Author Topic: Performance anxiety (Read 5998 times)

maverickf1jockey · « **on:** December 23, 2007, 10:19:23 AM »

I am really in the shite at the moment with my As music.
I need to have some performances done by at the latest the end of next half term. That's one solo in front of the class, one solo in front of an audience, an ensemble piece with an audience, a composition in front of an audience and anything of my choice in front of an audience.
Trouble is that I just can't copy solos and I tend to lose time without something to focus on. I often sing the vocal lines in order to keep myself in time when playing chords but have been told not to do this as I am being assessed on my guitar playing and not my singing. I also have no one to play with for an ensemble piece because anyone who's actually any good (even mildly) is in a band already and has commitments.
I have no clue what stuff to play and it's affecting my playing as I'm not practising properly due to just not feeling it really.
I need to get some stuff together fast over the holidays (can't do ensemble as I live in the middle of nowhere 3/4 mile from the edge of the nearest town (Malmesbury), which is empty anyway really.). I need you guys to help me get out of this rut and help me select some material.

Potential material:

Flight of the Bumblebee (Troy Stetina transcription; 1/2 way through and stuck in a rut. just needs a bit of attention really.)
Wish you were here (All except for solos; as an ensemble piece with a bass player perhaps.)
I could try to relearn Hell's Kitchen by DT (Had it all bar the keyboardy, odd timey bit. Learnt it in a week.)
I could do some work on Paradigm Shift (Pretty easy stuff really and lots of improv)
21st Century Schizoid Man (learnt by ear; all parts bar freakout improv sections and I know a saxophonist so could be promising.)
Jazzy Improv piece I wrote (not a problem as I play bassline, chords and melody so no accompaniment neccesary.)

What do you think? Any practise help would be fantastic.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2007, 12:05:18 PM »

Try to hear the 'piece' in your head while you play - that will keep time naturally. Works for me.

:twisted:

martinw · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2007, 12:22:04 PM »

Sounds like you've lost the joy of making music.
You can't play well if you're not feeling it, as you say. It'll never flow.

I'd say you need to relearn the fun of playing for it's own sake, rather than some kind of "work." Find some motivation to acheive your set goals, or if you can't, then I'd question why you're studying so hard in the first place. Do you need a qualification in order to do what you want to do in life? Motivation is the key. If you want it badly enough, you have the capabiltiy to overcome anything.

Good luck. :)

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2007, 12:33:38 PM »

I would say that music is still my ambition in life and that music is what truly drives me. I'm taking the A-level because music is what I really feel I need to do and I would like to take it up to university level but playing other peoples' stuff really phases me for some reason. Couple that with a lack of free musicians with the abilities I want in the local area and the fact that the years that just left 6th form a couple of years ago had so much more talent and you can see my situation. Every band I've been in has gone down the shiteter because other people are not focused or paying attention or want to do covers and it's getting me down. I have 2 weeks to sort my act out and get my chops up to scratch (I've been slipping lately as I haven't been able to play properly and stopped doing exercises a while ago; I now find them boring and get sidetracked.). I still love composition and I love listening to music but I just can't perform in front of an audience effectively.

sambo · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2007, 01:04:06 PM »

Hey man, I did GCSE music and had some worries about the performances too.

Best bet is to play something you are EXTREMELY used to playing.

Seriously, in several I tried to play stuff that I thought would impress, that I had learned in the run up to the performances, and got awful marks. Then I played a stupidly easy piece with a guitar-playing mate of mine, and we added a couple of tricky harmonys to the score, and voila- instant high-mark.

To overcome any doubts you're having, just stick to something you know off-by-heart and by instinct and the pressure is much less intense.

As for finding other musicians for an ensemble, well that's much more tricky. I was lucky in that my school set us up with partners and groups to ensure that everyone had equal opportunities.

As long as you can find at least one other guy to play with, it's all good though.

Hope that's of some help.

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2007, 01:27:15 PM »

You could do worse than go to some busker nights at local pubs. That's real seat-of-your pants stuff.

Last time I did that me and some mates were in a pub and I was half-cut. Didn't want to get up after a 5+ pints and playing other people's gear but I got blagged into doing it by my mates and half the people in the pub. It went down well and ended up getting a gig there off the back of it.

I'm not suggesting you get hammered and go to a buskers night, but it'll certainly get you used to playing in front of an audience.

:twisted:

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #6 on:** December 23, 2007, 01:31:33 PM »

I did GCSE and AS music and like Sambo said, if you pick something too hard then you will get shite marks, there's no point picking grade 8 stuff just to get the bonus marks for it being the hardest level. Pick something your used to playing and something fairly easy which you perform well around the grade 4-5 area is perfect, though i did a grade 3 piece i think one time and i got near full marks for it because i didn't muck up and i knew i could play it.

