How do you improve your stage presence?

[ELG60]

Have you considered cargo shorts or



??

Not "or" . . . AND!

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Whatever you do don’t keep your mouth hanging open... it reduces your perceived intelligence by 50%.

O man! My perceived intelligence is 50%, if I hang my mouth open I would be at 0

 

[2tonic]

FIRST....before you actually do any jumping, hopping, dancing, Hindenberging off the drum riser,or general cavorting, check that your straplocks are SECURE, and that you won't unplug yourself if you step on your cord!

Then watch some videos of people you think have great stage presence and do what they do (as a bassist, it's fair to eliminate James Brown, Mick Jagger, MJ, Peter Wolf, frontmen in general, from emulation).

Wear clothing that will make audience members say "Where did he get that?!" "That's so cool!" "I've never seen anything like that before!".......in a good way.

Have a good time and let it show. The "Ever popular tortured artist effect" and the "Punky Meadows lip farm" went out with hair metal.

Carry on.

 

[MDBass]

I know one of the things I really need to improve on is my stage presence. I tend to stand still and/or look at the musicians. What are some of your tips for improving stage presence for a rock cover band bassist? Thanks!

Practice.

Move while playing, in front of a mirror or in front of a video camera: keep what you like, scrap what you don’t, hone and repeat.

Don’t be afraid of really dramatic movements: most of the famous rock and roll histrionics aren’t particularly subtle

 

[Wasnex]

When I read these threads sometimes I think being a musician is as miserabile as any other job

Do it frequently enough for a few decades, and it is . I have known a lot of fabulous musicians who lost their way, put down their axe, and do not miss it. I still dink around on my basses and love gear, but I have no interest in gigging. But I had a great career and it was fun for a long time...and then . That's when I became a full time audio tech, and had some more fun .

 

[higain617]

Of course, if you're in a shoe gaze band, just stand still and look at your feet. I never understood that genre myself. I kinda always want to be entertained on some level.

That was a term coined by the British media. The bands didn’t actually stand there gazing at their footwear.

 

[Stumbo]

That was a term coined by the British media. The bands didn’t actually stand there gazing at their footwear.

I was a fret gazer...missed most of the gigs by not looking up.

I knew there were people out there but more as a amorphous mob that was undulating to the music.

 

[Stumbo]

How do you improve your stage presence?
practice these:
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and are probably over the top, generally, but acceptable in certain circumstances.

is OK --- it has its limitations.

wouldn't do this one .

should be avoided even when it happens. and these , .

= never!

, , , , are non-starters.



i think stage presence, conceptually, is different for everyone depending on the music and the message. i think it's more effective when everyone in the band is in on the concept --- the same image. i see lots of bands with one and four 's. =

good luck with your show!



me:
show band = backline/rhythm section member reading music: i smile when i can/want/need to.
jazz band = i don't worry about it. i can feel that i'm more 'animated' during the occasional solo.

Should be in the TB hall of fame!

 

[TonyP-]

Keep your chin up (Serious) look up like your looking at the back of the room (a lot) Keep your eyes forward.

Smile

Move

Make eye contact with different people

Stay in shape

Dress like your f-in mean it (for any genres)

 

[john_g]

Like others here have said, if you smile, or even just have a pleasant look on your face (i.e. NOT frowning or too serious)...it goes a LONG WAY. I used to always get ribbed about not smiling (always women telling me that too). I tend to go into my own world when playing and I dont look like Im happy, but I really am. Also, Ive learned that I dont need to jump around like Flea. If I bob my head and move a little, combined with the aforementioned smiling, its changed my stage presence alot. I also watch videos of other bassists I like, and try to do some of what they are doing too. Some feels unnatural to me, but, I try to force myself to do more at each gig.

 

[waveman]

Alcohol

ohh, and act like I am having fun and engage the crowd. Show off a little

 

[Hahaha]

Wear a T-shirt that says I'm Smiling And Having Fun!

 

[BOOG]

I know one of the things I really need to improve on is my stage presence. I tend to stand still and/or look at the musicians. What are some of your tips for improving stage presence for a rock cover band bassist? Thanks!

Uhm, don’t wear shoes and wear board shorts.

 

[4001]

 

[juancaminos]

Let the music move you. You may have to start in small steps in order to let go of the stick in the mud. Look around more, find people who are into your show and feed off of them. Once you are good with that start moving toward encouraging others to feed off of you. Don't over act but be aware that entertaining is a form of over acting in a way. You are the entertainment so you have to get comfortable with that. Start watching body movement of people around you including other entertainers. Steal shamelessly. HAVE FUN and make it obvious, its catchy.

 

[ctmullins]

Look at the folks in the crowd, and smile at them!

 

[onamission]

Relax and enjoy what you're doing. When you do that things will naturally start to happen, more movement on stage, interacting with the crowd, the crowd responding to your joy etc. It's kind of kinetic, one act begets another act begets another act.....

 

[jerry]

Play with people that are more interesting and magnetic to look at so nobody cares what you're doing, works for me.

 

[Pauly 4001]

Dress comfortably and sensibly.
Keep the foundation covered.
Don't pander to the crowd or yourself.

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[Bassheart365]

If you have ask, you are not feeling the music. That's the root cause.