by harlowmedia | Oct 4, 2020 | Pro Tips
By Sam Wilder
Engaging with your audience while you are performing live will allow you to connect with them on a deeper level. It’s like giving them an open invitation to your world while performing on stage. The more engaged your audience is with your performance, the more energy there is from the crowd. You and your band can work off this energy to give an even more incredible performance. It can also make the environment less stressful, allowing you and your band to enjoy the overall performance while you’re on stage.
How to Engage with your Audience? Glad you asked! When performing live on stage, it’s easy to get lost in your music. When this happens, you might forget about the audience entirely. Here’s what you can do so that doesn’t happen:
1. Make Eye Contact with your Audience
Now I’m not saying that you have to make eye contact with every individual person in the crowd, which is practically impossible depending how big of an audience you have watching. What I’m trying to say is don’t forget to look away from your instrument and look at the crowd once in a while. To the people in the crowd, that would be enough engagement to reconnect them with your performance because you are acknowledging the fact that they are there. From their point of view, it may also look like you’re looking straight at them. Create the illusion that you can see every single person in the crowd even if you can’t.
2. Communicate with your Audience
Before you perform, introduce yourselves right in the beginning and start engaging with the crowd. When transitioning to your next songs, don’t just go straight in and start playing, conversate with the audience. I’ll talk about this more in the next section, but don’t forget to use those small breaks in between songs to engage with your audience and reconnect with them.
Find ways to allow your audience to perform with you. Maybe invite them to sing along if you are performing a song that everyone in the crowd knows. Even as simple as having your audience clapping along to the beat will make them feel like they are a part of the magic that is happening on stage. And the last thing you should never forget is to thank your audience for coming to your show at the end of your performance. They could’ve spent their time anywhere else, but they chose to watch you perform so the least you can do is thank them for their support. Now, this leads us to our next tip, the Art of Stage Banter.
Stage Banter is when you talk to your audience whether it be at the beginning of your performance, in between songs during transitions, or even at the closing of your performance. Having good stage banter when performing live can really set you apart from different performers. It helps establish a relationship with your audience while also building a level of trust with them. You will also show your audience that you care about them.
When you stage banter, here are some things you should keep in mind:
1. Have a Solid Introduction
Make sure you introduce yourself and your band right from the beginning so everyone in the crowd knows who you are.
Let them know where you’re from and give them some background information about you and your band. Try to talk about something that is relatable to everyone in the crowd. Maybe something about the city that you’re all in or something about the venue that you’re performing at.
Being able to relate to the crowd, in the beginning, can set your performance on the right track.
2. Be Confident
This will all come with experience, but try your best to sound confident. Whenever you stage banter, don’t be hesitant. The more hesitant you sound, the less natural you sound and you may find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation, for both your band and the audience. If appropriate, think about using big body movements to get the crowd’s attention.
Don’t forget to make eye contact with the crowd and have good posture while you speak. Remember that what you say while you’re on stage is just as important as the music you perform. Choose your words carefully and be confident when you talk.
And don’t forget to be yourself. Don’t try to be anyone else and learn how to be confident in the person you are. This will overall help you look more confident during your stage bantering while making you sound natural and unforced.
3. Keep it Nice and Short
Talking and engaging with the crowd can be very effective at making your performance more entertaining for everyone. However, it can be a problem if you let it go on for too long. Instead of telling the entire backstory of your band or songs in between transitions, just bring up important key details.
For your Band:
Where your band is from
How long you’ve been together
A “short” funny story
Other “short” stories that are relatable
For your Songs (Transitioning in between songs)
A “short” description of what your song is about
Who or what the song is dedicated to
The reason why you wrote the song
If covering a song, talk about the reasons why you like the song
Try to not to let it drag on for too long. If you can get your message across in fewer words, then go for it. people want to know about your entire backstory, you can save it for after the performance when you mingle.
by harlowmedia | Sep 10, 2020 | Pro Tips
By Sam Wilder
Practicing and rehearsing are not at all the same thing. When a rehearsal doesn’t go well or when it seems to drag on with very little being accomplished, it’s usually because someone went to the rehearsal expecting to practice…
So what’s the difference? Practice is what you do at home on your own time, by yourself. Practicing is not only studying things like theory, scales, fingerings, technique, etc., but also learning the material for a gig. Practicing songs involves a lot of starting and stopping and a ton of repetition; it’s a very individual, solitary task and when done correctly it’s typically not very entertaining to hear someone practice.
