Thought I had cracked this but found I hadn't last week. Can anyone advise on dealing with nerves. I know I'll be OK once I've done one or two numbers but at the very beginning I lose all power and my harp playing sounds weak and breathy.
Go to a few open mics and have some real bad train wrecks.
Ones where the band has no idea what song you're trying to play, or where the drummer plays something completely off or where your guitarist mate freezes and leaves you flapping in the breeze; where you think you can sing then realise you can't, where you can't hear yourself, or forget your riffs, or all of the above. . Then you'll realise that its no big deal, you just feel like an idiot for about an hour and life goes on.
Learn to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously.
People are forgiving and usually respect that you had a go. Mostly they have short memories and you're only as good or as bad as your last performance anyway,
Also remember that you may be your worst critic. I've had performances where I wished the ground would open up and swallow me, and people have come up to me after and said 'that was great, man'.
Death is a certainty, and if you don't give everything your best shot while you can for fear of looking stupid, you've wasted your chance. ---------- Lucky Lester
I used to be the same way. Occasionally it surfaces when least expected though. Mostly on songs I dont know. I usually play better after 3 or 4 beers, seriously. I play stronger and the nerves are gone.
Just do it, nerves and all. Once you hit the first few notes, your brain and muscle memory will take over. That's what happened with me. I was on auto pilot and didn't remember what I did. Until someone sent me a video of it! ---------- Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy. -Dan Castellaneta
I have a similar issue, I have an anxiety issue prior to playing. Beer or alcohol are not the answer, at least for me. Since I sing and play, I have to be clear headed as I'm the one that has to deal with the "audibles" during the evening. I seriously doubt anyone plays better as a result of booze. A couple of swigs of Pepto Bismol can be helpful, or a stick of Wrigley Doublemint gum as the mint soothes my stomach. Or I just have to chill by myself to collect myself. When it is really bad, the band plays a few numbers without me and I concentrate on how they sound and balance out the sound (we run our own sound from the stage) and that usually takes my mind of me as I am concentrating on the band (as we all should be doing.) Playing a couple of familar tunes to start off with, that the band can catch the groove on immediately also helps. good luck.
I have to say, if I felt like you did and know that I am going to play weak and breathy, I just would not play until i got my shit together.
You are just going to have to suffer through it. There is no real solution other than doing it over enough times that you realize you are ok.
Participate in than moment - nerves and all. It's about being alive and present and engaged. There is the moment you step into a ring to fight, or stand on the edge of a plane's open door before you jump out with a parachute in which you feel tremendously alive. Revel in it and know that you are there and ready to go - jangly nerves and all.
You could also go commando... It might keep your mind in the right spirit...
here is my cold hearted technique- screw 'em! i tell myself: i dont know these people. i do not care what they think. i will never see any of them again. none of them have the guts to do what i am doing. screw 'em!
but, of course, we all hope we are liked and appreciated for our efforts.
i always try to get there early, too. talk with the staff. make friends with the crowd as you are loading in and setting up. smile at everyone no matter what is going on. you are there to have fun (and maybe make money.) folks are coming there to have fun. the staff hopes to have fun (and if you help make them money, they will!)
oh. and start with your strongest song. dont attempt to get the hard ones out of the way.
I am kind of in line with eharp. Imagine you have huge "cojones" (maybe you don't have to imagine. I don't know). Adopt a persona. You ARE the harp player. You are the music preacher and you're going to give them some musical truth from the mic stand. I used to have to MC conferences. The first couple of times I asked myself why they would obey little old (not so old at the time) me. The I realised I was occupying the role of MC, and that's what you do, more or less. I'm sure you will be great and you'll have fun, and so will your audience...
tookatooka, let us know how you dealt with it. That is an issue I'm still grappling with, but I've not had much exposure yet. I think Kingobad has it about right; experience is the key. ----------
Learn and practice self hypnosis. You have time, its easy. Visua;ise yourself doing it and being awesome. Use an inconspicuous trigger (I press the centre of my forehead) to get you into superharpman mode.
The first big festival I played (also as a guest, so not very familiar with the band or the material) I used this and I had an absolute ball. Best I've ever played. ---------- Lucky Lester
A couple of stiff ones and let it rip,worked for a lotta of the greats.I have stage fright,and booze works,definately not bombed.Everybody being different,you and only you will find the answer.Try opening up with some strong chords and then flow into your note selection--bring it strong.Best of Luck stressin about it doesn't help.
Last Edited by capnj on May 28, 2013 7:18 PM
I never get stage fright, nervousness, or anxiety. That all ended when I stopped drinking 8 years ago, but I don't know if that really had anything to do with it. Maybe.
Really don't know Rick and ain't going to hire a shrink to find out.Reading about William Clarke it was mentioned he was basically shy,and when he had a few it put his mind right,maybe shortened his life to.I guess you gotta go where the spirit moves ya,and hope you don't hurt anybody else.
If you have little or no experience at performing then nerves are quite normal, or fear of failure to put it more accurately.
