Nicko Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I hink my band is very good musically. Every time I hear a recording we sound great, and we get loads of compliments on how good we sound. But, the perdormances lack energy, and I've failed to get any response when I have asked for the others to practice performing as part of rehearsal. They've seen the vids too and agree that its all a bit flat, but don't seem to respond when I give them suggestions on how to overcome the problem. The singer simply wont practice the intro/chat/fill, and the guitarists are static floor gazers. I'm not the most active bass player movement wise, but compared to them I look like the extrovert. Suggestions welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Performance-enhancing drugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Carry on with what you're doing but make it more so then you'll be the one who gets noticed and is talked about. The others will start to feel a bit left out and, with a bit of lick, start trying to out perform you. Instant stage show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1481282293' post='3191153'] Carry on with what you're doing but make it more so then you'll be the one who gets noticed and is talked about. The others will start to feel a bit left out and, with a bit of lick, start trying to out perform you. Instant stage show. [/quote] Having seen Bertbass in action I must say this is great advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Why thank you Sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Give everyone a couple of ProPlus caffeine tablets just before the first number! ...in all seriousness, this is how I manage to have the energy to put on a good show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaRik Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I was once told I play a pub like it's Wembley Stadium! We're there to entertain, and that includes the visual side of things too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) If you have the musical talents [i]and[/i] the performance talents in the band, then you're there! All you have to do is be a little flexible about who does what. Lead singer, lead guitarist don't [i]have[/i] to be band fronters. If other people in the band are better equipped for the role, get them to do it. This happened in a band I was in a couple of years ago. The out-front people were very able musicians, but not showpeople. Myself and the drummer were the more extrovert ones. So, we traded roles, but not instruments. Drummer at the front-side of the stage, side-on to the audience. I was across the stage at the other side. Lead guitar and lead singer were centre stage, but would take a couple of steps back between songs so they weren't responsible for chat and song intro's. Certainly looked different from the audience's perspective, and that in itself created interest in the band. Years of work as an Occupational Psychologist made me realise that if you have a square peg in a round hole, it's often much easier to change the shape of the hole rather than change the peg. Edited December 9, 2016 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 The actual playing can have power and energy even if you aren't flying around like loons. I'm not sure you can sound great without something coming across, tbh...so you need that 'connect'. How you 'force' the singer to be a frontman is a skill not so many have as well. I'm not sure how contrived you can actually be...if you don't have it, you don't have it. Flat is flat, IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) Do you mean the music lacks energy, or that the musicians dont move much? Huge difference. My Bro was in a covers band in Devon and they were note perfect, and as they got tighter and tighter they were very, very good. When they slackened off a bit they became brilliant. They hardly moved, but the music was more than enough. They were not afraid to leave space in the music or to take liberties with well known songs. Ease off a bit and just enjoy, its obvious to the audience when the musicians are having a good time. I agree with the above. A front man is born not made. Lots can sing but not many can entertain. Edited December 9, 2016 by mikel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 [quote name='mikel' timestamp='1481287994' post='3191229'] Do you mean the music lacks energy, or that the musicians dont move much? Huge difference. My Bro was in a covers band in Devon and they were note perfect, and as they got tighter and tighter they were very, very good. When they slackened off a bit they became brilliant. They hardly moved, but the music was more than enough. They were not afraid to leave space in the music or to take liberties with well known songs. Ease off a bit and just enjoy, its obvious to the audience when the musicians are having a good time. I agree with the above. A front man is born not made. Lots can sing but not many can entertain. [/quote] No the misuc doesn't lack energy, quite the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1481286128' post='3191203'] The actual playing can have power and energy even if you aren't flying around like loons. I'm not sure you can sound great without something coming across, tbh...so you need that 'connect'. How you 'force' the singer to be a frontman is a skill not so many have as well. I'm not sure how contrived you can actually be...if you don't have it, you don't have it. Flat is flat, IME. [/quote] I think he could have it, he just needs to think about it a bit because he's not necessarily spontaneous. Off stage I'm the introverted one, all the others are much more likely to be the centre of attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 As I suggested above, give the "Frontman"/MC/entertainer role to whoever in the band has the natural vitality, personality and motivation to deliver it, regardless of which instrument they play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musashimonkey Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 KyrbGrinder is a great band who have a drummer as their singer and 'front man', from the back! Lots of energy and works the audience well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Randomly scatter small nails/ big drawing pins across the stage? That should induce some movement, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Putting on a performance surely is the whole point of playing live. The audience needs to be entertained visually as well as aurally. If you can't do the visuals you might as well play a recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I think it is extremely difficult to get it right without looking contrived, our lead singer insists on leaping off stage at every gig, I am tempted to bring a nail gun and nail the fecker to the stage but at least he is visual, in my old covers band I tried to get the guitarist so stop impersonating a tailors dummy and move around a bit, he staggered round like he had been shot, cocked up every song and was happily back to tailors dummy by the third song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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