Overcoming Stage
Fright
Stagefright is one
of the most commonly faced problems faced by guitarists when I
ask them for feedbacks after performances. Almost everybody has
been through circumstances whereby you have butterflies in your
stomach, sweaty hands or even mindblocks when asked to perform
or speak in front of others. For a performer, the
effects of stage fright
can be
very devastating and might ruin your
performance.
Imagine the
pain when all the hours of hard work put into practicing go
down the drain because stage fright takes over you during a
performance? In this guitar article, we will try to address
stage fright and how to cope with it in live
performances.
What is stage
fright?
What exactly is stage fright? Stage fright is a condition
whereby the mind self imposes limiting thoughts and fear that
the performer will make an error during a public performance.
Self limiting thoughts such as “Oh my god, I am playing in
front of other established guitarists. What if I make a
mistake?” and thoughts of fear “Will I play or sing out of
tune? What if the audience doesn’t like the performance?” It is
exactly these feelings and questions of self doubt that holds
you back from reaching your highest potential during a
performance.
How do we deal stage
fright?
One of
the most common ways to beat stage fright is to be well
prepared for any performances. Practice makes perfect. If
you know that you had practiced the performance piece so
well that you can play it with your eyes shut, this will
automatically inject confidence and self belief into your
playing. On the other hand, if you go into a live
performance without proper practice, this will only add
to your nerves. Prior to going for a live performance,
you should take every opportunity to perform to your
friends, family members and others. This can actually
help simulate the real performance to play the guitar
under pressure. Remember, consistent practice is the key
to gaining confidence and fight
stagefright.
One
of my secrets to beat stage fright is to show up early at the
gig to absorb the vibe and rehearse the whole performance in my
mind a few times. I imagine myself going onto stage, playing
through the whole set on stage and completing an awesome
performance. By doing so, I turn the actual performance into
what seems like a practice routine to me enabling me to play at
a relaxed mood.
Tips in
overcoming
stage
fright
-
If you are
performing a set of songs, the
first song that you perform should
be one that is not challenging to
play. I would recommend that you
arrange songs in an order of
gradually increasingly difficulty.
DO NOT attempt to
perform any songs in which you
already have technical difficulties
during normal practices. I have
seen many guitarists walk down that
road only to end up sounding like
crap.
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I hope
that these tips can help you guys out there with
questions related to stage fright. Conquering stage
fright can be achieved with effort and continuous
practice. Remember, there isn’t really much to worry
about. Be prepared and confident. Just go out there and
do it. : )
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