Performing Part 1 - Overcoming Stage Fright and Nerves

I posted this on the Songramp message board I'm involved with after a discussion about how to overcome stage fright and I wanted to add it here for anyone who happens to come across it. Performing is an essential part of being a songwriter and while you don't have to be phenomenal at it, doing a good job is an essential part of getting your songs heard and getting the feedback you need to improve your writing.

Eventually, audiences will hear your songs, so taking them there as soon as possible and watching the audiences reaction is a great way to start when you're still learning. Do they listen and watch, or are they reading their books, checking their cell phones or going to the bathroom? Great songs will keep them on the edge of their seats the whole time, average songs will not.

Anyway, here's the post in its entirety.

"Stage Fright/Sweaty Hands/Shaking Voice

I had terrible stage fright when I first started performing, and sometimes still do, but I get over it and so can everyone (infomercial much?!)! It all boils down to confidence and practice but I've found a few things that really help me so I figured I'd offer them for other people! I'm no Bruce Springsteen, but I've become a competent performer.

-- Practice until you know the song backwards and forwards. If you make a small mistake when practicing it will become a big mistake when performing. Practice until you can play/sing the song by reaction, not by concentrating. Oh, and make sure you have it memorized, you can almost never read lyrics or chords on stage.

-- Practice as if you are performing. That means set up a mic stand with a mic in it (you don't have to plug it in), stand up, and sing into the microphone. The angles all change when you stand and you need to practice with the new ones! Play the whole song every time, and practice plowing on through mistakes, broken/dropped picks, fluffed notes, broken chords, wrong lyrics, all that stuff. They will happen, and if you push through them when practicing its not as terrifying when it does.

That gives you confidence in your act. Here are a few more to help you just before you get on stage.

-- Be prepared. Have your guitar close to you, go to tune it early, use fresh strings, a new pick, and have something to wipe your hands on. Put the strap in place, be ready to take and plug the cable (you are using an acoustic electric right?!), basically, once you are on stage it should take about 10 seconds for you to be plugged in, at the mic and ready to start your song. Delays should come from the sound man, host, other performers, never you. You are a beast and ready to step on stage and KILL IT.
-- Embrace the nervous energy, if you channel it properly you can have a great show! Channeling is a very personal thing, for me I prepare very methodically, in the same order and with the same gear every time. It focuses me on the job at hand and helps me concentrate. I usually play through the intro of the first song as a warm up (quietly). I also tend to jump up and down once I'm ready to go. It helps raise my heart rate and energy level, ready to go out and own the stage. You're basically psycing yourself up so the nervous energy goes somewhere good. Remeber all those yelling pep talks that sports teams get from their coach? That's essentially what you're doing to yourself.

-- On the walk to the stage focus on the audience loving everything you're doing and screaming out your name for more songs once you have to leave. NEVER focus on screwing up. Imagine yourself being perfect, the crowd loving you and you coming back with a grammy.

-- Once you get to the stage SHUT UP!!! A simple "Good evening, I'm XYZ." will do. The audience doesn't care about your life story. If you're good enough they'll come up and ask you afterwards. Nerves sometimes make people talk a lot and the audience is tuned out before you've started your first song. Once you've said that bust out the KILLER first song that MAB helped you write and you'll have the audience in the palm of your hand.

Performing is a skill, just like playing an instrument or singing or songwriting. Everyone can do it and do it well, you just have to learn how and practice. I apologise if any of this has been covered before, but I hope it helps out anyone who is having trouble."

I'll add a few more performing tips and tricks here as we move along so check back for more!