How to Overcome Stage Fright and Own the Room Live
The worst part of being in a band: the stage fright. Your hands are shaky and sweaty. You’re fumbling with your guitar pick in your pocket, and you’re trying to even out your breathing, all before performing your newest song for the first time.
Stage fright can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t mean you’re any less of a musician, and you’re definitely not alone. Even the pros get stage fright!
The good news is it’s manageable. From rehearsal to performance, this guide walks you through the best tips and tricks so you can learn how to overcome stage fright and become the killer performer we know you can be!
What Is Stage Fright?
Simply put, stage fright is the feeling of anxiety you performers feel right before you go on stage. It’s typically brought on by the anticipation and thought of performing in front of an audience. Don’t fret! It’s a natural feeling!
Why Do Musicians Get Stage Fright?
We know you want the best. You want your performance to go right for your members, fans, management, and, most importantly, for you! All that pressure rattles your nerves. You know you’re being watched, so you become hyper-aware of every movement you make.
What Happens to Your Body Before a Performance?
Before any performance, your body kicks into “fight or flight” mode. Usually, this activates only in extreme circumstances. Still, with audience pressure, hot stage lights, a new setlist, and fear of mistakes, your body recognizes the stakes and triggers mental and physical reactions.
High heart rate, shaky hands, sweats, nausea, and anxiety are the most common symptoms of stage fright. Learning to manage your symptoms is essential to becoming the out-of-this-world musician we know you already are.
Is Stage Fright Actually a Bad Thing?
Feeling nervous before putting yourself out there isn’t a bad thing! It shows that you care about your craft, band members, and your audience. Your body simply prepares to perform well and releases adrenaline that powers your performance.
However! If the performance anxiety becomes too overwhelming, to the point where it’s debilitating, then it might be an issue, but we’ll get to that later.
8 Steps to Overcome Stage Fright Before a Live Show
Even the pros can get antsy before they go on stage! Here are our favorite ways to ease the butterflies before the big show.
Step 1: Rehearse Until the Set Feels Automatic
When your set feels like second nature, you have much less to worry about. You eliminate on-stage guesswork and feel more confident! It’s one of the most important steps in easing stage fright.
Step 2: Practice Performing, Not Just Playing
Playing your music, hitting the right notes, and striking the right chords matters. But owning the room is more than playing with perfect technique. Practice performing! Practice moving around and your facial expressions before you get on stage, and you’ll feel much more comfortable.
Step 3: Get to the Venue Early
Trust us, feeling properly prepared is integral to easing the nerves. Arriving early lets you scope out the stage and find exactly where the audience will be. It also lets you load in equipment exactly how you want and gives you time for a proper sound check.
Step 4: Use Soundcheck to Get Comfortable With the Room
Speaking of soundcheck, take full advantage of it! More than checking your volume and equipment, use it to check your performance. How much can you move on stage? Where are each of your members going to be? Do you need to add an extra mic stand? Your soundcheck is the time to work out any final kinks.
Step 5: Build a Pre-Show Routine
A pre-show routine helps you feel like all of your ducks are in a row. Whether it’s listening to lyrics one more time before you go on, a personal stretch routine, or a quick chant to get yourself amped up, a routine gives you a sense of control that works wonders for calming your nerves.
Step 6: Control Your Breathing Before You Walk Onstage
Breathing gets oxygen to the brain, which calms not only the mind but also the body. One of our favorite exercises is called box breathing. You take a deep breath for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold again for four seconds before repeating.
Step 7: Focus on the First Song, Not the Entire Set
Thinking about just the first song feels ten times more manageable than thinking about the entire set. Focusing on your intro helps your brain feel accomplished and prepared as you move through each song.
Step 8: Connect With the Crowd Instead of Trying to Impress Them
Don’t think about your audience as people there strictly to judge and critique your music. They are there for a good time, so have a good time along with them! If they see that you enjoy what you are playing, make eye contact, and are simply having fun out there, they will feel free to do the same!
What to Do When You Make a Mistake Onstage
No performer is perfect. Mistakes happen all the time. What matters is staying in the moment and not letting a skipped string, beat, or a misspoken lyric define the rest of your set. Own your mistakes just as much as you own the rest of the stage. Plus, if you keep on rolling, chances are the audience won’t even notice!
