LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Any Advice???

dudsy -- 03/04/2007, 09:33:36 -- #33500

Hey everyone I'm a univeristy student and I have a big student recital this week which I will be graded on.  I was just wondering what you guys do on the day of the performance. Do you guys still practice before the gig? (Practice as in warm ups, playing things other than the songs you are performing. I usually spend a few hours working on my classical repetoire) Do you guys do any stretches? Breathing exercises? Any tips on dealing with with nerves? Thanks guys!

pbro -- 03/04/2007, 14:30:35 -- #33500

This seems popular. http://www.pianofundamentals.com/book.php5?page=sect_01_03_14_06

Scot -- 03/05/2007, 12:42:02 -- #33500

I always stretch my hands before I play. Why not?  I'm using well trained muscles, it wouldn't do to pull something.  I have pulled things in the past, such as whatever controls my little fingers, if I've played too energetically without warming up. I don't practice before a gig or a concert, but I do go over what I want to do.  Do I want to play such and such a song fast, slow, reggae, funky, whatever?  What order do I want to play stuff in?  If I have time at the end, what else do I want to play?  What if I don't have enough time, which tunes might I leave out? By the time you're doing the gig or concert, practicing what you're doing will only hurt things. Remember this- practice from the head, perform from the heart.  Just go out there and have fun. Keep this in mind when dealing with nerves:  Every person out there listening to you wants to hear you do YOUR THING.  Just do what you do in your living room or practice room, do the things that you feel comfortable doing, and have some fun.  If you have fun and do your thing, people will respond and appreciate it so much more than if you are "careful" and try to play "what they want to hear".   There's a file in the Scot's STudio room that covers this, something I wrote a few years ago when I had a breakthrough thinking about that stuff.

Mike -- 03/05/2007, 22:51:19 -- #33500

I like to pop a couple of tabs of acid about one hour prior...  makes it more interesting for all

Jazz+ -- 03/07/2007, 22:33:26 -- #33500

LOL

wdennissorrell -- 03/08/2007, 22:47:53 -- #33500

Although this may seem a little extreme to some, if the recital causes a great deal of anxiety you can contact a physician and be prescribed a very mild Beta blocker (e.g. Inderal in a low dose) It will not act upon you as a "nerve" pill and sedate or rather inhibit your nervous system. It will mitigate some of the excessive neurotransmitters that keep you in the flight or fight frame of mind. It will dilate your peripheral blood vessels and allow for a diminution of the inner tightening that exacerbates your anxiety especially when you play an emotionally significant personal function. This would not be for everyone and should not be done at all without a physicians permission. Peace out.

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