 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: theorangecat
Date: 2015-09-23 07:12
During weekly chair/playing tests I feel like I am never able to play like I do during practice and end up playing worse than someone I know I am better than. I get extremely nervous and have shaking hands, shaking embouchure (which causes wobbly starts to my notes) and an overall worse tone.
My classmates and teacher always say I'm the best - I was first chair - and that puts a fair amount of pressure on me. I tried not caring, but that didn't work. I do care about my position in band. I read online that taking deep breaths before performances helps. I tried it, and it didn't work for me either (or did I do it wrong?). How can I play perform the same way I practice?
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-09-23 16:00
I take a different tack. In fact I think YOU are on to something on your own. You said that you DO care about your position in band. I think that is exactly what you are thinking about when you audition, when you have a solo or any exposed part. When you are just "practicing," your thoughts are rightly on such things as, "hey, what are the notes in front of me; what are the rhythms; how do I make my throat Bb sound even better today than yesterday........."
I have found much success with the ideas found in such books as "The Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallwey or "The Soprano on Her Head" by Eloise Ristad.
I'll take a shot at a quick synopsis of my own just to get you started. You need to have laser focus on the minutia of an aspect of the performance rather than the ramifications of your career (while you are actually playing that is). One moment in the "Inner Game of Tennis" refers to concentrating on the SEAMS of the ball, not just the ball. Looking at a much smaller detail makes the whole ball seem like an impossibly large target........you cannot miss hitting it and hitting it properly.
So how do you do that musically?
My solution was to concentrate on the vibrations of every note as I played and how satisfying that was actually feeling the notes as well as hearing them. Your solution may be different but needs to be along the same path.
We, as performers, MUST remain "IN THE MOMENT" without the distraction of anything else.
I would add an anecdote provided by Luciano Pavarotti. Just before going out on stage to sing an important role in an opera (he was already a major star by the way) he was so overcome with fear that he didn't see any way he could even step out on stage. Some how though he managed to go out and begin a note. Once he heard the beautiful sounds coming out of his mouth, all the fear melted away and he continued the rest of the evening without the least concern.
...................Paul Aviles
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2015-09-23 16:27
In addition to what's already been said, I've often urged students and colleagues to learn to play through the same heightened senses that they have during performances/auditions. Try running a few laps around a building or up and down some stairs, or something to get your heartrate up before practicing. You'll learn how to calm yourself when you get nervous. I used to do this during practice sessions before auditions, to keep myself from rushing in the heat of the moment.
Also start playing for an audience. Perform you pieces for a few friends, and gradually build up your audience to build up your confidence level in front of a full audience.
Good luck!
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: fuzzystradjazz
Date: 2015-09-23 20:24
Along the same lines of what Paul and Ron have said...
For me, the trick was to play in front of people who weren't "friends" during practice. Being honest with my practice in front of them (i.e. accepting the mistakes and not becoming frustrated, or giving theatrical performances of disgust). I learned that I didn't have to impress everyone (especially the vast majority who wouldn't even notice a mistake unless I stopped and showed frustration). I began to be able to focus more on the music.
Another trick that helped me: I began purposely performing in distracting situations (with the TV on and turned up, with similar music playing on my ipod, etc.) This really helped me a lot. Eventually, as I'd memorize pieces, I'd purposely open my window and watch and listen to what people were doing outside - while I played. This helped with my overall focus on the music, and how to handle distractions. (This was probably the biggest help to me.)
Overall, I think the person who successfully blocks the jitters is actually being honest with himself/herself and his/her personal ability, and focused not so much on the music as to create tension, but to the contrary - confident enough in his/her ability as to focus on the music in a "this is what I have to offer, love it or leave it" kind of way - it removes a performer's focus off of the audience.
A very great clarinetist once told me that he could play in front of huge crowds throughout the world without any jitters, but put him in a room with a bunch of up-and-coming clarinetists, along with a bunch of other professional clarinetists, and ask him to "demonstrate" how to "properly" play a piece, and he'd get the jitters - he said it was the most stressful of all situations for him. Why? Because he wasn't able to stop thinking about all the people in the audience who might find fault with something he did. So, it seems to me that whichever method is used, the trick is:
1. To be confident/competent enough in the endeavor that you can avoid distractions and distracting thoughts. For me this isn't laser-like focus but more of a "I'm leaving it all out on the field" kind of focus. As one of my instructors said, "Once the note has been played, there is nothing you can do about it - it is in the past, and no amount of worry, thought, or manipulation will change that note - so it is more important to let it go, and continue thinking about things still to come."
