notes, and I've proven it to be a real thing on very many occasions. The anxiety itself is almost completely responsible for it.

 

 

That sucks!

 

It is still stage fright though. Stage fright covers a broad range of issues with performance. The anxiety itself doesn’t need to be fear of the audience, fear of being judged, fear of being watched, fear of making mistakes, fear of making mistakes on a public platform, fear of forgetting (usually the cause of the forgetting is one of the other reasons), fear of playing the wrong notes, fear of not being good enough, or out of time being the main variations.

 

There are several on that list that have haunted me at various points, but I always overcame them and enjoyed myself even when things went wrong. My short term memory isn’t great because of pain medication, so I now have a general fear of forgetting that is nothing to do with music or being on stage. Indeed it applies to me almost every day. 

 

As for stage fright, I always found that when I didn’t care, in the moment, I played my best. If I was harassed, frustrated, angry, or in the grips of some larger issue, I really genuinely didn’t care about being on stage. It was something I had to do to get back to whatever was bothering me.

 

Mostly, I just enjoyed being on stage. It was the one place I truly felt at home. When I was regularly playing I would feel some nerves before I started playing but I was usually settled by the end of the first chorus. I genuinely looked forward to that happy, connected moment I felt once the music got going, more than any fear.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Mahesh]

On the day of each gig, I may feel some butterflies in increasing levels as the gig draws closer. I guess it's my body's way of prepping for a session of focus and efficiency on stage. This feeling goes away 10 seconds into making my very first sound on stage. I've not been able to avoid this experience but have come to accept it in a way which has helped so much.

On the other hand, if I'm stressed out for some reason or am feeling quite unexpectedly nervous or anxious, listening to music helps! I listen to my favs - John Mayer, Damien Rice, Nocturnes by Chopin, Chet Baker, etc It sure calms me down or at least distracts me from the thought that I'm anxious. I avoid too much socialising but enjoy speaking to a friend about something irrelevant to the day's events. I also keep myself hydrated and avoid any alcohol just before getting on stage. 

[Damien Alvarez de Toledo]

On 4/15/2024 at 12:38 AM, MisterB said:

I never did. After about 30 years, I gave up performing. Although I loved playing, performance anxiety, and the resulting poor performance just ruined it for me.

 

I'm not sure if this is the same for everyone, but for me, "stage fright" isn't exactly the right phrase. I'm not afraid of being in front of a large audience... it's literally performance anxiety... the anxiety of thinking I'm not going to be able to hit the notes, and I've proven it to be a real thing on very many occasions. The anxiety itself is almost completely responsible for it.

 

 

Hi MisterB,

 

Sorry to hear that stage fright has been with you all this time. 

I'm happy to tell you that it isn't irreversible though! I know of a way that has helped me through a specific meditative practice, have you ever tried those?

 

Best,

 

Damien

[MisterB]

On 7/10/2024 at 9:03 PM, Damien Alvarez de Toledo said:

 

Hi MisterB,

 

Sorry to hear that stage fright has been with you all this time. 

I'm happy to tell you that it isn't irreversible though! I know of a way that has helped me through a specific meditative practice, have you ever tried those?

 

Best,

 

Damien

 

I don't doubt the benefit of meditation, but I do believe it would require complete commitment, and that's something that I would have had an issue with (finding the adequate time to dedicate to the task).

 

It's actually been around 14 years now since I performed any instrument at a reasonable level. I would have a ton of work to do before I did it again, and at 56 years old, and with lots of other things to do, its simply not on my radar.

 

I like to think though that if I were still playing, that I would now be able to find the frame of mind, and the time to dedicate to trying a meditative process. I know of a couple of people who would be able to guide me in this process from my musical past...  

[GregB]

It's not a case of "fright" for me, rather a clear-eyed assessment of whether performing is for me.  And it's not    I've expalined this elsewhere before but, to recap ...

 

I have performed solo in public on occasion over 50 years, but it has never ever delivered anything for ME personally ... apart from mental and physical discomfort!

Preferring complex songs and being a control freak, I would have to practice a set for hours to get things right as I believe a performer should not use cheat sheets.  Songs I perform usually have instrumental breaks and embellishments, requiring substantial extra effort in the arranging and practice. 

