Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
|
|
Nervous when playing for others
|
You are logged in as Guest
|
Users viewing this topic: none
|
|
Login | |
|
HolyEvil
Posts: 1240
Joined: Nov. 6 2008
From: Sydney, Australia
|
Nervous when playing for others
|
|
|
Hey guys, I have a question, I'm usually nervous when I have to play in front of others. especially if I feel that I'm being critiqued. Yesterday night, I have my guitar lesson, and for the past 2 weeks, I have been practicing this little solea section that my teacher showed me. some days I can play 100%. other days I play about 80% perfect. but yesterday when I was showing him, I was playing maybe 40%, bum notes, timing/compass was off, rushing thru sections n stuff. For my lessons, my smart gf has given me a suggestion, to record me playing the pieces n show it to him on my iphone if nerves get to me in my next lesson and I clamp up. But how do you guys make yourselves not nervous when you play in front of others?
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 5 2009 12:56:21
|
|
NormanKliman
Posts: 1143
Joined: Sep. 1 2007
|
RE: Nervous when playing for others (in reply to HolyEvil)
|
|
|
Make sure you've got your sh*t together: Keep your guitar in tune (new strings must be stable), play material that you know you can handle, don't play too long or too harshly, and remember to offer variety (silences within the piece you're playing and a change in dynamics from one piece to another). Don't rush the tempo (it's like talking too fast when nervous). Make sure you're having fun: This is the big one, because it's all about pleasure you are experiencing and transmitting to the audience. You've got to feel eager to do your job, but if you're dreading it, something's not right. It's usually an illogical fear, and it's up to you to find out what is illogical. Imagine worst-case scenarios (What if I forget what I'm playing? What if the audience starts booing?) and, if they're improbable, write them off. Remember that you're going to play material that you know you can handle. In a number of day-to-day situations, anxiety can be quelled by focusing on feeling (sensations) rather than thought. If you've ever felt nervous before sex, you probably just relaxed and focused on the pleasure factor rather than dwelling on the anxiety. Before each toque, shut out all other stimulii and get the underlying pulse going inside you BEFORE you even touch the strings. Even if you have to do that in an obvious manner in front of everyone, I think the audience is only going to appreciate your effort. You've got to feel playful with the compás, and nobody can do that if they feel threatened. After squaring away the above points, make sure not to take anyone too seriously: Aside from the fact that there are a lot of screwballs out there, there's always going to be someone who just doesn't "get" an excellent performance (see Duende's post). I'll close with my three-point strategy for today's guitarists: 1.- You're not Paco de Lucía. 2.- So what? 3.- Paco's not you.
_____________________________
Be here now.
|
|
|
REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 7 2009 0:07:48
|
|
New Messages |
No New Messages |
Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
Locked w/ New Messages |
Locked w/o New Messages |
|
Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts
|
|
|
Forum Software powered by ASP Playground Advanced Edition 2.0.5
Copyright © 2000 - 2003 ASPPlayground.NET |
0.078125 secs.
|