When we practice and study, it’s often to acquire new abilities that we can use creatively — to write our own songs. At other times, though, you’ll need to perform something that’s already written, and you’ll need to perform it to perfection. In this session, we’ll cover four tips for rehearsing effectively so you can bring down the house.
1. Start Early
Waiting until three days before the gig and then rushing to learn ten songs from scratch is just being downright mean to yourself. Plan carefully, and start practicing well ahead of the performance date. The more material you’ll be performing, the more time you’ll need to prepare. If you’re rehearsing with a band, arrange a schedule beforehand and make sure all members can attend the scheduled sessions.
2. Memorize
Performing a piece live or in the studio usually requires having it memorized. You may need to learn lyrics, chord changes, and melodies.
The most effective way to memorize these is to employ that “Crawl, Walk, Run” strategy we’ve talked so much about. In this case, the “Crawl” stage will involve reading a section of the material or listening to a recording of it. To “Walk”, you’ll perform that section carefully with a cheat sheet, correcting errors immediately as you go. To “Run”, you’ll practice performing it without referring to your cheat sheet, and then read it immediately afterward to correct any mistakes.
When learning a composition or a song, break it into pieces. Memorize one section first, and then add on the later sections of the song as you go.
If you’ve got stage banter or song introductions planned, practice those too. You’ll be glad you did, once you get up there with your heart beating and your mouth dry.
3. Plan For Nerves
If you’ve performed live, you may have already discovered that playing onstage can be unpredictable. Songs you thought you knew damn well suddenly become difficult. You may find yourself suddenly forgetting lyrics, missing chord changes, getting flustered.
The stage is a much different place than the quiet safety of your practice room. Stage fright can make you stumble. Mistakes can be upsetting, but with preparation you can reduce your risk and recover faster when accidents happen onstage.
Make sure you know your material really, really well. If you can play the piece without a major mistake at least four or five times in a row, you’re ready.
When a composition or a song starts to really take root in your long-term memory and become automatic, you’ll feel it: your fingers find the chords and the melody’s notes without a thought. Your voice finds the notes. And the lyrics come to you effortlessly. It starts to feel easy.
If you’re not at that point with a piece yet, don’t say “close enough” and assume you’ll pull it together at the show. Keep practicing.
4. Get honest feedback
Get honest feedback on your performance any way you can — from bandmates, from a musically-trained observer, from a teacher or a coach… or by recording your own rehearsals and then watching or listening so you can tell what’s working and what isn’t.
We’re all works in progress, and there’s always a way to improve your performance. With that in mind, consider also getting feedback on your performance itself from a fellow performer, a teacher, or by reviewing a recording of the performance. Take notes on what worked well, so you can repeat it next time… and on what went wrong, so you can correct those problems through practice.
Reliving your own mistakes can be a bit painful, but it’s worth the additional experience and improvement. You may discover that though a mistake felt disastrous to you at the time it happened, it didn’t actually sound so bad from the audience’s perspective. After noticing an issue, rehearse as soon as possible to correct it. Consider scheduling a short rehearsal right after the gig, if possible.
Go get ‘em!
Start early and give yourself plenty of time to practice the performance material. Memorize it one section at a time, and practice until you can play the piece through four times in a row without making any major mistakes. Expect stage fright to interfere with your performance, and train hard to counteract its bad effects. And get feedback, so you can repeat what’s working well and learn from what isn’t.
Every gig has its little surprises — but with careful training and rehearsal, you can handle them. Good luck out there.