A hat! Brilliant. Fake mo and glasses too?A quick answer could also have been... wear a hat!
How do you transition from "just playing" to performing?
Well another great question Shel......and so much to discuss about it as well...and lots of great points already made in here.
So, how do you do that? I guess it all comes down to how you look at it......to me, shooting a video is indeed about performing, because people are going to watch it. So when I record a video, I indeed feel, that you're all there and I act as such..
And as a viewer, I very much agree with everything Suzi said....I want a performer to engage with his audience, in any way possible. Years ago I went to see The Eagles, and also CSN, and gosh, both of them were boring as hell :S
....I'm sorry (I'm a major fan of both bands, you know that)....on the other hand, years ago I also went to Gloria Estefan's concert, and that was the biggest party you could ever imagine :woohoo: , best live-concert that I have ever attended! However, back to the original question, on camera it ain't much different. I for instance like it when a vocalist or musician smiles or looks in the camera. Not áll the time, but here and there. As a viewer you want to be engaged to the performer, to be a part of what he or she is doing, that he or she actually treats you asif you're there.
Actually our very own TG-master Neil is a very good example (at least to me),teachingwise that is, the way he communicates with the camera (read: US!), that's really hím! I honestly believe that he would talk to me exactly the same way in real life. And I think that makes him so appealing, he talks asif we're all there....wich we are, just not at thát particular moment. I think he does fantástic when it comes to that.
So when I started recording videos, the first ones, I thought they were terrible :S ! Gosh, I looked so damn serious, really not so great to watch. And in the beginning it feels strange to smile at a camera, but when I watched it back, I liked watching it much better. And ever since, i indeed really feel that you're all there, wich you all are, only not at that exact same moment, still I feel that you are, because you will be later..
However, you actually already named all the really important things that you have noticed, those are all very significant aspects of a true performer, I couldn't agree more. So yes, the playing is of course an important one (well it can make a difference at least, but it could be secundary for me too, as Suzi pointed out), for that I very much agree with Daryl...musical expression....I'm personally véry much into dynamics and more dynamics and yeah sustain sustain sustain
(dón't cut off bassnotes, go to other chords not too fast and not too late, let notes ring, don't kill them) But indeed, mute or deaden when needed. Playing soft, playing expressive, don't always play áll the strings of the chord you're holding, accents on the beats, vice versa, crescendo, descrendo. and for that you really got to FEEL the music (and/or know the original very well)..
So for example (sorry, more rambles, you asked!), this U2 video. Obviously the first one is a ballad, starts out softly...then after the first chorus another guitar comes in really strong and dissapears again when the second verse starts and the playing becomes softly again. Then the music swells and heads louder into the second chorus and......well then I got into the next song, wich has strong accents on the second and fourth beat (that's when a drummer plays his snare), so for that I muted the strings to kinda accentuate that. Then the third song, softer of course, a tad slower, so gradually applied that, otherwise the transition would have been too sudden or too abrupt, at least I felt so in this particular case....blah blah, and so on. Summary, I indeed pay attention to details in my playing, no matter if it's an 'easy'song or not, but because I can feel the music, it makes me not needing to think about it.....
Well in order to get all of that down without thinking too much, I guess it comes down to real passion, at least that goes for me. Passion for music, passion for playing, passion for people, wich makes me wanna share it and make people happy and share the joy i'm feeling when playing...and yes you gotta be yourself and sincerely mean everything you're doing, otherwise it won't work, before you know it, you're overdoing it..
....and really share yóurself is actually quite vulnerable here and there....
Oooooooh I feel I'm not done at all :S.....besides playing, I so lóve to talk about music and so on, I can talk about it for ages and ages, haha! :silly:
Ness
So, how do you do that? I guess it all comes down to how you look at it......to me, shooting a video is indeed about performing, because people are going to watch it. So when I record a video, I indeed feel, that you're all there and I act as such..
