Rain
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That stage fright medication works!
When I saw the doctor for my anxiety issues in January, I mentioned my "stage fright" problem. Having been off the stage for 15 years before last year and only performing occasionally, it can be tough to manage the physical consequences of performance anxiety. In my case, it's made all the more difficult by the fact that I have always suffered from some light form of "essential tremors" - nothing debilitating - I can pass a thread through a needle, etc. But fatigue and/or stage fright make it a lot more difficult to manage. So the doctor prescribed a Beta Blocker called propanolol, and I finally had the opportunity to test it last night, as my wife and I were invited to play at a Rolling Stones tribute night. Having not been onstage for almost a year, and having been feeling all but top shape recently I almost felt like calling it off. But I couldn't let my wife down, and I thought - what better opportunity to test those meds... Obviously, I sampled a trial dose before - last week for the big rehearsals. And as it turns out, the Beta-Blocker really helps big time. Considering that I should be starting to perform more regularly in the next few months, self-medication (alcohol) isn't really an option. I don't see medication as a permanent solution either, but as a tool to help me get back on the saddle. Judging from experience, once we start to perform more often, things will get back under control. I'll always be a studio cat first, but now, at least, it's really by choice, not because I dread being on stage so much. Anyway, having been made so miserable for such a long time, I thought it was worth passing the tip if it can help anyone who suffers from similar issues.
post edited by Rain - 2016/07/23 00:08:16
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eph221
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 01:19:32
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Well, going on stage is one of the loneliest experiences I've known. With the lights and all, it's very alien and strange. Often the critics in the peanut gallery have never done time in the spot light. Once you do it, you can commiserate with those that have. Nobody really discusses it much.
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sharke
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 02:05:49
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My worst fears are playing small, intimate events, or worse still, playing a small intimate event solo. I've happened to perform solo fingerpicked guitar pieces in front of small audiences a few times and it terrified me. When there's a big crowd of people you can successfully think of it as a large blob of whatever, but when you're in that small space with a select group of people watching you up close then you're far more aware of them as individuals and you feel their eyes on you. Playing something like an intricate fingerstyle piece in front of an audience like that, I get this crippling fear that I'm going to forget the notes and make a complete ass of myself. I think what makes it so bad is that I think that if I screw up, they're going to feel embarrassed for me and then I'm going to be embarrassed that they're embarrassed for me and so on. Totally stupid I know, because I've witnessed great musicians screw up pieces quite spectacularly, immediately laugh it off and nobody's embarrassed for anyone.
Having said that, I'll always remember the story my dad told me about seeing Andres Segovia in concert. He came on stage with his guitar, sat down, put his foot on the stool and farted very loudly. He was so embarrassed he had to walk off stage to compose himself before coming back on to start the performance. What if something like that happens to me? Think I'll just stick with Sonar....
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Rain
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 02:44:54
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sharke
My worst fears are playing small, intimate events, or worse still, playing a small intimate event solo. I've happened to perform solo fingerpicked guitar pieces in front of small audiences a few times and it terrified me. When there's a big crowd of people you can successfully think of it as a large blob of whatever, but when you're in that small space with a select group of people watching you up close then you're far more aware of them as individuals and you feel their eyes on you. Playing something like an intricate fingerstyle piece in front of an audience like that, I get this crippling fear that I'm going to forget the notes and make a complete ass of myself. I think what makes it so bad is that I think that if I screw up, they're going to feel embarrassed for me and then I'm going to be embarrassed that they're embarrassed for me and so on. Totally stupid I know, because I've witnessed great musicians screw up pieces quite spectacularly, immediately laugh it off and nobody's embarrassed for anyone.
Having said that, I'll always remember the story my dad told me about seeing Andres Segovia in concert. He came on stage with his guitar, sat down, put his foot on the stool and farted very loudly. He was so embarrassed he had to walk off stage to compose himself before coming back on to start the performance. What if something like that happens to me? Think I'll just stick with Sonar....
