Fighting and Conquering Stage Fright as a Guitarist

“I don’t say that I never feel fear before a performance, but I have learned to channel it.”

– Claudio Arrau, Chilean pianist

Playing the guitar up on the stage, in front of hundreds of your fans, can be one of the best experiences in the world!

Conversely, it can be one of the worst! When stage fright and the fear of playing live rears its ugly head, it can leave you in a sweaty mess on the stage, with your confidence shot, all of which often results in an error-prone and a downright shoddy performance.  

It is very natural to be nervous when performing in front of a live audience, especially if it’s one of your first performances. However if the problem persists, or worse, if it starts affecting your guitar-playing adversely, it might be time to tackle the problem head-on. Take the bull by the horns, as they say!

Here are a few ways that you can employ to handle stage fright and conquer your fear of playing the guitar in front of a live audience, as part of a group or as a solo artist:

1. Admit that there’s a problem. The first step to solving a problem is actually admitting that one exists. Knowing the cause is the next step. Try determining what the actual (root) cause of your stage anxiety is, what goes on in your head and your heart when you’re up on the stage. Confess that a problem exists, instead of hiding from it. ‘Face your fears’ as they say.

2. Don’t start off by playing in front of a large audience. In fact, do exactly the opposite. Start off by playing for close friends and family, and use this method to slowly build your confidence and move on to performing in front of bigger crowds.

3. Stop being too self-conscious. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Stop worrying about your image, or how you look, or how you sound, or how well (or not) you’re playing the guitar. As someone who’s suffered from stage anxiety, I know it’s all easier said than done. However the one thing that I took away from my experiences is this: once you stop giving too much consideration to your image or how you look, for instance, and start thinking about the things that really matter, such as concentrating on your guitar-playing, you’ll not only become less nervous, you’ll also notice that your guitar-playing skills improve. Remember that 99.9% of the people in the audience are there to hear you, they’re not there to see you, or judge how you look.

4. Stage fright and stage anxiety is usually a big issue for people with reserved, shy or introverted personality traits, such as people who don’t like being the center of attention. When they are a part of a band, and are forced to take the stage, anxiety becomes a bigger issue than ever. It is important for them to find their comfort zone on-stage, such as playing on the edge of the stage, or at the back (away from the spotlight). The best solution however, is for them to keep at it, as they will start getting more and more comfortable on-stage with the passage of time and with each performance.

5. Known understand and accept that it is quite normal to experience a certain level of nervousness and anxiety on the stage. It happens with everyone; even the best musicians, politicians and public speakers out there experience this. However what they’re good at, is masking this nervousness with confidence, flair and charisma. As a musician, you should try to ‘work with your anxiety’ and use the opportunity of being in the spotlight to really bring out your creative side, instead of hiding under it.

6. When fighting stage fright, preparation is key! If you do into the battlefield fully prepared, you won’t be giving yourself a reason to be nervous and anxious on the stage. Battle-preparedness is essential, in fact it is vital for a smooth, error-free performance. Get the right amount of practice beforehand, well before the actual performance in fact. Practice individually, as well as with your band mates (if you’re in one).

7. For guitar players, I always suggest sticking with stuff they’re good at, and what they feel comfortable with. Don’t try anything extraordinary, or attempt to do something that you haven’t practiced before the performance, for instance. Try keeping things simple, and stick to your strengths, and what you know once up on the stage.

8. Accept the fact that mistakes will be a part of your performance, and even the best of the best make mistakes or screw-up. In my experience, it is near-impossible to deliver a flawless performance. The important thing is to accept that fact, and not dwell on a mistake if and when you do make one. The people in the audience aren’t professional musicians, and no one would probably even notice it. But above all, it is important to learn how to quickly recover from your mistake.

9. Finally, one of the most essential things to do when performing live is to actually have fun when you’re up there. Yes, you made it to the big stage, you earned your way there, and now you’re in the spotlight. Almost all of the people out there would kill for such a chance! Now that you’re in the spotlight, try having some fun! Enjoy your time up there – trust me, once you get over the anxiety and the nervousness, there’s no other feeling in the world that matches up to taking center-stage and doing your thing!

