Performance Anxiety?

BGinNJ · Veteran Member Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 380

What kinds of playing situations create anxiety, "stage fright" for you, and how, if at all, do you remedy it?

For myself, I've found that I'm ok rehearsing with, and performing with a band, or casual sessions that aren't public. But open jam sessions, with all the uncertainties of who's going to play, what, and when, make me nervous. I know it's a traditional part of jazz culture, I wish I had the confidence to enjoy it more.

falado · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 11:03 am Post subject:

Hi, get and read "The Inner Game of Music".

Dave
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falado · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 11:05 am Post subject:

Hi, get and read "The Inner Game of Music". It helps me a lot with my students, especially audition preparation.

Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

kehaulani · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 11:11 am Post subject:

Well, my debut night at a regular jam session, I went around the entire room thanking each person for playing with me. I got some real quizzical looks. I realized later it was just insecurity. With both regular attendance at the jam session, and getting to know the other players, it came familiar and fun.
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cbtj51 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 11:34 am Post subject:

I've had a taste of that as well. When I first started playing publicly after 14 years of not playing at all, anxiety was a new first for me. The attack came out of nowhere. For me, it was a psychological road bump, but it didn't take long to fix after I identified/isolated/resolved the problem. I read and employed Don Greene's excellent book, Performance Success and moved on!

Best wishes,

Mike

Addendum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0_wg1DTT0w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0em8bAV2EA
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dstpt · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1286

You might check out the Bulletproof Musician site...Noa Kageyama, Ph.D.

He teaches this at Julliard.

dstpt · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1286

“Ninety percent of the game is half mental.”
-Yogi Berra

stuartissimo · Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 11:29 pm Post subject: Re: Performance Anxiety?

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

Nathan.Sobieralski · Veteran Member Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 178

Prep is a part of it for sure. We recently had a CSO member here do a masterclass at the university who insisted that perf anxiety is rooted in a lack of prep. I can agree somewhat, but there are other factors like personality type etc. For instance, in an hour from now I will play the Haydn, and though I've played it many times before I still get nervous! I have accepted it as a part of my personality.
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Daniel Barenboim · Veteran Member Joined: 20 May 2011 Posts: 247

When in doubt, block it out!

DB

BGinNJ · Veteran Member Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 380

cbtj51 · Posted: Sun May 08, 2022 8:12 am Post subject:

kehaulani · Posted: Sun May 08, 2022 9:16 am Post subject:

Well, actually I think this is situational.

Believe me, I am well grounded, yet I went through a period where a case of nerves would come out of nowhere. The difficulty and complexity of the performance had nothing to do with this. It was completely unpredictable. I had to rely on external mans of handling that.

I haven't had a case of nerves for decades since but it was real and was unrelated to my preparedness.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

Trumpjerele · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2023 6:54 am Post subject:

Being prepared is important, but it won't solve anxiety problems.

After playing the trumpet for over 20 years I think I am competent enough to play a simple C scale...but.... When I see the famous video of Arturo Sandoval in the super bowl final, and I imagine myself in that situation bringing my lips close to the instrument to play a simple C scale. I am not even able to visualize that moment without trembling.

Definitely locking yourself in the room to study will not solve the nerve problems, exposing yourself to playing in public gradually and relativizing successes and failures will be more beneficial.
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stuartissimo · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2023 8:18 am Post subject:

astadler · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2023 8:40 am Post subject:

Feels like it should be mentioned since this thread has gone long enough that for some people, no amount of preparation or breathing or mindfulness exercises can overcome the body’s fight or flight response, and that’s ok. Fortunately, there are other options, and if anyone reading this does seriously struggle with performance anxiety and has tried these things and been unsuccessful, I’d recommend you speak to your PCP about potentially trying beta blockers to help. They’ve been a godsend for me, especially in auditions where I tend to have the worst nerves.

starkadder · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 542

One thing that helped me when I started to feel the butterflies immediately before a performance was to acknowledge the feeling, rather than to fight it, and to harness that feeling as a signal that "this is going to be significant", instead of "this is scary".

Trumpjerele · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:38 pm Post subject:

chase1973 · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2023 2:52 pm Post subject:

we all handle "nerves" our own way. I know for a fact both Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand would puke their guts out before each concert from nerves. Streisand so much so, it got to where she had to have the lyrics of each song posted on big screens around the stage in case she forget a line or two.

Many performers, in an effort to combat nerves would drink or take drugs. I take beta blockers for my blood pressure. As for us Trumpet players...Doc Severinsen used to get nervous as HELL! I saw him trembling in his hands while warming up with a harmon mute before a concert in 1986. Another time, he was witnessed pacing back 'n forth saying outload to himself "I am the best, I cannot miss!" over and over.

Maynard Ferguson used to meditate for a few moments before each concert to calm down and get in the "zone." Then there were guys like Bill Chase who would just swagger out on stage and start wailing away with amazing confidence. An interviewer asked Jon Faddis about performance anxiety and he said he NEVER gets it...I just don't think about it...I don't have time to be nervous."

I do know the more confident you are in your abilities, the less it will affect you...but...it all depends on your ego and personality as well...