Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

[James Rock]

I've been watching a video's of my band lately and come to the realization that we lack alot of visual appeal as in performance wise we seem restrained and I don't know how to explain it. A lot of friends say they like the music but only to listen to like watching it is a bit off putting if that makes sense. I just wondered how if some of you gigging guitarists have special techniques that draw in an audience. I'm not talking musically here I mean just the way you play it on stage as a band. A few comments have been that we play well but don't come across as a whole band together more like a bunch of musicians.
If you want a snippet of what I mean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rvxKV2RDL4

Any help appreciated cos I really want to take my band to a new level performance wise so any small tips would be great.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Get the whole band a little drunk at a rehearsal sometime and just practice going nuts, chances are if the band sees you doing it they'll join along. Jump, sway, make weird guitar faces, whatever it takes. You all look like your shy of each other right now, but once you get past the initial awkwardness you'll be fine. Alcohol can really help with that.

It doesn't have to look great, it just has to look like something, and right now you guys are barely moving.

 

[vladmarr]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Eye contact is important. i notice that most of the guys in your band keep looking everywhere but the audience. your body language must say that you are having fun, or angry, or whatever show some emotion.
I would suggest you pick up some Live concert videos and watch how the pros connect with the crowd. ie. Clapton's Crossroads festival, U2 etc. get a feel for what each member of the band is doing. you will notice that they make eye contact, step right up to the crowd, get the crowd swaying etc. that's my 2 cents anyways

 

[James Rock]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Get the whole band a little drunk at a rehearsal sometime and just practice going nuts, chances are if the band sees you doing it they'll join along. Jump, sway, make weird guitar faces, whatever it takes. You all look like your shy of each other right now, but once you get past the initial awkwardness you'll be fine. Alcohol can really help with that.

Well rocking out in rehearshals is fine we stand on desks kick over mic stands etc etc but with an audience its different and its not really nerves as we have been playing live for three years.

Eye contact is important. i notice that most of the guys in your band keep looking everywhere but the audience. your body language must say that you are having fun, or angry, or whatever show some emotion.
I would suggest you pick up some Live concert videos and watch how the pros connect with the crowd. ie. Clapton's Crossroads festival, U2 etc. get a feel for what each member of the band is doing. you will notice that they make eye contact, step right up to the crowd, get the crowd swaying etc. that's my 2 cents anyways

Thanks advice like that helps alot. I've just ordered some live music dvd's so maybe I'll study them a bit closer.

 

[Stuntman Jim]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

What vladmarr said, more eyecontact with the audience. Everyone in the band is just looking at their instruments. And you really need too look like you´re having fun. I´ve seen deathmetalbands laughing and smiling on stage cause they´re having so much fun and that really gets the audience going. The audience is there to have a good time and you need to be too.

Nice playing btw.

/Jimmy

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Don't be too into the music.

There are two types of bands ---

- Bands that are into entertaining

- Bands that are "into" "the music" (intentionally quoted separately :laughing: )

I went to a concert this week where the first band were entertainers (and were awesome at it, electrifying) and the second band, while technically very good, were obviously mostly playing for each other. When that's the case, I think the band should do just that; stay home and play to each other.

When music is a job (and it is if you are getting paid for it,) your job is to entertain your crowd. If you have to concentrate on the fretboard or tweak your amp the whole set, you're plain and simple not good enough to perform. (Note the giant chasm of difference between "performing a song" and "playing a song;" I can play a lot of songs, very well, but I have to stick my tongue out and stare at the board the whole time, so I'm not a performer, and I just stay home, where I belong)

Cliffs: Venn Diagram: Performer --- Both --- Player

Where are you?

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

GO NUTS!!!!!!! Learn to jump while playing (and not miss a strum), get into the groove of the music and let your body fly with it when you're not tied to the mic stand. Keep the legs spread apart, own the ground you stand on, and even if you are at a mic singing, move your guitar around a bit (like Kurdt Cobain often did). It all comes down to feeling the groove of what you're playing, and getting your body into it.