If you’re planning on taking the stage for the first time, or if you’ve done it before but still experience stage fright or anxiety, these tips and pointers should help. What do you do to calm yourself down before a performance and deliver a confident and energetic routine on the stage? Do share your thoughts in the comments section.

Buying a Guitar: Online vs Local Stores

The emergence of cheap and widespread internet connectivity means that our life is a lot more convenient than it ever was before, in every aspect imaginable. One of these conveniences is the ability the shop and buy stuff online.

Online shopping has really taken off in the last decade or so. You can, quite literally, buy just about anything and everything under the sun on the internet – including guitars!

Buying a new axe for yourself (or a used one for that matter) is not a week or a month-long process anymore. You don’t need to waste time, energy and gas in order to buy a new guitar for yourself, all thanks to the emergence of online shopping and online guitar stores.

Here are some of the pros and cons of buying a guitar on the internet, as opposed to walking into your local guitar store to get one. Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with any guitar store/shop, I’m simply a musician (like you) who intends on outlining some of the essential differences between two different guitar-buying experiences.

Before we begin, it is essential to know about some of the places that you can buy a guitar online.

For starters, there are plenty of online buying-and-selling/auction/ecommerce websites out there, such as eBay and Amazon. You can find tons of guitars, new or used, on these ecommerce websites alone!

Then there’s online guitar and musical instruments stores such as GuitarBitz, Guitar Center, Musician’s Friend, Guitar Store Online (UK) and Furtados, to name just a few of them.

Buying a Guitar Online: A List of Pros

1. For starters, buying a guitar online provides you with a lot of options, and quite literally, opens up a whole new world as far as selection, choice and inventory is concerned. Not even the biggest guitar store out there can match a guitar store in terms of selection and inventory. You can virtually find any and every brand, and just about every guitar out there online. One some of the bigger online stores, you’ll find all major brands and guitars for beginners, professionals, for different budgets, signature guitars, and of course, a wide selection of second-hand or used guitars as well.

2. Buying online is convenient. You can simply order a guitar from the comforts of your living room, and all it takes is a few clicks of the mouse to do so. And that really is the beauty of buying online: it’s a hassle-free way of doing things!

3. Buying a guitar online is cost-efficient. You save up on gas, and depending on how far the nearest guitar store is from you, this could be an important consideration.

4. Buying online is time-efficient – the time that you spend in transit (coming and going to the store), and the time that you spend in the store itself. If you know what you want to buy, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t save yourself some valuable time and buy it online.

5. In addition to points 3 and 4 above, most online stores offer free shipping (in the US and Canada particularly), which just makes the process of buying online even more cost-effective and worthwhile. Most of the bigger online stores now offer free shipping on all their guitars, and even if they don’t, shipping is quite cheap. Some guitars might even have free shipping on them as part of a promotion.

6. Since online stores don’t have a physical ‘brick-and-mortar’ shop, and are not required to pay fixed costs such as rent and bills, they are able to keep their costs at a minimum, and hence sell stuff on the cheap. This is why similar guitars can be had for cheap on online stores, as compared to a guitar shop. For instance a Gibson Les Paul Standard 2012 goes for around $2500 on almost all online stores, but your local guitar store will almost certainly sell you the exact same model for much more than this.  

7. Online stores update their inventory frequently, always have the latest guitar models in stock, and generally do a very good job of keeping up with different models and updates. As soon as a new Stratocaster signature model hits the market, you can be sure that GC or Musician’s Friend will have it on stock in a matter of days.

Buying at your Local Store: A List of Pros

1. Buying a guitar in person allows you to examine the instrument yourself, and this is, by far, the biggest advantage of buying in person. There are a lot of things which need to be considered when buying a guitar: the sound, tone, how confortable it is, playability and how well it plays, and so on and so forth. The biggest disadvantage of buying online is that you cannot physically test or try out a few guitars, and you’re essentially stuck with what you have. When you buy in person, you’ll know that you’ve bought the best possible guitar that you could’ve.

