Does and don't of stage presence in a rock band?

[SKEETERtunes]

1) Don't be afraid to make mistakes. I have been playing in bands for decades, and I haven't had my ass kicked in the parking lot for bad notes yet. People in bars are mostly there to have fun, not to critique the band. And musicians that ARE there to critique bands most likely have hit bad notes on stage too, so they understand.
Hot bands don't play songs perfectly. Hot bands play songs comfortably and enthusiastically. You can't be comfortable or enthusiastic if you are a nervous wreck and worried to death it isn't perfect. It won't be. It doesn't need to be.
They aren't watching what you are doing note for note.
Don't get bent out of shape when you screw up. Laugh it off. Chances are the
audience will be entertained by the way you handle mistakes if you do it right.

I never get nervous on stage. I never worry about anything. I just have a good time. I don't think real hard about what I am doing while I am up there. I just DO it. And if I screw up, so what. If somebody else screws up, I try to cover for them best I can rather than give them a bad look, and they normally do the same for me. It is about fun. Not about pressure.

2) Don't assume to know things about your audience that may not be true. What I mean is, don't assume that because they are in a bar that they are not offendable. A lot of church going people go to see bands. And a lot of patrons in bars don't want to hear somebody in the band say "f u c k" into the microphone. And they don't want to hear racial slurs. Both of these things I have seen happen. Bar owners are likely to not have a band back that does either of these things. Always assume that whoever hired you for the gig will be offended by vulgarities. Even if they have a horribly foul mouth, they assume the musicians they hire to be professional entertainers. I swear myself, but there are different vocabularies for different situations. I am offended when I hear a musician disrespect the audience by being vulgar on stage. Always remember, if you want a following in a band you get it one person at a time. And every fan helps. Offending a potential fan is a sure fire way to not get them to be a fan.

3) If you are asked to turn down, then turn down. Don't assume that because you weren't asked a second time after not turning down that the manager didn't notice. He did. He just don't want to get in your face. He simply just won't have you back.
The same thing applies to stage manners, and cursing into the mic. He may hand you your money and smile at the end of the night, and thank you for being there. But that doesn't mean he will have you back. Managers don't always tell bands when they don't meet expectations. Often they just don't have you back. There are plenty of other bands around, and he has a bar to run, the band isn't his only concern. You are not his focus. He probably won't bother to take the time to tell you screwed up, he probably figures if you don't know you did you probably aren't all that professional to begin with.

4) Carry extra gear. Have a bag in your car with extra mic cables, speaker cables, a solder iron, a couple screwdrivers, and a flashlight. Make sure if the PA goes down you have something to use as a backup, and carry an extra guitar amp head that can be also used for a bass if necessary. I carry a soldering iron and kit with me as well. I also keep extra strings and a guitar strap and extra slides in my ride just in case I forget.

5) Don't argue about stuff on stage. If you have a disagreement, make a pact with all members of the band not to show it to the crowd. I once had to get a stand in drummer, and the guy thought I was too loud on stage ( I have a good reputation for controlling my stage volume, I suspect he was having a bad day). We took a break so I could rearrange the stage some for his benefit. and during the break he went into the audience and started to complain to people in the club about the situation. My wife heard him doing it, and he has never been asked to be a backup drummer with me since. Nor with any of the other musicians there that night.
Any problems the band has within itself does not need to spoil the image the audience has of the band. The audience respects your abilities, enjoys your company, and likes being entertained by you. Don't change that opinion of your band with bickering in front of them.

6) If you get high, be cool about it. Bar owners and managers are not stupid. When the band goes on break and the entire band goes out of the back door together and is gone for 15 min, they know where you are and what you are doing. And they DO notice, don't think they don't. Bar owners don't hire you to be drunk and stoned on stage, they hire you because you are a professional entertainer. Even if it is the worst dive in town. If you go outside and get your head right, be cool about it and don't make a huge display out of it.
And don't get stoned or drunk. That wrecks your performance even if it sounds just fine to you.

7) Don't pretend you are a rock star. Mingle with the crowd and be sincere with them, and be yourself. I get to know new people every time I play. That is part of the fun. People that come to see bands are most often turned off by arrogant musicians. I have seen it happen time and time again where somebody in the band struts around the place acting like diamond jim brady . Be part of the party. You are just a musician, and in the great scheme of things not all that important.



