HELP! I'm freezing up during solos

rafaelsatchmo

I came back 2 years ago after a 38-year hyatis. I played my first solo -- Trumpet Voluntary -- after 4 months of practice and thought the old butterflies had gone.

Now, it seems my lips lock up when I get in front of an audience. I live in rural America and it's not as if anyone here would know if I made a mistake or not. I thoroughly learn my pieces (memorization) and in any rehursal can nail them. But in front of an audience, I clam up.

So, what gives?! What can I do to get rid of this condition? This is NOT fun.

Robb
_________________
"Practice, practice, practice...until the neighbors complain!" - R. Mendez

"Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." - L. Armstrong

Olds L.A. Mendez (1954), Olds 'C' Trumpet, Frank Holton 25 Cornet (1940); Olds 3C mouthpieces

cheiden · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:51 pm Post subject:

I don't know what youre previous experience was but playing a solo voluntary after just 2 years back sounds pretty adventurous. I'd try hard to find other venues to work out your performance jitters before too much more jumping into the deep end.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb
Yamaha 731 Flugel
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Conn 80A Cornet
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rafaelsatchmo · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:55 pm Post subject:

Hey, I meant it to say "4 months after starting over after the 38-year layoff." I played it well enough. it's really only a 1 finger performance! And without a lot of "butterflies" in the gut. But now it's tougher and I don't know why? Hey, I'm 58 years old. That should count for something!
_________________
"Practice, practice, practice...until the neighbors complain!" - R. Mendez

"Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." - L. Armstrong

Olds L.A. Mendez (1954), Olds 'C' Trumpet, Frank Holton 25 Cornet (1940); Olds 3C mouthpieces

veery715 · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 2:00 pm Post subject:

You need to perform when you practice. Maybe if you record yourself you will raise the bar. Also, make sure you are hydrated and warm up sufficiently.

And your expectations may be unrealistic. You say it's not a big deal, but something is going on. You may be 58, but you're still new to your comeback. You know more, but your physical skills are still undeveloped.
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veery715

Music is what feelings sound like.

rafaelsatchmo · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 2:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks! I like the idea of "performing while practicing." I only wish I had an audience to practice in front of.

You are right about undeveloped capabilites. On one hand, I have a better, more consistent range than in high school when I stopped playing. And I think I'm much more musical. On the other hand, I don't have the control nor the endurance I had back then. I could play for 3-4 hours (that what I played/rehursed back then). Now I'm lucky to practice for 45 minutes and still have some lip.
_________________
"Practice, practice, practice...until the neighbors complain!" - R. Mendez

"Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." - L. Armstrong

Olds L.A. Mendez (1954), Olds 'C' Trumpet, Frank Holton 25 Cornet (1940); Olds 3C mouthpieces

veery715 · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:21 pm Post subject:

Another thing you may have more of now, or should have, anyway, is patience! Hang in there and you will be rewarded! (says someone even more ancient)
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veery715

Music is what feelings sound like.

Dan O'Donnell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Posts: 1912

Welcome to "Performance Nerves".

We all get them and yet due to our pride; few of us admit it.

In addition to taking deep breaths before you begin playing, avoiding caffeine, making sure you have some food and water in your system, resign to the fact that you know you will make a mistake and worrying about making (1) mistake will help you make dozens...try the following.

Set up a recording device...anything will do cheap or expensive it does not matter.

Then, tell yourself that you are going to record the piece in (1) take.

Turn on the recording device and complete the piece (without stopping and going back) in (1) take while playing the piece as perfect as possible as if you were playing the performance.

This will take the place of an audience and help to stir up some "artificial stress".

Go back and listen to the recording as you analyze and document the results...

What part did you get stressed the most?...Is it because you are not properly prepared to hit that high note or fast technical phrase etc.?

If so, work on those areas in the piece.

Did you run out of air at a certain passage because of your nerves? If so, mark your chart to take an extra breath somewhere before the phrase.

If you use the 6 Sigma approach...

Define the problem
Measure the problem
Analyze the problem
Improve what is causing the problem
Control what is causing the problem

you will be far ahead of others who simply go through life repeating the same issues over and over because they never REFLECT (not dwell) on those issue in an attempt to understand the underlying Root Causes of those issues and implement the necessary corrective actions that will prevent those issue from reocurring in the future.

I hope this helps!

Keep us updated as to your progress!

_________________
God Bless,
Dan O'Donnell

"Praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet:..."
Psalms 150:3

corsair · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 103

I'm about 7 years back and always improving. I have realized that sometimes my steps forward in improvement are coming in the form of a tectonic plate movement, meaning I stabilize for a while, and when it seems nothing is happening improvement-wise, the shift happens and all of a sudden things jump and I hear a significant change in my playing for the better. Endurance, range, musicality, listening, tone, all of it. I have learned to be more patient with my improvement. Still working with nerves. But, even that is getting better.

tommy t. · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject:

A lot of things, both psychological and physical can be acting up because of the performance situation. I have no real idea of what your problem may be, but maybe my history with give you a hint, or a clue, or a methodology . . . .

A few years ago, I found the cause that most often resulted in performance fumbles for me -- it was failing to properly breathe when I got nervous or otherwise reacted to performance pressure. I stopped taking deep, full breaths with the obvious result that high notes and/or long phrases were not properly supported and things got worse from there.

Having identified the problem, now I am always conscious of the need to do a self-check on my breathing, especially before what I know from practice to be to me a technically difficult spot. The self-check works and all of the performance problems that derived from shallow breathing are gone.

