Forty years ago a wonderful teacher gave me the best advice I ever had. I was going to perform during an international guitar contest in Paris. My teacher said to me, some days before I catched my train to Paris: Jan, you know the pieces very well, but next Sunday, you'll have to cope with stage anxiety. This is what I suggest: Sunday you will not touch your instrument before you're on stage. And a quarter of an hour before it's your turn, find a quiet place, take a chair. Then sit down, straight up, put your hands on your knees, close your eyes and concentrate your thoughts on breathing deeply and calmly. Let your thoughts go where ever they want to go but don't fix on them, relax and free your mind. Keep quietly sitting there for 15 minutes, breath calmly and be, as much as is possible, aware of the air coming and going. The result on stage was miraculous.
Performing live is like exercising a muscle. You truly have to do it often, in order to grow and excel. Great for elite players, but difficult for the rest who don't tour regularly.
Back in the day when I played classical guitar duo concerts at music and guitar festivals, I used to get so nervous that I would have trouble sleeping two weeks before the performance. Great video and advice. When practicing for a performance, imho, learn the material so that it becomes second nature. That way, imho, no matter what emotions you’re feeling at the time, your finger memory, or your physical memory of your performance will carry you through.
I agree with this, and would like to add, that in order to get to know the piece or programme as thoroughly as possible, It's often good to perform it in front of someone, many times if possible. Just yesterday had a little conversation about performing with one great performer, and they said that nearly everytime the piece is performed for the first time, there is a possibility that something weird and unexpected comes out of blue, and maybe 3rd of 4th performance starts to feel truly clear. At the same time I feel like performing often and having good ways to cope with stress and fear, it often becomes easier to perform nearly anything, even if it wasn't as precisely prepared as would be nice. Great video, always good to hear from the top pros that it's not just about a secret talent but also achievable by certain exercises and habits.
When sitting in front of an audience in my mind I 'place' myself in a situation I know and like and feel comfortable in (f.x. sitting in my sofa at evening time playing for myself and some steaming tea). Thereby the audience and the SituatioN dissipate, and I get to connect better to my guitar and to attend to it as a caressing, seducing lover.(..) Afterwards I often come to and find myself astonished that people were actually listening. Transporting myself into a homely, warm, comfortable setting and focusing on my lovely instrument is a great way to forget the pressures of the Surrounding!..-)
Great video! A topic that is not discussed often and a difficult one to prepare students for. I eventually began to almost enjoy the pre-performane nervousness when I was gigging regularly. It was like they became a part of the routine leading up to a performance. I think knowing and accepting that the nervousness would come helped me to prepare for it
I like the topic. My solution has been to try to get experience playing for others by playing at local venues in a low-key way. Like, grab a beer at the local pub, sit outside and play repertoire until my beer is gone. This won't solve it, but will help ease me into it. I hope!
The terror is greater when I have less control. When I haven't done the prep I needed. I naturally memorised everything, but the terror interfered with the memory. I find following sheet music helpful for pulling me through to the end.
I played a tune in one of the aforementioned performance classes at university. I choked. Hard. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, I had memory lapses, the whole nine. It was deeply traumatic, even almost a decade later. I want to perform solo again, but that incident is so burned into my mind it is hard for me to even think about getting in front of an audience again.
I wonder if you could try easing into it? I've been playing at a local pub on occasional Friday nights - trying to get some experience with an audience.
I had a similar experience being the sole music performer at a wedding. It felt like a nervous breakdown. Since then, I just play late at night in my study. Still enjoyable for me, but people who used to hear me play out can't relate to my issue of terror.
But you must. Just to experience that you actually can. You had a tumble on your first horse. Doesn't mean you cannot ride. But, yeah, ease into it. Make a slow and nice day out of it, before going up.
I was at my first concert, the first time I had an audience. Fifteen people playing one song each, some pieces for two and three guitars. The audience was huge (500 hundred people). I looked down the whole time. Couldn't stand looking at the people. I forget the song at the middle of it. Played some random notes then finished it with a smile. It was nerve wreaking but also a very rewarding experience for a shy, introverted person. If you can't focus on playing because of people seeing you, play the song to a small audience, to friends, to a family member, your partner, or even just record your playing. Start with an easy piece, then try a harder one. Like the other comments said, just go slow.
