How do I stop rushing during my audition?
Rushing is the number one reason good players underperform, because nerves speed you up without you noticing and the fast passages turn to mush. Set your tempo a notch slower than feels right and lock it with tempo memory: start at the correct speed and check yourself a few bars in. To a panel, clean and steady sounds faster and better than rushed and sloppy.
The panel does not reward fast; it rewards control. Practice the hard passage slower than the easy one until it is secure, then raise the tempo in small steps. Build tempo memory so you start at the right speed under adrenaline. Recording yourself reveals rushing you cannot feel in the moment.
Common questions
- How do I know if I am rushing?
- Record with a metronome running silently in your head, then check against it. Rushing almost always shows up in the fast sections first.
- Should I just play slower everywhere?
- No, play at a controlled tempo you can keep clean under pressure, slightly under your max, not a crawl.
More answers
- How do I know if my playing is good enough for all-state?
- How can I get feedback on my playing without a teacher?
- What do audition panels actually score?
- Why do I play worse at auditions than at home?
- How do I prepare for a seating or chair audition?
- What is the best way to practice for an all-state audition?