JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Weekly Topic #111--Your performance skills

Hey all,

I decided to submit a tape to Today's Superstar (Today Show--NBC)--mostly as an experiment. I want to apply to Nashville Star and I thought this would be great practice. We pre-taped and I noticed that I was doing something very annoying and very "unbeknownst to me"--I was blinking excessively. I thought to myself--what am I doing????? But I had corrected the problem by the time we taped. I really wasn't difficult. I just concentrated on keeping my eyes open--duh! So this brings me to this weeks topic...

What steps have you taken to improve your performance skills? In that process, sis you learn any weird, annoying or silly tendencies?



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Keep posting,
Ashleigh
www.mp3.com/Ashleigh_Wehmeyer

Amazing what you see on those tapes.. I used to do stage work in a community theatre.. I remember seeing a tape of a performance... I was doing a solo and the tape picked up some full body shots.. all I could see was my hands by my sides...opening & closing... opening & closing...through the entire song! WHY!?!?!? WHAT WAS I DOING!?!?!? It looked soooo rediculous... and I could find no logical explanation for this action... Seeing this tape DID make me aware.. I became very conscious and vowed to NEVER do this again...
I would say taping, although humiliating... is the best way to improve your stage presence(?sp..duh).
Joanne

[This message has been edited by Joanne (edited 10-11-2003).]

I am not much of a performing artist....

I attend open mic every Wednesday night at Capo's in Lowell and have been working on becoming comfortable on stage.....

I got a long way to go

Joe

Great topic, Ashleigh!!

For me, the best two ways to improve my performing skills has been to just perform,
and to watch others perform live on a regular basis. I can honestly say that many of the things I do on stage were learned from watching a more accomplished performer.
Observation is a powerful thing.

I still cringe, though, when I see videos of myself...feel like my vulnerability is too obvious...But, I would agree that it's good to watch yourself- in order to have an accurate idea of what the audience sees.

I have always felt nervous about talking in between songs. So, I rehearse a few things to say for each song - ahead of time...That way, even if I do spontaneously add stuff during the show, I can still fall back on a few planned things...

Emily

[This message has been edited by Emily Sanders (edited 10-11-2003).]

Ashleigh -

I forgot to say, "Good Luck" to you in submitting your tape...hope to see ya on the show !!



Emily

[This message has been edited by Emily Sanders (edited 10-11-2003).]

By watching videos of past performances I've noticed that the mic has been blocking my face; I close my eyes too much; I make a lot of faces!

Our new guitarist's friends, upon seeing us, said that our stage presence as a band was low, so we've made a big effort to make eye contact and interact with one another onstage.



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Marian Mastrorilli
mastrose@aol.com
http://www.projectmercury.net

Hey everyone,

Thanks for posting on this one. It really is funny to see how our bodies process stress.

Emily--Thanks for the good wishes. I can use all the luck I can get. I don't expect to make the cut, but it would be exciting. I just hope I don't end up on a "We apologize to LeeAnn Womack" montage.



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Keep posting,
Ashleigh
www.mp3.com/Ashleigh_Wehmeyer

Good luck on the Today Show competition!

When my first band was playing and we'd occasionally video shows, I noticed that while my playing was okay, I was standing stock still and mostly watching the singer to be sure I didn't miss a cue -- sort of boring for a lead player. I simply looked terrified. I really focused on just relaxing and enjoying the show and began to move a lot more. Now I can't be still even when I'm sitting to play!

The other biggie (there are always improvements to be made) was that while I project fine when I sing, my banter between songs was nearly mumbled. I still have to make a conscious effort to speak clearly to the crowd, particularly now that I play almost exclusively as a solo.

Matthew Fox

My sister says I do some sort of head movement thing alot when i sing. I've watched videos and I still dont get what she's talking about though.. lol. She's says it's really annoying but I dont see it. But i do try not to move my head a lot now that she's said that.

I do quite a few videos for bands and occassionaly for solos.
I always do the first one free, with them supplying enough tapes to cover what they want. Usually one per member.
They want mopre than that they get charged for the time it takes to do the exess over band members.
I do that so the new bands can afford to do it and have something to look at right from the start.
Is quite interesting to sit and digest how differant people handle newboiw nerves with body movements etc.
And even more interesating to see how they apply what they see in future gigs.We don't go into fine photo work. Most times set the camera up on an overhead stand and let it run so the performers more or less forget the camera is there some of the time anyway, so are nott doing the p[ose bit, or become camera shy.
Know the caper has cured a couple of those head movement things mentioned earlier.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

I found out that I sweat. It looks like I'm out in a medium rain. My shirts get sweat patches that look like I'm the winning coach after the Superbowl. It runs in my eyes and burns and then I squint. And, it looks so elegant when I wipe my forehead on my sleeve, pushing what's left of my wet hair up to a peak in the middle of my head while smiling a goofy smile and saying, for the fifth time in a row, "thank you, you're too kind."

