How do you transition from "just playing" to performing?

[michelew]

What does it take to become a performer?

We're all here to learn something right? I've learned a lot since I joined TG; a lot of it was laid out in Neil lessons, other things have been more subtle. We have a lot of talented people in the community. I've noticed that some of you have a certain something or do many things that take your videos over the top, that results in you performing rather than just playing.

What is the difference? What does it take? A few of you are real role models for me. You should know who are.

Here are the things that seem to make a difference:

- Engaging the audience - really looking at the camera and making people feel like they are right there with you
- real musical expression - so many things involved here
- attention to detail - playing well (which of course isn't enough by itself), letting notes ring for as long as they are meant to or "sustain, sustain, sustain" (as a role model of mine would say)
- guts - passion, going for it, attitude, an energy, call it what you will
- being entertaining and not boring.

Ok a lot of these overlap.


So what makes performers performers? What do those of us that are not performers yet need to work on? What should we work on first?


Hopefully those of you that are preparing for open mics and actually performing can tells us what you do.

Thoughts? Observations.

Michele

[dburns99]

Copious amounts of bourbon.

[daryl]

Whether you call it performing or just playing well, I think you need to know the music so thoroughly that muscle memory plays the notes and/or chords for you. At that point you can focus on the subtleties of emotional expression dynamics and control....how loud or soft do you play a particular note or passage....focusing on which notes to sustain or mute or deaden....how quickly or slowly you might strum at a particular point...or not strum at all.....basically start feeling the music and not just playing the notes.

[neverfoundthetime]

Two different but valid strategies! I agree with Daryl that the basis has to come through the confidence of being able to play the song well, so loads of practice so that you have all the bits under control as far as possible. Then the mental and emotional side kicks in believing/willing/knowing you can do it and letting go so it can just flow. It helps to think that folks are on your side and are going to welcome your efforts and actually enjoy what you do, so avoid focussing on "don't stuff up, don't stuff up!" as then you surely will . You get what you think, basically. If you can free yourself from the work, the discomfort of recording, sitting right for the camera etc. and actually enjoy it all, then you're winning!

[dennisg]

I completely agree with Chris and Daryl, and I'd add two things. The first, as you've heard me say in the past, is to choose your venue wisely. If you want to do an open-mic, then go to several open-mics and see which ones tend to do the best job of supporting the performers. Avoid places where food is the priority and the performers simply provide background music. Choose the places where the music, not the pizza and beer, is what people come to experience. And second, I've noticed that performers tend to freeze up in two very predictable places in their songs. One is at the very beginning, so as you step up on the stage while the crowd gazes adoringly at you, think about the first three chords of the song, then just launch into it and trust that your parachute will open. Once you get those first three chords out of the way, you'll be filled with confidence. The second area where performers tend to freeze is in their guitar solos (Heartbreak Hotel, anyone?), so just pick a song that doesn't demand too much from your guitar playing right away.

[frybaby]

Make sure the audience is not prone to violence and is unarmed.

[suziko]

Interesting question, Shel! I am not a public performer, besides my little stint at Rock Camp, so I can't answer from that perspective. But speaking from the perspective of an audience member, I will say that my opinion on this subject is kind of the opposite of Daryl's. If I'm watching a performer, how well they play is secondary to me. Sure, no one wants to listen to someone who is just BAD at playing or singing. Unless you're looking for a laugh. But an engaging performance has less to do with the quality of the playing and more to do with what the person who is performing is like. Are they nice to watch (and this doesn't just boil down to "good-looking." A person can be plain-looking, but if they have an expressive face or interesting mannerisms, they'll be enjoyable to watch)? Do they engage their audience in some way (looking at them, talking with them, telling anecdotes)? Do they "get into" the song?

Again, this is all just my personal opinion, but watching someone play something technically perfect but with no real energy just leaves me cold.

Suzi

[dennisg]

suziko wrote:

A person can be plain-looking, but if they have an expressive face or interesting mannerisms, they'll be enjoyable to watch)? Do they engage their audience in some way (looking at them, talking with them, telling anecdotes)? Do they "get into" the song?

Again, this is all just my personal opinion, but watching someone play something technically perfect but with no real energy just leaves me cold.

I totally agree with this and my own experience as an audience member and as a performer bears this out. But, again, a lot of how people respond to you will have to do with the venue you choose. The kind of audience indifference and even rudeness that's accepted at one venue might not be tolerated at another. Where I played, great performances were certainly appreciated and acknowledged, but some of the biggest reactions were reserved for people who. for one reason or another, the audience sort of "adopted." I think I might have been one of those performers, starting from the moment I revealed that this was my first open-mic, through the MC's ridiculously clumsy attempt at humor, to my fumbling around with Autumn Leaves, through to the finish.

Following Ness's and Suzi's advice, I will do a much better job of engaging the audience the next time I perform, instead of just being relieved that my set was over.

Shel, is any of what you're reading in this thread the kind of stuff you're looking for, or are we missing the mark? Feel free to let us know if we're off-track.

[michelew]

Daryl, Suzi, Chris, Den,

Thanks for such well considered responses. it's all helpful and thought provoking.

I actually have no intention of performing in public in the foreseeable future, in my lounge room in front of people sure, but not in a public setting.

I guess I'm just pondering what the differences between playing and performing are. I'm trying to move in that direction in my videos and playing in general. I'm still so freaked out by the camera and just playing in front of people that I am a long way off of achieving performer status. Looking at Ness' latest U2 medley video I think "now that's where I want to be some day"; which of course is like standing with your feet on the ground and reaching for the stars int the hope of touching one of those twinkling globes. She's not the only one at TG that has it together, but she's a damn good role model.

So I'm just opening myself up to doing the things that will move me in that direction,... once I've gotten the technical, nerve and memory issues nailed down of course.

Thanks for joining in. I thought that this topic might help others to thing about what they are doing too and how they can move from just playing to performing as well.

I'd be interested in what people are doing themselves to improve their videos.

Ta

Shel

[buddy]

Michele, Lots of great input hear. The only thing I can add is to be yourself when you are performing. I find the performers I enjoy the most are the ones that are comfortable in their own skin. I also enjoy performers that can just let go and get so into the music that nothing else in the room seems to exist.

That's my 2 cents.

Bud