Saw pics of myself playing and it's not good...

rbmonosylabik · Post by **rbmonosylabik** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:45 am

Bréqs, I have to say those do look like pics of you working in the studio. Nice studio BTW.

I saw (bad) pics of my previous gig, and I look drunk, even when I hadn't been that sober in quite a while. I think I'm just not photogenic.

lizardman · Post by **lizardman** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:15 am

Congrats! You have recognized the number one reason why Desktop Music sucks for live performing, no matter what software you use!

As long as you have to use the mouse it's a tedious fumbling that should better stay between the studio walls!

It's a pity but with computers becoming more present in our lives, things get more dull, no matter where.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:33 am

We've worked out a hardware setup:

Which means we don't have to look at the computer screens at all,

The lappies sit off to the right hand side and we only touch them before and after the gig. (Yours truly is closing the qwerty keyboards on the macs which were left open for cooling, while Mike grabs a happy snap)

For us, only interacting with hardware on stage has been the way to avoid the dreaded email-syndrome.

timothyallan · Post by **timothyallan** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:03 am

show offs!

/jelous

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:04 am

I'd suggest that perhaps you need to get a DJ in to make things more exciting.

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:10 am

I FIND YOUR FANCY DRESS EXCITING...

... LADYBOI..!

markaugust · Post by **markaugust** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:35 pm

cool thread;
I was in a simular situation on my first performance, but it turned out ok.
At the end of the show, when nerves came down a bit, I was wondering if i even moved a bit, being so occupied with a tooo modular set.
It turned out I cant stop dancing, when I saw myself on video, without knowing it

all about the good balance between automating stuff so you van freak out and enough modular stuff (as in arrangementpossibilities) so you can enjoy yourself with a certain unexpectedness. I am rearranging the whole set so I can go more crazy with all the breaks and effects. meaning more automating to do more obvious tweaking the audience can relate too (and maybe more simple but more connecting with the public too)
www.markaugust.net/via/CAM.mov

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:30 pm

You could always take up the guitar! Let's face it, not only is the guitar is the coolest instrument on the planet, but most people look cool when playing it, except if you are Noel Gallagher.

Though if you can't play guitar, it will take quite a while before you will be good enough to play in public. Are you prepared to spend the hours/years locked in your bedroom playing the same chords/scales and riffs over and over again?

Sorry. Probably not the most constructive advice, but it is an option if you are concerned about stage presence.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:41 pm

For laptop stage presence, it ain't necessarily about what you're playing. It's all about the cheerleading.

Stick on a mix CD, act like you're doing something difficult yet fun, dance around, lift alternate knees, bob your upper body, and/or nod your head on the beat, punch the air, shout "Put yo handz in da air!", etc, and you'll get a far more enthusiastic reaction than all the digital chops in the world, especially if it looks like you're checking your e-mail on a laptop.

It IS just show-business, after all...

forge · Post by **forge** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:16 pm

Pitch Black wrote:We've worked out a hardware setup:

.

is that a GPS?

you worried you'll get lost?

cool that's true hedonism!

Spiralgroove · Post by **Spiralgroove** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:18 pm

m breqs, i think i see the problem
wearing that white box over your face is alienating to the audience...

Meef Chaloin · Post by **Meef Chaloin** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:29 pm

tank tops might hinder any excitement too

smartabletonuser · Post by **smartabletonuser** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:29 pm

alcohol can be your friend in this situation.

I try to drink just enough so that I can still set up my rig and see the buttons/ knobs clearly. after downing 4-5 i can really get into what i'm playing. byt the time the gigs oevor i raelly had a god tiim....

but then again, i don't use a laptop!

forge · Post by **forge** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:45 pm

smartabletonuser wrote:alcohol can be your friend in this situation.

ah the folly of liquor

alcohol is friends only with the devil.

rbmonosylabik · Post by **rbmonosylabik** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:28 pm

Pitch Black wrote:Which means we don't have to look at the computer screens at all,

That crowd pic looks really badass.

I try to rehearse at first with live open then when I'm more comfortable I hide it. Also, when setting up for the gig, I have rectangular plastic tables I set up in an L. in front of me goes the K49, beside it goes the BCR and to my side goes the comp. That way when I have to look at the comp I still get to look cool turning to one side