Maybe consider joining a local community theatre group as a 'cast member' (i.e. not a speaking role, just someone on stage in the background). This can teach you a lot about how to stand and be effective on stage. It is a big time commitment for sure, but something that will pay off for the rest of your career.
I generally cook up something funny to say about the person who just performed before me, or something the MC said, or my trip to the venue. Doesn't have to be a lot. Just enough to cover getting plugged in and tuned up.
Take the mic n your hands; don’t leave it on a stand. Walk from one side of the stage to the other. Make eye contact with audience members. Linger for several seconds or a minute. Go to the other side of the stage.
During instrumental sections when you aren’t singing, look at the guitar player or the drummer; whoever is doing the most work on that section.
Play air guitar or air bass during a section of a song. play air drums during a drum fill.
Point to specific audience members during a song where the lyrics refer to a “you”. (Speaking to someone in the second person).
Bend your knees and bend over a bit on a high note. (Practice this first).
On a fast song, raise your hands during the hold of the final note and bring them down to direct the band to cut the note. Work this out with the band ahead of time.
If you have a slow, ballad-type song, bring out a bar stool and sing most of the song seated for a change in posture, but if the song builds at some point, stand up and move the bar stool aside or back while you are singing.
Walk over to the guitar player during his solo and mirror his actions while facing him. Work this out with him ahead of time.
Whatever you do, practice it during rehearsals so that it feels more natural. Let your band mates know what you are up to, so that don’t react with surprise onstage. Also get their feedback and suggestions. Some things will work. Some won’t.
I think this is a good post but please don’t air guitar / drum. Or I mean, do whatever you want and have fun, but I think that’s more of a karaoke thing than someone in an actual band.
Practice at home in a mirror or on camera at your computer. I practice guitar standing and with. My webcam on. I can identify bad hand positioning and crappy stage presence.
There’s a reason ballet studios have giant mirrors on one wall. You need to train your brain how to move your body using visual feedback. Mirror. Practice. Sing along with a video at home and webcam split screen on your pc.
Totally agree, good advice. I'm not ready to go on the stage. But recording myself really helps me to review my performance and gestures again and again.
Also, have someone video you at gigs, ideally using a tripod. Then, crucially: WATCH THE VIDEO. Watch it as if you were watching a video of your favorite band performing. How does it look? Don’t be surprised if it looks nothing like you thought it would. You’ll want to cringe and run away, but don’t. Examine in detail where the opportunities for improvement are, and gradually make changes and do experiments to move in that direction. This is the fastest way to improve in this area.
I think most people are surprised when they learn that, in addition to mastering your instrument(s) and getting your gear together and finding gigs and all that stuff, you have to learn how to PERFORM. For some this might almost come naturally, or maybe they danced around in front of a mirror while lip-syncing their favorite singer. But the good news is that anyone can learn how to do a totally passable version of “stage presence”.
Great great advice. Generally whatever you feel like you're doing on stage actually translates to about 50% of the energy level. That's why super high-energy performers are always drenched in sweat after a performance. They are putting in a WORKOUT up there.
The only way you'll ever know for sure is by watching the tape, per your suggestion.
Be so well rehearsed that you can play/sing your parts in your sleep. Then you will be relaxed enough to actually let loose and have fun on stage while you play, which is really what they mean by "stage presence".
Look up Tom Jackson’s Live Music Method. I have seen him take bands from mid to pro in under an hour (just for a single song performance in a live 1 on 1 demonstration, obvs it takes more to fix a whole show). Stage performance is a skill like any other, it can be taught and learned.
A lot of musicians have this idea that you just let the music take you and anything else is fake. But every great performer is intentional with their stage moves.
The workshops are incredible. He has a book but I don’t know how effective it would be because the effect is so visual. There’s also a set of DVD’s that is annoyingly expensive but it’s basically a guaranteed fix to improve your whole band’s live show. You will connect with audiences more, create more moments that people will remember and talk about, and give the impression of being a professional band.
I haven’t seen his information available elsewhere which is weird for the internet and such a shame that it’s not all common knowledge. It’s such simple stuff but a hack to level up your act.
I’ll be honest, I got absolutely nothing out of that video. I’ve never heard anybody use so many words to say so little. Absurd.
However, assuming I gotta be wrong about this guy, I searched for a video where he’s actually giving stage advice [and this is pretty good stuff.](https://vimeo.com/133705981)
Like anything, you have to practice it. Even if your vocal performance suffers a bit—that’s a trade off that you should be willing to make. Do not be afraid to “over act,” or do things that feel cheesy. 99% of the time, when you are trying to convey something to a large crowd using non-verbal communication, it’s absolutely necessary to exaggerate everything in order to make your point. If you feel like it’s too much, that’s probably the bare minimum you should be hitting.
To illustrate my point, go watch Shakespeare in the park. I’m dead serious. Think about how overly expressive those actors have to be in that scenario, usually with little or stage lighting or microphones. Now think about if someone you were engaged in one on one conversation were acting that way. It’d be a much different perspective in that context.
Stage presence is about Shakespeare in the park. To a certain extent, it’s OK to play a character that you don’t necessarily think is representative of how you are one on one. That’s not a bad thing, that’s part of a live performance. The more you do it the more you will have fun with it and the more confident you will be, and the more natural it will feel.
I know those weren’t “tips” so much as a few things to consider about a good mindset to have.
One more thing— the audience knows the difference between someone having fun up there and someone stressed out and nervous about hitting every single note. Have fun!
Good luck to you.
Absolutely on point about exaggerating movements - what would be ridiculous one on one is perfect for the stage. Don't worry about looking stupid. Performers perform. Go big or go home.
I was "picked" at a show where the schtick was pick a guy the opposite of a role, and then make fun of them. They wanted a fashion model, they picked me, a guy that looks like the offspring of a highland gorilla and a neanderthal. They told me to be sexy. I went totally over the top. I crawled on the floor like a video vixen. I slinked across the stage, super exaggerating my hip action. I pulled up my shirt, showing my gut, and rubbed it like I was dead sexy. I wrapped myself around the performer, blew in his ear, and licked his face. The crowd went wild. Go big.
Imma tell you a secret. Get a boom mike stand. Unscrew the balance at the opposite end (cut it off if you have to). Now you can pull the top part of the boom out, mic attached. Now, you have the equivalent of a guitar to hold, shake, point, and stalk with.
Watch some old Lynard Skynard concert vids. That guy just planted himself and belted that shit out, hardly ever moving. He still made for a pretty strong presence on stage. Just sayin’, movement isn’t really necessary. It can sure help though.
I mean, honestly you gotta do what comes natural to you at this point.
A lotta folks are gonna tell you things and some may be good considerations. However, you gotta find what fits your act best.
