# Playing In front of people, Shaky hands =[



## 777 (Feb 26, 2009)

OK so I had to play in front of my music class today for Practical class in preparation for my LEaving cert (GCSE/A Levels or SAT equivelent)

I played Love thing by joe satriani , I know i can nail this song, i have done before and play it alot yet i couldn't today =[

The problem is whenever i play in front of people my hands get really shaky out of nevousness, ive tried breathing,not focusing on them and staring at my guitar to no avail, its ben happening for NEARLY as long as i can remember

Im an absolute perfectionist and i like things to be just so, and am also my worst critic so i really unconciously psyche myself up for playing for people then i just fail coz of shaky hands

I want to play for people, its all i think of when i listen to music, how amazing it would be to play whatever song to a crowd and feel the music but for some reason i just cant....

I need to get over this and beat it once and for all, i wont have my music ruined for me and other people by shaking hands and i need YOUR help

Any suggestions?


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## Mattmc74 (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm really not sure what to say to help you get over this. I on the other hand am the oppisite of you. I love to play in front of other people. I kind of feed off of it!

Just try to not think about them being there i guess and focus on playing as usual. I wish you luck!


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## Benjo230 (Feb 26, 2009)

Play with other people (i.e. band situation )!

I could not and still can not play infront of people on my own, it petrifies me, and something that i can play like the back of my hand on my own, suddenly turns into a stuttery pile of shit...

But whenever im playing with the band, all the fear the there are a bunch of people watching me goes away, hell even when soloing at the front of the stage (center of attention), i don't feel nervous/scared.

Give it a go


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Feb 26, 2009)

Grab people aside fifteen minutes before you have to go to your performance, and play your piece a couple times for them. You'll handle the stress a little better once you've had the adrenaline pumping for a bit.

I also suggest going to karaoke bars and singing a few songs once a week. I did this last semester, and it did wonders for my anxiety. Perform often enough, and you should get the hang of it.


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## TonalArchitect (Feb 26, 2009)

I get pretty nervous whenever I go up in front of people, whether it's for music, a speech, or theatre. I find that it really helps if whatever you're doing is thoroughly rehearsed. Even if it's well-within your capability and you can do it with little effort in your room, practice it until it becomes automatic. 

Even if I don't haven't practiced something to perfection, there is a point at which you seem to do it automatically in front of an audience, even when you're nervous as heck. Sometimes it seems as if you're almost watching yourself, thinking, "how am I doing this?"

Not that I've performed a great deal, but I don't think the butterflies ever go away. They don't for my drama teacher, and even Eddie Van Halen (not to use a cliche, but I read this in an interview) still gets nervous as hell before performing. 

So, to regurgitate what I've said, practice until it becomes second nature, where you can have a conversation and still perform the piece adequately.


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## lobee (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm the same way in front of people so I can't help, but there's some good advice here. Practice until it's automatic, play with other people(band), and play in front of people more often and it'll get easier.






TonalArchitect said:


> ...even Eddie Van Halen still gets hammered as hell before performing.


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 26, 2009)

i tend to speed up live lol


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## Metal Ken (Feb 27, 2009)

Its weird, i've gotten more nervous in front of small groups (like 20 people) in an intimate setting than i have in front of 2-300 people in a live band setting. 

I'd say you just gotta get up there and do it. Once you realize you _can _do it, it gets way easier.


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## hairychris (Feb 27, 2009)

Practise in that situation. Having your music down is also really important as far as stress relief goes.

I'm perfectly happy playing in a band situation, but the day I end up doing something solo I'll probably be a bag of jelly!

A singer/songwriter I know (who, the last time I saw him live, played solo in front of 3500 people) said that his fist gig in that format was far worse that anything he'd previously done in a band setting.

You'll be fine.


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## TimothyLeary (Feb 27, 2009)

I feel shaky hands even when I play to someone of my family. 

When I had to play a acoustic guitar in front of 30 people, I stopped in the middle of the song, because of my hands shake so much, so I made a joke, everybody laugh but since that day, I'm afraid to play live again.

best of luck to you.


