How can I get over stage fright?

[Black Snow 303]

Okay, I'm a performer. To be more specific I sing. People tell me I'm pretty good and eventually I want to be a famous singer and attend Juliard but I have one problem.... I have horrible stage fright. Even at kareoke I freak out. I want to get over my stage fright because I believe it is step 1 towards reaching my dream. Does anyone have any tips on how I can at least begin to get over my stage fright? Please reply. No spamming. gaia_nitemareleft gaia_kittenstar gaia_nitemareright

[Aisuru-hime]

Black Snow 303

You just have to face it, and shove it down a deep, dark hole. :3
I know how it is, I've been in chorus and what not, and I've been in singing competitions before. Even if you freak out, it's still going to inch you closer.
My first experience with singing on stage, I sang the wrong lyrics in the competition and froze. The audience began singing the song where I left off. It was like a scene out of a movie.
But, after that, I got more confident. People complimented me--Before that, I really had not gotten many compliments because I didn't put myself out there.

[Nyans]

Staring at or making eye contact with the audience is really intimidating! What I do is just smile and stare at the wall behind them. Once you perform a lot more, I think you'll be able to start feeling more comfortable (:

[gardes]

I agree with Nyans, practice will create you to be more confident on stage.

[nudewithmoons]

I'm a performer, but I play the viola. This sucks because I'm always having to perform, and I've been doing so for years, and I still have stage fright. I'm trying to figure out how to get over it!
A fellow musician told me that if you get your heart pumping immediately before getting on stage, your adrenaline can sort itself out and you'll feel better! So sometimes I'll do jumping jacks or something before auditions.
Also, I know there's some kind of medicine that doesn't require a prescription, and it'll calm your nerves. I've no idea what it's called though!

[acridityvolume]

There's no doubt that stage fright rears its ugly head before nearly every time you go on stage. Personally, I consider it to be a bit of a boost... I realize: if you're this scared to go on stage, how much more scared would you be without all the preparation you had? Then I jump on stage and give it my best shot, knowing that no matter what happens, I laid it all on the stage.

Good luck with whatever productions you may have coming up!

[Black Snow 303]

thank you for all of the tips!

[Love Simulatorrr]

I'm a dancer and I always perform in front of big crowds.
A certain degree of nervousness actually helps to execute a performance.
Big thing; have confidence, know what you are doing, you should have your stuff practiced.
Have fun, and enjoy what you do- is all i can say haha

[awhoaoh]

Don't imagine the audience in their underwear. That requires--and provokes--too much staring.

My best advice is just to go out and do it. Become really focused in your performance. The audience becomes a lot less apparent if you don't pay attention to them. Instead of imagining them in their underwear, imagine a completely empty theatre.

[Chibi Kaibou]

Besides singing alot in front of people. I generally try to rehearse in the same room that I'm going to be performing in. I have my friends watch, because I know my friends...they are my peers and I'm trying to impress them, and its more painful to sing and make a mistake in front of them then anyone else, because they know me.
Also, if things get nerve-racking at first... just take a deep breath where you can, calm yourself, your senses, let he adrenaline take you and instead of being afraid use that energy to fuel your voice and support you.
Thats what I do.
I put this huge ball of heat in my gut when I sing, and its all my fear fueling me to keep going.
*shrugs*
I tried...
also, good-luck with getting into Juliard.
I'd never be able to afford it in a million years. . .

[Elegy Hymn]

Alright so...I, too, suffer from stage fright. In fact, I think everyone does in some shape or form. Here's what I do...

1) Remind myself why I'm doing it. This is important, because I find that if you're doing it for the wrong reason (i.e., to become famous, to gain attention, etc.), you're gonna freeze up. Just let yourself go and do what you love

2) Remind myself why I love it. This is kind of self-explanatory. If its something that I love, then it shouldn't be something that produces fear, but rather produces joy.

3) Try desperately to channel all of my nervous energy into positive energy. This I find just enhances performance quality. If you channel your nerves into good energy on stage, then you'll put more into the performance, and basically just compel the audience to you that much more.

Hope this helped out!!

[xKawaiiPandix]

I have terrible stage fright too...and I haven't overcome it completely yet....but what I do that helps is pretend I'm the only person in the room....or if you have a friend, look at them. They will smile and motivate you!!

[Yin and Yang Yume]

nudewithmoons

I'm a performer, but I play the viola. This sucks because I'm always having to perform, and I've been doing so for years, and I still have stage fright. I'm trying to figure out how to get over it!
A fellow musician told me that if you get your heart pumping immediately before getting on stage, your adrenaline can sort itself out and you'll feel better! So sometimes I'll do jumping jacks or something before auditions.
Also, I know there's some kind of medicine that doesn't require a prescription, and it'll calm your nerves. I've no idea what it's called though!

Ah, you mean rescue remedy. My mum takes it for anxiety and it works a charm, me and my sister have even used it once or twice for exams and such.

[JuggaloLover16]

My first stage play was Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I had one of the lead roles and I was pretty nervous about it. I figured out that the stage was a lot bigger than some bar and a conference room for presenting stuff. A stage has more wide open spaces to look at; if you're acting, you're just the character from that story..Not you. I felt better when i turned myself into the character.

For singing its the same. Wide spaces gives you plenty of space to move about and you have limitless space.