Ableton Forum

I am trained classical singer. I perform well during rehearsals but blow-up during the main stage performances & auditions. My trainer and team still feel that I have the potential but I lack confidence and am unable to overcome the stage fear. Any experiences of overcoming stage fear.

drugs and booze and/or a mouse hat

savis wrote:I am trained classical singer. I perform well during rehearsals but blow-up during the main stage performances & auditions. My trainer and team still feel that I have the potential but I lack confidence and am unable to overcome the stage fear. Any experiences of overcoming stage fear.

Besides being comfortable with the material and well-practiced, just performing over and over was the best solution for me. You'll probably always get butterflies, but making performances less precious by having more and more of them really helps. Less healthy advice is to have a drink or two before going on -- and not miracle fruit juice from the açai berry.

LOL… I am performing this Sunday and am keeping my fingers crossed to give my best shot. I am not comfortable having any drinks but I have meditated and visualized having a successful show. Will update about my performance later.

Alter persona, create a look and give it a feel. Allow your art to be expressed through the medium. When you are done, shed it, leave the stage and whatever happened behind.

Good Luck!

Khazul wrote:drugs and booze and/or a mouse hat

+1.

That and just concentrate on, and get lost in enjoying/playing the music. If I love playing the music and think it sounds good I don't give a shit if the audience does. I play it for me, because I must, not for them, for their (dis?)approval. If they love it great, I enjoy it more! If they don't, they're listening to the wrong band. That way I worry less, enjoy it more, and probably play better as a result.

Think of a crowd as one person that you're having a conversation with.

perform with a choir first... being not alone helps a lot. make some solo parts here and there if possible.

singing is a bit like acting. you play someone who is full of confidence.
control your body, stand tight and look forward. breath deep. as long as you act like that, you will feel like that.
give yourself time. and be glad you´re talented!

and remember: making music is not dangerous. mistakes will happen and you should laugh about.
mistakes are often funny. enjoy it and the audience will do also.

Laughing is what cured me of stage fright. You can make light of mistakes and the audience will follow suit.

No offence to classical music, but the whole scene, by and large with a few notable exceptions, forgets that music is supposed to be enjoyed by the players too, how often do you see members of an orchestra smiling? Stern frowns, furrowed brows... music... serious bizness!

It's not, Chill out.

S