Retirement homes and assisted living facilities often have pianos and are always looking for volunteers to come in and play for the residence there. Not only is this a good way to practice your pieces and performance skill in a low-key, low-pressure environment with receptive audiences, but it's also a great way to use your talent to give back to others in your community.
One of the reasons i am studying piano is to play for elderly retired people some day, give then some joy and fun. This what you said is one great idea, to practice performing at the same time i am making others have some fun.
Vivian Mo Well, you can make the argument that you’re actually “performing” when recording. That’s why I tend to record myself in order to practice for performing. It lets you identify where you’re not mentally “strong” in some places of the piece, so that you build more confidence and get rid of a lot of the nervousness that comes with actual performance :)
The fear with recording is that it has no mercy. You'll know absolutely everything that is off in even the slightest way. Every take is a reminder of how imperfect we are.
This is so true. When I'm performing an aria, there is a massive difference then when I'm practicing by myself or with my accompanist. These tips are so helpful for any musician! : )
Yep it’s just as important to practise performing as to practise the piece; and ultimately the biggest mental tip for me is to get good at controlling your mind to NOT think about performing but focus on making music and communicating your ideas (which gets better with more practice😂)
another suggestion - if you're at a conservatory or any university, ask anyone you can grab from the hallway to sit in the room with you for just five minutes with you while you give a mini-performance - just having someone else in the room for a minutes changes everything. No critique needed, and it REALLY helps.
Facing a LARGE audience, even if you are well prepared is intimidating in the extreme. Very few performing artists do not suffer from stage fright, or from being 'stage struck', where one's mind can actually go blank, like a deer in headlites. I've had this happen personally, and I've seen other performers suffer this same nitemare. The best cure, if one could call it that is to perform live as often as you can. Josh is absolutely on the $$ with this advice. Performance chops are extremely critical if one is to become comfortable in front of an audience.
Thank you ! I want to cry reading this. Sometimes I go blank and can't remember how to read notes. I thought I was crazy. Now I know it's normal sometimes.
I hope you're all having a great holiday season. I hope this video provides some insights into why your performing might not be going as well as you hope, and some steps to take to improve your skills as a performer. Have a great week of practicing!
I think another helpful tip is to video record your practice performances to try and get them as near perfect as you can. Just knowing you’re being recorded adds pressure - and being able to play under pressure without your mind wandering is helpful.
Good to hear that this is normal Josh! I shook so severely in my piano exam that accuracy went out of the window. I prefer performing as part of (noob) orchestra on viola as it’s like you’re all in it together. If I ever get good enough at reading I think accompanying will be my calling. Get me out of the lime light!
We all would prefer to accompany unless you're the chauvinistic type a personality that loves to be seen. I've always wanted to be rich but not famous. I've been playing for over thirty years and still get nervous when I know people are listening. Always take your mind to you alone in a private room. Hypnotize your self to ignore the presence of other people or have a couple of shots first. Preferably jack Daniels or southern comfort to comfort you in your time of anxiety 😁
It is so true that performing is a SEPARATE skill to practiced acumen ! Performance skills may be used in any situation, in a universal sense. Sort of like when the knees are knocking uncontrollably, you can, and must overcome the fear and apprehension to attain clear mindspace from which you can actually perform at your best and highest level.
If I wanted to be a concert pianist, I think I would spend some time busking. Just take a keyboard out to a metropolitan area and play for strangers. I think that the consistent and prolonged exposure to performing would work wonders. I had a fear of heights, but after spending every day for a week on top of a rappel tower I got pretty comfortable. Your mind naturally adapts when under stress.
I would also recommend using public pianos, because (sometimes not ofc) most times they are literally set up in an area where people can gather round whilst you play, quite a fun experience.
Wonderful advice! Hands in the snow might be difficult in LA but I get the idea. And I like the 10 performances model before the actual one. I remember reading something about playing for anybody helps- UPS man, landlord, cat. Seems to shift the focus to the music and not the ego. Thanks as always, Josh. Best of luck with the Beethoven. After hearing your videos of performances past, I’m convinced you could play anything.
Your videos are much better now. Louder voice, can hear clearly. To practice for performance, we need to practice under pressure. As you told, 10 performances before the actual concert.
jazzyman 251 So True! They eat it up, and it’s the best possible audience you could ask for! They’re so sincerely grateful. People’s need for the beauty of music is greater when they’re older.
Thanks Josh. I would have a similar issue when I would come across the same difficult passage that I can always perform well "when no one is looking" and then panic Infront of people. You're so right that your performance needs to be almost beyond rote which does compensate for some inevitable jitters. Thanks.
Yes definitely is a separate skill. I wish I had started playing in public much much earlier, was a big learning curve. Same goes for playing with other musicians too. I'm thinking more of playing in a band as opposed to classical stuff but i'm sure the same applies really
The main thing is to not take a performance too seriously. You can practice in front of your relatives & friends to get the anxiety out of the way. Otherwise you can only do so much. Back in 1988 a documentary "Small Wonders" featured the violin teacher in NYC Roberta Guaspari and her students. They had a fundraising concert at Carnegie Hall playing the Bach Double Concerto in Dm with professional musicians. She told her students to stay focus and not look at the audience (would make them nervous). Take a deep breath before playing. There is only so much you can do to prepare for a recital. If you can find public pianos in your area, you can play a few pieces and get used to having people around watching.
How many of us are actually thinking about the performance venue or the performance while practicing? If you are doing this during practice, the performance will fall apart. Many times when I practice it is great but my mind is 100 miles away! When I perform I am always thinking about the piece and not messing up, but I have not mentally perpaired myself for the nuances of the piece since I was focused on other things during practice. I've talked with several artists that have run into this problem. Mental focus during practice is a great discipline we must all master! It can't be under estimated!!
I used to perform often when I was younger, I had one single strategy. You have to know what you are going to perform incradbly well. I used to know my piece by memory untill I could play the whole piece and at the same time I could kick a ball against the wall. (I played the clarinet. Ang usually the adrenilin rush impruved my performance. If I was ever nervous it only lasted the first 2 minutes. My hands are not so stedy anymore. All the time, unfortunately
Thank you Josh, what you say is absolutely true. I have a very strong performing tip that has saved me countless times, especially for memory lapses: a few days before the performance play the whole repertoire on a table. It's difficult, tricky, but it really tests your memory. If you cannot play something on the table, that's a point where you could have a memory lapse. When you can play everything on the table, it means that your memory of that piece is perfect. I was able to effortlessly recover from slips of hands or more serious error thanks to this technique. I had a lot of problem with memory lapses in public but that totally solved it. Does anyone actually do that?
