Nerves

[jjrox32]

This is something I seriously need help with. One of the classes at my school that I take is music, which I love. However, how they evaluate you is having you play a certain song/piece once, in front of the entire class. But lately it seems that no matter how hard I practice for these tests, I always get a mediocre grade because I'm too nervous to play to the best of my ability. The same thing applies to public speaking.

 

 

 

Is there anything that can help this? I mean at this rate I'll have to drop music by the time I graduate since it's dropping my average, but that's something I don't want to do.

[Kiriyama]

Umm...

 

 

 

Imagine them all in their underwear? But don't imagine yourself in your underwear at the same time.

[Skill_Caster]

Not sure if it would work for you, but I've had somewhat of the same problem before. Although, if you ask your director and explain your problem, he/she might allow you to play for him/her privately so you don't have to do it in front of everyone.

[Laura]

Look at the back of the room, at neutral surfaces. Gradually move your way down to the audience as your experience and practice increase.

[pryomancer]

Your audience aren't going to boo you off if you perform badly, they probably don't care, they'll be too nervous worrying about their own performance.

 

Besides, you need to be a good showman when performing, I'd never go see a band who justed stood still, played their instruments then walked off.

[RichieMcD]

Isn't simple, but don't think about it. Get up there, stare at the floor / wall / ceiling and don't think about it, just play your piece and get it over with. Looking at the audience / thinking about it will just screw you up so don't think about it. There's not much advice for these situations.

[Lenin64]

Public speaking used to be tough for me. Then I realized my superiority over my audience. Never again had a problem with it.

[BlackDawn]

Get a friend to dance stupidly behind the rows of people, just watch him/her while you do your thing.

[deloriagod]

ceiling

 

 

 

Don't stare at the ceiling. You will look 100% uninterested in what you're doing and you audience members will be asleep by the time you finish. You best bet is to look at something within the audience, say an empty seat or even just above the back rows heads. It will give the impression that you're trying to connect with your audience and they'll be more likely to focus on you.

[obfuscator]

To be honest, I experienced the same thing. I just focus on the music. Since you have mastered it, it should sound good. Listen to it, enjoy it, and you should be fine.

[pureprayer]

Practice infront of your parents

[Nenga]

If you need to picture me naked, it's cool.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway OT: Just focus on the music, not on the crowd. Play it in a way you'll like it not the other people.

[l0rd]

to be honest I'm deathy scared of most public speaking. Just don't think about it before hand, just get up and do it, I've found that to be the best strategy

[scn64]

Do something to insult the audience just before you go up, like give them the middle finger. Then you'll know that no matter what kind of music you play, the audience can't possibly hate you any more than they already do.

[Giordano]

Umm...

 

 

 

Imagine them all in their underwear? But don't imagine yourself in your underwear at the same time.

 

No that doesn't work. You start to look in girls in their underwear, grow a bone, and be even more embarrased trying to fix it. Plus the fact that they really aren't in their underwear and you have the extra bone, sets it off trying to reason with them on why you had it in the first place.

 

 

 

No, what you have to do is think of yourself. Do you really judge somebody when they present? Most of the time no; that's the same thing they feel about you.

[Rebdragon]

The key to a public performance is to undertand the subject matter so well that the presentation becomes almost freeform. So the only real advice I have is to practice your [wagon] off.

[Quoi_Tu]

The key to a public performance is to undertand the subject matter so well that the presentation becomes almost freeform. So the only real advice I have is to practice your [wagon] off.

 

I second this. A couple semesters ago I had a lot of presentations to give in the period of a few weeks all on subject matter I really enjoyed learning about. The first presentation I was nervous as hell, but with each one I became more comfortable and knew enough to easily answer any questions. Actually, I've heard that after you've done it enough times it becomes addicting, although that might be more for academic presentations.

[Giordano]

The key to a public performance is to undertand the subject matter so well that the presentation becomes almost freeform. So the only real advice I have is to practice your [wagon] off.

 

I third this. Listening to twenty teenagers talk about earth science in such a slow and mentally ill level is the most pain I've ever endured.

[ThurinEthir]

The key to a public performance is to undertand the subject matter so well that the presentation becomes almost freeform. So the only real advice I have is to practice your [wagon] off.

 

I second this. A couple semesters ago I had a lot of presentations to give in the period of a few weeks all on subject matter I really enjoyed learning about. The first presentation I was nervous as hell, but with each one I became more comfortable and knew enough to easily answer any questions. Actually, I've heard that after you've done it enough times it becomes addicting, although that might be more for academic presentations.

 

Agreed.

 

I've gone through a good deal of piano recitals. Though I've screwed up on just about every single one, I've learned a thing or two.

 

After playing a piece enough times, I can play it subconsciously. It just...Feels natural for my fingers to flow that way. So at the recital, I relax, don't focus on it too much, and just play. Practice does make perfect...Almost.

 

I doubt this is true for public speaking though, which I absolutely suck at. I've maybe given two good oral reports in my life. It just isn't my thing, though I don't think it's a coincidence that the day before one of my good presentations, I spent a lot of time practicing.

 

But don't focus on it too much.

 

(And yes, the best motivation is from within. You'll nearly always do better if you enjoy what you're talking about, or what you're playing. That's definitely why I've been doing better at piano lately, I actually like what I play now)

[Zierro]

If you get nervous, try inspiring yourself to be brave by thinking about stories of brave knights who faced dragons. I mean when you take it into retrospect, speaking in front of public isn't really that scary compared to a lot of other things.

[Stilev]

in my public speaking class (mandatory class) i asked couple friends of mine (all girls) to just smile, and i just look at them, which gave me confidence when i started blanking

[Riku3220]

My solution is usually go first. You see if you go first everybody is worried about their own preformance to care whether or not you do bad.

[fastortoise]

The key to a public performance is to undertand the subject matter so well that the presentation becomes almost freeform. So the only real advice I have is to practice your [wagon] off.

 

Yurp. Not many people understand this, even at the college level.

 

To get rid of nerves, practice is the only way to go. The more you do it, the less nerves you get... also, try caring less.

[justin_m23]

I had the same problem. I wasn't exactly nerves before hand, its just the adrenaline took over as I began and tore my performance apart. I just take deep breaths as I play, which seems to suppress the rush a little. Also, closing my eyes helped heaps. It meant I could block everything else, but also made me look like I was really into it. :P

[Madmanpur3]

The solution to nerves due to audiences is to make it equally/more awkward for the audience themselves. Can be accomplished by making an awkward statement, such as "My dog thinks you're cute" to someone in the front row. That or actually be in your underwear (not just picturing yourself in them ;) ).

 

 

 

But seriously, just practice going outside of your comfort zone. If you play an easily mobile instrument, bring it to a mall and practice there (might even make some money in the process :P ). When you're in public, go up to a complete stranger and comment on something they're wearing....you know, things like that.

 

 

 

Personally I'm not the best public speaker and I'm taking a course where we're gonna have to do 2-3 presentations/speeches throughout the semester, my plan is to involve the audience by either asking a couple questions throughout or putting humor in my presentation because hearing some laughs will calm me down.

 

- I do fine if I know the subject matter I'm presenting well, but not sure if she's gonna let us pick the topics or not.