Why Performance Anxiety Makes You a Better Artist (And How to Use It)
Performance anxiety is something every electronic music producer faces. Whether you're preparing for your first club gig or your hundredth live set, that nervous energy before hitting play never fully goes away. But what if I told you that anxiety isn't your enemy? In our latest Signal Chain Stories episode, Mordio & I explored how transforming performance anxiety into creative fuel became one of our biggest breakthroughs as live artists.
Perfectionism as Your Superpower
The perfectionism that comes with anxiety actually serves a purpose. When Mordio played live with his modular setup during the pandemic, he had zero backup plans. No presets, no safety nets, just blank modules and spontaneity. That forced him to transform his nervous energy into hyper-awareness during performances. Instead of fighting the anxiety, he learned to channel it into making better real-time decisions about sound design and transitions.
Building Confidence Through Practice
The same applies to building confidence through repetition. Recording yourself performing creates that performance pressure without the risk. Film one-hour sessions with your phone, even if you never publish them. After five recorded sets, you genuinely know you can perform for an hour. That proof matters when opportunities arise and someone asks if you can play live.
Embracing Mistakes as Creative Fuel
We also discussed the importance of embracing mistakes as creative opportunities. Victor Wooten's philosophy resonates here: there are no wrong notes, only notes in relationship to each other. When you play something out of key during a live set, turn it into a pattern. Make it intentional. The audience doesn't know your master plan, they only hear what you create in the moment.
Start Small, Think Big
Start small if venues feel overwhelming. Organize living room sessions with friends, play at synth meetups, or create self-organized events. Every performance, no matter the size, builds your confidence exponentially. Your 20% effort often translates to 100% impact for your audience.
Trust yourself, embrace the randomness, and remember: anxiety means you care about your art.
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