I think live streaming your practice e.g. on Twitch is also a very good idea for this purpose if you are a hobby pianist. At any point in time someone can start watching your stream, so you have the constant pressure of being in a "performance" situation and a) you get used to it and b) you also realize how kind many people react to your playing, even though you are just practicing and not nailing any piece yet.
Thank U so so much bro Josh, very handy,,, I do the same but it makes me feel bad when I make a mistake in public, hitting a wrong note might most of the times not be noticeable to the audience, U're right 👍🏻 Blessings :) Sam 🎵
Thanks for the advice, I've already gotten over when performing crowds. I just like to think positively when infront of an audience. Now, tips on playing on a cold environment?
Hi Josh, thank you for this video! I was wondering if you might speak a little about performing with an orchestra or more generally with other musicians (accompaniment, violin/piano sonatas, chamber, etc), and tips for someone who's only done solo pieces before.
Great advice. One other thing you can do is ask a friend or significant other to barge through your study or ring your phone to create a disturbance when you don't expect it. Your job is to stay focused on the task at hand and complete the piece with minimal reaction to the disturbance.
All the best for your concert! The method you recommend is quite similar to mine when I performed (wich I not do anymore since a decade) and workes as far as I am concerned very well.
That feel when my mom comes into my room saying I'm playing better when I'm playing a Czerny Op. 139 exercise, and I just freeze up and repeat that same measure three times. :( I'm a piano beginner though. :) I have a loooong way to go...
@@AnnaKhomichkoPianist Thank you! Wow, you are a fantastic pianist! :) My mom is not a piano teacher, but her sister is who taught both my brother and I how to play the piano, but I quit in 2 years. :( But now I 'm coming back after 2 decades. :O I can't wait until my fingers can move like water. I can play all 12 major scales slowly, and now I'm slowly learning how to play all 12 natural minor scales on my own. I do have a weekly piano lesson from a local piano teacher.
I practiced a piece for two months straight and knew it completely. I went to a concert to play it and I completely failed. Performing is the hardest thing ever!!!
Thanks so much for this video. I would love to play piano but I don't know how. I actually play the flute and I have this problem constantly. I practice at home and I do well and then when I get to my local band or my church orchestra to play I mess up. I guess I am going to have to push myself to practice with performances in front of people. Yikes...that's a little scary bc I feel people are so critical but I need to get out of my head I guess. My husband says I sound great and he loves listening to me play at home and he can tell how much I have improved over time. He says he can hear my flute in the groups in play in and that I do well. That's really sweet but I know my mistakes. My friend who is so fearless says she talks to herself in her head when she plays. I guess we need to push ourselves more. Again, thank you so much for your instruction.
I am trying to get off the fence about performing. One opportunity people may look into for performance is nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It is perhaps humble but nevertheless for we amateurs, residents appreciate the interest we show by bringing music to them. The pianos are not always wonderful but usually playable. Just my suggestion. I realize some may be very advanced and this may not be appealing but nevertheless, it's something I have done a few times and will continue doing. Thanks Josh for your valuable info!
Very good. House concerts, before the theatre concert...is my saving grace. But I certainly don't do enough. Nowhere near ten. Also my concerts are too far between. Answer? Obviously MORE playing for others in between (so obvious when you articulate it). I would've liked a little more flesh upon the point you made about deep listening in the third person. You veered off it quickly so I'm filling in with what I think you might have said about that. :) Good video though.
I remember I performed the first Ballade op 23 for the very first time, and I broke down. basically it was the first time I performed the piece and the first time I had performed in 4 years cause of lockdown, and the last time I even did perform was literally with Prelude no 6 of Chopin XD. but yeah I had such dreadful stage fright where my eyes were so badly tunnel visioned and I couldn't feel the keys, Like I couldn't feel the keys under my hands at all!!! and I couldn't even hear what I was playing!! the Cadenza literally went off pure muscle memory where I threw my now cumbersome hands and managed to thankfully recoup for the next part, but when the Coda came, kinda like 20 seconds into it I just froze, and I remember whispering to myself 'oh no' and I just put my hands on the piano, got up, bowed and walked away... possibly the worst experience of my life, but thankfully it was a mini school concert with only like 50-60 people and not a massive hall, but yeah, taught me how valuable it is to get performances in cause I have a really bad case of stage fright XD
I've been playing piano on and off for a decade. But besides a recital that I did when I was 8 (where I played an early beginner piece), I've never played for an audience. Though I have years of on stage acting experience. I'm playing Chopin's Heroic Polonaise and Beethoven's Sonata in E Major Mvm 2 for my collage audition soon. Does anyone know where to look for places to do "practice performances" before I do the real thing?
What I would do when I was younger is to go to a large shopping mall that has a music store and play one of the pianos or keyboards in the store. On a different note, many years ago when the Mall of America first opened there was a piano actually just in one of the corners of the main mall hallways. I sat down at 16 years old and played Nostalgia by Yanni. I didn't think much of it because there were only 5 or 6 people around at the time I started playing. 3 mins later, when I finished the piece I heard all this applause. Shocked... I looked around and there were about 60 people on 2 open floor levels above me that gathered around, peering over the balconies, that had stopped to listen to me play as they walked by. I was floored! I couldn't believe it and I would've choked if I knew that many people were listening to me, haha! It was an amazing experience though.
Your acting experience will help a lot, the same way you need to be more conscious and aware of what you’re saying and portraying at the same time as trying to immerse yourself in the moment of what your acting, same applies for deliberateness of notes and how you’re playing them whilst trying to be in the moment and not overthink. Recording yourself helps a lot, and try to find music societies in your area where people get together and perform for each other. Also perform for your friends and family; doesn’t need to be many people, and know that it’s a process to become better at performing.
Josh, I'm practicing this piece now. Can you do video about how you can bring the middle section, which starts on f sharp minor, up to the tempo? Please! Thx
With today’s social media I imagine going live on Facebook or performing to someone on WhatsApp could be usefully if you can’t find enough venues or audiences.
my biggest issue is that there's nowhere to perform. sounds like a cliche but in my area here in south east england its so, so bad. there's no contacts, no retirement homes that have pianos, no venues that will allow pianos - even if i donate grand pianos for free they refuse them - and the only theatre which has a piano refuses to set it up and has not allowed me to play it for 20 years. its extreme - like, insanely bad luck. ive started trying to perform online now but its taken a while to set up. better than nothing I suppose. it seems to be all about who you know and your connections. "skill" level hasn't even come into the equation yet. i totally get everything you're saying in the video though, it makes sense. :)
Thank you so much for these helpful tips. I am interested in your propractice course. I have a question though, is it more of a "look for the video on where you're struggling" course or a "go by the first to last video in order" course?