2. Buying a guitar is so much more than just that; it is an experience! Going to a guitar store is an experience in itself; it is something that you can only experience if you go to one. The sights, the smells of guitar wood, speaking with other guitar enthusiasts, the chance to hang out with the store guys, the ability to test and try out a number of different instruments, and so on… it all adds to the experience of buying a new axe for yourself.

3. When you buy from your local store, you’ll go home with an instrument that sounds the way you want, and plays the way you want. Online stores usually give you a couple of days at max as far as return policies are concerned, after which you’re essentially stuck with what you have.

4. You can stumble upon some real gems in guitar stores. I’m talking about rare, vintage and/or restored guitars that will probably never see the light of day on the internet.

5. Guitar stores provide you with a great opportunity to speak with people in the biz: from guitar store employees, to other musicians in your area. You might even find a good guitar instructor at your local store, or apply to be one if they have advertised an opening.

6. When it comes to budget guitars, the price difference is negligible between buying from a store or buying online. If you’re looking for a budget axe, it might be a good idea to pick one up locally. Plus you can haggle on the price, and who knows, the store might even give you a good deal (or a great discount) on your guitar, or throw some free goodies in the package.

7. Going to a guitar shop will allow you to see the accessories and the guitar stuff that’s available there, and who knows, you might actually be able to pick up something really cool for yourself!

Verdict

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what it more convenient for you. If you know what you want to get, are looking for something that is unavailable anywhere (like a rare ‘50s Telecaster),or if you don’t have a guitar store in your vicinity online’s the way to go. Just make sure that you know what you’re getting, and do your research + read up on some online reviews.

On the other hand, beginners or guitar players unsure of what they want should definitely hit their local guitar stores. Good luck with your purchase!

7 Excellent Guitar Brands that You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

In a world dominated by the Fenders and the Gibsons, the little guys rarely get heard of. Yes, Fender’s Stratocaster is a legendary piece of axe, and the Les Paul is an icon in its own self. But there are many other guitar companies out there that make excellent instruments. Here are some of them:

1. Grosh Guitars

Grosh is a little-known American guitar manufacturer with an interesting history: Don Grosh, the man behind Grosh, started off with working as a carpenter on Hollywood sets with his father, where he also started working on and making guitars, among other things, and becoming a guitarist in the process. In the 80s, many famous musicians including the likes of Larry Carlton, Lee Sklar and Vince Gill started using guitars made by Don (Grosh Electric Classical was also used by Brian McKnight at a later stage). He ultimately opened his own custom guitar shop in the garage of his parents’ house – the Don Grosh Custom Guitars – with the vision to ‘build hand-crafted custom guitars with the best tone, looks and playability’. And for anyone who’s used one of these babies would know, that is not far from the truth!

2. ESP

ESP is definitely one of the more popular and prominent ‘lesser-known’ guitar companies out there. It is an American company, however it is Japanese-owned and was founded and is headquartered in Tokyo. ESP’s claim to fame has been the fact that the guitars have been used, and have been particularly popular in the thrash metal circles, particularly with the ‘big 4’ of thrash – Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth. James Hetfield, for instance, has many signature ESP guitars, most notably the ESP ‘Snakebyte’ James Hetfield Electric Guitar. So safe to say, if you’re into the metal genre, going for an ESP as your next guitar would be a good idea.

3. Suhr

Suhr is an American guitar and musical equipment manufacturer. Founded by John Suhr in 1997, Suhr makes some great, exquisitely-crafted and all-round excellent electric guitars. Initially, the company stuck to building custom-made high-end guitars on order, according to customer specifications. The company tradition has been to introduce one new model every year ever since its inception. Suhr’s instruments are not only very popular with certain guitarists, they have also received acclaim for using modern tech in the design and manufacturing process. Their electric guitars are available as 4 different product lines/series, each with its own distinct body shape. Suhr Classic T with the tobacco sunburst finish remains their most popular guitar to date.