How to Build Stage Confidence Over Time
Controlling your stage fright and conquering the room doesn’t mean you become fearless overnight. It means learning what amount of nerves keeps you alert, and what amount distracts you.
Play More Shows
The best way to get comfortable performing is to perform! The more you throw yourself into various sets and stages, the more experience you’ll have. The more experience you have, the more confident you’ll feel.
Record and Watch Your Performances
It’s hard to remember every detail of your set after you get off stage. Giving yourself the ability to rewatch your performance helps you lock in what you liked and note what you’d rather change.
Figure Out What Works for You
Every musician, every song, every stage is different. Whether it’s breathing techniques, a lap around the venue, a stretch, or a standing-still pep talk, find the pre-show and onstage quirks that work to keep you in the right headspace to give your audience your all.
Common Stage Fright Mistakes Musicians Make
Stage fright can be a real monster. Conquering the beast means dodging these easily avoidable mistakes.
Over-Rehearsing Right Before the Show
There’s making your set feel like second nature, and then there’s practicing so hard to hit every detail that you forget what comes next and turn into a robot on stage. Always stay mindful of giving your audience something authentic, not scripted.
Using Alcohol to Calm Your Nerves
While it may seem like the perfect movie-worthy cure, using alcohol to calm your nerves can backfire, making you more anxious or lowering your inhibitions so much that you lose yourself while on stage.
Obsessing Over Every Mistake
Rehashing and “shoulda, coulda, woulda” -ing your performance takes away the good you did on stage. Don’t let little flubs take away from the fact that you just performed live for a crowd and did the best you could.
Comparing Yourself to Other Performers
“Comparison is the thief of joy!” While the philosophy is a touch overused, it doesn’t make it any less true. No one can play your music like you. Own it!
When Performance Anxiety Becomes More Than Pre-Show Nerves
If your pre-show jitters feel a little too much like life-or-death, to the point where it hinders your performance, you might have a more clinical kind of anxiety. With similar symptoms, it’s easy to confuse the two! Knowing the extent of your nerves helps you figure out whether self-regulation or professional help is right for you (and both are okay!).
Stop Waiting to Feel Ready and Play the Damn Show
In all transparency, you’ll probably never feel 100% prepared to get on stage, 100% confident in yourself and your members, or 100% secure in your set. Play the damn show anyway! The only way to get out there is to put yourself out there. The only way to improve is to try! You never know what sort of success is waiting for you, so start reaching for it!
Submit Your Demo to Hardstop Records
Ready to show the world what you’ve got? At Hardstop Records, we’re by artists, for artists. We get the nerves, but we also know how to get you out there. Submit your demo to Hardstop Records (the best new label in Chicago!) and kick off your career!
How to Overcome Stage Fright: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of stage fright quickly?
The best way to calm your nerves in a pinch is to focus and control your breathing. Several techniques work for musicians.
Why do I get so nervous performing music?
Between the audience, your management, and your bandmates, there’s a lot of pressure to perform well. It’s only natural to be nervous!
Do professional musicians still get stage fright?
Yes, but it gets better with time! Professional artists like Adele, Rihanna, Barbra Streisand, and Andrea Bocelli have all shared their personal experiences with stage fright.
How do I stop shaking when performing?
Controlling your breathing and staying mindful are some of the best ways to ease the shakiness of stage fright.
Does stage fright go away with experience?
Stage fright has the same symptoms as excitement, so the jitters never fully go away, but they become much more manageable with time and experience.
How common is stage fright?
Stage fright is extremely common. Professional and amateur performers alike have shared countless stories of pre-show jitters before their big performances.
What’s the difference between anxiety and stage fright?
Stage fright can actually help you perform better. It can boost your adrenaline and keep you focused. Anxiety takes you out of your performance and leaves you feeling genuinely afraid.
What does stage fright feel like?
Physically, stage fright often feels like shortness of breath, shaky hands, sweaty palms, and a dry mouth. Mentally, it can feel like overwhelm and an intense desire to succeed.