And as a viewer, I very much agree with everything Suzi said....I want a performer to engage with his audience, in any way possible. Years ago I went to see The Eagles, and also CSN, and gosh, both of them were boring as hell :S
....I'm sorry (I'm a major fan of both bands, you know that)....on the other hand, years ago I also went to Gloria Estefan's concert, and that was the biggest party you could ever imagine :woohoo: , best live-concert that I have ever attended! However, back to the original question, on camera it ain't much different. I for instance like it when a vocalist or musician smiles or looks in the camera. Not áll the time, but here and there. As a viewer you want to be engaged to the performer, to be a part of what he or she is doing, that he or she actually treats you asif you're there.Actually our very own TG-master Neil is a very good example (at least to me),teachingwise that is, the way he communicates with the camera (read: US!), that's really hím! I honestly believe that he would talk to me exactly the same way in real life. And I think that makes him so appealing, he talks asif we're all there....wich we are, just not at thát particular moment. I think he does fantástic when it comes to that.
So when I started recording videos, the first ones, I thought they were terrible :S ! Gosh, I looked so damn serious, really not so great to watch. And in the beginning it feels strange to smile at a camera, but when I watched it back, I liked watching it much better. And ever since, i indeed really feel that you're all there, wich you all are, only not at that exact same moment, still I feel that you are, because you will be later..
However, you actually already named all the really important things that you have noticed, those are all very significant aspects of a true performer, I couldn't agree more. So yes, the playing is of course an important one (well it can make a difference at least, but it could be secundary for me too, as Suzi pointed out), for that I very much agree with Daryl...musical expression....I'm personally véry much into dynamics and more dynamics and yeah sustain sustain sustain
(dón't cut off bassnotes, go to other chords not too fast and not too late, let notes ring, don't kill them) But indeed, mute or deaden when needed. Playing soft, playing expressive, don't always play áll the strings of the chord you're holding, accents on the beats, vice versa, crescendo, descrendo. and for that you really got to FEEL the music (and/or know the original very well)..So for example (sorry, more rambles, you asked!), this U2 video. Obviously the first one is a ballad, starts out softly...then after the first chorus another guitar comes in really strong and dissapears again when the second verse starts and the playing becomes softly again. Then the music swells and heads louder into the second chorus and......well then I got into the next song, wich has strong accents on the second and fourth beat (that's when a drummer plays his snare), so for that I muted the strings to kinda accentuate that. Then the third song, softer of course, a tad slower, so gradually applied that, otherwise the transition would have been too sudden or too abrupt, at least I felt so in this particular case....blah blah, and so on. Summary, I indeed pay attention to details in my playing, no matter if it's an 'easy'song or not, but because I can feel the music, it makes me not needing to think about it.....
Well in order to get all of that down without thinking too much, I guess it comes down to real passion, at least that goes for me. Passion for music, passion for playing, passion for people, wich makes me wanna share it and make people happy and share the joy i'm feeling when playing...and yes you gotta be yourself and sincerely mean everything you're doing, otherwise it won't work, before you know it, you're overdoing it..
....and really share yóurself is actually quite vulnerable here and there....
Oooooooh I feel I'm not done at all :S.....besides playing, I so lóve to talk about music and so on, I can talk about it for ages and ages, haha! :silly:
Ness
nesh16041972 wrote:
Please keep talking Vanessa,, I remember all this stuff when we did ''nights in white satin'',,,we have to listen more to the original with all his stuff and try all to cover this,,in this talking of you I liked the knowledge of the snare drum....just great
Well another great question Shel......and so much to discuss about it as well...and lots of great points already made in here.
So, how do you do that? I guess it all comes down to how you look at it......to me, shooting a video is indeed about performing, because people are going to watch it. So when I record a video, I indeed feel, that you're all there and I act as such..
And as a viewer, I very much agree with everything Suzi said....I want a performer to engage with his audience, in any way possible. Years ago I went to see The Eagles, and also CSN, and gosh, both of them were boring as hell....I'm sorry (I'm a major fan of both bands, you know that)....on the other hand, years ago I also went to Gloria Estefan's concert, and that was the biggest party you could ever imagine :woohoo: , best live-concert that I have ever attended! However, back to the original question, on camera it ain't much different. I for instance like it when a vocalist or musician smiles or looks in the camera. Not áll the time, but here and there. As a viewer you want to be engaged to the performer, to be a part of what he or she is doing, that he or actually treats you asif you're there.
