Nerves and Piano Exams
Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:43 am
Well, I've got a piano exam coming up in 6 days. RCM Grade 10. I've been practicing hard, and I think I'm doing okay- as in well enough to pass (which is all I care for, although a 70 or 80 would be nice) or something. But however...everytime I have a piano lesson or get to the exam, I get all nervous.
Now, that wouldn't be a problem if I had my music in front of me. I have to memorise 5 songs (4 pages, 8 pages, 4 pages, 8 pages, and 4 pages respectively- that makes it three songs worth 10 marks each, and two songs worth 15 marks each), and everytime I get nervous while playing them, I slip up somewhere and can't recover without a hint from the examiner or slipping up again. If I start over, I lose a few points, but if I continue playing and continue slipping, all the more.
So, do you guys have any remedies and such to help prevent nervousness, especially while performing?
(Also, apparently it's gonna hit between -7ºC and -15ºC on the day of the exam- so any tips on how to keep your hands warm would be nice as well. :P)
Now, that wouldn't be a problem if I had my music in front of me. I have to memorise 5 songs (4 pages, 8 pages, 4 pages, 8 pages, and 4 pages respectively- that makes it three songs worth 10 marks each, and two songs worth 15 marks each), and everytime I get nervous while playing them, I slip up somewhere and can't recover without a hint from the examiner or slipping up again. If I start over, I lose a few points, but if I continue playing and continue slipping, all the more.
So, do you guys have any remedies and such to help prevent nervousness, especially while performing?
(Also, apparently it's gonna hit between -7ºC and -15ºC on the day of the exam- so any tips on how to keep your hands warm would be nice as well. :P)
Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:54 am
I've heard picturing your piano in its underwear calms the nerves o.o
Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:21 am
YIKES scary you must be a really good piano player! wow just think to yourself i can do this i can do this thats what i usually do 
believe in yourself because i know you can do it
believe in yourself because i know you can do it
Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:37 am
Grade 10?! I'm only Grade Three! You must be amazing.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:46 am
The underwear trick never works for me...yes it makes me laugh but that becomes a problem in itself. >_<
I would say just keep your eyes on the music and become so absorbed in it that you are unaware of your audience. That always works for me. Just stare at the music or the conductor. As long as I don't look at the audience, it is easier for me to forget that they are there.
But since you have to have it memorized I guess you'd have to look at something else.
I would say just keep your eyes on the music and become so absorbed in it that you are unaware of your audience. That always works for me. Just stare at the music or the conductor. As long as I don't look at the audience, it is easier for me to forget that they are there.
But since you have to have it memorized I guess you'd have to look at something else.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 4:43 am
Whatcha do...
Is you stare right *through* your piano.
At nothing whatsoever...
Because if you look at anything, it distracts you. Especially if you watch your fingering carefully, I'm sorry to say.
And for Vaenak's sake! Don't do the underwear thing... I picture them in thongs and I puke and pass out! (Well, I would, anyway. Thankfully I've only gone up on stage twice, and once the smurf took all my lines away. The second time I was singing and looking at the ground.)
Oh yeah... and maybe, if you're a multi-task type person, picture a short movie to go with the music in your head. Helps you remember exactly what to play, when.
(This works with speeches, anyway... I'm just... guesing here. It works with my Violin though)
Is you stare right *through* your piano.
At nothing whatsoever...
Because if you look at anything, it distracts you. Especially if you watch your fingering carefully, I'm sorry to say.
And for Vaenak's sake! Don't do the underwear thing... I picture them in thongs and I puke and pass out! (Well, I would, anyway. Thankfully I've only gone up on stage twice, and once the smurf took all my lines away. The second time I was singing and looking at the ground.)
Oh yeah... and maybe, if you're a multi-task type person, picture a short movie to go with the music in your head. Helps you remember exactly what to play, when.
(This works with speeches, anyway... I'm just... guesing here. It works with my Violin though)
Sun Jan 09, 2005 4:44 am
No you see you ahve to picture the piano in a thong that helps calm nerves
Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:38 am
Thanks for the tips so far. :)
Well...there's another problem. Because of all my nervous bouts, I'm severely lacking confidence.
(No, I'm not a really good piano player, I've just been playing for almost 10 years. Usually one year or half a year per grade, but Grade 10's taken me two years. :P)
Hmm...I'm liking that one. I really have nothing to look at, so that's a good option. I'll try that next time I practice. :)
Oh, and just in case you guys don't know what a piano exam's like- well, I'm in a room by myself with an examiner sitting at a table nearby, behind me. Have to play on a grand piano (although not an expensive one, so the keys are soft). Soooo...there's really nothing to look at besides a wall and other unmoving stuff.
vtothec wrote:wow just think to yourself i can do this i can do this thats what i usually do
Well...there's another problem. Because of all my nervous bouts, I'm severely lacking confidence.
(No, I'm not a really good piano player, I've just been playing for almost 10 years. Usually one year or half a year per grade, but Grade 10's taken me two years. :P)
Eo wrote:Whatcha do...
Is you stare right *through* your piano.