Rehearsal on the other hand is not individual, it’s a group exercise. It’s important to emphasize that rehearsals are not social gatherings, they’re work first, play later. Noodling around on your instrument or having side conversations between songs has no place in a rehearsal. A rehearsal is for focusing on things that will benefit the group as a whole.
You don’t go to a rehearsal to sight-read charts or to use other people’s time to learn your parts. You go to a rehearsal with your parts learned, ready to play as if it was the day of the show. At a rehearsal, the band runs through all the songs one after another, ideally never having to stop mid-way through a song because everyone has already caught anything strange or especially difficult while working on the material at home. There is nothing more frustrating and infuriating than having to stop every ten seconds to allow someone to learn their parts.
Apart from individual practice and group rehearsals, a band may also choose or need to have occasional sectionals in addition to full-band rehearsals. Going prepared to a sectional is just as important. Like rehearsals, sectionals are not for learning individual parts, they’re for hearing parts together and working on details that benefit the whole section. Running a percussion sectional during a full-band rehearsal is disrespectful to rhythm section players’ time and working out rhythm-section-specific aspects of a show during a full-band rehearsal is a very poor use of percussionists time.
Besides working through the set list and putting all the parts together, full-band rehearsals are also for working on transitions, minimizing downtime, polishing intros and endings as a group and collaborating on all the creative details and improvements that the band wants to make. When someone shows up to a rehearsal unprepared not only do they waste everyone’s time while the rest of the band waits for them to learn what they should have practiced at home, but they completely sabotage the creative potential of the rehearsal. The most productive rehearsals happen when someone is clearly in charge and the rest of the band can rely on that person to make good decisions. A strong leader is therefore vital to having a productive rehearsal.
A good bandleader keeps everyone positive and engaged while running things as efficiently as possible and without coming across as a militant jerk. It can be challenging to set an orderly pace when band members show up to a rehearsal as if it was a social gathering and forget that they’re there to work. It can be uncomfortable to have to call people out when they’re making mistakes or habitually showing up under-prepared. Consequently, the experience and preparation of the leader can make or break a rehearsal, and a rehearsal can make or break a show.
As I mentioned, when a rehearsal doesn’t go well or when musicians leave feeling less than stellar about it, it’s often because someone went to the rehearsal intending to practice. That can be an indication that everyone wasn’t on the same page concerning expectations. Sometimes people just need a gentle reminder, even if it feels like you’re only stating the obvious. Either way, be constructive, not critical.
To sum it all up practice is what you do on your own time including learning the material for a gig and it involves a lot of repetition. Once you’ve learned the material well enough to play it with confidence as if it was the day of the show, then and only then are you ready for a sectional. At the sectional, you work as a small group to make the section as tight and great as it can be. When all the various sectionals are complete, you then proceed with a full-band rehearsal to run through all the songs and focus on things that benefit the group as a whole.
by harlowmedia | Aug 18, 2020 | Pro Tips
By Sam Wilder
I was asked, “How do I get my musical passion back? I know what I want but it’s always being put on hold because of reality.” This is a really hard question to answer because it’s a struggle that musicians face everyday. I’m going to try to answer that question so here it goes…
So, where did your drive go?
Lost drive or passion can be caused by many things and it can affect both full-time and part-time musicians. Since I think both of these musician types have different reasons for feeling “burnt out”, I’ll tackle each separately.
