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Bass Player Stage Presence

#142
I go by the feel of the song - soft stuff I lay back, like I'm thinking deep about the words. Rocking stuff I bop about like I want the crowd to do, turn to the lead guitar player like they are blasting me with some radiation during their leads. Tight syncopated stuff with drummer - turn to them and act like your bodies are hooked to the same game controller. Anything I get to start off I walk forward with the intense "bass player in the house" look. For me it's a show with music, it's what they come see live music for.

Nice when the whole band has some sense about it and tries to make each other shine, at the appropriate times.
 
#143
I definitely want to stand out on stage. I play in a metal band, and I'm not fond on the idea of "just the bassist." I move, a lot. I'm get the crowd going. My guitarist and I even have our "choreography" (which is nothing more than a synchronized exaggerated headband) Remember, as a bassist we're IN the band. Our octave is no less, or more important than any other instrument. The bassist should share the energy of the song. Its okay to kick back and feel the grove, but never subject your self to "just the bassist"
 
#145
I have problems with my neck and back so I have to sit down a lot to make it through a whole night. That's not the best for the groove, I find it's better to get the whole body involved to feel the music, and it certainly looks better on stage if you're active and look like you're having fun. I'm working on it, using a belt combined with the guitar strap to relieve the shoulders, but you do what you have to do.

But hey, Pino Palladino is standing straight up and down, bolted to the floor, Anthony Jackson is sitting down, and no-one complains about them, OK? ;)
 
#146
FretNoMore said:
I have problems with my neck and back so I have to sit down a lot to make it through a whole night. That's not the best for the groove, I find it's better to get the whole body involved to feel the music, and it certainly looks better on stage if you're active and look like you're having fun. I'm working on it, using a belt combined with the guitar strap to relieve the shoulders, but you do what you have to do.

But hey, Pino Palladino is standing straight up and down, bolted to the floor, Anthony Jackson is sitting down, and no-one complains about them, OK? ;)
Click to expand...
Maybe instead of getting up down you should just stay down - less disruptive like "what's going to happen now". Get a chair that is 3-6 inches taller than a normal chair, like a wooden barstool or a draftsmen's chair, that has a rung fairly close to the bottom. THat will give you something to rest one leg on. Many upright bass players sit on a chair like that the entire gig. Add some interesting clothing or hat and people will probably get that the bass player is sitting for a reason. If the music is good it won't really matter.
Body pain is a drag - sometimes after a gig I find I bopped around so hard my 53 yr. old legs are killing me, particularly my left knee - been doing some deep-nee bends religiously before every practice and gig to avoid that. Good luck man.
 
#147
Thanks! I do use a kind of foldable bar stool, I've modified the foot rest, moved it up so the bass rests nicely on the thigh. I'm getting some ribbing from the band members about this, it's not exactly rock and roll :) but it is what it is. I try to stand up as much as possible at rehearsals, but it's a balancing act between building strength and aggravating inflamed muscles.

I'm compromising by sitting down for slow songs and fretless playing, and standing as much as possible for faster numbers.

I think the audience is fine with it - I'm not too concerned about how it looks - it's mostly that I myself think my time/groove is better if I stand and involve the whole body. And it's more fun to move with the music.
 
#148
It's always depends on the band, but I've never really tried to "work" on my presence--I just let my body do whatever.

In an old band as the singer/bassist, I flailed around a ton when I wasn't glued to the the mic. This was a post-grunge/somehow-make-Tool-mate-with-Blind-Melon kind of band. My Squier J has the deep marks of a ring I had on my right hand; I punded the s--t out of that bass while sweating and screaming my brains out.

My next bands were more generically "indie" bands, where I didn't sing. For some reason I tended to just focus on my amp (which at the time was a 100-watt Ampeg BA115, therefore not very loud; it was my way of hearing myself, maybe? Or I just didn't know what to do without any attention on me).

Now I play in a band with two cute twin sisters as singers. Needless to say, they take all the focus, so I can just groove in the back. I carry a lot of the melody, so my body responds much more fluidly. My girlfriend expressed some confusion at how I move my head around barely in time with the music, but my body stays pretty much in sync--as if they're completely separate from one another, and that's probably true.
 
