Your Answers: How You Handle Stage Fright

Last week I asked you how you handled stage fright. Here are your replies!

Name: Don H
Location: Deep Run, NC
"I always have something funny to start off with. Before I begin playing I like to get the audience laughing with me. Once we are all laughing at the same thing I feel much better about them not laughing at me! LOL...Then I lay my hands on the strings and begin to play... all the nerves and slight shaking of the hands are gone."

Name: Mac S
Location: Eastern US
"It's worse when playing in front of other good musicians. Some of them judge everything. Nerves can also be a problem when switching instruments. My approach is that I'm sharing my music for everyone's enjoyment. I realize there are certain people who hate music, including my neighbor, but I can count them on my fingers. I can no longer count the numbers that enjoy my music, smile, thank me, or even dance. These are the people you are sharing with and it's even more important when playing to people under stress. You can adjust the tone, beat, sound for the best benefit of all."

Name: Rhonda S.
Location: Demotte, IN
"First, know your music. I use sheet music, but if I don't know it well enough to be able to look up and smile at the audience or fellow musicians, I don't know it well enough! Then, once the mechanics of playing are under control, I prepare by mentally rehearsing the performance in my mind. I see in my mind where I will be playing, what it looks and sounds like, how many steps onto the stage if I'm coming up from the audience, stage right or left if entering from the side, what I will be wearing, what I want to look/sound like as I play, etc. I really try to see the performance in my mind's eye BEFORE I ever step onto stage. This kind of preparation can't prepare you for the unexpected, but will go a long way. After all, if you can't even imagine what your ideal performance looks and sounds like, you are probably not likely to get it!"

Name: Janet D.
Location: Ashland, KY
"I haven't learned to handle it. I even get nervous playing for my instructor. I stumble through but I never play up to my ability in front of people. I'm hoping that as I improve my confidence will build and I will overcome this. I'm really interested in reading other people's solutions here."

Name: Cindy B (Twins at Play)
Location: Plymouth, IN
"I used to struggle a lot with nerves, and I always hated hearing just relax - you'll be fine! But then, when I was in grad school, I went to a master class about coping with nerves and was told about a book called Performance Success by Don Greene. The best thing I took away from that book was the assurance that being told Just relax!! doesn't fix anything. Nerves are normal and will happen - what I learned from the book was how to focus that energy from the nerves into something positive. I still get nervous - I still have shaky hands and that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I don't fight it anymore. I use techniques to focus the energy into a helpful force rather than a distracting one. (And I never COULD imagine the audience naked - just too, too embarrassing :) )"

Name: Jan P.
Location: Lexington, KY
"Every time you perform for someone else and don't die, you increase your confidence at least a tiny bit. The handful of times I have played before a roomful of people, I have begun by looking out at all those faces and reminding myself that 99% of them are thinking, Better YOU than ME! and are already giving me kudos before I've even done anything! That's the feeling I get from fellow dulcimer players, anyway. I expect the general public is less forgiving about any mess ups... Whenever I perform, however, I do the best I can at that time, under those circumstances. And when the performance is considerably less than perfect, then, yes, it does become something you laugh about later--and learn from."

Name: Donna M.
Location: Glendale Heights, IL
"I go totally blank and can't remember where any notes are. Everything gets a little dark and I feel like I'm withdrawing into myself. It's a real problem."

Name: Chuck L.
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
"Dealing with stage fright? 1. Practice, practice, practice. 2. Play for anyone who will listen just for the experience. 3. Have fun...remember that it is about the music and not you, besides, the audience really is on your side...they want you to be successful. 4. Don't take yourself too seriously."