This article is written with the newer performer in mind. Someone who may be hitting the stage for the first time and wanting to be more professional. Follow these top ten keys and bring your performance up a notch. Learn how to improve your stage presence and you will look and feel more polished and confident.
1. Never apologize. And I don’t mean just words. I mean mannerisms and gestures. You are on the stage. It is what it is. Even if you should fall off the stage. Don’t apologize. You can get up and say, with a smirk on your face, “I did that on purpose! I wanted to see if you’re paying attention” or “some people will do anything for attention!” People will laugh. They know you just fell. But it’s funny. They laugh. You go on and give ’em a good show. I have often seen people turn something silly into a highlight.
2. Don’t highlight little mistakes. Often little mistakes would go completely unnoticed if you don’t make a silly face. Pro’s make mistakes. Just make the best of it and go on. Pro’s just know how to ease on through. You will learn that too. And besides that, it’s happened more than once that a mistake turned out to be better than the way it was originally played and turns out to be something you keep. If you’re open to it.
3. Don’t make your goal a flawless performance. Nothing sets you up better to be nervous and make mistakes than to demand a flawless performance of yourself. A heartfelt, sincere performance always will win me over. Make your goal to do your best, better than previous and to enjoy and share your talent.
4. Don’t look up at the ceiling. Better to close your eyes and just get into the tune than to look up at the ceiling or off to the side. It looks amateurish and insincere. If you find it distracting to look out into the audience when you’re singing, make sure that you make contact with them in between songs and make an effort to look out now and then.
5. Practice hand and arm gestures til they become natural and easy. The easiest way to tell a novice is by the way that they just don’t know what to do with themselves. Switching holds on the mic every minute or re-adjusting the mic stand again and again. A few rehearsed moves can really smooth out your whole routine and can help you to feel calmer, when you are feeling nervous.
6. Practice in front of a mirror. Know what expressions are on your face as you sing. Knowing that you’re not doing anything goofy, adds a certain amount of confidence all in itself. And you won’t know unless you see for yourself.
7. Get a camcorder and video tape yourself, again and again and again. Study and work it until you think you look natural, easy and comfortable and start liking what you see. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t like what you see at first. It’s only natural. Try not to be too critical. Look for things you’re doing right as well as wrong.
8. Record yourself again and again and again and again. And listen more than you record. You will automatically hear the spots you don’t like and want to improve them. And if you’re working on original material, even better, after you hear a part over and over, you will start getting ideas of what would work better, if you’re focused on finding solutions.
9. Observe others, both the polished and the unpolished. If you’re observant, you’ll learn a lot. You’ll see what’s working and what’s not. It will give you ideas of what to add into your act and what to eliminate. I’m not much of a tribute fan, but that would be the only case where you’d want to copy gestures. I recommend getting ideas and then work them until they become your own.
10. If you’ve made a real boner. Just laugh it off. We’re all human. Elvis Presley forgot his words, couldn’t sing because he was laughing so hard. Things happen to everyone. (and I heard the recording – Elvis did not apologize!) It’s not a major crisis. I often find that it’s a moment for a little humor and you can usually get a chuckle out of the audience. They don’t want you to fail. They just want to a have a good time.
Improving your stage presence is the icing on your music cake. Remember that you want your songs to be well presented. Give them every chance they deserve. Follow these ten keys and bring your performance up a notch. One major benefit; you’ll have more fun too!
