Richard, sometimes my left hand would shake so bad, it was downright embarrassing.

Time seems to heal 'Bout everything.

I get the same way. I'm sure it is mostly nervousness. I get the same way when I try to record something. I could know it like the back of my hand, but as soon as I hit the record button something is bound to fall apart.

i have played Renaissance Faires since 94 (hammer dulcimer.... since retired). i found when ever i though about what i was playing i would screw up so i just try to blank my mind and let muscle memory take over.... not always easy to blank your mind.

pretty soon your mind sez... hey your doing good on this one... and then comes the clunker.

audio input will do that to you too.

 

however i never really like playing with big groups of people though at times i was forced to. i think when you have 10-20 people playing the same tune all playing lead it may sound peculiar ...

Very common.  You might be right that it is all the distractions that affect your concentration. But I think, as Ken suggests, that it might just be a nervousness that comes from playing with or in front of others.  Sometimes when I perform I think I'm fine but find that my fingers get a bit jittery and its clear that I'm really nervous.

If its the auditory distractions that cause you trouble, you might consider playing commercial radio when you practice so you get used to ignoring the talking heads and commercial jingles and focus just on your playing.

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie

Yep -- sorta "performance anxiety"

I have difficulty playing in a group, our club, jams etc. It seems there is too much auditory input and I lose my concentration or place in the music. Songs I can play passably well at home in practice fall to pieces in a group. Is this common?