Nerves & Guitar · Guitar Song Mastery

Nerves & Guitar

Stage Fright, Gig Nerves, and What to Do About Them

Hi everyone,

I recently caught up with a former student of mine—a tremendously talented, kind, and professional young guitarist whose band is quickly gaining recognition. Honestly, he was a fantastic player even before I met him!

He reached out to talk about stage fright and gig nerves. That’s something almost everyone has faced in some form: at work presentations, public speaking, giving a toast, or performing music.

So, how do you deal with it?

My Wedding Performance Story

I once played classical guitar for a wedding in upstate New York—prelude pieces by Bach, Sor, and Tárrega. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous at all. Even as the seats filled with guests, I stayed calm.

But then, the back doors opened. The bride appeared in one of the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen. Suddenly, emotion hit me like a wave. I thought of my own wedding, my own bride, and the importance of this moment.

I was about to play Pachelbel’s Canon in D when my right hand started to shake. For the first time, I truly felt the weight of being the soundtrack to one of the most important days in someone’s life.

What saved me was something simple:

I whispered to myself, “It’s just business.”
I focused on breathing in through my nose, out through my mouth—slow, steady, controlled.

As I forced my breath to slow down, everything shifted. It was almost an out-of-body experience. I just heard the music flowing, saw the bride walking down the aisle, and felt myself detach from the overwhelming emotion. My preparation took over, and muscle memory carried me through.

The lesson? Emotion is powerful, but professionalism and preparation must guide you.

Practical Ways to Tackle Stage Fright

Here are some strategies I’ve relied on and often share with students:

Preparation = Confidence

Practice until mistakes are rare. If your fingers know the songs inside out, nerves have less power over you.
Check your gear at home. Make sure guitar, amp, mic, and cables all work.
Pack extras. Strings, picks, capo, strap, batteries, cables—even an extra guitar if you can.
Know the venue. Visit the space in advance if possible so nothing feels foreign.

When Nerves Still Hit

Talk to your doctor. (For me, a low-dose beta blocker was prescribed for rare use before high-stakes gigs.)
Change nothing before showtime. Use the same guitar, pick, and setup you used in rehearsal. No last-minute switches.
Remember: it’s business. You were hired for a reason—fulfill the contract with pride and professionalism.
Visualize success. Picture yourself on stage, from your viewpoint, with the crowd enjoying your music.
Kill perfectionism. Mistakes will happen. Don’t freeze. No one else notices them as much as you do.

And finally—don’t rely on alcohol or drugs as “gig medicine.” That road leads nowhere good.

Top 3 Takeaways

Preparation crushes fear. The more you practice, pack, and plan, the less room nerves have to creep in.
Detach with breathing. Slow, deliberate breathing can transform panic into calm focus.
It’s business first. Play with professionalism, provide great customer service, and trust your preparation.

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