Nerves

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Peace
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 10:04 PM

Nerves are the things that help us. I can't recall ever going on stage without having a case of nerves to a greater or lesser degree. One evening--no booze or dope involved--I puked lots before going on. Got a standing ovation for the half dozen songs I did. I see nerves as things that require an akaido-type handling. Use them to your advantage. Learn that you have them and 'make them your friend'.

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 09:58 PM

Les, something that helped me.

You learn a song two ways:

1) muscle memory

2) thinking memory

Use both. Practice over and over and over until you can just let yourself go and your fingers seem to automatically go to the right place. Also memorize different starting places by thinking about what notes to play...be able to name them.

Have you ever lost your place and had to go back to the beginning to get back on track? If you practice the second type of memory, thinking memory, you can start anywhere. Jitters seem to go away when you are "over prepared."

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Willie-O
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 09:11 PM

Learned a great practice technique for getting familiar with a tune recently (from Cape Breton great Jerry Holland):

Learn tunes by repeating two-bar segments. No pause in between, just cycle and cycle them. He was using this to teach us a tune by ear, but it would work just as well for getting really comfortable with the hard parts of a tune. Better to spend your time that way than playing a whole tune over and over when there's just one or two tricky bits you sometimes get wrong--as is usually the case.

Also, as a mandola player myself, I know it's a bit of a problematic instrument re: choice of keys. If you're playing with others in the conventional key for the tune, you have to get comfortable with going up the neck.

Since I am a lazy sod, I tend to sit around and play mandola by myself using the same fingerings as I would for mandolin...but the tunes come out in another key a fifth lower. Sounds fine in my basement. If forced into the previous-mentioned situation (sociability), I regret this...so, are you practicing the tunes in the same fingering and tempo as you have to perform them?   

W-O

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 07:12 PM

Having done my first paid gig in nineteen fifty eight at the Royal
Tournament, plaid in Dance Jazz jug and Crilidh bands and done the solo Pub entertainer bit , I still get nervous before playing,even a floor spot in my local club if its NEW material. Diva has it right - If you arent nervous then give it up.Otherwise , Les , Just practice and then practice a bit more.

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 07:01 PM

EX-hale, all the way down to your crotch...

Aaaaarrrrggghhhh

Too much information.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 05:29 PM

Thanks Joybell. I guess the songs have a slower pace and a story to follow. Tunes are technicaly more difficult. The half way house is sitting playing with a few or just one other, that seems to be OK, its that audience -performer thing. Is that why sessions are so popular?

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Joybell
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 05:20 PM

As a singer Les, you will have already developed all the skills for coping with nerves - visulizing the audience without clothes on, focusing on a good listener, deep, slow breathing beforehand whatever, but playing an instrument is a whole different matter isn't it? A friend of mine had so much trouble, as a beginner, in remembering tunes that he became an excellent improvisor. He knew his instruments so well that he could do amazing things with the tune until he found his place again. Nobody ever knew how many times he'd played a B part and he always forgot himself - he just found his way to the end somehow and wonderful things happened in the meantime. He could even do it within a group. You still have to cope with the nerves but if you are confident about being able to find your way out of the woods, there's one less thing to worry about.

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:57 PM

Thanks Dave (& Peggy) I will go and do it

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:49 PM

Les Chorlton said, in part:

"Sound familiar? More beer? Other substances? Yoga? Deep breathing? Tantric tuning?"

I can't answer to the putative benefits of beer, other substances, or yoga.   But as to deep breathing, I have one word: DON'T!

At Banjo Camp North a couple years ago, Peggy Seeger was addressing the subject of nervousness, and she said something like, "That's the last thing you want to do."

But she went on: "EX-hale, all the way down to your crotch. Let your shoulders fall. This is very relaxing. Then just let normal breathing take over; DON'T take a big inhalation.

"When you take a deep breath, you fill up your capacity and you raise your shoulders, and you tense up. Now, with your lungs full, and tense, you can't get a breath, and it makes you panicky and you tend to fall apart. EX-haling does the opposite for you."

I probably haven't said it as well as she did, but that's her message in essence.   And I can tell you from personal experience that it works.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:42 PM

Thanks, I get the point from Diva about needing a bit but treewind has my symptoms and its stopping me progressing. Will I ever?

I used to find with snooker that zero beer was not much good, 1 pint was better, 2 maybe and downhill after that. Does a similar curve exist for tunes?

Eyes shut or open. I did find that total concentration on the tune in my head helped, obvious I suppose?

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:11 PM

I second that comment Diva, it was the advice giving to me when I was performing on a regular basis!

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: treewind
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:11 PM

Yes, but we don't need to forget how many A's and B's we've played, or to make mistakes or forget words, or (my worst bugbear) get bow shake when playing the cello. The latter can happen even if I'm not feeling very nervous, and I can't control it.

One thing experience has taught me is that you can't have too much overkill in practicing for performance. One of my favourite quotes (I don't know who said it originally) is about the difference between a professional and an amateur: an amateur practices until he can play it right, and professional practices until he can't play it wrong.

I've been playing most of my instruments for many years, but I've had the "falling to pieces" experience recently with the pipes, which are a new instrument for me, especially with no other wind instrument experience.

So one answer is you somehow have to be able to play OK even when you're nervous. I've heard tales of internationally famous concert performers (in the classical music world) who had to be pushed into the stage...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Nerves
From: GUEST,Diva
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:53 PM

I was given the most wonderful advice about nerves from a good friend, who is also a semi profesional musician. Apparently we need them and when we stop getting them, we should give up. So heres to the nerves!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: Nerves
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:50 PM

I have sung and played guitar at folk clubs for a many years. I have been playing tunes on the Mandola for about 2 years and about once a month at the club for the past year. I can play about 50, some in pairs, at home, most without many mistakes. When I get up to play I feel much more nervous, forget how many As and Bs I have played and make many more mistakes?

Sound familiar? More beer? Other substances? Yoga? Deep breathing? Tantric tuning?

Any help o0ut their?