As you may or may not know, I’m a pretty good guitar player and singer as well. However, I’ve been having a terrible bout of stage fright whenever I try to perform in public. I’ve been mostly doing it at the recovery center, and there’s a choir concert there 2 weeks from today. Even though I’ll have the music therapist playing along with me for at least one song, I’m still doubting that my nerves will hold up for it. For all of you musicians, how do you deal with your stage fright ( especially you, @jukebox) ?
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Im not the most social person 1 on 1. But put me in front of a million people I will have no nerves. Some people are wired this way. It’s been the case since I was young. I was built to perform. Sorry if that’s not much help but I just feel myself and relaxed in front of many people. It’d be easier for me to perform in front of a crowd than to record my songs into a microphone while I’m alone almost. Apparently my uncle who was a musician was the same way as me. All anxiety that I have is lifted. Feels natural. I always loved giving speeches and stuff in school.
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I used to play for a crowd of like 700 people and it scared me at first, but after the first song I played, I settled down and it was so rewarding to hear the applause. somewhere I heard to just imagine the crowd not wearing any clothes and that makes it easier to grip. good luck and thanks for mentioning me.
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I deal with stage fright by not getting up on stages and by not performing for large audiences. By “large” I mean more than two people.
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There was a guy at the hospital last time I was in the psych ward who was a brilliant guitar player. Textbook disorganized type, nothing he said made sense 99 percent of the time. But when he had his guitar he was a great performer, great singing voice and wrote all his own lyrics. This guy Bernie had no stage fright or negative symptoms whatsoever, he was just extremely disorganized. Sometimes crazy takes different forms. What to you is a weakness is to someone else a strength.
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Hi @Mim30, I never performed in public although I am a kind of digital improviser. I do not like to play in public for now. This is my morning chordal improvisation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7iT--VNtx4&t=58s
Why don`t you show us your work? 
Regards, keep your inspiration.
I really only do covers, I’m not really a songwriter. At this point in my life, it would really be hard for me to break into the industry. In ways, I would really just like to get through a song without choking. Thanks for the encouragement!
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