 

So, totaling the hours for preparation/practice, travel, setups/teardowns, backup gear, wear and tear on equipment (and sanity) ... the true hourly rate earned (prior to COVID) was way, WAY below the bread line!  There's also the nerve build-up, on-stage discomfort, plus inevitable bad acoustics and audience noise.  Also, there is the heat under bright lights ... I HATE playing guitar with sweaty hands.

 

My last ever gig was as a community-volunteer performer at a conference dinner with approx. 200 guests.  They were appreciative but as soon as the wine was served I discovered I was playing purely by sense of feel due to the raised volume of normal dinner conversation ... my PA speakers were within 3 metres of my head but I still couldn't hear a thing!! 

 

Even though I had been volunteering, and playing for free just to remove any pressure of having to give value for money, I finally accepted that performing is just not my thing.

 

By contrast, I find there are many benefits when writing, performing and recording at home:

·         no preparation, practice or travel

·         no time pressures and no backup for gear/travel etc.

·         only playing/writing when the mood is right

·         no pressure to be 'entertaining' at all times

·         not having to be upbeat and smiley with venue owners/customers

·         no haggling over money

·         no insurances

·         no worry about gear getting stolen/damaged

·         no problems with acoustics or boozed-up audiences

·         not being a living juke box

·         freedom to create multi-layered and multi-instrument productions

·         no need to wear a stupid “performer’s hat” or close my eyes to show a faked deep emotional connection to the music I’ve played a 100 times before

 

[VoiceEx]

Its been years since I've preformed on stage with a band, though I never really had any special routine or 'ritual' that I'd preform before-hence. I mean, sure, I'd talk with the band members and everyone else involved, maybe have a beer or two while I was at it, practice my parts with headphones, and double check that everything's in order gear/device/setup-wise. There were also times that I would just take a short walk to be alone and gather my thoughts, depending on my mood.

 

And that's.. pretty much it.

 

Its not that I wasn't excited or nervous. But overall I've never put too much thought into it, silly as it is, and just went in focusing on getting the job done and minimizing distractions.

 

Another aspect to take to account, is that when you're preforming live with other bands, or if you have to switch locations afterwords, you don't always have time to concern yourself with anything other than how well prepared you've arrived, rely on how well you rehearsed, rely on crews you're not familiar with, and hope for the best. It sucks but hey that happens too 🙄

 

And, no, chances are that you won't be flying on a private jet for your first live show. So terms of tips, I suppose the first one would be, to get ready to spend money on gas, public transportation, or look into airline deals 😅👍

 

Seriously though, I DO have a few tips that might help dealing with stage fright. Though instead of making a long list of ALL the thing's I can come up with, I'll stick with a few that I think can make a strong impact.

 

Practice by yourself with a metronome and capture your performance: (i.e Mastering your performance)

 

You don't have to do this all day, but make it a part of your daily routines. I'll explain the logic behind this tip, and how it will help you to accomplish two goals on the way to overcoming stage fright.

 

The first goal being - To help you build more confidence in yourself as a player/performer. After all, the more you practice, the easier it gets to nail your song. And once you've mastered your song, you'll be less worried once you on stage. Not to mention, getting used to working with a metronome goes a long way, both in terms of honing your observation skills, improving your accuracy, as well as aiding with syncing up with band members during a live performance. Working with a metronome also helps when you're recording yourself. And yes it does take some getting used too. But getting a head start never hurts.

 

The second goal being - To document your progress for potential use and to analyze your performance, on your own terms, without having to deal with the added pressure of receiving criticism or standing physically in front of a live audience. Doing this will also help you to figure out what sort of presence you have on stage, how engaging your performance is, and it will aid you in crafting a controlled performance that's to your liking.

 

Join a local band/s temporarily: (i.e Overcoming anxieties by preforming alongside other musicians)

 

Forget about karaoke nights and open mic nights. 9/10 of those are cringe and perhaps you being on stage by yourself might be part of the problem. Instead, a good way to gain experience and begin working on overcoming you're stage fright, is by simply joining a local band and doing small gigs. Being around other musicians, talking with them, sharing your ideas, your thoughts, your concerns, not to mention, rehearsing with them, preforming with them, and working on songs that are not necessarily yours, will help you to get a perspective on things, and perhaps you'll arrive at conclusions that might have not occurred to you before.

 

This can help you a great deal if you decide you wish to get back to focusing on your own music.

