Performance Anxiety When Playing Your Guitar

Everyone who has ever performed has felt it! Those sweaty palms...the butterflies in the tummy... the absolute fear and dread!

Just what can you do to combat those nerves? The best thing is to realize that nerves are actually good for you.

SAY WHAT?

Yes, that's right! They're actually good for you IF you learn to manage them properly. Nerves can make your performance "sharp" or "on the edge" but it can cut both ways. It doesn't matter whether you're playing a few pieces to one or two people, or you're playing a whole recital to hundreds, nerves can really wreck things. The best way to combat this is to be really PREPARED. If you really know your music you will feel more comfortable as you begin your performance.

After you know your music you should take the time rehearse properly, which includes going through your pieces very slowly to make sure your finger memory is secure. You must also be very relaxed within yourself as tension and worry, even fear, can get the better of you, destroying what should have been a thoroughly practiced performance.

Relaxation may take the form of meditation or just occupying your time with some pleasant form of interest or hobby away from the instrument itself. Distraction can be positive. I remember I was playing at my teacher's soiree many years ago and was traveling in my car to his place at night when a huge thunderstorm broke out.

My windshield wipers decided not to work at all so I had to put up an umbrella with one hand outside the window and try to shield my vision from the driving rain so as not to crash! This went on for almost the entire journey of about 15 minutes and I was so angry and annoyed when I arrived that I forgot about being nervous and played the best I'd ever done up to that point. I remember Adam (my Teacher) saying as much and thought to myself... "Maybe I should get angry more often".

I must admit, I still don't really enjoy performing as much as teaching but I guess that's just my calling. I do know, however, that it did take me some time, and quite a bit of determination to overcome my fear of performance. Several years ago I did some "Master Training" with Michael Domeyko Rowland, who wrote the best seller..."Absolute Happiness" and conducts training courses in self development, personal growth and meditation both here in Australia and overseas. He has also appeared with Louise L. Hay, Deepak Chopra and others...

One of the very many useful and practical tips I picked up was how to re-program my mind for success in any venture. It's quite a simple technique really called 22x11. It's where for 11 days you write a statement of intent out (or type it on your computer) 22 times with 22 responses also recorded. It must be framed in the present and positive tense and it can be on any topic you like.