Playing music live can be scary. If you struggle with nerves before a performance, you need to find a way to manage it. This guide will look at various ways to stay relaxed as a music performer.

Visualise Success

If you struggle with nerves before a performance, try visualising a successful show. Do this by closing your eyes and imagining everyone in the audience enjoying themselves, dancing, and even singing along to the music! Imagine the venue being full of energy that passes onto you for your live performance.

Centring

Centring is a great way to relax as a performer. By meditating for just 5 minutes before the performance, you can accept that everything will be OK and you will do your best. Meditation doesn’t have to take ages either, by doing it for just a few minutes every day during the week, you can make it into a habit.

Be Realistic

When you feel nervous before a performance, take the time to assess the situation. If it is your first gig, then it’s normal to be nervous! Try and focus on what really matters for that night and try not to worry about things such as how many people will come. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to get some new fans.

Look After Yourself

Dehydration, tiredness, and poor diet can all affect your energy levels and mental health. The day before a performance, you need to look after yourself. Eat sensibly, drink water regularly, and get in the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Find A Distraction

When nerves strike before you perform live, try to distract yourself. You can use whatever method suits you, as long as it requires your full attention. This could include reading a book, playing slots online, or striking up a conversation. Anything to distract yourself from the worry!

Practice Makes Perfect

Remember that there’s no such thing as a perfect performance. Even the best musicians get nervous before they perform live, so just remember to have fun with it! Practice means you’ll be more ready for the real thing, and if something goes wrong at the gig, don’t worry too much about it! You can always do better next time around.

Stay Hydrated

During a performance, you need to stay hydrated. Drinking extra water before you go on can help loosen up your vocal cords for singing. You’ll also be able to deal with the heat in the venue and focus more clearly without becoming dehydrated or dizzy!

Upper Body Yoga

Yoga is a great way to relax before you perform. You can do yoga stretches in the morning and the evening, which will help you loosen up and feel more prepared for that gig! Yoga poses that focus on the upper body are particularly useful as they allow you to concentrate on your breathing and control it as well.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Just like yoga, progressive muscle relaxation is a method of stretching that allows you to focus on your breathing and how relaxed you are. You start by tensing up every part of your body in turn, starting from the top of your head and working your way down to your toes. Once you’ve done this, hold the tension for about 5 seconds and then relax the muscles. Do this a few times until you feel relaxed, breathing slowly and deeply. You’ll see how much more relaxed you are after working through the whole body!