Always remember that you are not there for you, you are there for the audience. It is their party. The gig isn't a showcase for your ego or your talent, it is a place for people to go unwind and have a good time. It is all about them. The purpose of you being there is for whoever hired you to make money if it is a bar, and it is for you to entertain the crowd if it is a private party.
And, don't take any of it too seriously. If you do it will give you an ulcer.

[Rich4Once]

There's a lot of wise words there...not all are specific to this topic, but wise all the same. +1

[SKEETERtunes]

You know I hear a lot of guys say not to eat greasy food or fast food before a show. Eating something healthy definitely helps, but I always thought those rules were more applicable when on tour.

 

 

This kind of made me chuckle. Not because it is bad advice, it is of course wise. But it is advice I have never followed. When I have a gig , particularly if my wife goes with me. we hit a restaurant and I pig out and drink a pot of coffee with my meal. No kidding. I like food. Nothing like two good pleasures in the same short time span. Eating til I can't breathe good and playing music. Most fun I can have with my clothes on.

[wades_keys]

Do more of this.

Meth monkeys....

[RyanVanHalen]

Meth monkeys....

nobody parties like a methhead parties.....?
lol ha ha ha
I was trying to hammer some nails in with my forehead while on stage.

[wades_keys]

nobody parties like a methhead parties.....? lol ha ha ha I was trying to hammer some nails in with my forehead while on stage.

[litmus.berlin]

a very small tip, but a good one - don't put your mic too high. because if you do, you're gonna be straining your neck and looking wierd when you try to glance at your guitar to check that your fingers are in the right place... I tried the lemmy pose once and regretted it straight away. this seems like a no-brainer but when you'Re nervous and busy you forget stuff like this...

of course, some people maybe don't HAVE to look at their fingers occasionally, but I suspect they're a minority...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
www.litmus.de

[litmus.berlin]

Always remember that you are not there for you, you are there for the audience.

 

 

and what he said. big time. if you're having more fun than the audience, something's wrong.

[SKEETERtunes]

A word about stage presence.
Stage presence that is contrived is really normally not all that convincing. True stage presence comes after you get comfortable on the stage. It is something that happens naturally, not something you can practice.
I have never tried to develop an "image" or dress in a particular way. In fact, I dress in rather unorthodox clothes to accommodate physical problems I have. And that , much to my amazement, has become an "image".
Presence and image come from being what you are, not from trying to dress or act like your favorite entertainer.

[Bajazz]

Presence and image come from being what you are, not from trying to dress or act like your favorite entertainer.

Not true. I see myself as a normal, quiet and nice guy with lot's of passion for music. Doing gigs I had to change that and to be honest I'm still more boring than I'd like. If I want gigs, I simply can't just sit there playing songs, no matter how well I play and sing. So I needed to learn how to interact with my audience. Without communication there is no show, just background music.

[fyrebyrd]

Well, my band has only done one "gig" (school rock concert) and something that works the crowd up really well is asy ou get on stage, just get your drummer to do some improv..then again make sure he's GOOD (we have some sick jazz/rock drummer) and just come in at the same, that looks professional and like you're on top of it..

[wagdog]

To add to what fyrebyrd said above; if you're going to do that, practice it and do it RIGHT, otherwise DON'T do it. Nothing looks worse to me then a bunch of noodlers on stage who can't seem to start a song together.

 

That said: NO NOODLING between songs.

[rackzilla2037]

For me, there's always a butterfly element before getting on stage, and the last thing I need in the back of my mind is knowing I'm about to have to take a dump in a disgusting {censored}hole bathroom. Butterflies and general nervousa or anxiety just don't sit well with Taco Stand or Wendy's. Especially with a couple of beers and cigarettes. It also depends on your digestive system. Some people have Iron Guts, they can eat a bucket of crawfish heads and get on stage. Not me. Not most people. I'll add to that... coffee is very bad.... jitters are bad. Coffee increases jitters. Same with jagerbombs. Sloppy jitters.