Part-Time Musicians: The majority of musicians in the world have “day jobs”. There’s a few reasons for this. The music industry is very competitive, many musicians prefer the financial security of a day job, many musicians support families or have other financial obligations, etc. The reason many part-time musicians feel “burnt out” is because they deal with other things that take priority over music in their lives. They feel frustrated by their busy schedules and wish they had more time to devote to music. Also, some part-time musicians find it difficult to “turn-off” the stresses of their daily lives. This can be extremely frustrating since they may not have time to devote to music on a daily basis. The funny thing is, there are also many part-time musicians who are more “fulfilled” and “passionate” than full-time musicians. This is because they treat every gig or practice session like a sacred event. Since they are not affected by the pressures of paying the bills from music and daily gigging, they are truly grateful for the chance to practice and perform. They feel lucky to be able to support themselves and make music, so they are grateful for both their day-job and their music career. This is the perspective you need have in order avoid bringing your day-job frustration and resentment into your musical life. This can be hard to do especially when dealing with work pressures, sick or ailing family, etc. Basically you have to figure out how to mentally separate your daily stresses and your music career.
Full-Time Musicians: If you think that full-time musicians don’t get as “burnt out”, you’re wrong. It might seem like “the grass is greener” from a part timer’s perspective but full-time musicians have their own set of problems they deal with in order to keep their drive and passion alive. The biggest stresses that can affect full-time musicians are lack of money/job security and having to play mundane gigs in order to pay bills. Let’s talk about money first. Being a full-time freelancer is difficult work and it’s mentally challenging to deal with the stress of not having job security. If you stop hustling, you will lose work. If you get sick or injured, you will lose work. This is a lot of pressure and it can stifle your drive and passion. Also, this correlates with the other issue I mentioned, playing uninspiring gigs. In order to create some financial security, many musicians will play gigs that they don’t really like (but they pay the bills). If the majority of your schedule is filled with this type of work, you are in danger of burning out. These are very difficult problems to deal with, but perspective is still the key to keeping your drive and passion alive. Full-time musicians with tons of drive and passion don’t allow themselves to get creatively stagnant. They find the time to continually develop new skills in their music and they evolve. Just because you may have some regular uninspiring paying gigs, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do “creatively pleasing” work on the side. The bottom line is that you must find a way to stay fresh.
So, how do I get my drive and passion back?
OK, so here’s the part where you have to do all the work lol! Once again, finding creative energy and drive is really all about perspective. It’s in your head. Again, I’m going to break this up between part-time and full-time musicians because I feel that each group has slightly different problems (even though we’re all completely nuts).
Part-Time Musicians: First things first, don’t be jealous of full-time musicians because you must remember, “the grass always seems greener”. Be happy with what you have and try not to get frustrated with your daily non-musical life. Also, don’t blame anyone or anything for the state of your music career. This includes blaming your kids or wife for hampering your dreams or your boss for stressing you out. Once you learn to take all of the responsibility for the state of your music and lose the excuses, you’ll have a better chance at getting your drive back. Did you ever take notice of what you feel like when something good happens in your life? You feel positive, driven and motivated to take on the world. This is because you’re happy and you’re feeling empowered. But when you’re stressed and upset its the opposite. Your Mood = Your Drive. Adapt your mindset. There are many ways to do this but you have to find your form of healthy coping and stick to it to get your mojo back. If that doesn’t work, don’t feel weird about talking to someone. No man is an island.
Full-Time Musicians: The most important piece of advice I can give full-time musicians is to always remember why you got into music to begin with. If you forget about the passion that got you started as a musician, you’re finished. So why are some full-time musicians so burnt out? Well, like I said before, the pressure to pay your bills will often lead to “mundane” paying gigs. Another cause is jealousy and resentment towards “more successful” musicians. Musicians that have been doing it for a long time sometimes feel that they have paid their dues and deserve success more than others. They can also start to get bitter due to losing out on gigs. All of these things can easily destroy your drive and passion, making your music career a very boring routine. Again, the way around this is to be mentally strong and to change your perspective. Instead of being threatened by successful musicians, use their talent and passion to help spark yours. Also, embrace the changes in the industry and find a new niche for yourself. In the case that you’re playing too many gigs you dislike, make sure you also find time to play gigs that make you happy (regardless of the pay). Or start doing something that will help you in the future like learning how to mix or produce your own tracks. Learning a new musical skill or bettering yourself will give your uninspiring gigs a purpose. Think of it like mowing lawns in order to pay for college. You need to make money, but you shouldn’t be stagnant in your job. You should always think of these gigs as a way to help support yourself while you’re pursuing something better. It’s also important to note that you have to find a way to have fun and enjoy your “mundane” gigs. If you’re going through the motions, people will smell it a mile away and nobody wants to play with an uninspired musician. Change your perspective and enjoy what you already have. If you’re currently making your living playing music life isn’t so bad right? Now, be grateful, happy and driven.
