Anyone have tips on becoming a better performer. The obvious is practice, memorizing songs, and repetition. Anything outside the box that you would suggest to leave that memorable impression with the audience?
One obvious thing is to engage with the audience. Speak to them while lightly picking notes or softly strumming, it also helps allay any nerves.
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you should learn to use a pick
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While it is not announced yet, my next Live Clubâs topic will be:
âFrom Bedroom to Stageâ
What keeping you from performing live in front of an audience? Weâll get you ready to get on stage. Music, gear, mindsetâŚand your mission!
You can work on your storytelling and confidence:
# Motivation Club #19 | Storytelling, Confidence and Stage Fright
Sunday April 19th
Getting ready for a gig? Nervous about speaking in front of an audience? In this live session, Lieven will share top tips to help you take the stage withâŚ
https://www.justinguitar.com/live-events/129
You can prepare for mishaps:
# Motivation Club #21 | Dealing with mistakes and Mishaps on Stage!
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I do use a pick on electric. I have a hard time on acoustic guitar because of my arthritis. Still have to figure that out I guess.
Wow what a great opportunity. Iâll be doing some more local open mics starting next week and really want to take it to the next level.
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Oh yes.
Look like you are enjoying yourself. Very important. Smiling is good.
Look at the audience (most of the time).
Donât look at your guitar (most of the time, you have to some times). If you are anything like me youâll be surprised how much time you spend staring at your guitar even when you think you arenât. Video will tell you whether you do not. Practicing into a mirror or a tablet, or even a window during darkness helps.
If you are the audience banter person, know when you intend to speak and what you intend to say. Humour is good. Have some chat for every song even if you donât use it - you never know when someone else is going to decide to retune.
It doesnât sound like you are in a band, but if you are: Hang out / interact with the other band members on stage sometimes. Itâs ok to look at your band mate at this point - the audience wonât mind.
Invite the audience to join in. âSingalong if you know itâŚ.or even if you donât â. But donât hassle them if they arenât engaging - exhorting them to dance before every song when itâs clear they donât want to, isnât a great look.
Do you have any songs that you can change the lyrics to? We do âHi ho silver liningâ but add in the footie teams we support (Huddersfield Town for me, Tottenham Hotspurs for the lead singer). If American sports is your thing theyâll fit too (and itâs Hi Ho Boston Red Sox) or maybe Aussie ones (âHi ho Brisbane Broncosâ) - you get the picture. Invite the audience to join in with their favourite team - they can make it fit even if it doesnât have 4 syllables.
Another band one. You may want to think about how you line up on stage (or not, it might upset someone). 3 people who donât really engage the audience, look at their instrument all the time and never smile, stood on the front row isnât a great look.
If you fancy an audience walkabout, use a wireless guitar system.
They probably wonât all work for you, but hopefully it gives you some ideas.
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The advice Iâve heard is to look just above the heads of the audience. So it appears you are engaging with the audience but not getting distracted by seeing 1000 pairs of eyes trained on you.
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Hi Simon,
Those are all really great ideas Iâll surely try out. Iâm a solo act for now and Iâve tried to engage the audience a bit and tell some stories but need to improve. I love the wireless idea as I always worry about stepping on the guitar cable or being too far from the mic when I move around the stage.My last show wasnât terrible. I just want it to be epic. I was a first timer playing an open mic with seasoned veteran who could sign a record label lol. I kept up though and impressed them. Iâm from the USA in California but get the sports team idea. We also have a professional soccer team here besides typical American sports. Thanks again!
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I like that. I donât get nervous about being in front of crowds but sometimes worry what if my sound cuts off or I forget a chord. Great suggestion!
If your acoustic is amplified, you donât need a pick.
Doing open mics as often as possible. Have a home amplified setup thatâs of good quality. And use it.
Start your public performances with a song you know well thatâs not too fast. It will settle your nerves.
Smile when looking at your audience initially, even if inside you feel anxious
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You need to be entertaining, this not called The Entertainment Business for nothing. Iâve seem may a good musician crash and burn because they couldnât connect with the audiance and make them feel that your not just background music.
Being entertaining is also a skill just like playing guitar and singing. Some come by it naturally most donât.
