Crash Helmet Diva
February 5, 2011 7:23 AM Subscribe
I think stage fright is causing me to lose consciousness while singing. How can I stop this from happening?
I sing in the shower, I sing while doing chores, I sing while walking around the city, and I never feel anything but delight. But when I go to my favorite open-mic cabaret musical theater night, I get stage fright. My heart starts pounding, I feel out of breath, and get generally very anxious. Sometimes, this has led to me feeling like I was fainting partway through the song, but last night I actually did pass out. Fuck. I go every week so time doesn't seem to be the solution. I have tried walking around a bit and pumping my calves. What else can I do? This is embarrassing and prevents me from enjoying myself or singing well.
I sing in the shower, I sing while doing chores, I sing while walking around the city, and I never feel anything but delight. But when I go to my favorite open-mic cabaret musical theater night, I get stage fright. My heart starts pounding, I feel out of breath, and get generally very anxious. Sometimes, this has led to me feeling like I was fainting partway through the song, but last night I actually did pass out. Fuck. I go every week so time doesn't seem to be the solution. I have tried walking around a bit and pumping my calves. What else can I do? This is embarrassing and prevents me from enjoying myself or singing well.
Yes to not locking your knees, and before you get up on stage, make sure you're breathing correctly. Shallow breaths are bad - be conscious of breathing from your diaphragm as soon as you start to feel anxious. Take your time and feel free to keep your eyes closed if that helps. Have a small meal, too, and if alcohol helps you relax, have a drink (or two) beforehand - it is known for lowering inhibitions, after all.
And do your best to not focus on the anxious feelings. When you start to recognize that your turn at the mic is coming, distract yourself from the "OMG only three people before my turn! Now only two! Oh shit, after this guy, I'm on!" cycle. If you're there with friends, get them to engage you somehow, or play a distracting game on your phone, or bring a deck of cards - do something to derail the thoughts that produce and are produced by the anxiety. Good luck - I know how hard it is to get caught in this!
posted by rtha at 7:45 AM on February 5, 2011
And do your best to not focus on the anxious feelings. When you start to recognize that your turn at the mic is coming, distract yourself from the "OMG only three people before my turn! Now only two! Oh shit, after this guy, I'm on!" cycle. If you're there with friends, get them to engage you somehow, or play a distracting game on your phone, or bring a deck of cards - do something to derail the thoughts that produce and are produced by the anxiety. Good luck - I know how hard it is to get caught in this!
posted by rtha at 7:45 AM on February 5, 2011
If you're looking for an unhealthy but effective answer, yes, booze. I became a karaoke GOD through the (in)judicious use of booze. And eventually I didn't need it (so much) anymore.
posted by Because at 8:09 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by Because at 8:09 AM on February 5, 2011
I also think that you may be locking your knees. This has caused compatriots of mine to pass out while standing at attention. Try to keep a little spring in your step.
Are you wearing high-heels on stage? I would think it would be difficult not to look one's knees when standing in heels for long periods of time.
posted by laskagirl at 8:32 AM on February 5, 2011
Are you wearing high-heels on stage? I would think it would be difficult not to look one's knees when standing in heels for long periods of time.
posted by laskagirl at 8:32 AM on February 5, 2011
I'd take a tiny (10mg of Propranolol) betablocker dose. And the best part is, in my own experience with stage fright, once I took it a few times, I no longer "needed" it - taking it broke my own cycle of fear.
Get a scrip' from your doctor; it is benign for most folks and cheap. Better living through chemistry!
posted by MisterMo at 8:45 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]
Get a scrip' from your doctor; it is benign for most folks and cheap. Better living through chemistry!
posted by MisterMo at 8:45 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]
I used beta blockers to overcome stage fright as well, but I found atenolol to work better than propanolol. Less side effects for me.
posted by rainygrl716 at 10:07 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by rainygrl716 at 10:07 AM on February 5, 2011
The Alexander Technique was invented by a Shakespearean actor who realized his posture was causing lots of breathing and voice problems in performance. He came up with a whole school of exercise and bodywork to alleviate those issues. There is a lot of info online and in books, but the best results seem to be from meeting with an instructor in person.
posted by apparently at 10:11 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by apparently at 10:11 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
Stage fright absolutely sabotages breathing. The best pre-gig exercise I've ever used is super-slow breathing. Get a watch with a second hand and breathe in for 30 seconds, out for 30. Focus on evenly pacing the breath. Repeat many times (eg, for 10-15min) and extend the cycle length if your lung capacity is bigger. You should just barely be able to detect the air flow on the back of your hand 1cm from your lips.
In addition to reminding your body what relaxed breathing feels like, this tends to be so meditative as to put you nearly into a trance, which helps with stage fright too.
The other thing that helps me enormously is to remember to be greedy and play for myself at the beginning. Measure 2 is for the audience; Measure 1 is entirely for me to make sure I'm in my Happy Place and executing the technique like I'm used to. (By coincidence, this ends up sounding good to an audience too, but don't worry about them.)
posted by range at 11:18 AM on February 5, 2011
In addition to reminding your body what relaxed breathing feels like, this tends to be so meditative as to put you nearly into a trance, which helps with stage fright too.
The other thing that helps me enormously is to remember to be greedy and play for myself at the beginning. Measure 2 is for the audience; Measure 1 is entirely for me to make sure I'm in my Happy Place and executing the technique like I'm used to. (By coincidence, this ends up sounding good to an audience too, but don't worry about them.)
posted by range at 11:18 AM on February 5, 2011
I also want to suggest beta blockers and I am a teetotaler, have never been drunk, have never done any drugs, have never even taken so much as a sleeping pill. But as a performer who experiences the same symptoms in high pressure performances, I will always thank the doctor who suggested them years ago. I only use them very occasionally, but they are a lifesaver. You feel no effects - no sedative effect, you're not amped up...the medication just allows you to *do what you do* without the (bulk of) the nerves. You still get nervous, but it's a very functional nervous. And they're in and out of your system very quickly.
posted by FlyByDay at 11:22 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by FlyByDay at 11:22 AM on February 5, 2011
Does either your tempo or volume at the theater vary from what you achieve in the shower, etc. ? I ask because if you're breathing unusually (for you) deeply and rapidly to achieve your musical effect you may be hyperventilating - which causes dizziness and occasionally fainting. Hyperventilating for this reason has occasionally brought me to the point of dizziness when the room/group required extra volume.
posted by wjm at 11:23 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by wjm at 11:23 AM on February 5, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice, guys. I have tried keeping my knees not-locked and it hasn't helped. I will think about beta blockers. I wish I were better at controlling my breathing when my anxiety spikes, but I am pretty much the worst at that.
posted by prefpara at 3:10 PM on February 5, 2011
posted by prefpara at 3:10 PM on February 5, 2011
Have you considered a lesson or two with a voice instructor? You can explain your problem and work together to find the technique(s) that work(s) to keep you in the zone of enjoying singing, based on experimentation and professional feedback.
posted by thatdawnperson at 7:08 PM on February 5, 2011
posted by thatdawnperson at 7:08 PM on February 5, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rallon at 7:29 AM on February 5, 2011