Stage-fright cures?

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 13 Jun 2003 1:43 pm

Smile alot....

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 13 Jun 2003 2:13 pm

I suppose that if the entire Town or City purchased tickets to come to see you play and knew you by name as a famous musician then I suppose one could acquire an ego of sorts..

But how would one explain a totally new player who is just nervous as heck playing their very first gig..or maybe a player playing with a new band the first time ?

They haven't really had time for the ego to nurture , have they ?

EGO ...NOT...

Back around the mid 70's I played many years with another guy named Tony, he was a drummer, we used to drink a few Beers to get the edge off before the gigs..problem was we couldn't find the edge so sometimes we drank to many Beers before the gig and then coudn't play anyway.. first we were nervous then we were..
well..not nervous...

tp

Travis Bolding · Post by **Travis Bolding** » 13 Jun 2003 3:14 pm

Here's what I did about 23 years ago to solve this problem once and for all! I played at Scotty's convention in St Louis in front of a packed auditorium on ameteur night. The audience was full of great pickers as well as idols like BE and Jimmy Day. Of course I wanted to play well, but my main purpose was to just get up there and play in front of THAT crowd... no matter how it came out. Yes I was nervous. But I have never been nervous since. No audience I have ever played in front of since then could compare to that one. Don't miss an opportunity like this if you get one! ~~ TB

David Reeves · Post by **David Reeves** » 13 Jun 2003 3:27 pm

Stage fright... horrible creature that it is, I have found that I experienced when in front of professional musicians and in front a quality crowd. I have never completely found a cure for it, it sometimes helps me pay closer attention to the band as a whole. I try to focus my attention on the music and let my playing add to the whole.

Now, playing at the VFW or Legion Hall, or at the Moose, Elks, or Eagles,... I NEVER get stage fright.
I guess it is because I have very little respect for rudeness of the crowd, and I feel absolutely no pressure to put on an error free performance. To be honest, most of these people wouldn't know you were carrying a tune if you hit them with the bucket you were carrying it in.

I have even gone as far as intentionally playing stuff that just absolutely does not fit and had people come up and tell me "Man, that sounds just like the record!"

Go figure!...

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 13 Jun 2003 8:40 pm

I suppose I could write a book on the subject. I think the bigger the ego and the belief that the whole world wants to hear you would help get over it. I for one, am petrified. I remember seeing Hank Jr. years ago on TV and his poor steel man's hands shook so bad that he couldn't hit one out of four notes he was trying to. I felt sorry for him and knew what he was going through. I do believe that the more you play out, the easier it gets. I've seen Tommy and Buddy both have shaking hands but close your eyes and they sounded like they were cool and very calm. Keep playing before people and as it was said, it gets easier as the program progresses.

Anne Marie O Keeffe · Post by **Anne Marie O Keeffe** » 14 Jun 2003 1:34 am

EGO ...NOT...

EGO YES Tony!
We all have them. Unfortunately the word ego has taken on a life of it's own and become something that we deny having but it's there, it's just a matter of how inflated we allow it to become. By using the word ego I don't mean that we have to consider ourselves "above" everyone else but we most certainly can consider ourselves as good as. Basically I was trying to point out that a little self appreciation is good for us.
We all had to start somewhere and sure it's a nerve wracking experience but I think David D is right in suggesting meditation or yoga, beats booze or tranquilisers hands down in my book. Anyone who suffers from stage fright needs to give themselves a good "talking" too before going on stage, about how hard they've practiced for this gig and how much time and effort went into it and above all don't forget to tell yourself that you are doing what you love.[This message was edited by Anne Marie O Keeffe on 14 June 2003 at 02:43 AM.]

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 14 Jun 2003 2:28 am

Someone asked about non-rx ways of doing it.
Personally, I have never had stage fright. Maybe a little anxiety-- so I try to make the first tune something I can do with my eyes closed. After that it's all OK.
Screwing up is part of it, if you don't let it shake you. I saw Emmons once slide to the wrong fret. He stopped, laughed, and got on with it. No problem.
As far as non-chemical stuff...
My other life is as a sort of expert in homeopathic medicine. I can suggest two acute treatments. You'll have to figure out which one is you...
The first is a remedy called Gelsemium Sempervirens-- the yellow jasmine. It will often relieve when the fear is of the audience and their reaction. It manifests itself as a paralytic state followed, often, by a case of the shits.
The second remedy is Argentum nitricum --silver nitrate. In this case that manifestation is more active, although there might be a need to go to the crapper. The fear is more internal that YOU will screw up. The audience has only a passing role.

