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Location: Boise, Idaho | I think the naked thing would be too distracting, mostly in a way that would gross me out. |
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Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Imagine the audience is naked.
For those with less imagination, only play nudist gatherings. ...You'd have them dancin' in the aisles!
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Mark; well it sure debunks the concept that nakedness and eroticism are as entwined as Playboy and Puritans would have you believe!
The largest and most important organ in that regard is your brain.
Nothing is right or wrong, but thinking makes it so.
Shakespeare |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Funny how this works...I am 100% comfortable singing and playing, either with my band or solo in church.
But sometimes I just about get the shakes so bad I can't play if I am playing a slower, delicate fingerstyle thing somewhere. Makes it very difficult. |
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Location: Okinawa Japan | Maybe a Boob job would help? Seriously, If you try and focus on one person or just a segment of th audience would minmize the stage fright. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Last time I was on stage, 2 years ago, I had the OPPOSITE problem. It was an open mic night, I was first up (to get it out of the way - nervous) and had intended to play 3 songs.
I must say, I didn't do a very good job - guitar was OK, but hit the wrong note the first time I opened my mouth and struggled to get in tune.
It was like I wasn't even there. The bar was full but NOBODY was looking or listening. The conversations seemed as loud as the PA I couldn't stand it and after 2 songs, I thanked everyone and walked off stage. My guitar was in its case before even the guy RUNNING the night realised I was gone. "Oh, your finished - I thought you were doing 3"
I would prefer everyone to be looking instead of no-one.  It was an awful, confidence shattering experience
I haven't been back on a stage since. |
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| Just tell yourself you forgot your pants as you walk up on stage. Then before you start playing check to be sure but I am pretty sure when you see your fully clothed; you'll feel more at ease about the audience.
Just go for it man, ain't nobody out in the seats that can do it better.
You get used to the solo stuff. And it's great to pick the songs you want to do with little or no input from a band.
Muzza, man don't let the brain dead idiots that usually frequent bars bring you down. Your right about the audience it sucks when no one claps or even looks up. But you can get some crowds to respond, that comes with experience and confidence. Find a little cafe and see first how the normal crowd treats the musicians. If they listen and clap sign up for a short gig. It will change your life brotha!
Randy |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | "Just go for it man, ain't nobody out in the seats that can do it better."
So True! :D |
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Location: Budd Lake, NJ | I have had stage fright for years--both playing and singing. I'd be o.k. in an ensemble, but mention the word "solo" and I'd be a mess. Of course, it was the fear that I wouldn't live up to everyone's expectations--especially mine. The fear that people wouldn't "like" me if it wasn't perfect--the fear of rejection, the fear of failure.
The funny thing is, when I'm leading worship, I am NEVER afraid, or uncomfortable, or shaky or any of those old stage fright things. I think it has a lot to do with realizing that I have found my real niche, so to speak, and that the me that I am in that niche is perfectly acceptable, perfectly o.k. just the way I am: which is very freeing.
--Karen |
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Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | I have never had stage fright that I can recall. I think this stems from the proper mental attitude - certainty that you belong where you are and that you have a right to the attention of the audience.
I once did a play opposite an experienced female lead who worried about everything, how we looked, what to do if we flubbed a line, what if the props don't work, etc. She asked me how I could be so calm about all this. I told her that in my day job if I screwed up I could kill people. However, no matter what I do here I can't kill anyone. Nobody dies. She finally internalized that phrase and became more relaxed about the show. And nobody died.
I know this ain't much, because I can't give you self confidence. Once you acquire it, however, I'm sure your performance anxiety will subside. |
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Location: Utah | I'm sure I'm not the one to give advice on stage fright, but here goes anyway.
In a recent Guitar Player magazine interview, someone famous like Joe Perry or Jimmy Page said that when performing live he will play the first phrase of a solo like it is on the record and the final phrase the same. The middle he makes up and changes around, so he doesn't have to memorize it or worry about playing it wrong. The audience hears the beginning and ending and doesn't notice or care that the middle is different.
In other words, even the big name pros don't play songs note-for-note, and the audience is happy.
Joe Perry also said in his interview that he used to literally have nightmares that he would forget how to play the lick during the intro to "Dream On" that runs up and down quickly.
Even the big name pros get nervous.
IMO, it is a matter of comfort zone. After a year and a half playing in my current band, I am much much less nervous even when I have a tough solo to play. I've never been a lead solo guitarist before, so this has been a huge stretch. Some nerves are good, they help to pump up the performance energy. Getting past the bad nerves just took time.
Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.
