stage presence, how do you deal with that as a keyboard player?

[TommyRude]

Standing v. Sitting:  Either is fine, if it works for the musician, the band, the material, the show.  By the way, last night on SNL, in Jack White's band, looks like both the keyboardist and drummer were standing, so there you go.

 

[Adan]

1 hour ago, Reezekeys said:

 

This suggests that the band we see is a set group that plays this church gig regularly and plays the same songs. Is this a fact? I've done a few of these gigs and most of the time I'm meeting the musicians for the first time. The MD chooses the material that morning and passes out the charts. There might be a quick rehearsal before the service starts. In short, to me this doesn't seem to be the kind of gig where everybody has to "look the part" or put on some kind of "show", smiling & moving around, etc. If it comes naturally, great. Otherwise, your first obligation is to play the music correctly. If I don't know the song, I expect a chart. If there's a chart, you're going to see me up there reading - that's all there is to it. This is what pros do. As Steve N said, the rest is showbiz. imho.

Yes, it seems clearly to be that kind of gig, and very common for worship services.  But the OP asked for suggestions on what can be done to enhance the visuals.  We can try to answer his question, or we can just say "it is what it is."

[TommyRude]

To the OP / Emiel, I may have a few more tricks for you (other than Aviator sunglasses) 🙂

 

A few questions first: 

Are you nervous when you get on stage?  If yes, good!  And by the way - playing to a seated-quiet audience that's staring intently at you, that's hard, especially when they don't applaud (which appears is what happened at the end of the first song - - maybe that's expected.)  Playing to a raucous cheering crowd, that's much easier.

 

Is this all new for you?  If yes, welcome to the party!  If not, over time you may have settled into your own persona, but are looking to shake out of it?

 

Trick:  Do you sing?  I believe you're the keyboardist on the right (darker shirt), doesn't look like you're singing.  You might want to give it a shot, just with backup vocals is fine.  Reason - singing can increase your stage presence.  When you sing, you are now communicating on another level, and when you do it well, that can be a huge confidence booster.  It doesn't have to be exuberant confidence, quiet confidence is great.  And you can try it in stages, a little at first.  If it's working, take it up a notch, a bit more, a bit more...boom!  Everyone will be happy for it, your bandmates, the audience, and most importantly - you.

 

 

 

[Reezekeys]

4 hours ago, Adan said:

But the OP asked for suggestions on what can be done to enhance the visuals.  We can try to answer his question, or we can just say "it is what it is."

 

Fair enough. I guess I'm reacting to the notion that one should put on a kind of forced "act" to present a certain kind of visual, in the hopes it will "get over" with an audience. Speaking only for myself, I would find that embarrassing; false enthusiasm is something I'm not good at! I'll acknowledge that other people may be far more comfortable with this mindset - I kinda envy that; it's a talent I don't have. I think it boils down to more than one's notions of theatricality; it speaks to a personality type. I'm usually on that stage hoping I don't screw up the next bar of music! It's hard to look relaxed and act cool with that perspective! 🙂 

[Steve Nathan]

If standing is just as good as sitting, why do so few (if any) keyboard players stand in the studio where there's no audience?

[TommyRude]

10 minutes ago, Steve Nathan said:

If standing is just as good as sitting, why do so few (if any) keyboard players stand in the studio where there's no audience?

well... I think you answered the question - there's no audience.  In the context of this thread, in the studio you're not playing on stage in front of an audience there to see/hear live music?
 

Edit:  to be fair, I imagine for some acts, when they are prepping to record a live concert (audio only), some keyboardists may elect to sit (instead of standing) to better cover their parts.  I guess it depend on the complexity of the parts, and/or whether or not they'd like to use more than one foot at a time!

[Theo Verelst]

[EricBarker]

I stand in the studio, because it reminds me of live and I want to bring as much of that live energy to my performance as I can.

 

When I’m producing other musicians, I similarly try to pump them up. When I recorded my brother-in-law a few months ago, I could tell he was struggling with energy. So I turned up the monitors (bleed be damned), and got him really pumped. Suddenly he gave a much better performance.

 

Obviously, all of this is individual. You gotta be the judge of what you need.

[Ibarch]

If you are leading worship rather than performing in a concert, as the video appears to show, then stage presence needs to be different. You are there to lead others in worship rather than entertain them. 

The best way of doing this is to be worshiping yourself — but with a degree of self control. You shouldn't lose yourself in it but remain aware of where others are and whwre the worship leader is going. Standing or sitting doesn't matter in this respect. Whatever you feel comfortable with. 

 

I thought the group in the video had a good balance. Everyone looks engaged and there is no overt showmanship, just skilled musicians playing well together. Perhaps learning to play from memory rather than being glued to the music would look a little better but I don't think it will make a difference to the worship. 

[analogman1]

So is the general consensus that the "Keytar" is a GO or NO GO?