Thanks for this, it is definitely true. I think because for one thing, when you are practicing and you play a wrong note or passage here and there, it's no big deal to a lot of us. But if you do it in front of someone you are playing for, it gets into your head and it leads to more mistakes coming. I agree with the tip above to have someone make a video of your playing or even do it yourself if no one is available. You quickly become more of a perfectionist and that is like a performance.
Enjoyed the video and appreciate the tips. The question for me is why does this happen? It's still the same keyboard, same piece, same me. What is it about an audience, almost any audience from my wife at home or in my case a church full of people that can cause me to go from "nailed it" to "Really, I can play better than that" just because someone is paying attention to me play.
Performing is definitely like a muscle, as you said. I performed for the first time this year and I remember that I was so nervous that my hands were shaking and even my feet. It was so bad that I could barely use the pedal. However, the performance was actually pretty good overall. Somehow, the shaky arms and legs feeling has disappeared come the 2nd time, although still very nervous to my stomach until I play that first note and then there’s just nothing but a feeling of enjoyment as I play - I can’t explain it. I’ve done around 5-6 amateur recitals so far and hope to be doing the same next year. This was particularly helpful in my exam which I did not fear that much since I’ve played the same pieces before in front of 40ish pianists (all better than me) so performing in front of two people was easy by comparison. LE: I forgot to mention public pianos!!! Those are also very helpful
Hi. Chiming in a bit here. I mostly agree with everything Josh said and wanted to add on a personal note that after performing at a Christmas concert this year I gained confidence on more private playing as well. I think if you have an opportunity to perform you should try to accept it and practice for it with a serious mentality, regardless of how simple a piece and how small of a crowd. Performing follows the same rule as any skill which is that you get better at it by doing it. Going back to the idea that performing affects also your private performing, I'd say I gained huge personal reassurance after performing Chopin's Nocturne Op 20 for around 50 without a single technical mistake. Dynamics, articulation and whatnot are an entirely another matter of course. But I was still glad of how well I performed and how the whole experience still went with relative ease. It gives me a sense that I can do this and it carries over to practicing and performing in a casual home setting when I'm just performing for myself. Self-confidence and faith in your own abilities is vital and nothing strengthens and molds you more as an artists than to actually put yourself out there in front of people and still deal with the simple challenge of playing the piano PLUS having an audience that's listening to you. And if you can get a teacher. I cannot tell you how nerve wrecking it can be and how uncomfortable I felt for the first three weeks going to piano lessons after ten years of not having been to one. It was absolute hell. But I got over the discomfort and now I feel much more relaxed and can focus better on just the music regardless of the setting I'm in.
Playing in gloves sometimes also helps. And when you put them off its much easier. For example I played the Chopin et. Op 25. 12. in small concert and before the concert I was struggling with the very first arpeggio in c minor. It was hard for me to hit the g between two black keys. And the solution I saw Valentina L. doing, I put on gloves and started playing. Suddenly my index finger was little bit thicker and it was more difficult, but after few trials I got to the same amount of mistakes as before without gloves. So I got rid off gloves and suddenly it was there and I felt very confident before concert. The another tip is think only about music, rather than people watching you. The another tip is developing improvising skills. You should be abble to keep the show going without knowing how, sort of xxd. Try to improvise on the same chord progression as the performed piece. Than you will understand the music, rather than memorizing it. Thats all for me!
@@AnnaKhomichkoPianist it also helps with coordination, if you have fluffy gloves. With these you can slip to wrong note (except wrong note etude xxd) very easily and after put them of its like nothing.
Play for your friends, invite your family over, advertise yourself to restaurants and other like places to get more performances, and record yourself. You might think recording yourself playing in your home won't do justice, but it can because you know it's being committed to digital memory. If you have to, you can post it on UA-cam, but I don't have to do that usually. It's something that gives the nervous sensation of performing.
I've heard that practicing with your eyes closed and visualizing the keyboard in your mind's eye also helps performance. Can anyone confirm if this really helps?
yeah, sports people visualise winning/running fast. Practice in your head is very important. You should be able to almost physically feel the keyboard. Hoffmann used to practice mentally a lot.
No idea. No one has ever asked me this before haha. Generally, a composer or arranger will indicate how to play a section if it is meant to be played in an out-of-the-ordinary way
RINZ / TV tbh bach is harder to read than liszt and chopin, liszt is usually like very rigid in terms of what patterns are used, for me i would suggest to just sight read bach and polyphonic works, that helped a lot for me. If you're learning pieces i would suggest to analyse it, that helps a lot with memorising especially composers like rachmaninoff
1) Of course - know the material. 2) Never EVER drugs/alcohol to "help you through." You'll only wind up making a bigger fool out of yourself. 3) Well-tweaked monitors to adequately hear yourself (acoustic piano not so critical). NEVER let some random guy who's "done this plenty of times" run your sound. Bring in your own crew at a cost of several thousand dollars to you to get it right. You'll be broke and homeless, but you'll be happy that you performed well. 4) See a shrink to deal with your stage fright (born out of a fear of failure) problems. You'll maybe get help with your myriad other problems while you're at it. Remember - you're a sensitive kook, otherwise you wouldn't be a musician. 5) Don't bite off more than you can chew technically - you can fool 'em with less. 6) ALWAYS devise some way to bring other performers into the fold if possible, so you won't be hung out there on a limb. Get someone to play the left-hand part while you play the right-hand part - they won't know the difference out there and will think it's real cute. Throw in some props, too. 7) Overly physically tired is ironically better than rested before a performance. It slows down your over-hyped nervous system, and is a forced relaxation technique, in case your shrink couldn't get through to you. Get plenty of sleep, but play some tackle football beforehand. 8) The other guy's comment about retirement homes is spot-on. Dip your toe in the shallow end of the pool first before taking the major plunge. 9) ALWAYS seek the interaction of supportive friends and family. They'll delude you into thinking you're better than you really are, and that will help with your self-confidence. 10) DON'T highlight your mistakes by throwing up on the piano, because someone will have to clean up that mess later. Instead, yell out "I meant to do that! Don't you people understand this composer?" It puts the guilt trip back on _them._
Record your final practice performance. The recorder is the audience. Instant pressure ;) (I see I am not the first to say this :) The double edged sword of the recording industry has really ruined audiences, I believe. They hear CDs of pianists playing incredibly difficult rep that no doubt has at least a few splices. Therefore, audience ears are conditioned to hear perfection. Perfection then is what many pianists make to be their final end. Horowitz, Bolet, Arrau, Cortot, Rubinstein etc often made MASSIVE mistakes during performances, and no. one. cared. Their musical personalities, their pianistic persona, their innate sense of phrasing, gorgeous tone, interpretation, etc etc are what mattered. Those things, sadly, matter less now, when you get right down to it...I have seen it happen at the best conservatories over and over and over. Sacrifice all musical courage in the name of perfect, clean performances. Because that’s what audiences expect. So, I suppose that’s the other side of the coin. Audiences need to be reconditioned. Sorry for the tangent :) I think these discussions become more and more important as the new generation of pianists enter the scene.
