So I played at my first open mic...

Hey buddy, I know how you feel. I've done about ten open mic's now, and I'm as nervous as hell when I do it. I wish I knew the answer to your question, but my friends tell me to just keep doing it and it will get easier. Songs I play absolutely perfect in my bedroom just go to pot as soon as I get up on stage. I think it's a lack of confidence thing....

I'll keep doing it and making an ass of myself until one day I get up there and knock 'em dead. Do the same my friend...

What do you guys do to get rid of the nervousness?

Get out there and play until it goes away! :D

Congrats on a successful performance!! :D

I "suffer" (if you will) from stage fright as well. However, I have come to realize that stage fright happens as a result of introverted reactions. You can combat stage fright by simply making yourself extroverted instead. Try visualizing the entire audience naked. I garuntee that at least 50% of your apprehension will dissolve immediately.

Or worsen...

Or worsen...

Is there like...a specific reason why you disagree with everything I post? Or, am I just imagining things? :?

What do you guys do to get rid of the nervousness?
You can not entertain and enjoy to the fullest if you are not relaxed.

It's like having a day where you can do no wrong......... you are relaxed and able to handle things, thus creating ease of mind.

The flip side

........like having a day that you wish you was never born.......... you are not relaxed and sometimes can't handle a simple task, thus creating a mental block.

The answer is in your own head, you just have to find it.

What do you guys do to get rid of the nervousness?

The answer is in your own head, you just have to find it.

Come on now Mike, what kind of answer is that. The poor fellas looking for some answers. 8)

Serisouly though, he's right, you need to find what works for you. I think about the good looking girls in the audience, and how women love musicians. I also think fo everyone else who plays guitar, but aren't as good, they'll appreciate your playing.

I'm a very introverted person and I used to combat my stage shyness by being bigger than I really was. I was play mind games with myself and make myself feel important. I dont know why but it worked everytime. I havent had the chance to try that with guitar yet.. but as a singer it worked.

Geoo

Or worsen...

Is there like...a specific reason why you disagree with everything I post? Or, am I just imagining things? :?

If I always contradict you its not on purpose. Whats your sign? :roll:
I apologise if I seem to contradict you, we must differ in nature.

About standing up infront of people, Try to go to open mic with someone else on stage, like another guitarist. One of you can sing and play rythem, and someone else can backup and play leads, etc. If someone else is up on stage with you, it should help out.

The actual main article on this website, I didn't find very useful. Nothing personal against the female member who wrote it, but what they said wasn't wholly true.

They said nerves can't inspire you to play better.

Well actually, they can and they can't. Being overly nervous of course means you're a jibbering wreck and your decision making and movements are irratic. However, if you control the adrnaline (epinephrine for the US?) surge you get, there is an optimum amount of nerves where you act more quickly and so on, but not too irratically.

Most professional athletes etc, try to hone their ability to feel the nerves, but to control them.

I reccomend you try some visualisation. imagine you've played the gig and it was great. Imagine they cheered and liked you. Don't go too far into the future otherwise it becomes too wildly fanciful and can be improper. I know someone who asked the crowd to pretend they were having the best time of their life and scream. It helped him to visualise in her mind that they did like her.

But yes, recognition of familiar situations always helps with banishing perceived potential fears and problems from your mind, so just keep playing shows.

the adrnaline (epinephrine for the US?)

Nope..... also adrenaline here. Epinephrine (although it is just another word for adrenaline) is usually thought of as a synthesized drug (C9H13NO3) and is used in medicine as a heart stimulant, vasoconstrictor, and bronchial relaxant.

Trivia..........

the adrnaline (epinephrine for the US?)

Nope..... also adrenaline here. Epinephrine (although it is just another word for adrenaline) is usually thought of as a synthesized drug (C9H13NO3) and is used in medicine as a heart stimulant, vasoconstrictor, and bronchial relaxant.

Trivia..........

That's made some flashback to Biology 3200!

Thanks guys for the response...definitely got a lot to thinka bout :D.

I am going back again this Thursday :D

Congrats on your first open mic. Heck yeah you're going back! :D

I personally have never had a problem with stage fright, but this does not mean gigs do not affect me. I am often tense before a gig, sometimes my stomach acts up, and I find that I pace a lot. To me, the most anxious time is setting up. With all the various gear I worry that something might breakdown. But once everything is up and running I feel much better.

Everytime you go up it gets easier. Years ago I would get a little tense. This is not good for your playing. You actually make more mistakes.

I simply tell myself that I am there to have fun, and dang it, I'm gonna have fun. The crowd is just normal people there to have a good time themselves. They are not there to judge you. Really, the crowd wants you to do well. So there is nothing to be afraid of. Nobody is going to pull out a gun and shoot at you if you play a wrong note, else I would have been dead long ago.

If you do make a mistake just keep playing like nothing happened. Remind yourself to look relaxed onstage. Smile and look like you are having fun.

Just keep going to that open mic. In a few weeks you will feel right at home there. You can meet other musicians and who knows? start a band. I have been in several bands where I met the other players at an open mic.

So, just go out there and have fun. :D