So the first stand paralysed in fear, cold sweat, "I can't, I can't" and then rush to the crapper. while the second runs in circles saying "How do I do it? How do I do it" and then beelines for the crapper.

I have given these to people on several occasions, and have found them to work-- but the situation was usually about public speaking.

Another remedy is Lycopodium-- club moss. This manifests itself as a fear of doing it, yet ONCE DOING IT you do it very well. But you never lear from the experience, and that happens over an over.
Since this is more of a chronic condition, I'd suggest seeing a qualified homeopathic practitioner for treatment.

There is yet another one, but I'm not sure how it relates to steel, but I guess it can. It is called Athusa cynapium-- fool's parsley. The situation is this: You have an exam. You study all night. You know the stuff cold, and you KNOW you know it. You go to the exam, the papers are handed out, and your mind goes blank-- or you have a feaqr that that will happen.
Gave it to a friend who had screwed up the exam twice. Took it and breezed through the third try.
The dosage for any of this would be one pellet of the appropriate remedy (as obtained from a supplier) in the 30C potency.

JW[This message was edited by Winnie Winston on 14 June 2003 at 03:31 AM.]

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 14 Jun 2003 2:45 am

Yoga,
yogurt to calm the stomach,
a very small Glen Morangie to calm the head, and a petite brunette for general distraction.

Then play simple till you heat up a bit.

Edit : I think A-M O'K was thinking of Crowbears post. I don't advocate belting back a shot to calm the nerves.
I just find a few sips of a very fine single malt get's me a bit contemplative about it's flavor cycle. i.e. a relaxed place.
It's the chef de cuisine in me taking over rather than wanting a drink per se.
Even in an irish bar I am not likely to have more than 2 Guinesses in a whole night.
I am a bit hypo glycemic so too much sugars tends to make me less sharp.

At this point I have been in enough on-stage train wrecks in jams and pick-up gigs I don't get too stressed about things going wrong.
I have played in bands where I never heard half the bands names till I was ons stage with them... let alone seen the set list before hand.
So what can go wrong.. you play a bad note...most people are just glad you're up there playing.. and they can't anyway.
Any potential hecklers are also potential idiots or drunks. Whay worry about them.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 14 June 2003 at 07:52 AM.]

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Jun 2003 3:48 am

Anne Marie..

EGO ? ..I still don't see it as that but I can see how someone would..

stage fright ..is more like a fear..

Winnie says it probably best..it's more like anxiety...rather than fear or fright..

lots of people have fears about things

being in the dark
driving in traffic
playing on a stage in front of people
public speaking to an audience
walking close to the edge of a cliff...

I see these as fears that you can get over
with a little patience..

Don't get me wrong..I know what an ego is and I had one , but left it in the 80's...
I suppose one could say I still have some sort of ego because I am confident in many things that I do..but after 54 years of breathing shouldn't one be confident in something ? Ego or confidence, are they the same ?

I've played "For the Good Times" thousands of times on the bandstand ..I'm here to tell you I can play that song with my eyes shut, missing, no hands, no teeth etc..Is that an ego or experience ?

To me an ego is exactly what you said..the consideraration the yee are above and better than the minions around yee..

"They will call me to play Steel 'cause I am great"

"If I wear this new cowboy shirt I WILL be the best looking dude on the planet"

"I should sing that song 'cause I'm a much better singer"

To me these are EGO related...

But I'm not a shrink so what do I know..

other than to play "For the Good Times"...

happy Saturday..

tp

Anders Brundell · Post by **Anders Brundell** » 14 Jun 2003 5:32 am

I - and the whole band, for that matter - made it!
I don´t know why, but this time I wasn´t really horrified - just a little above normal stress level. Our singer is really good, so people yelled for more - just great!
Thanks everybody for a good web therapy!

