Tips for Performing at a Concert

Whether you’re a classical pianist or part of a rock band, you probably perform in concerts regularly. You should know and use some of these tips for your next performance.

Create the Program or Setlist

Before the concert, you should consider the setlist or program for the performance. You should consider how long the performance will be and how many songs you can fit within that time frame. If it’s a short performance, you may want to focus on your best songs. But if you have a longer concert, you may be able to play all of the music you’ve worked on.

When creating a program, you should also consider how to order the music. If you have a really intense, challenging piece, consider starting with it so that you have enough energy. You may also want to make time for an intermission if you have a lot of tough music to perform.

Practice in Your Outfit

You should also practice at least once in what you plan to wear for the concert. If you have a dress rehearsal in the concert space, you can wear the outfit for that. But even just practicing at home or in your usual rehearsal space can help. Wear the shoes and clothes you want to wear to perform to make sure you will feel comfortable. That way, you can know if your shoes will start to hurt halfway through the concert.

If you play an instrument, you can also use that practice session to make sure your clothes won’t affect your ability to play. You can also test the outfit by imitating yourself playing your instrument.

Eat Well the Day Of

The day of the concert, you should eat well and drink plenty of water. A healthy diet can give you some energy to push through a long concert. Having water can give you some energy as well. You can also use something like the Thrive Patch to provide extra energy to support you before and during the concert.

Some musicians will eat a banana if they feel nervous. Others will just drink water, and others may not need anything at all. Either way, make sure you do eat well before the concert so that you don’t collapse from exhaustion.

Arrive Early

If you’re a musician, you’ve probably heard something like “early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.” Even if you’re giving a solo concert, you need to arrive at the venue early enough to set up and prepare. Then, you can do a soundcheck before any audience members arrive, so you can avoid spoiling the concert.

Some musicians get to the venue an hour and a half to two hours before the performance. Musicians may arrive earlier or later than that, but you should get there at least half an hour to an hour ahead of time. Then, you can find parking and make your way to the performance space. And you can set up your instrument and any other gear you have.

Organize Your Gear

Once you get to the venue, you should set up and organize all of your performance gear. Your gear could include instruments, speakers, microphones, and other technical equipment. If you’re a classical musician, you may also need your sheet music. Then, you won’t have to worry about memorizing your music.

But if you do memorize your music, you may still want to bring your music. That way, you can review it before the concert so that you know how each song is supposed to go. Make sure you have everything you need before you go on stage and that anything you leave backstage is secure to protect it from theft.

Follow a Pre-Performance Ritual

Before the concert, you may also want to follow a particular ritual to get yourself in the right mindset. Some musicians like to meditate for a few minutes to clear their head. Others may practice yoga or eat a specific snack. Do what makes you feel good and ready to perform. Then, you can feel good when you go on stage.

Performing a concert can be an exciting experience, but you need to prepare. Consider these tips to make your next concert successful.

Tips for Performing at a Concert