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How to Overcome The Fear of Playing in Front of People

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Most musicians have to deal with performance anxiety sooner or later in one way or another.

There are professional musicians who struggle with it each and every single performance and others who overcome it quickly.

I also was not immune to the fear of playing in front of people. I remember one of my first gigs when I smoked 2 pack of cigarettes before going on stage.

The nervousness was unbearable, but the strange thing was when I got on stage and started playing I was so focused that the anxiety fell away. All that was left was pure excitement.

Once I started playing gigs every week it was no more an issue. I learned that doing more of the same thing takes away the fear.

But then “change” can come along, new things happening, unexpected situations, bigger stages, different people, larger crowds and you have to deal with the uneasiness all over again and that’s a pain in the #ss.

Still, when you’re aware of a few simple rules and take the necessary steps the nervousness becomes tolerant and will eventually disappear completely. A big part of the salvation lies in your own hands and is easy to attain.

Fear simply comes from worrying about the future, the unknown, thinking about what might happen, going through all the ‘what if’ scenarios and torturing yourself with what others might think.

They are all scenarios that arent’ there, cause you’re here now and those situations aren’t. They only live in your mind.

And yes that’s the theory, you still have to deal with it or better said ‘let go of it’.

Well, here are the keys to help you out and truly enjoy the entire experience of your performance.Continue Reading

Give Your Kids the Gift of Music

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If your kids show any interest in playing an instrument, then I can’t tell you enough to encourage them to go for it.

You probably have no idea how much of a difference you’ll be making in their lives by letting them explore and develop a talent that will do more for them than you think.

Playing the Guitar Changed My Life
When I first picked up a guitar in the seventh grade, little did I know that my life would never be the same.

My Dad was a guitarist and he couldn’t wait until his son got old enough for him to jam with. He bought me my first real guitar for Christmas: A sweet blood-red Peavey electric bass. It was a great beginner bass guitar that played just as smooth as anything twice its cost. Plus it sounded twice as great too.

It was only a few months of practicing before I was in high school and the my guitar playing really changed my life. When you’re young, you seek out other people who are like you. So naturally I became friends with pretty much any other musician I could find. Before long my evenings and weekends were filled with more band practices and good times than I would have ever predicted. Everywhere I went, we all went as a group.

At a time when most other teenagers were being loners or just plain awkward, being in a band gave me the opportunity to hit the stage at the local talent shows, dances, and other hot spots around town. And with every performance I became more and more adventurous about performing live in public and meeting other people.Continue Reading

20 Questions to Figure Out Your Purpose as a Musician

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Somewhere along the way of your guitar adventure there comes a moment when you think about what you want to do or who you want to be as a musician.

The possibilities are almost infinite and sometimes overwhelming. Where do you go next?

Maybe you play acoustic guitar but feel there’s an electric guitar beast inside of you. Or you play lead guitar in a rock band but are secretly swept away by those jazz musicians.

You sing, write, play guitar but think of learning another instrument. You might even want to make a living out of it or pursue a music career, but doing what?

There are so many choices. You can be a songwriter or a singer songwriter, a rhythm guitar player, lead player, music producer, session player, guitar teacher, street musician. You can play in a cover band performing at coffee houses, weddings, bars, small venues, etc. The list is endless.

And then there’s all those different music styles: Blues, rock, jazz, country, easy listening, alternative, classical… Isn’t it great? Yeah but it doesn’t make it easier.

So here are 20 questions to help you figure out your purpose as a musician. Take out a piece of paper, write down the answers and get to know yourself.

Enjoy!Continue Reading

12 Ways to Keep You Focused at Practicing Guitar

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A lot of guitar players tend to practice less or quit practicing altogether once they get older and gain more responsibility in life.

They still play guitar (the stuff they already know) but have given up practicing to improve. There’s a huge difference.

This is unfortunate because there are so many great things to learn that many guitar players aren’t even aware of.

It would open up their way of thinking and renew their approach to guitar playing by adding valuable knowledge, developing different skills and expanding their vocabulary.

Although I teach guitar and write about guitar playing, I also sometimes have difficulty keeping up a regular practice schedule to improve my guitar skills. Guitar playing is a major part of enjoying the good life but not the only part.

Besides the busyness of commitments and obligations in daily life, I also like to keep up with my other hobbies such as spending quality time with my wife and three kids, drinking cappuccino in the backyard, running, yoga, meditation, reading and enjoying good wines to name a few.

And as much as these things are of great importance, practicing guitar may not be harmed by all of these wonderful life luxuries. To keep a safe and secure place for regular practice I make sure I follow the guidelines below.

If you also feel like your active lifestyle is keeping you from practicing then here are the keys to get you back on track.

Check it out!Continue Reading