Actually our very own TG-master Neil is a very good example (at least to me),teachingwise that is, the way he communicates with the camera (read: US!), that's really hím! I honestly believe that he would talk to me exactly the same way in real life. And I think that makes him so appealing, he talks asif we're all there....wich we are, just not at thát particular moment. I think he does fantástic when it comes to that.
So when I started recording videos, the first ones, I thought they were terrible :S ! Gosh, I looked so damn serious, really not so great to watch. And in the beginning it feels strange to smile at a camera, but when I watched it back, I liked watching it much better. And ever since, i indeed really feel that you're all there, wich you all are, only not at that exact same moment, still I feel that you are.
However, you actually already named all the really important things that you have noticed, those are all very significant aspects of a true performer, I couldn't agree more. So yes, the playing is of course an important one (well it can make a difference at least, but it could be secundary for me too, as Suzi pointed out), for that I very much agree with Daryl...musical expression....I'm personally véry much into dynamics and more dynamics and yeah sustain sustain sustain
So for example (sorry, more rambles, you asked!), this U2 video. Obviously the first one is a ballad, starts out softly...then after the first chorus another guitar comes in really strong and dissapears again when the second verse starts and the playing becomes softly again. Then the music swells and heads louder into the second chorus and......well then I got into the next song, wich has strong accents on the second and fourth beat (that's when a drummer plays his snare), so for that I muted the strings to kinda accentuate that. Then the third song, softer of course, a tad slower, so gradually applied that, otherwise the transition would have been too sudden or too abrupt, at least I felt so in this particular case....blah blah, and so on. Summary, I indeed pay attention to details in my playing, but because I can feel the music, it makes me not needing to think about it.....
Well in order to get all of that down without thinking too much, I guess it comes down to real passion, at least that goes for me. Passion for music, passion for playing, passion for people, wich makes me wanna share it and make people happy and share the joy i'm feeling when playing...
Oooooooh I feel I'm not done at all :S.....besides playing, I so lóve to talk about music and so on, I can talk about it for ages and ages, haha! :silly:
Ness
Please keep talking Vanessa,, I remember all this stuff when we did ''nights in white satin'',,,we have to listen more to the original with all his stuff and try all to cover this,,in this talking of you I liked the knowledge of the snare drum....just great
Haha, yeah I remember trying to get 'Nights in White Satin' down! You guys did such a great job :cheer: ! I know it took a lot from you, but the result was perfect, I really feel that way whenever I watch it back!
The snare of a drum....indeed, whenever you want to accentuate your strumming, pay attention to the drummer (or bassplayer). There is of course the first beat, but sometimes you might want to accentuate the 2nd and 4th beat, when he hits his snare. You will put some real rhythm in your playing when doing so!
willem wrote:
Alright, trying to quit again here, haha! :laugh: :S
The snare of a drum....indeed, whenever you want to accentuate your strumming, pay attention to the drummer (or bassplayer). There is of course the first beat, but sometimes you might want to accentuate the 2nd and 4th beat, when he hits his snare. You will put some real rhythm in your playing when doing so!
willem wrote:
Edit: Oh indeed.....sometimes you want to make a song your own....I mean you can change whatever you want to change.....but more often you just want to make it sound kinda like the original, so for that you must know that one really really well...and go from there. And really playing more softly or loudly doesn't have to be all that difficult....you just need to pay attention to it. That goes for everything, crescendo, descrescendo, building up, taking down, on the beats or not and so on...
