Stage Fright
mild anxiety, nervousness, full blown stage fright. how do we as
musicians deal with this? it is somewhat comforting to know that
george gershwin even had butterflies, but i would be even more
interested in everyone's thoughts on this. i see this as an underlying topic in some of the other threads.
musicians deal with this? it is somewhat comforting to know that
george gershwin even had butterflies, but i would be even more
interested in everyone's thoughts on this. i see this as an underlying topic in some of the other threads.
There are 32 comments, leave a comment.
back in music school, students were popping inderal like candy.
but i don't think drugs are the way to go.
i think developing your concentration is the way to go.
randy halberstadt talks about practicing your state of mind whenever you practice.
but i don't think drugs are the way to go.
i think developing your concentration is the way to go.
randy halberstadt talks about practicing your state of mind whenever you practice.
is that like a zen thing? maybe the way to overcome an
unpleasanry is to do more of it, eh?
i remember when they were touring horowitz's steinway around the
country in 1992, and you could sign up to play on it. i signed up
not knowing there might be an audience. my audience was an elderly
woman from russia who stated "and in russia we know music."
i don't know what her expectation was, but i played some of my own
arrangements which were simple jazz improvisations. i was so nervous
though, that i couldn't really enjoy the instrument!
unpleasanry is to do more of it, eh?
i remember when they were touring horowitz's steinway around the
country in 1992, and you could sign up to play on it. i signed up
not knowing there might be an audience. my audience was an elderly
woman from russia who stated "and in russia we know music."
i don't know what her expectation was, but i played some of my own
arrangements which were simple jazz improvisations. i was so nervous
though, that i couldn't really enjoy the instrument!
at albetan’s area.
never experiment with drugs nor alcohol... it's better for your health and your moneybag to experiment with your subconscious.
good luck.
never experiment with drugs nor alcohol... it's better for your health and your moneybag to experiment with your subconscious.
good luck.
specifically, randy h. teaches that you should practice in such a way that you know exactly what is coming next, and you are perfectly calm and focused. this is what he means by practicing your state of mind. do not practice panic. do not practice nervousness. do not practice at a speed you are not yet comfortable with.
practice having a good, calm, concentrated mind. keep your mind on the music.
"inderol" is/was a beta-blocker drug that you had to get by prescription from your doctor. it blocks excessive adrenaline, which is what makes you shaky and unable to concentrate. the problem is, if you take even a little too much, it will make you weak and unenthusiastic. another problem is, it merely gets rid of the symptoms but does not make you know the music any better than you already knew it, and it does not teach you how to control your own mind.
practice having a good, calm, concentrated mind. keep your mind on the music.
"inderol" is/was a beta-blocker drug that you had to get by prescription from your doctor. it blocks excessive adrenaline, which is what makes you shaky and unable to concentrate. the problem is, if you take even a little too much, it will make you weak and unenthusiastic. another problem is, it merely gets rid of the symptoms but does not make you know the music any better than you already knew it, and it does not teach you how to control your own mind.
good thread
boy do i wish there was an answer for this. i usually pipe in on threads about this because it is such a problem for me. now, that said, i don't believe, with one exception, there was ever a time a really prepared. and that particular time was quite successful -- i was actually first chair trumpet for a short while.
so, what i'm hoping is that when i really believe some of what albetan suggests i try to believe, i might have a chance. it is simply no fun to try to make music, especially music that swings, when i can't even see streight for all the extra chemicals my body is dealing with. and above all i want to have fun at this!
so, what i'm hoping is that when i really believe some of what albetan suggests i try to believe, i might have a chance. it is simply no fun to try to make music, especially music that swings, when i can't even see streight for all the extra chemicals my body is dealing with. and above all i want to have fun at this!
the subject of stage fright has come up many times over the years, and scot had some very eloquent things to say about it as well.
fortunately, i have never had performance anxiety or stage fright or whatever you want to call it.
why? maybe because throughout my school years i was always the class clown. i always got off on entertaining others.
i don't have to be in the spotlight when i'm on stage, i'm perfectly happy in the role of competent sideman while others get to shine. but when it's my turn to front a number, i just let the energy flow.
