Nerves are something that every performer has to deal with in some or other way. When I started playing in front of audiences I remember becoming very nervous prior to the gig. I found, however, that the more gigs I played the more comfortable I became on stage. I’ve learned to enjoy playing live to the point where nerves don’t bother me, as I find myself looking forward to the experience.
Change Your Perspective
If performing in front of people is what you want to do then ultimately you need to fall in love with playing live. This is something that may not happen instantly if you’re new to performing. The key is to keep going without allowing any bad gigs to throw you off. Like anything in life, practice makes perfect. The more gigs you play, the better you will become at playing live.
As a performer, there may be a lot of uncertainly when playing in front of an audience. Often we concern ourselves with the fact that the audience may not like us, or if we’re going to remember all the notes. With time, I’ve come to realize that the audience is not there to judge you. In most cases, audience members may envy your position up on stage while others won’t even notice you exist.
Look at it this way. Being up on stage has far more perks than simply being “in the audience”. When you’re playing in a band, you’re in a position many people would like to be in themselves. Also, in many cases band members are treated a lot better than audience members (ie. free food and drinks).
Preparation
Preparation is the ultimate confidence boost. If you’re worried about whether or not you’re going to play the right notes, you’re going to have a difficult time focusing on the music (which is what the gig is all about).
If you’ve played a gig before, you may be aware that every performance is a new challenge. As musicians, stage monitoring isn’t always on our side. Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to hear anything you’re playing. This means that if you’re unprepared, you’re going to have a highly uncomfortable gig.
Here are a few preparation tips:
- Learn to play your material without the aid of other instruments such as drums.
- If possible, practice in the same venue that you’re going to perform in. This will allow you to become comfortable with the room.
- Learn to play from a state of “Unconscious Knowing”. Anthony Wellington explains this in his four levels of awareness for musicians.
Inspiration
As a guitar player, your gear can go a long way in motivating and inspiring you to perform better. You won’t go wrong with a good amp and guitar during a gig, especially good amplification.
Good tone is something you should work towards prior to the gig. A tube-based amplifier is going to add so much more to your performance than a solid-state amplifier. Additionally, using a high quality guitar with a proper set-up will ensure that you can perform in the most comfortable way possible.
Additional Tips
- The first 15 minutes of a gig is usually the toughest part to get through.
- Ignore any inner-critic. Nobody is perfect so you shouldn’t get discouraged if things don’t go as planned.
- Pay attention to your appearance. There is a saying: if you’re looking good, you’re feeling good. Image can go a long way to making you more comfortable and at ease.
- If you make a mistake, stop playing altogether. Once you have found your bearings then fall back in with the groove.
- 1 or 2 beers prior to the gig is fine for calming nerves, however don’t over do it. Alcohol will affect your performance negatively and the audience won’t enjoy it.
- Show up early for the gig. This will allow you to properly absorb the environment and will result in greater comfort levels.
- Learn to improvise. This means that even if you forget your notes, you will be able to make some or other contribution to the song you’re playing.
- Avoid drinking caffeine. This will make you feel even more jittery and nervous.
- If you’re extremely nervous, try to fake your confidence. Do your best not to show the audience that you’re nervous.
- Emulate your favorite guitar player. Inspiration is important for many aspects of your performance. Success succeeds.
