What Are Musicians Thinking When They Perform?

Simon Sammut
4 days ago
2 min read

Exploring the Inner World of the Performer

More goes on than meets the ear.

What really goes on in a musician’s mind during a performance? Are they thinking about technique, feeling the groove, reacting to the audience, or just trying not to mess up? And how does this differ from what actors or dancers experience on stage?

This week, we’re diving into the fascinating inner landscape of live performance across music, theatre, and everything in between.

The Mental Balancing Act of Musicians

Flow vs focus – both have a place on stage.

Studies show that during improvisation, musicians often enter a flow state—where self-monitoring fades and expression takes over. Jazz musicians, in particular, exhibit decreased activity in brain regions tied to critical thinking and increased activation in areas linked to creativity and spontaneity.

But beyond flow, musicians are constantly navigating:

Technical control

Memory recall

Emotional expression

Interaction with fellow players

It’s a complex interplay between conscious thought and muscle memory.

Are Musicians’ Thoughts Different from Actors’?

Different crafts, different minds at work.

While musicians remain rooted in self-expression, actors often step into entirely different identities. A study from University College London showed that actors suppress their sense of self when performing in character. They activate brain areas linked to empathy and theory of mind—essentially, becoming someone else.

The Inner Critic: Doubts Behind the Curtain

Even the most confident performers face doubt.

No matter the experience level, self-doubt is common among artists. A 2018 study in Europe’s Journal of Psychology found that musicians who perceive a gap between their current ability and their “ideal musical self” often experience performance anxiety.

Actors, too, frequently battle impostor syndrome—the feeling that they’re undeserving of success, or one mistake away from failure.

These doubts aren’t signs of weakness. They’re part of the human side of performance—the emotional tightrope walked in front of every audience.

From Thought to Presence

At some point, the thinking stops and the music takes over.

Great performers learn to let go of conscious control and trust the moment. Presence doesn’t mean perfection—it means connection: to the music, the character, the audience, and yourself.

Some of my most memorable performances came not from thinking hard, but from feeling deeply.

Final Thoughts

Performance is part thought, part instinct—and always part emotion. Musicians, actors, and dancers may walk different artistic paths, but what unites them is this:A willingness to be seen, to be heard, and to be felt.