i feel as one with the audience, as if we are all on this big bus together. i try to relay this sense of "oneness" and common cause to the audience.
i'm not superior to the audience because i can do something that they can't.
also i'm not afraid of them, thinking that they're all judging me or hoping i'll screw up. they're cheering me on, because the higher i go the higher they can go.
it's like watching an olympic foot race. the spectators are cheering the runners on, saying "go, go, go!"
the audience wants you to succeed. the audience wants you to entertain them.
maybe not everybody in the crowd is with you, but when the majority of the crowd is urging you on, it gives an energy forces you to excel.
they want you to have fun, so they can have fun.
but if you're like all hung up and stuff, they'll feel it - believe me.
so just be yourself and have a good time. they'll love you for it.
i just don't understand why anyone would have performance anxiety. the concept is just so alien to me.
(reprinted from an earlier thread - search keywords: "stage fright")
fortunately, i have never had performance anxiety or stage fright or whatever you want to call it.
why? maybe because throughout my school years i was always the class clown. i always got off on entertaining others.
i don't have to be in the spotlight when i'm on stage, i'm perfectly happy in the role of competent sideman while others get to shine. but when it's my turn to front a number, i just let the energy flow.
i feel as one with the audience, as if we are all on this big bus together. i try to relay this sense of "oneness" and common cause to the audience.
i'm not superior to the audience because i can do something that they can't.
also i'm not afraid of them, thinking that they're all judging me or hoping i'll screw up. they're cheering me on, because the higher i go the higher they can go.
it's like watching an olympic foot race. the spectators are cheering the runners on, saying "go, go, go!"
the audience wants you to succeed. the audience wants you to entertain them.
maybe not everybody in the crowd is with you, but when the majority of the crowd is urging you on, it gives an energy forces you to excel.
they want you to have fun, so they can have fun.
but if you're like all hung up and stuff, they'll feel it - believe me.
so just be yourself and have a good time. they'll love you for it.
i just don't understand why anyone would have performance anxiety. the concept is just so alien to me.
(reprinted from an earlier thread - search keywords: "stage fright")
"i just don't understand why anyone would have performance anxiety. the concept is just so alien to me."
hard for me to take advice (even though it all really good) from someone who can say this. of course self-consciousness is not a rational or particularly reaction but still it happens.
hard for me to take advice (even though it all really good) from someone who can say this. of course self-consciousness is not a rational or particularly reaction but still it happens.
oops - "particularly healthy reaction." hate leaving words out.
in other words, 7, you really have nothing helpful to offer those who do suffer from stage fright.
i'm sorry, but you just come across as bragging. you don't understand. you have never experienced this. you can't just talk someone out of it. it's a chemical reaction, almost like "fight or flight". randy halberstadt's advice has been the most help for me in this area.
i'm sorry, but you just come across as bragging. you don't understand. you have never experienced this. you can't just talk someone out of it. it's a chemical reaction, almost like "fight or flight". randy halberstadt's advice has been the most help for me in this area.
i used to have stage fright. when i first started to play the keyboard with the youth band i was so nervous i would turn myself down and then play quietly. well, after a few years of playing with the band weekly in front of our youthgroup (about 70 or so) i got used to it and i dont get nervous at all.
so i would say the more you play, the less scary and more fun it becomes.
so i would say the more you play, the less scary and more fun it becomes.
yes, billy, that's true, and i also find it much easier to play with a group than to play solo.
something about playing solo that really triggers that "stage fright" response.
something about playing solo that really triggers that "stage fright" response.
i have long been fascinated by the subject of performance anxiety issues. over time i have learned and continue to practice deep relaxation and breathing exercises; the key principle is that a person cannot be relaxed and anxious at the same time. the concept of "relaxed/body alert mind" seems to be key in playing the piano, or in any other activity. the moment we go into stress which is partly a function of inner self-talk(negative messages)even though we can't hear these messages, our bodies give us immediate feedback....."a threat"(audience). i think that "stage fright" is a message to be kind, gentle and loving with ourselves. also
"stage fright" might be a question(s) that we are asking ourselves.
of course, only each person knows the answer(s) for self.
here's a book that might lend insight: "performance success: performing your best under pressure", don greene, ph.d.