Fall back on rehearsed licks Watch the feet of the audience, if they tap you know you've got them You are entertaining them, do it in style Do not shut your eyes, look at the back of the room, just over the heads Good luck Took and have fun!!
start off by playing something you know really well and can play in your sleep. Leave the stuff you are more likely to make the odd slip in for later in the set. Or start with a totally improvised tune so that no one knows if you don't play what you intended.
Wow! Lots of stuff here to get my head round. I'm teetotal so drink won't help and I don't smoke either so weed is out. Good advice though. Thanks.
Lumpy. All my playing will be improvised. To make things worse I have about 30 tracks that I'll be playing to which will be shuffled so have no idea what will come next. I'm playing at an Art Exhibition opening for 7-9 pm. I won't be playing all the time, just every now and again.
Last Edited by tookatooka on May 29, 2013 3:26 AM
Gonna chime in because I played my first gig last Saturday, and as a novice, I can relate.
- If all else fails play the root notes and most likely no-one will notice.
- You'll make mistakes but unless you make a big deal over them, no-one will notice or care.
- If you look like you're enjoying it, the audience will. That's half the part of a live performance.
- Unless it's a room full of harp players, they'll think you're great. People will tell you so afterwards. Normal people (even other musicians) have VERY low expectations from a harmonica.
- This is the biggest mistake I made. I spent a lot of time facing the band (looking for changes etc) and not the audience! I didn't even realise 'til after.
- If you're nervous, at least don't show it to others. Tell them you're looking forward to it. Your own positive reinforcement might even convince you that you're not nervous any more.
Bruce Lee said "I do not fear the opponent who knows 10,000 different kicks, (or in our case "licks") I fear the opponent who practiced one kick (or "lick") 10,000 times."
My translation....Familiarity will go along way with being able to relax and let the music happen naturally and with sufficient impact...
I doubt he is suggesting to only have "1 kick" "or lick" in your arsenal as a fighter/musician, but rather - be acutely aware of where your "true wisdom and power is" when it comes time to fight or play music :)
Love yourself. Love your instrument. Love your music. Love your audience.
Last Edited by Frank on May 29, 2013 4:28 AM
All great advice here. Just on your post where you say that you'll be playing to about 30 tracks and you don't know which will come up when: - could you cut down the number of tracks? - could you order the tracks (instead of shuffling) so that the live playing situation is as close to the way you've practised it? I'd remove as many uncertainties as possible.
At an art exhibition or similar function, people are usually there to focus on the art or another part of the evening and will not be listening critically... so maybe less pressure that way.
The other thing is that it takes a while to warm up and enjoy yourself so maybe by the 3rd or 4th number your technique will be ok?
At the jam I've seen some VERY nervous players, and I've tried to understand and give them advice but I'm not sure it really does any good. Their hands shake sometimes.
But nothing succeeds like success. If a jammer has a good set he will have a little swagger the next time he comes to the jam. I try to praise every player and coax the audience to applaud. But some never seem to get over the nervousness.
Also the expectation of "performing" or the audience expecting a "performance" can be a heavy weight, particularly if you really don't dig that part of the gig! Most of us FANTASIZE about being "performers" but in reality, that often is not the case...Getting on stage and tootin our horn is the easy part..."Performing" is the hard part :)
Here is some tips that may be relevant to the subject :)
Some ideas from The Audition Process: Anxiety Management and Coping Strategies by Stuart Edward Dunkel
Thoughts are not real, so don’t react to them.
Intend to do well and accept what happens.
Curiosity, understanding, and humor are winning games.
Don’t care what people think.
Talk back to irrational fears: so what if???
Whatever happens, you are fine.
Worry and performing don’t go together.
It’s okay to make mistakes.
Assume the committee likes you.
Concentration means being interested.
Let go of judges and their criticism.
Strive for excellence, not perfection.
Take slow and deep breathes every four seconds before you go on.
Notice what you are saying to yourself, is it helpful?
Concentrate on the music.
Don’t fantasize about the negative consequences.
Visualize positive outcomes.
Find the joy.
Enjoy listening to yourself.
FEAR
Don’t obsess on the effects of adrenalin.
It’s okay to be nervous.
Be specific with what you fear, not general.
Take slow and deep breathe every four seconds.
Concentrate on the music and what you are doing.
Suspend your judgment on your thoughts and feelings.
Acceptance of fear can decrease the intensity of your reaction to it.
Count backwards to relax (10 to 1).
ADRENALIN
Don’t surprised that your adrenalin is flowing.
Adrenalin gives strength and power to performances.
Don’t let your sensations overwhelm you, co-exist with them.
Notice and label the level of your anxiety (1 to 10).
You can still function while having feelings and sensations.
Allow feelings to arise.
It is not worth fighting the symptoms.
Before the Event
Worrying won’t make it any different.
What exactly do you have to do?
Just think rationally. Negative thoughts are not normal.
You can plan how to deal with it.
Beginning of the Event
Just get grip on your self. You can handle this.
You only have to take it one step at a time.
Keep in mind on what you have to do, not on the fear.
During the Event
Take a deep breath, pause, and relax.
What is the next thing? Focus on that.
Fear is natural. It arises and subsides, and you can keep it under control.
