Nerves are the enemy of musicians.
The pressure that stems from stress not only can harm your mental, but it can often manifest itself physically.
Tension, jitters, and their associated errors are only natural when stressed. In the days leading up to a performance, stress can quietly build and seep into your practice habits without you even realizing it. Here are a few stress-induced habits that may be showing up in your practice—and how to avoid them.
Overpracticing
Look, we’ve all been there—playing a passage over and over and over until it is finally “perfect” for a fleeting moment in time. But sometimes it gets worse and worse, perhaps even deteriorating, and you may become obsessed with running the passage again and again, chasing that perfect run to satisfy your ears. What really needs to be done is real practice—breaking down the rhythm, isolating your fingers, critically listening to your tone, finding where the problem really is. In fact, overpracticing under stress quickly leads to mental and physical fatigue, which is especially counterproductive when it happens shortly before a performance.
Avoidance
Sometimes a passage feels so intimidating that you unconsciously avoid it altogether. Instead, you spend your time playing the easier, more comfortable sections of the piece. It feels good—but it is really avoidance disguised as productivity. But that’s not what practice is really for! Practice is the sole means by which you can improve your proficiency in a tough passage. Practice is meant to challenge you. Directly leaning into discomfort during practice is what prevents panic during performance—and is what stimulates true growth.
Catastrophizing
A cracked note or moment of poor intonation can feel devastating, especially under stress or just days before a performance. But the mistake itself is rarely the real problem—it is the story you attach to it. It can make you feel wholly unprepared, or simply inadequate. Catastrophizing a single error can spiral into self-doubt, tension, and loss of focus. Don’t forget to zoom out; look at the big picture. One missed note does not define your ability or your effort. Treat mistakes as information, not evidence of failure. Keeping this perspective allows you to recover quickly. In fact, even if this missed note finds its way into the actual performance, don’t sweat it! It’s just one note!
Stress has its ways to mess with our minds—so awareness is key. Overpracticing, avoiding difficult passages, and catastrophizing mistakes may come naturally, but they reinforce repetition without intention. By recognizing these stress-induced habits and rooting them out, you can choose more effective, strategic ways to practice.
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Hi, I’m Devon! I play the flute and enjoy writing music in my free time.