HOW TO FIGHT THAT STAGE FRIGHT
Stage fright is something that most performers dread . However , it ’ s more reflective of your passion than just a bundle of nerves acting up . People who are passionate about anything , always overanalyze their performance , paranoid about not being “ in the zone ” when the time comes .
Music comes from the heart , and musicians want others to hear and feel the same passion . This desire to be excellent and make others feel your passion leads to stagefright . It ’ s similar to the fight-or-flight response ; it ’ s a jolt to the system before we hit the stage .
If you are stuck by stagefright , there are two paths you can go by . You can allow it to overwhelm you , leaving you nauseous , tight-throated , forgetting words and chords of the song or you can turn that nervous energy into performance fuel that drives you towards delivering your best performance ever . So , you see , nervous energy and performance fuel are one and the same . It is how we perceive the effects of stage fright that determines the outcome . Good or bad , it ’ s up to you to decide how stage fright will affect your performance !
How do the pros overcome stage fright ?
When stage fright kicks in and you notice your energy spiking , Are you going to see those butterflies in your stomach as ill feelings of selfdoubt or to shake off those negative thoughts and use that energy to boost your confidence ? We are happy to inform you that at most times , it ’ s as easy as flipping a switch . You can get paranoid about your performance or believe in yourself and kick butt .
There ’ s a little more to it than changing your perception . It might be tough to think positively when your stomach is turning flips . In order to turn your nervous energy into performance fuel , you need to follow the three step method of Breathe , Visualize , and Vocalize .
Breathe
Just like singing , breathing holds the key here as well . Generally , when you start to feel nervous , your breathing will speed up . At that point of time , you must use your breath to recentre yourself and slow your breathing to control stage fright . In case your breathing shoots up , inhale slowly while you count to four , then hold for a count a four and finally exhale for a count of eight . Repeat till your breathing becomes normal . If you can ’ t control your breath , you can ’ t control your performance .
Visualize
Next , visualize the performance from beginning to end as if you are watching yourself at hyperspeed . Take in an entire hour set in seconds , playing it out perfectly . Visualize the crowd going crazy ; hear yourself performing and nailing every note ; see yourself ending the night walking off the stage as the crowd begs for more , your fans coming up to you afterward telling you how amazing you sounded . Visualize yourself and tell yourself how much of a star you are . In your mind , you should see yourself as confident as Beyonce is on stage . If you believe in your ability to shine , no one can steal it from you .
Vocalize
This third step is mainly for singers . Even if you ’ re warmed up , it helps to keep the blood flowing to your vocal cords . You don ’ t need to go crazy with volume and range ; that is not the goal . You must keep your vocal cords vibrating right until the show ’ s start so that your voice doesn ’ t sound weak and shaky when you start your performance . Some of you may doubt this threestep process because it is incredibly simple . But like most problems in life , the solution is always the simplest one .
The Score Magazine
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