TOP TEN FAQ’s FOR SINGERS

4.   How do I control My Nerves?

Some people are really lucky and never get nervous on stage. Being nervous is great if you can channel it. Since having

depression I have had several instances of anxiety attacks on stage, usually just before starting my first song. To get

over that I try and focus at a point just above peoples heads, or on a friend in the audience, get my pitching right in

my head and listen clearly to the band giving me the cues. If all of that is spot on you will be fine, if not you just have

to accept the fact that you get nervous and work on minimizing that feeling as much as possible so that you can

control it. I firmly believe that if you are well practiced, well prepared and confident about the health of your voice

you can overcome the nerves. Some people have a stiff drink before they go on, some people get smashed or

stoned and then can’t remember why they’re on stage which is obviously not good. Because of my depression I nearly

always take my words on stage. Not because I can never remember them, (although I do have a bad memory for words,

even in songs I have written myself) but because I often write down the arrangements, and encouraging little phrases

to myself. If Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole and Aretha Franklin can do it than so can I!! Many people suddenly

need to go to the toilet before they go on and then need to go again the moment they’re on stage, it is perfectly

natural. We have to fight the sub conscious telling us to get off and that “we just ain’t good enough”. If we have all our

t’s crossed and our i’s dotted then of course we are good enough; we just need to show it to the world!

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