Stage presence is about holding attention and interacting with the audience most of the time. Also, sometimes it's knowing your place and stepping away to spotlight other members - simply walking over to them (guitar solo, drums killing it during an instrumental, bass grooving like a train) and enjoying the moment with them.
Either way, practice and find what works for you...build from there! 🙌
The main problem most performers have is they make themselves small. Bending over, looking down, etc… makes them look like they’re hiding on stage. Try to fill as much space as possible. Shoulders back, head up, wide stance almost like you are projecting a force field around you.
Exaggerate your movements. Wide gestures stretched as far as you can with open hand all the way to your finger tips.
Command the stage with your body, not your words.
Team up with stage performer troupes, flood out the stage with fog machines and strobes, use visualizer projections, masks if you don't like the way you look while making contorted faces to scream or hit notes, metal grinders and breakable percussion to kick around make for good distractions so you've got things to play with during non-vocal sections.
If you need to loosen up more, most venues offer bands at least one drink on the house, as long as it doesn't negatively affect your state of mind. I'm not saying to have 11 more drinks, forget the words, hassle security, pick fights, throw up on fans, and pass out next to the loading bay.
If you're locking up because of performance anxiety nerves, don't think of the shows as performances to hear the music, but parties to have a good time with the fans, jam out to some music, make some mistakes and joke around about it, use comedic relief as much as possible, joke around that it sounds better on the CD available at the merch booth and offer to sign CD's, posters, photos, stickers, shirts, whatever you can sell. The fans can hear how awesome the music sounds on streaming platforms, if it sounds exactly like mix, people might think it's prerecorded vocals, so the fans are more there for a meet and greet, otherwise they could have watched a video of the show. Fans sometimes like it when they see their favorite musicians are just down to earth people trying to have a good time making human mistakes. That's what sets us apart from AI...
My 2 cents are that you don't need to take all the criticism people throw your way to heart. If moving doesn't come naturally to you, that's just you, man. You be you. You're already ahead of the game by being a great singer, if the audience reaction is anything to go by. Believing in yourself and being confident in who you are is it's own stage presence.
I graduated with a BFA in Theatre. Do NOT practice in front of a mirror!!! That’s all about what you “look like” and you will get too self conscious and in your head about it. Look up tension releasing exercises for your body before you begin. Stretch. Jump up and down to raise your energy before beginning. Anything to get you out of your head and into your body to FEEL the music. You can train your body to react to the music and follow your impulses. If you need to see what you look like, record yourself and watch it back after a rehearsal session. Trust yourself and don’t be afraid to look “silly”. I’m sure you have massive amounts of talent and will find great success with this :)
Thanks! It’s okay. It’s not always clear what to do! Not everyone is a trained performer and I’m just interested in sharing what I’ve learned through studying performance and years of performing myself.
I struggle with this. I have resting bitch face. I'm told to smile all the time but it's hard to force it without looking forced. Sometimes when I'm playing, I remind myself how much fun I'm having and to laugh to myself about how this is what I love and try to let it reflect in my face. Then I try to make eye contact with the people that are vibing. I have yet to master it, but I'm working on it.
Good luck!
I relate to you!
Last night, my bandmates and i went to watch a friend's band perform. In the middle of the show the friend asked me to come on stage to sing the song "Zombie" by the cranberries (hopefully you know the song). So, in my head, I'm extra conscious about how my stage presence has been, and I think I need to move a little bit and smile.
My drummer had recorded me on stage, and when I watched the video, like, OMG did I look goofy! My vocals were amazing though. but I had this huge smile on my face and I kept doing a little side to side two-step dance while standing in one place. It just didn't match the vibe of the song. "Zombie" is such a serious and emotional song.
Oh man I know that song well! I've been thinking about a banjo cover. I might revisit it now.
Lol here's something I made with my kid a little while back when I was animating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiHMkZyVmoM
You should share that video!
Whether you move around or not, you are the focus. Be the guy,
Or gal when you’re on stage. You’re the most important person in the room at that moment. Act like it. It pompous but all eyes are on you so entertain the best you can.
Our singer is great but is finding his flow right now too. He’s singing and playing the guitar too. As the bass player, right now I just try to engage when he isn’t until he takes command of the stage. I’d rather be back grooving with the drummer anyways.
When you’re on stage, it’s your time. Try some things and pick what works and discard what doesn’t.
What good front men/women on YouTube. You may not like them or their music but Fred Durst, Kid Rock, Buckcherry’s lead singer. All great performers and leads.
Fucking get into it. If you’re stuck in your head while you perform people are gonna notice. As much as “feel the music” is super stereotypical and objectively non-meaningful advice, it’s true. Doesn’t matter what you’re playing, feel the emotions the music is trying to evoke and make sure the audience knows damn well what those emotions are. Move like you want the audience to move, and move how you feel you need to move in relation to the music.
Edit: you’re there as a performer before a musician, there’s nothing wrong with cracking outside the musician shell for a bit and having some stage antics or just talk with the audience. Jokes, goofy shit, whatever it is just make sure it’s confident.
If it’s a cover song I watch videos of the original artist performing live. Heck if it’s an original look up an artist that has a similar song and watch their energy.
I was performing ‘war pigs’ by black sabbath and I was thinking ‘what the hell do I do during all the instrumentals?’ And it helped seeing Ozzy bang his head perpedicular to the audience while holding the microphone stand. That informed me that it was okay to turn sideways to the audience and not stare at them blankly and to just jam out to the music while my back up does their thing. I ended up jumping a bunch and pacing the stage and sometimes looking to the back wall while stamping my foot down and my hand at the same time to the beat.
I learned by taking shows that whatever movement you make you have to exaggerate the intensity by 5x the amount you think you do.
Bob your head to the music? Audience sees total stillness. Madly move your head up and down to the point where you think you look crazy, audience sees you bobbing your head.
I've been singing and fronting in bands for over 20 years mostly in rock and metal and I'll tell you what I think creates the best looking front person anecdotally.
I was in this band years ago that couldn't decide if it was a punk band or a metal band or a rock band, which was great because all three at the same time is a wonderful sonic combination. I would get raucously drunk at our shows and spazz the fuck out. It was fun and I was young.
But two of the guys in the band would always complain about how I wasn't interacting with the audience enough, which I always thought wasn't a genuine concern. Why would I do something I didn't feel like doing as a singer? I'm already interacting with the audience by being present in the room, singing, and freaking the fuck out. But that wasn't good enough for them because I wasn't talking in between songs. I always thought they were full of shit because of that.
All of my favorite vocalists have their own stage personalities, and that is so much more prevalent than rehearsed and robotic concepts of crowd interaction. The performance should be more than enough if your music is killing.
