Overcoming Nerves

[MaryAnn]

Another band I used to play in, I quit because the snare drummer couldn't find the beat on the broad side of a barn, and then he joined another band I was in, as timpanist (which he had been in a military band.) On timpani...he had zero trouble staying on the beat, and that changed my entire opinion of him. It wasn't the player, it was the instrument.

Snare drum is difficult physically, and while it may teach rhythm, there might be an easier instrument to learn rhythm on, if rhythm is the desired end result.

MA

[MaryAnn]

Ok, here is a scenario:

Suppose you have food-poisoning-induced dry heaves, and you have to perform. You are retching uncontrollably every few seconds. How do you manage to perform? Assume that anti-nausea drugs make you so mentally foggy that if you took them, you'd blank out on your music.

MA

[paco1013]

I've battled nerves my entire life. It seems to have gotten way better in the past few years. All the posts that I've read are right on the money as for the various theories out there on how to overcome nerves. I'd like to add one more.

This past summer I was at the Mendez Brass Institute in Denver and all the participants got a free copy of Performance Power: Transforming Stress into Creative Energy by Dr. Irmtraud Tarr Krüger. It analyzes the various types of performance anxiety and how they're related to the individual, since performance anxiety is a very unique thing from person to person. I liked it a lot because it changed my perception of why I was getting nervous before a performance and what I was doing about it. And, it related to a lot of things outside of music, ie. how I might react to being nervous in a non-music situation. This is really cliche, but it kinda changed my life.

Anyhow, check it out. It might speak to you, it might not. I recommend it to anyone fighting that battle as a possible resource.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Be as absolutely prepared as possible for everything you play in front of an audience. Memorize the music (it's not that hard if you truly spend adequate time preparing). Know in advance that all the notes are locked "in your chops" and as natural as reaching for a doorknob and opening a door.

Then, if the nerves appear, simply close your eyes and imagine that the gig is just another practice with your accompanist, or with the band, or whatever. Honestly assess your preparedness for this "simple performance" and ask yourself if a lack of security with the music contributed to your anxiety.

If, after following those steps, your nerves still affect your performance, you may want to consider another field of study/line of work. Some folks simply can't get past the nerves for whatever reason...I've known a couple of them who were otherwise fine musicians but simply couldn't get past the shakes (FWIW, one is now a very fine high school band director in Texas).

I totally agree with Adam and his well-worded advice against beta-blockers or other chemical fixes. Some will assert that the drugs take away from your expressiveness and spontaneity. I've never used them, so I can't give you any first-hand advice on that front.

Please remember that a performance should be fun for you...it's a chance to share all those hours of preparation with the audience and invite them to enjoy a piece you have thoroughly prepared. Why else would you want to put all the practice time in if not to share the results with listeners? Good luck!

[eupher61]

a good friend had to use beta blockers in auditions, until he'd won his first. After that, no problem on the audition circuit.

He has never had problems in recitals/quintet/orchestra/whatever else situations. And, now that's he's not auditioning any more, he doesn't need them at all.

The other thing to do is what you've been doing, James....play for people as often as you can. Take your horn to a street corner some Friday night and play for people walking by. Doesn't matter if you're playing etudes, excerpts, or solos, just be out there playing. And, concentrate on doing your best.

Just do it!

(And, I HIGHLY recommend "The Inner Game of Tennis", and THEN "The Inner Game of Golf", both over the "Inner Game of Music". Dan Perantoni has been preaching the Inner Game for at least 30 years...something must be good about it.)

[pierso20]

Most people have nerves. All the time. The question is how you can control it, and how it affects you.

If it is so extreme that you get nauseous or extra dry mouth or faint, then you may need to try something like a beta blocker. Most likely, it's the usual....heart beating faster etc.

But USUALLY these cases of nervousness is caused by some sort of psychological "thing" from your past. And often having one or two successful performances will create the confidence you need to feel less nervous in the future.

Keep plugging away.

Also..I would never really suggest to do this...but sometimes people have a drink (beer or shot of something) before hand......just to loosen themselves. Obviously you don't wanna make that a habit... (alcoholism??) This is NOT the answer though.

You could try going on a run and exercising before hand. This will do 2 things... release endorphins which can help battle stress. And it will also "tire" you out....so hopefully if you get REALLY nervous, you won't have the energy to even do so.


But the most easy answer?? Practice and be prepared. Play for people.

Cheers!

