1. Practice (The Right Way)<\/span><\/h2>\n

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The first step to giving an awesome performance is to make sure you and your band are ready to perform.<\/p>\n

As people always say “Practice makes perfect”<\/strong> and the more you practice, the more ready you will be to perform on stage.<\/p>\n

It’s good to practice every day, and if you’re in a band, it would be ideal to meet up with them as much as possible to practice your set for your next performance.<\/p>\n

However, this can be tough due to our everyday lives and schedules.<\/p>\n

If you find it challenging to meet up with your band, then you and your band should try and dedicate at least one day every week to meet up for a practice session together.<\/p>\n

On the other days of the week, make sure to get your individual practice in so once you meet up with the rest of your group, you’ll be more than ready to work on putting together your performance.<\/p>\n

If you can practice the songs for your next performance enough to the point where it becomes second nature<\/strong> to you, you shouldn’t have any problems when performance day comes.<\/p>\n

One of my music teachers always told us,<\/p>\n

“When you don’t have to think about what you are playing, you’ll be ready to perform. Not only does this show that you are ready to perform that song, you’ll also be able to focus on giving your best performance.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now let’s talk about how you and your band can be as efficient<\/strong> as possible during your practice sessions.<\/p>\n

What to do During your Practice Sessions<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Just practicing the music you have in store for your next performance isn’t enough. You must also work on your stage performance abilities.<\/p>\n

Remember, you aren’t just practicing songs for yourself, you are preparing to give a performance to all of the people who come to watch you on the day of your show.<\/p>\n

During your practice sessions, make sure to practice performing the music<\/strong>, not just playing it.<\/p>\n

Whether you are a solo performer or in a band, you should work on how you want to perform live on stage.<\/p>\n

Ask yourselves, “How can we make our performance as entertaining as possible?”<\/p>\n

Whenever you practice for an upcoming live performance, practice as if you were already on stage in front of an entire audience.<\/p>\n

This will put you in the mindset of giving a good performance even if you’re just by yourself or with your group during your practice sessions.<\/p>\n

You should be serious during your practice sessions, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.<\/p>\n

If you and your band stress out too much during the practice sessions, it will show during your actual performance.<\/p>\n

So always take your practice sessions seriously and perform the music as if you were on stage. Just don’t forget to enjoy performing the music you are playing.<\/p>\n

Practice vs Rehearsals<\/span><\/h3>\n

There’s a difference between your practice sessions and your rehearsals.<\/p>\n

When you are in your practice sessions, your main focus should be having everyone in your band ready to play the songs in your setlist.<\/p>\n

During your rehearsals, you and your band should start putting together the actual performance.<\/p>\n

Start planning out how you want your show to be once performance day comes.<\/p>\n

Work out all the transitions for each song and start finding spots in your performance that would make a great moment.<\/p>\n

Begin coordinating your movements for when you’re on stage so when you are performing live, you’ll have an idea where you should be and what you should be doing.<\/p>\n

Think of your rehearsals as “mock performances,”\u00a0<\/strong>a time for you and your band to get an idea of what it will be like actually performing your set.<\/p>\n

2. Engage with your Audience<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Engaging with your audience during you are performing live will allow you to connect with them on a deeper level.<\/p>\n

It’s like giving them an open invitation to your world while performing on stage.<\/p>\n

The more engaged your audience is with your performance, the more energy there is from the crowd.<\/p>\n

You and your band can work off this energy to give an even more incredible performance.<\/p>\n

It can also make the environment less stressful, allowing you and your band to enjoy the overall performance while you’re on stage.<\/p>\n

How to Engage with your Audience<\/span><\/h3>\n

When performing live on stage, it’s easy to get lost in your music. When this happens, you might forget about the audience entirely.<\/p>\n

Here’s what you can do so that doesn’t happen:<\/p>\n

Make Eye Contact with your Audience<\/span><\/h4>\n

Now I’m not saying that you have to make eye contact with every individual person in the crowd, which is practically impossible depending how big of an audience you have watching.<\/p>\n

What I’m trying to say is don’t forget to look away from your instrument and look at the crowd once in a while.<\/p>\n

To the people in the crowd, that would be enough engagement to reconnect them with your performance because you are acknowledging the fact that they are there.<\/p>\n

From their point of view, it may also look like you’re looking straight at them.<\/p>\n

