In recent years, as the economic value of recorded music (CDs, mp3s) has gone down, performing live has become more important than ever for indie artists, both for fan acquisition and for generating revenue. We asked one of our Bandzoogle members, Kevin Pauls, if he would guest write a post about how artists can create a better live show, get more fans, and more money. Kevin is a certified Live Music Producer with Tom Jackson Productions. As an independent artist himself, he understands first hand the importance of making an emotional connection with the audience in order to leave them wanting “more.” Kevin is passionate about the stage. He wants artists to thrive onstage, and his goal is to help them captivate their audiences by developing a truly great show. He has worked with a variety of artists and genres, from folk to punk, but applies the same methods in order to create an impressionable live performance – Live Music Methods that have been tested and perfected by Tom Jackson over the last couple decades.
Kevin is based out of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada where he lives with his wife Wendy and their 3 children. He is best known for his incessant “play-by-play” on Twitter and Facebook, and for his warm personality that takes people from stranger to “buddy” in a matter of minutes.
Hereʼs a stat that may surprise you: typically 95% of your revenue as a band/musician comes from your live show. If youʼve been looking at your gigs as a promotional tool for your music - youʼve got it backwards. Most artists understand the correlation between a great producer and a great recording, but they fail to recognize the need for the same type of investment (time, energy, money) into their live show. We see it over and over again....months of songwriting, thousands of dollars and dozens (hundreds?) of hours poured into the studio and then, 5 minutes before the show, band members are still hammering out what songs to play that night. Sound familiar? Then it might be time to shift your focus. Producing your live show is an investment that will pay off in many ways. Merch sales will go up, youʼll get more gigs, and itʼs free marketing dollars because word of mouth about the band will create a bigger buzz than youʼve ever had!
What is “Live Music Producing”? (the Tom Jackson Live Music Method)
When you are ready to make a recording, you look for a producer. Someone that will put your music together in such a way that radio, and fans will enjoy. A typical form is 3-and-a-half minutes in length and looks something like this: intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-outro. There is a “form” to recorded music and thereʼs a reason that it is produced like this. It is what radio is looking for and itʼs a great form for the average fan listening in their car or on their iPod. But strangely, the songs that are arranged and orchestrated for radio and itunes type play, donʼt always have the same impact live...WHY?
Musicians tend to focus on the charts, the vocals, the timing and everything musical. The 3-and-a-half minute song is played note-for-note. And while theyʼve done a good job “regurgitating” the CD, they missed the fact that the audience wasnʼt engaged. The potential “moments” in the song swept by too quickly for the audience to truly make a connection. They might have made music, but they failed to make FANS.
Here are some reasons why:
1. People hear with their eyes. The physical part of any performance (movement, positions, body language etc) needs to match and enhance the musicality of the song. Often they do not!
2. Music is presented as “goulash” - Itʼs important to separate the great parts and “tell” the audience what to pay attention to.
3. The audience is often ignorant to musical things - Simplify, slow down, take your time in order to connect emotionally with your audience. If they do not connect emotionally they will not become your fan - Don't be in a hurry!
Audiences come to a show for 3 reasons:
1. The want to experience moments
2. They want to be captured and engaged
3. They want to have their lives changed
Live music producers are trained in the craft of creating a connection between the artist and the audience. We work with artists on a range of things relating to performance - from timing and cutoffs to the psychology of the show - in order to make an impact. We help you to be you....only better.
A couple quick tips you can apply right away
1. Take a look at your intros. On radio or CD the intro is 2 - 4 bars long. Your LIVE intro is a great time to really introduce the song. Build audience anticipation for what is about to come. Consider changing the order of the song and starting with a chorus...or maybe play it “out of time” and build the interest for the tune. (consider it musical foreplay!)
2. Take your time in the song. When youʼre performing live, there are not the same time restraints as in radio. Create space between verse and chorus, double great musical solos, take instruments out of the arrangement if there is a long verse - make it more interesting. Some things are not meant to be rushed.
Finally, when evaluating your live show, put yourself in the position of the audience. Anytime you would be tempted to look at your watch is a good spot to make the song/show more interesting.
(If any Bandzoogle member would like a $250 discount for a one-on-one rehearsal with a certified producer from Onstage Success, get in touch with Kevin: kevin (at) kevinpauls (dot) com)
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