2. Realize that not everyone is going to love your performances all the time. That's okay! It's okay not to be first chair too...remember, the other players are working hard as well and we all have different things going on in life that either help or hinder us at any one time.
3. No matter how well you play, there will always be someone (somewhere) who doesn't like what you do, and will be critical. Don't worry about that person while you're performing. If you must worry about that person at all (perhaps the person is the conductor), then worry about it during rehearsal where you can try to fix it - don't worry about it during a performance. By performance time, all you can offer is what you have - leave everything out on the field. Don't worry about trying to impress other people - try to impress yourself...satisfy yourself with your effort.
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2015-09-25 04:03
I would suggest having a look at bulletproof musician.com. I have found Noa's program helpful. There are many things you can do, but one size does not fit all. I would observe that comparison with others, in a competitive sense, is usually a mistake. Anxiety comes from a feared negative outcome, from being afraid of what will happen. You're afraid that you won't get first chair, or that someone to whom you feel superior will be judged as better. This is wasted energy, living in an imagined undesirable future rather than the present. Mark Twain wrote, "My life has been filled with a thousand tragedies, the vast majority of which never happened." Focus on the process, not the outcome. Do your best, accept the results, modify your preparation if necessary, repeat. Even with a strong mental game, it takes time and experience to transfer practice room gains into pressure situations, so keep working.
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Author: JonTheReeds
Date: 2015-09-25 17:38
To use an old saying:
Don't pay any attention to the audience, don't even ignore them
Everyone has to find their own way of playing live (if that's what you want to do) and you should just take all this responses as suggestions of things to try. It takes some people a long time to discover what works for them
I get nerves but try to cope with deep breathing, thinking about the process instead of the result, concentrating on the music and focusing on sharing the music with the audience
--------------------------------------
The older I get, the better I was
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Author: j8649
Date: 2015-09-25 17:46
When you are at home during your practice time, imagine that it is audition day. Totally recreate what the audition is like. Play the audition music/scales like it were the audition. Wear what you will wear on audition day. Recreate every aspect of it. Then repeat this on other days, frequently. This way the audition is a routine event, not a big event. Focus on the music and how well you play it. Don't think about the ramifications of the outcome. Don't think about how well other people play. Focus totally on your abilities.
I hope this helps! Julie
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2015-09-25 17:55
I used to have anxiety, then one day I didn't. I don't know what happened - if I could figure it out I'd write a book and make money. Probably some chemical in my brain either let go or stopped.
It carried into other areas of my life ... I have given presentations with literally thousands of people in the audience. The only time I have trouble is when I'm giving a presentation electronically and no one is in the room ... now I NEED am audience to play off of.
Hope you're as lucky as I am.
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Author: Owen
Date: 2015-09-30 04:29
As Athletics and the Performing arts are both high stress industries check out articles on sports psychology.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-10-01 11:19
I have to highly agree with the idea of exploring medications.
A bit off the subject, but it still fits this subject very well.
There's an interesting syndrome called the "White Coat Syndrome." Often when a few select people, not very many, go to the doctor they get sooo nervous when the nurse or the doctor, or both, check the patients blood pressure it's sky high. Normal as we know is around 110 over 70. 110/70 or 120/80. Well these White Coat patients that run normal blood pressures can hit 180/140 and they should be on medication to prevent strokes and heart attacks, along with other very deadly complications. A good doctor will of course have the patient lay down for about 20 minutes or so, whatever it takes for the person to relax a bit and then retest the BP. Most of the time it drops close to normal. At home these patients may run a normal BP. But what if the patient took a pill for high blood pressure? They'd pass out.
Nerves suck! You often never know how ones body will react at an audition or even at a lesson. A small 5 note solo in in orchestra concert can scare the best of us. Fingers shake, mouth shakes like you have a vibrato, can't take a correct amount of air, so you run out of air during a phrase, knees shake, and not at the same time. You often never know what part of the body the nerves will hit. This sucks! If you get nervous and the same part of the body reacts well you can learn to control it! That's sadly and simply not the case.
I won't say who it is, but a well known conductor I play under would have a few belts of booze before a concert. That was his medicine! He was jolly and happy and the concerts were always fun!
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2015-10-01 11:54)
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Author: kevinbarry
Date: 2015-10-05 20:11
You have received a lot of good specific advice that should help you.
I wrote an article entitled "How to Relax" which might help you to relax in general. You can download it from www.keweipress.com It is totally free, so the price is right!
It was designed to help my students to relax before exams, interviews and the like. It might help you with your performance problem.
Personally I play a Ridenour Lyric Libertas with a Vandoren B40 mouthpiece.
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