Find what your good at. If telling great stories and capturing an audience is what your good at use it. If youâre not a good store teller donât. Nobody want to listen to some boring guy ramble on and on. It your talent is singing then lean on that, if your guitar playing is outstanding thatâs your go to.
If you suck at telling jokes donât go there, to many musician try being funny and the audience did come to a comedy night they came to listen to music.
Nobody thinks of taking public speaking or presentation. Iâve seen Walmart greeters be more entertaining and engaging(and they only have seconds) than some musicians at a bar and they have hours.
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I didnt know about your athritis problem but in this case using a pick may have helped you !
I read your original post before you deleted it / edited it so I know the back story ( sorry ^^â )
what would have helped you is : knowing when to stop playing and having a first aid kit always ready
In your gig bag you should always have a first aid kit , some spare strings , spare picks , spare lead , anything that can help you if thereâs an accident
When the bleeding started you should have stopped playing and talk to the public about the situation , explained things , joke about it maybe ?
As Stitch said , you need to connect with the audience at some point and that was the perfect situation to do it
After you could have put a band aid and switch to a pick for playing since you could not use your thumb anymore , at least for just 1 song !
you had 4 options with a band aid and a pick : Calling it a night / ending the song / starting it all over with a pick / playing something else
Instead you just let the situation got worse and worse and I guess that is what pissed off the owner
My advices here are : be always ready ! Fill your gig bag with whatever you may need
Communicate
Learn to use a pick because it may save you sometimes and it would add depth to your playing , you dont have to use it all the time but it can be useful on at least 1 song in your set
Many people listen with their eyes!!
So make sure you look confident, even if youâre not! Fake it until you make it.
And try to enjoy it, make that the goal 
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Hey Jeff, good on ya for doing what your doing. I have huge repect for anyone gutsy enough to get up in front of people.
Keep on keeping on mate, it will keep getting better.
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Honesty, and confidence - which go hand in hand. Confidence doesnât mean âIâm great at this and Iâm going to nail thisâŚâ itâs something much simpler. Most people will never step on a stage, or if they do itâs a few times in life because they are forced to give some sort of speech. But there you are. You are already special â and people will look at you and pay attention to you because you are doing something special.
Just know that. Not in an arrogant way, but know that itâs true â youâre special, and itâs cool that youâre standing there.
But youâll lose them if youâre not honest. People can sense if youâre wearing a mask â and if that mask is too thick they wonât forgive (or at least theyâll lose interest â even if theyâre not sure why). So get quiet, and be honest with them and with yourself. Thereâs a reason for the phrase âspeak from the heartâ â youâll feel if the words come from someplace honest, right from your chest, or if theyâre coming from your head. Get out of your head â thoughts about what you look like, how you should have practiced more, questions about why youâre even doing what youâre doing⌠none of those will help you. You can battle your demons once youâre off the stage. Take a breath, let go of the noise, and tell the truth.
As James Cagney once said, âFind your mark, look the other fellow in the eye, and tell the truth.â
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I have a great setup to amplify the acoustic guitar. I typically blend my set with partial use of a pick and part with just my hand.
I hear what youâre saying. I donât get nervous on stage or in front of big crowds. One takeaway I had from what you said was learning to be an entertainer and not just rush through each song. I need to connect with the crowd more. Iâm not terrible at it but still needs development. Thanks for the advice.
I changed the post because I felt like I came across as if I was whining about what happened. I played that show for 6 months last year with no issues and this was the first time something happened. That day I played half the set with a pick and half without. He wasnât allowing electric guitar this year so acoustic was it. After my injury I returned to play with a pick, but lost my focus. Thatâs never happened before. The crowd was forgiving, but the venue owner was not. I accept the feedback and that if you want to play at this professional level thatâs how it is. Iâm not quitting just trying to find a way to regroup and get back on the horse. For now itâs an open mic next Friday. I changed the post because it is more helpful to solicit advice from those who have succeeded and I see many responses here that are helpful. They want me back in old town after Iâve shown improvement through open mics. My story is not over just have more to learn.
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Thanks Justin. I do my best to be very confident while performing. @LievenDV has some great advice in his videos and I still have more of them to watch. I love the part about improv and preparing for the worst. Iâm very thankful for your course and would not have this opportunity without it.