@@jamesholland2109 I love being on stage. I've never had stage fright; it just feels natural to me. The bigger the audience, the better. I get up there and I just stop giving a fuck. Good audience, bad audience, it doesn't matter. They're going to be entertained in some way regardless, so the stress just vanishes and is replaced by the excitement of the crowd. As a child, I did skits at campgrounds: stupid stuff where I might have to say one word or a short line. That was a fun introduction, because nobody at a campground is there to judge. It's all warm, fuzzy feelings. In second or third grade, I did a magic show at my school. In 4th grade, I wrote, directed and starred in a short play. Everyone kept screwing up their lines and their positions and interactions on stage, but aside from the frustration with them, none of that phased me. Putting on a show for an audience has always been play for me. Just fun and games with other people doing the same thing. When you're on stage, you're in control of an entire group of people's attentions and emotional reactions. Whether for good or bad, that's a powerful position to be in. You have to own that. I also went to church as a kid, and everybody sang hymns. When everyone is a part of it, you lose that inhibition because nobody is there to judge your singing; it's a group participation. That's true even when it's just you on stage in front of an audience, because it's an emotional exchange. Watching a live performance in itself is a form of participation because it's a feedback loop. That's what they're there for; it's not about you. You're just assuming a directorial role and their focus is on that role. What can help get rid of stage fright is to go out to a karaoke bar with some friends, or do karaoke at a party. Everybody is gonna suck, you're gonna suck, you're just doing it for laughs. Actual music performance is the same thing: you're up there to share your emotional expression with a whole room full of people and feel their emotional response. As long as you dwell in that, you'll do well. Ever watch a live Metallica show? They're masters at that. Their music is very dark. But when they get up on stage, everybody is manic; they've built up this expectation with opening performances. When they get out there and play, the music takes on this epic pep rally feeling, because they're working with the mood of the crowd which is at its peak of anticipation and excitement. Everybody is excited and elated, so the music sounds exciting and elated, even though it's dark stuff. That's what you have to work with. Feel your reaction to the crowd; it's what they're feeling. Put that into the music, whatever it is, and mirror it back on them. I saw Danzig live once; same thing. He got everybody worked up, played the first movement of Black Aria as an introduction, then they all came out on stage and broke straight into Godless. It was absolutely stunning. It was like a demonic horror pep rally. A lot darker than Metallica, but it was still this manic zenith. The emotional energy of a group takes possession of the group, and it possesses the musician/s as director/s of the group experience. The best performers are the most empathic. Work on that, and you can put yourself in that space: that exchange of bioelectric energy that takes over and moves your performance. Walk on stage like you're someone important; stand tall, walk boldly and with purpose. Give them that cue that you are there to direct their emotional symphony and to accept that offering as their lord and master. Enthral them. Be the hero or the demigod or the vampire. When you come on stage, you become a priest directing a congregation of celebrants in a grand magic ceremony of spiritual unification. Everybody is wearing a costume and a mask; everybody is dressed up to play a role in that ceremony, including you. That's all anybody sees: the role.
Retirement homes and assisted living facilities often have pianos and are always looking for volunteers to come in and play for the residence there. Not only is this a good way to practice your pieces and performance skill in a low-key, low-pressure environment with receptive audiences, but it's also a great way to use your talent to give back to others in your community.
Yes, agree. Best thing is many can't hear or go anyway. Kidding aside.... it is a great venue. They always seem to appreciate it.
One of the reasons i am studying piano is to play for elderly retired people some day, give then some joy and fun. This what you said is one great idea, to practice performing at the same time i am making others have some fun.
Actually not just performing in front of others, it happens even when I’m just recording myself playing. It would still make me so nervous and stiff.
Vivian Mo Well, you can make the argument that you’re actually “performing” when recording. That’s why I tend to record myself in order to practice for performing. It lets you identify where you’re not mentally “strong” in some places of the piece, so that you build more confidence and get rid of a lot of the nervousness that comes with actual performance :)
The fear with recording is that it has no mercy. You'll know absolutely everything that is off in even the slightest way. Every take is a reminder of how imperfect we are.
Vivian Mo exactly, happens to me ☺️☺️ !!
Ditto that!
I think practicing recording yourself would therefore help then
Well, if you have cold hands, forming snowballs, I found washing hands in hot water before practice or performance to be really helpful.
Roland Huettmann same haha but my hands get cold after that pretty quickly
This is so true. When I'm performing an aria, there is a massive difference then when I'm practicing by myself or with my accompanist. These tips are so helpful for any musician! : )
Thanks so much for your kindness! I'm glad the tips helped
Yep it’s just as important to practise performing as to practise the piece; and ultimately the biggest mental tip for me is to get good at controlling your mind to NOT think about performing but focus on making music and communicating your ideas (which gets better with more practice😂)
another suggestion - if you're at a conservatory or any university, ask anyone you can grab from the hallway to sit in the room with you for just five minutes with you while you give a mini-performance - just having someone else in the room for a minutes changes everything. No critique needed, and it REALLY helps.
Facing a LARGE audience, even if you are well prepared is intimidating in the extreme. Very few performing artists do not suffer from stage fright, or from being 'stage struck', where one's mind can actually go blank, like a deer in headlites. I've had this happen personally, and I've seen other performers suffer this same nitemare. The best cure, if one could call it that is to perform live as often as you can. Josh is absolutely on the $$ with this advice. Performance chops are extremely critical if one is to become comfortable in front of an audience.
Thank you ! I want to cry reading this. Sometimes I go blank and can't remember how to read notes. I thought I was crazy. Now I know it's normal sometimes.
I hope you're all having a great holiday season. I hope this video provides some insights into why your performing might not be going as well as you hope, and some steps to take to improve your skills as a performer. Have a great week of practicing!
