I have the kind of "mean and moody" thing going on - not really moving but grooving. I don't wanna mess up which is ONE reason why I don't move, but mainly its because of my cateracts and the unbearably-bright stage lights shining in my face as to why I don't look up and just watch my fretboard (makes it look better than staring at the floor dunnit...?)
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Bass Player Stage Presence
- Thread starter chakah
- Start date
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
OT: B-Note, checked out your band - you guys know your sheeeeeet! 
Awesome.
Just realized that the abbreviation for "on topic", is the same as the abbreviation for "off topic". now that can get confusing, can't it?
OT: I like to perform. It gets me some gigs I otherwise wouldn't have. Plus for me it's a lot more fun than just standing there.
Somebody yell at me for not renewing my talkbass membership yet - I gotta get myself motivated here. Feeling almost like a troll these days.
Awesome.Just realized that the abbreviation for "on topic", is the same as the abbreviation for "off topic". now that can get confusing, can't it?
OT: I like to perform. It gets me some gigs I otherwise wouldn't have. Plus for me it's a lot more fun than just standing there.
Somebody yell at me for not renewing my talkbass membership yet - I gotta get myself motivated here. Feeling almost like a troll these days.
This is actually a big issue for me. I would love to play hard rock and get into a hard rock band but I'm afraid I'm not much of a mover on stage. Sometimes I wish I played the drums so that there would never be an issue with having to jump around the stage and engage the crowd that way.
We have a great frontman, but I think everyone in the band should represent... How can you expect the crowd to move and go wild when you're standing still yourself
And since our frontman is singer/guitarist he can not move around a lot, so the leadgitarist and I step up. I bang my head a lot too
And since our frontman is singer/guitarist he can not move around a lot, so the leadgitarist and I step up. I bang my head a lot too
On a 2 week tour, I tend to lose about 18kg bodyweight. That kinda sums it up. I cant not move. We don't even play terribly aggressive music, infact, its more 'nice'... but there are some big rock sections and because i play them every night I cant help but fly about a fair bit. I would say its "dancing", but I cant dance, so thats probably why I look so stupid. A recent review of us said "I'd love to see this band again, for 3 reasons. Firstly, so I can hear the songs again. Secondly, so I can ask the guitarist MORE questions about his amp... and thirdly, because the bassist pulls the best faces!".
The crowd's we play to tend to get more into it when we look like were all into it. People have a short attention span so you have to hold it somehow, and joe public arent going to notice when the guitarist plays a diminished whatever, backed up by an intricate drum fill.
The crowd's we play to tend to get more into it when we look like were all into it. People have a short attention span so you have to hold it somehow, and joe public arent going to notice when the guitarist plays a diminished whatever, backed up by an intricate drum fill.
I probably moved around more when I was younger... not so much nowadays. Besides, I do a lot of singing... more backup stuff, but a few leads, too... There are some tunes where I'll 'get into it' by doing some moving around in my space...
...I play in two bands. In one, the frontman (with his bongos and congas) and guitarist are the primary singers... and very good, too... we also have a sax player, so, in this band, while I do backup vocals, I'm pretty much stationary, yet if the groove gets to us, the guitarist and I will 'get down' together... In this band, however, I gotta be especially alert, 'cuz things change all the time at the whim of the frontman and/or the guitarist.
My other band, which I refer to as my 'work-in-progress' band... these guys are fairly inexperienced as performing musicians. We're covering 60s & 70s rock classics, and we pretty much stick with the format of the original tune. I'm the animated guy onstage. Our guitarist, while very good with his instrument, barely moves at all... While all aspects of the music are powerful & tight, I am indeed rather curious as to how we must appear from the audience's standpoint...
...I play in two bands. In one, the frontman (with his bongos and congas) and guitarist are the primary singers... and very good, too... we also have a sax player, so, in this band, while I do backup vocals, I'm pretty much stationary, yet if the groove gets to us, the guitarist and I will 'get down' together... In this band, however, I gotta be especially alert, 'cuz things change all the time at the whim of the frontman and/or the guitarist.
My other band, which I refer to as my 'work-in-progress' band... these guys are fairly inexperienced as performing musicians. We're covering 60s & 70s rock classics, and we pretty much stick with the format of the original tune. I'm the animated guy onstage. Our guitarist, while very good with his instrument, barely moves at all... While all aspects of the music are powerful & tight, I am indeed rather curious as to how we must appear from the audience's standpoint...
RiseOfTheWooten said:
While it's not a big issue for me, the keyboard player and lead singer/guitar/keyboard guy make it an issue at times as people think I am "not into it" because I don't move around much. There are a couple reasons. First, that's just not in my personality. I like to hang by my drummer and groove with him. Second, the stages we play don't facilitate movement by anyone, really. Third, people come to hear/see our lead guy - especially girls. He does a solo act as well and there is no doubt that he is who people are coming to see. The rest of us are really "sonic enhancment" for him and that's fine by me.
Ultimately it depends on your personality and the kind of music you play... obviously.
Personally, I like to lay back and scowl at my bass like Mick Ronson in Ziggy's "Width of a Circle" then smile real big between songs like I am pleased. Other guys in my band are more energetic so allows me to be more "bad ass". I actually get a lot of compliments from people that think I am fun to watch. HUH!?
