Does Anyone Know How to Get Over Stage Fright

[Coco]

I was listening to Billy the other night and I really felt bad for him when he said that he felt he couldn't get back on stage again after his show in Red Bank.

I have ALWAYS had problems doing reports in front of groups of people. I dread them! Does anyone have any tips on getting over stage fright?

______________________

We can't change our past, but we can change the way we look at it - into something more positive

[ToddEVF]

i would like this advice too. Someone please help!!

Goddess Ari's Bitch
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[Gvac]

I just ask myself "What's the worst possible thing that can happen? A bunch of strangers won't like me?"

They're not going to kill me or my loved ones, so fuck it. It's their loss.

<img src=http://home.ix.netcom.com/~camman/_uimages/animatedgvacsig.gif>

Muchas Gracias, PanterA!

[Zipgun]

Stage fright can be tough. I play in a band (Digger Phelps, tonight, Bello's in Sayreville at the corner of Washington & Roosevelt, 10pm, no cover), and I've had some before. Especially when I first started playing. But like gvac said, "What's the worst possible thing that can happen? A bunch of strangers won't like me?". You go up, you block out the crowd, and you just have confidence in your material. And once you do it, you're pretty set with your ability after that and it really doesn't come back.

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[Sheeplovr]

hmmmmmmm
the only thin i have ever been concered about is my grade when giving a speach then i make everyone laugh and we have goodtimes

Dont hate your self then it doesnt matter and u can do anythign maby?

number 333 its the way to be
http://members.hometown.aol.com/_ht_a/walrus701/images/breadsig.jpg
POWER AND CHAOS

[DarkHippie]

I play in a band (Digger Phelps, tonight, Bello's in Sayreville at the corner of Washington & Roosevelt, 10pm, no cover),
YOU WHORE!!!

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[Ryan the Great]

picture everyone naked

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peace-love-unity,
Ryan the Great

[schmega]

good breathing. steady, deep breaths will calm you. as tyler said, 'oxygen gets you high.'

then you just gotta believe in yourself and what you're doing. dont ever feel defeated. just the fact that you're up there makes you braver than 99% of the crowd.

[fezident]

I've played shows in front of 20 people and 2,000, and there are really only a few rules that are guaranteed to relieve stage fright. These apply to musicians as well as corporate presenters.
1) BE PREPARED!!!!!! Know your presentation backwards, forwards, and sideways. There is a certain comfort that comes with having a mastery over your topic (song)

2) APPEAR CONFIDENT!! This will come naturally if you're ultra-prepared, but still...it's important to give off the vibe that YOU KNOW YOUR SHIT.

3) MAKE NATURAL EYE CONTACT! This connects you to your audience. Again...you have to know your material. You can't have your head buried in your notes (or looking at your guitar)

4) USE SOME LIGHT HUMOUR! If you are pitching business, it's appropriate to open with a small joke to break the ice. Even something as silly as "I'm going to try to make this brief so we can all get back to enjoying this lovely 99% humidity" is enough to demonstrate that you are relaxed an in control.

4) ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE ROOM!! If someone appears confused by something you just said; you should stop right there and offer to clear it up. That whole "save your questions for the end" nonsense is for the President.

Finally...take a sip of water every once in a while. You're human....it's okay.

hope this helps and good luck.

Fez 4 Prez!!



This message was edited by fezident on 2-3-03 @ 4:50 PM

[Death Metal Moe]

I think fezzident covered all bases. I still get a little Stagefright as I play the drums at shows, but in the middle of the songs, I begin to feel the enjoyment that I feel at practice, and remember that I KNOW the material, and that we ARE a good band. Then I usually have fun. I have made mistakes, but you keep going, and don't let that song effect the rest of the set.

As for speeches, Fuck everyone. If they don't appreciate you, there's 2 things thy can do:

Nothing and Like it.

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[FMJeff]

Concentrate on the work needed to be done.

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<br>
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[A.J.]

http://www.toastmasters.org/indexbk.htm

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"Got to scrape that shit right off your shoes."

[DJEvelEd]

I've played in front of 5 people and I've played in front of 5,000+ and my best advise is to take a nice dump before you go on. No joke it really helps you bond with the club. <P>

>>Big Bird is Ferrall's bitch<<

[F1Gm3nT]

Ed... you motherfuker!!! no wonder you always have that smile when you spin!!!
YOU BASTERD!!!
now that I think about... my best set actually came after a nice dump.

"Yesterday's just a memory, tomorrow is never what it's supposed to be." - Bob Dylan

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[Coco]

Thanks guys! Your advice helped somewhat.

