As our studios approach recitals in 5 weeks, it's appropriate to discuss performing. There are 2 kinds of performances; we are going to talk about preparing for single performances, spaced a month or more apart. For almost everyone this is the way one begins, performing occasionally at recitals, festivals, talent shows, single gigs, etc., rather than touring or frequent gigs. By far the most important issue to address in preparing for a performance is........stage fright, being nervous and under pressure; NOT the quality of your singing or playing. For 75% of students, the quality of their performance is drastically effected by the thought and then reality of people watching you as you perform, for many people to the point of ruining an otherwise excellent performance. In my experience, only the most extreme extraverts and introverts are unaffected by public performance, extraverts because they don't care if you see them mess up and introverts because they don't notice that you are there. The weird thing is that this pressure is usually coming from the performer themself, not the audience. The country bar scene in Blues Brothers notwithstanding, usually the audience is for the performer or at least neutral. So it's a big problem. And how do we fix it? Tune in next time.
Correct is not yet natural. Repeat problem areas until they flow naturally, comfortably, instinctively. Think of this as a substitute for "practicing".