mr
"stage fright" might be a question(s) that we are asking ourselves.
of course, only each person knows the answer(s) for self.
here's a book that might lend insight: "performance success: performing your best under pressure", don greene, ph.d.
mr
i remember playing a gig one time and right before the gig my drummer started throwing up, he was always nervous before gigs but i guess i never really understood how much. he asked me what my secret was to being so comfortable...
i told him that when i look at people i imagine them with funny little signs on thier foreheads or worse sitting on a comode using the bathroom.
oh well it works for me! lol... :)
jv'
i told him that when i look at people i imagine them with funny little signs on thier foreheads or worse sitting on a comode using the bathroom.
oh well it works for me! lol... :)
jv'
i have a fairly serious problem with this as well. in fact so serious, i couldn't play anything in front of my teacher. i could play pretty well around people who don't care. but if there's a critic i freeze. just so you understand this, and i laugh about it now, i was being evaluated by this teacher and the whole time i played, i could not take my foot off the pedal!
so i arrived at my own personal solution of fear conquering, and that is to record myself constantly. the recording is my critic. each mistake is made more obvious by the fact that i can repeat it over and over. also, i made my teacher listen to my recordings instead of doing it live. it worked very well.
many know that the solution to stage fright is to know the material at 150%. so then you can shed 50% and still be in good shape. so i record myself to get it to the proper level of confidence. then i am able to do it now without a recording crutch.
the side product of this is that i learned how to make good recordings!
i've never played solo piano in a concert setting with everyone quiet. i don't think i can handle that yet. i'd have to have 1000% percent mastery of my material. i'd have to shed 900% of that mastery to my fear.
i'm glad this thread is here because i felt it was abnormal and made me wonder if being a musician is my cup of tea (knowledge of music aside). some people are just natural performers. when i'm playing, i don't feel like i'm performing as much as i'm just communicating. and that perhaps differentiates those that have stage fright and those that don't.
rc
so i arrived at my own personal solution of fear conquering, and that is to record myself constantly. the recording is my critic. each mistake is made more obvious by the fact that i can repeat it over and over. also, i made my teacher listen to my recordings instead of doing it live. it worked very well.
many know that the solution to stage fright is to know the material at 150%. so then you can shed 50% and still be in good shape. so i record myself to get it to the proper level of confidence. then i am able to do it now without a recording crutch.
the side product of this is that i learned how to make good recordings!
i've never played solo piano in a concert setting with everyone quiet. i don't think i can handle that yet. i'd have to have 1000% percent mastery of my material. i'd have to shed 900% of that mastery to my fear.
i'm glad this thread is here because i felt it was abnormal and made me wonder if being a musician is my cup of tea (knowledge of music aside). some people are just natural performers. when i'm playing, i don't feel like i'm performing as much as i'm just communicating. and that perhaps differentiates those that have stage fright and those that don't.
rc
it seems that what 7 is refering to is more the "during the show", than the "before the show", and the question is more about how to evacuate the stress before playing the first note, a huge difference, because once you have started it's another story, but when you know you'll have to play in front of people (even 4 or 5 in a family reunion), whatever your level and the way you know the tunes, it's hard to avoid that fright, unless maybe you are a pro and have thousands of gigs at your credit, anyway it's not so simple to just tell to yourself : "no stress they are here to get entertained". we often hear/read that one needs that tension to give the best, but if you freeze, where is the positive thing ?
i was once at a workshop where jackie maclean gave a talk called "my life in jazz". he told about the first time he played in a club with miles davis. he was so nervous he had to keep running offstage to throw up in a trash can. the rhythm section just kept playing and miles just stood there looking offstage, waiting for him to come back. hilarious story, and i love to hear about great jazz players having stage fright too.
i used to work as a sideman with this guy who was an incredible entertainer. he could take an apathetic or even hostile audience and turn them upside-down and have them cheering like crazy within three songs. what a showman!
he was one of these neurotics who had to be the center of attention all the time.
but five minutes before every show, he would grab his butt and start doing the "poopy dance" on his tippy toes and make an emergency run to the loo.
