Major trouble with nerves..

I had that problem too. My first time in front of people (about 30) i messed up the solo for Jumper. What really got me out of the whole stage fright thing was playing a song at a banquet in front of 350 people and newscameras. I played a simple song with just power chords while my friend sang. After that, I'm ready to play in front of anyone. I just say to myself, well I played for all those people with their suits and ties, and it went well, and I can do this. So last time I played somewhere, it was at a memorial service for like, 50 people. I played a song I had learned the day before, and I had confidence because I was able to play in front of the larger crowd. So I'd say that it was playing for all those people that broke me.

It's a bit of a mental thing. If you can imagine that no one's there, then you're ok. For me, all I did was look at my fingers, and then look at my friend next to me. I didn't look out at the crowd. Another part of it is really enjoying who you're playing with. I love playing with this girl, we really feed off each other, so when we get in a groove it seems like we're the only 2 people there. That night we were in perfect harmony and I seriously forgot about all the people until they clapped at the end. So I pretty much had to lose myself in the music and then i realized "hey, that wasnt so bad...BRING IT ON!!"

Sorry if I'm rambling, hope you got something useful out of it.

Cheers. i dont feel really nervous at all untill i have 2 do a lead part, then it really goes bad

Hi, I'm a newbie to this forum :)

Forgive me if I'm wrong but it sounds to me like you are trying to learn lead solo's as they are on the record. Not necassarily anything wrong with that but if you have a problem with nerves then this is a pretty sure way to never getting over it.

Somebody has said it's a mind thing and I personally agree with them, if you can do it on your own then you need to find a way to get over the fear of playing solo's in front of people. The best way to do this is to play easier songs for a few gigs and build up some confidence.

First thing to do (at least for now) is don't try to emualte recordings. Many many songs can be solo'd over simple pentatonic scales, pick your favorite and most comfortable position pentatonic and use that for a few gigs (in the right key of course :) ). A lot of solo's can still sound quite good to the average crowd using not much more than four notes, or at least more acceptable than a solo going to pieces.

Get some confidence built up and then introduce the more complicated stuff a bit at a time.

I have done more gigs than I could possibly remember, I'm no great guitarist by any means but I don't usually have a nerve problem although there are occasions when I lose my place. When this kind of thing happens I still use the same kind of method, find a note or two that I'm sure of and hang around them till I catch up, get used to doing stuff like that and you should start to lose your nerve problem hopefully.

Lee

I can relate completely. It's as though you suddenly cannot play the guitar at all. Obviously you can play and you know you can. This is more of a mental psychological thing. Personally I have high expectations of myself which doesn't help. What does help is, well...keep doing it, and you find you will simply get used to it. Bit by bit. When I played my first tennis tournament years ago, I was so nervous it was as though I could not play the game. Over time I simply got used to it and my mind said no big deal.

How do you play in front of a small group of people? Have a party, play infront of your friends.

Hi, I'm a newbie to this forum :)

Forgive me if I'm wrong but it sounds to me like you are trying to learn lead solo's as they are on the record. Not necassarily anything wrong with that but if you have a problem with nerves then this is a pretty sure way to never getting over it.

Somebody has said it's a mind thing and I personally agree with them, if you can do it on your own then you need to find a way to get over the fear of playing solo's in front of people. The best way to do this is to play easier songs for a few gigs and build up some confidence.

First thing to do (at least for now) is don't try to emualte recordings. Many many songs can be solo'd over simple pentatonic scales, pick your favorite and most comfortable position pentatonic and use that for a few gigs (in the right key of course :) ). A lot of solo's can still sound quite good to the average crowd using not much more than four notes, or at least more acceptable than a solo going to pieces.

Get some confidence built up and then introduce the more complicated stuff a bit at a time.

I have done more gigs than I could possibly remember, I'm no great guitarist by any means but I don't usually have a nerve problem although there are occasions when I lose my place. When this kind of thing happens I still use the same kind of method, find a note or two that I'm sure of and hang around them till I catch up, get used to doing stuff like that and you should start to lose your nerve problem hopefully.

Lee

Excellent advice!

cheers dudes il keep at it,

I just do it. I don't think about it.

The Riverside Jams that I have played at have helped alot.

It goes like this:

David: "Nick, do you know this one?"

Me: "I've heard it, but I've never sung it."

David: "Great, we're doing it next."

Then I go and sing it live in front of an audience.

The last time I did that was one of the best. "Spooky" was the song. It turned out pretty well I think.

From what my experience has taught me, THE cure to getting over stage fright is pure experience. I was fairly timid in front of people, then I played for church for about a year. Now I don't feel nervous in front of anyone. Just my .02

You might want to try something a little easier than playing a guitar to build confidence in front of people. I started out as a vocalist in ensambles. From there acting, then public speaking. I now have no fear when it comes to geting up in front of people. It's a handy life skill.