(agree with a comment earlier.....if you can't stomach the nerves........don't be a PERFORMER for a LIVIING...it won't cut it.....and definitely wont be fun...which is why a lot of people go into the performance feild)

[Roger Lewis]

Okay, this is a tricky one. There is an area of psychology called "Labeling Theory" and it is usually joined with "Approach/Avoidance Conflict". What it basically comes down to is that when you are in a situation that requires some kind of physiological response, we examine our physical reaction and then based on our past learning and experience several things happen.

Physiologically your heart rate increases, your abdominal muscles become tighter, your breathing get a little shallower and the pupils of your eyes constrict a bit.

Now you look at the stimulus. Let's use, for this example, a roller coaster. If you have had positive experiences on roller coasters before, you will more than likely "label" the physiological response as "excitement" and you will want to approach the stimulus. If you have had negative experiences with the stimulus, then you will most likely "label" the physiological reaction as "fear" and will tend to avoid the stimulus.

The physiological response happens first, and then you label it and determine if the situation is one that you should be afraid of or attracted to.

The next time you find yourself in this situation, try "re-labeling" your response and see if it makes things easier for you.

Just my meandering thoughts at this hour.

Roger

[pulseczar]

In preparation for my recital, I've been drinking coffee then running through my recital pieces. I don't know if it's effective come performance time, but my logic is that if I can simulate that adrenaline rush/nervous situation, I can work in that state and become more comfortable with it so that when it is time to perform, I don't freak out because I've already worked in that condition.

[adam0408]

In my opinion, and through research, I have come to believe that beta blockers are not helpful or necessary. A great performance needs a level of excitement and energy that is not possible with the effects of beta blockers. Beta blockers can lead to a flat, emotionless feeling. If your anxiety is so severe to need medication, there are other, deeper psychological issues that need to be dealt with before you step onstage.

Here are some things that you can do that will help you overcome nerves:
1. Over-prepare your material. There is no better way of getting rid of nervousness.

Know your tunes inside and out, backwards and forwards. I have heard people recommend playing excerpts in all the keys to increase familiarity before auditions.
Make sure that you can play straight through your program 3+ times in a row. You should be tired at the end, but make it through. That way you KNOW you have enough juice to get through it in the real thing.

2. Remember to breathe naturally.

A symptom of nervousness is fast respiration, which can lead to hyperventilation and other undesireable effects. Instead of rigorous breathing gym type exercises, I prefer a simpler and less athletic approach to breathing perparation before performances. Focus mentally on your breathing and take slow, metered breaths. Avoid extra thoughts and just think about your breathing in and out.

3. Narrow your focus.

When nervous, the mind has a tendency to run wild. Curb this tendency by sitting (or lying down) in a quiet, secluded area. Think about what you have to do and imagine yourself successfully doing it. Listen to some music if you need to drown out other sounds (but probably not recordings of you playing because you might become critical and lose your focus)

4. Develop realistic expectations of results.

You aren't a pro. You have other things to do besides play the tuba, so you can't expect to be perfect. Even Pros frack notes and play out of tune. Don't beat yourself up over mistakes, no matter how big or small. Remember that you are not going for a perfect performance, but the best performance that you can produce at a particular time. Also remember that the audience is on your side. No one wants to hear you epically screw up. Especially at a student recital, everyone there is supportive and wants you to succeed.

Also realize that in the worst case scenario, things still won't be that bad. You may play an absolutely AWFUL recital, but that doesn't mean your musical carreer is over. Also, in the best case scenario, your recital will not have that big of an impact. A stunning recital will certainly be more rewarding, but you won't be asked to be principal tuba of the CSO by having an amazing senior recital.

5. Deal with your physical responses to nerves by dealing with psychological issues.

As Roger Lewis mentioned, the fear response is first triggered in the brain (by a part of your brain called the amygdala, which uses your experiences to determine what situations are dangerous or unfavorable, and therefore require the physical "fight or flight" response) this fear response is often completely involuntary, because the amygdala does not have any connection with the conscious mind. If you can isolate your anxiety "triggers," the physical response to a pressure situation will be less severe.

Realize that your mind can work with a "snowball effect." Meaning one bad thought can lead to others, which in turn can lead to a complete nerve attack. When you have a bad though, counter it. For instance, you may think "Oh my goodness, I am going to totally biff this first note." Answer this by confidently tellign yourself "No, I am adequately prepared. I have played this note hundreds of times. All I have to do is breathe and play." This will help stop the flow of negative thinking that can follow a comment to yourself like the first one.

