Where do you look? (Weird question)

[Souperman08]

First of all, sorry is this is the wrong forum, I just wasn't sure where to put this.

My band has played a few shows, and we're off to a good start, but still just kinda getting our feet wet. Anyways, when we play, I usually start out focusing on either my pedals, or the the neck of my guitar (I play guitar in this band ). Anyways, when I look up and try to look out at the crowd (Trying to be engaging), I just feel like I'm starring people down and it's weird.

So, where do you look/focus on when you're playing? Am I just being too paranoid? I'm pretty solid on playing all the songs, now I'm trying to be good at playing live.

[Stumbo]

Check some bands in your area that put on a good show and see what they do. Maybe looking at some 'tube videos may be worthwhile.

I usually look towards the back of the venue, kinda looking over the top of the audiences heads. Sometimes I used to also check out the people at the venue to see I could catch the eye of some nice girl looking at me.

[lowfreq33]

Yeah, look at the back of the room.

[sandmangeck]

I look at pedals, neck, bandmates, and occasionally the crowd. My other two mates have so much stage presence that I'm fine w/ stoic

[Epitaph04]

I've played live as a drummer a few times. Every now and then I'd catch myself looking at my hi hat but more often than not I'd just try looking out to the center of the audience, the rest of the band members, maybe make a face or two, etc etc. I just try to look around and not stare down my instrument.

[sonic assassin]

im often thrashing around so hard that i just watch where the hell im going. watch my own hands, watch my pedals make sure i dont fall off the stage. if im looking at people, its people i know and women. just scan and go back to what im doing.

[pklima]

A singer from one of my old bands once said that our keyboardist "sways autistically" while I sway for the audience. Really the main difference between us was posture - he kept his head down while I looked all around the stage and at the audience. Just straightening your neck out makes a big difference.

If you feel weird looking directly at people, just don't look at the same person for more than a second, and look above the heads of the crowd sometimes. If anyone's dancing (or moshing, depending on what you play), look more at them and smile approvingly. Occasionally look at your bandmates, especially before things like key changes, ends of solos etc, just to let them know "yeah, I remember that this section is about to end". Even if you don't sing, mouth along with the lyrics sometimes. After a few gigs this should all feel natural.

[Baron Von Vik]

Just look around, and if you glance out into the crowd, grin at them. With lights and all, I have a hard time making out actual faces in the crowd anyway, so there's no chance of ending up in a staring contest, but people seem to get into the show more if you smile at them. Also, don't focus on any one place for too long...

Here's something that helped me out quite a bit with stage awkwardness- Develop a performing persona, nothing over-the-top, but just a little more energy, little more outgoing. I guess it's kind of like acting, but I've never done that so I dunno. I know I have to prepare myself a little bit to become "stage me," breathe a little more deeply, swing my arms and hop around a bit before we run up. It loosens me and gets my energy level up, which also helps my playing focus.

But to each his own, you know? Whatever makes you comfortable. One thing I never do before we play is drink alcohol, though. THAT's a trainwreck, been there.

So play on, and good luck. It gets more natural over time anyway.

[EpiRipper]

Boobs!

There... I said it!

[Rockmusician]

It's weird but I have always felt more comfortable on a large stage in front of thousands of people rather than playing in a small club. It seems like in a small venue the audience is right on top of you and staring in your face. My advice is to just do whatever comes naturally.

[sonic assassin]

Originally Posted by pklima

Even if you don't sing, mouth along with the lyrics sometimes. After a few gigs this should all feel natural.

i do this a lot because i love to see it. hell, im singing, i just dont have a mic. i have plenty of vocal parts, but if my part is easy enough, ill just sing along. sing in peoples' faces. pick a poignant line, point at someone and mouth it.

in my last band, there was one chorus in particular i'd sing and act out a bit.

"ive never seen you look this way
its like you're turning on me.
your body's so cold
its like you're fading away.
don't waste your excuses on me, baby
cause id follow you to the end of the earth"

lots of you's and me's. pick a hot girl, point, and get back to playing

[sonic assassin]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Vik

Here's something that helped me out quite a bit with stage awkwardness- Develop a performing persona, nothing over-the-top, but just a little more energy, little more outgoing. I guess it's kind of like acting, but I've never done that so I dunno. I know I have to prepare myself a little bit to become "stage me," breathe a little more deeply, swing my arms and hop around a bit before we run up. It loosens me and gets my energy level up, which also helps my playing focus.

i firmly believe in this. even shows that suck with no crowd, i still bring my A game. normally just play mad at that point and the aggression just comes off as passion for my music.

i too like to jump around a bit. stretch. sing as loud as i can. get ready to be the part.

you get to be whoever you want up there. take advantage. be your own tyler durden

[sonic assassin]

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

It's weird but I have always felt more comfortable on a large stage in front of thousands of people rather than playing in a small club. It seems like in a small venue the audience is right on top of you and staring in your face.

i feel this too. big shows, i never seem to care. if im playing with lights on to 50 people that are just glaring at me, i turn 15 again. unless its like 5 people. then i just play as fast and hard as possible.

the only thing that makes me more nervous is last minute equipment issues. that makes me a total wreck.

[Denny Coon]

I usually find a few familiar faces, but it usually dosent matter anyway because the Par cans are bright enough that you dont really have to be looking at anyone in particular, it appears like you are anyway. Usually the first bit I'm lookin at the rest of the band and we laugh at ****. This conveys to people that your having a good time, even though it is unintentional. Your mood or appearance on stage is infectious to the people in the crowd.

[spaz21387]

i tend to look at the audience or be bouncing around and pumping up the crowd. I usually go wireless so im out in the crowd starting pits too.

[Plays_For_Dog]

Just close your eyes and try to lick your nose the whole time. I promise no one will notice if you make a mistake.... or if you're even playing music for that matter.

[ben12390]

I keep my eyes closed, or i face towards my singer or guitar player while playing and sometimes towards the back to the drummer. i barely ever look out.
mostly cause either dont want to see the small crowd and feel lame, or see the big crowd and feel watched. im self-conscious like that.
but other than my eyes, i bounce around, jump, do some guitar moves. stuff like that. i just dont like to look at the crowd

but hey, either did Lemmy, thats why his mic is like that.

and also, you know all this cause you're in my band. lol

[avvie]

I look either up and to my left when singing or down and to my right when playing. I have no idea why. Catching eyes does make me self-conscious, and bigger crowds are much easier than smaller ones.

Back in Ye Olde Daye, I would mentally pick one person out of the audience and play to them... not outwardly, because that would be creepy, but just as a psychological trick to make me feel like I was just at home jamming with some friends... unless of course it was a hot chick

[T-Bird]

Hi.

That's not a weird question, it's a really important one if the band is hoping to make it.

Does show that You haven't studied or being taught any public appearance, or audience adressing though. Which I quite frankly find very odd. Lower secondary school stuff over here IIRC. The way adult Finns usually behave when faced with that kind of a situation would fool You though .

Like said in almost every reply, look slightly above the audiences head, don't keep Your eyes fixed to any particular spot any longer than necessary, try to make eye contact with the audience.

It usually takes a lot of practice since the most artistic peope tend to be very shy, but since it's about the only thing that makes the band/lecturer look good, it's well worth rehearsing. IMHO anyway.

Regards
Sam

[pklima]

Yeah, adult Finns seem to fear eye contact when they're sober, haha.