Stage presence + metal + shy guy = :-( ???

[chakah]

another great tip is to videotape yourself. when my band first started performing - we stood on stage like trees. after we saw that tape - we vowed to get the crowd more involved by moving on stage, doing rock poses, choreography, whatever it takes to entertain the crowd.

also check out other bands in the area. now i hate to see bands just stand and play. give me some movement.

 

[wildhorse]

Or put on a mask and adopt a persona ala Buckethead. Could do wonders.

Or Gene Simmons.

But the recommendation of taking your best power stance and focusing on your music would be a much better idea.
Buckethead is a much more virsatile player without his mask and bucket.

 

[vagus]

The truth is... If the audience gave a care about the music- they would listen to a cd/mp3. The concert is about the show and experience. I've seen great sounding bands bore the crowd to death by standing up there playing as if they where in a studio. I've also seen technically horrific groups rock the house because they where FUN and had energy and got into it.

A good venue with proper lighting will allow the crowd to see you and you to barely see them... Sometimes on well lit stage it feels a little lonely, which is strange but cool.

The other side of the coin is that you can't really force it... You gotta be yourself- the crowd can pick up on it. BUT you might surprise yourself after a few gigs how easy it is to "get into it"

 

[afromoose]

Concentrate on the music and everything else will take care of itself. There are a tonne of bands where people don't really move and they're hugely respected. For example, Pink Floyd, the lead singer of Lynard Skynard, Robert Fripp sits on a chair.

Live music is live not just because people jump about - it's because you're playing LIVE. That means the sound is 3D and LOUD and it's coming from amps and it's being made right there and then. If you feel somewhere deep inside that you'd like to jump about but you're too shy or whatever, then you have to force yourself to do it, because it's your desire to do it, so that's ok, you just have to get over the fear. If you don't really want to do it, and you're comfortable to play and not really move and that's just you, then don't do it. You'll only look dumb if you do something you don't want to do.

Also, the better the music gets, the more you will naturally move without even realising you're doing it.

I've seen some utterly shite bands that jump about loads - they just look like imbeciles. I've also seen really good musicians that hardly move. You're on that stage to do what you want, so you just have to be honest about what sort of impression you want to create and get over the fear, whether it's of being extravert, or being accepted as an introvert.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

best advice:

be yourself. when the music moves you, go with it.
you can't fake the funk.

 

[cutthroatmolloy]

Stage presence =/= jumping around. I think what some people seem to be missing is that these famous musicians while not jumping around they still have good stage presence, they move wtih the music and look like theyre enjoying it, maybe without moving too much. thats cool. that Death clip for example. theyre not jumping around but they're not statues with their feet together looking at their fretboards their stage presence is good.

Simple things like walking to the other side of the stage, putting your foot up on a monitor or the bass drum, swinging the neck of your bass back and forth or up and down are good ideas. Even if you're not moving alot at least look like you're enjoying the music, and don't stare at the fretboard. I would not pay to see a bunch of statues.

 

[madmaskbass]

for me its all about confidence mate...i dont worry about jumping around, stage moves or any of that stuff.. but its about sending out to everyone watching that you are confindent in what you are doing..usually a strong body posture helps or what is refered to as a power stance. i think of it as perveying strenghth confidence and also ease of movement. lamb of god have this down pat..no jumping around or stage moves there but sheer power in every thing they do also see slayer, pantera...not the music i listen to much these days but yeah the perfect example and is what i model my stage prescence off. if that is what you are going for different genres of metal can do different things.. i mean your not going to do this playing glam metal or punk but yeah you get my drift

 

[Korladis]

Get into the music. That's the most important thing. You don't have to be going crazy or anything like that, but some head bobbing (not necessarily head banging) and a power stance doesn't hurt.

Don't stand far away from the audience, either. Stand towards the front edge of the stage. Maybe put your foot up on the monitor.

You don't have to do acrobatics, but it is good to move. You use the base to make music, but it comes from you. Your bass is an extension of your body, so involve your entire body in playing it.

Most importantly, have fun. You're playing in a metal band cause you like it, right? So enjoy yourself. Don't worry about being cheesy or silly. Just let things flow. Get yourself into a sort of mindset where the music is the most important thing there is in the world, and everything at the moment is a celebration of sound. Just think of how awesome it is to be playing live. Think of how awesome your music is, and how awesome a bass player you are. I'm not telling you to be arrogant, I'm saying that you shouldn't second guess yourself, you should be confident. Play metal on your bass as if it's what you were born to do. If you don't enjoy your set, why should the audience?