stagefright

[War_Blade]

does anyone else get stagefright while performing???


I had my first show yesterday, and I wasn't worried about it at all the entire day. Then when they called my name, my heart bagain to race and my legs started to tremble, while my hands were pouring sweat. I suddenly realized "I have stagefright!" The audience wasnt too large and i tried to just focus on the music, but i could feel my legs shaking in my pants, like there were going to collaspe. I didn't look up the entire time, until the end when i did some whammy bar stuff, and saw that they were actually enjoying it. I was still worried that they thought it sucked, even though i didnt have any errors.

I could really tell that the stagefright effected my preformance and showmenship.

I was really surprized that i had this also. I play infront of my friends all the time, and i dont have a worry in the world.

 

[goth_fiend]

I remember the first time I was on stage, nervous as all hell, almost felt like I was going to puke, then the keyboards came in and I got pumped up like all hell and didnt give a damn what the people out there thought, I was having the time of my life! god I miss that

 

[RobbM]

I was really surprized that i had this also. I play infront of my friends all the time, and i dont have a worry in the world.

I think you answered your own question as to how to get rid of it. Start of small, a friend or two, and work your way up, a few more friends, some family, then mabie a cookout with 10 or 20 people, then on and on, untill your used to it..

 

[War_Blade]

yea, An hour ago I just played in front of like 6 people and I was on top of my game. I think it was just getting up on a stage that had me nervous.

 

[RobbM]

you could always just put a bucket on your head

 

[Kenneth R.]

strange, i feel more comfortable in front of a bigger crowd. faces just become a sea of people, and i just get pumped by such a number of people. dunno... playing in front of 1 person is tougher for me than 500

 

[fallen2289]

Warblade, is your band progressive or what?

 

[NoSoup4you]

The first couple times I played for a crowd I got shakey legs, but that was it. My performance never majorly suffered, and I got used to it very quickly.

 

[Horus]

My first time on stage....

I had bad panic attacks, and was on the verge of vomiting, but I kept quiet about it since I knew that the rest of my band would get all pissed at me for complaining. My fear complely vanished though, the instant my singer gave us the cue to start the first song. I rocked the fuck out, and totally kicked the audience's asses with my extended solo. And I have little to no fear of being on a stage anymore. But that's also because even if I screw up, I still have 5 other people covering up for me. And my sexy guitar also makes up for it.

Sexy Guitar + Kickass band + Kickass songs = No stagefright

 

[Draznog]

im a confident person so i don't get stage fright. i get stage fight

 

[Jaen]

strange, i feel more comfortable in front of a bigger crowd. faces just become a sea of people, and i just get pumped by such a number of people. dunno... playing in front of 1 person is tougher for me than 500

Thats right man. Once i played just for a friend/girlfriend and i felt more shaky than i was just a few hours earlier when i had played a pretty big show with lots of people.

 

[War_Blade]

Warblade, is your band progressive or what?

Im not in a band, it was a show for the music store where i take lessons at. So it was my teacher playing bass and his friend on drums, so it was litterally all eyes on me. I do consider my style of playing a blend of neo-classical and progressive metal fusion with maybe a hint of black metal. Although i dont just limit myself to that.

My other guitar buddy and I are on the lookout for a singer who can sing real high pitched 80s style though. Kinda like bruce dickinson or sebastien bach style. I ran into some real pathetic singers so far though. Even when i make it clear that they have to be able to hit high notes they still come in trying to sound like pantera or somthing. Hell, i am a better vocalist then most of them. I like to sing along to guns and roses, and beat out axl's vocals (yes random )

you could always just put a bucket on your head

I have actually considered having a gimmick like that, but It seems to much of a hassle to be worth it.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

I used to get really nervous, but once you really get into the groove of a song and stop thinking so much, it goes away. And it gets easier with each gig.

 

[Eternal Dragon]

I used to get really nervous when I had piano recitals. So much so that for my last one (ages ago) I was hammering the damper pedal like a drum kick cos my foot wouldnt stop shaking . And my hands were just so damn jumpy I couldnt control them as good as normal. The first song was called alley cat, and that had some pretty jumpy left hand stuff happenin so that was ok, and the 2nd was tocatta and fugue in Dm, which I hadnt fully learnt so I did some improv and it probably sounded cooler .

 

[Jaen]

no way you can make tocatta and fugue sound cooler than it is...

 

[Draznog]

nothing makes you fell better than playing a gig and everyone is going wild and singing along to songs they've never heard before.

 

[Horus]

Or when people are singing along with the only 2 songs on your band's myspace.

 

[Porksoda]

I think you answered your own question as to how to get rid of it. Start of small, a friend or two, and work your way up, a few more friends, some family, then mabie a cookout with 10 or 20 people, then on and on, untill your used to it..

What he said. To this day I've performed multiple times for crowds ranging in size from 2 to over 110,000, and I gotta say performing in front of 2 or 3 friends is just as intimidating as 110,000 strangers, especially if the friends are fellow musicians. As a musician it's easy to be critical and self-conscious of your playing when people are watching, but you really just have to say to yourself, "fuck 'em, I'm gonna do my thing" and then go out and do it. If I am really nervous I usually fixate on something other thant he crowd at first, and usually find that as I get farther in I relax a little and start acknowledging the audience.

I would also add that I obsessively over-prepare for shows so by the time I get there I can always go on auto-pilot and just play through, even if it won't be my best playing. The other nice thing about over-preparation is even if you are nervous, or on the flip side you get really into it and don't focus, your muscle memory is so damn good at that point that your memory handles the technique and you just focus on the music. The better side of that, getting really REALLY into it, is a rare thing but man it is a good feeling. Makes hours and hours of practice worth it

 

[No-Mercy]

yea man, i know what you mean. i do the same, and fine all day and infront of friends and family, but when i go on stage i get nervous and sometimes tense up. my hands sweat to, which as a drummer tends to blow sometime. hah

 

[War_Blade]

i would never invite my parents to a show. They are the annoying type that would keep yelling my name over and over. And not just my real name. They would yell out they annoying nicknames they have for me and stuff which i fucken hate.