These are just a few things that you can try to avoid anxiety. I have done extensive research into techniques for getting rid of anxiety and I can recommend several books to you:

Performance Success, by Don Greene (don't bother with his book, audition success. It contains the same information as Performance Success, but watered down and less practical)

The Inner Game of Music, by Barry Green. This book was developed along the pattern of the other Inner Game books. It is good and presents slightly different tactics than the Don Greene materials.

My Lessons With Kumi by Michael Colgrass. This is more of a "spiritual" self help type book. Nevertheless, it is very good and contains some real, practical information. This is my personal favorite, once I got beyond some of the mumbo-jumbo and focused on the actual information.

[adam0408]

In preparation for my recital, I've been drinking coffee then running through my recital pieces. I don't know if it's effective come performance time, but my logic is that if I can simulate that adrenaline rush/nervous situation, I can work in that state and become more comfortable with it so that when it is time to perform, I don't freak out because I've already worked in that condition.

This is an interesting theory and may work. However, caffeine can leach your body of vitamins (B vitamins especially), valuable fluids, and actually lead to anxious feelings and inability to concentrate-which you may not be able to make disappear.

Simulating nerves with Coffee will probably work. However, there are better and more healthy ways to simulate a nervous situation than legal stimulants. Try running in place/ doing jumping jacks for a few minutes. Then breathe your way back to a normal feeling and play your stuff. This will help you in the real nervous situation by giving you the skill of being able to naturally calm your heart rate and breathing.

[Rick Denney]

Try running in place/ doing jumping jacks for a few minutes. Then breathe your way back to a normal feeling and play your stuff. This will help you in the real nervous situation by giving you the skill of being able to naturally calm your heart rate and breathing.

I offer no argument against the value of what you suggest. But I would like to offer this perspective: Do we think Bill Bell, Arnold Jacobs, Harvey Phillips, etc., ran in place or did jumping jacks before performances? Uh, no. Do we think they didn't have issues with anxiety? Uh, no. That suggests to me that there are other alternatives.

Firstly, the occasional minor panic response is probably normal. We should remember that recitals and auditions carry a huge load of significance in that they happen rarely. Pat Sheridan talked about having no anxiety because he knew that if he made a mistake, he'd have 100 chances to correct it that year. Because he performed so often, each performance no longer carried much weight in his psyche. This fits with my experience. I had butterflies the first time the TubaMeisters performed at its new theme-park gig at Fiesta Texas, but by the end of the season, the challenge was the opposite: pumping ourselves up to put some energy back into the performance (we did not find this to be difficult). Playing hundreds and hundreds of shows will do that.

I am never nervous when speaking in public, because I do it so often my body knows that it's nothing to panic about. But occasionally a thought will cross my mind that causes even those routine events to elevate my nervous response. That usually goes away in the first minute. I've told the story before that the TubaMeisters were invited to share a recital performance at Southwest Texas State a couple of months after our theme-park gig ended for the year. We decided to start out with more serious music--music that stretched us as an ensemble. As we walked onto the stage, it occurred to me that I had often been in the audience for recitals in that very space, and I remembered the standard I expected when I was sitting out there. Suddenly, being confronted with my own expectations, I had a panic attack. Other than some unexpected vibrato in the first tune or two, though, I doubt anyone would have noticed, and once it started, the rhythm of performing overtook my thoughts and the panic reaction went away.

Now that I'm older, I find myself more susceptible to a nervous response than I used to be. When I get a bit of adrenalin flowing, I get the shakes, and often I have a hard time seeing clearly. Considering my age and experience, I doubt that these would be easy to correct with any amount of inner gaming, and maybe in my case they could be controlled with very small doses of a beta blocker. I haven't gone there, because it just doesn't matter that much that I would be willing to use drugs to control it. But I doubt doing so would be particularly risky--the doses we are talking about are 10% or less of what heart patients routinely are prescribed, and they are only taken when needed. I can put energy into my performances and don't need adrenalin to do so, but I could sure do without the shakes and the temporary loss of clear vision.

As a firm believer in the aphorism "Do not break the rules before learning them", I would always advocate working through such issues through improved thought processes, physical conditioning, diet (though the way diet freaks talk about diet, I fail to see much difference between food choices and tiny doses of mild drugs), and experience, rather than drugs. The drugs ought to be a last resort. But I would not discount them altogether.

(One detail: One cannot breathe "naturally" on purpose. Breathing is an autonomic process, and as soon as you apply conscious thought to it, it's no longer natural. And the shallow breathing during a panic response is indeed completely natural. Plus, as tuba players, we are trained to use the full capacity of our lungs, which is also anything but natural. The correct advice is to "breathe deeply".)

Rick "thinking this three-dimensional issue goes beyond a one-dimensional solution" Denney