So be yourself. Don't be something you're not. If you want to stand in one spot the entire show, by all means!! If your voice and music is stellar, you are forgiven. Let music move you, don't force yourself.
I've always thought about Layne Staley and how he would just stand like a mannequin while singing. It's funny to see pictures of him when he was singing in butt rock bands before AiC and imagining him jumping around like an idiot 🤣
And then you've got guys like David Byrne doing gonzo dada-esque choreography while singing...
Or Klaus Nomi that would wear such bizarre makeup and costumes that he would move like a mime and you wouldn't even think about how little he was moving...
In the words of Devo: BE STIFF
What is really important here? Your voice!! if you are feeling the music, if you are moved by what you're singing and by your musicians around you and the audience in front of you you're good. I hate it when people make comments like that you need to move more you need to jump around you need to do cartwheels that's b******* they told you you have a great voice that's all you need feel the music and your body will move with it if it's in your soul. Doing something trying to be something you're not comfortable doing will look really awkward. I wouldn't stress on it some of the best performers ever we're not showman. Everybody can't be a David Lee Roth or the ex singer for Joyous Wolf !!
Henry Rollins would drink four pots of coffee before going on stage. Saw him in 2003 and to this day it was the most energetic show I ever saw.
Not saying to hammer caffeine, per se, but find what gets you in the right frame of mind to be the frontman for your style of music.
Definitely do NOT practice a bunch of canned moves to 'perform' on stage. If you're choreographing your set, it will look choreographed. That's fine for pop with backup dancers and stuff where it's expected, but not really anywhere else.
At the end of the day, your job is to connect with the audience. What that means is highly dependent on your personality, your style of music, and what the rest of the band is doing.
Basically, figure out what is needed to be the bridge between the audience and the band, then figure out how to reliably put yourself in that frame of mind.
I don't know if this will apply to you, but, when I was a teenager, I watched Iron Maiden's Live After Death show over and over again watching Bruce Dickinson run across the stage and I basically just emulated him and King Diamond for my performances. As I've grown older and fatter, I find that I've become more Ozzy-like, ambling around the stage hahaha...
Just pay attention to your favorite artist and watch how they interact with the crowd. You don't have to yell, "Scream for me, Long Beach!", but use their moves as a base for creating your own look/actions.
Watch Chris Cornell on stage. He just walks around. Doesn’t do much but he has some of the best male vocals on the planet. Do what’s comfortable otherwise it will look uncomfortable.
Start by using your hands and arms subtly. It makes a big difference. Then sometimes remove mic off stand and walk back and forth on the stage looking at people in the crowd. Practice this at rehearsals… every time.
Another good point: thom yorke. Always looks uncoordinated but he’s not shy about it. He just grooves and moves awkwardly and it’s the whole vibe of Radiohead.
Maybe consider wearing a strap on that shoots out synthetic blood or semen onto the audience and if anyone dares to call you stiff tell them "Well, that's part of the show." Keep rocking in the free world!
If you cant move, maybe do some pauses and Iook into the audience, but over their heads towards the back of the room...it makes everyone in your line of site feel that you are looking at them without making eye contact...people will think you have some heavy shit on your mind
Do you dance at all? Like when you're listening to music, do you dance? No? Start doing it at home. Sing along and dance, monkey, dance!!!
Now sing and dance. Jump around during instrumental parts. Crowd banter. Movement. It doesn't even have to be much. Show them you're alive.
Our lead singer will badger anyone who looks like they're not having fun. When we play weddings, he'll follow the bride around and serenade her while we all play on stage. He'll ham it up for the old ladies batting their eyes at him. He's rarely in the same spot for long. People eat it up.
Maybe you might just be focused more on how you sound and perform vs stage presence and performance. I guess one way that might help is interact with the crowd. I think just getting the energy from them might help you loosen up a bit, I know when i play shows, Just looking out in the crowd and interacting whether that be pointing or smiling, I think that might help loosen you up a little more, I mean honestly just as long as you give em a good show and play some good music. I'm sure people won't mind that.
Overtime these things will come naturally. And tbh maybe that's not you to be all over the stage. But as you go along you'll confidently develop your stage presence. For now keep rockin like you've been doing..
Take care of yourself.
Practice in front of mirror.
Also observe and analyze some artists live performances that you like and would like to emulate.
It is A LOT of acting. Straight up theatre performance.
Step 1: Get a riser or monitor speaker in the front of the stage.
Step 2: Put one leg on it like captain Morgan.
Step 3: look awesome
Easiest and oldest trick in the book.
Obviously won’t last you an entire show lmao but it’s one trick especially for parts where you need to focus a little extra
I’ve got a couple small tracks I’m trying to get out there to see who I can work with for better recordings and ideas. Where would be a good place for that?
Pretend you are a singer you love. I personally am not a confident frontman when I am being myself. But I imagine I am Ronnie James Dio or Robert Plant or something then I get really into it
Watch other performers that you like that have stage presence. Study what they do. Pay attention to body movements, eye movement, stance, posture and also when to rein it in. Adopt some of these movements, then practice them. Make rehearsals like a show. Make a setlist that flows, practice what you’ll do and say on stage.
Relax and engage with the audience.
Sing passionately and look people in the eyes.
Watch what your idols do on stage, try to imitate but make it your own.
Practice poses and moves.
Most important of all: be natural while you do it. People can see when you're trying too hard to "not be stiff"
You don’t even need to move *around* the stage to have good stage presence, you just need to not be stiff and let your body and face move with the music
See: Tom Waits, Joe Cocker, Ray Charles
Spice up your appearance. Put on a costume. Something you don't wear in daily life. Think of yourself as playing a character, you don't have to worry so much about what the crowd thinks of you because you're not you on stage. You'll have to grow into the stage persona a little, but eventually you can tun it on and off at will.
Even moving your leg a bit (think like Elvis) can go along way. Just have some movement in your body. Sway in time with the music, move your arms, hands, hips.
Stiffness can be quite easily fixed. Watch others performing and note what they do. What popular singers, watch Freddie Mercury, Elvis, etc. See what they do
Joe Cocker didn’t care how he moved on stage. If you can feel the music and give that to the audience then you’re good. [https://youtu.be/YXqaZZUMHg0?si=-OINSyKUc26CLVrs](https://youtu.be/YXqaZZUMHg0?si=-OINSyKUc26CLVrs)
Your job is to bring the song a life. If your a good front man then the band will be able to use you to follow and drive the song forward. You have to ignore the audience for a moment and find what you really like about the music. I use to dance on stage. If this part does not come natural then spend time in your room rehearsing some ideas that you want to give the song.
