How to enhance your stage presence?

[fatalpotato]

Hey guys,

 

My mates and I have started picking up speed in the local gig department. Most of our friends, family and other bands comment that we sound pretty solid but what we lack is the stage presence. Something we've found difficult to coordinate.

 

Typically hardcore bands have a frontman who's the spokesperson for the band and is primarily responsible for interating with the crowd. But our singer's also the rhythm guitarist so movement is greatly restricted.

 

For the record, we're a four piece post-hardcore band (a mixture of punk and hardcore for those unfamiliar with the genre). Any tips would be appreciated whether it's proposed stage moves, crowd interaction, etc.

 

Cheers

[nchangin]

Put a pair of socks in the front of your pants that'll give ya some presence

[Vito Corleone]

When you're told that you lack stage presence, what is it exactly they are talking about?   If you're all gazing at your shoes rather than trying to engage the audience, for example, than don't do that anymore.  

Without being able to see what you guys do/don't do, it's hard to tell you what you should be doing differently.

One trick the guitarist/singer might try is to lower the mic stand and to point the mic down a bit so that he has to bend his knees and spread his legs a bit to sing and to make sure he sings UP into the mic instead of down.   This bit of up-and-down movement will keep him from looking bored/inanimate and keep him from gazing down at his shoes.

Also, look at videos of bands in your same genre that you think look good and try to emulate some of the stuff they do.

[SLScott86]

Just move. Whatever feels most natural, just do it. It might be subtle even, but if you are feeling your music and playing with the crowd instead of to them, you'll be better. Make as much eye contact as possible. It's much more about how you connect than about what you actually do specifically.

[Vito Corleone]

Move when you can and adopt a "stance" when you don't.  Doesn't have to be some big rock-star deal, but just try to look like what you're doing is purposeful rather than just standing in one place waiting for the next bus.  

[SpaceNorman]

If I had the power to change one thing about my stage presence - it would be to develop the ability to slap a "permanent smile" on my face.   Unfortunately, I have one of those faces that looks like a blend of 2 parts unhappy and 1 part angry when I'm relaxed ... and turns into 2 parts unhappy and 2 parts angry when I'm concentrating.   The reality is that I can be having the time of my life ... and still look like I'm downright pissed at the same time.  

There are countless pictures of me in which the look on my face makes it seem that I'm downright miserable when in fact I'm having a ball.   It's a bitch trying to gin up a cheesy smile when I know that I'm posing for pictures.  Trying to gin up a smile that's there all night is damn near impossible!

[Lee Knight]

Sharing your connection with the music at that specific moment in time... That's the key. "Jumping around" or "showing energy" or "rocking out" are all attempts to approach it from one side only, and frankly starting from the wrong side.

 

Fake it till you make it is fine, but on stage, making it means connecting. And your audience wants that from you from the get go. So look them in the eyes and play to them. It is that simple. All else follows.

 

"Stage moves" are less important than sincerely representing the music through movement. Getting ready to sing a backup? Approach the mic in a way that expresses the music. Gotta adjust your amp? Make a show of it. It's part of the music. You lay out for a verse? Don't just look like a side man with some down time, look like part of the music.

 

Foot light sense. The ability to see the stage from their point of view. It's easy once try to. Then play the stage in ways that brings your audience into what you're truly experiencing. Right then.

 

Page, Ozzy, Jimi, Dylan, Ringo, Moon, Townsend... The music informed these guys personas on stage.

 

Music>movement

[FormerlyBassred]

I don't have any coordinated or pre-determined 'stage moves', but my presence is a mix of stance, focus, enjoyment and rockin' out. It's just how I move, I can't help it. 

 

 

 

[Bajazz]

 

I used to be real boring. Then I decided to work a bit on the stage presence. The first thing I did was to get rid of the ring binder and music stand and learn the songs. Now I could look at the audience. Going wireless, then I could move. I also started to talk to the audience, not trying to be a standup comedian.

 

Then I got DVD's from tomjacksonproductions.com and stagepresencelive.com

Not a magic pill, but there is really some useful stuff here.

 

To put it short: audience are mostly ignorant when it comes to playing instruments and singing, so you can use a lot of tricks to make them believe things are difficult and easy. People are also much more visual, and things like placement on stage, lights, movement etc. have much more impact on your show than wether you use a transistor amp or tube. People don't hear what musicians hear, and a live show is about giving the audience moments, not just songs. emotions are very important!

[Vito Corleone]

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Bajazz wrote:

 

 

To put it short: audience are mostly ignorant when it comes to playing instruments and singing, so you can use a lot of tricks to make them believe things are difficult and easy. People are also much more visual, and things like placement on stage, lights, movement etc. have much more impact on your show than wether you use a transistor amp or tube. People don't hear what musicians hear, and a live show is about giving the audience moments, not just songs. emotions are very important!

---

 

Well put!

[Sick boy78]

I use Viagra!

[Gonkboy]

 

Here's a couple of quick and easy tips.

 

Move around the stage.  The only person who shouldn't be moving on stage is the drummer. 

e.g. bassist should walk over to the drummer, make eye contact, and rock out.

e.g. guitarists should walk over to each other and head bang together.

 

Pull rock moves.  Everyone loves rock moves.  Do they sometimes look cheesy?  Yes, but it's better than being boring.

e.g. bassist should raise the bass vertically and make a rock face while playing.

e.g. guitarist should fall to his knees while soloing

e.g. guitarist should do the Townsend windmill

e.g singer should put his foot on the monitor and lean over into the crowd.

e.g. while singing the singer should point out to the crowd and move his arm so he has pointed at everyone.