 

Not to mention, preforming live alongside other musicians that support you, will allow you to be in a position where you'll start to understand how a live audience actually behaves. And the more you know about something, the less your likely to be afraid of it. And, no, I'm not suggesting that this will 'rid' you of your anxiety. But it might help.

 

-As a side note-

You can also practice preforming in front of your family and close friends. Granted, its not the same as preforming before a real audience. However, its something, and it will help with getting you used to the idea of preforming live. Not to mention, you can also invite them to your show.

 

Plus. If your feeling a bit cheeky, in addition to making them buy tickets, if you feel like they aren't supporting "enough" during your show, you can always.. well.. call security on them and have them removed. Up to you 🤣👍 (I'm joking of course!).

 

From bedroom producer, to bedroom performer: (Yes, I know what you're thinking, but that's not what I mean! honest! 🤣)

 

For those of you who are interested in preforming your songs live from the comfort of your own studio, the best way to go at it, is of course through streaming. Setting up a stream doesn't require being too tech savvy, and there's plenty of software (free software included) that you can pick and choose from.

 

However, if you're a bit unsure of weather or not you even want to consider this option, there are a few things you can do to test the grounds and see how you feel about the idea of presenting yourself to an audience, to some capacity (i.e as a bedroom producer).

 

Such as - Experimenting with different kind of performance formats in a controlled manner - without having to show your face and without revealing more than you want to reveal.  I'll list a few simple examples to some of the none-intrusive formats that literally anybody can do.

 

• Commentary/Reaction videos

If your looking for a relatively easy yet effective way to begin getting used to the idea of addressing an audience, than look no further. Commentary/Reaction videos are fairly simple to make, they can be made off-Stream, they don't require too much effort editing wise (unless you want too), and there's also the added bonus of having someone else make a portion of the content 'for' you.

 

So if your looking for something simple that you can do from practically any location, than reaction videos aren't a bad choice. Such videos can also serve multiple purposes, such as introducing your audience to your attitude, or even getting noticed by bigger creators/musicians. There's tons that you can do with them, really.

 

• Playthrough videos

Whats very useful about this kind of content, is that, not only do you get a chance to showcase your performance, but it can also be used to promote/compliment your own songs. It can also potentially serve monetary purposes. However, the neat part about this format, is that, much like reaction videos, they are not difficult to make. If you have a semi decent phone or camera, you can make a playthrough video.

 

Plus. You can pick and choose if your going for an actual live performance or a staged live performance, and you can edit yourself as much as you want to present a stellar presentation. Again - You don't have to talk and you don't have to show your face.

 

Again, these are merely a few tips to help introduce bedroom producer's to the idea of appearing/communicating with an audience to a capacity that goes beyond just sharing their songs online. I hope this helps someone 👍

Edited July 15 by VoiceEx

[Damien Alvarez de Toledo]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:11 AM, MisterB said:

 

I don't doubt the benefit of meditation, but I do believe it would require complete commitment, and that's something that I would have had an issue with (finding the adequate time to dedicate to the task).

 

It's actually been around 14 years now since I performed any instrument at a reasonable level. I would have a ton of work to do before I did it again, and at 56 years old, and with lots of other things to do, its simply not on my radar.

 

I like to think though that if I were still playing, that I would now be able to find the frame of mind, and the time to dedicate to trying a meditative process. I know of a couple of people who would be able to guide me in this process from my musical past...  

 

Hi MisterB,

 

I understand the struggle. I myself lived with an apparent impotence in terms of happiness in general. 

 

However weird this might seem, our own perception of our persona is what dictates such conditioning and unpleasant feelings.

 

If improving yourself is no longer on your radar at the moment in that aspect, then I hope you will still flourish in the other areas of your life where you are currently working in.

 

Best

[WillieAxe]

Stage fright is something I’ve definitely dealt with. One trick that worked for me was practicing in front of friends or family before performing publicly. It helped me get used to the feeling of being watched and made the actual stage seem less intimidating.

[WillieAxe]

On 7/30/2024 at 10:29 AM, WillieAxe said:

Stage fright is something I’ve definitely dealt with. One trick that worked for me was practicing in front of friends or family before performing publicly. It helped me get used to the feeling of being watched and made the actual stage seem less intimidating.

I also found some helpful tips on artmaster.com about visualization techniques and deep breathing exercises. Imagining a successful performance and staying calm has been a game-changer for me. Every time I feel the nerves creeping in, I remind myself that everyone in the audience is there to support and enjoy the performance.