Thank you very much! 👍🏾
Goku Black anytime :) I hope it helps in your studies
@a writer I'll be filming that tutorial next week :) Finally have it learned and in tempo!
Thanks :)
I think another helpful tip is to video record your practice performances to try and get them as near perfect as you can. Just knowing you’re being recorded adds pressure - and being able to play under pressure without your mind wandering is helpful.
Good advice - totally agree. I always screw up when I record myself. It's really annoying!
I always talk about the difference between playing an instrument and performing. Big difference! Thanks for uploading this!
Good to hear that this is normal Josh! I shook so severely in my piano exam that accuracy went out of the window. I prefer performing as part of (noob) orchestra on viola as it’s like you’re all in it together. If I ever get good enough at reading I think accompanying will be my calling. Get me out of the lime light!
We all would prefer to accompany unless you're the chauvinistic type a personality that loves to be seen. I've always wanted to be rich but not famous. I've been playing for over thirty years and still get nervous when I know people are listening. Always take your mind to you alone in a private room. Hypnotize your self to ignore the presence of other people or have a couple of shots first. Preferably jack Daniels or southern comfort to comfort you in your time of anxiety 😁
Keep up the great work! It gets better the more you do it :)
@@chrisbranch231 I totally agree with the hypnosis element...completely blocking out the audience. Great advice Chris!
@@chrisbranch231 - Thanks for the advice, its funny how being observed seems to totally alter normal brain function!
@@joshwrightpiano - Thanks Josh
Grest tips! Thanks so much Josh, thanks for your generosity.
Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing!
Looking forward to your performance of the Moonlight sonata 3rd movement!
Thanks! We'll see how it goes at this concert haha
@@joshwrightpiano You got this, Josh. Will you be uploading a video of your performance?
It is so true that performing is a SEPARATE skill to practiced acumen ! Performance skills may be used in any situation, in a universal sense. Sort of like when the knees are knocking uncontrollably, you can, and must overcome the fear and apprehension to attain clear mindspace from which you can actually perform at your best and highest level.
If I wanted to be a concert pianist, I think I would spend some time busking. Just take a keyboard out to a metropolitan area and play for strangers. I think that the consistent and prolonged exposure to performing would work wonders. I had a fear of heights, but after spending every day for a week on top of a rappel tower I got pretty comfortable. Your mind naturally adapts when under stress.
I would also recommend using public pianos, because (sometimes not ofc) most times they are literally set up in an area where people can gather round whilst you play, quite a fun experience.
I am so exited to see your performance of the moonlight sonata
It's one of my favourite pieces
Wonderful advice! Hands in the snow might be difficult in LA but I get the idea. And I like the 10 performances model before the actual one. I remember reading something about playing for anybody helps- UPS man, landlord, cat. Seems to shift the focus to the music and not the ego. Thanks as always, Josh. Best of luck with the Beethoven. After hearing your videos of performances past, I’m convinced you could play anything.
Your videos are much better now. Louder voice, can hear clearly. To practice for performance, we need to practice under pressure. As you told, 10 performances before the actual concert.
This is the exact thing all pianists need before 2020
Also Happy New year
Thank you! Happy New Year.
jazzyman 251 So True! They eat it up, and it’s the best possible audience you could ask for! They’re so sincerely grateful. People’s need for the beauty of music is greater when they’re older.
i really can't work out of this is a corona joke or just an unlucky comment
Thanks Josh. I would have a similar issue when I would come across the same difficult passage that I can always perform well "when no one is looking" and then panic Infront of people. You're so right that your performance needs to be almost beyond rote which does compensate for some inevitable jitters. Thanks.
You are always worth watching.
Awesome advice Josh. You know your stuff.
Thanks Josh! This is always so frustrating for me so I appreciate your insight
Excellent tips for a nervous senior.
Thanks. This is very helpful.
Yes definitely is a separate skill. I wish I had started playing in public much much earlier, was a big learning curve. Same goes for playing with other musicians too. I'm thinking more of playing in a band as opposed to classical stuff but i'm sure the same applies really
The main thing is to not take a performance too seriously. You can practice in front of your relatives & friends to get the anxiety out of the way. Otherwise you can only do so much.
Back in 1988 a documentary "Small Wonders" featured the violin teacher in NYC Roberta Guaspari and her students. They had a fundraising concert at Carnegie Hall playing the Bach Double Concerto in Dm with professional musicians. She told her students to stay focus and not look at the audience (would make them nervous). Take a deep breath before playing. There is only so much you can do to prepare for a recital. If you can find public pianos in your area, you can play a few pieces and get used to having people around watching.
How many of us are actually thinking about the performance venue or the performance while practicing? If you are doing this during practice, the performance will fall apart. Many times when I practice it is great but my mind is 100 miles away! When I perform I am always thinking about the piece and not messing up, but I have not mentally perpaired myself for the nuances of the piece since I was focused on other things during practice. I've talked with several artists that have run into this problem. Mental focus during practice is a great discipline we must all master! It can't be under estimated!!
Thank you Josh! This was very helpful.
Thanks so much. I appreciate your ideas. Happy New Year!
I used to perform often when I was younger, I had one single strategy. You have to know what you are going to perform incradbly well. I used to know my piece by memory untill I could play the whole piece and at the same time I could kick a ball against the wall. (I played the clarinet.
Ang usually the adrenilin rush impruved my performance. If I was ever nervous it only lasted the first 2 minutes.
My hands are not so stedy anymore. All the time, unfortunately
Thank you Josh, what you say is absolutely true. I have a very strong performing tip that has saved me countless times, especially for memory lapses: a few days before the performance play the whole repertoire on a table. It's difficult, tricky, but it really tests your memory. If you cannot play something on the table, that's a point where you could have a memory lapse. When you can play everything on the table, it means that your memory of that piece is perfect. I was able to effortlessly recover from slips of hands or more serious error thanks to this technique. I had a lot of problem with memory lapses in public but that totally solved it. Does anyone actually do that?
I think live streaming your practice e.g. on Twitch is also a very good idea for this purpose if you are a hobby pianist. At any point in time someone can start watching your stream, so you have the constant pressure of being in a "performance" situation and a) you get used to it and b) you also realize how kind many people react to your playing, even though you are just practicing and not nailing any piece yet.
Agreed with you. Streaming or just playing in ChatRoulette with random person are quite good method to feel nervous vibes of perfomance.
So true! As soon as you turn on a video camera, you forget everything or your mind just goes blank.
