Controlling Stage Frightened Pounding Heart While Singing

[Rolsen]

Besides the ?be prepared, relax, think good thoughts, drink a beer? ? type of advice, anyone have thoughts on how to tame a thumping heartbeat, especially during that first song of the set while you are singing (and playing guitar too, but that?s not my primary concern)? Its hard, for me anyway, to sing while that initial burst of stage-fright is occurring. It usually settles a bit, but that first song is a doozy.

[ulriggribbons]

You gotta use it to your advantage. Assuming your material is well rehearsed, you have nothing to fear, so look at it like a free can of Red Bull, channel it into the performance.

Otherwise you'll be giving people the "deer in headlights" show =)

Jon

[curtiswyant]

Just pretend like you're having band practice.

[Jay Reynolds]

Massive amounts of Jaeger and hippie lettuce used to work, sort-of
I can't say that its gotten any better over the years for me. IMHO, people never get past stage fright. They just learn to love it.
Maybe focus on your breathing? Make sure you are breathing from your center/diaphragm?
I know folks who get the stage shits before they go on. Be glad you're not one of them.

[GooberNumber9]

I'm not a big fan of the alcohol-affected performance myself. Here's a couple points from my view of things:

1) More or less it will always be there, at least at a the beginning of a set. Compose your set lists with this in mind and put an easy song up front.

2) Sing karaoke! It will help you develop your singing without the distraction of guitar playing, and it helped me with my stage fright in a big way.

3) Warm up your voice and psych yourself up before a show. There are web sites out there with warm-up techniques developed by voice experts. Those will not only help get you into it, but also mentally prepare you.

In my experience, my worst shows are the ones where I'm not at all nervous going on stage. Embrace the nerves and realize that means you're really putting something on the line, which is a good thing.

[Smitty]

i find that not giving a shit helps. seriously. my best, most relaxed performances are always at shows i could care less about playing. i try to recreate that mental process before important shows to get the same results.

[DrummerMan]

I know folks who get the stage shits before they go on. Be glad you're not one of them.

Haha! This happened to me once. I was playing on an "audition" run-out tour for a somewhat well-known group. First show with them (Higher Ground in Burlington, I believe) and 5 minutes before we hit, I realized there was no way I was going to be able to hold it in for an 80 minute set. Luckily I knew everyone in the band very well, and instead of hating on me, they just made fun of me a bunch. It was definitely out of nervousness, though, as that was probably the most nervous I've ever been, playing drums at least...

[Smitty]

At a show a while back I was taking a leak before our set when I heard the band on stage stop playing, and the singer calmy came in and settled into one of the bathroom stalls.

In the middle of the set! Wow.

[Rolsen]

The nerves, I'll try to embrace and transform into excitement, but the physical effect of the pounding heart seems to inhibit my ability to breath ? like singing after sprinting a lap around the track. I concur with the ?don?t give a shit? attitude, even if you really do. That technique has helped me with other disciplines. Thanks for your responses thus far ? I?m playing my first show as the primary singer on Saturday.

[Rolsen]

I know folks who get the stage shits before they go on. Be glad you're not one of them.

Mike McCready (sp?) of Pearl Jam has publicly talked about his irritable bowel syndrome, which has resulted in countless ?sharts? during performances. Pounding heart I?ll learn to deal with ? if I shit my drawers I?ll turn to stamp collecting for kicks.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

i could never, ever get onstage and sing. i dunno how you guys do it. i need a drumkit or a guitar to hide behind.

hhmmm that's probably not what rolsen needs to hear right now.

i concur with 'don't give a shit'. don't worry about the crowd at all, just focus on playing well for the sake of it, because your songs deserve to be played well.

or i dunno, imagine that instead of being onstage you were thrust into an operating room, handed a scalpel, and told it was up to you to save the patients life. of course not being a doctor you have no idea what to do! imagine the terror! so, compared to that, getting onstage and singing your songs? easy as pie!

[Jay Reynolds]

Thanks for your responses thus far ? I?m playing my first show as the primary singer on Saturday.

As they say in football, you just need more reps.

[@?,*???&?]

Besides the ?be prepared, relax, think good thoughts, drink a beer? ? type of advice, anyone have thoughts on how to tame a thumping heartbeat, especially during that first song of the set while you are singing (and playing guitar too, but that?s not my primary concern)? Its hard, for me anyway, to sing while that initial burst of stage-fright is occurring. It usually settles a bit, but that first song is a doozy.

Strong warm-up beforehand so that the performance is not a freakish one-time occurrence but rather an extension of what came before and as you cool down after. The entire warm-up, performance, cool-down could be a 4 hour event. All the nerves will come during warm-up. You should be relaxed by the time you have to sing. I have seen this from people in the studio too. The better the warm-up, the more centered the singer will be.

[cgarges]

Agreed on the warm-up.

On the "not giving a shit" bit, I think there's a fine line. I think you should totally give a shit about how you're performing and how the band is doing as a unit, as the first tune sets the feel for the entire set, but getting your brain to not give a shit about how many people are there or whatever may be freaking you out is key. It's entirely possible to separate the two and I think the best performers have a grasp on both.

A friend of mine got to play "Alright Now" in front of thousands of people last year (the thousands of people part he does on a regular basis) when Paul Rodgers showed up for one of their gigs. They rehearsed the tune at sound check and he said that Paul was full-on when they rehearsed. They even rehearsed some audience participation stuff and he said that it was completely the same at sound check as it was during the show-- and it was not the least bit half-hearted at the show. That guy puts the same amount of energy and effort into his performance regardless of how many people are in front of him.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[RefD]

singing is very physical, warm up before and warm down afterward.

if you don't get the opportunity for that (or even if you do), deep breathing exercises and stretching beforehand can help ALOT.

it takes me three to five songs into the first set before i get past the stage fright...and it comes rushing back to me if i drop a clanger on my instrument or forget the lyrics!

but i get over it pretty quickly usually.