[GuitarGuy]

Doing a gig in February, got 4 songs, the first couple I'm doing a duet with an amazing vocalist, and then I've got a 2 song solo slot. Gonna be me and my acoustic guitar, I'm just thinking now about performance techniques, as far as the music itself goes, I've got as good as I'm gonna get it, I just wanna add the performing aspect to it now. Any tips?

[Toasty]

A tough one, but try and let your personality through and enjoy yourself. An audience is more at ease when the performers are.

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by Toasty

A tough one, but try and let your personality through and enjoy yourself. An audience is more at ease when the performers are.

I'm not nervous, I enjoy it too much (head grows slightly) its just more what sort of things can I do to make the performance stand out..... The two guys organising the concert said I've got it borderline spine tingling right now and to just work on performing the song rather than just playing it of that makes sense.

[Iccz]

What kind of venue? What kind of event or night is it?
Are there other acts? If so what kind of acts? Are you supporting?

Sometimes it can be easier to know what to do if you know what kind of crowd it will be.

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by Iccz

What kind of venue? What kind of event or night is it?
Are there other acts? If so what kind of acts? Are you supporting?

Sometimes it can be easier to know what to do if you know what kind of crowd it will be.

It's a rock concert mainly, lots of bands, I'm a fairly early support slot, (3 or 4 I think) the venue is a large hall, around 200 people, got a big stage and a full sound system.

[Donnacha]

Personally I suggest to be yourself....I think you should do whatever comes naturally. Don't force it as it won't be you. If its your own songs / material then that is representative of who you are, and your performance should follow suit.

If you are just performing with your guitar then there's not much you can do, in my opinion, apart from engage with the audience, welcome them into your circle, make eye contact, compliment the song etc. I don't think jumping all over the place is appropriate, unless the music lends itself to it?

Do what feels natural and it'll take care of itself - good luck !!

[Iccz]

As above engaging the audience is key, when you come out introduce yourself and your other vocalist, say who you are tell them you're gonna play a few songs for them and for them to enjoy. If you have any CDs or merch (probably unlikely?) then tell them you will be selling it after your set. If you have a page with your music plug that
Seems the crowd is fitting at least so should have some interest.
Are you playing your own stuff or doing covers, or a mix?

But most importantly as above, just be yourself.

[GuitarGuy]

Cheers for the advice guys, I don't have any merchandise/cd's unfortunately :L were doing four covers, volcano by Damien rice (I really learned to empathise with the music for this one and let the feeling fill me up, sounds great with the riff on the violin too, the other vocalist plays violin) and with her were doing A team by ed sheeran (that's more like her thing, she's just singing for that and I'm just kind of doing harmony). Then for my songs, I'm doing kids by mgmt, and since my girlfriend has agreed to come I'm playing she moves in her own way by the kooks as a surprise to her looking forward to it immensely.

[suniil]

I hope you are covering the basics like slow-fast-slow-fast songs. Also would be nice to add something different to at least 2 tracks. One could be acoustic and second one you change an bit with vocal riffs or sort of.

Audience / area need to split into different zones while engaging, also stage can be split into sections and plan ahead where you move etc.

Disclaimer: I've zero knowledge in music but father of a musical child

[GuitarGuy]

volcano - slow, a team fast, kids slow (my cover makes it slow), then she moves in her own way is slow

as for moving around i think im tied down to the mic

[Toasty]

Ah, you have an in there, audiences like a dedication and embarrasing other audience members. Make a bit of a play on the Kooks song, unless you think it will earn you a big slap

We always dedicate "All the small things" to various bloke we know in the audience

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by Toasty

Ah, you have an in there, audiences like a dedication and embarrasing other audience members. Make a bit of a play on the Kooks song, unless you think it will earn you a big slap

We always dedicate "All the small things" to various bloke we know in the audience

Haha that'll be great, I've already spoken to a couple of my mates to initiate a big "awww" :L and that's brilliant haha.

[tonyrees687]

Hope your gonna post a vid of your performance on here to say thanks to all the positive comments. We would love to see it. Good luck

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by tonyrees687

Hope your gonna post a vid of your performance on here to say thanks to all the positive comments. We would love to see it. Good luck

Sure thing! The concert is on the 9th of feb I think, but yeah I do appreciate all the comments guys so thanks for that!

[quarry2006]

You've got the music as good as you're going to get it, you say? Friend, you never get it as good as you're going to get it! I'm sure even a virtuoso musician would tell you that.

Regarding stage presence, well you've either got it or you haven't I'm afraid. And it's something you'll never be able to tell yourself; others will tell you, though, so just rely on them and believe what they say.

Overconfidence is ugly, though, and an audience will spot it a mile off. The effect is that the crowd actually end up willing you to fail - that's the price of being cocky.

Is this your first gig? The best advice comes from Tony Bennett, who was very nervous approaching his first show. He went to see Frank Sinatra who assured him that if an audience can see the performer is nervous, they warm to him/her all the more. If you're nervous, it means it matters to you.

Never stop being nervous

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by quarry2006

You've got the music as good as you're going to get it, you say? Friend, you never get it as good as you're going to get it! I'm sure even a virtuoso musician would tell you that.