Create the illusion that you can see every single person in the crowd even if you can’t.<\/p>\n

Communicate with your Audience<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Don’t forget to communicate with your audience.<\/p>\n

Before you perform, introduce yourselves right in the beginning and start engaging with the crowd.<\/p>\n

When transitioning to your next songs, don’t just go straight in and start playing, conversate with the audience. We’ll talk about this more in the next section, but don’t forget to use those small breaks in between songs to engage with your audience and reconnect with them.<\/p>\n

Find ways to allow your audience to perform with you.<\/p>\n

Maybe invite them to sing along if you are performing a song that everyone in the crowd knows.<\/p>\n

Even as simple as having your audience clapping along to the beat will make them feel like they are a part of the magic that is happening on stage.<\/p>\n

And the last thing you should never forget is to thank your audience for coming to your show at the end of your performance.<\/p>\n

They could’ve spent their time anywhere else, but they chose to watch you perform so the least you can do is thank them for their support.<\/p>\n

Now, this leads us to our next tip for performing live.<\/p>\n

3. The Art of Stage Banter when Performing Live<\/span><\/h2>\n

I was having a fun time talking to the crowd while we were setting up.<\/p><\/div>\n

Stage Banter<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>is when you talk to your audience whether it be at the beginning of your performance, in between songs during transitions, or even at the closing of your performance.<\/p>\n

Having good stage banter when performing live can really set you apart from different performers.<\/p>\n

It helps establish a relationship with your audience while also building a level of trust with them.<\/p>\n

You will also show your audience that you care about them.<\/p>\n

When you stage banter, here are some things you should keep in mind:<\/p>\n

Have a Solid Introduction<\/span><\/h3>\n

Make sure you introduce yourself and your band right from the beginning so everyone in the crowd knows who you are.<\/p>\n

Let them know where you’re from and give them some background information about you and your band.<\/p>\n

Try to talk about something that is relatable to everyone in the crowd. Maybe something about the city that you’re all in or something about the venue that you’re performing at.<\/p>\n

Being able to relate to the crowd, in the beginning, can set your performance on the right track.<\/p>\n

Be Confident<\/span><\/h3>\n

This will all come with experience, but try your best to sound confident.<\/p>\n

Whenever you stage banter, don’t be hesitant. The more hesitant you sound, the less natural you sound and you may find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation, for both your band and the audience.<\/p>\n

If appropriate, think about using big body movements to get the crowd’s attention.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget to make eye contact with the crowd and have good posture while you speak.<\/p>\n

Remember that what you say while you’re on stage is just as important as the music you perform. Choose your words carefully and be confident when you talk.<\/p>\n

And don’t forget to be yourself<\/strong>. Don’t try to be anyone else and learn how to be confident in the person you are. This will overall help you look more confident during your stage bantering while making you sound natural and unforced.<\/p>\n

Keep it Nice and Short<\/span><\/h3>\n

Talking and engaging with the crowd can be very effective at making your performance more entertaining for everyone.<\/p>\n

However, it can be a problem if you let it go on for too long.<\/p>\n

Instead of telling the entire backstory of your band or songs in between transitions, just bring up important key details.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For your Band:<\/span><\/h3>\n

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• Where your band is from<\/li>\n
• How long you’ve been together<\/li>\n
• A “short” funny story<\/li>\n
• Other “short” stories that are relatable<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  For your Songs (Transitioning in between songs)<\/span><\/h3>\n

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  • A “short” description of what your song is about<\/li>\n
  • Who or what the song is dedicated to<\/li>\n
  • The reason why you wrote the song<\/li>\n
  • If covering a song, talk about the reasons why you like the song<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Try to not to let it drag on for too long. If you can get your message across in fewer words, then go for it.<\/p>\n

    If people want to know about your entire backstory, you can save it for after the performance when you mingle with the crowd off stage.<\/p>\n

    Have Fun Stage Bantering<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The best way to get the crowd going while you stage banter is to have fun doing it.<\/p>\n

    When you’re having fun engaging with the crowd, it will help create a fun environment for everyone in the venue.<\/p>\n

    Don’t be so tense while you’re up there talking to people. Loosen yourself up and enjoy conversating with the crowd.<\/p>\n

    Here’s an example from my band when I was introducing the next song. It got the crowd laughing and more engaged with the performance.<\/p>\n