The best way.....

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The best way.....

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brad

Posts: 34
Joined: Nov. 24 2010

The best way.....

Hello all,

I've been playing the guitar for around 12 years.(Flamenco & Classical) My playing to me is not perfect but it's acceptable. Anyway Sometimes I Play the guitar, a few pieces to my friends and relatives and...well.. I'm not too good at speaking in front of people or an audience .

I was wondering what's the best way, the best words to present the pieces that I'm about to play.
What steps should I follow.

These are the pieces that I'm going to play in a couple of weeks to my friends:

Recuerdos de La Alhambra (Francisco Tarrega)
La Catedral ( Agustin Barrios)
Choro ( H. Villalobos)
Asturias (I.Albeniz)
Panaderos Flamencos(E.Sanlucar)
Bulerias ( Moraito )

Saying something about the composer, or about his country is ok?

I hope some of you could comment and share your experiences about it.

Greetings

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 18:19:25

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: The best way..... (in reply to brad)

I dont think you need to introduce it too much, maybe tell a short story about the piece or composer for dramatic or comedic effect, if it is that kind of performance you are going to do.

I dont think you should say too much though, it will be distracting to them, but build a sort of suspense is good

If you arent good with crowds, then introducing the music can be a double purpose action, if you tell it the right way, it will warm them up too and you gain a contact with them.

Most important try to have fun, or you will mess up bad, messing up feels very bad

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 18:34:10

Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: The best way..... (in reply to brad)

The most important criterion is: Keep it short. Around 30 seconds is good, and max should be around a minute — unless your introduction really is fascinating (e.g., the story of Sylvius Leopold Weiss's right-hand thumb being almost bitten of by a jealous French violinist).

However long it is, watch the audience for signs of eyes glazing over — and if that happens, cut it short.

And on no account mention technical difficulties.

P.S. the story of Albéniz diddling his publisher by giving him Asturias twice (under different titles) might be a candidate.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 19:02:15

Ramirez

Posts: 243
Joined: Apr. 16 2005

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Paul Magnussen)

...or you could take a leaf out of Paco de Lucia's approach to live performance and acknowledge your audience with only the occasional scowl or piercing stare.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 19:12:38

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Ramirez)

quote:

or you could take a leaf out of Paco de Lucia's approach to live performance and acknowledge your audience with only the occasional scowl or piercing stare.

Nice, trolling the Paco fans. Always a fun afternoon.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 19:25:25

Ramirez

Posts: 243
Joined: Apr. 16 2005

RE: The best way..... (in reply to ToddK)

quote:

Nice, trolling the Paco fans. Always a fun afternoon.

I wasn't trolling - I'm a Paco fan - I've always admired his stage presence and that hint of disdain for his audience!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 15 2011 19:36:46

Florian

Posts: 9282
Joined: Jul. 14 2003
From: Adelaide/Australia

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Ramirez)

quote:

quote:

quote:

or you could take a leaf out of Paco de Lucia's approach to live performance and acknowledge your audience with only the occasional scowl or piercing stare.

Nice, trolling the Paco fans. Always a fun afternoon.

its funny...he has got a point tho...he does do that !!

You only really get away with that when you Paco...

or

Manolo Sanlucar...apparently he can tell the audience off, start cursing at them, ripp the strings off his guitar in front of them and walk off stage

...Now Thats !! a Tantrum...Brad are you loving this idea ?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2011 7:00:43

Ramirez

Posts: 243
Joined: Apr. 16 2005

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Florian)

quote:

Manolo Sanlucar...apparently he can tell the audience off, start cursing at them, ripp the strings off his guitar in front of them and walk off stage ...Now Thats !! a Tantrum...Brad are you loving this idea ?

See Brad, when it comes to combating your performance nerves and stage fright you should copy the maestros. I bet no one would dare heckle Paco or Manolo.

Actually, when you think about it, it's quite an effective technique to combat stage fright- instead of internalizing your fear, literally project your fear outward.

Become the fear.

Aim to make your audience scared of you. Sure, it doesn't make for a pleasant evening of music enjoyment, if your audience is sitting there, crapping themselves because they fear that you might attack them at some point during the performance. But at least you'll no longer feel nervous.

Why should you feel nerves?

If anyone even dares to cough or move. Stop playing. Walk over to them, real calm. Place the guitar in their hands and say:"OK, hot shot. Let's see how you do. Come on, big man, everyone's listening. PLAY."

By the way, I literally crap my pants anytime I have to play in front of anyone. So I'm just working through my own issues here. Essentailly I like to fantasise about having the audience feel a little bit of my fear.

See I'm a psycho. There I've said it. Now you know why I don't post here much.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2011 10:21:23

xirdneH_imiJ

Posts: 1894
Joined: Dec. 2 2006
From: Budapest, now in Southampton

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Ramirez)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2011 11:09:11

doublek

Posts: 124
Joined: Mar. 13 2006

RE: The best way..... (in reply to brad)

OK i think i can add something to this as i am working as instructor ..begin by the first stage ICE BREAKING ..very short small word then get direct into the point i have tried this and it works when i first time gave lecture of 25 people they were all looking and staring at me .. and i tried this also in guitar playing ..but you have to REHEARSE REHEARSE AND REHEARSE in-front of some close people to you and then in front of others from out of your comfort zone and record to your self .. i wish this will help .Good Luck

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2011 14:47:05

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Ramirez)

quote:

Become the fear.

