Preparation for Music Performances

As musicians we often neglect the importance or preparation before a performance, we often rock up, set up and play. This may very well work for most of us however when playing difficult or unfamiliar pieces sometimes a bit of prep work can help

These tips are directed more to concert, solo musicians however can be applied to any circumstance from concert halls to pubs and bedrooms

The following are in no particular order, you may be able to fulfil all of them or only some depending on time available. It’s a good idea to incorporate these preparation tips as part of your daily practice routine to develop a habit

• Before playing, warm your hands in warm water for a few minutes
• Relax the mind, try and get into a state where you arent thinking of other things. You can do this using meditation techniques or whatever normally works best
• Visualise where you are playing or where you want to be playing
• Stretch your fingers and hands
• Do warm up exercises slowly thinking about technique as you do them
• Play your first few songs slowly until you feel ready to play at normal speed
• Think about using fingerless gloves in the winter

If you have any questions on theses points feel free to reach out

Mike