Anders (3:40 in the afternoon, after a nice family oriented arrangement out on the countryside. No drunks, just nice families.)

Roger Snively · Post by **Roger Snively** » 14 Jun 2003 6:00 am

Years ago, I saw a TV show with Faron Young.Doug J. was the steel man, and on a steel break, Doug hit a REALLY bad note that even people who were tone deaf would have picked up. Doug cringed and kept on playing. When I get nervous, I always think of that. What the heck. If Doug J. can make a mistakelike that on national TV, so can I at an Eagles, VFW, Moose or what ever. If someone says, "You really hit a bad note", I tell them I did it on purpose. Sometimes, just to loosen everyone up, especially me, if the guitar player or band leader says, "Rog, take a break". I turn to them, with a blank stare, and say "No". Works most of the time.Have fun

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Jun 2003 8:16 am

Anders,,sounds great..

TP

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 15 Jun 2003 11:48 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>ego (g, g) n. pl. e·gos

1.The self, especially as distinct from the world and other selves.

2.In psychoanalysis, the division of the psyche that is conscious, most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality.

3.

a. An exaggerated sense of self-importance; conceit.
b. Appropriate pride in oneself; self-esteem. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In this case 1 and 3. b. would be the most operative usage.

But also 2 would apply to stage fright, because it is the use of the ego to control fears of dealing with external reality.

Without an ego, whether left in the 80's or inflated to grandious proportions today, we would not be able to function.

Too small and we cower in fear, to big and no one will have any thing to do with us, LOL.

It has be come a bit of a dirty word, but really is just a description of a normal human function.

So the ego is the tool we use to control irrational fears from the subconscious mind and focus our abilities to what we choose to use them for. Like play a gig.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 16 June 2003 at 12:51 AM.]

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 16 Jun 2003 6:46 am

Rog,
I'll do you one better. It was the Big E. It was St. Louis. He was center stage. All eyes were on him. He was playing a slow song (might have been 'Aura Lee'/'Love Me Tender'). In the middle of a melodious passage he hit the giant clam -- mother of all clams. He knew there was no graceful recovery. There he jolly well WAS.

What did he do?

He let out a loud and anguished AAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHH! And went on and played the rest of the tune as well as it's humanly possible to do so. That was the first, last, and only time I've ever heard him make an unrecoverable mistake. Most of his mistakes are covered so well, you'd swear they were just new 'jazz licks'.

So I offer that up as another approach:
Primal Scream Therapy.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Jesse Harris · Post by **Jesse Harris** » 16 Jun 2003 8:07 am

Tommy,

INNER GAME!!!!!!!!!
its sooo true

that book has changed my performing mindset and really my life completely, its all about trying to not get in the way of your full potential, This is a MUST READ for all musicians, especially if they play in pressure situations, but it is also loaded with tips and excercises to improve your practicing and other aspects. Really, all of you who have not read it do so.

best $20 you'll spend on music, I promise.

the only problem I can't seem to get over is when someone yells or gives you a compliment during a solo, I mean, its great to get that but damn if it doesnt make me choke most of the time. For example, I opened for Patty Loveless this past wednesday at the House Of Blues in anahiem, now as far as my steel career, this is a pretty big show for me, and the band I was playing in really features the steel, well the crowd was loving me and it was great, but about halfway thru the set there was this big long solo on a balad, well, as soon as I got into it the guy running the lights killed all the stage lights and put the spot on me, totally freaked me out, and I choked, it wasnt that bad, but could have been better, funny.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 16 Jun 2003 10:16 am

Same thing's happened to me, Jesse
Except they turned the lights off and left them off.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 16 Jun 2003 11:28 pm

One trick someone long ago told me.
If you hit a giant clam;
laugh or at least smile harder.

Takes a ton of the presure off and looks good on stage.
Ok it's done, that's the past and can't be helped.. but the future is coming up, look to that.