4. Heritage Guitars

Based out of Michigan, US, Heritage is associated with Gibson Guitars. Well, not directly but in a way. Heritage Guitars was founded in ’85 by former Gibson guitar factory employees after Gibson closed one of its Parsons Street factory in Michigan. The factory workers used the shut-down Gibson facility to produce electric and acoustic guitars, among other instruments, in much smaller numbers than Gibson. Most of the guitars were based on Gibson designs, while some were also based on Fender designs, most notable the Strat and the Telecaster. Today, Heritage makes hand-made solidbody electric guitars that are based on the Les Paul Standard (such as the Heritage H-150), however these guitars are hand-made with a lot of attention to detail. Heritage guitars are endorsed by the likes of Johnny Smith, David Becker, Roy Clark (who has a signature Heritage guitar), and Kenny Burrell.

5. PRS

PRS (short for Paul Reed Smith, the guitarist) is based out of Maryland in the United States. It is one of the best solidbody electric guitar manufacturers in the world right now, used by the likes of Mark Tremonti of Creed and Alter Bridge fame, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt, and Carlos Santana – with Termonti, Navarro and Akerfledt all having their signature PRS guitars. PRS electric guitars have mahogany bodies with maple tops, mahogany necks (with some high-end models using Brazilian or Indian rosewood necks), and rosewood fingerboards with signature PRS bird and moon inlays. PRS use self-designed and manufactured pickups on all their guitars. The Santana/Akerfledt/Tremonti signature models are easily some of the best guitars I’ve ever had the pleasure of picking up and playing, and what surprised me the most was probably the fact that they’re quite reasonably-priced as well ($500-700 street).

6. Godin

Godin is a relatively-little known Canadian guitar manufacture, based out of Quebec. Godin makes guitars under several different brands/labels/product-lines, such as Seagull, Art and Luthrie, of course Godin. Godin also produce a ton of semi-hollow and hollow-body electrics, which, in fact, are their most popular guitars. All their guitars are known for their build quality, use of synth pickups (especially on high-end modesl) and piezo pickup bridges, their Telecaster-Les Paul hybrid body-type, among other technical innovations. What most people don’t know is that Godin guitars have win several awards, and popular Godin users include Leonard Cohen, Eric McFadden, and Steve Stevens (of Billy Idol and Michael Jackson fame), to name a few. Some of the best Godin instruments will usually set you back by more than a grand or two – guitars such as the xtSa Flame and the LGXT, however it is a price worth paying for those looking for the best instruments out there, and have some spare change too.

7. Schecter

David Schecter’s Schecter Guitar Research is a US-based manufacturer that started off as a replacement parts manufacturer for Gibson and Fender guitars, before branching out to mass-produced solidbody acoustics in 1976, based on Fender Telecaster designs. Schecter guitars have been used by none other than Yngwie Malmsteen, however their big break came when the Pete Townshend (and later his brother Simon Townshend) started using one as his main stage guitar. In the 80s, Strat-styled Schecters were also used by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, and he went on to own many Schecter guitars. These custom models usually fetch a ton of money today. Schecter moved towards mass production in the 80s when demand outweighed the supply. Today Schecter remains one of the most underrated, yet brilliant guitar manufacturers in the world. The Schecter C1 Classic/Hellraiser, which uses EMG pickups, is a popular choice among metal guitar players.

Making Your Own Professional Guitar Videos

As a guitarist, I feel that one of the best ways to promote yourself over the internet (such as on Youtube), get some serious exposure, or even to make a buck or two, is via videos.

For instance a well-made, professionally-created video could do wonders as far as your exposure is concerned. All you need to do is create one single video, and you’ll have the option to put it up on multiple video hosting websites, such as Youtube, Metacafe, Vimeo, DailyMotion and many others. These websites get millions of views every day, and a single video on any one of these website could get you a ton of exposure and help you get the word out about yourself.

