The Good Musician

Picture this: You walk out in front of an audience, everyone’s got that expectant glare on their face and your inner conscience says ‘Hello’ with a screaming “Oh my god, lord, mother mary, buddha, I didn’t practice enough!”

Michelle Bennett over at “A Singer’s Life” shares a thought and an anecdote on rehearsing, and when it might be too much. Notably, she mentions relaxation:

So, when is enough enough?

Perhaps when, like the singer above, you have performed a role upwards of 100 times?

I am sure each singer has their own individual strategy concerning preparation and rehearsal. However, what I am learning more and more is that it pays to relax.

Did I rehearse enough? When is enough? Why do we ask ourselves this question?

Being nervous is healthy. It brings together all your concentration and resources and focuses them to that one task. But often, nervousness can swerve into panic, and that’s when your concert turns from joy to misery. Rehearsing enough is one thing, over-rehearsing is another. Today, I will just share with you 6 things I watch out for to build my own confidence before a concert.

1. Mentally see the sheet music.

Try to imagine the piece as sheet music while you hear it mentally. This is especially important if you’re playing by heart, in which case you should sit down with just the sheet music a day or two before a concert. Read through it like a book, and hear the music in the back of your head.

2. Do a dry run for your hands

Try playing the piece without actually producing sound. This is difficult for many instruments (like vocals), but on a guitar, try playing right and left hand separately (it’s much harder than it sounds), on a piano, don’t really stroke the keys, on a trumpet, don’t blow.

3. Play the piece completely, like at the concert, around half an hour before showtime.

And then, don’t touch your instrument in that half hour. Instead, go drink water, talk to other performers, or just meditate. Don’t go near the music. 5 minutes before the beginning, run through the first few bars mentally. Not more. The rest will flow naturally.

4. Plan ahead of concerts.

If I know I have a concert in a week, I set up a game plan for that week. I usually tell myself the concert is two days earlier and try to get top form by that day. Then in the last 48 hours, I won’t play parts of the piece anymore, only the entire piece without breaks. Keeping a plan ahead of time eliminates the “I didn’t practice enough” feeling.

5. Have a drink.

This one’s tricky, but it helps me. Having a good swig of beer or champagne at the bar before a concert always gives me a more relaxed approach. But beware, results may vary.

6. Have a concert strategy.

I might go more into detail on this in another post, but laying out a strategy for your concerts is good for eliminating surprises and getting a routine. I always carry my bag packed the exact same way, I always go to the bathroom at the same time before a concert, I know exactly what dress I’ll be wearing that day. And it’ll be ironed and ready.

There are plenty more ways to prepare, these were just a few. What are yours? For more practice and concert tips, subscribe today!

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