How To Curb Stage Fright As A Musicians
For performers, stage fright comes with the territory.
Rare is the performer who doesn't experience ANY pre-show anxiety even the d'banjs and two faces who appear super secure go through a lot of stage fright , no matter how old performing has become. For some musicians, though, stage fright can be "career ending". Playing live is part of the job
description in the music industry, and being too scared to take to the stage could mean your career is over before it ever really begins. Whether your stage fright is a small case of the heebie-jeebies or full blown panic,
these tips will help musicians deal with stage fright:
1. ADMIT
The thought of getting up on stage terrifies you.
It may seem that if you could just convince
yourself that you're not scared, all of those
feelings would go away. Well, maybe you can
pull it off once - but what about the next show?
If you're serious about being a musician - which
does involve performing live - then your show
experiences will become a lot more comfortable
if you admit that the whole thing makes you a
little nervous, so you can develop ways of
coping with it. Getting over stage fright doesn't
mean that you'll never feel those butterflies
before a performance - it just means that you
know you have the power to control those
feelings when they do come up. Face the
problem head on before it REALLY gets out of
control.
2. GET PHYSICAL
Fear often manifests itself in physical symptoms, and figuring out ways to cope with these can be a massive boost in your fight against stage fright. If your breathing gets a little out of control in your panic, focus on deep breaths. meditation can help you learn to get control of your breathing and to breathe in a way that calms you, even in the face of stress. Ginger and peppermint both soothe a queasy tummy - sip
some tea, chew some gum, suck on a mint - these things can help you stomach calm down.
There are no rules here. You may find that a
walk around the block away from the venue
helps you get some peace and re-center. Maybe you need silence before a show. The trick is to try something - and keep trying until you find what works. You'll be amazed at how much more
confident you'll feel when you know you can
control these symptoms.
3. PRACTICE
Controlling your symptoms will give you
confidence, and so will knowing that you are
ready to rock it on stage. Practice a lot - enough to be totally comfortable with the set and to know exactly how the show is going to go. It is easier to walk on stage knowing that you're ready to do your job than to walk out there crossing your fingers and hoping things will fall into place.
If stage banter is your fear, it is absolutely OK to think of a few things to say before your set. If you ever see a band on more than one date on a
tour, you'll see that many of them say the same
exact thing every night. Nothing wrong with
that at all if that makes you comfortable.
4. OWN THE STAGE
I'm not going to lie to you - some genres of
music place more emphasis on being an
"entertainer" than others. If you've got
ambitions like d'banj or may d for instance, then you're going to
have to get comfortable with dancing and lots of audience involvement.
However - not every genre is like that. Look at
the slow songs and instrumentals genre
where it is not only acceptable, but encouraged,
to be as shy and retiring as you like on stage.
The point is - this is YOUR show, and you have the ability to create the kind of show you're comfortable performing. When you're
comfortable, you'll deliver better music - and
your fans will sense your comfort on stage and respond to it, whether it manifests itself
5. TALK IT OUT
You are absolutely not the only musician
struggling with this problem, so why suffer
alone? Ask your fellow musicians how they
cope. They may have some tricks to share with
you, and they can certainly be of support to you.
Musicians' organizations may also be able to
point you in the direction of people who can
help, like counselors and therapists who
specialize in working with musicians with
extreme stage fright.
6. HAVE REALISTIC GOALS
It may not be possible to completely get rid of
stage fright. Almost every musician feels
butterflies before performing. Don't focus on
having no fear - just focus on managing your
fear.
8. IGBO(MARIJUANA) AND HARD DRUGS SHOULD BE CONSUMED OFTEN
Just kidding actually this point is actually to discourage drug and alchohol abuse, a few drinks might help with the nervousness,
but beware leaning on the bottle to soothe your stage fears. It's not a plan for coping long term,plus, it could set you up for having a really bad
show. Your fans will forgive your nervousness.
They will be less forgiving of you delivering a
sloppy set because you partied too hard before
the gig. #SayNoToDrugs