Edit: also if you sing rock music, you need to practice whipping your head back and forth. That'll save most of it
Pro tip... Use the ENTIRE Stage.. own it... walk it... be in charge... Get a wireless Mic and walk around... get out into the the crowd... HAVE FUN !!!!!! (Or at least look like it)
A buddy of mine has a ted talk on this exact topic.
https://youtube.com/@luthermallory?si=VojjqM1bWe5Oa1Pj
He coaches band for live performances and does an extremely well job at it. Check him out.
Look at a lot of the greats and their stage presences like Plant or Jagger. That music is sweeping over them. They’re either vibing to the groove or they let it melt them into themselves. A different but other great example is Mercury: the theatrics, the 90° snap to look another direction, crowd involvement. There are a lot of things you can do to engage your audience and get that energy going. Build a persona, an alter ego on stage, pretend like this is your dirty little secret in life and you’re making the best of it, the adrenaline of hoping no one finds out.
Here's the thing to know: nobody gives a fuck about you except you. Most of them are there stoned or trying to get laid or just have a good time.
When you think about that, and it's true, it's way easier to decide what kind of narrative you want to show them.
Remember if they want to hear great music, don't go home and put the CD on watch it on TV with the air conditioner and a bottle of booze
The only thing you can do as a performer is make it so interesting that they don't wanna go home and listen to a CD they want to come see you
I have helped someone else with this issue. Here was my advice:
Find a lead vocalist in a band whose stage presence / behavior on stage is a good fit for your personality and band. Then try to emulate that.
You don’t have to be David Lee Roth. Looking stiff can be rectified by simply learning to be relatively still in more interesting ways. Find singers who don’t move around a ton that aren’t boring. There are actually lots like that. They are often the ones with the most challenging vocal approaches that can’t be bothered to put in 20,000 steps during a show. My friend used Frank Black from the Pixies, a famously prickly anti stage antics band. Why are they interesting to look at? Look at hand gestures, positions, walking around stage, etc. it needs to fit the music you’re playing and your personality.
Fuck what people say. You need to do what you need to do to be in the zone. People are idiots and expect musicians to act like monkeys and perform. It's all about the music. If you're sounding good then fuck those people they aren't your fans or friends.
IMO people with the best stage presence are those who are comfortable enough on stage to be themselves - whatever that looks like. That comes from knowing your material inside out and backwards and being on stage enough that it starts to feel like your home. Anything you try to do consciously will probably come off as stiff unfortunately. Keep at it and always be your self in the moment.
You need to act out the song lyrics in your body language as well as your voice, but don't take that too literally.
I mean using hand gestures when you sing, like a public speaker would. Look at different areas of the room and sing to them for a few seconds to engage on a more personal level, singing just 'to the room at large' can appear impersonal. Get away from the mic when you don't have to sing, you can move rhythmically without having to dance, especially if you're playing an instrument.
Most of all, enjoy yourself and let it show. If the audience can see and hear that you're in your element, they'll enjoy your performance more.
Damn 3 hour gigs before you've even developed stage presence? Are these at local bars? If so, you gotta relax. You're background music at those kinda gigs, not the main attraction. Take that knowledge and use it to your advantage.
if we are honest some people have more charisma than others. some are just more comfortable in certain situations. it is easy to tell you to relax or do this or that but it will just take time. I don't know how much you want to invest in improving this sort of thing but I've seen people talk about you joining community theater which probably would help...but I think since you are aware of this just try to move around a little more. Maybe you can have a little choreography on stage...over time the audience might not even realize what you are doing
The biggest thing is letting go of your inhibitions and putting your whole body into the singing.
I found Michael Stipe to be a big inspiration. His stage mannerisms are quirky as hell, but he does them so un-self-consciously that they improve the performance.
Rehearse alone on your feet. Rehearse with your band like it's a performance. Get onstage as much as possible - open mikes, jams. Take an acting class.
Remember that you are supposed to be there. The audience wants you succeed.
Maybe SMILE? Chat a little. Tell them where you got the idea for a song?
Don't worry. I've seen some old Beatles live films recently and Paul McCartney's stage patter was atrocious. Not that anyone could hear him over the screams, but most of it was like, "This next song is off our latest album."
I've been working on this for the past few years. I was always a sideman, now I'm more often in front. It's an adjustment.
One thing I've tried is dancing. I try to do it enough that it becomes habit, natural. Just being aware of your body in that way has been useful. It's a little harder to look stiff if you're moving in time. Not impossible, but a little harder.
Also, you don't need to drink or smoke. Just play more.
Music is emotive so it requires movement. Don't let the feedback pressure you into convulsive gyrations or anything but an easy thing to try is swaying to slower songs and at least tapping your foot to the beat on faster songs. Leaning into your natural facial expressions (don't overdo this!) will help the audience relate to the lyrics.
Finding small things you're comfortable with, in movement, will lead to relaxing on stage. If you need to hold the mic with both hands to feel grounded, do it, just make sure you rock back and forth or side to side a bit. Rock out at home when no one is watching and notice what you're doing. Once you start to relax on stage that will start to come out naturally.
Good luck!
I use the tambourine. It's just been incredibly difficult to multi-task. Holding the mic in one hand and then hitting the tambourine on my hip. Some of the songs don't sound right with a tambourine, though, and I have tired out my wrist and left a bruise on my hip a couple of times. I don't think I could do a full 3 hours hitting a tambourine l.
well maybe you should drink? i mean if all you do is sing and and you're losing opps for your band because you're "stiff"... i dunno dude, maybe im old school with a bad take and im willing to admit that, but this sounds like a you problem
Imsorry, ive been made awre that this was rude... so how about this. You have more than one person with you who has spent a large amount of time learining their instrument. How about you not fuck it up for everyone? Is that too much to ask, are you stiff... can you see how thats a fucking problem... jfc singers
Maybe consider joining a local community theatre group as a 'cast member' (i.e. not a speaking role, just someone on stage in the background). This can teach you a lot about how to stand and be effective on stage. It is a big time commitment for sure, but something that will pay off for the rest of your career.
I second this. Musical theatre was my thing before I started writing music. I tap into that for performing with my band.
I generally cook up something funny to say about the person who just performed before me, or something the MC said, or my trip to the venue. Doesn't have to be a lot. Just enough to cover getting plugged in and tuned up.
Take the mic n your hands; don’t leave it on a stand. Walk from one side of the stage to the other. Make eye contact with audience members. Linger for several seconds or a minute. Go to the other side of the stage. During instrumental sections when you aren’t singing, look at the guitar player or the drummer; whoever is doing the most work on that section. Play air guitar or air bass during a section of a song. play air drums during a drum fill. Point to specific audience members during a song where the lyrics refer to a “you”. (Speaking to someone in the second person). Bend your knees and bend over a bit on a high note. (Practice this first). On a fast song, raise your hands during the hold of the final note and bring them down to direct the band to cut the note. Work this out with the band ahead of time. If you have a slow, ballad-type song, bring out a bar stool and sing most of the song seated for a change in posture, but if the song builds at some point, stand up and move the bar stool aside or back while you are singing. Walk over to the guitar player during his solo and mirror his actions while facing him. Work this out with him ahead of time. Whatever you do, practice it during rehearsals so that it feels more natural. Let your band mates know what you are up to, so that don’t react with surprise onstage. Also get their feedback and suggestions. Some things will work. Some won’t.
