Most professional musicians will admit they have experienced performance anxiety at some stage of their careers – some continue to feel nervous even after they’ve been playing for years! But undoubtedly the first time you perform in front of an audience is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences you’ll have to deal with. The good news is there are ways to make the experience just a bit more bearable and to ensure you enjoy the moment.

Focus on the Moment

The most important thing is to relax and stop overthinking the situation. If you find yourself just wondering what the audience is doing or how they are reacting, you’ll get more nervous and forget to focus on the thing, which is playing.

If even the thought of getting on stage makes your palms sweat, it may be a good idea to try some simple relaxation techniques. Try to visualise the gig before it happens, think what you’ll do and how everything will go according to plan. Learn to breathe even when you feel panicky, to ensure you don’t start hyperventilating.

When you are finally on stage, don’t look around and wonder about the audience. Find that calm place in your mind and just focus on playing your instrument. Worry about the audience reactions later!

Don’t Try to Pretend

Don’t create a persona for yourself that you feel uncomfortable with, as being on stage exposes you. This doesn’t of course mean that you can’t add whacky costumes and makeup styles, but only do it if your music requires it. Don’t try to copy other musicians because you need to feel comfortable and relaxed on stage.

It’s best to forget about pre-planning a specific on stage routine. Go with the flow and do the things that make you feel good, not the things you expect people want you to do. If you aren’t the kind of guitar player that can comfortably play, dance around, and jump on top of speakers, then don’t do it.

Don’t Create a Negative Image

If you step on that stage for the first time thinking the audience is going to hate you, you are going to screw it up for yourself. No one ever goes to see a gig hoping the artist to perform badly, so if you look and sound confident and you provide the audience an energetic and enjoyable experience, they are going to love you.

You won’t ever be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if the audience doesn’t know what to expect yet, but it doesn’t mean you won’t be given a chance. So be yourself, do what you do best and trust the audience to give you a chance!

Come Prepared

Finally, you can’t go on stage if you don’t trust your skills 100%. If you don’t feel prepared enough, practice a bit more, fine-tune your songs and only get on that stage when you know you are ready to rock.

Don’t be too much of a perfectionist though, as we can sometimes be our own worst critics. You can’t escape the first gig forever, but just make sure you don’t try to push for it too early either. Perhaps try performing to a small group of people first to test the waters before you take control of the bigger stages.