Nerves, what do you do to combat them?

[verkem]

Hi,

Whenever i perform in a formal setting, that is a concert, masterclass or the like, i get terribly nervous. My heart starts racing, my hands begin shaking quite noticeably, my memory is impacted, and ultimately my playing lessened in quality due to these nerves. However playing in a casual setting, that is in front of friends, my teacher, or one of those public run down pianos that anyone can play, my nerves are simply not there.

My question is to those who also become very nervous, how do you combat them? Do you have a pre-concert ritual? Do you take something beforehand? I heard of Rescue remedy although i have yet to try. What do you do for your nerves to go away or work with you instead of against you.

What i really want in the end is for these nerves to work with me, and not impact my performance negatively, as playing piano and music is my passion, sounds cheesy i know.

Thank you.

[avanchnzel]

Hi. I find that the more times you perform, the less nervous you get. I typically eat a banana several hours beforehand as it calms the nerves (contains beta blockers or something). I've been training myself to go without a banana recently in case for some reason I can't get one.

Here comes the cliche: I do get nervous backstage, but when I step out it all goes away. Here's a video of Martha Argerich backstage. It's quite amusing but anyway even she gets nervous.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

There's really no way to deal with nerves.

I mean you could experiment with alcohol and drugs if it's REALLY that much of a problem.

But to be honest you just gotta toughen up and deal with it

[visitor]

1. best way is experience, it's a skill that must be practiced, playing in front of others over and over again desensitize you some to the bad type of nerves (crippling fear, toxic self talk, etc), nervous energy is fine and helpful but you gotta keep it in check, getting up there and doing it often is only way i found to deal with it.
2. record yourself and hold yourself accountable knowing you will release the video to the public and/or people you know. it's not as good as performing but in the right mindset it's pretty close.

3. further info (BTW her channel is good, some if winds/ww specific but there's broad application, and she's super funny)

4 further reading by
Noa Kageyama, Ph.D.
Performance psychologist and Juilliard alumnus & faculty member Noa Kageyama teaches musicians how to beat performance anxiety and play their best under pressure through live classes, coachings, and an online home-study course. Based in NYC, he is married to a terrific pianist, has two hilarious kids, and is a wee bit obsessed with technology ...

https://www.bulletproofmusician.com/what-every-musician-ought-to-know-about-stage-fright/

[109natsu]

Hi verkem,

There is no single way to combat nervousness. That is because everyone is different. I used to be a performer who never gets nervous, but as I gained experience, I became more worried about what others think about my performance, then I started getting nervous. I think it is mainly your emotion that is controlling you in a formal performance. The links that other people gave you are very helpful, so you should check them out. Also there are a dozen different threads about fighting nervousness in this forum, so you should go check that out as well.

Natsu

[richard black]

I'm one of the least nervous performers on the planet, so this isn't from my own experience, but several nervous friends of mine have found that moderately vigorous exercise (enough to get the heart rate significantly up) not too long before a performance (ideally ending less than half an hour before you go on stage) can be very useful. Stands to reason, intuitively - it dissipates excess adrenaline, which is the main chemical behind nerves.

[louispodesta]

Hi,

Whenever i perform in a formal setting, that is a concert, masterclass or the like, i get terribly nervous. My heart starts racing, my hands begin shaking quite noticeably, my memory is impacted, and ultimately my playing lessened in quality due to these nerves. However playing in a casual setting, that is in front of friends, my teacher, or one of those public run down pianos that anyone can play, my nerves are simply not there.

My question is to those who also become very nervous, how do you combat them? Do you have a pre-concert ritual? Do you take something beforehand? I heard of Rescue remedy although i have yet to try. What do you do for your nerves to go away or work with you instead of against you.

What i really want in the end is for these nerves to work with me, and not impact my performance negatively, as playing piano and music is my passion, sounds cheesy i know.

Thank you.

One more time!:

"It would behoove those who post here to use the search box at the right hand corner of the screen to see if their particular question has been addressed before.  Accordingly, from a prior post of March 3, 2015, I repeat the following answer "for the fourth or fifth time:"

["Until I played my senior jury, I knew that I would fail, and I knew that I would fold due to nerves. Then, a fellow student of mine (who won the Naumberg Competition) said:  have you ever heard of Inderal?  This was 1981, and not 2015.

