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Hand signals?

Axtman

Axtman

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2008
2,571
4,708
Seattle, WA
#1
Are there standard hand signals for things like:
Play verse 1 again (in order to stretch out the song)
Stop after this chorus (in order to cut the song short)
Play softly
Play loudly
Instruments out and only vocals (A Capella)
Etc.

Thanks!
 
#3
There are some common ones, but nothing "industry standard". The ones I know are:

pat the top of your head = go to the head of the tune

point upward and spiral your finger = take it around one more time

exaggerated up and down movements with your instrument = changing tempo

pointing at somebody = they take a solo

patting the air in a downward motion = get quieter
 
#5
Good question.

I have always been the song director and control the cues, changes, accents, etc. While there are no industry standards, you should develop easy to follow and recognize cues that the band members all understand and that involve more than just hand motions. The less you take your hands off the bass, the better. Use hand and finger motions, head motions, facial expressions, eye contact, vocal cues, instrument movements, foot movements, and body language.

Also, the less obvious the cues are to the audience and the band members are looking at you without being noticed, the more professional you look and will play tighter.
 
#6
bongomania said:
patting the air in a downward motion = get quieter
Click to expand...

That and "lifting the air" to get louder.

I would guess the standards would be the ones a conductor would use. For a more "pop" band situation, watch some later videos of Zappa. He would turn his back to the audience and conduct the band for passages.

Then again, eye contact and body language are usually enough.
 
#8
bongomania said:
There are some common ones, but nothing "industry standard". The ones I know are:

pat the top of your head = go to the head of the tune

point upward and spiral your finger = take it around one more time

exaggerated up and down movements with your instrument = changing tempo

pointing at somebody = they take a solo

patting the air in a downward motion = get quieter
Click to expand...

Middle finger extended: "Wrong key, ***hole!"

What's amazing is that Lawrence Welk was able to convey the same messages simply by waving a stick around.

Riis
 
#9
theres the gurn and sex\bass face that says "don't stop!!!" when ur in a deep groove! hehehehe

then everyone goes around the verse, chorus, solo or whatever it is again!!!

hehehehe

apart from that i just tend to wink at the other players and we know each other well enough to know what do to next.
 
#11
Eons ago my band-at-the-time (guitar, bass, drums) was playing a concert in a small club. We were doing some "heavy" jams with complex chord changes, when a guy walked on stage with a trumpet and just started playing. He couldn't figure out what key we were in and asked us to vamp in B flat. We decided to oblige, not wishing to offend anyone, but this guy just didn't fit with us. I was looking at my guitarist in despair and he quickly put up his hands to make an "A" sign (index fingers up and angled with a thumb crossing). I nodded and we changed key a semitone and off the trumpet player wandered.

Hand signals can be fun.
 
#13
No standard signals. For instance in my current band, the signal to go to the head can be an upraised fist (fight the power style), a circular motion with an upraised index finger, or a pat of the head depending on who's cuing.

A female vocalist once shot me a dirty look and pointed to my mic. That was her signal for "GET ON THAT DAMN MIC AND SING BACKUP...NOW!". I got a little turned on :hiding:
 
#14
No info on hand signals, but when a guitarist looks like he is having a seizure during a solo, it means that the solo will long for another three minutes at least. Feel free to wack him behind the head with your headstock to signal that the solo is ending.
 
#18
Head nodding usually means "come over and scream this line into the mic."

Other than that, I have no idea. What happens on stage happens on stage. I'm honestly so subconciously focused that I can't remember what happened on stage even 10 minutes after the end of a set. I've watched videos of my shows without remembering taking a solo or singing.

This is an interesting thread, and I think it's something the band should discuss. It's little things like this that really help to polish an act.
 

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