Top Ten Tips For Playing Guitar In Front Of An Audience by:Liam Gibson
Playing the guitar in front of people may seem easy when it's just a few friends or family
, but when it's a crowded room full of strangers waiting to be entertained it's a different story. Standing in front of a large and live audience can be a scary experience, especially if you are a performer.
In this article we will show you some of the tips and techniques to make sure that you perform at the very best of your ability every time you go on stage. These tips have been taken from the experts - those who get up and perform with stability and amazing talent every week. It doesn't matter if you are completely new to performing on stage or you are a seasoned performer, there are a number of things you can do to make the very best of your performance.
1) Ignore the self-doubt. Have the courage to share your talent with others. Almost every single musician in the world will hear a little voice somewhere in the back of his mind just before he goes on stage that will say something along the lines of "what are you doing? You can't do this!" Remember that you have worked hard to practice your guitar, and that you know exactly what you are going to play.
2) Know your repertoire. It only has to be ten or twelve songs. Once you have a repertoire of songs that you play well and enjoy playing memorize them.
3) Mix it up a bit. Of the ten or twelve songs that you have chosen, make sure that they will please the audience. By this I mean make sure there is a good mix of rhythms and tempos - an audience is more likely to want to listen to a variation of music than a number of songs based around the same chord. Also, the songs that you choose should vary in difficulty as well. This doesn't mean that if it's your first time on stage you should play Flight of The Wounded Bumblebee at full pace. You know what you are capable of, and try and push yourself a little bit. By challenging yourself you will develop you stage skills quicker and more effectively.
4) Distract yourself. When you play in front of an audience, there will be distractions. So be ready - when you practice at home, put the TV on, or the radio. By doing this you will be training yourself to play with any distractions a room full of people will throw at you! There is one famous case of an outdoor concert going out live where the band on stage had to put up with the next band warming up directly behind them - these sorts of things will happen when you perform.
5) Play easy to start. Seasoned performers often start with a strong upbeat song with a medium tempo - not only does this warm you up nicely, but it also warms the audience up as well. Then, when the more technically difficult songs come later both you and the audience are prepared. Put the songs that you have selected in order so that the easiest to play come first. By doing this, when you get to the more difficult songs your fingers should be nicely warmed up
6) Sleep! Whenever possible, make sure you get a good night's sleep before any important gig. Sleep naturally lowers your levels of anxiety and increases your concentration, eliminating mistakes.
7) No Alcohol! Alcohol and caffeine can be gig-busters. Caffeine can heighten your awareness, increasing your nerves and making you more prone to mistakes and the inability to put them right. Similarly, alcohol will slow down your reaction time, as well as your awareness. You might think you are playing exceptionally well despite the fact that the audience got bored a long time ago.
8) Be prepared. Make sure you have all your clothes, equipment and directions ready the night before. This will seriously cut down on any extra anxiety before the gig. The last thing you want to be doing is having an argument about where the venue is an hour before you are due to go on stage.
9) Be equipped. Stock your gig bag with extra strings and plectrums in your gig bag, as well as extra batteries and leads. If you leave nothing to chance, then you diminish the possibility of anything going wrong that can't be fixed.
10) Relax and enjoy it. Playing in front of an audience is a massive part of the creative process - the more you practice it the better at it you will get! What is the worst thing that could possibly happen?
About the author
Liam Gibson of LearnGuitar-User-Reviews, specializes in helping aspiring guitarists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Liam, a stage guitarist himself, leads his team of guitar experts to constantly review new courses and products in the market and make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews and feedback of the most popular guitar courses at
http://www.LearnGuitar-User-Reviews.com.
Learn Chess or Chess Strategies with Chess Books by:Michiel Van Kets Online Gaming At Its Best With Final Fantasy by:Jason Wheeler Hay Bale Gardening by:Timothy Samuel Antique Jewelry - Investment and Fashion by:Kimberly Clay Can You Make Cash from your Camera? by:Wayne G Turner Does It Matter What Dreams Mean? by:Henry Fong Meaning Of Dreams, Do They Mean Anything? by:Henry Fong What Does My Dream Mean? by:Henry Fong The Chinese Horoscope Tiger: Sign Of Greatness by:Henry Fong Chinese Horoscope Ox - Are You An Ox? by:Henry Fong All About Your Rat Chinese Horoscope by:Henry Fong Wii Sports Resort Video Game Could Be The Best Yet From Nintendo by:Michael Spears 10 Generic Book Club Questions to Jump Start Your Discussion by:Molly Lundquist