Do Your Hands Shake From Stage Fright?

Playing Technique
#15

I still think that’s the coolest thing ever, btw. I have a bunch of Rob’s solo albums and they get regular blasting when my band is on tour.

We just did our first Euro-fest a couple months ago. About 2,000 people. Loads of fun, made a lot of new friends, sold a ridiculous number of records for a band of our stature. We’ll be back for a 3-week tour next year.

I don’t really get stage or camera fright. I’ve been playing piano at recitals and festivals and shit since I was in single digits so by the time I was playing metal in bars and clubs I was already numb to all that, so I am also in the “experience before drugs” camp. My guitar playing is atrocious but we’re not playing very technical stuff so there’s a certain amount of wiggle room to work with, hehe.

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#16

I thought it was cool too man, I had my foot in the door to do music full time and I threw it all away. Wasted 15 years of my life. If you are established and at least eating, don’t ever give up on playing. I’m happier broke playing music than I was making 60k a year, pissing life away.

Yeah, the stage freight goes away once you are used to being on stage. Gotta have the experience. Just remember tone is more important than technical. A lot of stuff I write isn’t hard to play. I’m after a sound.

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#17

As bear man Hank makes a great point, I’ll add that my mentioning of prescription drugs at all is for that percentage of folks for which there may be a clinical need not fixable by other means. For some it’s crippling, even when very experienced, and very prepared. Talk to a doctor but beware of over-prescription. Hank’s got the better advice.

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#18

My hands don’t shake but I do get the pre show jitters. I tend to have a hard time playing in the pocket until I settle down. I play too fast for the bpm of the song. After a couple/few songs the jitters are gone and I’m usually fine after that.

#19

I’m in the same boat, really. 30 seconds before I get on stage, yeah, I’m nervous as hell. :smile: Once I’m out there, though, adrenaline kicks in and things kinda take care of themselves.

#20

Thank’s Cat! Yeah, some people just always have stage fright I guess. Even real successful performers.

:bear:

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#21

The first time I played infront of an audience (around 100 people) my muscles tightened so hard that my whole body started shaking, not just hands. Can’t even imagine how people feel when they play infront of thousands. I think the best way to get rid of stage fright is the most obvious one just play more infront of an audince. Also there are plenty of other ways: prescr.drugs/booze/amphetamine etc. although rock history has a lot of examples of drug usage and the problems it caused so if you are going to do it do it responsibly.

#22

Honestly, any time a band comes to Barclays here in Brooklyn it costs $1000 to get a seat anywhere in the sweet spot of the PA. In any other seat, you’re left with gymnasium reverb and the sound of 18,000 people singing karaoke. For all you touring pros who feel nervous in that setting, never fear - I can’t hear a damn thing you’re playing!

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#23

[quote=“Hanky_Pooh, post:16, topic:4448”]I’m happier broke playing music than I was making 60k a year
[/quote]

A true guitar lover :+1::+1::+1::beers:

Loool my fingers are numb of 2wps, I can’t quote :joy:

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#24

Yeah, that’s what Phil Anselmo ( and other people too) calls a “lifer”!

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#25

LMFAO Troy. I’d turn a Marshall all the way up and lean the guitar against the cab, and just moonwalk around the stage playing air feedback Guitar. You guys would hear that probably.

Yeah @Groff and @Acecrusher I’m I lifer. I have to, to live. Because I’ll self destruct if I’m not able to do music.

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#26

Back in the day I played violin in concerts and exams. Grade Exams were the worst as every note is under scrutiny and when you hands shake through nerves as you were preparing to play, the bow resting on the strings would vibrate out a scratchy noise - made then nerves worse!
One thing did help though, was if i found my hands started to shake before going on, trying to stop it was the worst thing to do! Instead, I would put my hands on my lap and actively allow them to shake as much as they wanted. If they weren’t shaking that much, I would even dare them to shake - telling them “shake motherf####ers!” Sounds a bit psycho, but it worked. I got it all out of my system and they stop pretty quickly. The trick is, you have to acknowledge that they shake and honestly allow them to shake as bad as they want, if you subconciously are praying they stop, then the panic/adrenaline keeps them going. After a while, the shaking is minimal and you feel happy about it- it means your are excited about the gig, not fearful.

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#27

Violinists? Stagefright?
No one watches violinists so they can all relax now.

#28

In my pop-mainstream rock days in a teen band I used to get very very anxious before gigs. Sweaty hands, heart pounding, etc. After the first couple of songs it was gone, mainly because the audience was having a good time.

Last time I performed live it was less scary but still there. The worst I had was before an audition for a high profile festival, needless to say we blew it haha.

I think that experience helps, but there is always a bit of anxiety inside. How much is determined by how anxious you’re as a person in general.

For example, I have a mild case of Anxiety Disorder but I always kept it under control while performing, recording, etc. In other aspects of my life it’s less simple.

#29

Also, coming back to this thread, while I wouldn’t recommend taking a drug intended for general anxiety and depression for specific isolated anxiety and depression anyway, the interaction of beta blockers and alcohol can be a little unpredictable, and anxiety meds plus one or two beers and suddenly you might be, to all outward extents and purposes, completely hammered.

If you have to do something to deal with anxiety, I’d just have one or two drinks, not enough to really impact motor skills but enough to take the edge off.

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#30

Huh?
Why wouldn’t violinists not get stage fright? Or performance anxiety?

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#31

@PickingApprentice
Was a bad joke on my part.
Sorry for the confusion.

#32

Haha, seems the confusion is mine!! I can’t believe I didn’t get that! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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#33

My hands don’t shake, but more often than not I get the overwhelming need to hit the bathroom prior to stage time.
Lol

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#34

These days, I dont like to drink alcohol before performing, I prefer the be sober while on stage. While stage fright for me isnt “hands shaking” its probably more of a “tension” or fear of making a mistake that I cant recover from. It usually never happens, but the fear is there. The fear of missing a note or fingering a chord sloppy etc. or even a string breaking, anything that would derail the performance. i do get more comfortable as the gig goes on, and as the crowd starts getting into it.