I totally understand that! When I was studying classical guitar, we had recitals every couple of months - I hated those. They often took place in some kind of large classroom, and the public consisted of the students families and friends. It seemed even worst because 99% of the people in the room weren't there to see you or anyone else on the bill - they were there for their kid/brother/friend. The last one I remember, I was going through a particularly challenging piece when a baby started crying in the audience It completely broke my concentration and I had to walk off the stage w/o finishing the piece. By comparison, rock shows are easy. First because, you're not stuck alone front stage. Second because loudness is forgiving. Third, in many cases, the people who came to the show came to see and hear you. Not to mention that there's often alcohol and other substances involved on their end and that with all the yelling and jumping around in the audience, you don't have to worry as much about delivering an absolutely flawless performance. But the Beta-Blockers are still a most welcome helper. I wish I had those back then. I remember when I auditioned for the music school, I was so nervous that, afterwards, my teacher mentioned to my mom that at first, she thought I was a junkie.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 02:46:45
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Been on stage a few times, but only a couple times playing guitar and those times were with a band. Sometimes I can feel comfortable up there, but other times I'm a train wreck!
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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Rain
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 03:01:56
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craigb
Been on stage a few times, but only a couple times playing guitar and those times were with a band. Sometimes I can feel comfortable up there, but other times I'm a train wreck!
Back in college, I used to keep the highest results all year long to avoid doing the mandatory oral presentation at the end of the semester. I'd end up merely passing in spite of the brilliant results I had on written presentations. But I really did anything I could to avoid standing up in front of the class - much to my teachers' dismay.
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jamesg1213
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 06:11:09
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Haven't played in front of an audience for a long time now. I used to gig regularly back in the '90's with a rock/blues band, and I was always terrified right before the show, to the point of vomiting sometimes. When the end of the set came I wanted to keep on playing though, the adrenalin buzz always took over.
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Wookiee
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 07:12:15
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I can only agree playing live is test, fortunately I used to arrange the cymbals on my kit so I had minimum view of the audience. Yes I hid behind my drums.
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Guitarhacker
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 07:18:09
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Many folks use alcohol or pharmaceuticals either the legal variety or the illegal kind to take the edge off a bit I don't recommend using either because both roads can lead to serious other issues.
So, just do it straight. Sure it's scary and you're nervous at the start.... but after a few songs and you realize the crowd is liking what you're doing, it becomes fun and totally enjoyable. Then it becomes addictive and ends much too soon. The fear we experience comes from the fear that we will mess up really bad or the crowd won't like us.
Well, both are real fears that can happen. And once you live through a few of both, it's just another day on stage when it does. I found that if they don't like you, you probably booked the wrong gig to start with and shouldn't have been playing there at all. Kinda like a metal band playing the country club wedding event.... not a good fit.
Mistakes, hey everyone makes them and 99% of the time the audience didn't even catch the fact that you messed up. If you do blow it really big.... make a joke about it and move on immediately to a new song.... most time the audience will laugh with you or at you, either way, you will survive the experience.
I had a tendency to repeat a bad and obviously bad note if I hit one.... making it sound like it was totally intentional. I even had a guy come up after and tell me he really liked that "thing" I played....since it was really unique..... uhhhh yeah dude, that was a mistake.
My website & music: www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface BMI/NSAI "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "
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Rain
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 07:25:46
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The irony is that I don't mind the stress. I wouldn't mind puking, I wouldn't mind not sleeping for 2 days before, I don't mind being afraid and being nervous - so long as I have access to my tools (hands).
My only concern is when my forearms and hands freeze and I can't play the song as good as I can. I mean, I play it, but... Back in the days, I used to work out the set list in function of my anxiety. Last night, I didn't have a say on when, where and what I was playing. - And it was a good thing.
For weeks before the show, I was looking at pictures of friends who were invited to the show and thinking - I don't belong on that stage. Look at those guys, I'm not one of them. The impostor syndrome. But then, even my wife suffers from it.
I'm glad to have found out that I could at least get a chance to compete...
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michaelhanson
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 11:51:52
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Yep, I can relate, Rain. I have always had similar fears. Speaking in front of groups and playing live. I have had to fight through them my entire life. When I was asked to get involved in our Churches worship band, in the past I would always come up with excuses why I couldn't join and be a part of it.
