I`m a freshman in highschool, and I`ve been playing the flute since 5th grade. I have a new flute and I`m taking private lessons from my band director, you anyof you guys know any tips on how to improve tone and self confidence? I know I can play well when im alone, but when I`m around people I freeze! anyhelp?? please??

Become so ingrossed in the music that you forget everyone else. Before you play before a group think that you are going to do well! You are what you think in a sense. Tell you`re self you are going to do a good job, and promise yourself some cake or something afterward, in a since you want be concentrating that this is the moment that will sum up your life, there will be other times and even if you don`t to great- hey, there`s goin`to be cake afterward. I hope you get what I am saying. Good luck, take life lightly- life is too short not too enjoy it.

I have the same problem, I cant play in front of peple. You just have to go out there and do it. Ask friends if they`ll listen to you play and such. Its helping me so try it.

loL! i too was like really scared to play infront of dozns of ppl but then i got used to it.....

all i can say is when you are practising, imagine the audience. so that when you prform , you will not be scared because you know that they are already there...

maybe you could perform infront of a few friends first and then gradually increase the numbers??

good Luck!

SaRa

I`ve got the same basic advice as everyone else. Just keep playing in front of family, friends, increasing the number of people present gradually so you don`t freak out.

You also might want to take up a public speaking class or drama. That won`t help with your musicianship per se but it will help you get over stage fright.

Besides, when you are in a band, there are so many people around you, you have this protective barrier! You`ll hardly notice the audience once you begin.

Better yet, make the audience an integral part of your performance (they really are after all- you wouldn`t be playing in that place and time if they were not present right?) So, make the most of the fact that they came to hear you play and there is a reason for that.

I understand what you`re going through as I am also a freshman in high school and have also been playing the flute since the 5th grade. The past couple of months that I have been performing in high school band has really helped me improve with "on-stage" presentation where the spotlight is on you, and only you.

At chair placement auditions, I freaked out so much that I only managed 3rd chair. My history of being incompetent at public performance is because I never really was given the opportunities to perform in front of people solitarily.

Anyways, the 1st chair flutist happened to be my best band friend since way back in elementary school (she`s a sophomore) and she doesn`t really think that the 2nd chair flutist deserves her chair, so she`s given me many opportunities for solo parts.

Rehearsals in class, I trembled while I played my solo, and you could even hear it in the music. Even at the Christmas concert, I was still shaking then, but over time, I guess I got used to having to perform in front of other people.

I guess being able to perform in front of an audience, you have to practice it just like any other skill you want to learn. Overcoming my fear of public performance has also contributed to other public performances like speeches and presentations.

(Just out of curiosity, do you also have problems doing speeches and presentations? Because once I got used to being able to play by myself in front of others, I`ve also been able to give speeches and presentations without much fear.)

You can practice relieving yourself of your fear of public performance by performing for family, then friends, then possibly performing solos at concerts. Once you`re able to overcome the mental aspect and grow comfortable with a crowd watching, you`ll be able to excel and be more productive with your musical performance. (It also gives you a confidence boost!)

I`m ok with playing in front of larger audiences and in big halls. I get more nervous when i`m playing in front of a few people I know, like in a classroom. When you`re in a big hall, everyone is so far away, i just forget they`re even there. I think just practice playing in front of people, and try to convince yourself that you can play in well, and you know you are good, so how you perform doesn`t matter that much to you. Thats what I try to do. Because if I feel I pressure, I usually get more nervous.

Now ive read on phobias and stuff so long story made short, to get rid of some fear, do this. Firstly think about the audience, imagine its a hall full of them but you have a barrier, a extremely tinted window so nobody knows your there meaning your not afraid. Then i want you to think of the audience as big as a football field. Got that? (the ground is still wood, not grass). Now think of the audience the size of a stadium with everyone packing in. Got that? Next think about the crowd as big as your school. IS that in your head? picture it but make sure your not thinking about the playground. Just the people and that barrier. Now think of the audience as big as a olmpic park. Now think about that for a while. After that i want you to slowly go backwards in size. From schoool, to the stadium, to the foot ball field and then finally back to the original small audience. You should now that the audience you play with is exceptionally small compared to what ive said. If you did it correctly you will realise that its not so bad, crowds. Obviously your fear of stage will come back so regularly enforce this technique and soon most of the fear will go away. This works because if you continuosly do this your tiny thought that "yea they wont care if i stuff up" turns into a belief. It sounds stupid but do you believe in god or fate? there is no proof really but you believe it. Turn the thought into belief that a crowd is no more than a few people. I hope this helps you guys!