Spike Vincent Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I don't practice moves as such,but I'm very conscious that as the sole moving focal point on stage people are looking at me,and I do end up pulling rock star poses.Fortunately there is a mirror in our rehersal studio.And my bedroom.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Guess you are all referring to the Shadows little walk round in circles, nice!! Nope can’t do it In fact I can't even step on a pedal without playing a bum note, let alone listen to someone tell me a car number plate that needs moving in the car park. I know I should be using my left brain for this Bass playing lark but can't get into it since my electric shock therapy. Anyway what’s wrong with two sets of Bill Wyman impressions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarhead Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Closest me and my band have ever come to rehearsing stage moves is deciding on our stage intro 5 minutes before we hit the stage, so no, I've never practiced moves, they just come naturally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Savage Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Not one of our best songs, not one of my more active performances, but this was pretty much de riguer back in the day: Actually got sacked from that band for moving around too much Oh, and one of the dancers ended up being the mother of my child, so be careful with the comments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 'Hey that ain't working' Thanks Ian I've just had a movement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Ian Savage' post='1228242' date='May 11 2011, 11:20 PM']Not one of our best songs, not one of my more active performances, but this was pretty much de riguer back in the day: Actually got sacked from that band for moving around too much Oh, and one of the dancers ended up being the mother of my child, so be careful with the comments [/quote] science teacher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Savage Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='mcnach' post='1228266' date='May 11 2011, 11:47 PM']science teacher? [/quote] Sorta Actually, how do you know that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1227191' date='May 11 2011, 09:50 AM']Just watch Van Halen and Michael Jackson videos Seriously, I have practised stage moves in the past. It's no different to practissing answers for interviews or whatever. I absolutely could not just stand there like a fish and just play. My instinct is to dress up and move with the music, and hopefully entertain the audience and show an onstage relationship with my singer and the other members of the band. And I don't care if I look weird doing it.[/quote] +1 I am happy to make a fool of myself if the audience enjoy it. At the gigs I play they are looking for a good happy time not a virtuoso performance from me. There's always a rumour that I will come on stage dressed outrageously, silver spandex, wig etc. It's got to be fun for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo10 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Thurbs' post='1227160' date='May 11 2011, 09:37 AM']Really stupid question this, and I think I already know the answer... Following on from the 'Opinions please' thread, I am sure I could do more to liven up my performance over an evening. The thing is, every time I have spontaneously done it I have cocked up the song I am trying to play. Is it just practice? Does anyone practice at home "your moves!" so to speak? or just at rehearsals? Do all of you rehearse the movement? I am guessing the answer to all of those questions should be yes, but I am guessing egos may get in the way.[/quote] Normally crammed in an ickle stage, there is no room to fart let alone throwing some shapes out there, too busy trying not to stick the head of bass in singers ear! But!, on the vid in question there we were kind of awestruck at the room we had, didn't know what to do with ourselves Normally, a foot thump along with the beat or a head bop does for me, anything more tha that and I'm all over the fretboard, but.....I try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='TimR' post='1228129' date='May 11 2011, 10:11 PM']It's all to do with confidence. If you're not confident with your ability to play the song you will probably be staring at your music, fretboard or feet. If you are not confident that your singer/band or song choice is going to entertain the crowd you will be worriedly looking at the band or crowd. You won't be able to help this, your body language will show it. If you and your band are confident and relaxed you will all naturally move with the music in an unforced way without thinking about it. The moves will be determined by the style of music. The more times you play music in front of a crowd the more relaxed and confident you will become. [color="#0000FF"]You don't need to practice your moves, you need to practice playing in front of an audience.[/color][/quote] Nail - Head. Absolutely agree, till your confident and can relax a bit, you probably wont pull it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickH Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 When I'm practising at home I do it stood up,with a mic stand in position, in front of a mirror. Play through our whole set dancing about and keeping as active as possible, and trying to look at the mirror instead of my bass as much on the time as I can while keeping smiling. Not practising specific moves for each song, but making sure I can play them while keeping physically bouncy and having spare breath for my vocal bits. It's a hell of a workout... but then when we come to gigs I'm the one who's dancing all night long and keeping the crowd going while my singer/guitards are wheezing at doing a bit of a head-bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I dont think ive ever practiced my moves as such. I just go with the music. I throw myself and the bass round if ik in the mood. Whilst sometimes i miss a note, i firmly believe a crowd will prefer a band that enjoys it. If they want note perfection then we have cd's for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Bilbo' post='1227196' date='May 11 2011, 09:53 AM']A simple smile goes a long way.