All Musicians: The most important thing that both full-time and part-time musicians can do to avoid burnout is to continue evolving. This means practicing new things on your instrument, writing or learning new songs, learning music software, practicing your mixing skills, learning about licensing and the industry, etc. If you are actively taking time each day to further your craft your drive and passion will be fresh and intact. This is also where your discipline will come into play. You need to get into a routine of working on your craft every day, even if it’s only for a ½ hour. Depending on your daily grind this may mean waking up a little earlier or shifting around your schedule a little. You have to figure out how to make this sacrifice or you will get stale. Also, this needs to be dedicated music time; no phones, no TV, no web surfing, Facespace etc. The more uninterrupted music time you schedule daily, the more drive and passion you have.
by harlowmedia | Mar 31, 2020 | Pro Tips
From Ken Kirkland
COVID-19 is infecting our health and our wealth. That might not be too big of a deal to Wall Street and large corporations but for us normal working-class musicians and venue owners it definitely is.
Musicians who put all their work and money into touring and playing shows have had to cancel gigs and don’t get that money back. Small venues, new and old, which give these working bands a home have also had to close their doors. It’s starting to feel like the coronavirus is more likely to kill the music scene than the people in it.
It’s our duty as fans to help out as much as we can to save our beloved music scenes. Whether that’s here in the wiregrass or in the Florida panhandle, there’s still ways to keep the scene from going broke.
Streaming music on Spotify is an easy way to throw your favorite band/artist a few extra bucks. They don’t make very much but if you hit your mute button and play their album on repeat every night, that’s still a little something that can help them out.
Another obvious way to help is to buy their merch. Selling merch is where a lot of bands make most of their money, so buy their shirts, vinyl, pins, whatever. And if you can, leave them a little tip as well. You can also just straight-up Venmo or cashapp your favorite band/artist a donation to help keep them afloat. If they haven’t already provided a Venmo/cashapp account for fans to reach out and help, I’m sure no one would be opposed if you reached out via Twitter, Instagram/Facebook messenger, or email about it.
Many venues also have their own merch, as well as Venmo/cashapp accounts you can donate to. Also buying advance tickets could be vital to small venues currently taking a huge hit in profits due to this outbreak. Who knows, maybe that ticket you buy for that show in September is the one that helps them make their rent this month?
Because of self-quarantining, live shows had to adapt. It’s irresponsible right now for obvious reasons to attend a live show but that doesn’t mean you can’t see one. Musicians are throwing “virtual” events on their social media outlets like Instagram or Facebook live and providing a Venmo/cashapp account for you to donate instead of paying the door or dropping cash in the ole tip jar.
New ideas on how to keep our local scene alive during quarantine are still popping up. It’s awesome to see our music community come together whole heartedly during this crisis. If you have any ideas don’t be afraid to make it happen. And don’t forget, posting about and giving exposure to your fellow bands and artists is always helpful. Share their stuff.
That’s all I got. I will say this though, our wiregrass area community of musicians is strong. We’re a bunch of badass’s who will survive this. I 100% can not wait to see all you guys and gals again. I love y’all, stay safe and don’t forget to wash your freakin’ hands!
by harlowmedia | Mar 12, 2020 | Pro Tips
By Sam Wilder
So you always wanted to be a professional musician? See your name in magazines, your band logo on album covers or postered all over town, hear your songs on the radio, and don’t forget that rock star life you dream of. But without a doubt there are a ton of challenges on the path to becoming a professional musician. Here are some tips to help you reach your goal.
1. Practice, Practice, Practice
Let’s start with the obvious. If your dream is to be the next Van Halen or Satriani but your legato or tapping techniques leave a lot to be desired. Or you are an aspiring drummer who doesn’t know diddley about mastering their paradiddles. Don’t worry! Whether you’re a beginner or advanced you can always progress with regular practice or with the help of an experienced instructor.