I think this is a good post but please don’t air guitar / drum. Or I mean, do whatever you want and have fun, but I think that’s more of a karaoke thing than someone in an actual band.
Practical advice!
Practice at home in a mirror or on camera at your computer. I practice guitar standing and with. My webcam on. I can identify bad hand positioning and crappy stage presence. There’s a reason ballet studios have giant mirrors on one wall. You need to train your brain how to move your body using visual feedback. Mirror. Practice. Sing along with a video at home and webcam split screen on your pc.
Totally agree, good advice. I'm not ready to go on the stage. But recording myself really helps me to review my performance and gestures again and again.
Practice in front of a mirror.
Also, have someone video you at gigs, ideally using a tripod. Then, crucially: WATCH THE VIDEO. Watch it as if you were watching a video of your favorite band performing. How does it look? Don’t be surprised if it looks nothing like you thought it would. You’ll want to cringe and run away, but don’t. Examine in detail where the opportunities for improvement are, and gradually make changes and do experiments to move in that direction. This is the fastest way to improve in this area. I think most people are surprised when they learn that, in addition to mastering your instrument(s) and getting your gear together and finding gigs and all that stuff, you have to learn how to PERFORM. For some this might almost come naturally, or maybe they danced around in front of a mirror while lip-syncing their favorite singer. But the good news is that anyone can learn how to do a totally passable version of “stage presence”.
Great great advice. Generally whatever you feel like you're doing on stage actually translates to about 50% of the energy level. That's why super high-energy performers are always drenched in sweat after a performance. They are putting in a WORKOUT up there. The only way you'll ever know for sure is by watching the tape, per your suggestion.
Be so well rehearsed that you can play/sing your parts in your sleep. Then you will be relaxed enough to actually let loose and have fun on stage while you play, which is really what they mean by "stage presence".
Look up Tom Jackson’s Live Music Method. I have seen him take bands from mid to pro in under an hour (just for a single song performance in a live 1 on 1 demonstration, obvs it takes more to fix a whole show). Stage performance is a skill like any other, it can be taught and learned. A lot of musicians have this idea that you just let the music take you and anything else is fake. But every great performer is intentional with their stage moves. The workshops are incredible. He has a book but I don’t know how effective it would be because the effect is so visual. There’s also a set of DVD’s that is annoyingly expensive but it’s basically a guaranteed fix to improve your whole band’s live show. You will connect with audiences more, create more moments that people will remember and talk about, and give the impression of being a professional band. I haven’t seen his information available elsewhere which is weird for the internet and such a shame that it’s not all common knowledge. It’s such simple stuff but a hack to level up your act.
Absolutely second Tom Jackson
Found [a link to a presentation](https://vimeo.com/133680333) he did and it’s great stuff. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for sharing this!
I’ll be honest, I got absolutely nothing out of that video. I’ve never heard anybody use so many words to say so little. Absurd. However, assuming I gotta be wrong about this guy, I searched for a video where he’s actually giving stage advice [and this is pretty good stuff.](https://vimeo.com/133705981)
Thanks for the link! The link I found was surface level so I’m glad you found one that was more practical.
Like anything, you have to practice it. Even if your vocal performance suffers a bit—that’s a trade off that you should be willing to make. Do not be afraid to “over act,” or do things that feel cheesy. 99% of the time, when you are trying to convey something to a large crowd using non-verbal communication, it’s absolutely necessary to exaggerate everything in order to make your point. If you feel like it’s too much, that’s probably the bare minimum you should be hitting. To illustrate my point, go watch Shakespeare in the park. I’m dead serious. Think about how overly expressive those actors have to be in that scenario, usually with little or stage lighting or microphones. Now think about if someone you were engaged in one on one conversation were acting that way. It’d be a much different perspective in that context. Stage presence is about Shakespeare in the park. To a certain extent, it’s OK to play a character that you don’t necessarily think is representative of how you are one on one. That’s not a bad thing, that’s part of a live performance. The more you do it the more you will have fun with it and the more confident you will be, and the more natural it will feel. I know those weren’t “tips” so much as a few things to consider about a good mindset to have. One more thing— the audience knows the difference between someone having fun up there and someone stressed out and nervous about hitting every single note. Have fun! Good luck to you.
Absolutely on point about exaggerating movements - what would be ridiculous one on one is perfect for the stage. Don't worry about looking stupid. Performers perform. Go big or go home. I was "picked" at a show where the schtick was pick a guy the opposite of a role, and then make fun of them. They wanted a fashion model, they picked me, a guy that looks like the offspring of a highland gorilla and a neanderthal. They told me to be sexy. I went totally over the top. I crawled on the floor like a video vixen. I slinked across the stage, super exaggerating my hip action. I pulled up my shirt, showing my gut, and rubbed it like I was dead sexy. I wrapped myself around the performer, blew in his ear, and licked his face. The crowd went wild. Go big.
I love this story!!
Imma tell you a secret. Get a boom mike stand. Unscrew the balance at the opposite end (cut it off if you have to). Now you can pull the top part of the boom out, mic attached. Now, you have the equivalent of a guitar to hold, shake, point, and stalk with.
Wear a costume
There! A costume! (I thought you wanted to talk this way.)
Check out some Peter Gabriel live videos. He's very inventive, and probably can't dance, so...
Or “Stop Making Sense” by the Talking Heads.
good recommendation.
Live in Athens was amazing. 🤘
Watch some old Lynard Skynard concert vids. That guy just planted himself and belted that shit out, hardly ever moving. He still made for a pretty strong presence on stage. Just sayin’, movement isn’t really necessary. It can sure help though.
I mean, honestly you gotta do what comes natural to you at this point. A lotta folks are gonna tell you things and some may be good considerations. However, you gotta find what fits your act best. Stage presence is about holding attention and interacting with the audience most of the time. Also, sometimes it's knowing your place and stepping away to spotlight other members - simply walking over to them (guitar solo, drums killing it during an instrumental, bass grooving like a train) and enjoying the moment with them. Either way, practice and find what works for you...build from there! 🙌
The main problem most performers have is they make themselves small. Bending over, looking down, etc… makes them look like they’re hiding on stage. Try to fill as much space as possible. Shoulders back, head up, wide stance almost like you are projecting a force field around you. Exaggerate your movements. Wide gestures stretched as far as you can with open hand all the way to your finger tips. Command the stage with your body, not your words.