About 2 years ago, the Worship Leader put an extreme amount of pressure on me to get up there and play with the band. In my last ditch effort to find another excuse, I told him I had not played live for 15 years and was completely out of practice for live playing. He didn't take no for and answer and I ended up at a rehearsal/ practice. I brought my electric guitar and my bass. He really wanted me to play Electric Lead. I am just not a natural Lead player. With how nervous I was, even in front of a small group, I felt like I was terrible at the audition. When I tried out at bass, I thought I nailed it. He asked me which I preferred to play for my debut and I said Bass.
I was sooooo extremely nervous the first Sunday I got up and played. Each service usually seats 300-400 people. I made a few mistakes through out the songs, but as Herb said, almost no one noticed. In fact, the only 2 people that did notice were the other 2 alternate Bass players. The rush you get playing live was incredible and I told the WL afterwards that I wanted to do it again; that I needed to do it again, and please don't wait too long to get me back up there, so I don't try to back out. Now that I have been playing again for 2 years, every 2-3 weeks in rotation; it has become old hat, again. I fear that if I stop, I will fall back into being reluctant to get up in front of crowds again.
I still have never sang live in front of an audience. I don't know that I could do that yet. Reece has been pushing me to perform live in front of a songwriters group he belongs too. Maybe, IDK. That would be a huge step for me. I would have to be well practiced to do so. Maybe I would half to try the Beta Blockers to do that, Rain. That is WAY out of my natural element. Good to know they work, anyway.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 12:19:11
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I don't know if I will ever feel that I'm accomplished enough to play live in front of a crowd of strangers. Other than a small handful of times where I played in a band (all from 1979-1984), I've only once been on stage with a guitar in my hands and, ironically, that was in Las Vegas! It was for all of 15-20 seconds as part of a comedy gag. The keyboard player from Poison (Stu Simone) created a parody band called Hair Guitar. During one gig at a Vegas casino he needed replacement guitarists and hired two of my friends. By a fun coincidence, I won my Regional darts competition to make me eligible for the Nationals and that just happened to be occurring the SAME WEEK! So I left early to be their roadie from Sunday thru Wednesday, participated in the Nationals Thursday and Friday then played in a big tournament Saturday and Sunday (getting on stage for one event there as well!). Needless to say, my performance anxiety was much worse with the darts where I was expected to perform.
I've also been a director of a non-profit organization for three years as well as the director of Oregon Open dart tournament for seven years (the oldest dart event in the nation). That had me speaking to hundreds of people but I don't seem to have the public speaking fear that many do.
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Mitch_I
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 12:31:44
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I recently started on propranolol for essential tremor, which seems to affect one person in every generation in my family. Even a low dose (5 mg) makes a big difference. It means I don't have to worry about shaky fingers, which is part of a vicious cycle for nervousness in playing for other people. It can also help with phobias.
I've read that lots of serious musicians (without essential tremor) use it for performing.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 13:01:22
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I forgot to mention that instead of a couple of alcoholic drinks, one substitute that helps is B-12. You can't take too much either since any extra just gets pissed away.
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eph221
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 17:38:40
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My CG teacher was told that Potassium helps so the guy would eat a bunch of bananas before a concert. Yes you can touch my monkey....
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sharke
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 20:21:31
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Magnesium could also help as it's a great relaxant. Great for anxiety, restless legs, things like that. It also protects the hearing from noise damage so there's another music related bonus.
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ØSkald
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/23 20:50:32
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Thanks for sharing. I will look into this, as i some how wants to perform again. Being a studio guy is cool, but people are asking me to perform live, now i cant, but maybe with some more meds!!!
