Performing nerves - there are different types

Megii

It's an odd thing - just did a lunchtime gig, in a church of all places, playing in a jazz type duo with a lady singer/bassist. We are used to playing in pubs and the like - and I guess feel fairly comfortable in such places. And I did not feel I had any nerves to speak of as we started our lunchtime church gig - quite relaxed in fact... But still there must have been some sort of nerves there, because I did find that I wasn't able to play quite as fluently as I hoped - just that feeling that the fingers aren't quite able to work as they normally do. Nothing terrible, but it still was noticeable, to me at least - perhaps something to do with the more "formal concert" feel of the gig. So these are a type of nerves that one doesn't conciously know one has, but are still there all the same. Got a bit better as the gig went on, and I felt relaxed and at ease all the way through - a funny one anyhow.

I've had the opposite kind of thing in the past too - i.e. definitely knew I was feeling the nerves before the gig, and then played really well (IMHO ) on the gig. Sometimes I'm just not nervous at all, and play fine also - I guess the best way to be. But anyone else noticed these kind of variations in nerves and their effect on playing?

John_BlackWolf

Yea, sometimes I also put some of the effects and nerves down to these other contributing factors:

Temperature - Cold hands, sweaty hands

Hydration

Bloating and indigestion

Alcohol influence

On-stage sound
Tiredness

lack of proper pre gig warmup

It is very annoying when the fingers just won't do what you know they can without really knowing why.

Megii

Cheers @John_BlackWolf - it doesn't happen to me too often, fortunately, but I was struggling a bit that day for sure. Happily the audience seemed to enjoy the concert anyway, and we got some good feedback. The sound was pretty good in fact, and I don't think any of the other things you list were factors either, but all are worth thinking about of course. I've been tee-total for a few years now (diabetes/doctor's orders!) so that one is never an issue for me anymore...

matt1973

Also factor in that a small drop in technical ability will much feel larger to you than it actually is in reality.

Megii

matt1973 said:

Also factor in that a small drop in technical ability will much feel larger to you than it actually is in reality.

Absolutely @matt1973 - I'm sure that's very true.

John_BlackWolf

matt1973 said:

Also factor in that a small drop in technical ability will much feel larger to you than it actually is in reality.

Good point! Some of my self perceived worst performances have earned the highest praise. haha.

Megii

John_BlackWolf said:

matt1973 said:

Also factor in that a small drop in technical ability will much feel larger to you than it actually is in reality.

Good point! Some of my self perceived worst performances have earned the highest praise. haha.

It does seem to go that way sometimes I would agree - I'm lucky to work with an excellent singer, and I sometimes think what the audience respond to most is her singing. So as long as she is on form (generally is!) maybe it doesn't matter too much how I play... a depressing thought in a way...