Opinions vary. A music teacher told me it was a one-time thing for her. A friend informed me that it was a nightly thing. Others have said it depended on their “read of the house”—the audience. I am talking about stage fright, and learning to overcome it or master it can be a difficult process.
Being timid is not something we often associate with performers. But it is a common phenomenon, and people I’ve known use things as esoteric as rituals and prayer to steel themselves for getting on stage. It is not something to joke about when you see a talented performer chanting a mantra in panic just before walking out in front of a small coffeehouse audience. That’s another thing. For some, the size of the house matters, and for others, that’s irrelevant.
My ritual was the icebreaker song. I’d pick a song to play first that would break the ice with the audience. It would get me over my initial stage fright. It was something I knew well. Playing it allowed me to get a read on the house as I watched their reaction to it. While I performed it, I was already reshuffling my set list in my mind to adjust for the “read.”
It’s possible that some publisher has made a small bundle on a book offering solutions to the problem. But in my experience, other, more experienced performers offered tips to the newcomers. You’d find something that fits your panic level and gave satisfaction. for many people overcoming stage fright never forms as rigid goal you plan to overcome.
Perhaps in the book I proposed methods are offered. Or schools may offer workshops which provide guides and plans for it. but for many of us it was a need to do thing. You jumped into the pool and swam…or sunk. For me it was hard to start and stop. If I had a long term gig, or a steady stream of work it faded. If I was out of work it returned.
Was stage fright the hardest thing I ever worked to overcome? I’m not really sure, but it certainly came to mind immediately when I saw this prompt!
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Yep. I’m good when I know what I’m doing, why, when and where. Walking into a room of strangers and being expected to relate? No no no no. In grad school if I went to a party I took a bottle of wine and drank it right there. I had some interesting bicycle rides home. Apparently I was pretty fun when I was drunk. I just never knew what was expected of me. I learned a lot moving here and having to make connections. I don’t make “connections”. I “smile and wave” or the equivalent.