Edit: Can't help with the ensemble stuff because i went to the same school Sambo goes to so we already had it set up, but just ask you music mates in the class if they want to do something to help you out with your performance (and help them out with theirs too if they need a band) that's the easiest way i think.

martinw · « **Reply #7 on:** December 23, 2007, 01:38:32 PM »

If you want to play for an audience, you need to accept that you'll have to play music that people want to listen to, i.e. covers.
It won't help you in the short term, but try and be a bit less precious about originality and doing your own music, and just get the performance experience, playing in front of a crowd, albeit (as you might regard them) of phillistines.

And hey, you might even discover that there is artistic merit in other people's songs. You might even start to enjoy being a musician, instead of trying to compete with yourself.

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2007, 02:57:28 PM »

I have done an open mic night before; I hated it. I did some covers of things like 'Sweet child O' Mine' and 'Oh Well'. They went down well but I just don't have the confidence in my voice to get up on stage and sing well (I am shaky and by the time I'm over that I've done my slot).
Next one to come round I'll do it though; I'll do the jazzy improv piece I mentioned and 'Oh Well' as they are good acoustic songs and maybe some Dylan (can't complain about somebody murdering Dylan's vocal lines now can we?).
I wouldn't mind doing the odd cover but really I am a creative element more than a copycat. I love the ways other musicians work but I can't work that way; Petrucci's solos in HK just felt like my fingers weren't fretting and were just flapping about (sounded pretty much right though) but if I feel the need for a Petrucci style lick I can just play it and it feels natural to me as I'm not consciously trying to emulate him at all. I can play in the style of Satriani but I can't play any of his numbers all the way through.

On a better note; I just had a guitar practise (more of a musical wank but fun all the same

) and I really sorted out my anxieties for a bit but I need to get this ensemble thing together (I need suggestions of simple songs which the other people can learn easily; maybe a Beatles number) and sort out my solos.
FOTBB is just a case of getting my arse in gear and getting out the old metronome, WYWH needs the solos learning (not too bad but Gilmore's solos are hard to get the feel right for), 21CSM is definitely a good one as it's nice and simple guitar parts. That with the jazz improv and a Beatles number is enough I think.

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #9 on:** December 23, 2007, 03:24:02 PM »

Help! by The Beatles is the easiest song to learn ever.

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #10 on:** December 23, 2007, 03:42:29 PM »

Another guy in my class knows it too (did it for christmas concert) so should be a fine idea if I play the part he doesn't.

badgermark · « **Reply #11 on:** December 23, 2007, 04:17:26 PM »

I love playing Help! Try it slower, more downbeat. Tis the way Lennon wanted it played. It really is a sad, desperate song. Awesome though. Real men play it in the key of A...

plastercaster · « **Reply #12 on:** December 23, 2007, 07:20:44 PM »

Quote from: Crazy_Joe

I did GCSE and AS music and like Sambo said, if you pick something too hard then you will get shitee marks, there's no point picking grade 8 stuff just to get the bonus marks for it being the hardest level. Pick something your used to playing and something fairly easy which you perform well around the grade 4-5 area is perfect, though i did a grade 3 piece i think one time and i got near full marks for it because i didn't muck up and i knew i could play it.

+1
I talked to my music teacher about this, and she told me that a Grade 5 piece will get you full marks for technical ability, and you only drop a couple going to a grade 3 piece- Although you're doing A level and it might be harder, the same thing will stand. Try and think on the bright side: the performance isn't making up the majority of your mark. Composition, which you are good at and enjoy, is.

Do an easy piece (early beatles is great, I got paperback writer done with my band in 2 takes), get it over and done with, and concentrate on other things.

Personally, I'm the other way round. I love being on stage, and have a repertoire of high scoring stuff from school performances, christmas concerts, and a couple of gigs down the pub. Shame it's only worth 25% of the mark, because I don't have the confidence or patience to compose.

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #13 on:** December 23, 2007, 10:19:13 PM »

I'd love to be on stage in a band situation but I don't have the opportunity to do so. As a solo performer I falter when doing other peoples' material that's all.

_tom_ · « **Reply #14 on:** December 24, 2007, 01:17:37 AM »

Quote from: martinw

If you want to play for an audience, you need to accept that you'll have to play music that people want to listen to, i.e. covers.
It won't help you in the short term, but try and be a bit less precious about originality and doing your own music, and just get the performance experience, playing in front of a crowd, albeit (as you might regard them) of phillistines.
And hey, you might even discover that there is artistic merit in other people's songs. You might even start to enjoy being a musician, instead of trying to compete with yourself.

The only thing is that covers are so boring to play after a few gigs :( I had to quit the band I got so sick of it :lol: