4 Steps to a Great Live Performance
Whether for a big concert or an intimate house show, preparation is key to a good live performance. In this blog post, I offer 4 tips for making sure your next show is a success.
1. Make a Set List
Once you know you will be performing, make a set list. Maybe you’re only playing two songs at an open mic night, or perhaps you’ve been booked for an hour-long show. However much time you get, it is good to go in with a plan. On stage is not the place to decide which songs to play.
First, decide how many songs you can fit within the window you are given. Take into account that you will likely talk between songs (unless you tend to say little like me, but I don’t recommend that). Fans like the occasional banter to break up the songs. It gives you more personality and allows the audience to connect with you more easily.
Once you determine how many songs, choose which songs to play. Typically, this means choosing your best three, five, or ten songs-whatever the allotted number might be. But you could also tailor your set list to a particular audience or venue.
Next, consider the song order. There is no science here, but it’s always good to start and end strong. I usually bookend my set list with my best songs. It’s also worthwhile to begin with a loud song. Usually, the audience members are mingling with each other before the show. So the louder you start out, the faster you will get their attention and the faster they will quiet down.
Later, print out a final copy of the set list for each band member. I recommend printing the set list because it’s faster and usually more legible than handwriting. Since the set list might change as you rehearse, it’s best to print it not long before the show. I recommend enlarging the font to take up the full page. The bigger the letters, the easier to read.
Place copies of the set list on stage where each band member will stand or sit. This way, band members can transition from song to song smoothly without needing to consult with each other. I recommend even taping the set lists down to the stage to keep them from moving.
2. Rehearse
As soon as you have a tentative set list, practice playing through the songs in order. It’s important to practice the way you perform. It shows you where to make adjustments and how you can polish your act. You might decide to rearrange the set list or kick someone out of the band (hopefully not).
Make your rehearsal as realistic to the performance as possible. This could mean standing instead of sitting. In my band, we practice singing into microphones even if they are turned off. Sometimes we practice in the mirror to get a better feel for our stage presence.
Rehearsing lets you work out all the kinks and get comfortable with your set. That way, when show time comes around, it’s just a matter of executing something you’ve already done several times before.
3. Sound Check
Most venues will have you do a sound check before the show. This allows the sound person to mix volume levels and effects. If they are set beforehand, you can begin playing as soon as you hit the stage. Otherwise, the audience has to watch you awkwardly fiddle around with equipment.
If you haven’t performed a sound check prior to the show, you feel less confident. You just hope that the sound person will make you sound good and that everything will run through the PA speakers smoothly.
One time, my sound check was cut short. The doors were opening and we needed to get off stage. The sound guy managed to dial in our microphone volume levels, but he didn’t get to my acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, this showed during the performance. My guitar sounded weak and tinny throughout, and there was nothing I could do about it (short of stopping the show to perform a sound check). Ultimately, we played on and the sound was subpar.
So always insist on a proper sound check even if the venue does not. You won’t regret it.
4. Warm up
The last step is to warm up. You need to warm up your instrument, especially your voice. You don’t have to sing through scales, but you could. I usually warm up by singing my material.
Now, you could warm up during the sound check. The sound person will have you singing into the microphone anyway, so you can kill two birds with one stone. But even then, it’s good to get warmed up backstage one last time. Warming up is like firing up an engine. You want to let out all the ugly noise backstage, so your voice is up and running by the time you get on stage.
Warming up can settle your nerves. Sometimes my sister and I mock Ryan and Sharpay’s warm up in High School Musical. As ridiculous as it is, their warm up can help. I tend to tighten up when I’m nervous, so making funny noises forces me to loosen up.
So don’t be afraid to sound silly. Do whatever it takes to psyche yourself up.
Sing Your Heart Out
Once you’re on stage, forget about all the previous steps and just perform. From vocal technique to stage presence, there are too many things you could think about; it’s better not to worry. I find that I perform best when I resist turning inward, turn outward, and give the audience all that I’ve got.
Writing songs takes self-reflection. Preparing for a performance takes self-discipline. But on stage, it’s not about the self anymore; it’s about the audience. You want your audience to feel the songs, and you can’t do that if you are stuck in your own head. So forget about yourself and sing your heart out.
