[Menvi-discuss] mental aspects of playing/performing

[Julie McGinnity]

Hi.

I feel the same way when I play piano.  I try to have friends listen
to me when possible.  I'm hoping that the more I perform for people,
the easier it will become.

When I sing, I simply repeat and rehearse so much(and I've been
singing longer) that I don't feel nervous.  I think it's a matter of
getting out there more and training your brain not to freak out.  You
know your music, so it's time to perform it.

On 5/8/12, Dale Lieser <dale.lieser at gmail.com> wrote:
> Chris,
>
> I don't have a solution that works all the time. One thing that helps a
> lot,
> though, is isolating trouble spots and giving myself the freedom to work on
> just those few measures, or however short or long the passage, and doing
> slowly. When I regain some tempo some tension usually tries to creep in,
> too.
>
> It is indeed hard when you think or know others are listening. To
> counteract
> that, or rather work with it, sometimes I ask people to listen to me
> practice, because there is no substitute for playing or singing in front of
> others.
>
> Regarding beta blockers, I say no. Choose opportunities to gain audience
> experience instead.
>
> Dale
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
> [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Chris Smart
> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 6:23 PM
> To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
> Subject: [Menvi-discuss] mental aspects of playing/performing
>
> Hi folks.
>
> For those of you who perform, or just get anxious if you know
> anybody can hear you, even when practicing, how do you deal with it?
>
> I'm doing some daily deep breathing exercises and trying to just
> adopt an attitude of it not mattering so much if I hit a wrong
> note, but that is easier said than done.
>
> I got a chance to jam with Larry Carlton last month at a master
> class, and while it was a positive experience, I was so worked up
> it felt like I was listening to someone else play, like, observing
> myself, not able to really hear what was going on. I don't mean
> that in a good sense, as in, wow, I was so into the music I blocked
> out distractions. I mean that I was so up tight I wasn't present at
> all!
>
> I realize that we are our own worst critics, and that we hear lots
> of things the audience neither notices nor cares about, but that
> doesn't seem to actually help my state of mind when playing.
>
> Do any of you have any strategies for coping with this sort of
> internal tention that actually work for you?
>
> Connected to this is perhaps a controvercial question, but I'll ask
> it anyway. Beta blockers ... good or bad?
>
> Thanks for any insights,
>
> Chris
> P.S. One thing I read in a book recently stated that hey, we're not
> performing brain surgery or piloting a plain. Nobody dies if we
> mess up. *laugh*
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-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, National Federation of the Blind
of Missouri recording secretary,
and proud graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16