Thank U so so much bro Josh,
very handy,,, I do the same but it makes me feel bad when I make a mistake in public, hitting a wrong note might most of the times not be noticeable to the audience, U're right 👍🏻
Blessings :)
Sam 🎵
This is the first video I have actually heard you play ;)
I love how I got an ad made by you for one of your videos
Thanks for the advice, I've already gotten over when performing crowds. I just like to think positively when infront of an audience.
Now, tips on playing on a cold environment?
Hi Josh, thank you for this video! I was wondering if you might speak a little about performing with an orchestra or more generally with other musicians (accompaniment, violin/piano sonatas, chamber, etc), and tips for someone who's only done solo pieces before.
Great advice. One other thing you can do is ask a friend or significant other to barge through your study or ring your phone to create a disturbance when you don't expect it. Your job is to stay focused on the task at hand and complete the piece with minimal reaction to the disturbance.
Thank you!
All the best for your concert! The method you recommend is quite similar to mine when I performed (wich I not do anymore since a decade) and workes as far as I am concerned very well.
What piano are you playing there Josh. Nice sound!!!!
That feel when my mom comes into my room saying I'm playing better when I'm playing a Czerny Op. 139 exercise, and I just freeze up and repeat that same measure three times. :(
I'm a piano beginner though. :) I have a loooong way to go...
starithm we were all beginners once, good luck!
@@AnnaKhomichkoPianist Thank you! Wow, you are a fantastic pianist! :) My mom is not a piano teacher, but her sister is who taught both my brother and I how to play the piano, but I quit in 2 years. :( But now I 'm coming back after 2 decades. :O I can't wait until my fingers can move like water. I can play all 12 major scales slowly, and now I'm slowly learning how to play all 12 natural minor scales on my own. I do have a weekly piano lesson from a local piano teacher.
@@starithm It's all about motivation and focused practice. It sounds like you've got that so keep it up, and more and more progress will come.
@@dylandecker_music Thanks! :)
Very good advice thank you
I practiced a piece for two months straight and knew it completely. I went to a concert to play it and I completely failed. Performing is the hardest thing ever!!!
Thanks so much for this video. I would love to play piano but I don't know how. I actually play the flute and I have this problem constantly. I practice at home and I do well and then when I get to my local band or my church orchestra to play I mess up. I guess I am going to have to push myself to practice with performances in front of people. Yikes...that's a little scary bc I feel people are so critical but I need to get out of my head I guess. My husband says I sound great and he loves listening to me play at home and he can tell how much I have improved over time. He says he can hear my flute in the groups in play in and that I do well. That's really sweet but I know my mistakes.
My friend who is so fearless says she talks to herself in her head when she plays. I guess we need to push ourselves more. Again, thank you so much for your instruction.
I am trying to get off the fence about performing. One opportunity people may look into for performance is nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It is perhaps humble but nevertheless for we amateurs, residents appreciate the interest we show by bringing music to them. The pianos are not always wonderful but usually playable. Just my suggestion. I realize some may be very advanced and this may not be appealing but nevertheless, it's something I have done a few times and will continue doing. Thanks Josh for your valuable info!
Very good. House concerts, before the theatre concert...is my saving grace. But I certainly don't do enough. Nowhere near ten.
Also my concerts are too far between. Answer? Obviously MORE playing for others in between (so obvious when you articulate it).
I would've liked a little more flesh upon the point you made about deep listening in the third person. You veered off it quickly so I'm filling in with what I think you might have said about that. :)
Good video though.
Happy New Year, dear Josh! Wish you a great year 2020 :)
I remember I performed the first Ballade op 23 for the very first time, and I broke down. basically it was the first time I performed the piece and the first time I had performed in 4 years cause of lockdown, and the last time I even did perform was literally with Prelude no 6 of Chopin XD. but yeah I had such dreadful stage fright where my eyes were so badly tunnel visioned and I couldn't feel the keys, Like I couldn't feel the keys under my hands at all!!! and I couldn't even hear what I was playing!! the Cadenza literally went off pure muscle memory where I threw my now cumbersome hands and managed to thankfully recoup for the next part, but when the Coda came, kinda like 20 seconds into it I just froze, and I remember whispering to myself 'oh no' and I just put my hands on the piano, got up, bowed and walked away... possibly the worst experience of my life, but thankfully it was a mini school concert with only like 50-60 people and not a massive hall, but yeah, taught me how valuable it is to get performances in cause I have a really bad case of stage fright XD
I've been playing piano on and off for a decade. But besides a recital that I did when I was 8 (where I played an early beginner piece), I've never played for an audience. Though I have years of on stage acting experience. I'm playing Chopin's Heroic Polonaise and Beethoven's Sonata in E Major Mvm 2 for my collage audition soon. Does anyone know where to look for places to do "practice performances" before I do the real thing?
What I would do when I was younger is to go to a large shopping mall that has a music store and play one of the pianos or keyboards in the store.
On a different note, many years ago when the Mall of America first opened there was a piano actually just in one of the corners of the main mall hallways. I sat down at 16 years old and played Nostalgia by Yanni. I didn't think much of it because there were only 5 or 6 people around at the time I started playing. 3 mins later, when I finished the piece I heard all this applause. Shocked... I looked around and there were about 60 people on 2 open floor levels above me that gathered around, peering over the balconies, that had stopped to listen to me play as they walked by. I was floored! I couldn't believe it and I would've choked if I knew that many people were listening to me, haha! It was an amazing experience though.
@@Final-Ts yeah "street" pianos are great to overcome this fear
Your acting experience will help a lot, the same way you need to be more conscious and aware of what you’re saying and portraying at the same time as trying to immerse yourself in the moment of what your acting, same applies for deliberateness of notes and how you’re playing them whilst trying to be in the moment and not overthink. Recording yourself helps a lot, and try to find music societies in your area where people get together and perform for each other. Also perform for your friends and family; doesn’t need to be many people, and know that it’s a process to become better at performing.
Josh, I'm practicing this piece now. Can you do video about how you can bring the middle section, which starts on f sharp minor, up to the tempo? Please! Thx
Can you make a video on how to play during exams?
With today’s social media I imagine going live on Facebook or performing to someone on WhatsApp could be usefully if you can’t find enough venues or audiences.
I totally agree :) Happy New Year Colin
my biggest issue is that there's nowhere to perform. sounds like a cliche but in my area here in south east england its so, so bad. there's no contacts, no retirement homes that have pianos, no venues that will allow pianos - even if i donate grand pianos for free they refuse them - and the only theatre which has a piano refuses to set it up and has not allowed me to play it for 20 years. its extreme - like, insanely bad luck.
ive started trying to perform online now but its taken a while to set up. better than nothing I suppose. it seems to be all about who you know and your connections. "skill" level hasn't even come into the equation yet. i totally get everything you're saying in the video though, it makes sense. :)
Thank you so much for these helpful tips. I am interested in your propractice course. I have a question though, is it more of a "look for the video on where you're struggling" course or a "go by the first to last video in order" course?
Ah, so this is what has been missing from my practice sessions. :) also happy new year 2020!!
Honest to goodness video thank you 😁
thanks josh. My major problem is cold hands before performance. Do you have any suggestions on that?
Put your hands under a hot tap for ~20 seconds. This works for me
Just play. Your hands are not cold, because of weather, but because you are nervous. Or if not, just put on gloves before concert or any performance
Great session. How did the 3rd movement go Josh?
You played wonderfully in the Chopin competition :)
Thanks for this, it is definitely true. I think because for one thing, when you are practicing and you play a wrong note or passage here and there, it's no big deal to a lot of us. But if you do it in front of someone you are playing for, it gets into your head and it leads to more mistakes coming.
I agree with the tip above to have someone make a video of your playing or even do it yourself if no one is available. You quickly become more of a perfectionist and that is like a performance.
I used to play the piano that was in the lobby in an office building to gain confidence before my exams.
Enjoyed the video and appreciate the tips. The question for me is why does this happen? It's still the same keyboard, same piece, same me. What is it about an audience, almost any audience from my wife at home or in my case a church full of people that can cause me to go from "nailed it" to "Really, I can play better than that" just because someone is paying attention to me play.
Thank you! Fortunately I have no one to play for. Nobody wants to hear me play. Even family. Although it's probably sad ...
Performing is definitely like a muscle, as you said. I performed for the first time this year and I remember that I was so nervous that my hands were shaking and even my feet. It was so bad that I could barely use the pedal. However, the performance was actually pretty good overall.
Somehow, the shaky arms and legs feeling has disappeared come the 2nd time, although still very nervous to my stomach until I play that first note and then there’s just nothing but a feeling of enjoyment as I play - I can’t explain it.
I’ve done around 5-6 amateur recitals so far and hope to be doing the same next year. This was particularly helpful in my exam which I did not fear that much since I’ve played the same pieces before in front of 40ish pianists (all better than me) so performing in front of two people was easy by comparison.
LE: I forgot to mention public pianos!!! Those are also very helpful
Hi. Chiming in a bit here. I mostly agree with everything Josh said and wanted to add on a personal note that after performing at a Christmas concert this year I gained confidence on more private playing as well. I think if you have an opportunity to perform you should try to accept it and practice for it with a serious mentality, regardless of how simple a piece and how small of a crowd. Performing follows the same rule as any skill which is that you get better at it by doing it.
Going back to the idea that performing affects also your private performing, I'd say I gained huge personal reassurance after performing Chopin's Nocturne Op 20 for around 50 without a single technical mistake. Dynamics, articulation and whatnot are an entirely another matter of course. But I was still glad of how well I performed and how the whole experience still went with relative ease. It gives me a sense that I can do this and it carries over to practicing and performing in a casual home setting when I'm just performing for myself.
Self-confidence and faith in your own abilities is vital and nothing strengthens and molds you more as an artists than to actually put yourself out there in front of people and still deal with the simple challenge of playing the piano PLUS having an audience that's listening to you. And if you can get a teacher. I cannot tell you how nerve wrecking it can be and how uncomfortable I felt for the first three weeks going to piano lessons after ten years of not having been to one. It was absolute hell. But I got over the discomfort and now I feel much more relaxed and can focus better on just the music regardless of the setting I'm in.
Exactly
Nice
Playing in gloves sometimes also helps. And when you put them off its much easier. For example I played the Chopin et. Op 25. 12. in small concert and before the concert I was struggling with the very first arpeggio in c minor. It was hard for me to hit the g between two black keys. And the solution I saw Valentina L. doing, I put on gloves and started playing. Suddenly my index finger was little bit thicker and it was more difficult, but after few trials I got to the same amount of mistakes as before without gloves. So I got rid off gloves and suddenly it was there and I felt very confident before concert. The another tip is think only about music, rather than people watching you. The another tip is developing improvising skills. You should be abble to keep the show going without knowing how, sort of xxd. Try to improvise on the same chord progression as the performed piece. Than you will understand the music, rather than memorizing it. Thats all for me!
Jarek Kaspar interesting tip about gloves, I’ll definitely try it!!
@@AnnaKhomichkoPianist it also helps with coordination, if you have fluffy gloves. With these you can slip to wrong note (except wrong note etude xxd) very easily and after put them of its like nothing.
Performing a piece a lot before the "big performance" is a great idea but how do you even get that many performance opportunities
Play for your friends, invite your family over, advertise yourself to restaurants and other like places to get more performances, and record yourself. You might think recording yourself playing in your home won't do justice, but it can because you know it's being committed to digital memory. If you have to, you can post it on UA-cam, but I don't have to do that usually. It's something that gives the nervous sensation of performing.
@@OganySupreme interesting ideas, thanks for the reply
Local piano Meetup groups are great for
Performance opportunities
Does this performance technique work on the black keys, too ?
So you perfermed Beethoven sonata yesterday? How did it go?
I've heard that practicing with your eyes closed and visualizing the keyboard in your mind's eye also helps performance. Can anyone confirm if this really helps?
yeah, sports people visualise winning/running fast. Practice in your head is very important. You should be able to almost physically feel the keyboard. Hoffmann used to practice mentally a lot.
Yep, not only do you need to know the piece better to visualise every note but you build the trust in your mind that every will go well
Even in front of my new teacher😥
did I detect a slight scoff at the small concert?
Great advice. Thanks.
The key? Start young, and keep (your children) performing regularly so the panic and fear don't take hold by the time you're an adult...
So you finally decided to practice and perform moonlight sonata 3rd movement?
Is there a name for unique piano playing like playing with feet, entire forearms, etc.?
this question is highly important
The organ?
No idea. No one has ever asked me this before haha. Generally, a composer or arranger will indicate how to play a section if it is meant to be played in an out-of-the-ordinary way
@@joshwrightpiano Such as with your feet? I'd stay far away from a composer like that!
You look like young Hugh Grant a litte bit xD
haha I've heard that one before
Krzysztof Łoś better looking! By the grace of God and wholesome!!