Please keep talking Vanessa,, I remember all this stuff when we did ''nights in white satin'',,,we have to listen more to the original with all his stuff and try all to cover this,,in this talking of you I liked the knowledge of the snare drum....just great
Alright, trying to quit again here, haha! :laugh: :S
Actually this is for example what I would call performing, great singing and sweet sounding guitarplaying and last, but definitely not least, engaging with the audience. I know he is capable of more, wich he actually does live on markets or whatever occasions on the streets, indeed busking (well maybe not for money 
), but he manage to capture some of that on camera and I think that's really really great! :cheer:
Ness
), but he manage to capture some of that on camera and I think that's really really great! :cheer: Ness
Nice example Ness. Yes I also REALLY like the way that Anton engages the audience and so many other aspects of his videos. I love the way he makes it his own, and sings and play with expression for example.
Great!
Thanks.
Shel
Great!
Thanks.
Shel
Here is a nice performance of Leonard Cohen doing his song Hallelujah
http://www.youtube.com/user/LeonardCohe ... rLk4vdY28Q
http://www.youtube.com/user/LeonardCohe ... rLk4vdY28Q
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ticdoulouroux
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Hi!
I'm new to TG but I've been playing and performing since high school which was a very long time ago.
One of the pointers I don't remember seeing is to ENJOY yourself while you perform! I played a house party last summer (yeah, I don't play out much any more). The bass player and I had a lot of performance experience, the keyboard guy had some and the other guitar guy had never played before an audience before. We're all middle aged, gray haired geezers, professionals (three docs and an engineer). We are all at ease speaking and presenting to small, medium, and large groups.
Someone video'ed our set and said the keys guy looked intent on not screwing up - his face was down like he was watching his fingers as he played; the newbie looked terrified, like he couldn't wait to get off the stage, and I looked like I belonged up there. At least that's what friends who saw the video reported. I think it was because I knew the material and was confident in my playing and because I was enjoying myself.
An early poster mentioned muscle memory and I think that's a HUGE part of making the jump from player to performer. You can't enjoy yourself on stage if you're worried that your'e going to frak up!
Knowing your material cold allows you to pay attention to the other musicians, exchange cues, tempo, and my favorite and most important performance tip: start and end together! Ian Anderson used to prance about the stage waving his flute; partly it was performance but he claimed he was also conducting the band. Having confidence in your ability gives you the opportunity to engage the audience. You cannot make eye contact if you're watching your finger placement.
An old public speaking tip is to pick out two or three persons in the audience and make eye contact with one, then the next, then the next. Same goes for performing, at least if you're singing, too.
So learn your material so you can play it without thinking about the notes, your picking, or the chords. If you're singing, learn the lyrics. Really. Then go up there and enjoy yourself!
I'm new to TG but I've been playing and performing since high school which was a very long time ago.
One of the pointers I don't remember seeing is to ENJOY yourself while you perform! I played a house party last summer (yeah, I don't play out much any more). The bass player and I had a lot of performance experience, the keyboard guy had some and the other guitar guy had never played before an audience before. We're all middle aged, gray haired geezers, professionals (three docs and an engineer). We are all at ease speaking and presenting to small, medium, and large groups.
Someone video'ed our set and said the keys guy looked intent on not screwing up - his face was down like he was watching his fingers as he played; the newbie looked terrified, like he couldn't wait to get off the stage, and I looked like I belonged up there. At least that's what friends who saw the video reported. I think it was because I knew the material and was confident in my playing and because I was enjoying myself.
An early poster mentioned muscle memory and I think that's a HUGE part of making the jump from player to performer. You can't enjoy yourself on stage if you're worried that your'e going to frak up!
Knowing your material cold allows you to pay attention to the other musicians, exchange cues, tempo, and my favorite and most important performance tip: start and end together! Ian Anderson used to prance about the stage waving his flute; partly it was performance but he claimed he was also conducting the band. Having confidence in your ability gives you the opportunity to engage the audience. You cannot make eye contact if you're watching your finger placement.
An old public speaking tip is to pick out two or three persons in the audience and make eye contact with one, then the next, then the next. Same goes for performing, at least if you're singing, too.
So learn your material so you can play it without thinking about the notes, your picking, or the chords. If you're singing, learn the lyrics. Really. Then go up there and enjoy yourself!