Had my lesson today and it was awfull lol. Nothing went right until the lesson was over and I played a short section of music to the teacher to show the difference in two varients of the same piece of music.

I often go to pot when the teacher is stood over my shoulder checking my playing and seeing if I am reading the music right. Left to my own devices I am fine. Lol I really need to get past this.

I think I have some mental issue some kind of teacher syndrome as I don't care who else watches me play just the teacher.

Any suggestions. Anyone.

I used to have the same problem quite a lot too-I think the pressure is that you're playing to somebody who is categorically trained to notice every mistake you make, and that really piles the pressure on also there's the added problem of having to worry about intonation, correct bowing, straight bowing, etc. etc.... it gets better, honestly

Thanks fran. It means alot to know I am not alone in this.

no suggestions here, just do whatever it takes to 'get used to it' (even if it's hypnosis) as they will ALWAYS FIND something wrong (well my teacher does or perhaps its me not him )

I did try that old trick of imagineing my techer in the altogether. But my teacher is 48 stone with 80 double D man boobs despite being female??? Not a pretty sight but I couldn't take my eyes off all those jiggley bits was hyypnotic.

You could have been talking about me, I get exactly the same problem

One thing my teacher told me is never think of it as a performance, look at it as a work in progess when playing in front of your teacher.

Also, just think to yourself, if you played everything perfectly in lessons, there would be little point in having lessons in the first place. If that was the case you could save your money plus earn a fortune telling others how you did it

Reading past threads on this subjsct we are definitely not alone and as Fran pointed out, it does get better

Thanks Juniper,

I will defo take on board what you suggest.

NEVER expect to play anything perfectly, especially on a stringed instrument. There will always, at whatever level, things that you might be able to consider doing differently, and it is the job of your teacher to help and inspire you along the path of continuous learning. After all, if all your teacher gave you to practice is things that you could do already, wouldn't that be a waste of your time and money?

Try to think of your relationship with your teacher as a guide and 'fellow traveller ' - rather like a tour guide who wants to show you and share with you the things that they find interesting and fascinating. Also, this is NOT like when you were at school, where a probably-very-stressed-classroom teacher had to get a certain level of completed exercise-book work compulsorily out of 30 or more children, only some of whom were even remotely interested in being in the classroom. Hopefully you are taking lessons because you want to.... so make it something that you enjoy and build on that relationship with your teacher.

I have been playing the piano 'on and off' for many years. I had a first this week when I played a piece for my teacher. She said it was beautiful and was not going to 'nit pick'. I have never had that happen to me before! It felt really good. So don't be disheartened Alan - it is all part of the learning process.

Do you feel that the teacher is standing too close to you? If so tell them.

I can't play freely if I can feel someone in my personal playing space or if there's another music stand or something right behind me which I can feel - especially if I'm standing up (for some reason it doesn't seem to matter so much if I'm sat in an orchestra). My violin teacher seems to instinctively know what my space is and I don't think she's ever got too close. My flute teacher has on occasions got too close and has realised this each time because it cramps my playing - and if she's slow on the uptake a certain look solves the issue.

It is more of a mental block I get at times and it is not always there. An example this week we went over a few scales. I play the scales everyday at home (the ones I know anyway) but they where all over the place in the lesson lol.

I would never get discouraged from playing, it has been a life long dream to learn the violin. It is just frustrating when I know I am better than the idiot who messed up in the lesson (me being the idiot).

It is my ambition one day to challenge Vanessa Mae, Sarrah Chang and Nigel Kenady to a violin off ( like a dance off but with violins) and kick there butts.

I agree, this is a really good point Minstrel your teacher is there to help you learn and teach you, let them!



Excellent goal, Alan! gives you plenty to work for

I listern and take on board everything my teacher tells me. Before I started my lessons I know nothing about music and had never played a musical instrument. Even when she is going on about dynamics with the mp and ff and lagato and so on. It's all elfish to me I am half expecting her to come out with one ring to rule them all lol.

I know what Minstral is saying and that is a good point. I do try that bit harder when the teacher is over my shoulder and I guess there lies the problem with the "hope I don't mess this up" flashing in big letters in my mind and that is just what I do lol.

There you go, you're willing to learn, that's easily more than half the battle see how far you've come already, and think about where you'll be in a year's time, or two years, etc. etc.

That's so true fran and I do look forward to what the future will bring. I never imagined how much enjoyment I would get out of making music.

I can't count the number of times I've thought I've nailed a piece, then when I get to my lesson I unexpectedly do a different fingering or change the bowing. Don't worry about it, Alan. Teachers understand that what goes smoothly in private practice can suddenly go wrong in a lesson - don't forget they have been there too. It happens, and it's all part of being a musician.

Regarding feeling the pressure in your lessons, bear in mind that your teacher wants you to play the best that you can, and you don't pay him/her to tell you something is perfect if it isn't. The week before my Grade 8 my teacher was still finding little things I could improve on (even though I'd been playing the pieces for 18 months). She actually said that I was playing fantastically and she was just nit-picking. If you want to bring your playing up to the highest level you are capable of, this is what you have to do.

Me neither! What a privilege it is to be able to play. I hope you continue to enjoy it.