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## Marko (Feb 27, 2009)

It's just the way it is, the first couple of times playing live - you get all shaky and you mess everything up, and then it gets better 

My drummer has a tape of my first gig ever, we played in a town thats some 7-8hours drive frome our hometown, and it was broadcasted on radio  You wouldn't belive how dreadful it was... Then, a few years later, I find myself really enjoying every gig and having minimal stagefright - or rather just a cool adrenaline rush

And then, a few months ago, I've applied for some opera singing lessons in my local music school. So there's this little test of musical abilities you have to take in order to get in the class. It all went well, up to the point where this lady asked me to sing something. Now, I knew i'll have to sing something, it's just this strange feeling of having to sing in front of an audience and not beeing used to it - I was silent for at least 10 seconds, everybody just staring at me wondering whats going on... and then i did a trainwreck version of Easy by The Commodores (or Faith No More if you like) If I was asked to play my guitar instead, I wouldn't have any problem with that...

So dont you worry, performing anything in front of anybody takes some time to get used to


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## darren (Feb 27, 2009)

The only way to get over it is to do it more.


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## chrismgtis (Feb 28, 2009)

I've jumped out of 108 airplanes/1 helicopter. That really trained me to handle being scared! Maybe you should try skydiving.


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## Mattayus (Feb 28, 2009)

Metal Ken said:


> Its weird, i've gotten more nervous in front of small groups (like 20 people) in an intimate setting than i have in front of 2-300 people in a live band setting.
> 
> I'd say you just gotta get up there and do it. Once you realize you _can _do it, it gets way easier.



This is me all over. I've played gigs of 300+ people and been SO overly nervous that I nailed everything without a hitch (petrified on the spot though I might add) but sometimes I can't even pull things off in a guitar shop for fear of sounding like a total prick.

When I went to buy my first ever 7 string, I went round the dude's house, sat down, he offered for me to plug it in, i said "erm.. .go on then", couldn't think of a damn thing to play and then tried to pull out some simple little blues lick AND FLUFFED IT UP!! It's extremely aggravating, especially when I'm trying to teach people as well. If you're supposed to be teaching them stuff and YOU can't even pull it off, how the fuck are they meant to learn!?  No, thankfully it's ok when I'm teaching because I don't have to do anything spectacular, but I do still get a little nervous.


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## Excalibur (Feb 28, 2009)

Just remember your playing for yourself (mostly), you need to keep your breathing regulating and your hands steady.

Just like shooting a Sniper Rifle.

If all else fails, take a Diazepam and use Sniper Wolf's handkerchief.


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## AeonSolus (Feb 28, 2009)

It's true that the more people, the less nervous you feel, well.. at least to me..

I played a 1000+ festival once, and it was easier than playing a small club with 20 people, things just get closer and more intimate.

A tip is drinking something strong, anything of your choice. Not strong enough to numb your playing skills, but to help you get "loose", something i do regulary is to drink a very heavy ginger tea, or when there's no ginger, just take *just a little* rum or whiskey if you're a drinker, which for me had worked with better results  A Bloody mary with chilli sauce works too.

hope that helped


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## 7thwave (Mar 1, 2009)

Try yawning beforehand, i've done that before gigs and it relaxes me completely.


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## Demeyes (Mar 1, 2009)

You get used to it. I used to be pretty poor playing live because of nerves but now that I've had more gigs under my belt I've gotten more used to it. It's a lot easier to enjoy the gig when you are more relaxed.
I wouldn't advise drinking or drugs to loosen up, especially if you don't play under the influence often. People will be able to tell a mile off.


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## PirateMetalTroy (Mar 1, 2009)

I get this when I go to my lessons. I can normally play just about anything he throws at me at home, but as soon as I sit down I suddenly begin to fail.

You just have to to do it more and more.


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## chrismgtis (Mar 1, 2009)

I've been playing with some guys at church for about 4 months now, every Sunday. We have to learn the songs at home, practice for about 15 minutes before we play, and then play the songs. It's pretty challenging and I do get pretty nervous sometimes doing it, when I don't know the songs too well. 

I really screwed up today. Totally bombed. I was tuning my guitar, so they started the song, and I was going to come in, then I forgot which song we were playing and I just stood there like, crapppppp crap crap. That's when I start to really get nervous. When I'm nailing it, I'm fine.


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## Scar Symmetry (Mar 1, 2009)

don't think about what they're thinking. you're the performer, you know how it should be played. put yourself in 'the zone', think about something serious or something that focuses you. for me, I think about things that make me angry, coz when I'm angry, I tend to put more into things as I'm no longer emotionally 'passive'. just do whatever gets your brain into the 'I must play this song right' zone.


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