stage presence for a keyboard player

[goosefartfan]

 

You have not followed them closely enough. The keyboard players of PFM, Popul Vuh, and Gentle Giant all were fans of the cape. The keyboard players of Curved Air and Renaissance both wore Canada hats on occasion. Even Geddy Lee of Rush, who played keyboards as well as bass, knew people who wore Canada hats. Though it is not entirely a progressive or metal tradition but more of a keyboardist/organist/pianist tradition. Even one of better known fictitious keyboardists, the Phantom Of The Opera, wore a cape.

 

 

 

 

Roy,

You hit the nail right on the head with the Canada cap and velvet cape, but only from the waist up. Regarding stage presence, you neglected to mention the importance of chest high fishing waders. True, the bright yellow ones make you sweat, but all the sweat collects in your boots anyway, and nobody can see it. I say for real impact, ya gotta go with waders!

[axeman25]

I've seen some really good players who look really silly because they tried to "force" their stage presence.

 

An old band of mine video taped the first gig we did. The gig went pretty good, but after watching the tape, we realized how stiff we looked on stage. Not one of us moved at all. The funny thing is that the other guitarist and I saw a band a week later, and we laughed because their keyboard player had more stage presence than our whole band. After that I really tried to pay attension to what I looked like on stage. I'm not sure how to exactly explain it, but I tried to work on being able to play while moving, not staged moves or anything. It is now very natural for me to rock out on stage. I have fun, the crowd really gets into it and so do I. I know how you feel. Being blind, you are only able to go on what others tell you. I think a good start is just work on being able to move more while playing and trying to get a groove going onstage. Move with the music. Have someone you trust give you an idea of how the audience see's it. I sometimes get compliments from people because of how "into" the music I am.

 

I hope this makes sense to you. Good luck.

[Thrashy]

;)A musician in a metal band? humpff, if you want to be a musican----go play jazz:p

 

ok, kidding aside, It does not really matter much. Stage Presence is not a set of moves or tricks. There are a lot of people that look like they are having seizures on stage. Jeff Healey didn't look like Yngwie on stage but you could tell that the music moved him and he was enjoying himself.

[BlueStrat]

Hey to each his own. You don

[Outkaster]

Pat he is defineately the exception LOL.

[J.Paul]

I've always preffered my key guys or gals to be sitting down, (mainly because half of my key parts are organ).

 

I just think it looks classier

Just my 2 cents.

[ggm1960]

So often on a public forum you'll get everything except the advice, experience or knowledge you're seeking.

 

It's all part of the fun right:idk:

[Gibson155]

Wear dark sunglasses and move with the music. Just move, nobody will laugh.

[pink floyd cramer]

 

I've always preffered my key guys or gals to be sitting down, (mainly because half of my key parts are organ). I just think it looks classier Just my 2 cents.

 

 

I prefer that too, but sometimes compromise by setting an adjustable stool high enough where my sitting and standing positions are pretty equivalent. I don't think a player's stage presence depends on whether they're sitting or standing.

 

But I don't think anybody would sit down while playing a keytar, unless it was the "keytar unplugged" set.

[JMS 2]

I wouldn't worry too much about stage presence.

The fact that you are a blind, sunglasses wearing, keytar playing keyboard shredder is odd enough.

 

Keep your T-shirt, your AX1, rock on and just let it flow :

move if you want to move, don't move if you don't feel like doing so.

 

OK if you REALLY feel you need to add something, I suggest you get a more distinctive stage outfit.

 

Nice songs btw

[Spacehog26]

Jordan Rudess wears jeans and a t-shirt (and sometimes a ball cap) and manages to rock out just fine without any silly clothes. Even with his keytar.

 

 

Henrik Klingenberg plays one of several custom painted AX1 and AX7 models and manages to look pretty cool rocking out... he often tends to stand with his left foot on the monitor wedge, and usually wears jeans or baggy combats and a t-shirt or baggy shirt.

 

 

Sorry the images don't help the OP, but they do at least dispel the cape and silly hat idea. Prog metal is a very different ball game from progressive rock of old, in terms of image and music.

[GreenAsJade]

Warning to the OP: these images look _incredibly_ daggy.

 

I have yet to see a picture of a person playing a keytar where they

manage to look "rock" or "cool", and these certainly don't do it!

 

IMHO (obviously, it's all a matter of opinion!)

 

GaJ

[Krypter]

all you need is a good power stance.

[capitalist]

+1 on being "yourself". Wear a costume if you desire or something far more conservative. If you are a good musician, and he band rocks, you will get noticed by everyone. It really wouldn't matter if you wore a business suit or a chicken suit like Elton John. Whatever you do, have fun with it. I sense that you want to be "one of the guys" and do not want your lack of vision to be exploited. I admire you for overcoming something that most of us could never imagine.