when he finally showed up on stage, we'd all get a full account of his recent deposit including consistency, thickness and percentage of floaters verses sinkers. the fact that he knew that i was not the least bit interested in the details, made him even more eager to tell all.
and then we had a great show.
he was one of these neurotics who had to be the center of attention all the time.
but five minutes before every show, he would grab his butt and start doing the "poopy dance" on his tippy toes and make an emergency run to the loo.
when he finally showed up on stage, we'd all get a full account of his recent deposit including consistency, thickness and percentage of floaters verses sinkers. the fact that he knew that i was not the least bit interested in the details, made him even more eager to tell all.
and then we had a great show.
yep, there are some people like babara stresand who even after years of performing have to stop, due to stage fright. but, correct me if i'm wrong she may have had some lunatic after her as well that compounded the problem even further!
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hey, cynbad, speaking of jackie mclean did you know he died????
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"mclean, a contemporary of some of the 20th century's most famed jazz musicians, died at his hartford home after a long illness, family members told the hartford courant.
mclean was founder and artistic director of the jackie mclean institute of jazz at the university of hartford's hartt school. he and his wife, actress dollie mclean, also founded the artists collective in hartford.
university of hartford president walter harrison said dollie mclean called him friday with news of her husband's death.
harrison said that despite mclean's legendary solo work and collaborations, he was a modest man whose connections with his students lasted for decades after they left his classroom.
"he fully understood the way that jazz as an art should be passed down to students," harrison said. "he saw his role as bringing jazz from the 1950s and '60s and handing it down to artists of today."
mclean, a native of harlem, took up the soprano saxophone as a teen and quickly switched to the alto saxophone, inspired by his godfather's performances in a church choir, he told wbgo-fm in newark, n.j., in an interview in 2004.
mclean went on to play with his friend rollins under the tutelage of pianist bud powell, and was 19 when he first recorded with miles davis.
he drew widespread attention with his 1959 debut on blue note records, "jackie's bag," one of dozens of albums he recorded in the hard-bop and free jazz styles.
he also played with charles mingus and art blakey's jazz messengers, experiences that he credited with helping him find his own style as he tried to emulate the famed charlie "bird" parker.
"i never really sounded like bird, but that was my mission," mclean said in the radio interview. "i didn't care if people said that i copied him; i loved bird's playing so much. but mingus was the one that really pushed me away from the idea and forced me into thinking about having an individual sound and concept."
mclean taught jazz, african-american music and african-american history and culture at the university of hartford. he received an american jazz masters fellowship from the national endowment for the arts in 2001, and toured the world for years as an educator and performer.
mclean, a heroin addict during his early career, also lectured on drug addiction research.
his son, rene, of new york city, is also a jazz saxophonist and collaborated with his father on several pieces, including a 2004 blue note album, "fire and love."
jv'
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hey, cynbad, speaking of jackie mclean did you know he died????
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"mclean, a contemporary of some of the 20th century's most famed jazz musicians, died at his hartford home after a long illness, family members told the hartford courant.
mclean was founder and artistic director of the jackie mclean institute of jazz at the university of hartford's hartt school. he and his wife, actress dollie mclean, also founded the artists collective in hartford.
university of hartford president walter harrison said dollie mclean called him friday with news of her husband's death.
harrison said that despite mclean's legendary solo work and collaborations, he was a modest man whose connections with his students lasted for decades after they left his classroom.
"he fully understood the way that jazz as an art should be passed down to students," harrison said. "he saw his role as bringing jazz from the 1950s and '60s and handing it down to artists of today."
mclean, a native of harlem, took up the soprano saxophone as a teen and quickly switched to the alto saxophone, inspired by his godfather's performances in a church choir, he told wbgo-fm in newark, n.j., in an interview in 2004.
mclean went on to play with his friend rollins under the tutelage of pianist bud powell, and was 19 when he first recorded with miles davis.
he drew widespread attention with his 1959 debut on blue note records, "jackie's bag," one of dozens of albums he recorded in the hard-bop and free jazz styles.
he also played with charles mingus and art blakey's jazz messengers, experiences that he credited with helping him find his own style as he tried to emulate the famed charlie "bird" parker.