So true.. I was playing a gig and the drummer said *guitar solo* and took off for 10 minutes - he had eaten some trash and had a Colorado quick step off to the stage bathroom which was NAS-TAY. So I played a bunch of crap stuff and was NOT pleased

he is not allowed near fast food before a gig now

[BATCAT]

That said: NO NOODLING between songs.

 

 

I agree with you like 99%.

 

Sometimes, though, I think it's cool when, especially if it's during what would otherwise be dead air (guitar change, whatever) somebody plays a little riff, melody, or chord progression that's recognizable... but it shouldn't be loud, and it shouldn't go for more than five to ten seconds.

 

But I agree in general. The drummer practicing triplet tom patterns between songs is NOT COOL.

[SLY_Z_28]

this is a great post. my band is known for our stage presence

[Hard Truth]

"Sometimes, though, I think it's cool when, especially if it's during what would otherwise be dead air (guitar change, whatever) somebody plays a little riff, melody, or chord progression that's recognizable... but it shouldn't be loud, and it shouldn't go for more than five to ten seconds."

 

I hate it when bands do that. Often it makes the audience think that the band will be playing that familiar song, then they're dissapointed when they play something else. Also, for me, it says that the person doing it would rather be playing different material than what the band is playing.

[RyanVanHalen]

I agree with you like 99%. Sometimes, though, I think it's cool when, especially if it's during what would otherwise be dead air (guitar change, whatever) somebody plays a little riff, melody, or chord progression that's recognizable... but it shouldn't be loud, and it shouldn't go for more than five to ten seconds. But I agree in general. The drummer practicing triplet tom patterns between songs is NOT COOL.

 

 

If anyone here is into the band The Fall Of Troy, they did some spectacular performance-related things. From the moment they started playing until the last chord of the last song, there was music going the whole time. It was somewhat pre-arranged between songs, one time the drummer would play something, one time the guitarist would keep some music going, but it was never too lengthy and never dull. It wasn't something that was from any of the songs, and it always tied the next song into the previous one.

 

I personally thought it was incredible. It sounded great, and it never dropped the energy from this high-energy band

 

your thoughts?

[wallypip]

I have no natural stage presence so I made these rules for myself as a bass player:

1. Make eye contact with at least one person after every look at the fretboard. For the most part, I just keep my head up and glaze in right direction, but when I look down, I make it point to act like I'm doing some really serious {censored}. Then I look up and try to look someone directly in the eye.

2. Make the easy parts look hard, make the hard parts look easy.

3. Smile at the member of my band that just did something cool. Yeah, I've heard that long ass solo before, but I'm still going to act like my guitar player is taking it to a new level.

4. If I make a mistake, I don't just let it go. I act like I did it purpose. I'll do a funky walk or slide until I get back on track. 99% of the audience don't know the difference and the wannabes think I'm doing some seriously complicated {censored}.

5. Talk to people between sets. I don't have a natural stage presence, but as someone said, people are there because they want to be a part of something. I just walk through the room and thank people for coming out.

6. Never, ever, ever give any less because no one is there. It shows and the handful of people who are there will either leave and/or say bad things to their friends. I've played a lot of shows where I thought the night was a bust and suddenly things pick up during the third set.

[RyanVanHalen]

I have no natural stage presence so I made these rules for myself as a bass player: 1. Make eye contact with at least one person after every look at the fretboard. For the most part, I just keep my head up and glaze in right direction, but when I look down, I make it point to act like I'm doing some really serious {censored}. Then I look up and try to look someone directly in the eye. 2. Make the easy parts look hard, make the hard parts look easy. 3. Smile at the member of my band that just did something cool. Yeah, I've heard that long ass solo before, but I'm still going to act like my guitar player is taking it to a new level. 4. If I make a mistake, I don't just let it go. I act like I did it purpose. I'll do a funky walk or slide until I get back on track. 99% of the audience don't know the difference and the wannabes think I'm doing some seriously complicated {censored}. 5. Talk to people between sets. I don't have a natural stage presence, but as someone said, people are there because they want to be a part of something. I just walk through the room and thank people for coming out. 6. Never, ever, ever give any less because no one is there. It shows and the handful of people who are there will either leave and/or say bad things to their friends. I've played a lot of shows where I thought the night was a bust and suddenly things pick up during the third set.