It will be over soon. Nothing lasts forever.
Worse things could happen.
Do something to take your mind off your fear.
After the Event
You did it!
That wasn’t so bad.
It’s getting easier.
Last Edited by Frank on May 29, 2013 9:36 AM
I was told that tapping on your thymus helps to release the opposite of adrenaline, to counter act it. I find holding my pinky finger also helpful. It is funny that as harmonica players it is easy to forget to breathe....before and after playing. The other thing to remember is that lots of people get stage fright, my friend was telling me about a great interview she read with Thom Yorke about it. I think there is something to be said for an amount of stage fright being a sign that you respect the audience..... it isn't fun....but great that you keep doing it, even if it is uncomfortable....we were laughing about all the things we do to avoid fear. The thing is, that by avoiding it you don't exactly make it go away, it can even get stronger. So it is always good to get back on the horse! Good luck!!
Last Edited by catochan on May 29, 2013 1:17 PM
Take a deep breath and let it out (with or without the harmonica in your mouth). Harmonica is a great instrument in that if you are playing right it regulates your breathing, which is one of the first things to go when you get nervous. Sometimes before I play I'll practice my riffs with my harp actually a couple inches away from my face, so I go to that happy place that is harp playing, and get my breathing working right. Then start with a song with a long wail that gives you time to blow out any shakes in your bones.
Stage fright/nerves are perfectly normal and to be expected. There are some who say if you are not nervous you are not ready or are far over confident. I always get a touch nervous right before I start. Once I start it all fades away. Just try to relax and then channel that nervous energy into your performance. Make it work for you not the other way around. Mistakes will happen, just make them, try not to react to them and has been said most people, even other performers will never know you made them.
I have had this discussion a lot lately it seems. Had a younger musician friend ask me essentially the same question.
One thing I told him was.. you are always in control...even when it is totally out of control always appear to be in control. Stay Calm and Harp On :)!!! As long as you appear to be in control the audience will go with you. Its when you react to the mistake that they can turn hehe.
Its is the same as the old adage "Never let them see you sweat"
It was mentioned that acting in control is half of a live performance... that is true. For that moment..no matter the size of the audience YOU are the rockstar so to speak.. BE the rockstar. Calm, cool, nerves of steel , and In control.
Don't sweat it..make your mistakes , forgive yourself and move on knowing you will do better next time.
All easier said than done I know :)
Case in point at a recent multi-act gig, I was on second. For the first act everything went flawless, when I went out there were problems with the sound system that ate half of my slotted time. I simply vamped around and kept talking to the crowd the whole time wanting to just scream cause it was killing the energy haha.. Finally they got it fixed and I finished my little set clean. Afterwards all anyone could talk about was the final two songs and how I appeared perfectly relaxed while the techs were working around me to get things fixed. In reality I was ready to scream and kick and wanted to vanish into a hole.
A lot of the points are covered here, but there's a few that are not as well as specific exercises. It's also an audio book as well as pdf which is handy.
No, I don't get a commission (unfortunately!) but I have an interest in this area and picked it up recently myself.
Michael Jordan had a cold. I assume the majority of the concerns are mitigated with experience. I conjur a mercenary attitude. Stage name, Fire King (long story there). Set 1, feel it in the floor, add some humor, swing, something they request, something else they really wanted -but didn't know it yet... Keep paying attention to what they really like, again. Set 2, a surprise, something they wanted (but were required to ask for, twice), something you wanted and then the B side of what they wanted. Now everything should be primed for "pure" fun. Set 3, continue, and always what they want.
Expect smoldering ruins when you are done.
Last Edited by Littoral on May 30, 2013 5:58 AM
A cold could pose a problem...a nightmare scenario -- jammin away and a feelin cooler then Joe Camel... suddenly a huge wad of snot begins emerging like a volcano from the nostrils.
A) do you continue playing and just let the slime slide down your chin on to your harp and into your mouth? Or
B)scream Fu%& real loud into the microphone and wipe the boogers all over your sleeve?
Please participate and a "C" "D" and "E", thank you :)
I still remember skydiving in winter once with a cold (not recommended if ears are blocked at all as you can blow your ear drums) and my nose disgorged a huge amount of snot which immediately flew up and frosted over my goggles.
Couldn't see for shit...but the show must go on!
Playing sick is a real bitch though. Music is energy and if you are really sick you have to balance between performing and potentially turning in a shitty performance or cancelling it. Option 3 , as long as you're not running a raging fever, is pop some hard core cold pills (the 2 pills every 12 hours type ones) 2 hours before the gig. ---------- Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear. I got to the gig but I was so full of cold, I couldn't breathe properly so I'm ashamed to say I pulled out. I'm certain that many would have carried on and battled through but as I'm an amateur anyway, I thought it best not to put the audience through any unecessary discomfort. I am shamed!
One word: Propranolol. Modern pharmacology at its best. It's inexpensive, legal, your MD will have no problem prescribing it, and it works! Its a beta blocker that focus's on your "fight or flight" response. Look it up.
Last Edited by Pluto on Jun 02, 2013 5:45 AM