EDIT: As others stated, eye-contact is huge. That doesn't mean you can't look at the fretboard here and there, but find a friend in the crowd, look at him, then wander your eyes till you find a hot girl, give her a wink. Shoot some energy into the crowd with your eyes and set the example of how to get into the groove by moving around on stage, or play near other members. HSJ also has some very good advice.

Something like this usually helps:

 

[Dru Edwards]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Just to reiterate a couple of other posts ... eye contact Is important. It helps create a connection with the crowd.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Just to reiterate a couple of other posts ... eye contact Is important. It helps create a connection with the crowd.

Yes... I totally agree. I see over and over, especially with younger players, that they spend too much time looking down at their guitar/bass or whatever. You need to get to where you really don't have to look at the fretboard while playing. The audience will really appreciate it and you'll see it by their reactions to you. I'm still working on this issue myself, BTW...

 

[Dru Edwards]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

I played for 16 years before my first gig ... and that's playing nearly every day and never took 'time off'. And then it took me a year to get rid of stage fright - what can I say, I'm a shy guy. The next two years of gigging were great and I was able to not only concentrate on the music but also the stage presence. It's always a work in progress.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

I would have to say, when you play, it's ALL about CONFIDENCE! Play like you own the song, like you know you are rocking it. Play like you think you are the king of the world, the greatest player to grace the earth.

When you play with confidence and enthousiasm, the audience will pick up on it.

 

[marvar]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

It also seems to help to make offhand chatter, both to the audience, and onstage to each other. You can also try some tricks, such as when we play CHEAP SUNGLASSES, we pass out cheap 1.00 sunglasses to people dancing. Appearance is also important, you must be able to identify with your audience, but you should dress with a bit more flare than they do. Remember, for 45 mins each hour, you are the focus of their attention.
PLAY TO THE PEOPLE! SMILE AND HAVE FUN!!

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

I would have to say, when you play, it's ALL about CONFIDENCE! Play like you own the song, like you know you are rocking it. Play like you think you are the king of the world, the greatest player to grace the earth.

When you play with confidence and enthousiasm, the audience will pick up on it.

+1.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Two words spandex and codpiece.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

<------------------------

See that guy in my avatar?

"In Real Life" he's very soft spoken, low key and dang near shy individual. especially in his younger days. Avoided a camera like the plague.

On stage, he's nothing but business, totally into the music, and exudes extreme confidence and command over his instrument which = a great stage presence (without being a show-off or over the top). He's the John Wayne of Metal guitar players.

Go watch some old Maiden footage.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Act like you really mean what you're playing. The rest should come naturally.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Also, thank the audience and realize that they're peers. They don't hate you, they are people just like you, who think music is fun.

Don't treat them like they're your grandparents or your kids --- play to them as if they're your best friends

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

I watched the video before I read any posts and the first thing that came to mind was the lack of eye contact. It is important .... just like the music ... for drawing people in.
Most members of the audience can connect with the music using only their ears. Actually, they can do that at home listening to a CD and while reading a newspaper! You need them to connect with YOU.

Also, be careful about your expressions when you look at each other on stage. Those intra-band connections on stage should be expressions of excitement about a shared musical moment. They should never appear to the audience like you're wondering who's going to go to the bridge and miss the chorus or whatever.

All that stuff about making faces and so on ........ kinda boils down to this: Don't ever make it look too easy, and sweating is good ...

 

[James Rock]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

Thanks for all the replies I see that eye contact is alot of what I lack and the other band mates.
About the staring at the fretboard thing I can play without looking at the fretboard (well i have to sometimes certain parts of solo's etc) but I tend not to I think it's a confidence thing. Hopefully I can get the other members to take on some of this advice and we as a band can step performance wise.
Thanks for everyones insight.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Performing Getting to the Audience? For the gigging guitarists on the forum

I think that you need to remember that a gig should be a shared experience between you and the audience, not an us and them thing...The audience is as much a part of the gig as the band is, and should be treated in that way. Everything else has already been said.