Dealing with the jitters

tomhyzy · #1 08-04-2003, 05:05 PM

I got to play a fairly lengthy instrumental piece at church yesterday. The first part is solo acoustic guitar, later joined by a synthesized cello and flute. It's very pretty, a medley of an old hymn called "O Waly Waly", and the old tune "As the Deer Longs".

Here's the thing: As soon as I started to play, my right hand started to tremble SO badly, that I had to rigidly control it to keep on playing. Needless to say, the feeling was entirely different than when I had extensively practiced the piece, so the performance suffered. This has happened to me before, usually the first time I have to play something solo. I got through it, and it got easier as I played longer, but it could be better, you know?

I know it's nerves, the adrenaline rush you get sometimes.

Does anybody have any advice for dealing with it? I'd very much like to hear what everybody at the TGF has to say. Thanks.

Tom Hyzy

SteveS · #2 08-04-2003, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tomhyzy
a medley of an old hymn called "O Waly Waly"

Having listened to Bill Cosby, Waly Waly has another meaning.

Tom,
Everyone gets nervous to some degree. Keep playing and it will go away or reduce dramatically. When you try to fight it, it seems to get worse. Just take a few breaths and just try to relax with it. The most trouble I've had with it is when I try to make it go away. I try not to look up at the 1200 people in the building. You'll have to see what works for you.

MichaelM · #3 08-04-2003, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tomhyzy
Does anybody have any advice for dealing with it? I'd very much like to hear what everybody at the TGF has to say. Thanks.

Just keep doing it. That you managed to keep going and get to the end, that's the important thing. Also that it got easier as you went. Hopefully all you need is more experience in that situation, which will give you the confidence to get through it.

Good luck!

dave hiwatt · #4 08-04-2003, 05:36 PM

Greetings Tom and welcome to the forum,
I’ve played in front of people for a long time, and I still get the jitters. This advice is really easy to give but hard to follow. Just try to relax. Usually, you’re not playing for a room full of guitar virtuosos.

Chances are that the small error that you perceive as dramatic, the majority of people won’t notice. And if you do make a mistake, just keep going like you meant to do it. Playing for a audience usually inspires me to reach a little farther than sitting at home serenading the dog.

mgrasse · #5 08-04-2003, 07:10 PM

This same thing has happened to me. I find it really helpful if I can warm up a lot right before the set. A church setting may not allow that however.

Like they said before me... you got through it, and I'll bet the audience was none the wiser.

MikesPC1 · #6 08-05-2003, 04:08 AM

All of the above advice is very true and helps,especially the warm up immediately before performing but the more you play in front of an audience the easier it gets;unfortunately there is no quick-fix.

tomhyzy · #7 08-05-2003, 06:51 AM

Thanks, everyone. I suspected that the answers would look like this. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I guess I'll try the old "Litany against Fear" from Dune.

Tom Hyzy

Splatt · #8 08-05-2003, 06:52 AM

A bottle of JD does the trick for the jitters... you don't even notice that playing's ****e then...

Seriously... though its only through actually playing in front of a crowd regularly you'll overcome it...

JedimasterPaul · #9 08-05-2003, 07:00 AM

try some benadryl about an hour before the performance (just kidding).

actually - the same thing happened to me at my brother's church in June. I was there to do a solo arrangement of 'Fairest Lord Jesus'. What made it worse was that they had me sitting on a stool instead of a chair, as I prefer for those things. My hands were a little nervous, but in the middle of the song my leg started to cramp and I almost fell off the stool!

So, when I did that one a few weeks later in my own church, I used a chair.

I used to get more nervous about these things in the past, but with time it went away. The previous poster was correct - virtually all of the audience was likely non-guitarists who will not pick up on most mistakes.

I'm trying to get up my nerve and play a piece at the open recitals that the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society has - I would be nervous for that.

good luck

freestyle · #10 08-05-2003, 07:08 AM

Try looking at your guitar, and ignoring the audience. Easily said, but difficult to do. Most other folks wont care about you, but only about themselves. Usually, once I start playing in front of folks, the music takes over, and I concentrate on that. Only recently have I tried to make it a show for them, by looking around and making some sort of eye contact with people in the audience. Now THAT's distracting lol Best advice is do it again til you are comfortable with it.
Something more positive for you to consider: That shaking and numbness is most likely your muscles tensing up. Before you start in playing, try shaking your arms and hands out, roll your shoulders, maybe give your arms a good squeeze type massage. Something of that sort to help you relax your muscles. It may also help distract you from what made you nervous

DJanzen · #11 08-05-2003, 07:20 AM

In my case, the nervousness is brought on by lack of confidence. And that can be because I'm not as ready as I wish I was, or any number of other factors. Also, many times my expectation level is a bit out of wack... instead of striving to do the best that I can with the ability that I have, I want perfection. Folks, there are not many "perfect" players out there... certainly not me! My solution is to practice a lot... know the music... do what I do and enjoy the experience. How cool is it to actually be able to contribute something (at home, at a gig, in church, wherever) that is enjoyable in the process! That all being said... I still tend to get nervous to some degree.

DJanzen

architectx · #12 08-05-2003, 11:08 AM

Interesting thing happened to me this past weekend. Per my post over in the Playing and Technique area, I was asked to play at a funeral this weekend. The first service I played I had time to setup and warm up a bit. I was moderately nervous about this one. The second service I played was unplanned (a girl was supposed to sing instead, but couldn't make it). We only found out minutes before the service that the singer wouldn't be there, and I was asked to grab my guitar. I barely had time to tune (without a tuner at that), and had no time to get nervous. It was probably the most at ease I've ever been in front of a bunch of folks, and I played better than usual because of it.