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Zo
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 06:33:48
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Rain , go crescendo , i will talk about my experience decades ago as a performers at that time ( lyricist) , things that help me suer cool i am now : 1) booking and performing for training in the same condition but with some friends or college as public 2) working in a store during 12 years during my studies helped me a lot. Like crazy to handle stress , people handling , confidence ect ... 3) number 2 allowed me to quikly make a relationship with the public ( now students ) , crucial to smooth out the atmosphere by quik question , humour , stuff that " break the ice " when you will feel the public is cool , you will be also .... It s important that you lead the croud , you impose the rythm , they will fallow ....you will be then in your land ... 4) don t be afraid to make all you entourage including us , listen to your track , if you have positive feedback , you will be more selfconfident .... 5) said hundreds time , but see what s going on in the world , all the drama, then think that we re luky , and streessing for some that is for fun like that doesn t make sens .... One experience that was tuff for us was a first live radio .... But i stressed all my bro s to keep it like we don t give a f... Mentality and be like chilling , speaking at the house and singing for fun ....it went welll , event with technical issues that made us do some jokes ...ect ...
post edited by Zo - 2016/07/24 06:55:46
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Guitarhacker
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 07:21:35
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Ahhhh yes, the feeling that you don't belong on the stage with the "talent" that's also on that stage.....
I wonder if when BB King and Eric Clapton walk on stage together to do a show if they are both not thinking that very same thing.... "What the heck am I doing on stage with this guitar god?"... wanna bet that doesn't cross their minds?
Would you turn down an opportunity to play on stage with your guitar hero no matter how amazing the guy or gal was? Would you turn down a chance to jam on stage in front of people with Clapton, or Santana? I know I wouldn't turn it down. I might make a fool of myself but damn.... I'd have a ball doing it. Then again, I might just play well enough and with no mistakes and knock it out of the park as the saying goes. Either way, it would be a blast.
I was recently in a contest for the opportunity to play on stage with Vince Gill.... one of the hottest country pickers alive.... I didn't place into the top 5 so that isn't happening. However, had I placed, I would have gone to the finals and had a ball playing with a guy who has forgotten more about playing a guitar than I will ever likely know. It would have been fun. So far, they have not posted the ranking below the top 5..... so I have no idea if I'm #6 (almost made it) or if I'm 596 in the list.
So, if you were invited to play, it's because someone thought you were of sufficient talent to be able to hold up your part of the gig.... so go, have fun and play from your heart and don't worry what the others are doing.
My website & music: www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface BMI/NSAI "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "
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KenB123
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 08:39:42
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Searching the web, I can't find whether propanool is prescription or over-the-counter purchasable. If prescription, I do not believe my doctor would prescribe a drug just because of my stage fright. I think he would say deal with it in some natural means, although personally I would prefer a little help in the beginning. But would have to be careful to not become over attached to it.
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jamesg1213
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 09:06:29
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Guitarhacker
I wonder if when BB King and Eric Clapton walk on stage together to do a show if they are both not thinking that very same thing.... "What the heck am I doing on stage with this guitar god?"... wanna bet that doesn't cross their minds?
Not any more though.. 
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bitflipper
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 10:32:07
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Maybe I live in a delusional bubble of my own creation, but I have never suffered from stagefright. Not during my very first performance in Kindergarten, nor doing a live radio broadcast, not on large stages in front of thousands. Not even after months or years off the stage.
I can, however, relate to the sensation of being a fraud who's in constant danger of being found out. That's pretty normal, I think, and has no relationship to one's talent, accomplishments or even self-confidence. You know your own limitations intimately and wonder how many in the audience can spot them.
Ironically, if you don't feel this way then you probably are a fraud with an inflated sense of your own brilliance.
My own self-medication, which I employ only in extreme situations, is coffee. Whether it's going into the studio to lay down a part for someone else or performing live, caffeine speeds up my brain and my fingers to the point where I find myself looking down at my own hands and being surprised by what they're doing. This only works because I am normally not a big caffeine consumer, so all it takes is one Starbucks Iced Coffee to wind me up.
A less-dangerous technique is simply warming up before a gig. I sit down at the keyboard with headphones and start doing finger exercises, scales and a self-jam around some simple chord progression. It takes a good half-hour for the effect to kick in, but when it does it's even more effective than a double-espresso.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 12:30:56
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Something Dave just said reminded me that I definitely perform better once I stop thinking about it. Whenever something distracts me (which isn't all that difficult - LOL!), I find that my "auto-pilot" works much better than when I'm focusing on the task too much. I guess that's what they call "the flow."