Regarding stage presence, well you've either got it or you haven't I'm afraid. And it's something you'll never be able to tell yourself; others will tell you, though, so just rely on them and believe what they say.

Overconfidence is ugly, though, and an audience will spot it a mile off. The effect is that the crowd actually end up willing you to fail - that's the price of being cocky.

Is this your first gig? The best advice comes from Tony Bennett, who was very nervous approaching his first show. He went to see Frank Sinatra who assured him that if an audience can see the performer is nervous, they warm to him/her all the more. If you're nervous, it means it matters to you.

Never stop being nervous

The gig is fast approaching, if I've ever said I'm not nervous about any gig I'd have been lying. It's by no means the first gig, this particular one is a yearly event and this is my 4th time doing it, I've moved my way up in the set list each year and this year I'm headline of the acoustic segment. So it's pretty important to me to get it spot on! It the last year I'll be doing it to as this time next year I won't be living here (off to uni dependant on grades). And by "as good as I'm going to get it" I meant as far as my current ability in guitar and vocals will allow..... thanks for the advice, full run through tomorrow then concert on Thursday. Got family comming as well with a video camera too so I'll upload it onto YouTube or something next weekend, if I don't, assume its gone badly :P

[quarry2006]

I have every confidence that we'll see the YouTube vid

Best wishes for Thursday, fella.

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by quarry2006

I have every confidence that we'll see the YouTube vid

Best wishes for Thursday, fella.

Cheers bud!

[GuitarGuy]

A friend took a video of the practice day we did on the stage for one of the songs, it's uploading to YouTube right now!

[GuitarGuy]

A Team - Ed Sheeran (Acoustic Cover) - YouTube

[duncfunk]

Good stuff

Talking about stage presence, you look like you're well into the performance but the girl looks like a statue with her arms glued to her sides Hope she loosens up and shows a bit of emotion on the night.

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by duncfunk

Good stuff

Talking about stage presence, you look like you're well into the performance but the girl looks like a statue with her arms glued to her sides Hope she loosens up and shows a bit of emotion on the night.

She's not quite as relaxed about it. And thanks.

[tonyrees687]

I think you need to get a bar stool or sit low while playing I think it will make you look a lot better and more professional. While your standing up in your video It does look like your the support for the vocalist but in truth your the music. While sitting, playing the guitar you can focus your stage presence, on the music and facial emotions with playing a little style to the audience ,without having to try and do something with your body movements ,which do look a little awkward when you are standing playing in the video. I would sit down to the left hand side about 2 foot back and pretend your in centralpark and play like you play in the bedroom.
Liking the video. Looks like a big stage.
Best of luck mate. Break a string. lol

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by tonyrees687

I think you need to get a bar stool or sit low while playing I think it will make you look a lot better and more professional. While your standing up in your video It does look like your the support for the vocalist but in truth your the music. While sitting, playing the guitar you can focus your stage presence, on the music and facial emotions with playing a little style to the audience ,without having to try and do something with your body movements ,which do look a little awkward when you are standing playing in the video. I would sit down to the left hand side about 2 foot back and pretend your in centralpark and play like you play in the bedroom.
Liking the video. Looks like a big stage.
Best of luck mate. Break a string. lol

I thought that but the event organisers were saying that it would result in looking a bit small on stage..... They said if I were sitting down it wouldn't look right but I'll put it to them again on Thursday. They're messing me around a bit now, they've decided today (via text) that I would be playing just one song on my own then two with my friend, which means I won't get to play the song for my girl. It's not so bad though, I told her what happened and she said there's a place we can go when I come off where I can play that to her while the rest of the concert goes on for a while . Just gonna stay positive about it.

[Toasty]

Just to play devils advocate, I'm in the stand up and play camp, it also helps with your vocals too. One suggestion from watching the video, would your singer be comfortable using a triangle, percussive egg or some such to add some rhythm? Your song choice is good and having some click or jangle in time would add some ambience and feel and force a bit of movement too. This however does require a bit of practise, so scratch the idea if it complicates things..

[GuitarGuy]

Originally Posted by Toasty

Just to play devils advocate, I'm in the stand up and play camp, it also helps with your vocals too. One suggestion from watching the video, would your singer be comfortable using a triangle, percussive egg or some such to add some rhythm? Your song choice is good and having some click or jangle in time would add some ambience and feel and force a bit of movement too. This however does require a bit of practise, so scratch the idea if it complicates things..

I'll have a think. And may be. Dunno about playing camp. :L

[Toasty]

Originally Posted by esaglik

I'll have a think. And may be. Dunno about playing camp. :L

hehe good call

[tonyrees687]

Hey its gonna go down well whatever what you do. To be honest your putting more pressure on yourself by asking us lot what we think .Looks like you got the stuff. Come back and tell us what a great gig it was. . And it goes to 11

[GuitarGuy]

cheers guys looking forward to it really, just thought I'd see what the guys who know more about it than me think

[GuitarGuy]

it went incredibly well! I enjoyed every second of it! the audience responded really well! shame about the whole cutting my finger badly and bleeding all over the stage, and breaking a string, but my girlfriend who was sat on the balcony said from there you couldent even tell that I'd broken a string. Is there a site easier than youtube to upload videos to? Im gonna split it up to three videos before uploading to youtube but wanna keep the origional together to show you guys the talking between songs?