Nerves of steel when performing live

[tadejsusta]

Hi guys,
Could someone share their experiences about how to calm yourself before big concert. How to not get or at least not to be to nervous during concert so you're not afraid to make a mistake. Even though that the first thing is that you know all the songs very good. but still, this is kind of a 'big' problem for me, cause it a possibility that me and the band are going to have a concert and i get goose bumps when someone else is watching me. The problem also occures, cause i'm a perfecionist and i'd like to go through that concert with at least amount of mistakes as possible (i'm not so good in technique-yet). cause if i will screw it up, then i probably won't dare to pick up the guitar for some time of even ever again-and i don't wanna do that-sometimes the situation seems hopeless. So i really need your help.
:(

[mjo]

RELAX...........
I'm not sure how things work in Slovenia but, over here musicians don't get shot for making a mistake - ;) - (not usually, that is)

Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't be afraid to make a mistake, it happens. Prepare, as best as you can, then get up there and have some fun !! When something goes right on stage,(and most things will) it'll give you a, huge confidence boost !

Being nervous on stage is not always a bad thing. It lends a certain 'energy' to the performance. Learn to work with it, not against it.,........

.......someone remind me of all this when I have my next gig - :D

Hope that helps.
-best,
Mike

[silent-storm]

Try to encorporate into your practice time when you play right at the edge of your ability and get used to the feeling that you are really pushing it and might make a mistake at any second.

I love seeing performances when you can tell the guys are right on the edge. Case in point: I saw Terence Blanchard (a famous jazz trumpet player) last week and I have never seen a group of musicians that close to the edge for an entire show. They were taking so many risks and they simply didn't care if they made an obvious mistake. Well those mistakes happened every once and a while, but it was quite possibly the greatest show I've ever seen. It wasn't perfect, but they didn't care about perfection and because of that they were able to push the music into places that would not have been possible if they were playing it safe. At one point the sax player blew such a rediculas solo and everyone was so into it that when he realized what was going on he didn't really know how to end it...so he just through his arms in the air and walked off stage.

90% of the mistakes you make will go un-noticed and the other 10%, if done while taking a risk and forcing yourself to the edge, will only add to the music.

[ashc]

I think that recording yourself is one way of partially simulating some pressure. This has other benefits since you can use that for analysis and sometimes....you'll find that what you percieve as a mistake (slight fingering error etc) doesnt actually sound like one.

I think the main thing is to be prepared enough to be able play at 110 to 120% of what you need to do. Don't be afraid to simplify some parts to get in that zone - the band might complain, but the audience will never notice.

I'm actually in the same panic at the moment facing my first gig in 18 years!