Hmm...I'm liking that one. I really have nothing to look at, so that's a good option. I'll try that next time I practice. :)
Oh, and just in case you guys don't know what a piano exam's like- well, I'm in a room by myself with an examiner sitting at a table nearby, behind me. Have to play on a grand piano (although not an expensive one, so the keys are soft). Soooo...there's really nothing to look at besides a wall and other unmoving stuff.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:45 am
seriously dude if you want to pass this your going to need confidence...which you should have because you must be one heck of a piano player to reach that far (I never got past preliminary exams lol) I just play grade 2-3 stuff for fun. Anyway just try to get anything out of your mind focus and concentrate. Eat a good lunch/breakfast/dinner whatever and make sure you get a good sleep. Its not going to make you pass but its a start eh? ill try think of some more tips. But BE CONFIDENT!! I believe in you
ill try think of some more tips. But BE CONFIDENT!! I believe in you
Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:31 pm
Yoshi wrote:Thanks for the tips so far.vtothec wrote:wow just think to yourself i can do this i can do this thats what i usually do
Well...there's another problem. Because of all my nervous bouts, I'm severely lacking confidence.
(No, I'm not a really good piano player, I've just been playing for almost 10 years. Usually one year or half a year per grade, but Grade 10's taken me two years.)
Eo wrote:Whatcha do...
Is you stare right *through* your piano.
Hmm...I'm liking that one. I really have nothing to look at, so that's a good option. I'll try that next time I practice.
Oh, and just in case you guys don't know what a piano exam's like- well, I'm in a room by myself with an examiner sitting at a table nearby, behind me. Have to play on a grand piano (although not an expensive one, so the keys are soft). Soooo...there's really nothing to look at besides a wall and other unmoving stuff.
Sounds a lot like our Orchestra tests... ugh, hate em.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:47 pm
Yoshi wrote:vtothec wrote:wow just think to yourself i can do this i can do this thats what i usually do
Well...there's another problem. Because of all my nervous bouts, I'm severely lacking confidence.
(No, I'm not a really good piano player, I've just been playing for almost 10 years. Usually one year or half a year per grade, but Grade 10's taken me two years.
Worry not. Yoshi, you are excellent. Anyone who can get the motivation to play and perfect such repertoire is excellent. Besides, RCM (and all the other music association grades) are like the Richter scale-It doesn't take much to get from grade 1 to 2, but exponentially more to get from 8 to 9.
Nervousness..Well, I usually use that to my advantage. It allows my muscle memory to completely take over (for a while) and causes me to feel like I'm in a hazy dreamland situation and absent of all concern and thought. One could almost say that nervousness negates itself. Of course, I don't know if you want to be hijacked by muscle memory. I agree with Cyanna and the others--focus on the music. Don't think about "I want a 80 and amaze the jury," think "I want to deliver this music to the best of my ability." The mind can only juggle 7 +/- 2 concerns at a time, so don't let concern about the judges (or the image of the piano in underwear) take up a valuable slot.
Someone told me that it's good to eat a banana before performances. *shrug*
I have the same slip-up-and-can't-go-on-very-well problem. It wreaks havoc, and I'm sorry that I've no advice to offer concerning it.
Arm circles will increase bloodflow to your hands. If you plan on rubbing your hands together for warmth, make sure that they don't start sweating. The evaporating moisture might make them colder than before. If you can, run your hands under warm water and then dry off completely.
Best wishes on your exam!
Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:27 pm
I usually just go in saying, I just want to pass, I don't care what kind of score I get.
Usually works for me, cause then I'm surprised when I do well, takes some of the pressure off if you're not pushing yourself ot get a high grade.
Usually works for me, cause then I'm surprised when I do well, takes some of the pressure off if you're not pushing yourself ot get a high grade.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:28 pm
Something that normally helps me is knowing that someone out there thinks I can't do it and then I do it and do it as well as I can to prove them wrong.Or just listen to your friends and family when they say you can do it because you know they wouldn't lie to you.
Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:54 pm
I don't take piano exams, but I have to do piano recitals which show how much I've progressed with a certain piece, and I was never really good with audiences (even though it's only little kids and their parents for the most part). I was really really nervous, since I was worried I was going to screw up and things like that. My piano teacher told me to tell myself that I would do well, and things like "I'm the best" so I could get my confidence up. Even though I did screw up (I luckily got back on track) it helped made most of the worry go away.
Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:50 am
Oooh, RCM...yeah, I've never taken any exams with violin, hehehe. I'm so bad at theory and that shtuff that I probably wouldn't pass^_^ Teehee. But grade 10..wow!! Good luck on that!!
If I have a recital or concert, I simply pretend that no one is watching me, and try to shrug off the pressure one normaly feels. Eventually I simply get into the music, and nothing else REALLY matters, heh. But my hands are always SOO cold at first, and it's impossible to play and shift etc.
I hope you do well!!^__^
If I have a recital or concert, I simply pretend that no one is watching me, and try to shrug off the pressure one normaly feels. Eventually I simply get into the music, and nothing else REALLY matters, heh. But my hands are always SOO cold at first, and it's impossible to play and shift etc.
I hope you do well!!^__^