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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Mitch_I
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 14:20:49
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KenB-
Propranolol (Inderal) is by prescription. I think there are very few side effects, and it's commonly prescribed for steadying heart rate.
I doubt that it deals with stage fright directly. But I find that if my fingers are steady, my main problem is solved and I have more confidence.
I'm guessing that if you can bring some evidence of all the classical musicians who use it, your doctor might let you have a try.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 14:41:55
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I was just pondering whether drummers should get pace-makers... 
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michaelhanson
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 15:52:41
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bitflipper
A less-dangerous technique is simply warming up before a gig. I sit down at the keyboard with headphones and start doing finger exercises, scales and a self-jam around some simple chord progression. It takes a good half-hour for the effect to kick in, but when it does it's even more effective than a double-espresso.
I forgot to mention that I practice a lot, leading up to the week that I take the stage. I will run through the songs once every day, most often twice on Saturdays, before playing live on Sunday. I know that no one else in the band practices this much before hand, but it helps me a bunch to feel really confident about what I am playing. I am also much more at ease with public speaking, when I really know the material well.
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yorolpal
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 16:07:02
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I spent a great deal of time on stages both big ( 50,000) and small (we once played to a bartender and one waitress) in my youth all the way through my late thirties. And I am at my most comfortable when I'm on stage and entertaining...hopefully...an audience. On stage I am a total extrovert. But off stage I am borderline agoraphobic. I hate crowds, parties, clubs, events, etc...and mostly never leave my house once I'm home from work. I love the solitude of working alone in my music studio. But I do miss being on stage. Very much. But I bet the stage does not miss me:-)
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eph221
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 16:29:08
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yorolpal
I spent a great deal of time on stages both big ( 50,000) and small (we once played to a bartender and one waitress) in my youth all the way through my late thirties. And I am at my most comfortable when I'm on stage and entertaining...hopefully...an audience. On stage I am a total extrovert. But off stage I am borderline agoraphobic. I hate crowds, parties, clubs, events, etc...and mostly never leave my house once I'm home from work. I love the solitude of working alone in my music studio. But I do miss being on stage. Very much. But I bet the stage does not miss me:-)
We who suffer the stage fright thing tend to be highly self critical and perfectionistic. So no matter how much we practice we never feel that we can stick a fork in it and say it's done. In my own case, what's ironic is that I'm not nearly as critical of other's performances. I don't understand why i can't just sit back and enjoy my own performances the way I do others'. I'm really not fair to myself at all.
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craigb
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 18:16:32
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eph221
yorolpal
I spent a great deal of time on stages both big ( 50,000) and small (we once played to a bartender and one waitress) in my youth all the way through my late thirties. And I am at my most comfortable when I'm on stage and entertaining...hopefully...an audience. On stage I am a total extrovert. But off stage I am borderline agoraphobic. I hate crowds, parties, clubs, events, etc...and mostly never leave my house once I'm home from work. I love the solitude of working alone in my music studio. But I do miss being on stage. Very much. But I bet the stage does not miss me:-)
We who suffer the stage fright thing tend to be highly self critical and perfectionistic. So no matter how much we practice we never feel that we can stick a fork in it and say it's done. In my own case, what's ironic is that I'm not nearly as critical of other's performances. I don't understand why i can't just sit back and enjoy my own performances the way I do others'. I'm really not fair to myself at all.
And yet you're more than fairy enough, ya?  (Sorry, [insert low-hanging fruit comment here]. Whatcha' gonna do?  )
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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yorolpal
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Re: That stage fright medication works!
2016/07/24 19:35:12
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Yup...I'm more (as you should be able to tell from my bucolic visage at the upper left) of a, here's what I'm fixin to do...ifn ya like it, super great...ifn ya don't, tough titty...but either way stand back cause here it comes.
And then it's Katie Bar The Door!!
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