stage fright

moleasskiss · February 2005

whether its a crowd of hundreds or only half a dozen, i get the shakes everytime. and it makes me screw up. every time. even if just a little. its really embarassing because i have done this a hundred times in my bedroom with my band flawlessly. and then im onstage. and its just fuckup after fuckup after fuckup and it's all because i can't get my fingers to stop shaking.

do any of you have any advice for this? or are alcohol and antidepressants the only answer.

Ali · February 2005

I would try meditation about 1 hour prior to the show along with some
Vocal exercises...breathing exercises..and stretching that might help.
Remember:Kick some ass up there but dont stress yourself out entireley...
I'm an actress with band experience as well.Just remain confident through the exercises.Good Luck and break a leg.

KillerIsMe · February 2005

alcohol???

justam · February 2005

The best way to get over stage fright is to perform over and over and over again until you get used to how it feels to be there and to be aware that people are watching you and get to the point where you feel comfortable anyway. Sorry. No easy way around it. It takes doing it many times.

P.S. Concentrate on what you're doing. It helps to keep your ear on what you're playing.

given to jam · February 2005

don't use alcohol to overcome stage fright. thats a dead end road. just get wasted after the show!

Thereallovebone · February 2005

Who cares what anyone thinks. Get out there and have some fun. That's got to be your mindset or you'll get never break free.

Thereallovebone · February 2005

given to jam wrote:

don't use alcohol to overcome stage fright. thats a dead end road. just get wasted after the show!

And by all means DON'T GET FUCKED UP before going on stage. It will definitely hurt your music.

mccreadyisgod · February 2005

Thereallovebone wrote:

And by all means DON'T GET FUCKED UP before going on stage. It will definitely hurt your music.

Ditto that.

I never had stage fright as a musician... I always just sorta zoned out the audience. It was me and my three buddies, playing songs. Just like practice. Slowly, over the years, I became more aware of the audience... but it was gradual.

Now, put me out in front of a karaoke mic... I'm a mass of jello. I can't do it. How's that for messed up? A guitar in my hands, I'm fine (even solo), but singing karaoke scares me shitless.

KillerIsMe · February 2005

i just enjoy making an ass out of myself, so i get a kick out of performing

All Those Yesterdays · February 2005

Well I would of first said "Jagermeister", but due to your stating is there any other way besides booze.

I was always scared as can be to sit in on my friends cover band. I'd played in front of people before with original music, and it was no big deal. But it was never infront of huge crowds. Well My buddies band would just pack every bar they'd player (2-3 hundred people +). They'd ask me everytime I went to see them play, and I'd always make up excuses. I honestly was just to afraid of going up there and screwing stuff up and having a couple hundred people going, what the heck is that guy doing. Well I finally gave in, went up played two songs. ten seconds in the first song I screwed up majorally, glanced around and nobody had a clue then instantly in my head I thought "These people have no clue what is going on, it doesnt' matter what or how well I play". For the rest of the song and the next one, and every time I see them play I'm up there going like an animal.

I always think one gets nervous cause they are afraid of screwing up and it being noticed.

Just rock out and have fun.

Oh and BB Kind still gets nervous before every show. Read it in an interview.

Pacomc79 · February 2005

close your eyes for the first song or so, or picture them naked.

SweetHarmonics · February 2005

either do a single shot or drink one beer and you should be loose enough not to care so much but still in full control of your faculties

DriftingByTheStorm · February 2005

How can so many of you here -- as smart as you are, and with as much intimate knowledge of our favorite band as you all have -- how can you so feverently object to the use of alcohol as a performance tool.

We all know how fond of the booze 'ole eddie is.
"a shot" of liquor?

Darest i mention "State College" ...
a 2 BOTTLE OF WINE night for Mr. V ...
Hell ... who knows what he had before the show.
Lol.

Ok,
i know ... he's a PROFESSIONAL.

Just thought i'd play devil's advocate.

-mr. nik-

nailz100 · February 2005

MIG, you remind me of my guitar player....he can't do Karaoke either. Don't know why that is? I also get more nervous doing Karaoke than actually singing with my band onstage.

I guess my question moleasskiss is what do you play? Guitar/ vocals?...or just guitar?....lead guitar player?

This is a great site to check out....not only for vocalists but for guitar players as well. http://www.voicelesson.com This guy is the voice teacher for steven tyler as well. If you go to the "free lessons" link...you will see a lesson geared soley for stage fright.
Bottom line is stage fright is normal.....it means you care.

A glass of alcohol before a show can help calm your nerves....two tops is fine. Also, what I like to do is breathe (meditate) to get my breathing in a slow and steady rhythm (which will also lower your heartrate). And warm up for AS LONG AS IT TAKES to feel comfortable....set no time line to limit you from "getting in your groove". Also try to remember to focus on the here and now, and yourself rather than the audience....the less you care about what the audience thinks, the better.

62strat · February 2005

im a strong advocate of having drinks before a show. we arent alcoholics, you can have 3 beers and maybe a shot before hand. if you are prepared. I CAN at least. its wierd. same thing here, i couldnt give a speech in front of a calss for the life of me, but when im on stage in front of 300 people im an animal and can do my thing with a guitar, in front of 5 people i get more nervous. well i did, now at this point if only 5 people show up i get asted and say fuck it.

really, being nervous is a good thing, so dont worry about it, many mtop musicians still get nervous, it means they care, ive read someone say...i dont mention who...that the minute you stop being nervous before a show is the minute you should stop doing it....

just rock out. let it all lose. im at the point now where i forget about fucking evrything on stage, and just have fun.

with a few drinks of course. why? its more ufn. also bring a beer on stage with you.

MissYouAllDay · February 2005

yah I was thinking 2 beers would be great, 2 or 3. This iseems like an ideal solution. Just takes the edge off

nailz100 · February 2005

Yeah, but if you're a singer then beer is not the way to go....try whiskey, or my specialty before a show "cherry whiskey". It tastes like cherry coke (w/ coke obviously), and it has less effect on your vocal folds (in my opinion). But seriously, being loose is the best solution to being on stage...however you decide to do it.....yoga, drinks (in moderation), breathing, warming-up....all good things.

mccreadyisgod · February 2005

62strat wrote:

im a strong advocate of having drinks before a show. we arent alcoholics, you can have 3 beers and maybe a shot before hand.

...with a few drinks of course. why? its more ufn. also bring a beer on stage with you.

I think a drink or two is okay...

Really, if you want to feel more comfortable on stage, just encourage the crowd to drink more. The more they drink, the better you sound...

Boomer · February 2005

smoke a doob

nailz100 · February 2005

SURE....if you're not singing.

kdpjam · February 2005

i think i will go with the 1 beer/2 beer rule. i'm going to need something, even though we are AT LEAST a month to two months from playing out

stage fright

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