I'm nervous...

[revolead]

Okay, so here's the scoop. My RA comes in today to offer me a chance in this contest. It's 75 bucks to the winner, and I'm playing for a bunch of non-musicians and competing with a bunch of people doing joke covers like Adam Sandler and Justin Timberlake. Oh yeah, and it's free food.

 

There's a catch. I hate playing in front of people, I always feel like I'm going to screw up. I know I'm not a bad player, but I can't help but think of me failing on the stage. Supposedly it's only gonna be about 15 people, but somehow I doubt that. So I guess I'm just asking for support and suggestions to maintain my integrity, spirit, and relaxation on stage.

 

Thanks, Rev

[Darklava]

non-musicians just like taking candy from a baby.

It's the musicians that are the dinks.

go for it,you can do it!

[alanfc]

if your competitors are playing joke covers and you do something real, you will win.

 

For me the only practice for public speaking/playing was doing it for real. How about bribing some friends to sit in and watch you in your living room? Even 3 or 4 people can get your blood pumping and help to work out any spazzy brainfarts. Its all about mistake recovery, those nanoseconds where brain and hands communicate with each other in a near perfect dance of death. The more you do it, the more neural pathways develop and the more confidence grows. (I'm not a doctor)

 

you can do it!

[Blue Strat]

Choose a song that you like and can play blind-folded. Chances are that you'll go into "auto-pilot" and won't have any problems. Also, I've heard that you should picture everyone in the audience naked.

[Mike Gug]

I second everything said above, except for Bluestrat's last comment. That never works, unless you're playing for lingirie models, then there's only one layer of clothing to remove! WAHOO!!!! Either way, don't rely on that.

 

You want to be scared, try stand up comedy. Everyone thinks it'd be easy, nothing is farther from the truth. In stand up, you are the writer, editor, producer, and actor. In stand up, it's not a question of whether you will die on stage, it's a question of when. I did, and it sucks.

 

Here's where you've got it good, as a guitar player doing covers... the music is written, editted and proven. It's all about your playing from there. Do something easy to medium hard. Non-musicians will think you are a guitar god! Like candy from a baby, as above! I know you can do it. I can feel it, bro! You'll regret it when you see the crap others are doing.

[A String]

Stage fright is a fear of making a mistake in front of people. Pick and song and practice it a million times until (Like was previously mentioned) you feel like your on auto pilot. Then practice a few more times. If you know the song upside down and backwards, it won't be nearly as bad to play it live.

[Compact Diss]

Nice memories here.

A local radio station here (WFNX) had a contest called "Faking the Band". You got to go into the studio and have two minutes live playing on air, then callers would call in and vote you in or out.

My only experience playing in front of people up to that point was my kids, wife and a bunch of times in the subway. People in the subway never really listened, I didn't do it much.

 

I was nervous as hell. The room was air conditioned for whatever reason, my hands were frozen. I was the first contestant to show up, it was before 7am.

The radio station plays only alternative music so I decided to go in and play some Counrty Blues(what an idiot!). I chose a finger picking piece I got off the internet. The song sounded good but I was no pro at it, in fact I could hardly play it all the way through without missing a note here or there. I didn't care, I wanted to be on the radio and so on(who doesn't).

They told me they were only going to ask my name live, then they went ahead and asked me questions like who were my influences and so on...talk about dead air, silence, I couldn't even talk(what an idiot!) so I sit down to play my piece, they got my amp right up to a mic--boom boom I'm playing, then I missed a note, freaked and the guitar literally sounded like it was dying and falling apart. I finished it acting as if nothing happened but it was very clear that something went wrong.

The phones lit up. Guys hated me, I had two girls who called in and voted me in, they remain my two first nameless/faceless groupies(probably the only ones I'll ever have). The big comments were what the hell was I playing, people wanted to hear rock not some country picking. My idea was that I was going to be surrounded by shredders and figured it would sound better on air than a bunch of shredding, I was the only one that day to show up.

Moral of the story is, don't miss out on your chance. Play something you are comfortable playing and know you can handle playing it. If you make a mistake play through it, don't stop. Take the chance and get some nice experience. Have a good time.

[Dave da Dude]

bluestrat,

Choose a song that you like and can play blind-folded. Chances are that you'll go into "auto-pilot" and won't have any problems.

Absolutely

 

Make it one YOU like, that way you can concentrate on the song / music and the audience will fade into the background. Let the music speak for you

 

BTW, that naked audience thing doesn't work for me, unless like said above, the audience is all lingerie models, then I'd probably forget what I was up there for

 

Dave

[pauldil]

Unless they're paying a lot of money to hear you, mistakes shouldn't matter. Just go for it, Rev Try to relax, have fun & don't worry about what people think.

 

Let us know how it goes!

 

Paul

[revolead]

Thanks for all the help and support guys. Actually the song I'm doing is one I wrote called "Journey Through Love" . That copy ins't the best rendition considering I recorded it 3 months ago, but I was running through it today, and I feel fairly confident I can play it. My problem is my heart caves in and then my fingers numb over and I choke. I just hope that won't happen.

[Beermouse]

I think it was Stanislavski that said that stage fright was just a lack of concentration. Of course this was regarding acting, but it applies to anyone onstage. Just keep the concentration and the energy high, and you'll do marvellously.

[ZackEngOff13]

You can always remember that everyone here is here to see people play music. Nobody came to criticize, if you can make it at least look liek your confident in yourself, the others respect will follow. These people are all coming for music so theyll be able to see that you are superior. GOOD LUCK!!

[Base]

I played in front of an audience for the first time less than 2 weeks ago (ok, it was only 8 people, but still the first time I have performed in front of people). I also have a fear of public speaking that borders on phobia! After a song or 2 tho (we played for about an hour) I just settled into it and wasn't really that aware of the audience. I tried to take the attitude that I was just going to play with the band as usual and people can watch if they like, if they don't like it tho f^&k them. Obviously I didn't really think like that as I did want them to enjoy it (and they said they did), but I was trying to get into the mindset of doing what I do and not worrying about anyone watching...

[Funk Jazz]

it'll be a great experience for you Rev. go for it

 

i've had worse stage fright in front of 5 people i know than in front of 2,000 people i don't know. it's strange stuff for sure.

 

i don't think any little mental games will help, you're kind of just giving it power. just have some balls and go for it.

 

if they don't respect you for trying, they don't get it anyway and their opinion isn't worth anything. you have nothing to fear.

[Gruupi]

Yeah funkjazz, that 5 person stagefright is the worse. When one of the 5 is the club owner staring at you and wondering where the audience is.

[Guitarzan]

lots of good advice here Revo. try getting some buds to be up front so you can concentrate on friendly faces.