Life
on stage is very different from ordinary daily life.
When you're on stage you're not a regular guy
behaving in a normal way. Performing is not an
ordinary activity. If you're going to perform, you
need to prepare for it. It's hard to practice
performing since the only time you really do it is in
front of an audience. No matter how much you sing to
yourself in the mirror in the privacy of your room,
it won't even come close to the real thing. The best
practice is getting out there on stage, at first at
jam sessions or talent shows. Then with a band,
hopefully one you've rehearsed with.
Rehearsal is the next best thing to being there,
provided you actually use the time to rehearse your
performance. Most singers work on arrangements in
rehearsal, or even on their vocals (though not nearly
enough) but few actually work out the elements of
performance beyond singing. Movements, gestures,
interaction with other band members, talk between
songs, taking the mic off the stand, running out into
the audience - these are not ordinary behaviour and
they aren't easy. They need practice.
Many singers say they're uncomfortable trying these
things in front of their band, it's embarrassing. But
it's hard to imagine a singer trying something
totally new in front of an audience if they couldn't
do it in front of their band. And how will you know
if dropping onto your knees is going to work if you
don't try it first? The first time Bruce Springsteen
jumped from the stage onto a speaker ten feet away
wasn't in front of an audience. I think he practiced
first. If you're not getting enough work done in
rehearsal, you should consider taking a performance
workshop which focuses on developing your stage
presence. Then rehearse the ideas you have developed.
The band needs to be set up like a think tank, no
idea is made fun of (unless it's supposed to be
funny). When the guitarist puts the guitar over his
head and plays his solo backwards, don't tell him
it's stupid. Work on developing that idea into
something exciting. As a band, you need to give every
member permission to do whatever they can think of no
matter how absurd. I'm certain that's how David Lee
Roth's shows evolve. He's very loose with his body
and he's likely to rub up against one of his
bandmates. They don't look at him like he's crazy
(well, maybe they do). They allow him to be playful,
to try anything.
Your
band needs to know that what you do on stage is
separate from reality. As the lead singer, you can
flirt with the guitarist on stage to illustrate a
song, and know that it doesn't affect your offstage
relationship. It's like a play and the band members
are the cast. You aren't going to literally act out
the story in the song, but you are going to use each
other to show your emotions.
Practicing your act before you perform it mustn't
lead to a state of mechanized presentation. Whatever
led you to throw your fist in the air and your head
back the first time you did it, has to be there every
time. Once you have a wide vocabulary of movements
and gestures that you're comfortable with, you can
take more chances in your live performances. If you
can throw yourself on the floor it's not too hard to
writhe to the edge of the stage. If you lean on your
guitarist during a solo, you won't be embarrassed to
rest your head on his shoulder. On the other hand,
you must also select from all the options the ones
that best express your concept and throw out the
rest. It's all well and good that you love to tap
dance but you may not want to include it in your rock
act. Or then again, you might. Once you open the door
the possibilities are endless.
Spontaneity is a crucial part of a vital stage show.
Whatever your personal style, whether it's wild or
sedate, fun-loving or serious, you need to be
genuinely affected by your material and it has to
show. As the front person, the responsibility for a
charismatic performance is mainly on your shoulders.
You have many elements at your disposal: music,
words, arrangements, movements, costumes, attitudes,
smoke bombs. Construct a well-practiced framework to
perform within, one that's guided by your concept,
and it'll give you the freedom to improvise.
See also: Vocal Health Tips and Backing
Vocals
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