How to read difficult sheet music like liszt and chopin faster
RINZ / TV tbh bach is harder to read than liszt and chopin, liszt is usually like very rigid in terms of what patterns are used, for me i would suggest to just sight read bach and polyphonic works, that helped a lot for me. If you're learning pieces i would suggest to analyse it, that helps a lot with memorising especially composers like rachmaninoff
Thank you so much
Take "easier" pieces like nocturnes. One page a day. One hand per day. 5-10 minutes a day and you develop it
Very similar voice to David Stewart, another UA-camr - check him out. Would be amusing to do a video together.
Is it just me? But when i get infront of an audience I get all itchy and I can't get my hands off of the piano and I panick and yikes 😬
1) Of course - know the material.
2) Never EVER drugs/alcohol to "help you through." You'll only wind up making a bigger fool out of yourself.
3) Well-tweaked monitors to adequately hear yourself (acoustic piano not so critical). NEVER let some random guy who's "done this plenty of times" run your sound. Bring in your own crew at a cost of several thousand dollars to you to get it right. You'll be broke and homeless, but you'll be happy that you performed well.
4) See a shrink to deal with your stage fright (born out of a fear of failure) problems. You'll maybe get help with your myriad other problems while you're at it. Remember - you're a sensitive kook, otherwise you wouldn't be a musician.
5) Don't bite off more than you can chew technically - you can fool 'em with less.
6) ALWAYS devise some way to bring other performers into the fold if possible, so you won't be hung out there on a limb. Get someone to play the left-hand part while you play the right-hand part - they won't know the difference out there and will think it's real cute. Throw in some props, too.
7) Overly physically tired is ironically better than rested before a performance. It slows down your over-hyped nervous system, and is a forced relaxation technique, in case your shrink couldn't get through to you. Get plenty of sleep, but play some tackle football beforehand.
8) The other guy's comment about retirement homes is spot-on. Dip your toe in the shallow end of the pool first before taking the major plunge.
9) ALWAYS seek the interaction of supportive friends and family. They'll delude you into thinking you're better than you really are, and that will help with your self-confidence.
10) DON'T highlight your mistakes by throwing up on the piano, because someone will have to clean up that mess later. Instead, yell out "I meant to do that! Don't you people understand this composer?" It puts the guilt trip back on _them._
Record your final practice performance. The recorder is the audience. Instant pressure ;) (I see I am not the first to say this :)
The double edged sword of the recording industry has really ruined audiences, I believe. They hear CDs of pianists playing incredibly difficult rep that no doubt has at least a few splices. Therefore, audience ears are conditioned to hear perfection. Perfection then is what many pianists make to be their final end. Horowitz, Bolet, Arrau, Cortot, Rubinstein etc often made MASSIVE mistakes during performances, and no. one. cared. Their musical personalities, their pianistic persona, their innate sense of phrasing, gorgeous tone, interpretation, etc etc are what mattered. Those things, sadly, matter less now, when you get right down to it...I have seen it happen at the best conservatories over and over and over. Sacrifice all musical courage in the name of perfect, clean performances. Because that’s what audiences expect.
So, I suppose that’s the other side of the coin. Audiences need to be reconditioned. Sorry for the tangent :) I think these discussions become more and more important as the new generation of pianists enter the scene.
Anyone here that mess up less when performing in front of people than while practicing
I have a technique when I get nervous I drink a lot of alcohol
Be art Tatum
Problem solved
Extra tip :start with the easiest piece
I'm one of the few people who play better with an audience than without one.
Wow, that's amazing! I'm very envious!
@@jamesholland2109 I love being on stage. I've never had stage fright; it just feels natural to me. The bigger the audience, the better. I get up there and I just stop giving a fuck. Good audience, bad audience, it doesn't matter. They're going to be entertained in some way regardless, so the stress just vanishes and is replaced by the excitement of the crowd.
As a child, I did skits at campgrounds: stupid stuff where I might have to say one word or a short line. That was a fun introduction, because nobody at a campground is there to judge. It's all warm, fuzzy feelings. In second or third grade, I did a magic show at my school. In 4th grade, I wrote, directed and starred in a short play. Everyone kept screwing up their lines and their positions and interactions on stage, but aside from the frustration with them, none of that phased me. Putting on a show for an audience has always been play for me. Just fun and games with other people doing the same thing. When you're on stage, you're in control of an entire group of people's attentions and emotional reactions. Whether for good or bad, that's a powerful position to be in. You have to own that.
I also went to church as a kid, and everybody sang hymns. When everyone is a part of it, you lose that inhibition because nobody is there to judge your singing; it's a group participation. That's true even when it's just you on stage in front of an audience, because it's an emotional exchange. Watching a live performance in itself is a form of participation because it's a feedback loop. That's what they're there for; it's not about you. You're just assuming a directorial role and their focus is on that role.
What can help get rid of stage fright is to go out to a karaoke bar with some friends, or do karaoke at a party. Everybody is gonna suck, you're gonna suck, you're just doing it for laughs. Actual music performance is the same thing: you're up there to share your emotional expression with a whole room full of people and feel their emotional response. As long as you dwell in that, you'll do well.
Ever watch a live Metallica show? They're masters at that. Their music is very dark. But when they get up on stage, everybody is manic; they've built up this expectation with opening performances. When they get out there and play, the music takes on this epic pep rally feeling, because they're working with the mood of the crowd which is at its peak of anticipation and excitement. Everybody is excited and elated, so the music sounds exciting and elated, even though it's dark stuff. That's what you have to work with. Feel your reaction to the crowd; it's what they're feeling. Put that into the music, whatever it is, and mirror it back on them.
I saw Danzig live once; same thing. He got everybody worked up, played the first movement of Black Aria as an introduction, then they all came out on stage and broke straight into Godless. It was absolutely stunning. It was like a demonic horror pep rally. A lot darker than Metallica, but it was still this manic zenith. The emotional energy of a group takes possession of the group, and it possesses the musician/s as director/s of the group experience.
The best performers are the most empathic. Work on that, and you can put yourself in that space: that exchange of bioelectric energy that takes over and moves your performance. Walk on stage like you're someone important; stand tall, walk boldly and with purpose. Give them that cue that you are there to direct their emotional symphony and to accept that offering as their lord and master. Enthral them. Be the hero or the demigod or the vampire. When you come on stage, you become a priest directing a congregation of celebrants in a grand magic ceremony of spiritual unification. Everybody is wearing a costume and a mask; everybody is dressed up to play a role in that ceremony, including you. That's all anybody sees: the role.