The Good Musician

“Stage Performances turn good musicians into stars.”

Besides being damn good at playing that song or piece, you suffer stage fright and your performance is probably not one that radiates the presence of a star.

On TV, casting shows hugely depend on people who can stage perform. Why,the infamous “Popstars” even launched an “On Stage” version of the show focussing on stage performance.

While it isn’t regarded as the be-all and and end-all in musical studies, it probably seperates stars from the “No, Thank You”s. The Wheat from The Chaff. The Heidi Klums from the Condy Rices. You get the point. A good performance turns any musician into a star.

Hack #1: Take your time.

When it’s your turn, you get all the time you want. It’s your performance! Everyone is waiting for you, and you alone. You don’t have to rush. Take your time in walking out, sitting down, setting things right before you jump into bar 1. Then, don’t run off after yur performance. Seep in all the glory, show them you enjoyed being there, even if your performance wasn’t that good. But believe me, if you stay subscribed to this blog, your performances won’t suck much longer .

Hack #2: Tell a story.

You’re not just playing a piece. You’re telling a story. While you need to master your piece so you can play it freely enough, practice expressing your emotions theatrically. This strongly enhances the public’s understanding of the music. This is hard to achieve, so here’ the quick and dirty guide in 3 steps:

1. Breathe clearly and according to a plan. Your whole body will reflect your musicl phrases this way.
2. Train facial expressions: Learn to smile while playing. Use your eyebrows. It’s not a secret cartoonists rely on eyebrows for emotions.
3. Interpret the music mercilessly. Depending on genre and style, try to build up as much dynamic tension as you can. Music is about building up and relieving tension. Do this freely, don’t be afraid of the critics. Enjoy playing the piece the way you think fit. Chaning a note once in a while is all right (IMO).

Hack #3: Emanate the confidence of Luciano Pavarotti.

Walk out on stage at a planed pace. Hang your head high and keep posture. Acknowledge your audience. Take a minute and adjust the seat, your stand, your intrument. Tune it. And smile all the way.

When leaving, deliver a rehearsed bow. Stand and appreciate the applause. Then walk off in that same planned pace. Got it? Good.

I think those are some pretty no-nonsense techniques you can use right away, and you’ll be getting much more of those if you stay subscribed . Also, I’d love to hear some comments and feedback from you! Without you guys, I’d be totally lost! So if you have anything to say, be corageous and step up! I know you have an opinion to share.

Comments Off