How do you improve your stage presence?

[Nephilymbass]

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!

This may seem like an odd reply but knowing the material front to back and practicing until you can play without looking at your hands all the time makes a big difference. The need to look at your hands to play songs or to look at bandmates for cues severely hurts stage presence in my opinion.

 

[artsta]

Dress well
Relax
Enjoy yourself
And when you have achieved that - make sure you don't act any different to how you feel

 

[cnltb]

I'd say...just be sure you know what you are doing and look up from your fingerboard-ideally do not look at it at all.
Be calm, confident and competent.

 

[Wisebass]

hi Axtman

What are some of your tips for improving stage presence for a rock cover band bassist?

1) Relax! It' s easy!

2) Don 't wear flip flops when you do the time warp!

3) Have fun!

You don't have to dance or do silly jumping around or anything.

Yes you don' t have to. But it doesn' t hurt!



Stage presence is about having fun with yourself, the band and the audience.


may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Tommygun_ted]

I never practice sitting down, and if I have the space, I wander around while I practice so I'm used to moving around while playing the songs. I've been in a lot of bands with my older brother and we generally have a good energy on stage. I've been told I'm not just a bass player, but a performer. In my opinion you should try to keep it as natural as possible. And for rock, power stance, look into the audience, react to the music.

 

[Hypercaffium]

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!

If your "wrong" stage presence is the result of other common issues like stage fright, performance anxiety etc. I'd say work on your personality, keep doing what you do and never stop pushing yourself.
If it's just something other people suggested to do, or something you want to do just to look cooler, liten to me: as long as you're comfortable, relaxed, confident, and efficient, I'd suggest to not give a s***t about stage presence. At the cost of being heavily criticized, that's the best advice I can give you.
As much as I appreciate a good show, as well as "proper" stage presence (it depends mostly on the music genre) and entertainment in general, I'd say that to me, just the idea of thinking about which "rock move" to do in a specific moment of a show is IMMENSELY sad. Not to mention fake smiles, fake "groove faces" and the infamous "super-low strap looks cool!" thing, which notoriusly can cause phisical issues and definitely influence your playing. I can bear preposterous dressing and the abuse of "rock gadgets" because it's part of the show and doesn't necessarely affect your playing, but apart from that, I absolutely don't care about stage presence.
Do ANYTHING your body tells to do when listening to the music (including crazy stuff), but be yourself, have fun and feel the groove. Everything will work good, don't fake things unless you're a good actor, because people can see that.
At the end of the day we're players, we play. We're not actors, dancers, or choreographers.

 

[Odinbass]

Drink.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I find it hard to fake looking interested in the music if I'm not, so something I've realized the past decade is that 1) feeling as comfortable on stage as you would in your own living room will make everything easier, takes a while to get there though, and 2) genuinely enjoying the music is the only way for me to really appear to be genuinely enjoying the performance.

If you're uncomfortable on stage, the empaths in the audience are going to be able to pick up on that. Same if you don't actually like the music you are performing. I don't like putting on fake smiles so I usually only perform music I'm really into, or that I'm getting paid well to perform (I also happen to enjoy money).

This.

 

[onda'bass]

Being on Stage is my presence, anything else is a bonus.

 

[Ostie]

I knew a blues singer who did that, a long time ago. That is, he did on the rare times he actually moved on stage.
The regulars nicknamed him Rigor, as in Rigor Mortis.

Was his name Joe Cocker?

 

[Taustin Powers]

We've always gotten good feedback on our stage presence. Our key points are:

- move/dance a lot
- smile, make eye contact with audience
- look like you are having the time of your life!

Dancing and playing well takes practice. We would jump around and dance at every rehearsal. It's hard at first, but at some point, it becomes second nature. We could probably play "better" if we didn't move around as much. But the audience very rarely picks up when you miss a note or two, especially if they are entertained by what's happening on stage.

This is a gig my last band played last summer:

 

[gelinas666]

Have a good time and interact with the musicians .. Make eye contact with the crowd and smile!

 

[crguti]

By not looking at your instrument all the time.
Jumping like idiots is a no too.

 

[equill]

Was his name Joe Cocker?

You'd think, but no, not nearly so famous.

I don't remember his name, actually.
His daughter's name, yes... :grin:

 

[SteveHeissner]

- Spit blood
- Breathe fire
- Hold your bass up over your head and then bring it down and dangle it between your legs for a few seconds.

Unless you're on a small crowded stage. Then just smile and dress flamboyantly: snake skin shoes or boots, leather pants, leopard print shirt unbuttoned down to your navel, black cowboy/Grimm hat.

 

[Bassman Spiff]

Have fun!!

 

[Texan]

Liquor, loosening people up since 1200 B.C.

 

[REV]

1. Don't look at the fingerboard.
2. Pick out people in the audience and engage with them. Eye contact.
3. Engage with other members of your band.
4. Enjoy yourself. Relax.
5. This is why it's called playing. Play.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I saw myself in a video in my first band and was horrified to find that I looked bored. The next show I tried to dance and almost fell over on stage. Here's what I've learned:

If you want to move competently on stage you need to practice. At rehearsal you need to start throwing your head or feet around a bit so when you get on stage it's not totally foreign. There's stuff you have to adjust to like how to hold your bass steady and what body movements are compatible with what playing movements and the like. If you're going to do it on stage you gotta do it before you go on stage.

As many others have said, look good. I learned this late, but having a good look makes you more watchable even if you are a plant.

Get used to making eye contact, or get good at almost making eye contact. Looking out at your audience is big, but it can feel weird and invasive for some to stare someone right in the eye. Fortunately people can't really tell the difference between looking them in the eye and staring at their forehead or chin from stage distances.

Own the camera. If people pull out their phone or a camera and start taking pics, either own that camera (give it your best bass face) or find a spot to look at where the camera's not a distraction. It took me years of only halfway embracing the camera before learning that.

For me learning to move made it a lot easier for me to relax on stage. That made it easier for me to smile and look like this is a really good time (which it is!). If you do nothing else, giving the crowd the honest impression that there's no other place you'd rather be would do wonders (if that doesn't already come through).

Hope that's useful.

 

[Meaculpa]

Ask Bill Wyman