The extra kicker is that I have more confidence in my playing now and as a result I feel like my communication with the audience is greatly improved.

The bonus from the kicker is that I am much more relaxed with solos and, although I still self-check, I almost never catch myself shallow breathing any more.

I'm 69.

Tommy T.
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Actually, I hate music. I just do this for the money.

jhopkins7 · Regular Member Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 57 Location: SC

I had the same issues when I started my comeback. I had a 15 year layoff, and my story is about the same as yours in terms of playing (I'm about 4 years into my comeback so I'm a little farther along). In any event, I never, ever had anxiety that affected my playing in my first life as a performance major. But when I came back and supposedly was playing just for fun, the anxiety came. Honestly, I though I was having a heart attack the first time I played in public in my comeback...it was that much of a surprise to me.

+1 on what Tommy said for root cause. The reason it felt like I was having a heart attack? I wasn't breathing. How I discovered this? A singer that I was working with said "Wow...why do you hold your breath when you play? Aren't you supposed to take big, relaxed breaths?". I've never been much of a warmup guy - but I include breathing exercises at the beginning of absolutely ever practice session, rehearsal and gig. Once I remembered to breathe, things were much improved.
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-Jon
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jscahoy · Veteran Member Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 294

There are any number of mindsets/books/drugs, but here's one simple piece of advice, from one comebacker to another: Don't think, just play.

richardwy

rafaelsatchmo · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 7:37 am Post subject: Freezing UP Part 2

Wow! Some great advice and counsel. I've started playing taps for all of the local verterans' funerals and that has helped a bit. I don't seem to get as nervous in these "gigs" and I think the reason is that I've got the color guard and rifle square members there with me.

I've also started doing some narrations for our local community choir and that has helped a bit.

If I could perform in front of groups weekly I know that would help. I love the feeling I get when playing (well) and especially when I connect with an audience (not tolerated by!). To me, that's when real music occurs.

I will got to work and try all of your recommendations!

Robb
_________________
"Practice, practice, practice...until the neighbors complain!" - R. Mendez

"Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." - L. Armstrong

Olds L.A. Mendez (1954), Olds 'C' Trumpet, Frank Holton 25 Cornet (1940); Olds 3C mouthpieces

Comeback · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:28 am Post subject: Wow!

rafaelsatchmo wrote:

MichaelM2 · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:38 am Post subject:

spitvalve · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:40 am Post subject:

Just keep performing and practicing and it will get better.
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Bryan Fields
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http://www.bryanwfields.com
http://bardofthenuthouse.com

cheiden · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:34 am Post subject:

Some people are helped by being so over prepared they they don't believe it's possible for them to fail. For me this puts too much emphasis on perfection and just makes my anxiety worse. What's helped me is to focus on the expressive components of performance and not on the techincal perfection. With that mindset I can take certain liberties with the written page and make sure that whatever I play that it's in my comfort zone.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb
Yamaha 731 Flugel
Kanstul 920 Picc
Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim/Bach 1-1/2C underpart

Still Trying · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 6:38 am Post subject:

Whatever you do, when you play a solo, don't be tentative. Exude confidence from every pore. I used to have a jazz band teacher in high school, who was trained both as a Classical violinist and as a jazz saxophone player. In high school our jazz band played professional quality charts. I can still hear that teacher admonishing us.

"You're playing professional quality music, children. Stop sounding like you've only got half of one lung and blow the stuff like the pros do. The back wall is still standing. You can play a lot louder than that."

Not that he taught us to lose control or over blow. He just emphasized that you have to play with the same confidence the pros demonstrate. When I'm playing a solo, I never allow myself to think about the fact that hundreds of other trumpet players out there may be able to do it better. Neither do I dwell on the fact that hundreds of others can't play as well. I just take a relaxed breath and give it all I've got. If I make a mistake, I make a mistake. It's way too late to be the first time. But whatever I play is the very best I've got with no apologies. Push any doubts out of your mind. Don't allow yourself to have any negative thoughts, and play it like no one can do it better.

A few months ago I was contacted on a Weds night about playing trumpet in a local symphony the following Saturday. I agreed and when I got to rehearsal I discovered I was to play principle. I didn't know the conductor. I didn't know the other trumpet players. I had only met 3 or 4 members of this symphony before. And there I found myself on the stage at the start of the Saturday performance as the lone trumpet player in several of the numbers. Every note was a solo. Believe me. I felt tentative as hell. But I knew from experience that that was the very last place I should play tentative as hell. So I just pointed my bell toward the back of the auditorium, and let her rip and the performance went off essentially without a hitch.

Everybody is different, but you've got to learn to be stronger than your nerves.
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S. T.

What do we have that we did not receive, and if we received it, why do we glory, as if we received it not?

Comeback · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:13 am Post subject: Cogent

Still Trying wrote:

rafaelsatchmo · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:35 am Post subject: Help, I'm Freezing Up...

Wow! What wonderful counsel. I think the biggest help will be just being in front of people and playing. I've done taps 3 times in the last 3 weeks for veterans who have passed on. The last couple had over 150 attendees each. And I just blew the tune as if they weren't there. So I think the counsel to just play it and not worry (and try not to think I'm being watched!) will go a long way to help me get over the jitters.

And just practice like hell...

Robb
_________________
"Practice, practice, practice...until the neighbors complain!" - R. Mendez

"Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." - L. Armstrong

Olds L.A. Mendez (1954), Olds 'C' Trumpet, Frank Holton 25 Cornet (1940); Olds 3C mouthpieces