Your Pre-Performance Ritual? (Or Lack Thereof?)

[xdjuicebox]

You have an hour before you perform. Maybe there are people erforming before you. Maybe you're first. You're losing your mind from how nervous you are. How do you prepare?

Me: Lie down with a blanket & pillow, with forearms wrapped in cloth and gloves on. Then, I go for a light jog, playing my piece in my head.

As I'm walking up to the piano, I play the opening only once more in my head, just to double check. As I sit down, I do it with the first couple beats. And then I "just do it" and hope for the best.

What about you guys? It'd be nice to hear some thoughts. I'm still a neeous wreck LOL

[dcstudio]

no performance anxiety but I do get impatient if I am in a line up.  So I smoke a lot of cigarettes outside and talk to the maintenance people.  Sometimes I go to the pub next door and have a nice shot of Gran Marnier---and I would like to interject here that Gran Marnier works great to combat pre-performance jitters...far better than any beta-blocker.  No prescription needed...lol.  Actually, that's only if I am playing my own gig... if I am accompanying I abstain from the liquid courage. 

[chopinlover01]

Knowing you, DC, I would've thought you'd have been talking to Mary Jane to calm your nerves
I do a slow breathing exercise; 4 counts in, hold 4 counts, 4 counts out.

[rmbarbosa]

I do nothing. I remain happy and calm. For me to play alone or on the stage is the same thing: the joy of Music. If there`s people, also the joy of the comunnion of the beauty of Music with the others.
Sometimes I feel bored when I know that people who is there doesn`t understand anything. In those cases, I play only for myself, forgetting people present...
I play piano since my 4 years old and have know 74 years old. So... no place neither time to get nervous 
People feel nervous because are very worried about what the others will think about them. I dont care. I am myself. I do know that I can play well, like I talk or walk. 70 years of practice are something, you know?
The only thing that make me sad is the fact that with my age I shall not have time to play all the music of Bach for piano. Death will become before...

[dcstudio]

Knowing you, DC, I would've thought you'd have been talking to Mary Jane to calm your nerves
I do a slow breathing exercise; 4 counts in, hold 4 counts, 4 counts out.

yes, as a matter of fact I talk to Mary Jane while doing a very similar breathing exercise to this one you do -- the only difference is I hold my breath for 12 counts ...  beats the crap out of beta blockers.

I am a jazz/blues musician, it's expected.

[chopinlover01]

Do I sense a confession? 

[mjames]

A blowjob always gets me in the zone.

[dcstudio]

A blowjob always gets me in the zone.

I married my guitar player...    lol...

Do I sense a confession? 

deny till ya die has always been my motto.    but, I was born in the '60s.   

[xdjuicebox]

Haha I wish I could be like you guys. I get crazy performance anxiety.

[dcstudio]

Haha I wish I could be like you guys. I get crazy performance anxiety.

I did too until I got thrown into a jazz gig and it was either play or go work at McDonalds--that pretty much cured my stage fright because having to work at McDs is far more terrifying than playing the piano in front of people...lol

[dapianiszt]

In recent times I have taken to meditating a full hour before a performance. I warm up by improvising around throwing in different techniques into the improvisation. I always give myself an hour of pure meditation though. Completely calms me down and puts me into a very peaceful place in my head. It also really helps to be in that mindset once on stage so that if I do have a mistake here and there I can do the whole, see the mistake and recognize it then move on and not let it bother me. I used to be the type who if I had the tiniest slip I would freak out and almost not be able to hear myself play. Thank you muscle memory haha

When performing for peers at a social gathering of other pianists I wont do the meditation but I will warm up quickly with an improvisation just to "wake up" the fingers.

[briansaddleback]

You have an hour before you perform. Maybe there are people erforming before you. Maybe you're first. You're losing your mind from how nervous you are. How do you prepare?

Me: Lie down with a blanket & pillow, with forearms wrapped in cloth and gloves on. Then, I go for a light jog, playing my piece in my head.

As I'm walking up to the piano, I play the opening only once more in my head, just to double check. As I sit down, I do it with the first couple beats. And then I "just do it" and hope for the best.

What about you guys? It'd be nice to hear some thoughts. I'm still a neeous wreck LOL

wow great question. My pre performance ritual is mainly this: fidget around in my chair, till I can't help it anymore than go outside to breathe, go wash my hands in hot water (as they get really cold and clammy ) and just go walk around then sit back down. My heart likes to have his ritual as well. He likes to pump so hard I can hear him in my head and feels like he is going to jump out of my chest.
Then I go up and bow and play and usually I crash and burn a few times in the piece, but at the end I get a lot of applause because perhaps I am so animated and I always have fun w the pieces.