Mastery through Mistakes: Strategies for Overcoming Performance Hiccups
As a musician, it's inevitable that you'll encounter mistakes during performances. Whether it's a forgotten note mid-song or a completely new section you had no practice for, how you handle these mishaps can significantly impact your audience's perception of your performance. In this article, we'll explore strategies for transforming these inevitable mistakes into a part of your performance, ensuring they do not affect the overall delivery of your piece.
From 'Learning' to 'Owning' Your Piece
When I first started performing, I often approached pieces as something I merely 'learned' to play. This mindset would have me start over if I made a mistake, leading to potential frustration and a diminished performance. However, a shift in perspective helped me overcome this: I changed from 'learning' pieces to 'owning' them. The key to this was understanding that the imperfections in my practice pieces were not just mistakes but opportunities for growth and improvisation.
I discovered that I never had trouble with mistakes in my own pieces, so why should I struggle with those belonging to others? By focusing on the general elements that defined a piece, I could approach it more like an improvisation. I had moments where I got lost in the music, but instead of panicking, I improvised until I found my way back. One extraordinary instance was when the composer of a piece was in the audience and, surprisingly, didn't even notice!
Mind Over Mistakes: Improvise and Stay Focused
Making a piece completely foreign, like playing it in a different key, taught me the significance of understanding note relationships rather than just memorizing notes. This extended my comfort zone and made me feel more confident about the music.
Facing real struggles, I adopted another technique that helped keep my nerves at bay: inserting 'start places' every four measures. These markers acted as a safety net, allowing me to jump back to a known point if I got off-track. This simple strategy calmed my nerves, ensuring that no matter how dire the situation seemed, I could always find my way back and continue performing.
Skinning the First and Last Performances
One crucial piece of advice I share with my students is to avoid messing up the final notes you play. A mistake there can linger in the listener's mind and leave a lasting negative impression. If a mistake arises, I encourage laughing it off or telling a quick joke to lighten the mood. This approach shifts attention away from the mistake and helps move the performance smoothly forward. All other mistakes are transitory and will not likely be noticed by the audience unless they're paying close attention.
Professionalism and Team Dynamics
Another critical aspect of stage presence is maintaining professionalism. Even if your fellow band members can't act like rational adults, you should avoid showing any signs of distress. If there are ongoing issues within the band, it might be time to look for new collaborators who can maintain a positive and professional environment.
One of the most unprofessional behaviors I've witnessed is bands getting into disputes or arguments not just after performances but even during them, when something goes off the rails. This behavior can signal instability and unprofessionalism to the audience and should be avoided at all costs. If you notice that your bandmates can't handle this decorum, consider finding a new group of musicians to play with, as this will enhance your overall performance experience and image.
Mistakes happen to everyone. What sets professionals apart is their ability to incorporate these mishaps into their performance, learning from them and moving forward without hesitation. Always remember: moving on is the best policy. Your audience is likely to forgive and forget if you do, too.