How to perform well on stage

You’ve formed a band and you have your first performance – it’s exciting, right? While this may be true, a lot of bands face difficulties when they first start performing live.

If you aren’t properly prepared, you could get discouraged when things go wrong and your band isn’t getting the response you want. Let’s get into some tips that you can use to improve your live performances.

Practice

Practicing is one of the most important things your band can do before getting on stage. You don’t have to practice your band’s original music – you can find guitar chords and tabs to your favourite songs to get better at your instrument. There are free tabs for guitar players available on plenty of websites, so look around and find songs you’ll love to practice.

Even if you practice using your band’s music, you don’t have to play it exactly as it’s written. Experimenting is one of the ways you can get better at your instrument, though you should aim to focus instead of just twiddling the strings. Try playing around with the song’s set up and finding what sounds best before you go out and put on a show.

Days before the show

It may seem like bands just show up and perform, but there’s a bit more to it than that. It takes communication and planning to have a great show, which requires action on your part. Your band will need to create an input list as well as a stage plot before the performance. An input list shows the mics and lines needed for your performance while the stage plot shows your band’s set up once on stage.

Before the day of your show, check all of your band’s equipment to make sure it is functioning properly. You should also make sure that your guitar’s strings are fresh and tuned, the drum head is in good condition, and that you have plenty of wireless batteries.

On the big day 

On the day of your band’s gig, be sure that you arrive as early as possible so that you have enough time to set up and hand over your stage plot and input list. Once you’ve spoken with the production staff, and have set up your equipment, tune your instruments and get ready for a soundcheck.

The amps should be set at an ideal volume so they don’t drown out the rest of the band. You should also consider the volume of monitor mixers, which can ruin the sound for fans sitting in the front tow. Some artists prefer bringing in their own mic, so make sure that the band does a quick soundcheck to ensure that each member is heard properly.

In a nutshell, having a great performance takes a lot of preparation. You should practice often, using free tabs for guitar musicians online – just make sure any guitar chords and tabs used for practice are transposed properly. Your band should also get all pre-show information and gear so that you know what you’re working with.

By Edmund B.
Christ & Co.