- Performance anxiety is something everyone experiences, and the trumpet is especially susceptible as dry mouth and body tension directly affect playing
- When nervous, your mouth dries out and saliva stops flowing, preventing your lips from vibrating properly and making it impossible to produce sound
- Tension-induced body stiffness starts with facial muscle rigidity and affects your overall performance
- Rather than fighting your nervousness, accepting it can ease your mind and actually reduce anxiety
- Three effective strategies include chewing gum right before the performance, smiling backstage, and accepting your nervousness
Performance Anxiety: The Challenge Trumpet Players Face
For trumpet players, performance anxiety is an unavoidable challenge. Nervousness is a barrier that everyone faces, not just trumpet players, but the trumpet is an instrument where dry mouth and body tension directly affect playing. When nervous, your mouth dries out, saliva stops flowing, your lips can no longer vibrate properly, and you may find yourself unable to produce any sound at all. Additionally, when your body tenses up, it easily affects your entire performance. In this article, we will provide a detailed Q&A-style explanation of the causes of and strategies for performance anxiety.
Q&A: Causes of and Strategies for Performance Anxiety
Q1: Why does nervousness affect trumpet performance?
A: When you get nervous, some kind of change occurs in your body. It varies from person to person—your legs may shake, your fingers or arms may tremble, your hands may get cold and your fingers may not move properly—all sorts of changes can occur. What is particularly critical for trumpet players is that your mouth dries out and saliva stops flowing entirely. When your mouth dries out and saliva stops, your lips can no longer vibrate properly, making it impossible to produce any sound. This is extremely critical for playing the trumpet, and many players have experienced moments where they could not produce sound during a performance.
Q2: What strategies can prevent dry mouth caused by nervousness?
A: One effective strategy is to chew gum right up until the performance. This may or may not be possible depending on the instrument, but with the trumpet, chewing gum is feasible. Chewing gum forces saliva production, and the saliva helps alleviate dryness. It is also important to be particular about the flavor of gum—sour flavors like lemon are especially recommended. Avoid menthol-containing gum, as it can have the opposite effect. Start chewing 5–10 minutes before the performance, and be sure to remove it just before going on stage. Since you can even practice the trumpet while chewing gum, give it a try.
Q3: How can you relieve body tension caused by nervousness?
A: When nervous, not only your body but also your face tends to stiffen. When your body becomes rigid, it easily affects your performance. One effective strategy is to smile backstage. By loosening your facial muscles and easing body tension, you can positively influence your overall performance. Simply raising the corners of your mouth can shift your mindset in a positive direction. Try doing some light stretching backstage while lifting the corners of your mouth into a smile. Even if you cannot smile from the heart, simply forming a smile on your face can help gradually ease your nervousness.
Q4: What mindset is important for easing nervousness itself?
A: The more you think "I must not be nervous," the more nervous you become. One effective strategy is to accept your nervousness. Rather than denying the fact that you are nervous, accepting it can ease your mind and actually reduce your anxiety. Understand that nervousness is something everyone experiences, and by not denying but accepting your nervous self, you can improve your performance on stage.
Causes and Strategies
- Strategy 1: Chew gum right before the performance. Start chewing gum 5–10 minutes before the performance, and be sure to remove it just before going on stage. Chewing gum forces saliva production, and the saliva helps alleviate dryness. Sour flavors like lemon are especially recommended, and menthol-containing gum should be avoided as it can have the opposite effect. Since you can even practice the trumpet while chewing gum, give it a try.
- Strategy 2: Smile backstage. When nervous, not only your body but also your face tends to stiffen. Try doing some light stretching backstage while lifting the corners of your mouth into a smile. Even if you cannot smile from the heart, simply forming a smile on your face can help gradually ease your nervousness. By loosening your facial muscles and easing body tension, you can positively influence your overall performance.
- Strategy 3: Accept your nervousness. The more you think "I must not be nervous," the more nervous you become. Rather than denying the fact that you are nervous, accepting it can ease your mind and actually reduce your anxiety. Understand that nervousness is something everyone experiences, and by not denying but accepting your nervous self, you can improve your performance on stage.
Summary
For trumpet players, performance anxiety is an unavoidable challenge. Nervousness is a barrier that everyone faces, not just trumpet players, but the trumpet is an instrument where dry mouth and body tension directly affect playing. When nervous, your mouth dries out, saliva stops flowing, your lips can no longer vibrate properly, and you may find yourself unable to produce any sound at all. Additionally, when your body tenses up, it easily affects your entire performance. By practicing the three strategies introduced in this article—chewing gum right before the performance, smiling backstage, and accepting your nervousness—you can ease performance anxiety and fully demonstrate your practice results on stage. Understand that nervousness is something everyone experiences, and rather than denying your nervous self, accepting it can ease your mind and actually reduce your anxiety. By putting these strategies into practice, your trumpet playing will become more stable, and you can improve your performance on stage.
