Positive memories help musicians perform better on stage

For musicians on stage, the real battle often happens inside their own heads. Nerves, self-doubt, shaky hands – all of that can creep in just before the first note.

So how do seasoned performers keep it together and still deliver at their best? A new study suggests the answer may be memories – or more specifically, positive memories.

What’s happening in a musician’s body

Musicians perform under a lot of pressure. A small change in the audience’s mood, the behavior of fellow players, or even the size of the venue can throw them off.

That’s because emotions are deeply tied to how our nervous system works – especially the part called the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which runs in the background regulating heart rate, breathing, and more.

Within that system is the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which jumps into action when we’re stressed. It’s what gives us the “fight or flight” feeling.

Interestingly, some studies have shown that a little bit of SNS activation – a bit of stress – might actually help musical performance. But the why and how haven’t been so clear. That’s where a group of researchers in Japan stepped in to learn more.

Memories and musical performance

The study was led by a team at Keio University, including saxophonist and Ph.D. candidate Aiko Watanabe.

“As a saxophonist, I have long been interested in understanding what allows musicians to perform at their best, especially under the pressure of the stage,” said Watanabe.

Thirty-six professional classical wind musicians were invited to participate. These were experienced players of instruments like trombone, flute, and horn.

Before performing a five-minute piece, each person was asked to do one of three things: recall a positive memory, recall a negative memory, or recall nothing in particular.

During the memory phase, the team monitored the players’ heart activity using electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. This helped track their SNS activity – or basically, how alert and revved up their bodies were. After that, everyone performed the same musical piece.

Evaluating the musical performances

The researchers used two types of evaluations. The first was a subjective evaluation in which each performer rated their own playing.

The second evaluation was objective – meaning that the individuals rated the performances of other musicians.

The focus was on three things: valence (how positive or negative the emotion felt), arousal (how energized or activated they felt), and performance achievement (how well they thought they played).

Positive memories helped musicians

Musicians who recalled positive memories scored higher across the board – better valence, higher arousal, and stronger performance scores. Their bodies also showed more change in SNS activity, measured by a number called the SD2/SD1 ratio.

The results suggested that musicians in the positive memory group had more activated nervous systems – but in a way that helped, not hurt.

“This means that what matters is not simply physiological arousal itself, but how musicians interpret and regulate their bodily state,” said Dr. Shinya Fujii, who led the research. “Positive memory recall is one effective strategy to foster such positive interpretations.”

In other words, it’s not just whether your heart is racing – it’s what you think that racing heart means. If you feel anxious, you might freeze. But if you feel ready, you might perform like a star.

Musicians can turn stress into strength

These findings open the door to practical tools musicians can use. Instead of trying to avoid stress before a show, players can train themselves to manage how they interpret that stress. Recalling a positive performance could shift nervous energy into confidence and creativity.

It’s not just helpful for pros. Music teachers can use this technique with students, especially those who struggle with stage fright. A habit of positive memory recall might help young performers build confidence and develop healthier responses to high-pressure situations.

“These findings highlight the importance of individualistic interpretation of physiological arousal in high-pressure situations,” said Watanabe. “Such reframing strategies can also benefit athletes, public speakers, and other performers.”

The team believes that with more research, these insights could help build training systems that reduce anxiety and support emotional health – not just in music, but in any field where the spotlight feels a little too bright.

The full study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

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