He further shared that all of the classical musicians in Europe (1981!) used it on a regular basis.  And further, it is not a narcotic, is not physiologically addictive, and IT WORKS!

This is a (generically available - cheap!) medication, which is probably the most prescribed Beta Blocker in the world.  It slows your heart rate by restricting the amount of Adrenalin that gets pumped into your system.  THAT IS WHAT MAKES YOU SHAKE/NERVOUS!

Accordingly, this is also why the FDA approved pharmacological literature lists Inderal/Propanalol as additionally being prescribed for "stage fright."  And, it is also why (big secret) every physician/surgeon in the world takes it prior to operating on a patient, especially cardiovascular surgeons.

So, get yourself to an Endocrinologist or a Neurologist, both of whom prescribe this medication on a regular basis (either specialist will do).  Well: shouldn't my "Primary" physician know how to do this?  In your specific circumstance, no he/she does not (lots of practice makes lots of perfect).  Please spend the money, and get it right!

The bottom line is that once your nerves are fine, then your playing will be fine.  I cannot imagine performing without Inderal/Propanalol.  Why would I ever want to go through the living HELL that I did for so long before?"]

However, here is what you are most likely going to do.  You are going to try all of this self-help BS of getting in touch with your inner self, and you will fail.  Then, you will come to the erroneous conclusion that:  well, I am just not the proper type of person to perform at the piano, which is pure garbage!

To finalize, if the Inderal works (and it will, if you go to a specialist!), then take the next step of engaging a PhD. Clinical Psychologist to train you in neurofeedback "peak performance" training.  This will greatly enhance your level of playing without stress.

It is a one time series (13 weeks), which will essentially return your nervous system to that with which you were born.  The effects are permanent, and it is regularly used by professional athletes, and per the piano, it has been successfully used at the Royal Academy in London for many years.

Finally, there is a specific non-evasive heart/breath modality which is widely available for daily stress maintenance, which is utilized through your desktop/laptop computer.

Good luck to you, and please contact me by PM of you have any more questions.
 

[jeffkonkol]

yup... propanol works.... commonly taken by concert pianists and cardiac surgeons.

it suppresses your fight or flight.  You are still nervous, but the autonomic nervous system responses are literally blocked... so no shaking.... hence, no impossible feedback loops  (ie... Im playing poorly... im nervous.. I shake... now I am playing MORE poorly... so I shake more)

[bjenkins24]

I've tried beta blockers, and it really did nothing for me. I'm not saying don't try them, if they work they work.

A lot of people think that they prevent you from playing at your best though. You become less musical because you just don't care.

The single best thing that helped me with performance is breathing. I know you hear that a lot, but what about during performance? Have you have made an effort to take a deep breath in and out actually DURING a performance? I never did before, but when I did it helped A LOT.

Recently I wrote up a big post about this with a lot of different techniques:
https://yourmusiclessons.com/blog/performance-anxiety/

[mrcreosote]

I saw an interesting thing on a TED Hacks (they expand 30 seconds of content into 30 minutes), but they discovered body language WORKS BOTH WAYS.  If you do a relaxing body position, it will actually relax you.  A classic is arms raised straight up or fingers crossed behind head.  So much so that specifically before an important job interview, going to the rest room and holding a couple positions just before the interview will actually settle you down.

The other thing is that you have no nerves when playing "where it doesn't count."  Athletes might say you are choking.  You have to realize it rally doesn't matter one way or the other ultimately.  You also have the advantage of knowing you are capable but only lack confidence.  You have to get outside your head.  Try to derail your routine - weird clothes, glasses, back stage antics.

You are lucky - you have the ability - other's have the confidence but not the ability.

[indianajo]

I'm a very shy person.
So I play venues where people aren't listening, or are uncritical.  I play for a charity dinner downtown some Saturdays. Those people are mostly interested in the food although I get requests pop songs around Chrismas.  Blue Christmas and Holly jolly Christmas were hits with that audience.  I played for a junior choir for a couple of years - eight year olds don't have any reference and aren't bored with organized activities yet.  I play now services for a little country church with average attendance of ten.   
If I ever do play for a discerning audience again, I've done it all before.
Find yourself a non-critical gig and get the nerves out. 

