Has anyone hadd this problem?

[Ladyoffaith38]

I have been learning to play gospel music on the piano for about 3 yrs and I began playing during the Lords Prayer and during altar call at my church about 1 1/2 yrs and when people start to sing I get nervous and fall off because I am unable to focus on my playing.
C :(an anyone if anyone has experienced this tell me how they overcame this. I make it a habit to pray before I play I don't know what else to do, I truly believe God has called me to be a musician because if he had not I would have given up long ago but I press on Sunday after Sunday with joy.
Keep me in your prayers

[chevonee]

I went through this same thing Ladyoffaith. I've been seriously playing for maybe 3 years but a total of 7 years. Its something that you have to work through. There is a saying that, time heals all wounds. Time is what will help you eventually become more comfortable playing in front of people. I used to get so nervous when I played in front of people, especially if they were from out of town. I would practice for hours and hours and when I got in front of people, I would forget the chords. Now I am much better because I just kept trying and I kept practicing. Time will help you become more comfortable. My other problem was that I was practicing in the wrong way...but I'll just save that for another thread...LOL Trust me, time will help you get more comfortable....just keep praying and keep playing...GOD BLESS!

[momuzik]

Practice, practice, practice. There's no other way. You should practice a song until you can play it without having to think "what comes next" or having to look down at your hands.
As far as overcoming nervousness, just keep playing. It will eventually subside.

[Ladyoffaith38]

Thanks for your advice and encouragement I will continue to pray and play.

[themidiroom]

I have been learning to play gospel music on the piano for about 3 yrs and I began playing during the Lords Prayer and during altar call at my church about 1 1/2 yrs and when people start to sing I get nervous and fall off because I am unable to focus on my playing.
C :(an anyone if anyone has experienced this tell me how they overcame this. I make it a habit to pray before I play I don't know what else to do, I truly believe God has called me to be a musician because if he had not I would have given up long ago but I press on Sunday after Sunday with joy.
Keep me in your prayers

Very good words of encouragement here.  I've been playing for 20 years or so and I still get nervous at times.  If you've practiced and prayed, relax and breathe deeply, you should be fine.

[georgiagurl]

I went through this same thing Ladyoffaith. I've been seriously playing for maybe 3 years but a total of 7 years. Its something that you have to work through. There is a saying that, time heals all wounds. Time is what will help you eventually become more comfortable playing in front of people. I used to get so nervous when I played in front of people, especially if they were from out of town. I would practice for hours and hours and when I got in front of people, I would forget the chords. Now I am much better because I just kept trying and I kept practicing. Time will help you become more comfortable. My other problem was that I was practicing in the wrong way...but I'll just save that for another thread...LOL Trust me, time will help you get more comfortable....just keep praying and keep playing...GOD BLESS!

Dats da same thang you taught me, and it did work. Thanks CUZ! I'm glad to see you doin whut you do bess, helpin others.

[Quieter]

  Ladyoffaith just keep praying and playing.  I've been playing close to 3 years and for a choir for over a year.  The first time I played I thought I would pass out and this went on for a couple of months.  However, I was still visiting my piano teacher and she has this "bunch of rowdy grandkids".  She wanted to quiet them while we met but I asked her not to because this would train me to ignore distractions while playing in church.  As time went on, I became more comfortable and now during service they can knock over chairs but I keep praying and playing.  I will keep you in my prayers.

[Fingers!]

...My other problem was that I was practicing in the wrong way...but I'll just save that for another thread...LOL

Could you please elaborate...

[jayblove]

pratice and concentration is the only way to acomplish your I!  Jermaine 5:12 LOL

[karendj]

Ladyoffaith this has happened to me. I don't play for the choir, but I was helping out - musician was late. I lost my concentration and just dropped the song. I was really discouraged for a while. I have yet to sit down at that keyboard at church again, but I'll get there. I've been practicing harder than i ever have and praying for the courage to play in front of people again.

Thanks for posting this topic, it's good to know others have had this happen to them.

