anyone got any tips for audition and stage nerves? i'm first trumpet in my jazz band and this means that i generally do a lot of solos, however whenever i do a solo a get sooo nervous, so any tips?

ok i have the same problem. what makes me play infront of people is knowing that people enjoy hearing me play. Personally i wouldn't become a solo artist, but if you can pass the nerves by go for it!!!

As long as you can get past the first few notes your fine. Especially if your doing improv, you figure out within a few seconds what notes you can use and what notes you can't. So yeah, basically, get past the first few seconds and you should feel better. As for the time during and right before those few seconds, I have no solution for coming nerves so you just deal with it. *shrug*

I'm also a lead trumpet in Jazz I at my school. I am more of a scream player myself. My teacher knows that I have an abnormally high range for my age and he chooses charts that have high ranges just for that reason. Having to play high makes me nervous because I don't want to mess up. But being a lead player, you need to be kind of arrogant and know that you can play the part correctly. Not overly cocky but enough to give the band energy and the rest of your section.
Happy Trumpeting!

Stage Fright is just one of those things that goes away with experience. By facing your fears and soloing in front of an audience, you are overcoming stage fright. Eventually you will get to the point where you don't even think about fear or nerves. At the same time, just understand that everyone makes mistakes and no one is going to judge you negatively if you mess up. Music is fun, and never forget to enjoy yourself!! Good luck

Haha...I love the red wine tip. I think most of the users on this site are not legally aloud to have a sip of wine. Including myself Only 3 more months!..then no more stage fright for me!!! haha that's so funny... I can't believe anyone would do that.

Most of the time when I'm nervous I'll just be nervous before we start. Once we start I'll forget everybody is there, and my nerves are gone. And usually if I do realize the audience is there I don't get nervous anyway.

I don't really think the red wine thing is a good idea anyway. Because your probably nervous so your probably not gonna take just one drink.

Lots of good tips here. Really, you need to examine why it is you're playing at all. If you love it, then what others think doesn't make as much of an impact on your approach to playing. In fact, playing because you enjoy it actually relaxes you to the point where your mind, your chops and your fingers work a lot better together - just like you've been practicing.

Think of every performance as a rehearsal and every rehearsal as a performance - in fact, break down the word "rehearsal".

Re...again;

hears...you know what that is;

al(l)...he "re_hears_all" that he's been practicing these many months. Group rehearsal isn't the time for people to be figuring out and practicing their parts. It is the time for everyone to "rehearall" that they've already practiced and to put it together with everyone else.

The more practice time you invest, the more relazed and fun the rehearsals and the performances will be.