Here are some of the reasons why this is such a hard fear to overcome.

It's only once in a while I am asked to do a report and that makes it difficult because I think if you do them all the time, it's easier to get over.

Gvac: You mentioned: "What's the worst possible thing that can happen? A bunch of strangers won't like me?" The problem is, is that at work these people aren't strangers, and you have to face them on a daily basis.

I think the reason why it is easier to get up in front of an audience while you are in a band is because you don't have the audience centralizing only on you. And you usually aren't speaking.

I don't know, I really don't think I will get over stage fright.

If anyone has more to add, please do, as I know a lot of people share this fear.



______________________

We can't change our past, but we can change the way we look at it - into something more positive

This message was edited by Coco on 8-19-02 @ 3:44 PM

[ice cream girl]

Can you really ever cure stage fright? It seems like it's a "mental thing" and as easily as you talk yourself into it, you could talk yourself out of it but it's really never that simple. I dunno, mabye with extensive theraphy?

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God put me on this earth to do a certain number of things right... now i'm so far behind, i'll never die.

[Mike Teacher]

For me, as a teacher, its sheer repetition. People often forget that teachers, if they were comedians [sadly, enough aren't] would be described as doing 5 forty-minute sets a day, 180 days a year. So that's 900 times a year the bell rings, the class fills, the bell rings again, and you're on.<p> Of course, with teaching you're seeing the same 'audience' over and over again. And the aim is teaching, not entertainment. But then again, a good teacher will entertain. Anyhoooo... sure I still get a bit nervous when the 1st day of school approaches, but the sheer repetition of doing classes results in soon not even thinking about getting in front of a crowd and yapping. <p> I'm often asked to sub for another class, and then they may be strangers. But I find no problem, because I think of it as just another class. <p> This isn;t a solution, but just getting out there and doing it does wonders. Think about how much attention you pay when someone else is giving a report in class. Are you really concerned with their presentation? Not enought that they should be nervous. It's just the reverse when you have to speak to the class. Mike the Science Teacher. <P>

no sig yet; id love one of the prod to make me one

[F1Gm3nT]

to take a nice dump before you go on.

Ed... I'm kinda scared to ask but... what the hell do you do when we have outlaws... I don't ever recall seeing portapods

"A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." - Woody Allen

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[DJEvelEd]

I always keep a nice soft roll of toilet tissue in my truck. (It's not just for the ladies anymore)

>>Big Bird is Ferrall's bitch<<

[Joe Insight]

well....I dj...the first few times I got on the decks in front of people I was nuts...my hands were shaking so bad that I couldnt even put the needle on the record...Now I just go up there like a bad ass...I know that I'm gonna kill shit...I know I'm not gonna fuck up....I know all my scratches will be on point and I know that I'm the man of the hour....cockyness is the key to stage fright

[DC Reed]

Yeah, stage fright isnt a problem for me, then again i act for my HS so im pretty comfortable with it.

Like Jeff, the HNIC said, concentrate on the work. I usually run throughmy lines and reactions silently backstage before I go on. Plus for me there some pressure, anyone could be out there, including College drama recruiters, so youll wanna look good.

Its not too hard, you get used to it after awhile.

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SINCE WHEN DID THE JAPANESE DRINK MILK!?

This message was edited by DC Reed on 8-28-02 @ 8:38 PM

[Schematic]

Image tthe audience as mental patients wit guns

If Your Drinkin Don't Drive You Might Spill Your Beer!

Camil

[Frunobulax]

My experience (part-time drumming and corporate speaking engagements), to use the vernacular, is you either got it or you don't. There are some people who just will not, or cannot get up in front of a crowd. My college roommate was like that - he failed a speech course because he blew off the final speech out of fear. <br><br> To be sure, there are things that can help. In my opinion, the BEST thing is practice. I don't mean knowing your presentation cold, or being super prepared for the unexpected - although all those things are criticial to a good performance. I mean getting up in front of 10, 50, 150, 10,000 people wherever possible. Open mic nights, etc. <br><br> In the end, though, you simply may not be cut out for being in front of lots of people. And that's ok. You have just gained greater insight into your strengths and weaknesses, which is a skill more important than public speaking. <P>

[DrBob]

i have 2 ways of overcoming stage fright. <P>
1-two shots of tequila five minutes before your presentation. <P>
or <P>
2-alprazolam 0.25-0.5 mg about an hour or two before showtime. <P>
take your pick. <P>



This message was edited by DrBob on 8-30-02 @ 8:49 AM