[Rjthakid]

I've been playing for about two years, and I get nervous whenever I sit behind a keyboard a church.  On the Organ I'm pretty comfortable, mainly because I'm primarily an Organist.  Also because I don't lead songs on the Organ, I pad.

Anyway, a few weeks ago we went to visit a church in Pennsylvania.  This church has an EXCELLENT music department, and a brutha was
N-E-R-V-O-U-S
The song our group was doing?  Secret Place by Karen Clark-Sheard
I was sloppy on the intro to the song, but everything after the intro was fine.

I think it's DEFINITELY harder to play out at other churches because you don't know what kind of board they have, how their sound system is set up, your proximity to choir, etc.

I know that in time I'll improve and with better skills will come increased confidence.

[cdgraham]

I'm a  beginner.  I just started playing the piano a few months.  I'm practicing and practing.  I get nervous when my wife stands next to me.  I forget my cords and the song.  Keep practicing until you gain that God given confidence and Ill do the same.

[under13]

I used to get so nervous to the point that I would get all sweaty and my feet got cold.  This one evangelist I play for asked me to play for her and before the service I was sittin in the car gettin all nervous. Then I remembered that she gave me some anointing oil. I put some on my hands and prayed and ever since then I have never been very nervuos while playing

[B3Wannabe]

My legs used to shake. Imagine how that sounded on the organ!

LOL

The volume would be going up and down, like I had vibrato on all the time.

[musallio]

I'm a  beginner.  I just started playing the piano a few months.  I'm practicing and practing.  I get nervous when my wife stands next to me.  I forget my cords and the song.  Keep practicing until you gain that God given confidence and Ill do the same.

Welcome to LGM cd

I know exactly what U mean.

[musallio]

 

I'm laughing out loud because I went through this today

My 1st time playing for the whole duration of the service (because some 4 guys decided not to come on the same day!!)

A very close friend suggested I take the board, i looked @ him & he was serious. So I obeyed.
The 1st song was in Eb, they were modulating up for every verse or 2
So i ended up playing the melody notes only & a broken bass

I learn't today that I'm really only fluent in 3 keys: Gb, Db, Ab & B. The rest need brushing up.

Nonetheless, I would still mix up my bassline (even in my fav key of Gb--I think it's because I had the volume low & couldn't hear myself well I was also scared to just distract the whole service, hence not playing the leading role as our players normally do).

After the service, I went home to practice the songs I couldn't play properly in all the keys.
I don't know when else I'll get chance 2 play, but I want to come back different.

The support is lacking, most people somehow expected me to play like our guys who've been playing for over 9 years apiece, but I just ignore them because half of them don't even know the hours I put in when they are somewhere snoring.  They focus more on all the mistakes I made & forget the fact that (not meaning to boast or anything ) the music assisted in taking the service to the level it was in today.
I was so amazed @ how nice it is to work with such an anointed evangelist as we had today.

I soon found myself playing so confidently & all the shaking & mixing of the bssline was gone. I put up my volume when I had to  & yeah, I was blessed.

key:
Practice the songs with different feel in all the keys.
If U can, have some1 sing as U play.
I always play a song as I hear it in my head/ in my own style when I practice, so it was quite a challenge to backup the singing @ church because sometimes the singing is...so lame

[kman2585]

another thing that will help alot of the musicians out and has helped me out alot...that is to get away from it...ok let me tell you a little...I was playing just this past sunday a song Glory to the highest and when it came time to do the run I lost it and I knew I had practice that run for hours.. well after church an older guy that i never knew could play came up to me and said you did great but you concentrated to much on the run that is why you messed up...and only other strong musicians could even tell you made a mistake because you kept your head and did not stop playing...and this is a practice remedy for you...Just practice and let the movement of your fingers flow thru your mind get up from the keyboard and get away from it for a while...don't concentrate so hard...music is about being fluid in what you do your hands have to become apart of the keyboard...you have to learn that....

so after listening to him and taking it all in not only do i rehearse but i also set time apart to let it marinate in my head away from the keyboard and it seems to flow better because im not thinking as hard....try it because if you think about it when we musicians that are really serious about playing...when we are not practicing we are thinking about playing, the mistakes we may have made and how to get better...now please don't get me wrong I am not saying not to practice because that is what makes you better but to use an analogy from my coach ( basketball is 90% mental and 10% physical) when i learned this I did not have to play so hard...just try it...take some time and get away from the keyboard think about what your hands will be doing, and come back to it and watch the difference...