2. A Little Patience
The ability to play complex melodies, difficult chords or super fat grooves right off the bat is pretty rare. So it pays off to have patience… especially with yourself. This includes the boring repetitive exercises of going up and down scales or playing that solo over and over for the millionth time to nail that perfect take. Keep in mind that all your idols went through the same process.
3. Perseverance
The previous tip leads us to another good one, perseverance. Set your goals and stick to them. Real pros do not throw in the towel in the face of adversity. While others become dissapointed when problems come up you will be already looking for solutions to move forward.
4. Handling Criticism
As a budding musician, you’ll need “thick skin” to deal with comments and criticism from fellow musicians as well as the general public. They will always have an opinion and different tastes than yours. But Pros know how to use criticism and make it constructive, whether from fans, critics or crappy comments on social media.
5. Guidance
Seeking guidance in a mentor is often critical for growth as a musician. A mentor should be someone who already reached the goals you have set and may often have the relevant advice and contacts you need. Not only will they be able to tell you what works or not, they’ll know all about a musician’s life on stage and in the studio saving you from numerous career disasters.
6. The Pursuit of More
As a professional there’s a lot to learn. Not only in terms of musical skills and theory, but also in the basics of business related issues. Although it’s best to have an expert repair your equipment or get a lawyer for legal issues, a little know-how in these matters as well as promotion know-how can be super helpful.
7. Handle With Care
As my momma always said “take care of your stuff”! A professional musician is aware of the importance of their investments, their equipment, their accessories and the maintenance of all of it. This ensures that their instruments are always ready for use and are reliable for years to come. For example learn how to change your strings, make minor neck adjustments and for the love of God buy a guitar stand. Nothing hurts more than watching your favorite axe crash to the ground because you leaned it against your amp.
8. Be Prepared!
If you’re well prepared for rehearsals, shows and recording sessions you’re already thinking and acting like a pro. And even if you can’t predict everything in advance, it’s a good start. Is there a new set of guitar strings ready in the rehearsal room? Do you carry spare batteries for your wireless system? If so, you’re on the right track.
9. Punctuality
Punctuality is a true professional trait. Arriving ahead of time at the rehearsal room is an indication that you take your professional goals seriously. This is a quality often overlooked by amateurs and it’s certainly not advisable to start in this business with a bad reputation.
10. The Courage to Take Risks
Between all your practice, planning and preparation you should always be willing to take risks. No need to stage dive off the lighting rig or subs but a bit of madness and surprise always pumps up the crowd. An improvised solo, an open jam session, a perfectly timed scissor kick, whatever. Just do your thing!
by harlowmedia | Feb 28, 2020 | Pro Tips
By Sam Wilder
“People hear more with their eyes than they do their ears” – Some random musician in Kansas
He’s right though. Here’s 9 things you can do to improve your stage presence:
1. Break the sugar bowl
2. Look interesting
3. Be energetic
4. Involve the crowd
5. Watch other great performers
6. Watch yourself perform
7. Don’t be a jerk
8. Stop caring what people think
9. Have fun
Stage presence, simply put, means you’re present on stage. You’re there, not wishing you were somewhere else. People showed up to your show and probably paid to be there. So you should show up and perform for them. Strong stage presence can make the difference between a boring, forgettable show and a fun show people will tell their friends about. It could help turn a casual fan into a super fan, or a super fan into a business partner. So here are a handful of things I’ve learned about stage presence from my experiences on stage and from watching other artists perform.
Break the Sugar Bowl
Silence is one of the main things that reveals if an artist is an amateur or not. The more silence in between songs, the more it becomes clear an artist is new to this. Awkward silence sucks the energy out of a room. You shouldn’t give the audience a break. Say whatever comes to your head (as long as it’s appropriate for the setting and not dickish). If you’re not going to say anything in between songs, quickly move onto the next song. Start playing before the crowd’s clapping dies down. But if you do want to say stuff in between, plan it out beforehand. During your rehearsal, write down what you want to say and when. If you have a setlist on stage, include a note about your in-between-songs dialogue on there.
Just be sure you break the sugar bowl on stage.