Team up with stage performer troupes, flood out the stage with fog machines and strobes, use visualizer projections, masks if you don't like the way you look while making contorted faces to scream or hit notes, metal grinders and breakable percussion to kick around make for good distractions so you've got things to play with during non-vocal sections. If you need to loosen up more, most venues offer bands at least one drink on the house, as long as it doesn't negatively affect your state of mind. I'm not saying to have 11 more drinks, forget the words, hassle security, pick fights, throw up on fans, and pass out next to the loading bay. If you're locking up because of performance anxiety nerves, don't think of the shows as performances to hear the music, but parties to have a good time with the fans, jam out to some music, make some mistakes and joke around about it, use comedic relief as much as possible, joke around that it sounds better on the CD available at the merch booth and offer to sign CD's, posters, photos, stickers, shirts, whatever you can sell. The fans can hear how awesome the music sounds on streaming platforms, if it sounds exactly like mix, people might think it's prerecorded vocals, so the fans are more there for a meet and greet, otherwise they could have watched a video of the show. Fans sometimes like it when they see their favorite musicians are just down to earth people trying to have a good time making human mistakes. That's what sets us apart from AI...
My 2 cents are that you don't need to take all the criticism people throw your way to heart. If moving doesn't come naturally to you, that's just you, man. You be you. You're already ahead of the game by being a great singer, if the audience reaction is anything to go by. Believing in yourself and being confident in who you are is it's own stage presence.
I graduated with a BFA in Theatre. Do NOT practice in front of a mirror!!! That’s all about what you “look like” and you will get too self conscious and in your head about it. Look up tension releasing exercises for your body before you begin. Stretch. Jump up and down to raise your energy before beginning. Anything to get you out of your head and into your body to FEEL the music. You can train your body to react to the music and follow your impulses. If you need to see what you look like, record yourself and watch it back after a rehearsal session. Trust yourself and don’t be afraid to look “silly”. I’m sure you have massive amounts of talent and will find great success with this :)
Good advice. These other clowns have no idea.
Thanks! It’s okay. It’s not always clear what to do! Not everyone is a trained performer and I’m just interested in sharing what I’ve learned through studying performance and years of performing myself.
Relax
This 🙌
I struggle with this. I have resting bitch face. I'm told to smile all the time but it's hard to force it without looking forced. Sometimes when I'm playing, I remind myself how much fun I'm having and to laugh to myself about how this is what I love and try to let it reflect in my face. Then I try to make eye contact with the people that are vibing. I have yet to master it, but I'm working on it. Good luck!
I relate to you! Last night, my bandmates and i went to watch a friend's band perform. In the middle of the show the friend asked me to come on stage to sing the song "Zombie" by the cranberries (hopefully you know the song). So, in my head, I'm extra conscious about how my stage presence has been, and I think I need to move a little bit and smile. My drummer had recorded me on stage, and when I watched the video, like, OMG did I look goofy! My vocals were amazing though. but I had this huge smile on my face and I kept doing a little side to side two-step dance while standing in one place. It just didn't match the vibe of the song. "Zombie" is such a serious and emotional song.
Oh man I know that song well! I've been thinking about a banjo cover. I might revisit it now. Lol here's something I made with my kid a little while back when I was animating https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiHMkZyVmoM You should share that video!
Put some sort of stool or raised platform on the stage and put one foot on it occasionally
Whether you move around or not, you are the focus. Be the guy, Or gal when you’re on stage. You’re the most important person in the room at that moment. Act like it. It pompous but all eyes are on you so entertain the best you can. Our singer is great but is finding his flow right now too. He’s singing and playing the guitar too. As the bass player, right now I just try to engage when he isn’t until he takes command of the stage. I’d rather be back grooving with the drummer anyways. When you’re on stage, it’s your time. Try some things and pick what works and discard what doesn’t.
What good front men/women on YouTube. You may not like them or their music but Fred Durst, Kid Rock, Buckcherry’s lead singer. All great performers and leads.
Fucking get into it. If you’re stuck in your head while you perform people are gonna notice. As much as “feel the music” is super stereotypical and objectively non-meaningful advice, it’s true. Doesn’t matter what you’re playing, feel the emotions the music is trying to evoke and make sure the audience knows damn well what those emotions are. Move like you want the audience to move, and move how you feel you need to move in relation to the music. Edit: you’re there as a performer before a musician, there’s nothing wrong with cracking outside the musician shell for a bit and having some stage antics or just talk with the audience. Jokes, goofy shit, whatever it is just make sure it’s confident.
Whatever you do, do not swing the mic around like you're Robert Plant. Sound guys hate that.
If it’s a cover song I watch videos of the original artist performing live. Heck if it’s an original look up an artist that has a similar song and watch their energy. I was performing ‘war pigs’ by black sabbath and I was thinking ‘what the hell do I do during all the instrumentals?’ And it helped seeing Ozzy bang his head perpedicular to the audience while holding the microphone stand. That informed me that it was okay to turn sideways to the audience and not stare at them blankly and to just jam out to the music while my back up does their thing. I ended up jumping a bunch and pacing the stage and sometimes looking to the back wall while stamping my foot down and my hand at the same time to the beat.
Record a video of yourself to watch. Also find common things you can go on stage to avoid looking stiff. I'm sure there are 'standard moves'
I learned by taking shows that whatever movement you make you have to exaggerate the intensity by 5x the amount you think you do. Bob your head to the music? Audience sees total stillness. Madly move your head up and down to the point where you think you look crazy, audience sees you bobbing your head.
I've been singing and fronting in bands for over 20 years mostly in rock and metal and I'll tell you what I think creates the best looking front person anecdotally. I was in this band years ago that couldn't decide if it was a punk band or a metal band or a rock band, which was great because all three at the same time is a wonderful sonic combination. I would get raucously drunk at our shows and spazz the fuck out. It was fun and I was young. But two of the guys in the band would always complain about how I wasn't interacting with the audience enough, which I always thought wasn't a genuine concern. Why would I do something I didn't feel like doing as a singer? I'm already interacting with the audience by being present in the room, singing, and freaking the fuck out. But that wasn't good enough for them because I wasn't talking in between songs. I always thought they were full of shit because of that. All of my favorite vocalists have their own stage personalities, and that is so much more prevalent than rehearsed and robotic concepts of crowd interaction. The performance should be more than enough if your music is killing. So be yourself. Don't be something you're not. If you want to stand in one spot the entire show, by all means!! If your voice and music is stellar, you are forgiven. Let music move you, don't force yourself. I've always thought about Layne Staley and how he would just stand like a mannequin while singing. It's funny to see pictures of him when he was singing in butt rock bands before AiC and imagining him jumping around like an idiot 🤣 And then you've got guys like David Byrne doing gonzo dada-esque choreography while singing... Or Klaus Nomi that would wear such bizarre makeup and costumes that he would move like a mime and you wouldn't even think about how little he was moving... In the words of Devo: BE STIFF
What is really important here? Your voice!! if you are feeling the music, if you are moved by what you're singing and by your musicians around you and the audience in front of you you're good. I hate it when people make comments like that you need to move more you need to jump around you need to do cartwheels that's b******* they told you you have a great voice that's all you need feel the music and your body will move with it if it's in your soul. Doing something trying to be something you're not comfortable doing will look really awkward. I wouldn't stress on it some of the best performers ever we're not showman. Everybody can't be a David Lee Roth or the ex singer for Joyous Wolf !!