Making a mistake shouldn't be the one thing that you should worry about. Giving a good performance, having a good technique, really understanding the piece is more important to the audience. A dull performance ruins a piece more that an error. And if you enjoy the performance the audience will too. The greatest gift that playing with an audience gave me was the ability to cope with hundreds of eyes focused on me, being relaxed even in that situation and still be aware that the interpretation of the piece was the more important thing. Did I ever fear of making mistakes? Sure, the first 3 or 4 times I played to an audience. After that making mistakes didn't matter, I focused on giving a good performance. If you can't focus on playing because of people seeing you, play the song to a small audience, to friends, to a family member, your partner, or even just record your playing.
Neuroscience suggests that both reward and attention are mediated through dorsolateral prefrontal dopamine systems. Same systems are involved in pleasure, passions, and addictions. As a psychologist, I’ve long believed (and preached) that we “vote with our feet”. Now it”s we “ vote with our attention”.
A true and wonderful video. I am an amateur player and I play easily alone but when someone is watching me even at home, I become a disaster. This fear control is a big part of the musical study and the each player has to address it differently!
I grew up listening to classical music, and always assumed (without thinking about it, as a child) that musicians loved playing for an audience. Then at university I befriended some music students, and I was so shocked at how stressed they were; not just nerves, which anyone could expect, but serious stressing. I couldn't enjoy their performances, and they didn't enjoy each other's performances either, because we were so aware of how stressed our friend on the stage was. Only one of my classical musicician friends decided on a performing career. From that time, it's always bothered me, watching classical performances, if performers even want to be there. And it's detracted from my enjoyment. I have told myself that, hopefully, the people that are there, chose it as a career and do actually enjoy it. But the suspicion is always there. Is this a problem only for classical music? How come jazz performers always look relaxed and like they're having fun? Or popular music; Celine Dion, Adele, Queen, U2 - looking at their live performances one can see they _love_ being there, they thrive on the audience.
Many students stop music because they're being pushed incessantly to perform in front of a public. Is that the goal of music? Playing for others at as high a level as possible in stead enjoying it for yourself?
My guitar teacher is "only" a mid-tier player here in the midwest. I'll go ahead and start judging him when I can play at his level. It's gonna be a while. ;)
Forty years ago a wonderful teacher gave me the best advice I ever had. I was going to perform during an international guitar contest in Paris.
My teacher said to me, some days before I catched my train to Paris:
Jan, you know the pieces very well, but next Sunday, you'll have to cope with stage anxiety.
This is what I suggest: Sunday you will not touch your instrument before you're on stage. And a quarter of an hour before it's your turn, find a quiet place, take a chair. Then sit down, straight up, put your hands on your knees, close your eyes and concentrate your thoughts on breathing deeply and calmly.
Let your thoughts go where ever they want to go but don't fix on them, relax and free your mind. Keep quietly sitting there for 15 minutes, breath calmly and be, as much as is possible, aware of the air coming and going.
The result on stage was miraculous.
Performing live is like exercising a muscle. You truly have to do it often, in order to grow and excel. Great for elite players, but difficult for the rest who don't tour regularly.
Back in the day when I played classical guitar duo concerts at music and guitar festivals, I used to get so nervous that I would have trouble sleeping two weeks before the performance. Great video and advice. When practicing for a performance, imho, learn the material so that it becomes second nature. That way, imho, no matter what emotions you’re feeling at the time, your finger memory, or your physical memory of your performance will carry you through.
I agree with this, and would like to add, that in order to get to know the piece or programme as thoroughly as possible, It's often good to perform it in front of someone, many times if possible.
Just yesterday had a little conversation about performing with one great performer, and they said that nearly everytime the piece is performed for the first time, there is a possibility that something weird and unexpected comes out of blue, and maybe 3rd of 4th performance starts to feel truly clear.
At the same time I feel like performing often and having good ways to cope with stress and fear, it often becomes easier to perform nearly anything, even if it wasn't as precisely prepared as would be nice.
Great video, always good to hear from the top pros that it's not just about a secret talent but also achievable by certain exercises and habits.
When sitting in front of an audience in my mind I 'place' myself in a situation I know and like and feel comfortable in (f.x. sitting in my sofa at evening time playing for myself and some steaming tea). Thereby the audience and the SituatioN dissipate, and I get to connect better to my guitar and to attend to it as a caressing, seducing lover.(..)
Afterwards I often come to and find myself astonished that people were actually listening.
Transporting myself into a homely, warm, comfortable setting and focusing on my lovely instrument is a great way to forget the pressures of the Surrounding!..-)
Great video! A topic that is not discussed often and a difficult one to prepare students for. I eventually began to almost enjoy the pre-performane nervousness when I was gigging regularly. It was like they became a part of the routine leading up to a performance. I think knowing and accepting that the nervousness would come helped me to prepare for it
I like the topic.
