| Author |
Comment |
CatMarieS
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/1/01 8:05:44 pm)
Reply
|
Who else has had
this problem?
Whenever somone is listening to me play my Cello, I always get
scared and mess up and sound all sqeaky and horrible. But when I'm
by myself I play fine...great in fact! How can I get over my anxiety
problem?
|
Gablety
Registered User
Posts: 35
(5/1/01 11:19:53 pm)
Reply
|
I know what you
mean!
I've played the piano for maybe five years now, and i know what you
mean! I used to play all of these really complicated but
introspective and beautiful Chopin waltzes. Playing by myself, I
would play them fine, but playing for other people, I just felt more
nervous, and less involved with the music, like I was watching the
music instead of being it. Playing for my relatives a third of a
country away, I would play much more slowly for fast passages, but
speed through the things, miss notes, etc. It was as if I played
better when it was only for myself than when it was for other
people.
Now, I don't seem to have the problem; I don't know
why. It's just that now, playing for my relatives, I feel the same
sort of connection to the music as I do when I'm only playing it for
myself. (At least on the piano!) I think it's that I just play with
more people around, so when I'm practicing it's not just for me,
people can hear it out on the driveway, people pass by, and so on. I
don't feel as violated when someone else is listening to my music
since more poeple are listening to it.
|
cellochris99
Registered User
Posts: 148
(5/2/01 5:31:35 am)
Reply
|
Re: Who else has
had this problem?
I definitely have that problem from time to time. What I really
hate, is when people in an adjacent room are trying to converse over
my playing. Nothing like drilling through some difficult out of tune
passage and having someone's conversation affected by it! When
someone's listening, I feel so much clumsier and I play much
wimpier. When I pratice at full volume at night, all kinds of dogs
start barking, so I know that anyone outside in the area can hear me
loud and clear, especially on those high notes, so that's kind of
nerve racking too!
Chris
|
Ellen
G 
Registered
User
Posts: 737
(5/2/01 7:50:34
am)
Reply
|
Count me
in
I've gotten better over the years, so now the degree of discomfort
is directly proportionate to the cellistic expertise of the person
in the room. I used to think that people would see an adult in the
room and expect a professional performance. It is my perception of
other people's expectations that was the basis of my phobia. Now I
try to play for myself and do the best I can. The people who are
better are not ripping me to shreds, but rather trying to offer
constructive criticism, point me in the right direction, and always
make a point to comment on anything that happens to be going right.
The weird thing is that when a good cellist is listening to
me, my brain goes into a second-guess mode. Would the person
observing finger it differently, bow it differently, etc. And in
this state I have taken passages that have been rock solid and
somehow screwed them up. I've played some totally different
fingering that never entered my mind before, and there it is coming
out of my hands.
To put things in perspective... I was
recently forced into a golfing situation where I felt most
uncomfortable. Actually, it was horrible. I vowed afterwards to make
everyone else in the group publicly perform on a cello. Hee hee.
|
PaulFM
Registered User
Posts: 20
(5/2/01 8:50:29 am)
Reply
|
Re: Who else has
had this problem?
Count me in. I can play difficult passages just fine by myself, but
when I get with the orchestra or sectional I get so concerned about
playing the passage correctly that I can tense up and forget
everything that I practiced. I try to relax when I play and focus on
the music and not the mechanics of my playing. Letting my mind
wander is disastrous. Fortunately, concerts seem to go well. I guess
the adrenaline kicks in. If someone has a cure-all I sure would like
to know. I like Ellen's idea of making everyone else in the group
perform on a cello in public.
PaulM
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
Posts: 289
(5/2/01 9:04:15
am)
Reply
|
"Stage
fright"
This is called "stage fright" and is probably experienced by most
performers. Musicians may be the worst affected because they have no
control over their own timing and the flow of their activity
(music), which speakers can control in theirs. There are many
symptoms, although to my understanding, each affected person has
their own typical ones for each activity that causes the affliction.
It is usually due to release of adrenalin in a misplaced "fright or
flight" reaction. Extensive discussions at Maestronet have explored
ways to overcome it.
fingerboard.maestronet.co...timate.cgi
Try
going there and looking at the "search" function either on the main
board as it comes up or at "Fingerboard."
Good
luck
Andy
|
mcello
Registered User
Posts: 84
(5/2/01 3:09:34 pm)
Reply
|
It depends on
comfort level
If I am comfortable with the music I'm playing, can play it in my
sleep, I really usually am not worried about stage fright. One thing
I will mention though is that before recitals, etc. where I am
soloist, I do not stand in the hall and watch for who's coming in, I
perform much better and have less anxiety, if I can concentrate on
the music and not who's listening! Auditions are a little harder,
because I know that my playing is on the line and its not just an
audience enjoying the music!
|
DoDahlberg
Moderator
Posts: 45
(5/2/01 7:06:40 pm)
Reply
|
Me.
(This message was left blank)
Dorie |
CatMarieS
Registered User
Posts: 2
(5/2/01 8:08:33 pm)
Reply
|
Re: Who else has
had this problem?
Well, you see, I've only had this problem ever since I moved two
months ago. When you're eleven at my school ,you get bumped down to
beginner level, even though i've playe dsince forever. I kept
worrying about messing up on the easy musing because if I messed up
they might think I didn't play well. And since I played so well, the
teacher was able to spot some more subtle things, like the way I
tend to want to play closer to the fingerboard when I play open A,
and you know, I know it sounds a little stupid, and I am ashamed of
it, but I still have my first finger dot, just in case...but, it
fell off, and I didn't worry because I didn't need it anyway, but
then when I got scared I couldn't find first finger and I'd mess up
terribly. If I wasn't scared I could find 1st finger blindfolded!
But I get so scared. What's a 6th grade cellist to do?
|
sarah
schenkman
Registered
User
Posts: 352
(5/3/01 5:35:18
pm)
Reply
|
Re: Who else has
had this problem?
I think the best way to get over this is lots of playing for other
people. It's common to play better by yourself, but you can minimize
the stage fright problem by getting used to performing.
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
Posts: 296
(5/4/01 10:26:53
am)
Reply
|
Is your teacher
from Mars?
CatMarie S.
It seems to me that bowing an open string closer to
the fingerboard is exactly what a sensitive, experienced player
would do to keep it from being louder than the other
notes.
Watch virtuoso players, their bows are all over the
place - and violinists and violists too. It's not from lack of
skill, but to achieve the tonal qualities they want. After enough
time, it becomes an unconscious practice. Sometimes you will also
see an experienced player pull the bow a little crooked near the tip
- again - not from lack of skill, but to taper a phrase (Kennedy the
violinist, does this all the time to get that effect at concerto
volume).
Keep your self-confidence!
Andy
P.S. A
"dot" on the back of the neck for the thumb to feel will let you
know when your hand is in first position, without being visible to
anyone else.
|
CatMarieS
Registered
User
Posts: 5
(6/27/01 11:37:56
pm)
Reply
|
Re: Who else has
had this problem?
Okay, I'll try that, and thanks!
|
Internet Cello Society
Forums
Email
This To a Friend
Topic Commands (Moderator only)