Guitar and Singing Performance Tips

In the video below, Mark Lincoln with JamPlay, will share some excellent performance tips that he has acquired over his 20 years  as a singer and guitarist.

A big thanks to the folks over at Jamplay for sharing this awesome video guitar lesson.

JamPlay is a membership only service which broadcasts high-definition video guitar lessons. They teach by “lesson set” instead of just flopping out a ton of small video clips. They start with the very basics like tuning your guitar, finger placement, and basic chords, and move on to finger-picking, palm muting, hammer ons, pull offs, and many more advanced topics as you progress through the lessons. When you have time, I highly recommend you check them out!  Click here to visit JamPlay.

Check out some more video lesson samples from Jamplay below!

Warm up your vocal chords properly

Proper vocal warm ups are essential.  Not only to help you to sing better, but also for safety reasons.

 How do you know when you are ready to perform?

Most performers do not really know when they are ready to get out there and perform for a crowd.  Mark recommends that you listen to your heart.  Once you have enough courage to take that first step, then go for it.  Find an open mic night somewhere and just give it a shot.

Practice, Practice, Practice

We are not just talking about practicing on your own in your home here.  Mark brings up an excellent point that your performances actually become part of your practice routine.  The only way to become better at performing in front of people, is to practice doing it.  The more you do it, the more comfortable you will  be. The more comfortable you are, the more fun you will have.  The more fun you have, the better you will sound.

Playing to Small Groups

Before trying your hand at live performances in front of strangers, you may find it helpful to first play in front of small groups of people you know, like your family and friends.  This is a great way to break the ice and build confidence.  The only downside is that your family may not be completely honest about your playing in fear that they may hurt your feelings.

Be Prepared

Make certain that you are prepared and know your material like the back of your hand before playing live and play more of the stuff that you are familiar with and less of the new material.  Put in the necessary practice time and do your warm ups.

Talk to the Crowd

Try and be yourself and talk to your audience.  Break down that uncomfortable wall and invite your audience into your world while performing.  Next time you go to a concert, pay attention to how the performer will stop every now and again between songs and talk to the audience.  It makes things more personal and interesting.

Breathe

This is probably the single most important aspect of performing.  Proper breathing will breathe new life into your performances.  When you are nervous and uptight, your normal breathing pattern changes. Relax and learn how to breathe. It will not only relax you, but it will also improve your vocals.

Enjoy Yourself!

If you aren’t enjoying yourself while performing, then something isn’t right.  Relax, put a smile on your face and enjoy yourself.  If you are uptight, with a nervous look in your eyes, your audience will pick up on that, and you can shut them out.  The more they notice you enjoying yourself, the more fun they are going to have.

Pick a Point

Pick several points toward the back of the room that is just above the crowd to look at while you are performing.  These points should be just above their heads so it appears as though you are still looking into their eyes. This is a great technique to use when you are just starting out and still a bit nervous.  Some of us are a bit shy and find it difficult to look into a persons eyes while playing.