My solution has been to try to get experience playing for others by playing at local venues in a low-key way. Like, grab a beer at the local pub, sit outside and play repertoire until my beer is gone. This won't solve it, but will help ease me into it. I hope!
The terror is greater when I have less control. When I haven't done the prep I needed. I naturally memorised everything, but the terror interfered with the memory. I find following sheet music helpful for pulling me through to the end.
I played a tune in one of the aforementioned performance classes at university. I choked. Hard. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, I had memory lapses, the whole nine. It was deeply traumatic, even almost a decade later. I want to perform solo again, but that incident is so burned into my mind it is hard for me to even think about getting in front of an audience again.
I wonder if you could try easing into it? I've been playing at a local pub on occasional Friday nights - trying to get some experience with an audience.
I had a similar experience being the sole music performer at a wedding. It felt like a nervous breakdown. Since then, I just play late at night in my study. Still enjoyable for me, but people who used to hear me play out can't relate to my issue of terror.
But you must. Just to experience that you actually can. You had a tumble on your first horse. Doesn't mean you cannot ride. But, yeah, ease into it. Make a slow and nice day out of it, before going up.
I was at my first concert, the first time I had an audience. Fifteen people playing one song each, some pieces for two and three guitars. The audience was huge (500 hundred people). I looked down the whole time. Couldn't stand looking at the people. I forget the song at the middle of it. Played some random notes then finished it with a smile. It was nerve wreaking but also a very rewarding experience for a shy, introverted person. If you can't focus on playing because of people seeing you, play the song to a small audience, to friends, to a family member, your partner, or even just record your playing. Start with an easy piece, then try a harder one. Like the other comments said, just go slow.
Making a mistake shouldn't be the one thing that you should worry about. Giving a good performance, having a good technique, really understanding the piece is more important to the audience. A dull performance ruins a piece more that an error. And if you enjoy the performance the audience will too. The greatest gift that playing with an audience gave me was the ability to cope with hundreds of eyes focused on me, being relaxed even in that situation and still be aware that the interpretation of the piece was the more important thing. Did I ever fear of making mistakes? Sure, the first 3 or 4 times I played to an audience. After that making mistakes didn't matter, I focused on giving a good performance. If you can't focus on playing because of people seeing you, play the song to a small audience, to friends, to a family member, your partner, or even just record your playing.
Neuroscience suggests that both reward and attention are mediated through dorsolateral prefrontal dopamine systems. Same systems are involved in pleasure, passions, and addictions. As a psychologist, I’ve long believed (and preached) that we “vote with our feet”. Now it”s we “ vote with our attention”.
What is the title of the piece at the beginning of the video?
A true and wonderful video. I am an amateur player and I play easily alone but when someone is watching me even at home, I become a disaster. This fear control is a big part of the musical study and the each player has to address it differently!
I grew up listening to classical music, and always assumed (without thinking about it, as a child) that musicians loved playing for an audience.
Then at university I befriended some music students, and I was so shocked at how stressed they were; not just nerves, which anyone could expect, but serious stressing. I couldn't enjoy their performances, and they didn't enjoy each other's performances either, because we were so aware of how stressed our friend on the stage was.
Only one of my classical musicician friends decided on a performing career.
From that time, it's always bothered me, watching classical performances, if performers even want to be there. And it's detracted from my enjoyment. I have told myself that, hopefully, the people that are there, chose it as a career and do actually enjoy it. But the suspicion is always there.
Is this a problem only for classical music? How come jazz performers always look relaxed and like they're having fun? Or popular music; Celine Dion, Adele, Queen, U2 - looking at their live performances one can see they _love_ being there, they thrive on the audience.
To me, there's only one thing: focus on the music, and nothing else. Play as if nothing else existed but the music.
I knew the place sounded familiar.
If was me , i would say, sorry i did a mistake , and started again, i think every reasonable person would understand 😅
Many students stop music because they're being pushed incessantly to perform in front of a public. Is that the goal of music? Playing for others at as high a level as possible in stead enjoying it for yourself?
Having true raw talent is necessary.
Otherwise, you are doomed to fail.😮
There is only one elite player here… Raphael Feuillatre
My guitar teacher is "only" a mid-tier player here in the midwest. I'll go ahead and start judging him when I can play at his level. It's gonna be a while. ;)
@@RobRaptor49well said….that’s about all that needs to be said in this wonderful world of music!!
This was immensely useful and consciousness raising. Thank you. ~