[/quote] If that fails, give them a bunch of carrots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgundymouse Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='RockfordStone' post='1228870' date='May 12 2011, 02:40 PM']I dont think ive ever practiced my moves as such. I just go with the music. I throw myself and the bass round if ik in the mood. Whilst sometimes i miss a note, i firmly believe a crowd will prefer a band that enjoys it. If they want note perfection then we have cd's for sale[/quote] Indeed. There's a song by the Beastie Boys (bear with me) which goes "We need Bodyrocking not perfection, let me get some action from the back section". Oh yes indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) No, but I always try to remember two pieces of advice I was told about performance, 1) People listen with their eyes first. 2) Because we are predators and our eyes are on the front of head, you [u][b]appear[/b][/u] to be moving more if you move sideways rather than front to back... This is because our eyes auto-focus to perceive depth, but we have to physically move our eyes for objects moving sideways Edited May 12, 2011 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaypup Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 The good thing about playing ska is that skanking can be a legs-only affair, leaving the top half of the body free to concentrate on playing bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerDan Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Nah just go for it, eventually you will come to realise you do have your own moves, and that you didn't need to practice them, just the music you play. Also, a big YES to skanking out on stage! good times! watch out for overly animated vocalists and spaghetti junction cables though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I think the closest my band gets to "On Stage Movement" is if one of us follows thru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK Jale Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Now THIS is a bass player who knows how to move Some band called Rich Kelly & Friendship, somewhere in New Jersey, 1978... be sure to watch past the 1.30 mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I couldn't take my eyes off the bass players legs. Last time I saw legs like that, they had a message wrapped round them I just go with the music. Relatively speaking, I only really began moving recently. About 12 years ago I was aware that I was pulling some Flea bass faces and its kind of progressed from there. It depends on the audience and the song we're playing. I do a lot of showboating, making stuff look more impressive and complicated than it is - bit like the drummer at the wrong gig. I would love to be able to do the jump in the air splits that David Lee Roth does in the video for Jump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo10 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 [quote name='KK Jale' post='1241073' date='May 23 2011, 01:07 AM']Now THIS is a bass player who knows how to move Some band called Rich Kelly & Friendship, somewhere in New Jersey, 1978... be sure to watch past the 1.30 mark. [/quote] Well......I take my hat off to him for being able to do that!......I would have lost the plot long ago even attempting that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Practice moves? No. Practice while moving? Yes. I used to make a right fool of myself hitting bum notes and totally loosing track of where we were when doing simple things like switching a pedal or on one occasion moving slightly to get out of the beam of a particularly bright annoying spotlight. Someone (I think on here) said that when he nailed a song his next step was to walk about / watch TV / talk to his girlfriend whilst practicing it. Been doing that for about a year now and I find it helps a lot. Not that I move around much onstage anyway, but the number of bum notes has dropped right off. Also practicing in front of a mirror and then eyes shut have helped me a lot to remove my tendency to fretboard gaze. As has been said, its not just about the music we're also entertainers (exemption granted for Bilbo ). IME a band that sounds great but stand as still as waxwork dummies don't go down as well as a band that engages the audience but are musically average. Sounding great [u]and[/u] giving a visual show will almost guarantee a good night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 [quote name='KK Jale' post='1241073' date='May 23 2011, 01:07 AM']Now THIS is a bass player who knows how to move Some band called Rich Kelly & Friendship, somewhere in New Jersey, 1978... be sure to watch past the 1.30 mark. [/quote] This guy is amazing!! Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 [quote name='KK Jale' post='1241073' date='May 23 2011, 01:07 AM']Now THIS is a bass player who knows how to move Some band called Rich Kelly & Friendship, somewhere in New Jersey, 1978... be sure to watch past the 1.30 mark.[/quote] Wow. Nuff said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 [quote name='cetera' post='1241332' date='May 23 2011, 11:15 AM']This guy is amazing!! Love it! [/quote] That looks so much like Clive Sinclair on vocals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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