Fright/Anxiety/etc.

[Grumbum]

It is really about how anxiety works and what is fueling it. If you learn to just not care about being "good" or "bad" and just enjoy playing, suddenly the anxiety subsides.

What is happening is that you are trying too hard to be "good" in front of other people and you lose focus because you are spending all your thinking on "trying" so hard. If instead you decided to say to hell with the consequences and just accept whatever comes out when you play I guarantee you won't have an anxiety issue.

This idea is also a necessary part of how a lot of "accomplishment" works. Specific to artists (music, visual or otherwise) learning to take risks and saying to hell with what other people think is necessary for new art to appear. Anxiety usually is the only thing in the way of artists taking the risks they should take to reach new ideas.

[skitoolong]

I started to go to jam sessions a couple of times a month two years ago, which was a little more than 2 years after I started playing.

I didn't lead a song for a year.

Then I did, and I pretty much crashed and burned but just kept on playing. I've made some friends and now go to music festivals where they jam all night, everywhere. It took awhile to do a lead at one of those. I've crashed and burned more than I've succeeded. It's amazing how well my brain forgets when I'm in a circle. It's also amazing how much help I get from the circle when I'm circling the drain.

Anyway, I've kept on (probably much to the dismay of my friends in the circle) and the improvement has been steady. I still crash and burn but it's probably because for some reason I like to try out songs that I've only spent a couple of weeks on, but hey..... living on the edge, right?

I could only say, that people want to see you succeed. Forge ahead. Have fun.

[Silly Moustache]

Performance anxiety.

Youreplied earlier to someone saying "I'm not worried about ...but..."

In short, playing infront of people wirries you, becase of previous bad experences.

A few weeks ago I attended a house concert featuring three very competant and silled plsyers. Half waythough a very impressive perfrmace I noticed thatthe guitarist's left hand was shaking slighly.

NOTE: If you don't get a little hyped up a little then maybe something is wrong.

I get nervous before gigs, I fidget double check things and can't keep still. Once on - I'm fine and here's y "secret" I make lots of eyecontqact withthe audience - I speak to them (clearly) and make little quips (none rehearsed).

It's a bit like my "chat up" method (waaaawy back) - if you can make someone laugh a little - not too much, then you are halfway to being friends.

Oh also, when I first go infrnt of them I always lok at them ad say, modelstly hello! - they'll sually respond and that breaks the ise.

The other thing is "KISS" - I learned this from watching Stefan Grossman - do at least two REALLY simple things to start with.

Remember doing simple well is better thqn complicated porly.

Also, ifyou makea flub (everybody does EVERYBODY) don't show the audience with a twitch or a frown, just keepgoing and smiling - you'd be amazed at how little the audience actually takes in.

Above all entertain - you are otther to show off your talents you are there, to make them enjoy the moment.

The more you do it theeasier it becomes.

[creamburmese]

It's great to hear all of the things that helped those of you who have conquered your fear (at least to the extent that you can perform satisfactorily in public) but I really sympathize with the OP because I'm going through this too at the moment, having played in front of people exactly 4 times with 3 results of "I got through it" and one "crash and burn". Why is it that something we can play perfectly well falls apart when we have people in front of us? In addition to all the usual advice (play in front of people often, start slower than you think, play with someone else, play something that's really really easy for you) - there's this...

I think the OP nailed it when he said that he doesn't think about it in the practice room (IOW muscle memory takes him through it ). In performance our over-anxious brains try to "make sure" it's right and consequently interfere with the muscle memory because we are not used to playing while paying conscious attention. One test to see how involved your conscious brain is, is to see if you can visualize precisely what both hands are doing away from the guitar (specially fun for those of us who do fingerstyle). I tried this visualization with a piece I can play fairly well but regularly has several non-fatal mistakes, and couldn't remember past the first measure without the guitar... so... brain kicks in, doesn't know what to do - aaagh crash and burn. The good news is, I worked on visualization with a couple of the trouble spots until I could play them in my head, and lo and behold, those sections are now solid every time I play them. The bad news is, it's really really hard work...

ps thanks for introducing the box breathing technique - it certainly seems to bring the heart rate down and i plan to use it - just so soon as I get up courage to play in public again...

[skitoolong]

You know, I just realized golf is a lot like this too. It's really hard to take your range game to the course under Tournament pressure.

Just ask Tiger....

[s0cks]

Good replies in here. I agree with Silly Moustache in that communicating with the crowd is a good thing, even though it may feel like to last thing you want to do.

I don't know about you but I always prefer a performance from someone who interacts with the crowd. But from my own experience, it does help break the ice and calm the nerves. If you come across as a likeable guy then people are more likely to go easy on you. Just my opinion.

Also, once the first song is done and the round of applause comes, that is always a huge relief. I usually find myself quite relaxed a few songs in. Mind you, I've always played with a band, though I was the front man for one. I can imagine solo would be harder. I do eventually want to do open mic nights though, when I feel my acoustic skill level is adequate.

[sled]

Bourbon.....lot's and lot's of bourbon... j/k, I don't perform so I have no idea...