#149
FretNoMore said:
Thanks! I do use a kind of foldable bar stool, I've modified the foot rest, moved it up so the bass rests nicely on the thigh. I'm getting some ribbing from the band members about this, it's not exactly rock and roll :) but it is what it is. I try to stand up as much as possible at rehearsals, but it's a balancing act between building strength and aggravating inflamed muscles.

I'm compromising by sitting down for slow songs and fretless playing, and standing as much as possible for faster numbers.

I think the audience is fine with it - I'm not too concerned about how it looks - it's mostly that I myself think my time/groove is better if I stand and involve the whole body. And it's more fun to move with the music.
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Try not to do strength-building on days when the muscles are inflamed, that just hurts them more,setting you back. And obviously good anti-inflammatories before working them is a good idea - probably before a gig too.

I totalyl get how being able to move helps drive you along.
Best.
 
#150
ChopperDave said:
It's always depends on the band, but I've never really tried to "work" on my presence--I just let my body do whatever.

In an old band as the singer/bassist, I flailed around a ton when I wasn't glued to the the mic. This was a post-grunge/somehow-make-Tool-mate-with-Blind-Melon kind of band. My Squier J has the deep marks of a ring I had on my right hand; I punded the s--t out of that bass while sweating and screaming my brains out.

My next bands were more generically "indie" bands, where I didn't sing. For some reason I tended to just focus on my amp (which at the time was a 100-watt Ampeg BA115, therefore not very loud; it was my way of hearing myself, maybe? Or I just didn't know what to do without any attention on me).

Now I play in a band with two cute twin sisters as singers. Needless to say, they take all the focus, so I can just groove in the back. I carry a lot of the melody, so my body responds much more fluidly. My girlfriend expressed some confusion at how I move my head around barely in time with the music, but my body stays pretty much in sync--as if they're completely separate from one another, and that's probably true.
Click to expand...

Pics??:hyper:
 
#152
I have always admired Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue for his high stage presence; I'd say he actually has a bigger presence than their guitarist. I try to watch him during their live concerts and emulate him during shows.

But in my main band i'm the lead singer, and I actually find it kind of limiting to have to be standing behind a microphone stand all the time. There I can only sort of stomp my foot or occasionally step back during a break in the vocals, and maybe make gestures with my hands when I'm hammering an open string. During soloes though I like to be up near the audience or walk around the stage a bit. Its fun to get down on your knees on the edge of the stage and sort of show the audience what your playing.
 
#156
I figure there is no sense in standing there like a house beside the road. That said, I don't gyrate either. There is a time and a place for most things. That's that is the beauty of live gigs - like dancing, you and the audience are in it together. It is up to your playing and presence to lead everyone to where you want to go.
Enjoy the ride!
 
#157
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I take a power stance most of the time because my equilibrium is screwy and it helps that I have fairly long legs so it's visually striking. Sometimes I have my foot on the monitor if there's one or on the bass drum to help feel more locked in.

And there are times when my singer or lead guitarist flails around, ends up on the floor or we hit each other. It's fairly unpredictable and apparently fun to watch.
 
#158
I run the sound and usually have this little spot that the rest of the band sticks me in (5 piece). Sucks. Singer is everywhere, guitarists are ok, lead guy tries to outshine everyone, that is just wrong, IMO. Bigger stage, I can move. Stage area on same plain as dance floor, I move out in the floor. We don't have a follow spot, so I alert everyone that once they move out of the washes and spots, its only the people close to them that can actually tell what they are doing. Every gig is a new opportunity to "make it work". That is...if you can. Rock on brother bassers. Oh as an edit. I always try to put a couple lights shining out past the stage in order to connect the band with the crowd. highlight the fun.....
 
#159
I like to get into each song differently. I'm pretty active though. Up and down and all around. I'm soaked in sweat by the end of sets. I'm usually at least dancing to the song and making eye contact with some people, stuff like that. Once you learn how to rock out to call me maybe convincingly you've mastered bass guitar performance :rolleyes:

Here are some pics from last week
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