Thanks for all your support
Hi everyone. I just wanted to thank you all for your support. I really enjoy and am so appreciative of your being a member, fan, friend and for your patronage. As a way of showing this, I'd like to share with you a few tips I've come across along the way.
The first is a movie I created which just may help you if you have a dead string or two and don't have the time to change it right away.
Below that is a tip for anyone who has 'performance anxiety.
Finally, I'm going to show you a little bit about guitar chords.
Thanks again!!
Toby Walker
The first is a movie I created which just may help you if you have a dead string or two and don't have the time to change it right away.
Below that is a tip for anyone who has 'performance anxiety.
Finally, I'm going to show you a little bit about guitar chords.
Thanks again!!
Toby Walker
10 step plan for performing and
decreasing your anxiety.
One day during my residency at Swanannoa Gathering a student came up to me lamenting over having made a mistake during an open mic the night before. He told me that he practiced the piece at least a hundred times at home, and then several times, perfectly, in his dorm room just prior to going to the open mic.
I asked him how many times did he practice it in front of people. "Not once" he responded.
Just like a piece of coal needs PRESSURE over a period of time before turning into a gem, you need to put that pressure on yourself if you truly want to own a piece. Just practicing it over and over again in the comfort of your home isn't enough. Here are a few ways to prepare for that open mic.
Step One: set that goal of when you'll be performing. That will add some pressure and give you focus.
Step Two: Add more pressure by recording yourself. Once that red light goes on you'll be surprised at how your heart rate goes up. You need to get used to that. Then listen back to the recording to see where you can improve.
Step Three: Isolate those trouble spots and, setting a metronome on a SLOW setting, practice them over and over again - PERFECTLY. Each day move that speed up just once and repeat until you're at tempo.
Step Four: Now practice the measures just prior to and after that trouble spot. This ensures that everything will flow.
Step Five: Record yourself again.
Step Six: Time to ramp up the pressure. Make a YouTube video of you playing the piece, as perfectly as you can. If you're making too many mistakes, then go back to Step Three.
Step Seven: Now play the piece through without any recording, but try to play it all the way through - EVEN with a few mistakes. Now is the time to practice keeping the piece going without stopping or worrying about making a mistake. However, keep note of those mistakes and if they are the same ones, then go back to Step Three.
Step Eight: Ramp up the pressure some more by now playing it live in front of a few of your friends and family.
Step Nine: Go to that open mic, but DON’T play anything. Just listen to the other performers and to the audience’s reaction. Get to know the other folks there. Just like an athlete, you’re acclimating yourself to the ‘performance conditions’ - the ‘atmosphere of the room.’ Actually, you can be doing this at any point in this process… the sooner the better.
Step Ten: Now you’re ready to finally play that piece at that open mic. You’ve practiced it in a bunch of settings and even can play it through in spite of the occasional mistake. Here’s the rub: Don’t kill yourself if you do happen to flub something in that open mic. If you’ve acclimated yourself to the open mic experience, you’ll already know how supportive the audience is. Just play through the piece, thank everyone afterward, and please, do not apologize for making a mistake.
Oh yeah, one more bonus step: KEEP going to these open mics. This is where you will gain that valuable experience in playing in front of people DESPITE the pressure. Yes, even pros like myself feel the pressure after all of those years. The difference is that by tempering ourselves by continuing to play out, we have learned how to harness that energy.
By following these steps I will bet the farm that you’ll not only improve as a player, really OWNING those songs, but you’ll be a much better performer.
Hope this helps.
I asked him how many times did he practice it in front of people. "Not once" he responded.
Just like a piece of coal needs PRESSURE over a period of time before turning into a gem, you need to put that pressure on yourself if you truly want to own a piece. Just practicing it over and over again in the comfort of your home isn't enough. Here are a few ways to prepare for that open mic.
Step One: set that goal of when you'll be performing. That will add some pressure and give you focus.
Step Two: Add more pressure by recording yourself. Once that red light goes on you'll be surprised at how your heart rate goes up. You need to get used to that. Then listen back to the recording to see where you can improve.
Step Three: Isolate those trouble spots and, setting a metronome on a SLOW setting, practice them over and over again - PERFECTLY. Each day move that speed up just once and repeat until you're at tempo.
Step Four: Now practice the measures just prior to and after that trouble spot. This ensures that everything will flow.
Step Five: Record yourself again.
Step Six: Time to ramp up the pressure. Make a YouTube video of you playing the piece, as perfectly as you can. If you're making too many mistakes, then go back to Step Three.
Step Seven: Now play the piece through without any recording, but try to play it all the way through - EVEN with a few mistakes. Now is the time to practice keeping the piece going without stopping or worrying about making a mistake. However, keep note of those mistakes and if they are the same ones, then go back to Step Three.
Step Eight: Ramp up the pressure some more by now playing it live in front of a few of your friends and family.
Step Nine: Go to that open mic, but DON’T play anything. Just listen to the other performers and to the audience’s reaction. Get to know the other folks there. Just like an athlete, you’re acclimating yourself to the ‘performance conditions’ - the ‘atmosphere of the room.’ Actually, you can be doing this at any point in this process… the sooner the better.
Step Ten: Now you’re ready to finally play that piece at that open mic. You’ve practiced it in a bunch of settings and even can play it through in spite of the occasional mistake. Here’s the rub: Don’t kill yourself if you do happen to flub something in that open mic. If you’ve acclimated yourself to the open mic experience, you’ll already know how supportive the audience is. Just play through the piece, thank everyone afterward, and please, do not apologize for making a mistake.
Oh yeah, one more bonus step: KEEP going to these open mics. This is where you will gain that valuable experience in playing in front of people DESPITE the pressure. Yes, even pros like myself feel the pressure after all of those years. The difference is that by tempering ourselves by continuing to play out, we have learned how to harness that energy.
By following these steps I will bet the farm that you’ll not only improve as a player, really OWNING those songs, but you’ll be a much better performer.
Hope this helps.
