Stage Moves!!!

Hellview · #1 April 11th, 2008

Hello everyone!
I would like some tips on stage moves,
I'm performing Sunshine of your love by cream and I don't want to just stand there playing the song.
I just want some ideas because, if not, I'll end up making Vai's faces and falling down in the middle of the solo from the rush!

johnnydoxx · #2 April 12th, 2008

Here's my tip:
Do what feels natural.
Anything else and you have a high risk of looking like Frankenstein the Dork.

allthumbs · #3 April 12th, 2008

Move with the music. Walk around a bit. Interact with the other players.

Rockerbob · #4 April 12th, 2008

I try to look like a fat old man who has to pay attention to be able to play.

JessThrasher · #5 April 12th, 2008

My favorite stage move being pulled off by me here: YouTube - School of Rock Original Zero - Black Sabbath Paranoid cover

There's a lil demonstration: YouTube - How to do axe swings demonstration

I also like the thing where one guy frets the other guy and the other guy just does all the picking. When I saw Divine Heresy live, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I tried doing that fret thing with my friend, but it was more complex than it looks. I'll stick with the Alexi Laiho swinging.

Hellview · #6 April 12th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermanli_ibanezshredder

I also like the thing where one guy frets the other guy and the other guy just does all the picking. When I saw Divine Heresy live, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I tried doing that fret thing with my friend, but it was more complex than it looks. I'll stick with the Alexi Laiho swinging.

Yeah theres a clip on youtube of Alexi messing that up

its awesome but my strap isnt too strong and I'm not very rich XD

Thanks everyone

starsailor · #7 April 12th, 2008

Just be yourself Hellview, I've gone for the middle aged man with a beard image, haven't tried it out live yet it's taken me years to perfect it, works for me but I'd say you're a lot cooler than I am, have a good time and play up a storm, good choice of song by the way

Hellview · #8 April 12th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by starsailor

Just be yourself Hellview, I've gone for the middle aged man with a beard image, haven't tried it out live yet it's taken me years to perfect it, works for me but I'd say you're a lot cooler than I am, have a good time and play up a storm, good choice of song by the way

Thanks! This really is an experience for the audience. I'm more than happy with maybe giving someone some inspiration to listen to great music or take up the instrument. The sad thing is, half the people where I'm playing are probably "Too Cool" for Cream.

They don't realize Mr. Clapton is cooler than they'll ever be!
Whatever, I don't care! I'm going to rock out anyway!

JessThrasher · #9 April 12th, 2008

Ah have fun "thrashing" out. Nice to see people with similar musical interests as me here.

That fret thing is still alot safer than the alexi laiho swinging. Didn't anyone notice how close I was to that home entertainment system!!!

Ian McAllister · #10 April 16th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockerbob

I try to look like a fat old man who has to pay attention to be able to play.

Oh, how familiar that sounds!
Ian

JessThrasher · #11 April 16th, 2008

Then how come my 45 year old uncle who doesn't even play guitar well can pull off an axe swing?

Ian McAllister · #12 April 16th, 2008

Maybe if I didn't have to actually play the guitar I could concentrate on my moves.

Ian

solidwalnut · #13 April 16th, 2008

One of my most favorite moves of all time (and I can't believe I've never seen anyone else do it! Has anyone??) is something I did in a band many moons ago. During the song "Hold the Line" by Toto, the bass player began the tune by playing the keyboard riff and kept on keys during the first part of the song. I played bass. During a two-measure break between the chorus and the solo, I'd hand off the bass to the bass player and I'd strap on the guitar. I began playing the rhythm riff while the lead player played the solo. There's no more keyboard during the rest of the song so that worked out well.

I gotta tell you about another great

move I made on stage one time. Don't try this at home, folks! We were playing in this small bar somewhere and our stage was a plywood covered jello wrestling pit!! Well, we could only fit about half of our stuff in this little place and needless to say we were quite jammed on stage. I had no room to put my stack on stage, so I used one of my cabinets perched on a chair, sideways, behind me off-stage. At one point I was rocking out the lead to "The Wall", and I was so animated that I moved too far back and fell off the stage right into my speaker cabinet! Oops!!

The moral of the story is: be fun and be animated while you're playing. Have a blast and smile. People love it when you're having fun up there.

Hellview · #14 April 16th, 2008

Hahaha! Sounded quite awkward.
I'll be sure to show off my teeth!

Stratrat · #15 April 19th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian McAllister

Maybe if I didn't have to actually play the guitar I could concentrate on my moves.

Ian

LOL....actually having to play the guitar does get in the way of looking like a rock star, doesn't it?

I'll bet you could hand your guitar to anybody who's ever played "air guitar" in their life and they could pull off some cool moves. Now tell them to do it while actually *playing* something.