HOW TO BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE AS A MUSICIAN - SKILLS EMMANUEL WRITES

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE AS A MUSICIAN

One of the things that hinders musicians to perform well is lack of confidence. Lack of confidence to many young musicians is as a result of being a critical perfectionists. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to be a perfectionists but also have it in mind that it’s normal for a musician to miss a music note or make a mistake when playing. In fact, count every mistake you notice in your playing as a lesson. Then start thinking about how you can change it.

The second thing that hinders some musician’s confidence is when they fail to manage stress. Many musicians lose confidence just before a performance due to nervousness and anxiety, and it is often triggered by fear of being judged by others. But my friends please, I’m begging you, don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, try to cultivate your own personal sense of joy and self-expression through your performance. Playing your instrument or singing should feel enjoyable and not something you dread. Developing a sense of conviction in your abilities can help you feel more confident as a musician and performer. In short what I’m saying is that, believe in yourself.

In addition, developing strategies to manage stress can help redirect your nervous energy. When you change your reaction to feelings of stress and anxiety, your confidence level might improve and you'll deliver a better performance. For example, as for me, whenever I’m about to hit the stage for a performance, I usually stretch myself a bit while I’m breathing in and out, this helps me to relax, reduce stress and alleviate performance anxiety.

Practice is also one of the things that will boost your confidence. if you practice something you feel self conscious about, you will improve. If you improve, you will become less self conscious about it. This is especially true in regards to music, you’ve probably noticed that you feel more at ease performing a song  you’ve practiced a million times, remember practice makes perfect.

One can also build his or her confidence by surrounding themselves with the right people, people of the same expertise. If you are a musicians, try to be hanging out with your fellow musicians. Be with supportive friends, those who are able to challenge you to get better.

Furthermore, invest in good original musical gear. This will enable you to build your confidence. A good instrument will make you want to play all the time, it makes one proud whenever they’re performing. And always celebrate your little victories, sometimes when you buy an instrument, create a music line, song, beat, learn new stuff etc; celebrate yourself.

In conclusion, I want you to know that, the worst part about being unconfident as a musician is that it will rob you of enjoyment from your playing. So always strive to build your confidence and go out there and share your uniqueness. See you at the top!