 

 

 

This is some killer info right here.

will someone please come to utah and give a speech about these things to my band? anyone?

[NewTruth]

Don't stare at your feet.......I'm guilty of this.

But what if he's playing shoe gazer rock?

It's a requirement! It says so in the name of the music!

[NewTruth]

Dress nicer than the audience, if you're going to be on-stage, look the part of someone who's entertaining an audience, rather than a bum dragged in off the street. Keyboard players should try to play standing when possible, and not hide behind a stack of keyboards. Turn the keyboards so they're sideways to the audience, so at least some of them can see what you're doing. Exaggerate some of your playing movements, particularly pitch-bending and Hammond key-slides, to get some stage motion going.

:thu:

I play keyboards as well as guitar. I don't use a two level stand playing live because I like to rock the keys back and forth. Not at a steady temple, but as a way to emphasize certain parts of what I'm playing. Getting your whole body in motion ups everybody's energy.

[Chippsta]

1. Tune up 15-30 min before starting and then check your tuning before you start playing if possible. Temperature changes can cause your strings to change!

2. If i'm not singing, i'm looking at the singer most of the time ... that's directing the stage energy toward him and it looks great on stage.

3. Have backup equipment ready in case you break a string or something goes bad. Have the right tools to change strings and spare strings for your break. Spare cords and tubes are another good thing to carry.

4. Check your tuning even when you think you're in tune. The audience can hear when things are out of tune !

5. Lay back after a solo or sometimes just stop playing after your solo ... A rest is creative too. Change and contrast will get your audience's attention.

6. Most of all, have fun with it ! The audience is there to have a good time, not to be impressed with your technique and creativity. My son came to see my band play and said "Dad, i've never seen a band have so much fun on stage as you guys!" Guess what? The audience loves to see a band have a good time !

[SKEETERtunes]

Everything we do in our lives is learned, nothing is "Just how you are". From the moment we are born we learn by observing and doing. Kids want to be like mom or dad. When we grow older, we find new role models and so on. This is just the way it is. Of course at a certain age the model we strive for is more complex and we add our own twist. Just look at how we are dressed, most of us wear cothes after the same formula. You might have your own designs, but you rarely see anyone wearing plastic bags or a sack. You can practice and learn everything, I was terrible on stage, now I'm not so terrible after practice.I'm not saying anyone should find a certain ready made image to strive for. But finding some cool clothes that you like are a part of what your image becomes, and spending some time on it might be worth it. My advice is that if your music is more important than the show factor, wear discrete clothing.Not true. I see myself as a normal, quiet and nice guy with lot's of passion for music. Doing gigs I had to change that and to be honest I'm still more boring than I'd like. If I want gigs, I simply can't just sit there playing songs, no matter how well I play and sing. So I needed to learn how to interact with my audience. Without communication there is no show, just background music.

 

 

After you have been doing this 30 or 40 years come back and read this.

Believe me, stage presence is natural. Until the stage is as comfortable to you as a living room chair, it is hard to have. And it isn't learned, it just happens.

As I said, I never tried to develop stage presence. I am not overly extroverted or even a showman, but I have quite a local "image" that I haven't put a thing into other than being competent at what I do.

If you are a good enough musician that will be most of your image. The songs are what it is about anyway.

And, either you got it or you don't got it.

[Tedddy]

Oh, almost forgot...NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, APOLOGIZE. I see bands do this all the time and there's no faster way to lose an audience. I've seen 'em do it because they made a mistake, or because the PA cut out for a second, or whatever. It doesn't matter. You're always 100% right. Some other minor things in the realm of "don'ts". DO NOT: Order drinks through your mic. The staff hates this, and more than anything you want them to like you so you're invited back.

 

 

I agree. i hate when I see a band the poor widdle guy up there is like mommy can i have a glass of water (or beer) please? requesting beverages makes you look like lazy slob

[GreenAsJade]

Appologising ... bad news for sure. Recently saw a great acoutstic pair, and they told us three times that they hadn't practiced for months. Huh? Why would you say that!?