[dogperson]

A few suggestions for you to try?   I think we all react differently to each one, and a combination should be tried.

1.  Headspace.  Relaxation exercises.  A concert pianist I know uses this before every performance
https://www.headspace.com/signup?origintoken=google-b&gclid=CKCjnLfhxM4CFYkehgodsNcCjg 

2. Repetitive positive statements such as 'I know this music; I will play well' to drive out negative thoughts.

3.  BREATHE.  Both when you sit down to play and throughout the performance.
4.  Banana:     Try one or two about an hour before the performance.  Works as a beta blocker.
5.  Posture:   Walk out on stage in a stance of 'confidence'.  Shoulders back, confident stride.
6.  EXERCISE before the performance to reduce the adrenaline
 

[louispodesta]

A few suggestions for you to try?   I think we all react differently to each one, and a combination should be tried.

1.  Headspace.  Relaxation exercises.  A concert pianist I know uses this before every performance
https://www.headspace.com/signup?origintoken=google-b&gclid=CKCjnLfhxM4CFYkehgodsNcCjg 

2. Repetitive positive statements such as 'I know this music; I will play well' to drive out negative thoughts.

3.  BREATHE.  Both when you sit down to play and throughout the performance.
4.  Banana:     Try one or two about an hour before the performance.  Works as a beta blocker.
5.  Posture:   Walk out on stage in a stance of 'confidence'.  Shoulders back, confident stride.
6.  EXERCISE before the performance to reduce the adrenaline
 

Of course, there are many ways to duplicate the specific propranolol mechanism, that is why I stated the following:

"Finally, there is a specific non-evasive heart/breath modality which is widely available for daily stress maintenance, which is utilized through your desktop/laptop computer."

Further the late famous heart surgeon Michael Debakey swore by banannas as a heart healthy mechanism.  However, as I previously stated before, it is very important (philosopher speaking) that one experience true "no nerves" playing for the first time.  It really "blows your mind."

I guess that dates me, but that is why I stressed incessantly that before you take this adrenal suppressive that you do so under the care of and endocrinologist or neurologist.  Hey, tally the amount of money some of you has spent on piano lessons, and then their fees appear nominal.

Most importantly, as in my case, THEY WILL check your blood sugar level.  It does no good to slow your heart and breath rate down if your blood sugar is not in sync.

THIS WORKS!  AND, IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE.

Finally, if you follow my advice:  you might find out more about your brain and your metabolism than you have ever known!

[jeffok]

For me, the key to getting control of performance nerves was to get myself into a setting where I had to do a certain amount of performing every week but where there were only 3 or 4 pieces involved each week. In my case this was singing in a church choir where as a pianist and singer I was often called upon to sing, play or accompany solos. Since it was a relatively small amount of music each week and there wasn't any Liszt or Rachmaninoff (!) it was quite manageable.

Don't get me wrong, I still get nervous when I perform (although, living in a very small town, I'm not talking about big concerts or anything) but it now feels a lot more like "controlled excitement" than panic. I realize that for many people joining a church choir may not be a choice you're willing to make (and it's something I no longer do - I'd rather worship by practicing on my Sunday mornings!), but if you're living in a decent-sized town (or larger) perhaps there is some kind of performing ensemble that might offer similar opportunities.

Anyway, just my $.02 (CDN)

jeff ok

[pianoplunker]

Hi,

Whenever i perform in a formal setting, that is a concert, masterclass or the like, i get terribly nervous. My heart starts racing, my hands begin shaking quite noticeably, my memory is impacted, and ultimately my playing lessened in quality due to these nerves. However playing in a casual setting, that is in front of friends, my teacher, or one of those public run down pianos that anyone can play, my nerves are simply not there.

My question is to those who also become very nervous, how do you combat them? Do you have a pre-concert ritual? Do you take something beforehand? I heard of Rescue remedy although i have yet to try. What do you do for your nerves to go away or work with you instead of against you.

What i really want in the end is for these nerves to work with me, and not impact my performance negatively, as playing piano and music is my passion, sounds cheesy i know.

Thank you.

I can only answer for me : Remind myself not to play too fast. Realize that my nervousness is from anticipation, not fear.   enjoy the excitement.  But dont play too fast. If your nerves are not affecting other aspects of your life, might want to avoid drugs and if needed only under Dr. care, not internet advice.