[c4racer]

 

I prefer that too, but sometimes compromise by setting an adjustable stool high enough where my sitting and standing positions are pretty equivalent. I don't think a player's stage presence depends on whether they're sitting or standing. But I don't think anybody would sit down while playing a keytar, unless it was the "keytar unplugged" set.

 

 

I prefer to play sitting down anyway - especially when playing piano and using the pedal. I have a 2-tiered keyboard rack with an organ on top, and normally on a song that is organ only I will stand up. Especially if I am singing back-up too. I even sing lead on a few songs and also do that from behind my rig - because in all but one of those songs I am also playing some keyboards. I have learned those songs well enough to play them without looking at the keys which I think helps me connect to the audience better when singing lead. I try to look out at the audience as much as possible and not just look at my hands all the time. Plus there are often a few hot chicks dancing out there that are not hard on the eyes if you can get a chance to look. Obviously that doesn't apply so much to the OP who is blind. And BTW - I have to hand it to you, the piano is not a very easy instrument to play without looking at it. I don't know how you could jump up a couple octaves and add something, although clearly it can be done - just listen to Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder play. I can play without looking on a song I know well when it is contained in a reasonable location on the keyboard, but for certain changes or color I am adding I need to take a peek to get my hands in the right spot.

[fatcatinahat]

 

OK, I need to preface this by saying that I am a totally blind keyboardist, so have no clue of what to look for in stage presence. I...

 

 

Hey, I know this is a late response, but dude. You are blind! you can get away with a lot of {censored} that people with sight can't. Embrace it, and take advantage of this.

Trust me, just the fact that you are blind is giving you stage presence already. It's a different game for you up there. If Stevie Wonder was not blind, his movements would seem silly to most, but being blind, Stevie Wonder's moves are truly awesome, it's like he is in some kind of trance and being blind makes him have superhearing powers that raise him up in a magic level.

 

I'd say stop worrying about stage presence, you already have it. Most people would be looking at you thinking...

"{censored} look at that blind dude rock... I have all my senses and I suck at everything I do... let me get another beer"... they won't care how you move.

 

Actually IMO, if I saw a blind man with a keytar standing up doing some gayish interaction with the guitar player, I'd probably think he's trying too hard.

 

You don't need props or gimmicks, you are blind, and for stage presence, to me, that is to be taken as an advantage. Just make sure you don't wear some heart shaped sunglasses.

[nAmzrTakin]

Aww come on man. This is a rookie thread. You're asking how to rock!?

 

 

Step 1) Place your legs a little wider than shoulder length. Not too far or you'll look like a fool. This is refered to as the "Power stance" It is the most basic of on stage rock techneques . remember it's important to keep the power stance for no longer than 30 seconds or you'll have stayed too long, don't worry though you can go back to it soon enough. All you need to do is this. Take 2 steps to the left, 3 steps to the right, one step back to the left and then you can reset your power stance.

 

Step 2) While in the "Power stance" you have a few options. The first up is the cocky nod. All you have to do is put a cocky smile on your face, not to cocky. Just enought to let people know, you know what you're doing.

 

Step 3) Second in your power stance move list is the head bang. There are two types of head bang, and both require a minor adgustment to the power stance.

First is the reserved head bang. To pull off a reserved head bang you need to bend your knees slightly and lean back, not too far or the crowd will think you have a problem. Then proceed to nod your head in time with the beat.

 

Second is the heavy mosh head bang. Here you will need to bend your knees aswell, but instead of leaning back you need to lean forward. Then you need to vigourously nod your head to the music (Note: only use the mosh Headbang when the music is heavy or you will look stupid).

 

Step 4) Moving away from the power stance now I'll explain the monitor stomp. The monitor stomp is where you prop one leg (of your choice) up on the foldback monitor. The beauty of this simple move is that all the options availiable to you in the "Power stance" are also availiable from the monitor stomp position. The same rule for no more than 30 seconds applies still.

(Caution: Most people who own monitor speakers bitch when you stand on their monitor. Don't do it unless you think you'll get away with it.)

 

This will do you for now. If you want more advice later on I'll explain the "Stage dive" But this is an advanced move, and should not be tried by the inexperienced.

[Cryptopsy]

I struggle with this EVERYDAY. Not because I am a keyboardist myself, but because I am a guitarist in a band with a keyboardist who's also the front man. He sings, he solos, he's always doing two things at once it seems. He definitely has good presence though. The keytar definitely helps with the presence (sorry, I know people hate the K-word...) but I would ditch the 2nd keyboard. I've had this battle with my keyboardist but plain and simple: the 2nd keyboard just makes it harder for the audience to see yourself. I'm sorry but it just seems really hard to look "cool" or have any stage presence at all when you're behind a wall of keys and people only see your upper lip and up... it totally defeats the purpose of the wireless midi controller.

 

I say just have fun dude, hopefully you enjoy the music you play and if so, just do what you feel like doing. Headbang, jump, spin. Whatever man. The music is only half of what you're presenting. Like it or not, you have to entertain.. and that can be done without making an ass of yourself. Just be natural.