"i never really sounded like bird, but that was my mission," mclean said in the radio interview. "i didn't care if people said that i copied him; i loved bird's playing so much. but mingus was the one that really pushed me away from the idea and forced me into thinking about having an individual sound and concept."
mclean taught jazz, african-american music and african-american history and culture at the university of hartford. he received an american jazz masters fellowship from the national endowment for the arts in 2001, and toured the world for years as an educator and performer.
mclean, a heroin addict during his early career, also lectured on drug addiction research.
his son, rene, of new york city, is also a jazz saxophonist and collaborated with his father on several pieces, including a 2004 blue note album, "fire and love."
jv'
jv, i did not know that he died! when did it happen?
that's too bad. he said he was going to write a book about his life in jazz, and i've been looking for it ever since.
:-(
that's too bad. he said he was going to write a book about his life in jazz, and i've been looking for it ever since.
:-(
he died on sat, 1 apr 2006. :(
jv'
jv'
a couple of things. first about playing in a group -- when a student i was in an orchestra as a trumpet player. i don't remember the full circumstances but once the curtain came up i couldn’t play a lick i was shaking so badly. and i was buried back in the pack! yet it didn’t always happen. i played in stage bands, badly, but relatively relaxed during this same time period.
i’ve always wondered about those, like streisand, who get incredibly nervous before a performance but then pull it off without a hitch. i never feel much (but the dread of having to fight through it and of the depression that inevitably follows if/when it hits) before a public appearance (this applies to speaking as well which i do from time to time – often badly because of this) but once in front of folks the chemistry starts and i’m pretty much out of control. for me, it’s strictly self-consciousness – it may be different for others.
funny, i still remember at 5 years old bringing a plastic trumpet to school, trying to play it for show-and-tell, and having the teacher suggest that it might go better if i held my head up. you’d think 50 years would change things – but not much. i am, of course, ashamed of this and feel there is something fundamentally wrong with me (that’s the depression after the fact).
the point about recording is interesting – just a simple tape recorder on the top of my piano has a similar effect on me when it’s on. i start evaluating rather than playing. i think i am getting used to that now and it may help. i occasionally wonder how my first attempt to play with strangers in a jam situation will be like (or something like the centrum workshops) if i have really gotten to the point where i feel like i can play.
by the way, i’ve done quite a bit with relaxation, yoga and the like. not particularly in this context but in general. you might think this would help.
oh, one more short story – this stuff can hit in any situation. i got “serious” about playing basketball only at 40. pretty humiliating to learn from a bunch of kids but i had fun. i remember being sent to the free-throw line in one of my first league games with a chance to win – or lose – the game. i was so nervous i could hardly focus let alone make a basket (never a good shooter but a pretty good scorer). through my haze i somehow managed to get both shots in!
i’ve always wondered about those, like streisand, who get incredibly nervous before a performance but then pull it off without a hitch. i never feel much (but the dread of having to fight through it and of the depression that inevitably follows if/when it hits) before a public appearance (this applies to speaking as well which i do from time to time – often badly because of this) but once in front of folks the chemistry starts and i’m pretty much out of control. for me, it’s strictly self-consciousness – it may be different for others.
funny, i still remember at 5 years old bringing a plastic trumpet to school, trying to play it for show-and-tell, and having the teacher suggest that it might go better if i held my head up. you’d think 50 years would change things – but not much. i am, of course, ashamed of this and feel there is something fundamentally wrong with me (that’s the depression after the fact).
the point about recording is interesting – just a simple tape recorder on the top of my piano has a similar effect on me when it’s on. i start evaluating rather than playing. i think i am getting used to that now and it may help. i occasionally wonder how my first attempt to play with strangers in a jam situation will be like (or something like the centrum workshops) if i have really gotten to the point where i feel like i can play.
by the way, i’ve done quite a bit with relaxation, yoga and the like. not particularly in this context but in general. you might think this would help.
oh, one more short story – this stuff can hit in any situation. i got “serious” about playing basketball only at 40. pretty humiliating to learn from a bunch of kids but i had fun. i remember being sent to the free-throw line in one of my first league games with a chance to win – or lose – the game. i was so nervous i could hardly focus let alone make a basket (never a good shooter but a pretty good scorer). through my haze i somehow managed to get both shots in!
this reminds me of a musician who complained of all the mistakes
he made after doing a concert, and a non-musician friend who was in the audience remarked "oh really, i didn't hear them."
he made after doing a concert, and a non-musician friend who was in the audience remarked "oh really, i didn't hear them."
take a look at an article about stage fright i posted in scot's studio
If I'm not back in 24 hours, call the president.
Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
by Scot Ranney on 04/06/2006, 13:22
jmkarns story is similar to a bird anecdote:
bird got off stage and a fan came up to him to say how wonderful he thought the playing was.
bird replied (something to the effect of) "this damn horn hardly plays at all, i've got busted springs that are held by rubber bands, pads that don't seal, and one key that doesn't even work at all."
the fan turned to him and said "jeez, man what does it take to give you a compliment, anyway?"
bird got off stage and a fan came up to him to say how wonderful he thought the playing was.
bird replied (something to the effect of) "this damn horn hardly plays at all, i've got busted springs that are held by rubber bands, pads that don't seal, and one key that doesn't even work at all."
the fan turned to him and said "jeez, man what does it take to give you a compliment, anyway?"
i get nervous before every concert, but it's a nervousness that i love. when i'm on stage i feel like i own the air around me. i'm not the best player, but i have a great time playing and people can feel it.
when someone comes up to me and says, as they always will, "wow, that sounded great!" i don't make them feel stupid by saying, "oh, i thought it sucked. where did you learn to appreciate music?"
i always smile and say, "thanks!" even if i thought the music sucked.
man, doing the kind of stuff that bird did in the post above is a great way to bring everyone around you down.
when someone comes up to me and says, as they always will, "wow, that sounded great!" i don't make them feel stupid by saying, "oh, i thought it sucked. where did you learn to appreciate music?"
i always smile and say, "thanks!" even if i thought the music sucked.
man, doing the kind of stuff that bird did in the post above is a great way to bring everyone around you down.
If I'm not back in 24 hours, call the president.
Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
by Scot Ranney on 04/06/2006, 16:46
"i always smile and say, "thanks!" even if i thought the music sucked."
it more than likely only sucked for you. we're our own worst critics.
it more than likely only sucked for you. we're our own worst critics.
i am not a professional pianist, but i do try to play for others whenever i can trap an audience. i used to get nervous, even just playing in front of family and friends (which is all i really play for). the thing i think about to get over my nerves is this--i'm going to get through the piece one way or another. i'll play it from beginning to end, through any mistakes without stopping, and if i goof--good--it's just more experience, and it's not the end of the world. with anything else that i've ever gotten good at in my life, i've done it by making a lot of mistakes before getting good. i suspect that the really good players on the site might say that if you've never screwed up while playing in front of an audience, than you haven't played in front of enough audiences.
-adam
-adam
i often used to experience difficulty when trying to play fast during gigs. even in quite easy passages my fingers would sieze up and it would feel like playing in treacle or with weights attached. i think this was caused by lack of relaxation. although i wasn't particularly nervous mentally (before the gig), my body was nervous during the gig and i couldn't seem to control it. how many of you have felt this?
it seems that we naturally tense up when faced with difficult passages. rembering to breathe at points like this can also help! i have recently become aware how much i hold my breath when playing!
i don't have the fingers seizing up problem anymore and i think what cured it was doing alexander technique. it wasn't like a spectacular cure, it was just that one day i realised the problem had gone away. at teaches you to use minimum effort in everything you do and ideally eliminates unnecessary tension. i'd recommend it to anyone who suffers from nerves.
it seems that we naturally tense up when faced with difficult passages. rembering to breathe at points like this can also help! i have recently become aware how much i hold my breath when playing!
i don't have the fingers seizing up problem anymore and i think what cured it was doing alexander technique. it wasn't like a spectacular cure, it was just that one day i realised the problem had gone away. at teaches you to use minimum effort in everything you do and ideally eliminates unnecessary tension. i'd recommend it to anyone who suffers from nerves.