 

[Leroy C]

15 minutes ago, analogman1 said:

So is the general consensus that the "Keytar" is a GO or NO GO?

 

Keith Emerson says "GO!!!"

 

 

(Start at 3:00 if it doesn't automatically do so.)

[marino]

14 minutes ago, TheophilusCarter said:

Keith Emerson says "GO!!!"

 

 

So - which one of those two sexy drummers is "Carl", and which one is "Palmer"?!

[Leroy C]

Just now, marino said:

 

So - which one of those two sexy drummers is "Carl", and which one is "Palmer"?!

Haha, yeah.  That video is so terribly, terribly 80s.  I think Carl was all like, "Sorry, guys.  I miss the 70s.  I'm outta here ... "   

[RobP2]

On 2/26/2023 at 3:59 PM, Steve Nathan said:

Yes, many times, & probably earlier than almost anyone else here (I first saw him w/Nice in a small local bar in Buffalo).  What is your point?  It's still a zero sum game imho.  I've not yet seen a plethora of piano teachers offering "Standing or Sitting options".  

Great, but not everyone is playing piano on stage. And even some that do stand. If it's a classical or jazz quartet, fine. If not, stand if you like. The Piano Police won't arrest you.

 

[Steve Nathan]

Once again, I'm not saying it's not OK to stand. I'm saying it's BS to pretend it doesn't affect your playing when you do.  That's all.

[Bobbo Fett]

On 2/26/2023 at 3:05 PM, TheophilusCarter said:

Keith Emerson says "GO!!!"

 

 

(Start at 3:00 if it doesn't automatically do so.)

Not even Keith in leather pants can make a keytar look like anything else than what it is....a lame attempt to get some of that sweet geetar player shine.....just one middling musician's opinion, of course....ymmv....

[jeffincltnc]

Since nobody else has given this answer, I'll just say Nord Lead.

[Leroy C]

43 minutes ago, Bobbo Fett said:

Not even Keith in leather pants can make a keytar look like anything else than what it is....a lame attempt to get some of that sweet geetar player shine.....just one middling musician's opinion, of course....ymmv....

Yeah, but he's really leaning into it! 

[Jon E]

I don’t think the audience reacts or notice much if the keyboardist is sitting or standing while playing. Personally greatly prefer to sit as it is the way I learned and play greatly better. If it is neccessary to reach the keyboards in a stacked keyboard rig I accept the player is standing if not my perception is that (s)he is unserious.

[SamuelBLupowitz]

So many thoughts on this (some helpful, some confrontational) that I don't need to repeat or weigh in on, but I thought I'd offer a related anecdote in the hopes that it provokes some thought.

 

I've always been known for having a more dynamic stage presence, since I was a young teen first playing bass and keys in rock and jazz bands, or doing my singer-songwriter piano gigs. I grew my hair long when I was 13 and started thrashing it around onstage, I would leap around with my bass like Flea or power stance in front of the piano like Ben Folds. I had a Reputation. And honestly, I loved it. I could always back it up with my playing, so it got me gigs. It's something I sort of took for granted about myself; people were always saying "Sam has such great stage presence."

 

As I got more and more into being a keyboard player in bands in my 20s -- not just a singing pianist like Elton or Billy, but covering organ and pianos and clav and synth and all the things -- I really doubled down on improving my technique and overall chops. I got into a place where my game was "let's see how many of those layered, overdubbed keyboard parts from the record I can reproduce live." I had all my limbs working during certain songs, playing Wurli with my right hand and Hammond with my left and triggering a synth drone or chime sample with my left foot and working the sustain and expression and Leslie speed and pedals with my right. I wasn't always nailing it, but in my mind it was Really Impressive (like Rush!). 

 

And then sometimes I'd see pictures or videos of the bands I was playing in and think ... huh ... in all these pictures, it looks like my head is tilted down looking at the keyboard and concentrating really hard. I wasn't seeing all that Presence that people always talked about.

 

And I realized, for the kind of gigs I play, people generally weren't listening to hear if the keyboard player could cover all the layers from the record live onstage. They wanted to dance and party and have a good time and (if we're lucky) sing along.

 

So after the pandemic break, I changed my approach to be less about "if it's on the record, you have to play it" and more about how to approach the arrangement for the stage so that everything the song *needed* was there, but I felt more free to enjoy playing, and not like I had to solve an equation every time we got to a chorus. Consequently, I was more relaxed while I was performing, so I started having more fun onstage. And that, I firmly believe, translates to the audience more than any display of technical prowess ever does. I mean, maybe if I were a better technical player, that wouldn't be the case, buuuuut we work with what we got!

 

Some of my favorite players are also over-the-top performers -- the aforementioned Flea and Ben Folds, Elton John, Billy Preston. Others aren't about that, sometimes aggressively so (John Entwistle, who dressed fancy and played the bass like he was out for revenge, but barely moved or looked around; Derek Trucks, whose movements and expression are subtle but his playing speaks with such intensity and emotion; Roy Bittan, who sits on the back riser at his grand piano and holds it down, knowing that Bruce is putting on the show everyone wants to watch anyway). What's important is to set yourself up for success, and do whatever it takes for *you* to feel comfortable (or fake it 'til you make it).