Personally, I like to lay back and scowl at my bass like Mick Ronson in Ziggy's "Width of a Circle" then smile real big between songs like I am pleased. Other guys in my band are more energetic so allows me to be more "bad ass". I actually get a lot of compliments from people that think I am fun to watch. HUH!?
I like to move around a lot. I'm not from the Entwhistle school, visually. Hopefully, I'm also not quite the Jack Black in the beginning of School Of Rock guy either... Don't know if I look silly, and I don't care. It's fun, and that's that. One of the good points about my band is several of us boogie around, including the girl singer. A lot of country players just stand there. I hate that! We give 'em a show, not just a soundscape.
Actually, I have to move around. I have flat feet, and if I don't move, they begin to hurt! Being on a tiny stage w/no room to move is the worst!
Actually, I have to move around. I have flat feet, and if I don't move, they begin to hurt! Being on a tiny stage w/no room to move is the worst!
Actually, we should all be mentioning what type of music we play. I play a lot of country; headbanging along to hurtin' cheatin' music probably wouldn't go over very well.
"My baby left me!" (leap up onto monitor and start headbanging) "My dog done died!" (jump off monitor into splits on stage) "If my truck stops I'm gonna commit suicide!" (lean back and perform wild guitar solo with pyro).
"My baby left me!" (leap up onto monitor and start headbanging) "My dog done died!" (jump off monitor into splits on stage) "If my truck stops I'm gonna commit suicide!" (lean back and perform wild guitar solo with pyro).
I was told last night by a couple in the audience who came up and talked after the gig that I needed to smile more.
As I like to say "if there's no show, why go ?"B-NoteCowboy said:
To most venues booking a band, the band is 'entertainment'. Part of entertaining an audience is looking the part: pretend you are having fun.B-NoteCowboy said:
Break yourself of the habit of looking at the fretboard while you are playing. This sounds vain, but I like to pratice in front of a full length mirror as I can work on my stage presence AND technique at the same time. For technqiue, check your fretting: are yoru fingers well spaced out or bunched together? Is your right hand in the optimal location ?B-NoteCowboy said:
"I was told last night by a couple in the audience who came up and talked after the gig that I needed to smile more."
They were just dying to bask in your magnificent presence, but didn't know what to say.
Our guitar player gets this all the time. Some people feel that every band member should be grinning like an idiot all the time. He's just not a real smiley guy onstage. If he needs to keep a straight face to play that well, then I'm all for it!
See my post #30, he's the only one who doesn't boogie much. We make up for that, though!
They were just dying to bask in your magnificent presence, but didn't know what to say.
Our guitar player gets this all the time. Some people feel that every band member should be grinning like an idiot all the time. He's just not a real smiley guy onstage. If he needs to keep a straight face to play that well, then I'm all for it!
See my post #30, he's the only one who doesn't boogie much. We make up for that, though!
Ummmm...........I just tap my toes all night long! Honestly, my band is not that good and I just can't really get into it like I want to!
I second this opinion! People are there to be entertained. If they were entertained by watching someone look pensive and stoic then statue parks would be like Woodstock!
What I do is get into my part and emulate what I feel by moving, smiling, making eye-contact with people in the crowd, my band mates, etc... You would be amazed at the effect you have by simply looking up, smiling and catching someone's eye!
I only recently discovered my "incredible stage presence", but once I did, I went from being that anonymous dude at the corner of the stage to being that totally cool dude that has all the girlys dancin' in front of him - I even got flashed, twice last gig! - and that is no exaggeration! Once you get one or two girls on the floor and can 'relate to them' by looking up and smiling - and even dancing a little, you will suddenly see 2 more get up. Then they tell 2 friends and so on, and so on... and once that starts happening you can stop 'acting' like you are having fun - because then you really ARE having fun!
And all I had to do was commit to not standing still and to making sure I looked up and smiled - the rest just happened naturally and I can't stop!
Don't be afraid to act silly if that is how you really feel! You may be overthinking what people are thinking when they watch you. Giving them something to look at is far more important! And 9 times outta 10 they will be interested in you, even fascinated by your incredible presence if you just commit to looking up, catching eyeballs, and not standing still!
--tz
seanm said:
Aw honey, you really do need to check out Hank III. That man is all *over* the place! Most punk country dude ever.
Cherie
<<<Break yourself of the habit of looking at the fretboard while you are playing. This sounds vain, but I like to pratice in front of a full length mirror as I can work on my stage presence AND technique at the same time. For technqiue, check your fretting: are yoru fingers well spaced out or bunched together? Is your right hand in the optimal location ?
>>>
I will, periodically, play my set list in the dark. That way, I *can't* look at my frets. If I don't know the song really well, I still have to look, but as I learn each song more thoroughly, I turn off the lights and force myself to nail them down w/o looking.
My husband thinks its odd, but he's a drummer, so what does he know? ;-)
Cherie
>>>
I will, periodically, play my set list in the dark. That way, I *can't* look at my frets. If I don't know the song really well, I still have to look, but as I learn each song more thoroughly, I turn off the lights and force myself to nail them down w/o looking.
My husband thinks its odd, but he's a drummer, so what does he know? ;-)
Cherie