sometimes to prevent myself from seizing up, i turn the volume down and start playing with a low volume. then i breath deeply and get my fingers unfrozen and then i am able to play eventually and i turn up the volume. obviously this approach is seriously problematic for a piano (no volume). i'm like sdm here. it think it is self-consciousness. i'm getting better. i informally play publicly all the time and i sense that i'm slowly increasing my performance to 80% of what i can do when i'm alone.
and i think that part of the solution is to play something i am 150% comfortable with as the first tune, so i gain sensibility without losing too much of the song.
now here's the interesting part in my case. it's not the improv that causes a problem for me. usually it's some complicated head or slightly losing time or screwing some fingering. on the solo i seem to have time to breathe and get it across ok. the solo is actually what relaxes me.
interesting comparison of experiences.
and i think that part of the solution is to play something i am 150% comfortable with as the first tune, so i gain sensibility without losing too much of the song.
now here's the interesting part in my case. it's not the improv that causes a problem for me. usually it's some complicated head or slightly losing time or screwing some fingering. on the solo i seem to have time to breathe and get it across ok. the solo is actually what relaxes me.
interesting comparison of experiences.
hey rc how many years have you been playing the piano? do you still have problems playing in front of your teacher?
hey jace, i've been playing music for a long long time, starting with guitar (which i can play at a professional level) and recently with the piano. my experiences have been consistent over this time. it isn't just a teacher, it's any critic. i eventually get over it after playing for a bit but crossing that hump is always such a big hurdle for me.
sometimes i'm playing piano for a party and the guests start hanging around me, watching me play. that's when i stop and get self conscious. they're cheering me on but it had the reverse effect on me.
it's a little easier on the acoustic guitar because i can play softly first and it is easier to warm up without being noticeable. a piano has such a big impact from the first note. this is why i'm noticing the problem more on a piano.
so i have to consistenly do a publicly audible low volume warmup on a keyboard to get that bad vibe off me. it takes a few minutes.
this is another funny story. awhile back, with a different teacher, i was never able to play in front of this teacher. i was just starting jazz then. so i would always show up early and start playing 30 minutes before the teacher showed up (it was dinner break time for the teacher). about 15 minutes into playing, i know the teacher would be in the next room listening to me. then we would start the lesson without me doing any playing. he would then comment about accidentally hearing my playing and say if i'm making progress. we played this game for a long time. he knew i knew he was listening in the next room. but once i got started and was playing it was ok. later on, i would continue to play as he walked in.
if he tried to teach me the traditional way, i probably would not have survived. it would have been unpleasant.
for guitar i had just a few months of lessons. i was self taught thereafter. so i had no corresponding experience with that instrument.
but the self-consciousness in performance is still the same experience though for either instrument.
i'm sure what i'm saying is not helpful to others since i offer no solution. i'm just venting at what many of us realize is a personal 'failing', or 'limitation'. currently my only solution is over preparation, which is not always possible.
rc
sometimes i'm playing piano for a party and the guests start hanging around me, watching me play. that's when i stop and get self conscious. they're cheering me on but it had the reverse effect on me.
it's a little easier on the acoustic guitar because i can play softly first and it is easier to warm up without being noticeable. a piano has such a big impact from the first note. this is why i'm noticing the problem more on a piano.
so i have to consistenly do a publicly audible low volume warmup on a keyboard to get that bad vibe off me. it takes a few minutes.
this is another funny story. awhile back, with a different teacher, i was never able to play in front of this teacher. i was just starting jazz then. so i would always show up early and start playing 30 minutes before the teacher showed up (it was dinner break time for the teacher). about 15 minutes into playing, i know the teacher would be in the next room listening to me. then we would start the lesson without me doing any playing. he would then comment about accidentally hearing my playing and say if i'm making progress. we played this game for a long time. he knew i knew he was listening in the next room. but once i got started and was playing it was ok. later on, i would continue to play as he walked in.
if he tried to teach me the traditional way, i probably would not have survived. it would have been unpleasant.
for guitar i had just a few months of lessons. i was self taught thereafter. so i had no corresponding experience with that instrument.
but the self-consciousness in performance is still the same experience though for either instrument.
i'm sure what i'm saying is not helpful to others since i offer no solution. i'm just venting at what many of us realize is a personal 'failing', or 'limitation'. currently my only solution is over preparation, which is not always possible.
rc
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