Drumming anxiety

[JonoG]

Hi

I play the drums

But I lack self confidence in my ability to play the drums which stops me from performing in front of people and I always get anxious when I have to play the drums which also stops me from performing the drums in front of people and I want to be able to play the drums in front of people confidently

How can I increase my self confidence in my ability to play the drums in front of people?

How do I stop being anxious about performing on the drums in front of people?

[lokifish]

Hey @JonoG

Performance anxiety can really suck, hey?

Is there anyone you feel more comfortable playing the drums around? Perhaps a friend, family member or music teacher? Sometimes starting with people we know can be less daunting than playing in front of strangers. The same thing goes for the number of people - maybe playing in front of one or two people would be less scary than a crowd?

[queenP]

Hey @JonoG! 

I can totally relate to your experience. I used to play the clarinet, and as much as I loved it, performances always made me incredibly anxious and I found that I never enjoyed them even though I loved the idea of sharing my talents with people. 

I completely agree with @lokifish's advice. If you feel comfortable playing in front of one or two people to start with, that's a great first step. I never used to practice at home because I'd be afraid of making mistakes in front of my family, but eventually I would play for my Nan because she didn't care if I made mistakes, she was just happy to listen. If there's a supportive person in your life that would be happy to listen, maybe try it out with them first.

Also, I don't know if this one is possible for drums because they aren't quite as portable as a clarinet, but I found that the more I played in open spaces, the less anxious I felt. Originally, I practiced in my bedroom with doors and windows closed to box the sounds in as much as I could. But eventually, I stepped outside my room and practiced in the living room. No one was home, but I knew my neighbours could probably hear, and that was scary enough. Once I got more comfortable with this, I went to more open areas, like my school music hall in the afternoons (again, no one was there, but still). I found practicing on a stage helpful, because it became a more familiar environment. After that, I wasn't as anxious on the day of the performance because I had stood in that spot 100 times before, and I knew that people had heard me play before too.  

All the best with your music!

[JonoG]

Yes I have some friends I can play around

[lennycat2017]

Hey @JonoG awesome that you play the drums! How long have you been playing?

Both @lokifish and @queenP  have offered some really great advice! It would be really awesome if you can play around your friends, turning it into more of a jam session and having fun with it rather than viewing it as a performance for your friends might also help you build confidence with playing around people  

Let us know how you go with it! 

[lennycat2017]

Hey @JonoG just checking in to see how you are going ! Have you had a chance to test out any of the suggestions yet? 

Talk soon

[JonoG]

No not yet