Shinobue Performance Anxiety

You were practicing your favorite shinobue song in your bedroom and everything sounded fine. But the moment you tried to play for others, anxiety set in. Suddenly, your shinobue sounded terrible, and that's if you got any sound out of it at all! 😓

Many of you may not even attempt to perform shinobue in front of people because you fear this might also happen to you.

But why does this happen and how can we stop it???

If you Google "Stage fright," you will find plenty of information on the internet about the fight-or-flight response and what people think you should do to remedy it.

But today, I want to share invaluable, hands-on insights that I've gained from the world-class professional musicians I've been fortunate enough to learn from. Drawing from my own journey as a performer since age five, I understand the challenges of performance anxiety and have developed effective strategies to manage it. Additionally, I've successfully guided numerous piano, voice, and shinobue students in overcoming their worries about performing. With this experience, I’m confident that I can help you do the same.

Here are my five tips to overcoming shinobue performance anxiety.

1. Practice Performing

Just like you practiced shinobue and got better at it, you need to practice performing. This requires a different set of skills from playing shinobue. The more you practice performing, the more comfortable you'll become playing in front of others. To build your confidence, seek opportunities to perform for friends and family who support you. Consider volunteering to play at places like retirement homes. I used to perform at casual gatherings, such as Girl Scouts meetings. It’s best to do this for free initially so that you don’t feel too much pressure. The goal is to gain confidence by having positive experiences.

With that said, realize that...

2. You will most likely lose about 20% of your ability on stage.

You might say, "But so-and-so (your favorite singer, pianist, etc.) plays perfectly on stage!"

However, the reality is that if they appear 100% on stage, they are actually 120% at home.

My voice teacher, Ms. Donna Roll, mentioned this during my master's degree in opera. She has performed opera in Germany for many years.

Recently, my shinobue teacher, Bunta Sensei, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, echoed the same sentiment.

We tend to lose about 20% of our ability on stage, which is completely normal for humans. Accept this, unless you are an alien. 👽

3. Your poor performance on stage is likely not solely due to your performance anxiety.

When we have a bad performance, it's easy to think in frustration:

"I can play this piece perfectly at home, but I just get so nervous and I sound terrible in front of people!!"

but that's usually not 100% true.

Here is the real truth.

The stage simply magnifies your existing weaknesses.

For example, you might have thought you were perfect at home, but when you performed in front of others, you found that your breath became shallow, making it difficult to play a long phrase you usually master. Perhaps your fingers stumbled, or your tone became airy and less clean.

Whatever the issue may be, that’s your weakness.

Even though you believed you were "perfect" at home, there was still more to learn.

It turns out that performance anxiety wasn’t the only factor affecting your playing.

That's actually a good news because practicing to improve is much simpler than addressing a vague and complex issue like performance anxiety. Practicing is something you should be doing anyway!

Specifically, you should focus on solid fundamental techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, a relaxed embouchure, and proper fingering, along with thoroughly learning the piece.

When you feel nervous and not like yourself, you can rely on these fundamental techniques that have become second nature. They should be so ingrained that you feel you can execute them even in your sleep! (and when you are nervous too)

As you become more skilled at playing the shinobue, you will develop techniques that hold you up on stage, even in the face of performance anxiety. And as your performance on stage improves, your performance anxiety will become more manageable too. This means that the entire process of performing becomes easier as your shinobue skills grow.

So, be grateful for the stage; it reveals your weaknesses and shows you what you need to work on! This is far better than believing you are "perfect," because the moment you think you are perfect, your growth halts. 😃

4. Don't be afraid of making mistakes.

"What if I can't hit the kan on?", "I hope I won't forget the notes", "What if I ran out of breath before the end of the phrase?" or "I might not get any sound at all!!!" 😱 Those thoughts might run in your head as you wait for your turn.

Yes, we practice very hard to learn to play correctly. Trust me, I am all for that.

But if your focus on stage is about "not making mistakes", your performance will be motivated by fear.

I personally would not go back to see any performances where performers played all the notes "right" but I got nothing out of what they wanted to say.

Is music about being "right"????

Maybe for some people, it is. They want it to be correct and they want a performance like a CD.

But I don't want to be a performer like that.

Yes, of course, I work very hard to play the piece correctly. But that’s not the ultimate goal of my performance.

I’m a musician, not a mathematician.

If perfectly accurate notes are required, then let the A.I. play.

I want to express something through my music, and when I get on stage, that should be my focus. Practicing for the right notes should have been done at home.

My another voice teacher, Dr. William Brown, who toured all over the world used to tell us "Sing with conviction and if you make a mistake, make a mistake BIG!!"

Dr. William Brown

Would you want to see a performer who plays everything correctly but is fearful and careful not to make any mistakes the whole time?

Or would you rather see a performer who might have occasional bad notes but performs with joy in sharing their music?

Plus, here is the funny thing:

When you are worried about making a mistake, you make more mistakes!! (Law of attraction)

Trust me, it's much easier to perform when you get into the spirit of the music!!

If you want to move someone's heart, you can't be just playing "pretty" and "correct". You need to reveal your raw self.

Bunta Satoh sensei

5. Live in the moment.

One common phrase people often say before a performance, which I try to avoid, is: "Let's do it just like we practiced at home."

Every live performance is different. The acoustics vary, and the audience brings unique energy. Trying to replicate what you did at home goes against the nature of live performances.

It’s important to live in the moment and adapt as things unfold! Embrace the opportunity to perform with a sense of adventure. Look forward to discovering the amazing, joyous, spontaneous experiences that can arise. Be excited to see what the Universe has in store for you and your audience.

Let go of the pressure to be "correct." There is so much more to music than simply playing the right notes!

I can share many practical tips for your performance day in a future newsletter if there's enough interest. Let me know!