Earl Yarbro · Post by **Earl Yarbro** » 17 Jun 2003 6:36 am

Bobby Seymore had a good message on this subject on his "Tips" he emails to us. Maybe he would be kind enough to post it here. Don't over eat, no alcohol, don't over practice was the jest of it, the best I can remember. Happy Gigs to all!

Earl Yarbro
ZUM D-10
ZB D-10

Earl Yarbro · Post by **Earl Yarbro** » 17 Jun 2003 6:39 am

Bobby Seymore had a good message on this subject on his "Tips" he emails to us. Maybe he would be kind enough to post it here. Don't over eat, no alcohol, don't over practice was the jest of it, the best I can remember. Happy Gigs to all!

Earl Yarbro
ZUM D-10
ZB D-10

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 17 Jun 2003 8:02 pm

Black Velvet works for me.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 17 Jun 2003 8:34 pm

Most of the time at a Steel jam. I get nervous playing in front of other steel players. On a gig with no steelers in the house I'm the king steeler anyone that could do better -come right on down-

Joe

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 17 Jun 2003 9:13 pm

I'm much in the same situation as you are, Anders. I've owned my steel less than 2 years, and am already playing steady with one band, soon to be several more. I'm not very good playing yet, in my own eyes. I get nervous whenever I sit down behind that steel before the first song. Sometimes I have a few drinks before I play, but I'll tell you what makes all the difference for me. (nobody laugh, okay?)

Self hypnosis is the key to getting your mind and your body in-tune. If I have stage-fright, the heebie-jeebies, the jitters, the shakes, whatever you want to call it, I just go find a quiet corner, shut my eyes, and tell myself that first, I'm going to make mistakes. Second, I try to get past those mistakes as quickly and as gracefully as possible, and third, I realize that most of the people out there probably haven't heard a steel player live in quite some time. Most of them aren't musicians at all.

If I were playing in front of Lloyd Green or Jim Vest or John Hughey, I'd hope they would realize those very same points. I'm young, relatively inexperienced, and most people simply are honored by the fact that YOU SHOWED UP and you're working to get better.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 17 Jun 2003 9:47 pm

Jeff Newman told a story of one of his first sessions in Nashville where after he set up, the bass player and guitar player walked in, Buddy Emmons on bass and Curly Chalker on guitar. He said he was a little intimidated.

Anders Brundell · Post by **Anders Brundell** » 19 Jun 2003 11:18 am

Thanks for all replies! It seems like this is a concern for more then one Forumite, and I can very well understand why. I´ve gotten several very useful hints, and last gig worked just fine when I simply decided to have fun instead of focusing 200 per cent on not doing any mistake at all. That approach seems to even have permitted some reasonably good spontaneous picking out of my amp, and the band and some listeners remarked that appreciatingly after the gig (and that made me feel really good!).
When my kind of stage fright comes over me, nothing helps. I already have practiced much more than what´s reasonable, and the fact that I know I can play everything doesn´t help. I can play it all flawlessly in the music room downstairs and at our rehearsals, and Dirk B describes exactly what´s happening to me on stage when the fright strikes before an audience at the point of no return.

When I think of a big ego, I think of someone who thinks he´s God´s gift to the rest of the world, and he never ever suffers from stage (or any other) fright, even if he lacks everything except self confidence. So I feel I can´t quite understand all of what´s been said about that in this thread.
Tommy Detamore´s book suggestion sounds interesting. I think I have to read it just because I´m curious.
And maybe some pep-talk or self hypnosis or yoga or whatever in that direction might help – if I can find a place for just myself where I don´t get disturbed, but that´s not very probable at gig time, unfortunately.
Thanks again, folks!
Anders

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 19 Jun 2003 12:46 pm

Anders I'm glad you got soomething out of this thread and applied it already.
If it's not fun why do it?
If it is fun and your job, even part time, so much the better.

Even the best hit bad notes, but they all hit FEWER bad notes if they are relaxed and having a good time. 99 & 44/100% of the audience would't even think of holding the bar, let alone trying to play.

I saw a thread about a steel masters concert and two cats switched steels on stage and had a cutting session daring each other to be good on the others copedents.
Now that sounds scary, BUT these guys made it fun, for themselves, and the room full of steelers and friends who knew what it took to just do the switch.