Dancing

jackmurray · #1 10-13-2005, 04:24 AM

Hey,

We have a band comp coming up next wednesday, and I've seen the competition: we have no hope. One of the judges happens to be my mate and he said cool dance moves will do wonders. The problem is, I just rock and sway and the guitarist all but stands still. We've being trying out some moves but we look like total d*cks. The only moves we have are getting down on our knees in the solos, giving each other "5" in the chorus and playing each others guitars. Very cheesey stuff. Know of any good bass moves or any moves I could do as a duo with the guitarist? I'm trying to get the swing-the-bass-around-my-head but it's not really working out. I probably could have made this a much shorter post, but it's written now. I'd appreciate any help/photos/videos.

Thanks, Jack

buzzbass · #2 10-13-2005, 07:08 AM

Don't try and be something you're not. It'll look cheesy and forced. Be yourselves and enjoy it. Let the music take hold of you, and just go with it. If you look like you're enjoying yourself, the audience will too.

B-NoteCowboy · #3 10-13-2005, 01:51 PM

Try smashing the headstock down on emphatic notes like you are pounding the note into submission.

Make eye contact with the judges and audience. I really think this is important and doesn't require a lot of effort but makes you connect with these people on a personal level. By eye contact, I don't mean a creepy lingering stare.

Now this sounds cheesey as hell, but... I'm telling you audiences dig this if you do it... and that is, if you have an appropriate jamming repeating portion of a driving song, do a choreographed left right kind of KISS/ZZ TOP style sway with your guitarists. It's easy... doesn't take much coordination or practice and somehow for some stupid reason, connects with people who are rocking out to your stuff.

You'll probably get replies from someone who doesn't think a "real" bassist ever has to worry about showmanship, but that's crapola - so long as your showmanship doesn't detract from your musicianship. You are an entertainer! A performer!

**Ryan L.** · #4 10-13-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzbass

Don't try and be something you're not. It'll look cheesy and forced. Be yourselves and enjoy it. Let the music take hold of you, and just go with it. If you look like you're enjoying yourself, the audience will too.

+1. If it doesn't feel natural to you, chances are you might look like a dork. Go with the flow of the music. But, remember, the more bored you look, the more boring you look.

And as B-Note Cowboy said, make eye contact. DO NOT just stare at your fingers (unless you have to to avoid screwing up, of course), or at the floor. And the whole ZZ Top/Kiss thing can be cool, if done in moderation. For some reason, (yes, we have done this on a song or two in the past), audiences will sometimes think this is kinda cool. Beats me.

And most Battle of the Bands type comps are also judged on showmanship as well as many other areas, so it is important. At least the ones I was involved in years ago. (we don't do these anymore)

jive1 · #5 10-13-2005, 04:50 PM

If the show is in a week, dance moves are out of the question. It is much harder than you think.

If you think singing and playing is difficult, dancing and playing is 10x harder. It's easy to look cheesy and uncoordinated, but it takes some effort to pull that stuff off and look cool doing it. Unfortunately it takes more than a week. Watching a guy like Verdine White makes it look easy, but trust me it isn't.

Follow the advice of the others, and practice sincere showmanship. If the dance moves are something you want to incorporate into the future, then work on it. The most important thing to get down is the footwork. Once you master that, the rest will come easy.

I suggest getting someone knowledgeable and/or experienced with dance to help you out. Why not get a cheerleader, or someone in some type of dance squad help you out? It's a nice icebreaker for meeting ladies.

KeithBMI · #6 10-13-2005, 06:11 PM

I let the music do what it wants to me... but it can't go in near the swimsuit area.

The Golden Boy · #7 10-13-2005, 06:17 PM

Hire chicks to do the dancing for you. Bring beer. Chicks, beer and rock and roll. You can't lose.

jackmurray · #8 10-13-2005, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzbass

Don't try and be something you're not. It'll look cheesy and forced. Be yourselves and enjoy it. Let the music take hold of you, and just go with it. If you look like you're enjoying yourself, the audience will too.

But I am. I like to show off and jump around, I'm just trying to have a bit of order to it and try a few new moves. I don't mean a choreographed dance routine, I'm just talking about cool party tricks like playing each others guitars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-NoteCowboy

Try smashing the headstock down on emphatic notes like you are pounding the note into submission.

Make eye contact with the judges and audience. I really think this is important and doesn't require a lot of effort but makes you connect with these people on a personal level. By eye contact, I don't mean a creepy lingering stare.

Now this sounds cheesey as hell, but... I'm telling you audiences dig this if you do it... and that is, if you have an appropriate jamming repeating portion of a driving song, do a choreographed left right kind of KISS/ZZ TOP style sway with your guitarists. It's easy... doesn't take much coordination or practice and somehow for some stupid reason, connects with people who are rocking out to your stuff.

You'll probably get replies from someone who doesn't think a "real" bassist ever has to worry about showmanship, but that's crapola - so long as your showmanship doesn't detract from your musicianship. You are an entertainer! A performer!

Nice answer. We were thinking of doing some ZZ Top things and I have the headstock banging thing down. I'm also trying to hit the crash symbol with my headstock on the change to a chorus in one of our songs, but I don't want to damage my bass.

Thanks, Jack

dirtgroove · #9 10-21-2005, 04:06 AM

But your friends with one of the judges. Isn't that how these things usually work?
incidentally
I know a band that played "achey breaky heart" 4 times consecutively(dressed all gothed up) in protest at a pre-rigged battle of the bands. The entire set staring out the panel of judges whilst giving occasional "I'm going to slit your throat" type hand signals. It was by far and away the mst entertaining battle of the band shows I've ever witnessed.

bonscottvocals · #10 10-21-2005, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackmurray

We were thinking of doing some ZZ Top things...

Those are good moves. Try some 80's poses and maybe a Winger spin. That guy took ballet to do that, so it's tougher than it is gay looking.

Murf · #11 10-21-2005, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzbass

Don't try and be something you're not. It'll look cheesy and forced. Be yourselves and enjoy it. Let the music take hold of you, and just go with it. If you look like you're enjoying yourself, the audience will too.

eh..actually no. The audience are lemmings..they're looking for visual as well as aural stimulus...you could be the best bassist/band in the world but if your all standing there nodding your heads your gonna lose out to the crappy band who cant play for sh*t but who are jumping round the stage like lunatics..

FACT!

jackmurray · #12 10-21-2005, 07:36 PM

Right, we did the comp, and we did ok. We just made it in to the final. Out of 11 bands to get into the final, we came 11th. I jumped around a lot, moved all over the stage, and did my stupid facial expressions. i eve got down on my knees in the guitar solo (even though I wasn't soloing). The problem was, that our guitarist just stood still. He thinks doing the "Petrucci-thing" where he puts one foot on the monitor during a solo is cool, and he doesn't even move from the spot he's standing. We're trying to get him to move around. We're doing Hallowed Be Thy Name next and I'm considering kicking him in the back of the legs in the middle of the solo so he gets down on his knees.

We played each others guitars and stuff and it went off pretty well. I would have won the most enthusiastic award though.