Performing live is the dream for many artists, but it can be a daunting task. Here are the best tips to slay on stage.
There is no better feeling than performing live and can be the most satisfying part of an artist’s career. Performing is what draws artists to be who they are.
Music artists around the world have had a monumental experience viewing their first concert, so seeing a live performance for the first time.
That moment of embracing the live sounds, the moving performance, and the amazing atmosphere has been said to be a crucial part of a musician’s artistic development.
Although performing live is such an authentic and amazing experience, it can be very different from performing in the house or the comfort of the shower.
These targeted tips for musicians can be applied to many different performers and can lend to helping artists create exceptional live performance experiences.
Practice Makes Organic Realness
The truth is that perfect will never make one perfect, however, in a musical setting, practice can create organic realness.
Although hard to apply to one’s busy life schedule, it is important that an artist practice every day.
For bands, it’s good to set a weekly rehearsal to polish certain material for future performances.
Practice can only be good for performances and perfecting the artist’s musical craft. However, practicing the song material every day is not the only aspect of focus.
When an artist practices, it is important to rehearse the way they will perform. Relying on performance skills is not the best way to approach performances.
Many things such as nerves, crowd response, etc., can hinder artists from performing to their best ability.
Engage with the Audience
When an artist is performing live, they must engage and interact with the audience. The more engaged the audience is with the performance, the more positive energy there will be immersed in the atmosphere.
The art of stage banter is a skill many artists can perfect. Notions such as making eye contact with the audience and communicating with the audience through musical transitions will set the performance level to higher ground.
Creating a solid spoken introduction followed by an overwhelming amount of confidence can create an epic show audience will never forget.
Map Out the Entire Performance
One thing that is very obvious for an audience member can be the lack of preparation and flow. Some artists believe that they can jump on stage and create as they go, but even for successful musicians, that’s hard to do.
Mapping out the structure and setlist of the performance not only produces a solid body of work but can be easily more enjoyable for the audience.
Additionally, it is always important to create an encore for any musical performance.
An encore is an additional performance of a song after the planned show has ended. The encore is an amazing aspect of performances because it will keep the audience wanting more.
Song Selection
It is important to understand the performance space and setting. For a heavy metal band, it may not be the best to perform a high-intensity metal standard at an intimate coffee shop.
The band may then perform an acoustic setting, preferably slower material to equal the atmosphere.
For an artist, it’s important to have fun with the song selections. Changing up the melody or increasing certain instrumental aspects for performances is what makes performing live so magical!
Improvise
As many performances have encountered, issues regarding sound, light, and other problems can occur.
The artist must embody a level of improvisation to balance the performance.
For example, if an artist encounters sound problems, the artist must play with it, by either persuading the audience to sing the lyrics loud and strong or by playfully continuing the song without hesitations.
It’s important to understand that technical difficulties happen and it is a natural process of performing.
Dress to Impress
One of the best and important aspects is the visual presentation. Fashion and music work together effortlessly and can be a fun way of expression during performances.
It is important to also understand the performance setting and base the artist’s outfit on that given scenery.
Know Your Performance
Although there is a negative stigma, as an artist, there are many things that I need to create the best performances. I must be well rested to give the right amount of energy toward the performance.
Additionally, I must eat a well-balanced meal to have fuel to burn off through performing. Artist everywhere have their “dos and don’ts” to conduct the best performances properly.
There are many more aspects of creating an amazing performance. It is truly up to the artist to develop their performance skills and to find the best contributions for performance success.
Now you know how to succeed on stage, it’s time to get into the studio.
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