Confidence... ANYONE?????

[y0buba]

Hi im 16 and iv been playing the drums for about 7 years.
i live in the uk and today i had a music performance as 30% of my final mark for my music course.

i was first playing the drums in an ensemble with a small jazz band where each member of the band had to play the piece with a short solo. all of us were being marked for how well we communicated with each other etc. i played this fine

later in the day, i had to play 2 solo pieces without anyone else. id chosen 2 grade 8 pieces which i knew and could play perfectly. when i went up to play to the examiners however, i completely froze and gave one of the worst performances of my life.

iv always had a difficulty with my confidence and playing in front of other people, as i failed my grade 7 first time round for the same reason.

does anyone else have the same problem cos i really need to sort it out, otherwise im thinking about really stepping down my music, which is a shame as its one of my main passions.

can anyone help???

[y0buba]

can anyone please help???? or give any suggestions

[druid]

time is going to help you with this hurdle...and experience. I used to have stage fright problems as well. Sometimes from being so psyched ahead of time. One thing that helped me too was to get rid of the "little judge" on my shoulder that commented internally over every mistake. Keep in mind I am speaking from a recital perspective. Playing in bands has never really been as rough for whatever reason for me. Also focussing on any nervousness ahead of time helps. I used to get nervous right there on stage it usually came from assuming it was a cakewalk ahead of time or being too confident. I found that if I got that out of my system earlier before playing I was usually more relaxed while playing. Really the best thing is to keep at it realize that alot of people do get nervous but find ways to relax and cope. Also don't be overly critical of yourslef and try to enjoy playing...we all have little mistakes here and there...Billy Cobham once said at a clinic I went to he makes mistake EVERY time he plays...that put things in perspective for me too. So don't be too hard on yourself when playing in the moment.

Please do not quit playing. This is your passion follow it. Playing in front of people is a small part of music. When you practice or are with your group this is your time to give it your all. Nobody can take that away from you. The confidence will come. Your still young so I say keep on doing it and play in front of people as often as you can. IT WILL become easier...

Keep sheddin the wood!


Jill

[Banzai]

I also used to have lot's of confidence problems but I had debating classes for a year and it really helped me a lot, you can also boost up your ego by repeating to yourself this little mantra:
"no one's better than me, I'm the Best"
though it's pretty selfish it helps in those moments.
You should always push your self to a relaxed state, feel like at home, I still shake and sweat a little before a gig for example but it doesn't interfere with my playing now.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

You are young and stage fright is very common. Just ask Barbara Streisand.
She quit performing for years because she just couldn't go on stage. Only time and frequency will help. Trust me it will get better with time. Chin up.

[y0buba]

thanks alot guys that helps alot. I dont have SO much of a problem playing with my band, for some reason i just kid to myself that the crowd arnt even listening or whatever, and half the time that works for me.

whenever im playing infront of just a few people however, even if their my friends im still really uncomfertable. Infront of an examiner or anything i just fall to pieces. i just keep thinking their interpreting my every move and i just end up playing terribly.

i can see what you mean about debating classes though. i take politics at school aswell, and im starting to think its the same kind of concept, standing infront of a crowd trying to persuade them etc. and playing the drums.

[DrKlopek]

if you are playing Grade 8 pieces you are most probably a fantastic drummer and people watching you are going to be impressed! Just try and remember you are a good player everytime you go up there and hopefully this will help you relax a bit!

[FunkyJazzer]

It is such a difficult issue. I'm nearly 18, and I've been playing since I was about 7. I can't recall ever having a serious problem with confidence. What I try to do when I'm nervous is let the adrenaline take over your body. Bob Brozman told me that if your nervous, you should "try to remember what made you want to pick up a pair of drumsticks in the first place".

Lloyd.

[aydee]

At 16 you are just beginning your drumming life, bud.
Never, Never, Never let go of your passion, if indeed thats what it is.

Please look at confidence or the lack of it is a simply a road block. You need to work at simply removing it from you path.

Falling to pieces, when someone is evaluating you with folded arms instead of someone just listening to you play for the sake of the music, is totally NATURAL. & could happen to ANYBODY.

I would talk to the evaluators about the problem. They might make some suggestions, but I'd do what Billy Crystal said he did when he froze up in front of a big audience for the first time.........

.......he imagined them all naked!
He went on to become a big star of course.

[Tomtom123]

When you're playing, forget about who you're playing for.........because you're really only playing to please yourself........if you concentrate on pleasing yourself, you'll be pleasing everyone else too.

[Royal]

Originally Posted by y0buba

iv always had a difficulty with my confidence and playing in front of other people, as i failed my grade 7 first time round for the same reason.

Confidence is vital when playing music.
Many start by being, Loud, confident & wrong :-)) &, hopefully get better.

[Mezzair]

The main thing I suppose is play in front of people as much as you can, then you will learn how to cope and deal with it.

I always used to get really nervous before I played, which tensed me up. Which is never good.

I still get the butterfly before I go on stage (I mean if I didn't I would be worried!), but I have learned to be able to relax myself before I play. The only way I have done it has been to gig as much as I can.

[Vintagedrummer]

This is an entirely normal stage for you. Don't worry or stress about it. Above all, KEEP PLAYING! Concerning your judges....Just remember, for every 'Simon Cowell' you face, picture a 'Paula Abdul' sitting next to him (take Billy Crystals' advice here). You'll get through this with time. Be patient.

Peace

[Monica McCoy]

[FourOnSix]

you know you can play right? so play. that's all there is too it. there are no secrets or tricks or anything. you just gotta go out there with the attitude that you are the best drummer ever to pick up a pair of sticks and then play like it. and most importantly, DON"T DWELL ON MISTAKES DURING A PERFORMANCE. if you do, you will ineveitably make another. by focusing on something on the past you lose focus on what is in the present and future, which are the two most important moments in music. to me, what happens in music gets ranked like this:

Present
Future
Past

why?

The present is what is happening now, it is what people are currently hearing, as a result it is what the majority of your focus should be on

the future is next most important because it is what is about to be the present.

the past is the least important because it already happened and won't happen again, so anything in the past should be immediately forgotten in a performance lest you lose focus on what is truly important.

like i said in the beggening of this post.

you know you can play so play. that's all there is too it.

[indiadrummer]

Originally Posted by y0buba

Hi im 16 and iv been playing the drums for about 7 years.
i live in the uk and today i had a music performance as 30% of my final mark for my music course.

i was first playing the drums in an ensemble with a small jazz band where each member of the band had to play the piece with a short solo. all of us were being marked for how well we communicated with each other etc. i played this fine

later in the day, i had to play 2 solo pieces without anyone else. id chosen 2 grade 8 pieces which i knew and could play perfectly. when i went up to play to the examiners however, i completely froze and gave one of the worst performances of my life.

iv always had a difficulty with my confidence and playing in front of other people, as i failed my grade 7 first time round for the same reason.

does anyone else have the same problem cos i really need to sort it out, otherwise im thinking about really stepping down my music, which is a shame as its one of my main passions.

can anyone help???

Remember young padawan, it is not you who hits the drum, but the drum who hits and forms you.