Confindence

V

vitamin worm

New member
My whole life I have always thought all you had to do get fans was play good music and play it well. Well, after years of songwriting and practicing my band is finally to the point where we are starting to play larger shows in front of hundreds of people.

As the singer of the band I JUST came to the realization that my mood and feelings effect the outcome of the entire show. I tend to be a pretty negative person and dont have a great deal of self confidence (in any area of my life, not just music).

We have played flawlessly before and been told the show was terrible. And we have had a significant number of shows where our performances were technically sub par but we were really into it and the crowd loved it.

For some reason my mood seems to dictate the mood of the band (thats just our dynamic i guess). So my question (finally!) is this ...

How can I project confidence to the audience? Do any of you have any tricks that seem to help you perform in a more confident manner?

Thanks a lot in advance everyone!

-Franklin Morris-
The MURDOCKS | www.The-Murdocks.com/
The_Murdocks@hotmail.com
 
I would recommed taking an acting class or for really quick results there is an organization called Toastmasters International http://www.toastmasters.org/ which is THE public speaking organization. If you ask they can be fairly vicious in speaking critiques and sometimes offer seminars on speaking stage presence. Many politicians will join and run though a crash course before campaigns. Low confidince people should progress slowly....

However realizing your problems is most of the difficulty.

I think the main solution would be to have fun and not "just" play music. remember the audience is there to see a show.
 
Seems to me you know whats going on and know what the problem is.........so fix it.
Set up a video camera and tape the band as much as possible. Watch the tapes and fix what is wrong. Wear a hat and sunglasses if it helps you build confidence. When Genesis came out without Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins was the lead singer their first show was here in London Ontario at the London Arena. Phil sang with his back to the audience the entire night. He's much better now.
If you want to be the lead singer know your job and do it otherwise your wasting everyones time.
Use the video.........it never lies
 
Yep, the video won't lie.

You said it yourself; the quality of the mechanical performance isn't the thermometer of the show. The only people who may judge it that way are fellow musicians and that's not who you need to be selling to.

When you are performing, it's a show. It's "show business". Start looking at it that way.

As a front person your job is to connect with the people, eye contact smiles, a kind word, a point of the finger. You can have the greatest musicians in the area but the majority of the people will look to the lead singer for the take on things.

Also remember your are never off stage, even in between sets everything you do and say is a direct reflection on the show. NO MOPING! Your group can be having the worst show of the season. If you walk up to an audience member and make personal contact and intrduce yourself or ask how they are doing tonight, their definition of the show will be "AWESOME" and you'll gain a loyal fan?

Have you ever watched an entertainer who just glows, comes out with a huge smile and looks happy through the whole show? Believe me when I say sometimes they walk off the stage and its like Jekyl and Hyde. I've been there with some excellent front people and bands. They do their "jobs" well, that's what it is, their job.

How can I project confidence to the audience? Do any of you have any tricks that seem to help you perform in a more confident manner?

Visualization is one of the tricks used a lot by people with low self-confidence or shy people who need to perform or speak publicly. Placing themselves in another place mentally can give you the ability do things that you might otherwise find yourself holding back on. Some of the oldest tricks in the book are envisioning the audience in their underwear and when speaking, to speak as if you are talking to one individual person. They both have different specific purposes.

If you are going to make a career out of it I think the suggestion for acting lessons will be worth it's weight in gold. A lot of people are naturals at it but a lot need coaching too.

It's not the show, it's the sell.

Hope I shed some light

Joe
 
Franklin,
your post really touched me --- first

[Well, after years of songwriting and practicing my band is finally to the point where we are starting to play larger shows in front of hundreds of people.]

WOW - thats fantastic! you're *making it*!


[I tend to be a pretty negative person and dont have a great deal of self confidence (in any area of my life, not just music). ]

God - I hear you here - but do you realize that yoiu have had enought self-confidence to keep going with something you love? I have been looking for this much confidence for years - finally as its almost too late for me to do RnR - I;m finding that confidence. I;m still soooo plaged by my negativity. I hide it well, but when it gets exposed, it just really blows things for me.
keep up the fight,

[As the singer of the band I JUST came to the realization that my mood and feelings effect the outcome of the entire show. ]

Well, that's what you're there for. the frontman is the mood, the environment.
Do you get a charge from just being there? I hope you can find a way to find, everytime you get onstage, that spark that says "wow, I'm so lucky to be here, doing what I want"

and the acting lessons will help, too.

Franklin, I'm jealous of the sucess you've had vis a vis your confidence and feelings of negativity. See - you're doing all right!
 
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