Okay…I tried to play a little set recently for our tutorial group at the request of our director…and started in to shaking so badly I could not finish the second tune! What’s odd is that I wasn’t all that nervous going into it, I’d practiced quite a bit, I’m not the nervous type, and it was hardly some big pressure-filled recital–just other parents and their kids. While I expected to be nervous to a degree, I never dreamed I’d get stage fright that badly. It’s very strange, not being in control of one’s own nervous system. My conscious mind kept trying to order my body to quit it, already.
So, how do I overcome this problem? It was rather discouraging. I don’t really play to perform, I just play for enjoyment, but I thought if somebody started up a session in my area I might like to join in at some point. (Although in a session I wouldn’t be the only one playing, so that might make a big difference.)
When the weather permits, find a nice outdoor place to play (park, etc) and just start playing. People will see and hear you, but they’ll likely be total strangers and only a couple at a time. It’s a good, non threatening way to get used to playing in front of others. You might even get a chance to proselytize for the whistle.
Do it more. Pauls’ idea works great. If you can find a music club/bluegrass circle/ITM session/anything where people sit in a circle and play tunes, join them. You are playing in a group, so flubs aren’t as noticeable and the people in groups like that are, in my limited experience, very supportive of newcomers.
Biofeedback or Inderal (propranolol) are sometimes used as medical solutions for performance anxiety. A small glass of wine before the performance can help, too. And, practice in front of smaller groups or even a video camera, to increase your comfort level.
Getting together with another person who is at the same approximate level you are will really help. I do this before harp recitals. I am in my third year of lessons and have a friend who plays stuff similar to what I do. We both normally practice alone and get nervous just playing for each other. Several weeks before a recital, we start getting together to play for each other & practice a duet. When the nerves get in the way of progress, we pull out a metronome and slow things down till we find a tempo we can get through while still focusing on making our fingers to do what they are supposed to. Sometimes it’s really slow but we both recognize that the whole point of the exercise is to deal with the nerves.
I’d suggest recording yourself. You’re basically playing for an audience of two, the one being a piece of electronics and the other being yourself when you listen back to it. It gets you over the shakes and, equally important, gives you excellent feedback. I think, short of a good teacher, it’s the best learning tool there is.
I totally understand what you mean. It may just be the group of people you’re playing to, and wanting to make a good impression, therefore being to aware of your playing. I hate playing to small groups of two or three people and tend to tighten up and lose my breath control. I do however, play in front of a couple of hundred people at Mass every Sunday and couldn’t give two hoots if I mess up because that’s just the nature of live music. Nerves are funny like that.
In the Pipe Band scene, which is all about competition, many people struggle with nerves.
Some eat bananas before they compete.
Many others use beta-blockers.
I myself took beta-blockers before a couple major competitions. They worked great, making me feel relaxed and calm, so that I played my best. (Usually nerves = mistakes, rushed tempi, or overblowing the pipes and playing sharp.)
This solved most of my problems when it came to nerves before piping solo. I’d eat a banana about 15-30 minutes before performing and found after the first few notes I was more relaxed than if I had not. Maybe it’s got something to do with the potassium. Maybe it’s pure placebo. All I know is that it works really well.
Coincidentally, I’ll be piping at a graveside service tomorrow afternoon and there is a banana staring at me on the dining room table right now. Better hide it from my wife and kids before it disappears!
I get FAR more nervous performing solo than if I’m in a band with other people. Everyone is different though…
The brutal honest truth is it may never go away totally. You can lessen the intimidation factor by increasing your confidence level (i.e. practice, practice, practice) but for some of us, myself and Streisand included, we’re always nervous when we take the stage. In my own case, establishing a connection with the audience through humorous dialogue also helps ease the tension I’m feeling. But as I said, it’s never actually gone.
In my own experience, the more you play, the less nervous you’ll be.
Avoid eating or drinking immediately before playing, at least until your nerves calm down a bit. There’s nothing like a sudden stomach upheaval in the middle of a tune.
If you normally practice sitting down, start practicing standing up. Conversely, if you usually play standing, start playing sitting down. The idea here is to get used to being able to play in a circumstance that feels unfamiliar to you.
I’ve found with myself that sometimes I still get nervous, but there comes a point at which you’ve enough experience that you can still play at close to your normal level in spite of nerves or strong emotions. And there’s no rhyme or reason to when the nerves may hit–I’ve played for five close friends and been so nervous I could barely speak coherently, and I’ve played for hundreds of folks and been just as relaxed and easy as you could ever wish for.
Be kind to yourself, and give yourself time. If you do have a rough performance, big deal–blow it off and focus on the times you’ve done well. It does get easier with time and experience.