Look Interesting
You are the performer: naturally, people will be looking at you. So give them something interesting to look at. It doesn’t have to be a crazy outfit, like KISS or Prince. But wear something interesting, good-looking, or even funny, just as long as the clothes fit your persona and have been washed recently.
Your outfit should match your style of music and energy on stage. Violinist and singer-songwriters usually wear a suit and tie. Kanye wears his own line of clothing on stage. Rock bands like Metallica or Foo Fighters wear branded T-shirts, jeans, and sweatbands on their arms. Also, shoes. Wear nice shoes that fit your outfit. When you’re on stage, they are much more noticeable than in everyday life. If you have to, go out and buy a new pair just for your performances.
Be Energetic
One of the most entertaining bands I’ve seen live is 311. It’s because they were energetic, like little kids who ate chocolate and drank Mountain Dews in the green room before the show. If they weren’t having fun on stage, they were really good Actors. They used up the entire stage, running back and forth to engage different parts of the crowd and mingled and laughed with their fellow bandmates. They switched instruments. They jumped up and down. They were crazy.
The energy was infectious.
Involve the Crowd
Another thing 311 did well was involve the crowd. They had us singing different parts of different songs. Sometimes we’d sing entire verses for them. They also looked right at us instead of over our heads like some musicians tend to do. (I’m guilty of this). Another person who has mastered the art and joy of engaging the audience is Dave Grohl. Watch any video of him performing live and it’s almost guaranteed he’ll get the people singing together. Watch Other Great Performers. I was able to share the above examples with you because I go to concerts (or watch clips of concerts online). If I hadn’t watched those performers perform, I wouldn’t have learned those lessons. My point is, watch other great performers. You can learn a lot. Steal things you see other artists doing on stage and incorporate them into your performances. You don’t have to learn stage presence on your own. Learning from those who have gone before you is a smart thing to do.
Watch Yourself Perform
You know how collegiate and professional athletes watch film of their games? They do this to know how they can play better next time. They can see things from a more objective viewpoint and make adjustments for future games. I think performing artists should adopt this method. Have a friend (or your mom) film your next concert. It doesn’t even have to be the whole concert, it could just be a handful of songs. That way, you can watch the video later and learn a few things, like:
- How the music and your voice sounded on stage.
- What your energy level was like.
- If you engaged with the audience and how you engaged them. Basically, were you entertained watching yourself?
My guess is that you’ll easily be able to nitpick every little thing you didn’t like about your performance — most artists are their own biggest critic. Then you can take those nitpickings and improve your stage presence for future gigs.
Don’t Be a Jerk
Okay, so you’re dressed in a cool outfit, you’re up on stage where everyone is looking at you, and you’re the one playing and singing the songs. It can be easy to slip into an “I’m better than you” mentality. Look at people in the audience. Thank them for coming. Smile. Just don’t be a jerk. Also, make sure you talk to as many attendees as you can after the show. This can make a huge difference as it helps people get to know you more as a person. The more a person feels like they know you, the more likely they are to resonate with your music.
Stop Caring What People Think
Once I was at an open mic where an old man taught me some things about stage presence. He got up there and said he’d be reading some of his lyrics because he forgot to bring his keyboard. He looked at his notebook through his thick glasses and started reading lyrics. Then he’d flip the page and read some more. But then, out of nowhere, he told us he’d be showing off some of his dance moves. So he had the Sound Person flip on some old R&B music and the old man’s short, roundish body started moving and grooving. He was shaking his hips, waving his arms in the air, and even lip-syncing and it was the best performance of the night. Why? Because he didn’t give a rats ass about what people thought of him. He was just out there to have fun and entertain. As an entertainer, the vibe you give off on stage is contagious, whether it’s energetic joy or lethargic boredom. Take note.
Have Fun
The main reason you should be on stage is to have fun. I know for many musicians it’s their main source of income. But if you have to do a job, might as well make it fun, right?
Plus, if you’re having fun, the audience will have fun too. And that’s what everyone is there for. To have a good time. You set the stage for the night (no pun intended).
Your stage presence can make or break the night. So just go out there, slay it and have some fun!
