Hi, im new here. Im sitting grade 8 piano next year, and ive just recently aquired a huge problem... NERVES...i've always had nerves before performances, but i could control them and it was fine, but in the past few months, ive gotten so nervous sometimes that it affects my whole sense of rhythm and music that i just cant play properly. And then i found that (perhaps because of this), ive lost a whole lot of self confidence in my music.

Has this ever happened to anyone else and does anyone have any advice?

Hi Alias and welcome . When you read some of the threads around here, you'll realise that whatever level people are at, many if not most suffer from nerves to some degree or other. Try doing a search for "Nerves" and several articles will come up which will give you some ideas for coping with them. I sympathise, but my situation is different from yours as I've never had performance (read exam) confidence in the first place whereas you're saying you need to get it back. I hope some of the previous threads help you get your confidence back, and I'm sure other people will give you more advice in the next few days.

these are two of the threads discussed in the forums here regarding how to overcome your nerves etc.

Thread 1
Thread 2


ShArOn

Hi Alias,
Nerves are my big problem too... and I feel that the older I got the worse my nerves got not just when playing piano.
The thing that helped me most so far was THINKING POSITIVE
Somehow it helped. It makes you feel more confident and any slips are dealt with casually and recovered easily.
I know that i'm not of much help but perhaps it helps you to know that I understand how you feel and you are not alone....
Good luck

And have a look at this thread.

Do a search on 'nerves'; there have been loads and loads of topics on this.

And eating a banana half-an-hour before an exam also helps.

Car Expert

Hi
I get nerves to and when I play the flute in a concert / competition on my own and i am standing up my legs shake but when i do the piano because you sit on a stool i find it easier to concerntrate in an exam because my legs aren't shaking.
Also if you have an exam then i find it good to not play the pianol ots on the day of my piano exam - only a little and a lot the day before because playing a few hours before my exam makes me more nervous and makes me do more mistakes.
Hope you find it useful!
bye Chocolate girl x x

I am not quite nervous if i am going for an exam. However i do have pressure to perform in front of the public.

To me it is entirely normal becos when you are happy you smile, sad - you cry. This is absolutely normal. With more practices to perform/speak in front of the public, you will get used to it.

I remember first time i spoke in front of the public my body was shaking!! However recently i have done lots of presentation. In my college open day, i did a presentation in front of over 100 current A-level students and teachers, but i didn't feel nervous at all. I did quite enjoy it!

This idea may help - Feel proud when you can perform / speak in front of the public. Or in the exams, feel proud that you are performing to the expert - the examiner(s)!

Good luck!
maTThew

yes, i get nerves in my first time exam on grade 4 piano....
that was my very first time exam and i really scared if i make some mistakes in my performance....

but, after i played some scales in exam.. i feel better to play three pieces...
just try to imagine that you're alone and playing piano in your home..
that way may help u

gud luck for your exam!

I'm struggling here to get the computer to take a longish post, so I'm going to do it in two goes, using the edit facility. In the meantime, forgive me if this doesn't appear to make sense!


People can react strongly at the suggestion of using beta-blockers, so I'll just tell you my own experience of them, as briefly as possible.

I came back to the piano after a very long time away, and found myself to be so nervous that I couldn't play in front of anyone. My heart raced, my hands shook uncontrollably, and I sweated profusely.

With a diploma exam coming up, something had to be done, or all my work was wasted, so I approached the doctor - by telephone.




The doctor explained that the likes of valium wouldn't work (and nor would alcohol) because it affects the central nervous system; you will be less nervous, but unable to play properly! So she prescribed a low dose of beta-blockers and suggested I try them out beforehand to see what effect they would have.

So I did - and found that they had no noticeable affect whatsoever. HOWEVER, when used in an extremely stressful situation, like my diploma was for me, the affect that they had was to keep a lid on adrenalin levels - an excess of which will cause the above physical symptoms.

SO. After that I continued to take a tablet for every performance - and then I started taking a half - until I realised that the effect by this stage was totally placebo, and I now manage without - confidence restored. (Most of the time, that is - I can still get very nervous on occasions, but usually find now that a couple of bananas is enough!)

Dulciana!
I had the exact same experience with nerves and the beta-blockers!

[quote name='idiotmatthew' date='Oct 10 2006, 09:17 PM' post='405521']
With more practices to perform/speak in front of the public, you will get used to it.

Yes, it's worth remembering that this is true, slowly but surley.

Im 14 though, and i read somewhere that its inappropriate for 'children' to take drugs such as beta-blockers.... Im not sure if this has happened to anyone else, but i think that as you grow older, you become more conscious of what other people think, and that could probably explain why adult learners have such difficulties with nerves etc. As a kid, i just played and did what i had to do, without second thought as to what other people think of me, but now, i find myself worrying more and more about other people's opinions.. its weird...

Hi Alias
I always have nerves before performances. I made a complete mess of Poulenc's Cantilena at young musician of the year (local county) competition, I'm sure the poor man was turning in his grave. I had barely recovered from my humiliating performance when I caught a HORRIBLE cold just two days before my grade 7 flute. I managed to pass with merit, which wasn't good enough for my teacher but I was really pleased. Anyone whose performance history has been as disasterous as mine would realise that it's not worth worrying about it, as I've lost too many great opportunities because of being nervous (ie not winning a scholarship to go on a junior course on weekends at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama).

Please don't stress about it, it just isn't worth it!