I'm a little surprised nobody has mentioned the obvious psychological aspect that it is normal to not like being looked at. It's why celebrities always wear dark oversized face-hiding sunglasses. Women wear big wigs or hairdos that drape down over their face.
You could always try the ZZ Top look. Sunglasses, long hair, and a big beard to hide behind on stage. ;) |
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Location: south east Michigan | I don't think it ever goes away. And like someone already said, a little fear can make you better.
There was a once a month open mic at a music store when Brian & I started out. Our goal was to have two new songs ready for each month. The crowd was 95% musicians in all different levels of talent. It was like a 5th grade piano recital because the crowd was always paying very close attention. After two years of that playing at a party or at a bar seems much easier.
The times I have felt most at ease was when playing at the ski lodge during the OFC Tours.
Worst stage/nerves event for me????
Having a brain fart on the first words in "Pretty Woman", which of course are ... Pretty Women. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Just keep doing it.
It gets easier with time and expirence.
As your confidence builds it will go away. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Flysig, I like the beard idea. As a woman, it would really distract the audience!
The last full gig I did was a wine and cheese party/fundraiser for the Mammoth Site here in Hot Springs. I was to play background music which meant I couldn't kill time with "chatter", and I was afraid I would run out of material. Once I realized no one was really paying attention to me anyway, I was fine, and I found myself making stuff up on the spot. If they didn't know what I was playing, I couldn't make a mistake as long as I didn't stray too far from the key I was playing in. So when I had to play at a wedding last month, I practiced the classical pieces I was to play for the ceremony, and during the seating, I just made stuff up. They liked it so much they paid me more than we had agreed on! It's just the technical pieces, where a mistake really sounds bad that I worry. And those are the pieces that I would rather play. I guess the answer is just more practice, but to tell the truth, I'd rather learn/write new stuff than practice. Like I said, I'm lazy. |
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| F.A.!............. "No matter WHAT happens tonight no one is going to die from anything I might do wrong" attitude!..........Now that's perfect! Very Funny and so true! I am still laughing. I think I'll adopt that one myself, although I might be potentially capable of a good maiming. |
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Location: North Carolina | Glad I could help. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | It's all in what you're used to. I used to have to talk at sales meetings to 100-200 people. I'd do it all the time, no notes. It took a while to get there but it was no trouble. I did it for15 years or so. Now to stand up there and have to sing and play it's the total opposite. So like Cliff says I talk a little to them to make ME feel better and then go into the tune. Usually there's some kind of story behind the song so there's anuther minute or so.
You just get used to it Alison, that's all there is. Moody's right too, most audiences are very forgiving. So go out and do the 100 gigs and report back. |
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Location: ms | And take drugs if needed..... |
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Location: NJ | Undo that TopButton
(it works in Scotland, anyway . . .) |
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Location: NJ | I noticed that lately I look at the floor or the ceiling or the side wall, never at the audience. I don't want to see a reaction it will get me screwed up.
If there are lights I sit where the lights shine in my eyes so that I can't see past the front row.
here is a funny story.
I went to an open mic with a sax player friend a few years back. We got thrown together with a good drummer and bass player but the singer/guitarist that led the tunes had no sense of time, or rhythm, after he missed the cue's on the simple 1 iv v blues thing we did the rest of us stayed focused so that we listened for him to do the change and made it work no matter how screwd up it was. well we all had a chance to solo, the harp player, sax player and me.
got off of stage and sue says "wow al that was great did you hear that applause?" My response was "yeah did they bring a birthday cake out to someone's table or something" she said "no stupid it was for your solo" I was so staring at the ground that I had no clue anyone was even listening. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | That's a funny thing. I never hear the applause either. I did once in the middle of one of my songs, "the 12 frets of Gas" where I mention Ovation. Other than that I'm thining that I got to get off stage for the next guy. WQhile it is greatly appreciated I'm usually thinking hard about the next thing and don't hear much of it. |
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Location: NJ | My usual response to applause is:
". . Thank You. . . . . Both of You . . . . ." |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Or "Thank you, Mother" |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJTeAWRcXP0&feature=related |
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| Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
... I can practice and memorize, but I have to adapt on the fly. There are always surprises. Yeah, court rarely unfolds the way you think it will and you have to be well prepared so that you can adapt to the surprises - appeal courts are fun as well when you get 3 or 4 judges asking questions..lol
Although I don't really get stage fright in court at all - I'm nervous but not in a debilitating way and if I object to something I'm on my feet before I even know what I'm going to say exactly. |
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Stagefright?