I hope this really blesses someone....YALL KEEP PLAYING AND REACHING FOR YOUR DREAMS...

[T-Block]

another thing that will help alot of the musicians out and has helped me out alot...that is to get away from it...ok let me tell you a little...I was playing just this past sunday a song Glory to the highest and when it came time to do the run I lost it and I knew I had practice that run for hours.. well after church an older guy that i never knew could play came up to me and said you did great but you concentrated to much on the run that is why you messed up...and only other strong musicians could even tell you made a mistake because you kept your head and did not stop playing...and this is a practice remedy for you...Just practice and let the movement of your fingers flow thru your mind get up from the keyboard and get away from it for a while...don't concentrate so hard...music is about being fluid in what you do your hands have to become apart of the keyboard...you have to learn that....

so after listening to him and taking it all in not only do i rehearse but i also set time apart to let it marinate in my head away from the keyboard and it seems to flow better because im not thinking as hard....try it because if you think about it when we musicians that are really serious about playing...when we are not practicing we are thinking about playing, the mistakes we may have made and how to get better...now please don't get me wrong I am not saying not to practice because that is what makes you better but to use an analogy from my coach ( basketball is 90% mental and 10% physical) when i learned this I did not have to play so hard...just try it...take some time and get away from the keyboard think about what your hands will be doing, and come back to it and watch the difference...

I hope this really blesses someone....YALL KEEP PLAYING AND REACHING FOR YOUR DREAMS...

I been trying to relay this message for years man.  Music starts in your head then travels down to your fingers.  These are truly some good words of wisdom.  I hope all you beginners and vets out there take heed to this.

[BroAllan]

My legs used to shake. Imagine how that sounded on the organ!

LOL

The volume would be going up and down, like I had vibrato on all the time.

That's so funny!  I can picture that right now ...

[Steelpulz]

another thing that will help alot of the musicians out and has helped me out alot...that is to get away from it...ok let me tell you a little...I was playing just this past sunday a song Glory to the highest and when it came time to do the run I lost it and I knew I had practice that run for hours.. well after church an older guy that i never knew could play came up to me and said you did great but you concentrated to much on the run that is why you messed up...and only other strong musicians could even tell you made a mistake because you kept your head and did not stop playing...and this is a practice remedy for you...Just practice and let the movement of your fingers flow thru your mind get up from the keyboard and get away from it for a while...don't concentrate so hard...music is about being fluid in what you do your hands have to become apart of the keyboard...you have to learn that....

so after listening to him and taking it all in not only do i rehearse but i also set time apart to let it marinate in my head away from the keyboard and it seems to flow better because im not thinking as hard....try it because if you think about it when we musicians that are really serious about playing...when we are not practicing we are thinking about playing, the mistakes we may have made and how to get better...now please don't get me wrong I am not saying not to practice because that is what makes you better but to use an analogy from my coach ( basketball is 90% mental and 10% physical) when i learned this I did not have to play so hard...just try it...take some time and get away from the keyboard think about what your hands will be doing, and come back to it and watch the difference...

I hope this really blesses someone....YALL KEEP PLAYING AND REACHING FOR YOUR DREAMS...

That's some good stuff Kman!!! I've been playing for a few decades. I have gotten used to hitting a wrong note and keeping on rolling. More than half the time, nobody notices. The other half of the time, they think it was some jazzy run The key is to stay relaxed, stop when you have to listen, trust God and your fingers..keep on playing and always practice.

If you notice, God never, ever did the same thing twice. No blade of grass, or cell or hair, or person is exactly the same. (That's why He is "the Creator") When you play, you will never, ever play the same song, run or progression, exactly the same-to me that's the beauty of making music-it always changes.

So, don't focus on the misteps. Focus on the fun and beauty and discipline of God and His music.