In today's online classical guitar lessons, guitarist and instructor Craig Winston teaches you an indispensable visualization practice technique for overcoming performance anxiety and stage fright.
Visualization
In performance psychology, visualization is the practice of imagining yourself doing something successfully. For musicians that most likely means a successful performance of a recital or maybe a playthrough of a piece in lessons for your instructor.
In essence, visualization should take place “outside” of the realm of performance as it is a programming of the subconscious mind towards success on stage. Some good scenarios for the practice (at first) are when laying down in a quiet room with no distractions, when out for a walk, or while sitting in meditation. Later, you can begin to implement visualization in the moment before you strike the first note.
Imagine Success
We’ve discussed a few forms of this in the past, for example an aural model in which you imagine how a piece should sound, either by vocalizing or by hearing it in your memory, is a form of visualization as it preps your ear for what a successful performance sounds like. For many students I’ve also emphasized imagining relaxation in their playing; this would be done a variety of ways, for example while playing you recognize where tension exists and imagine letting go of that tension; if away from the guitar you can imagine yourself playing a piece with the greatest of ease in your movement and posture.
Visualization Practice: A Process to overcome Stage Nerves
For starters, here is a simple practice you can use from time to time in preparation for a performance or lessons:
- Imagine the room where you will be performing. Is it a lesson studio? An art gallery? a concert hall? Imagine the lighting, is it set for performance or is it starkly lit if it is a gallery or studio space?
- Visualize yourself backstage at the venue. What are you wearing to perform the concert? All black or something colorful? Is the event a classical recital requiring more formal attire or is it a rock show or a more casual house concert where your clothing can be more comfortable? Imagine any pre-show rituals. For example, I spend my time backstage playing the beginning 16 measures of each piece in my set over and over until I’m called to stage (which in itself is another form of visualization).
- Imagine you hear the sound of the audience. If it is a concert hall, gallery, or largely attended event, imagine their shuffling in their seats, crinkling of cough drop wrappers, and intermittent whispering.
- Imagine tuning your guitar one last time before getting ready to take the stage. Imagine the feel of the guitar in one arm as you carry it at your side.
- For the event, is there an emcee? What sort of introduction will they give you? Imagine their opening speech just before they call you on stage. If visualizing a lesson situation, imagine the preliminary banter between you and your instructor that will lead up to you playing the first piece.
- Now imagine entering taking the stage to audience applause as you approach your seat. Visualize the stage lights overhead and the sudden silence once the applauding is over. Imagine tuning your guitar again.
- Take a moment to think about the first piece you will perform.
- Imagine you begin the first note, feel the strings under your fingers and hear every successful and clearly articulated note. Imagine your fingers moving with the same ease and lightness as if the guitar were made of air.
- As you imagine playing the piece, imagine the piece exactly as you’ve worked to memorize it. Imagine every single note, playing it from your memory as perfectly possible. Keep imagining every single movement and pitch, every moment of rubato and dynamic expression that you’ve worked to wonderful success in your practice. Visualize yourself playing and imagine every note of the piece from beginning to end.
- If your concentration breaks before you reach the end of the piece, begin this whole process again.
- If you successfully make it through the piece, stand up and take a bow. Imagine the applause and imagine the joy and relief you feel from the performance.
- If you would play more pieces in the performance, try performing those in your imagination as well. Ideally, running your entire performance as a visualization without stopping or breaking your concentration.
On Stage Visualization
If you have ever attended a classical guitar concert or competition, you’ve seen the performer doing this in real time on stage. Many concert artists will allow about 30 - 60 seconds of time to pass before beginning a piece. During this time they visualize a successful performance of the music by hearing it and imagining themselves playing at the highest level.
Set a goal
Once you have a performance goal, like a guitar social, recital, or concert, you can start implementing this type of practice. While this might seem like extra work or a side quest, this is one of the most effective ways to get over stage nerves and have a successful recital.
Classical Guitar Tips to overcome Performance Anxiety
I use a few additional forms of visualization on concert day that I find greatly help to overcome performance anxiety. These have more to do with attitude than with visualization, but they do convey to your subconscious a mode of success:
- Positive conversation - when people ask “how are you feeling about the concert?” I answer with positive language, knowing full well that I’ve prepared and studied the material to the highest level I can. Rather than pointing out worries I will talk about ways the music excites me, “It’s going to be a great concert, I’m especially excited to play the Allemanda by Santiago de Murcia, I learned a lot of Baroque style studying it and I think people will really enjoy it.”
- Limiting distractions - this of course means device usage, but it also means avoiding things that are going to take time away from any physical or mental prep for the performance. A very obvious thing is avoiding the audience before the performance. 9 times out of 10 if I interact with an audience member there is someone that wants to talk my ear off about Al DiMiola or John Williams. I enjoy those conversations because I get to talk their ear off about Marty Friedman as well, but there’s time for that after the performance.
- Positive inner dialogue - I avoid thinking things like “oh god, what am I doing, do I seriously think I can do this,” and instead I think “this is going to be amazing, all of these people here with whom I get to share this strange, beautiful music.”
- Positive countenance - I believe that looking your best and expressing your most positive emotions goes a long way. When picking what I wear in concert I make sure it is comfortable to move in but fits the occasion while setting me apart from the audience and also fitting my personality. With that, I also make sure that I smile and express positive emotions about the audience and the opportunity to play. This means walking out on stage with a gentle smile (not a forced toothy grin) and a confident posture. When I speak between pieces I address the audience with respect and, when the time is right, I express gratitude for their attention and to the venue for the privilege to perform.
- Performing the piece - Lastly, for each piece in my program, I will have studied its style, history, and character. So for each, I bring those ideas to mind as I play. If it is a Bach prelude, I take on the mindset of the great improvisor with persistently evolving ideas and motives. If it is a Lauro waltz, I imagine a great energy and vibrance flowing through me and my fingers, causing people to dance. If it is a lament by Sergio Assad, I draw on similar emotions and evoke the same sense of melancholy in my expression of the music.
Craig Winston is a classical guitarist and teacher in Denver Colorado. He holds a Master of Music Degree in Guitar Performance from the Lamont School of Music at University of Denver. Craig offers guitar lessons online or in person at his studio in Denver's Santa Fe Art District