 

Earlier in the thread, @MAJUSCULEmentioned that he's not playing a character onstage so much as he's performing a 150% version of himself. For me, I think it's that performing was a place where I felt I could actually be the 100% version of myself that seemed to make people uncomfortable offstage ("he's a lot," "you're so much"). Honestly, part of my work since the pandemic has been "how do I allow myself to feel more comfortable expressing myself fully when I'm not performing?" We all have our reasons for doing what we do, and I think that's beautiful.

 

So think about what makes you feel comfortable and in your happy place onstage, OP, and lean in hard. The only person who can tell you the right way to *be* onstage is *you.*

 

Unless you're in a band with a dress code and choreography and stuff. Then you're on your own. 😉 

[Piktor]

As I discovered, if you sit, don’t let the horn section stand in front of you. In fact, if you can, get someone more interesting to watch to stand right behind you. 

In the old days, you could literally rock the Hammond.  

[HammondDave]

On 2/25/2023 at 12:43 AM, Baggypants said:

Like Elton John, or Paul McCartney. 😝

or Billy Joel...

[HammondDave]

At my age, and considering that I have to control multiple foot pedals, I play much better sitting than standing. Regarding those who feel that standing is a requirement for "good performance", I present evidence that many musicians who have sat all their lives have also been great musicians and performers. Billy Joel and Elton John come immediately to mind. There is also a guitarist who many consider one of the great musicians in the business who in performance has sat on a stool since at least 1969... Robert Fripp.  

[Stokely]

My main exposure to Robert Fripp was with Peter Gabriel (unless I'm really sadly mistaken) on the Secret World tour...he stood on that one. 

I'm more comfortable standing overall, especially because I do a lot of singing.

How I'm going to deal with "stage prescence" this Friday--outdoor afternoon gig in 90 degree forcasted weather--is to look like a dork (from my normal attire perspective).  It's at a resort, so no jeans, outdoors so fancy dress attire (of which I own extremely little and most of that doesn't fit) doesn't go.  The singer suggested "khakis, no bar attire"....jeez.  I normally have nice jeans and a nice long-sleeve shirt.    I have one pair of pants that sorta fits and are sorta khaki (they are actually more for fishing) so they'll have to do, and I'll finally, finally be wearing that Tommy Bahama shirt that has been in my closet for probably 8 years (it was a gift)...

If anyone has any "outdoor in the heat resort, poolside" ideas, I'm all ears.   Just don't say "jorts", I don't do jorts (anymore).

[nadroj]

There are certain tunes I’ll struggle to play standing that I can play sitting. It’s just more comfortable and accurate. However, I stand every gig. I run on the spot, I go ham on my keys, I jump up and down with the rest of the band. 
 

I’d never do that if I was asked to play a worship event. Those things are way different to normal performances and I honestly can’t see how you can compare the two. 
 

I watched Steve Porcaro live in 2019. He looked old and robotic but still looked cooler playing keys than 90% of young people I see today. 

 

My band are good musicians, but the thing that gets us gigs is the show we put on. An over the top stage presence is part of our appeal, and it’s become almost required of anyone subbing in for me now. 
 

Again though; it depends on the gig. I wouldn’t do what I do with my main ska outfit at a wedding. Or in a place of worship. Imo you don’t need “stage presence” at a worship gig. You should be invisible. 

[timwat]

11 minutes ago, Stokely said:

My main exposure to Robert Fripp was with Peter Gabriel (unless I'm really sadly mistaken) on the Secret World tour...he stood on that one. 

 

I wasn't aware Fripp toured with Gabe after the 2nd album tour in the late '70s.

[16251]

How about a trip down memory lane.

 

[timwat]

9 minutes ago, nadroj said:

 Or in a place of worship. Imo you don’t need “stage presence” at a worship gig. You should be invisible. 

Flirting with the line on politics & religion on this board, but I might humbly suggest at a worship gig, musicians leading worship (in my parlance, that's everyone on the platform) should be actively engaged in worship - and thus leading others as well.

[Stokely]

4 minutes ago, timwat said:

 

I wasn't aware Fripp toured with Gabe after the 2nd album tour in the late '70s.

Argh, I think you are right.  I just looked it up and I'm thinking of David Rhodes apparently.

[timwat]

19 minutes ago, Stokely said:

Argh, I think you are right.  I just looked it up and I'm thinking of David Rhodes apparently.

I'm no Gabe expert (or Fripp expert), but yes I think Rhodes became Gabriel's main guitar dude whilst Fripp went his own way...which I think has never seen him play standing up. And, not ever having stage lights directed on him since the early '80s tours, I think.