Dumbarton and District Pipe Band
Affiliated to the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association
Pipe Band Tips
Performance Nerves...... How to deal with them.
First of all, it's normal to have nerves before a performance. Some of the world's top musicians suffer from nerves but have developed effective coping strategies to deal with them. It is also important to remember that nerves can be useful, they can add that little extra something to a performance. However to stop your nerves getting the better of you consider the following:
3. Take some more deep breaths before you start. This steadies the heart rate, gets the muscles fully oxygenated and gives you something to focus on before the performance.
After the performance
1. Have confidence in your own ability. You should believe that you did your best.
2.Try to think about the positve aspects and not the negative - if you dwell too much on the negative then this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for next time.
3. Remember nerves affect eveyone but it does get easier with experience.
As Kate Jones puts it, "it is not about finding ways to get rid of your performance nerves, it's about keeping your nerve and using it to your advantage."
Source - Keeping Your Nerve by Kate Jones, published by Faber Music Ltd 2000.
First of all, it's normal to have nerves before a performance. Some of the world's top musicians suffer from nerves but have developed effective coping strategies to deal with them. It is also important to remember that nerves can be useful, they can add that little extra something to a performance. However to stop your nerves getting the better of you consider the following:
- Preparation - know your stuff - know what you are going to play and practice it!
3. Take some more deep breaths before you start. This steadies the heart rate, gets the muscles fully oxygenated and gives you something to focus on before the performance.
- Then focus, concentrate on the Pipe Major/Leading Drummer and on the music, play and enjoy!
After the performance
1. Have confidence in your own ability. You should believe that you did your best.
2.Try to think about the positve aspects and not the negative - if you dwell too much on the negative then this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for next time.
3. Remember nerves affect eveyone but it does get easier with experience.
As Kate Jones puts it, "it is not about finding ways to get rid of your performance nerves, it's about keeping your nerve and using it to your advantage."
Source - Keeping Your Nerve by Kate Jones, published by Faber Music Ltd 2000.