Become a better performer

[piesore]

So I see lots of good musicians who are bad performers, I'm not excluded from that group, but I'm aware of what I need to improve, it's just an issue of how.

I know a big part of it is simply going out and playing, but I see tons of groups who tour lots and have a decent local following, but simply aren't confident or entertaining performers.

I'd floundered with learning the guitar until I read a few theory and method books and that's really helped structure what I learn and now I have gained confidence in my abilities, as well as knowing that I have a path to constantly grow and improve.

I was wondering if there were similar books or tips for learning about becoming a good performer. There's so many who either fall into the camp of staring at their feet and mumbling into the mike, or trying to be entertaining but having it come off real forced and awkward, with forced rockstar moves, or unnatural banter and unwelcomed audience participation. And yet there are those who have all those elements to their show, but manage to pull it off in a really charming and charismatic way.

So, any tips to make shows more interesting and enjoyable for an audience?

[JoNnHannah]

You play like you practice. The first step is doing all kinds of stupid and crazy **** while practicing. Then it will gradually work its way into your live performance and not come off as awkward or forced.

[Mattalac]

Hmm, im not sure how i come off personally. Some people like my performing and never forget it (i mean shcool performing, so people are easily entertained)

The key is entertainment. You arent just performing, you're entertaining. What would you like to see, watch live videos of your favourite artists.
The main thing to remember though, above all is, 99.9% of the audience isnt going to judge you. You can do stupid stuff. Enjoying yourself is the ey. If you feel uncomfortable, so will the audience. So get used to playing and youll loosen up. Sometimes I used start off playing in one spot staring at my guitar. Then I forced myself to say '**** it - have fun'. Notice how you have more fun when the artists has fun. it's all a part of crowd interaction.

[1337void]

go crazy and do whatever you feel like, dont hold yourself back and enjoy yourself. if the crowd sees that yoiur enjoying yourself they will like it too. and be emotional and show feelings and communicate with the crowd they love tit

[ZP-Guitarist]

Well, I don't play much other than hard rock and metal, so I don't know about "traditional" stage antics for, say, jazz.

But what I do is, like JohnHannah said, all sorts of crazy stuff. Make it fun for the audience - bring them into it. Go right up to them, shove your guitar in their face, make them eat the damn thing. Pull off stuff like...well, my most well-known one was actually while I was playing bass, not guitar. But yeah...on my back, head hanging off the edge of the stage, feet straight up in the air. THE ULTIMATE BASS SOLO POSITION.

Heh. Jump into the crowd. Or, if you're playing something like my Razorback, don't. You'll hurt someone.

But for all music styles, in my opinion, it's important to move around a lot and make the performance fun for the audience. Because in the end, they're more important than you are. It's the audience that makes the band really shine, not the other way around - a band playing in a hall with three people in the audience is very, very lame.

Want good stage presence, check out this video. It's of Yngwie Malmsteen, and he's great. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj3ec2cCaJw

Make it fun for them just to watch you. :D

[master_ofmetal]

The main thing is to not just sorta stand around and play guitar. For example put a table on stage and when its time for your solo jump on top of it or if you have a security gaurd jump on the security railing during a song and ask the secruity gaurd to hang on to you.

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I guess im just gonna have to quote myself.