Playing the Banjo on Stage
Playing music in a live situation, whether it is in front of two people, or two thousand people can be stressful. Here are a few tips that might help you overcome some of that stress.
My first time on stage was absolutely frightening, I felt like all eyes were on me and people were saying to themselves - That would be a good band if it weren’t for the banjo player. For this post I am assuming you will be playing with a group of people, either in public or in a jam. Here are a few points that I keep in mind when I’m jamming with my friends and partners in crime, Dave and Brian.
- Banjo is not the only instrument in the world, all eyes are not on you.
- People who are listening are there to enjoy your music, not to judge it.
- When playing in front of other musicians, remember they are there to support you, not to analyze your playing technique.
- Mistakes will be made from time to time - shrug it off and keep going.
- Know what you are playing - reduce the chance of mistakes by being prepared.
- You will feel more comfortable each time you play live - play often.
- Relax, take a deep breath and enjoy being a part of the music.
- You don’t have to play all of the time - Lay back and play solid backup or don’t play at all - if it sounds good, go with it.
That last tip is courtesy of my good friend Dave, who always seems to know what to play and when to play it.
This post was inspired by a discussion I read and responded to on the banjo hangout forums - here is a link -
Disastrous first performance…any advice?
I hope this post makes it a little easier to share your music with other people.
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