Musicians Hypnosis

I have been using this app for a month or so, as the latest tool in my year’s-long struggle with stage fright. I used the app daily before sleep for about a week and then sporadically after that. I found myself relatively relaxed and able to focus during a performance after the week of use. The real test was my ensemble’s big concert last night. I was thrilled- not a shred of my usual fear, and in fact I actually enjoyed the gig. I think the strength of the app is the script , which is well thought out. I appreciate that there are choices which allow you to some degree to customize the experience. In the end though the real success of the app lies in the user’s willingness to allow it to work.

This was recommended to me by a friend for some upcoming audition prep. The voice is just right, the choice in background sounds is great, and I liked being able to set up my own playlist. I only managed to listen a few times before my auditions, so while it didn’t work then, at the very least I felt a strong decrease in my anxiety. However, I had a prominent performance a little over a month later, and I chose to use this app for three weeks straight. I usually chose “confidence,” “stage-fright,” “turbo-practice,” and “visualization” right before I went to sleep. I don’t even remember what the cues were because I think I actually just fell asleep. I do know I entered a trance, because I remember thinking to myself that wow, this cue is just what I need, but then waking up the next morning and not knowing what it was. Still, I eventually found the cues working their way into my practice routine: seriously honing in on problem spots with no regard to how much time it took, only that the task was accomplished; imagining what my favorite clarinetists must feel like and see when they’re playing; and walking on to stage with confidence that everything would go well. I was hyper-nervous the week before my performance, but by the week of, I was completely confident and prepared. I did switch to “pre-gig pep-talk” and I’m not sure if it worked. I’ve worked hard to accept that perfect isn’t truly possible. Still, my husband came to both performances and thought they were both amazing. I know that after about three weeks of consistently listening to these playlists, I decreased my anxiety and increased my relaxation and focus when it came to performances. It has actually sparked my interest in hypnosis because now I’m like, wow, this stuff really works! I would highly, highly recommend. There are way more expensive apps out there; this one is completely worth the cost.

So, I downloaded this app about 2 weeks ago, as part of my preparation for an upcoming recital. I have been out of the solo recital loop for a while, so getting back into it I’m finding that I get really nervous playing in front of people - whether its two or three individuals, my teacher, or a full crowd. Bare in mind that I do not experience this when playing with other musicians, only in solo context. I’ve been using mostly two of the tracks - the “turbo practice” and “stage-fright” combination. I have not been playing in front of people that often since I started using it every day for two weeks, but I did notice some changes in my practice sessions. I am increasingly less frustrated and can practice better for longer periods of time, as opposed to sitting there for 2 hours but really only working seriously for 30 minutes… I am excited to see if I experience any of the changes mentioned in the tracks when performing in front of other people and will be putting myself in performance situations more often as I approach my recital date, so I will definitely come back here and update my review as I keep working with this app. I’m sure most of it is placebo effect - after all it toys with the idea that our subconscious is very powerful - but either way I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my money yet!