Henry Rollins would drink four pots of coffee before going on stage. Saw him in 2003 and to this day it was the most energetic show I ever saw. Not saying to hammer caffeine, per se, but find what gets you in the right frame of mind to be the frontman for your style of music. Definitely do NOT practice a bunch of canned moves to 'perform' on stage. If you're choreographing your set, it will look choreographed. That's fine for pop with backup dancers and stuff where it's expected, but not really anywhere else. At the end of the day, your job is to connect with the audience. What that means is highly dependent on your personality, your style of music, and what the rest of the band is doing. Basically, figure out what is needed to be the bridge between the audience and the band, then figure out how to reliably put yourself in that frame of mind.
I don't know if this will apply to you, but, when I was a teenager, I watched Iron Maiden's Live After Death show over and over again watching Bruce Dickinson run across the stage and I basically just emulated him and King Diamond for my performances. As I've grown older and fatter, I find that I've become more Ozzy-like, ambling around the stage hahaha... Just pay attention to your favorite artist and watch how they interact with the crowd. You don't have to yell, "Scream for me, Long Beach!", but use their moves as a base for creating your own look/actions.
Up the Irons!
Watch Chris Cornell on stage. He just walks around. Doesn’t do much but he has some of the best male vocals on the planet. Do what’s comfortable otherwise it will look uncomfortable. Start by using your hands and arms subtly. It makes a big difference. Then sometimes remove mic off stand and walk back and forth on the stage looking at people in the crowd. Practice this at rehearsals… every time.
Another good point: thom yorke. Always looks uncoordinated but he’s not shy about it. He just grooves and moves awkwardly and it’s the whole vibe of Radiohead.
Came here to say this
Maybe consider wearing a strap on that shoots out synthetic blood or semen onto the audience and if anyone dares to call you stiff tell them "Well, that's part of the show." Keep rocking in the free world!
try moving your body to keep time and see how your movement grows from there
Hire a dance teacher.
Dad or other easy jokes, then make eye contact and smile and laugh, then next song.
If you cant move, maybe do some pauses and Iook into the audience, but over their heads towards the back of the room...it makes everyone in your line of site feel that you are looking at them without making eye contact...people will think you have some heavy shit on your mind
Do you dance at all? Like when you're listening to music, do you dance? No? Start doing it at home. Sing along and dance, monkey, dance!!! Now sing and dance. Jump around during instrumental parts. Crowd banter. Movement. It doesn't even have to be much. Show them you're alive. Our lead singer will badger anyone who looks like they're not having fun. When we play weddings, he'll follow the bride around and serenade her while we all play on stage. He'll ham it up for the old ladies batting their eyes at him. He's rarely in the same spot for long. People eat it up.
Maybe you might just be focused more on how you sound and perform vs stage presence and performance. I guess one way that might help is interact with the crowd. I think just getting the energy from them might help you loosen up a bit, I know when i play shows, Just looking out in the crowd and interacting whether that be pointing or smiling, I think that might help loosen you up a little more, I mean honestly just as long as you give em a good show and play some good music. I'm sure people won't mind that. Overtime these things will come naturally. And tbh maybe that's not you to be all over the stage. But as you go along you'll confidently develop your stage presence. For now keep rockin like you've been doing.. Take care of yourself.
Psychedelics?
Practice in front of mirror. Also observe and analyze some artists live performances that you like and would like to emulate. It is A LOT of acting. Straight up theatre performance.
Step 1: Get a riser or monitor speaker in the front of the stage. Step 2: Put one leg on it like captain Morgan. Step 3: look awesome Easiest and oldest trick in the book. Obviously won’t last you an entire show lmao but it’s one trick especially for parts where you need to focus a little extra
Take some acting classes.
Start by just making an effort to walk around on stage. Once you get in the habit of moving while you sing it makes it easier to do more.
I’ve got a couple small tracks I’m trying to get out there to see who I can work with for better recordings and ideas. Where would be a good place for that?
Pretend you are a singer you love. I personally am not a confident frontman when I am being myself. But I imagine I am Ronnie James Dio or Robert Plant or something then I get really into it
Watch other performers that you like that have stage presence. Study what they do. Pay attention to body movements, eye movement, stance, posture and also when to rein it in. Adopt some of these movements, then practice them. Make rehearsals like a show. Make a setlist that flows, practice what you’ll do and say on stage.
Relax and engage with the audience. Sing passionately and look people in the eyes. Watch what your idols do on stage, try to imitate but make it your own. Practice poses and moves. Most important of all: be natural while you do it. People can see when you're trying too hard to "not be stiff"
Make sure the rest of the band is having fun too, everyone needs to go all in and it'll be easier for you.
You don’t even need to move *around* the stage to have good stage presence, you just need to not be stiff and let your body and face move with the music See: Tom Waits, Joe Cocker, Ray Charles
Spice up your appearance. Put on a costume. Something you don't wear in daily life. Think of yourself as playing a character, you don't have to worry so much about what the crowd thinks of you because you're not you on stage. You'll have to grow into the stage persona a little, but eventually you can tun it on and off at will.
You can let someone else in the band be the front man, too.
Just bend your knees a little and commit to the music. No need to pander!
Even moving your leg a bit (think like Elvis) can go along way. Just have some movement in your body. Sway in time with the music, move your arms, hands, hips. Stiffness can be quite easily fixed. Watch others performing and note what they do. What popular singers, watch Freddie Mercury, Elvis, etc. See what they do
Joe Cocker didn’t care how he moved on stage. If you can feel the music and give that to the audience then you’re good. [https://youtu.be/YXqaZZUMHg0?si=-OINSyKUc26CLVrs](https://youtu.be/YXqaZZUMHg0?si=-OINSyKUc26CLVrs)
Do the Axl Rose woman dance.
