Check out this advice from our instructors at Music on Magnolia on how to deal with nerves as your next gig approaches.
Be prepared:
Feeling prepared leading up to a performance can greatly lower feelings of fear and anxiety. This is because we feel more confident doing things we are good at. If you want to have worry free performance, practice, practice, practice. If possible, memorize your music!
Positive mental outlook:
Win the mental game and think positive! Having confidence in yourself is essential to playing your best performance. Spend time each day envisioning yourself on stage, and imagining the performance going perfectly. This type of mental practice can greatly assist in overcoming our feelings of performance anxiety.
Breathe:
When we become nervous our heart rate increases and our breath becomes more shallow. Practicing breathing in a relaxed manner can help lower our heart rate and make us feel more at ease.
Whether you are a vocalist or not, we’ll work on breathing techniques in music lessons to help build confidence at our next performance.
Have fun:
Lastly, always remember to have fun while performing music! Look out into the audience, notice the smiling faces, and share a smile back. This is your time to shine and everyone is there to support you, so have fun!