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Mike Dunbar Music

I'm a sweater too, Mike. I liked to dance. It was hard for me to stand still. By learning not to jump around so much, I sweated less and I missed fewer notes. My other biggest problem was turning my back on the audience. If I looked up and someone was smiling at me, Blang! I lost concentration. I began to stand to the right of the drummer where I could watch the drummer without my back being to the audience. I also was a mike eater. As I began to (be forced to) sing, I was so timid I was afraid to sing out. I'm still working on that one. Especially making eye contact.
I've also had complaints from drummers that I turn my bass down. Now I turn it up and go loud or soft using my hands instead of the volume knob.

The only thing that has given me more confidence is the feedback from more experienced musicians that tell me I'm good. I've found the only way to be a better performer is to perform. I learn something new everytime I get up there. It's like playing sports in that sometimes you have to forget about the people looking at you and just play with the guys. I think too much, I get tight, my hands cramp up and Blang! Never take the stage without warming up and stretching those muscles! I've learned the audience wants you to do well and sound good. Nobody is out there waiting for me to play the wrong note except me.

I'm an eye-closer. Also, my body doesn't seem to move at the same tempo as the music. My brother pointed this out to me years ago but I didn't believe him until I saw my first performance on TV. There I was, playing and singing in perfect tempo with my legs moving like they were dancing to a totally different song.

BB

I have not had a great deal of experience playing out but I am getting more and more comfortable playing for the JPF crowd.

But every now and again my leg gets a life of its own and starts shaking...Solved it by standing while I play

My biggest thing is what I should have learned from years of plays, choir performances etc.

I have to remember to SMILE!!!!!

I don't have the problem when I'm singing karaoke (i.e. not having to play guitar)... but when I'm singing AND playing.. I'm concentrating on making sure I don't screw up... I probably should just enjoy myself a little. more.

As a songwriter, I used to hide away and just write songs. No performing at all, though I love to sing. But on the few occasions that I tried to perform, my mind would go completely blank. Poof. Words gone. Changes gone. Melody gone. Total humiliation. So... I started working on the stagefright thing. I am one of the coordinators in our local NSAI workshop, and about 8 years ago I made a decision to perform my songs live in the workshop whenever we do a song critique night (or as often as possible). I started signing up for songwriter showcase opportunities. I have made real progress on the terror ... now it's just the audience <rofl>. Recently, I hosted (and took part in) a public concert event with some top-drawer musicians who are also friends of mine. It went great...after a near shipwreck on the first song, I got into the moment and just performed. We had great audience feedback during and after. Lots of work to be done ... I still need my cheat sheets, for example, abut it just goes to show. We can improve many things with hard work and persistence.

Regards
Bruce Madole

I have to remember to close my eyes less, make more eye contact, remember my material, not mumble between songs, not click my tongue against the top of my mouth when thinking of what to say next...

...and learn to play my guitar better.

On the plus side, I'm having more fun onstage than I used to...

(and the beat goes on...)

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www.dianatyler.com

Hey, Everybody!

If the music is really good, but if the performers' physical movements bother me, I just close my eyes. LOL. I prefer to close my eyes anyway, when I am hearing a song I really like, whether it's performed live or on a CD.

Except for funny songs. I like to look at the performer when they sing a funny song because I like to see them smile and wink and so forth.

My mother loved to hear Jim Nabors sing, but she had to close her eyes when he sang on TV. His features and mannerisms just didn't fit the vocals.

I have no idea how I look when I perform. What a scary thought. That would make a good workshop for a chapter. Set up a digital video and record everyone. Then look at the videos together. What a riot.

JeanB

[This message has been edited by AKA JeanB (edited 10-17-2003).]

Mike and Cozmo,
Yep, a champion perspirer here as well.
I expend an awful lot of energy; totally wrung-out after a four-hour gig...ufff!
Okay then... wear the bandanna dammit! It's not an "affectation" to keep that stinging sweat out of your eyes. (I can wring that thing out afterwards, and it looks as if I've just soaked it under the faucet! Ick! LOL)
Carry an extry shirt with you too; nice to change into a fresh, dry one halfway through when you've had enough of being "out in the rain". A hand-towel for mopping your mug is nice too, and keeps some drippage off them strings.
If this topic is too gross for you.... YOU AIN'T WORKIN' HARD ENOUGH! (I'm down a pound or two by the time I'm cooked for the night. Stick a fork in me... etc.)

I guess I "look" awright when performing; some comment that I appear to be "into it". Well, hell, if you aren't; why do it, eh??

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Ozone
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/1/ozonepetemusic.htm

Last Sunday was the first time ever I didn't end up standing in a puddle.
Now I am worried.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

I don't think there's any substitute for Just Doing It. The more I perform, the better I can feel myself getting. I think eye contact is important, but I also am one of those who has a tendency to close the eyes when singing. If I find myself doing it in a performance, I will apologize (when the opportunity happens) and tell 'em I had the words written on the inside of my eyelids and had to keep checking 'em because I wasn't that familiar with the song yet...

I probably spend more time on the script for The Rap than I do on the song, but I do want to know exactly what I'm going to say when I get up on stage. Crowds do intimidate me, and I refuse to let 'em get me tongue-tied. I have found that if I'm comfortable with the audience, they'll be comfortable with me, so I work hard at it. I watch other performers and try to spot what bothers me about their body language (&c.) so I can avoid doing it myself, and spot what I like (and why) so I can imitate it.

Joe

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