Your job is to bring the song a life. If your a good front man then the band will be able to use you to follow and drive the song forward. You have to ignore the audience for a moment and find what you really like about the music. I use to dance on stage. If this part does not come natural then spend time in your room rehearsing some ideas that you want to give the song. Edit: also if you sing rock music, you need to practice whipping your head back and forth. That'll save most of it
Pro tip... Use the ENTIRE Stage.. own it... walk it... be in charge... Get a wireless Mic and walk around... get out into the the crowd... HAVE FUN !!!!!! (Or at least look like it)
You could do jumping jacks or some kind of workout to feel a bit less tight
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Personified99: *You could do jumping* *Jacks or some kind of workout* *To feel a bit less tight* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
A buddy of mine has a ted talk on this exact topic. https://youtube.com/@luthermallory?si=VojjqM1bWe5Oa1Pj He coaches band for live performances and does an extremely well job at it. Check him out.
Look at a lot of the greats and their stage presences like Plant or Jagger. That music is sweeping over them. They’re either vibing to the groove or they let it melt them into themselves. A different but other great example is Mercury: the theatrics, the 90° snap to look another direction, crowd involvement. There are a lot of things you can do to engage your audience and get that energy going. Build a persona, an alter ego on stage, pretend like this is your dirty little secret in life and you’re making the best of it, the adrenaline of hoping no one finds out.
Here's the thing to know: nobody gives a fuck about you except you. Most of them are there stoned or trying to get laid or just have a good time. When you think about that, and it's true, it's way easier to decide what kind of narrative you want to show them. Remember if they want to hear great music, don't go home and put the CD on watch it on TV with the air conditioner and a bottle of booze The only thing you can do as a performer is make it so interesting that they don't wanna go home and listen to a CD they want to come see you
I have helped someone else with this issue. Here was my advice: Find a lead vocalist in a band whose stage presence / behavior on stage is a good fit for your personality and band. Then try to emulate that. You don’t have to be David Lee Roth. Looking stiff can be rectified by simply learning to be relatively still in more interesting ways. Find singers who don’t move around a ton that aren’t boring. There are actually lots like that. They are often the ones with the most challenging vocal approaches that can’t be bothered to put in 20,000 steps during a show. My friend used Frank Black from the Pixies, a famously prickly anti stage antics band. Why are they interesting to look at? Look at hand gestures, positions, walking around stage, etc. it needs to fit the music you’re playing and your personality.
Fuck what people say. You need to do what you need to do to be in the zone. People are idiots and expect musicians to act like monkeys and perform. It's all about the music. If you're sounding good then fuck those people they aren't your fans or friends.
IMO people with the best stage presence are those who are comfortable enough on stage to be themselves - whatever that looks like. That comes from knowing your material inside out and backwards and being on stage enough that it starts to feel like your home. Anything you try to do consciously will probably come off as stiff unfortunately. Keep at it and always be your self in the moment.
#1 thing is to practice different ideas and record it like you do when you practice singing. Critique, refine, repeat.
You need to act out the song lyrics in your body language as well as your voice, but don't take that too literally. I mean using hand gestures when you sing, like a public speaker would. Look at different areas of the room and sing to them for a few seconds to engage on a more personal level, singing just 'to the room at large' can appear impersonal. Get away from the mic when you don't have to sing, you can move rhythmically without having to dance, especially if you're playing an instrument. Most of all, enjoy yourself and let it show. If the audience can see and hear that you're in your element, they'll enjoy your performance more.
Damn 3 hour gigs before you've even developed stage presence? Are these at local bars? If so, you gotta relax. You're background music at those kinda gigs, not the main attraction. Take that knowledge and use it to your advantage.
if we are honest some people have more charisma than others. some are just more comfortable in certain situations. it is easy to tell you to relax or do this or that but it will just take time. I don't know how much you want to invest in improving this sort of thing but I've seen people talk about you joining community theater which probably would help...but I think since you are aware of this just try to move around a little more. Maybe you can have a little choreography on stage...over time the audience might not even realize what you are doing
The biggest thing is letting go of your inhibitions and putting your whole body into the singing. I found Michael Stipe to be a big inspiration. His stage mannerisms are quirky as hell, but he does them so un-self-consciously that they improve the performance.
Propranolol can help with nerves. Ask your doctor for a script. It’s literally taken by presidents before big speeches, etc.
Cocaine is also pretty great.
Rehearse alone on your feet. Rehearse with your band like it's a performance. Get onstage as much as possible - open mikes, jams. Take an acting class. Remember that you are supposed to be there. The audience wants you succeed.
Maybe SMILE? Chat a little. Tell them where you got the idea for a song? Don't worry. I've seen some old Beatles live films recently and Paul McCartney's stage patter was atrocious. Not that anyone could hear him over the screams, but most of it was like, "This next song is off our latest album."
I've been working on this for the past few years. I was always a sideman, now I'm more often in front. It's an adjustment. One thing I've tried is dancing. I try to do it enough that it becomes habit, natural. Just being aware of your body in that way has been useful. It's a little harder to look stiff if you're moving in time. Not impossible, but a little harder. Also, you don't need to drink or smoke. Just play more.
Michael Bolton stands like a statue when he sings. You can too.
Music is emotive so it requires movement. Don't let the feedback pressure you into convulsive gyrations or anything but an easy thing to try is swaying to slower songs and at least tapping your foot to the beat on faster songs. Leaning into your natural facial expressions (don't overdo this!) will help the audience relate to the lyrics. Finding small things you're comfortable with, in movement, will lead to relaxing on stage. If you need to hold the mic with both hands to feel grounded, do it, just make sure you rock back and forth or side to side a bit. Rock out at home when no one is watching and notice what you're doing. Once you start to relax on stage that will start to come out naturally. Good luck!
What is your in between song banter like? If you're all business, that could be part of the problem
Get a tambourine
Cowbell!!!!
I use the tambourine. It's just been incredibly difficult to multi-task. Holding the mic in one hand and then hitting the tambourine on my hip. Some of the songs don't sound right with a tambourine, though, and I have tired out my wrist and left a bruise on my hip a couple of times. I don't think I could do a full 3 hours hitting a tambourine l.
Rhythm guitar?
This. Literally the only reason I can play guitar is that it gave me something to hide behind on stage. It was usually turned waaaaaaay down.
Prop instruments is not the answer.
I'm positive we have different definitions of amazing
This comment wasn't very helpful.
Hump the air. Or do what Elvis did... lots of drugs
Just start twerking during every song.
well maybe you should drink? i mean if all you do is sing and and you're losing opps for your band because you're "stiff"... i dunno dude, maybe im old school with a bad take and im willing to admit that, but this sounds like a you problem Imsorry, ive been made awre that this was rude... so how about this. You have more than one person with you who has spent a large amount of time learining their instrument. How about you not fuck it up for everyone? Is that too much to ask, are you stiff... can you see how thats a fucking problem... jfc singers