Furthermore, you can also earn a buck or two through your videos. A lot of musicians and guitarists are using their blogs and websites to teach the guitar. You could also look into doing this by developing a series of ‘Learn to Play the Guitar’ videos, and putting them up on your website and charging a fee for access to those videos.

This is similar to what the popular guitar-learning websites GuitarJamz and JustinGuitar do, however the latter employs a donation-based method, giving free access to the videos.

And let’s not forget that Youtube also allows you to monetize your videos – via Youtube ads or your own AdSense account – via the Youtube Partner Program. (You can read all about the program on Youtube’s support page).

The point is, as a guitar player and a musician, you should be making videos. Instructional videos, original songs, cover songs… the whole deal. It’s super-easy (especially in this day and age), has tons of benefits, and I’ll even walk you through the process in this article.

First off, you need to choose and decide upon the hardware that you’ll use. You have a couple of options here, one of which is using your laptop’s webcam, or your iPhone’s camera for slightly better quality. Alternatively, you could invest in a professional camera-tripod combo, a wired/wireless mic and/or cables and adapters (or some other way) to connect your guitar with your setup, whatever you choose to do.

It all essentially boils down to how much you can spend (if at all) on new hardware. And if you’re low on funds, making do with what’s readily available is the best solution. For instance you could use the camera on your iPhone; the latest iPhones have a pretty great camera hardware that can record HD videos (720p on the iPhone 4 @ 30FPS, and 1080p on the 4S and 5!).

If you use a camera or a camcorder to record, get a tripod for it as well.

As far as the audio is concerned, I would always recommend getting an external wired or wireless mic with your setup. Microphones that are built into cellphones, webcams and cameras usually do a poor job of recording audio, and end up capturing too much noise room. A mic that is clipped to your shirt or your guitar will ensure that the sound that is intended to be recorded is actually captured. Here are a few iPhone external mics.

Here is a resource that has more information on to make a video using your iPhone.

Choose a place in your house that can be used as a mini-studio of sorts (or go to a studio for recording purposes if you have access to one). Make sure that you record with a solid backdrop, or hang a blue sheet behind you.

As with all forms of photography, lighting will be detrimental to the quality of your video. The place where you record should be brightly-lit, preferably with a bit of natural light. However avoid putting direct light on the subject (which in this case is you), and instead try reflecting light onto the subject. You can learn more about this here and here.

Make sure that you have a comfortable place to sit, and that the camera angle is right; the frame should not cut off your face, and your audience should be able to see the guitar clearly. For instructional videos though, it might a good idea to zoom into the guitar itself.

Once the video has been recorded, it’s time for post-production. Which means that the ‘raw’ version of the video in your possession will go through a software for editing and effects, in order to be made into a video that can go online. You can use one of the many video editing software available out there for this purpose. Windows comes with a pretty great, but basic, program called the Windows Movie Maker. Off-the-shelf or third part solutions for Microsoft Windows include Sony Vegas Pro, Cyberlink’s Power Director, Adobe Premiere Pro/Elements, and of course, the brilliant iMovie on Mac OS. Here is a list of Lifehacker’s 5 Best Video Editors.

You can of course, outsource the post-production process to entirely someone else (for instance on Fiverr), or ask a friend to help you out with this.

Once you’re done and have the final-cut in your possession, it’s time to export it into a commonly-used video format that won’t compromise the quality (MPEG, AVI), and upload it to all popular video-sharing/video-hosting websites. Voila, you’re done! Or are you?

At the end, you’ll also need to spend time and energy marketing your video, sharing it over the internet, and getting the word out about it. Use your own blog or website, and embed a link to your video on it. And of course all your social media profiles to get the word out. Look for other free methods of publicity (and paid-for as well, if your pocket allows) that will allow you to leverage the power of videos to get exposure.

Good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.