Life on the stage

[Ein]

Guitarists have bad habits, we either overact, or don't act enough on stage, don't you think? Then there's *standers and lookers* The guys who stand, and look at their guitar and play. I have that habit, but I try to move around and you know, headbang here and there do a little spinny of the old hair mop, excite the crowd, but, you know I wish I were the singer, I just have the energy to jump around and scream, yell, piss moan, etc, and make the crowd feel it, but nooooo, I don't know how to sing ( there's a proper way I'm told )

What are your guys' bad habits that limit your life on stage, or just in general for playing?

[Koala]

I wouldnt really call it a bad habit but i am a "stander and looker" as well, i mean i do move quite a bit on my spot but im not much of a showman hehe. Having to stick close to my mic for singing doesnt help either. Still im pretty happy like this and dont really care to change much. Ive seen Flea from the RHCP mess up big time, many times in a row all because hes more worried about rolling about and shaking his head on stage.

[Guitarperson88]

Well being the fact i'm in a Metal band there is a lot of headbangin going on. I do take a break when i do a solo though, i find it hard to move around when i play a solo.

[JeffN]

I remember watching the Vai DVD and thinking that Steve jumped around a bit too much on stage.

The other day, I picked up the live King Crimson DVD, and after watching Fripp sit on a stool in the corner of the stage the whole concert, I've grown to appreciate Vai's showmanship a lot more :D

[sugarbee]

Ein,

Baah! proper way to sing? Forget it. Many ways yes, technical expertise, sure. But lots of singers out thre just do their thing. Everyone is a critic, but I say, sing if you want to, you may find you improve over time just by practice alone. If you really want to get into it, you could always take lessons, just make sure you have an open minded teacher who can help you do what is good for you, not someone who will mould you into their vision of what a singer should be. And I agree with koala, its hard to get too into it as a singer unless you can hold the mic, (I almost always play and sing at the same time) So I just work on my facial expression a bit if I can't do a lot of moving around, try to convey emotion, but without being too cheesy. There is a limit! I was once told I had really good stage presence, so that's the way I always try to think of it, as a presence rather than, say, a collection of actions. Just play like you own the song and the stage. I think that will do it.

[phantom]

I remember watching the Vai DVD and thinking that Steve jumped around a bit too much on stage.

right! my opinion as well.

if i want to see my guitar god i go to a vai concert - if i want to see acrobatic entertainment i go to the circus. not both together!
and then that fancy costume stuff... steve, steve, who do you think you are.. inspector gadget?

the priority has to be the focus on the music and not promoting oneself. if the music makes you move, thats great - if you have to move to strengthen the music or wear "funny" hats to make it more interessting - thats lame.

[CaptainCarma]

if i want to see my guitar god i go to a vai concert - if i want to see acrobatic entertainment i go to the circus. not both together!



what do you expect? he was the guitarplayer for david lee roth!

[phantom]

:D so you think that left unrepairable damage? :eek:

i've seen DLR life and he did not act as silly as Vai.

sorry .. maybe i just have a hat- and costume-phobia.. :(

[CaptainCarma]

to answer your question:

I´m one of those guys, playing with closed eyes most of the time.
But, those Hendrix things like playing behind your head or steppin´with the feet on your git. are still cool gimmicks.
and most of the people still love to see it. just be sure that it comes natural and doesn´t look if you were doing this just for the sake of 80ies posing...

oh and don´t forget to smile!!!

[CaptainCarma]

:D so you think that left unrepairable damage? :eek:

i've seen DLR life and he did not act as silly as Vai.

sorry .. maybe i just have a hat- and costume-phobia.. :(


hmm, I think I should watch this dvd. the last time I saw him, he behaved entertaining, not silly.
but this was years before his hat- and costume-ara, so you´ll be right.
( as usual ) :mad:

[Lowthorpe]

right! my opinion as well.

if i want to see my guitar god i go to a vai concert - if i want to see acrobatic entertainment i go to the circus. not both together!
and then that fancy costume stuff... steve, steve, who do you think you are.. inspector gadget?


Now now, lets not be silly...if we want to listen and see a guitar god..we go to a vai concert...if we want to see acrobatic entertainment, then we go to a vai concert, because we get all the fun of circus acrobatics (And clothes :P) coupled with great guitaring. Hell, if we want to sleep, we go to a Vai concert. If we want to buy a new sofa, we go to a Vai concert. If we want eat, we......... :D

Personally, I like the showmanship stuff thats done, even more so when they go over the top. Only as long as they don't mess up or anything, you wouldn't sacrificice the music to do a backflip with your guitar or anything :eek:
It just makes it all the more fun to watch.