Aim to make your audience scared of you. Sure, it doesn't make for a pleasant evening of music enjoyment, if your audience is sitting there, crapping themselves because they fear that you might attack them at some point during the performance. But at least you'll no longer feel nervous.

I think the horror movie industry is going to suffer from this

I think connection is the most important thing , like doublek said, ice breaker.

A while ago i was playing in front of a fairly large crowd (to me)
The piece i started with was Richards (xirdneH_imiJ) rondena flor, i was so nervous and tense when i played it, i felt the people watching me and i just hunched more togheter and separated myself more and more from the crowd, it only went down and down, it was a bad experience... but i learned from it too...

What i learned was practice more, and dont close yourself off fromt he crowd, you are there to show them something, they are there to see it, dont interupt that.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2011 15:05:56

Florian

Posts: 9282
Joined: Jul. 14 2003
From: Adelaide/Australia

RE: The best way..... (in reply to odinz)

quote:

dont close yourself off fromt he crowd, you are there to show them something, they are there to see it, dont interupt that.

thats exactly right

I have a little thing i always think to myself...remind myself if i am in a potentially nerve racking situation
" they wanna be entertained...its why they here..."

or
sometimes

"is not like i am really great at doing anything else ...if i cant do this right either then i am really fu*ked cause its all i practiced "

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2011 1:25:03

Northern Rock

Posts: 87
Joined: Oct. 12 2008
From: London UK

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Ramirez)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ramirez

...or you could take a leaf out of Paco de Lucia's approach to live performance and acknowledge your audience with only the occasional scowl or piercing stare.

Very very true when I saw him but he acknowledged me though I was the only long haired guitar type sitting among an audience of American and Japanese tourists.
Fast forward 21 years and we,re in the venue next door on the southbank and Londons now a very different city and Pacos audience is made up mainly of Spanish/Latin American,s and he talks to friends,family and fans in Spanish when before he struggled to speak clearly to us in English.
He like every one likes a home fixture where he can relax .
Big kudos to you Brad for playing such a varied classical programme and then finishing with Bulerias ! Wish I was there to hear it my self.
Every audience is different and it can be hard some times to tell from the stage just how much they are enjoying it .
If in doubt just let let the music do the talking , Paco does

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"Now Im retired I,ve got my practise time down to 4 hours aday".................Julian Bream

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2011 11:20:53

brad

Posts: 34
Joined: Nov. 24 2010

RE: The best way..... (in reply to brad)

quote:

Manolo Sanlucar...apparently he can tell the audience off, start cursing at them, ripp the strings off his guitar in front of them and walk off stage ...Now Thats !! a Tantrum...Brad are you loving this idea ?

If I do that, Probably my audience would freak out!!

quote:

See Brad, when it comes to combating your performance nerves and stage fright you should copy the maestros. I bet no one would dare heckle Paco or Manolo.

copy the maestros..mmm....I don't know...Maybe

quote:

Big kudos to you Brad for playing such a varied classical programme and then finishing with Bulerias ! Wish I was there to hear it my self.

Yep Northern Rock, I always try to play varied, to classical and Flamenco fans
I never lose

Maybe if I drink a couple of beers the problem would solve itself
...and allow that the alcohol talk instead of me

Thanks all for your comments

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 22 2011 16:32:30

Northern Rock

Posts: 87
Joined: Oct. 12 2008
From: London UK

RE: The best way..... (in reply to brad)

quote:

Yep Northern Rock, I always try to play varied, to classical and Flamenco fans
I never lose

You bet ! to use an American phrase . Just how I like it performing or listening, I like to mix it up. Hope it well .

Craig

_____________________________

"Now Im retired I,ve got my practise time down to 4 hours aday".................Julian Bream

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 23 2011 19:40:04

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: The best way..... (in reply to Northern Rock)

quote:

its not like i am really great at doing anything else ...if i cant do this right either then i am really fu*ked

Freddy Mercury said the same thing. If he couldnt be a famous singer then he would have to wash dishes because he didnt know how to do anything else.

I have found in the situation of private recitals that people actually appreciate it more if you can tell them a bit about the composer or the piece before you play it, especially if the story is funny or quirky. Read up on the pieces and composers and find funny anecdotes. Your audience will chuckle and this will help to you relax.
Remember that you are likely to know much more about music than anyone in your audience.

For instance, 3 of your pieces are musical descriptions of places. Recuerdos is a musical description of the Alhambra and the tremelo in this case describes the sound of running water and fountains running throung the gardens.
Asturias is a part of Spain where it rains a lot. The piece is a musical description of a thunder storm. First section the storm arrives, the rain gets harder, then thunder and lightening crashing. The middle section to me is a break in the storm with water dropping from brances into pools etc. then the storm returns, finally ends with a rainbow.
La catedral is a description of a cathedral. Its a contrast between the middle section of being inside a sacred space to stepping out into the street with traffic and bustle.

Short quirky stories about the composers are also good. Albeniz ran away on a boat to America when he was 12 and had a son who played football for real Madrid. Tarrega played without fingernails and rather bizarely, his body was exhumed by Andres Segovia and reburied. Barrios used to be an Olympic gymnast etc.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 25 2011 8:49:14