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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[quote=“Hanky_Pooh, post:16, topic:4448”]I’m happier broke playing music than I was making 60k a year
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A true guitar lover 
Loool my fingers are numb of 2wps, I can’t quote 
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Yeah, that’s what Phil Anselmo ( and other people too) calls a “lifer”!
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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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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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Violinists? Stagefright?
No one watches violinists so they can all relax now.
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.
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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Huh?
Why wouldn’t violinists not get stage fright? Or performance anxiety?
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Haha, seems the confusion is mine!! I can’t believe I didn’t get that! 
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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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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.