Tip #1 - Show Up "Early" for Soundcheck.
Whatever time your soundcheck starts, is when it STARTS! This does not mean you're just arriving. This does not mean unloading your gear (that's "load in" time). This IS the time you and your gear should be ready to go on stage, plug in, and run through soundcheck. If you're late, chances are the Sound Engineer will be forced to cut your soundcheck time. They will most likely have other bands to soundcheck, and the schedule of load-in, soundcheck, doors open, and show start time will not change simply because you were late.
Tip #2 - Let the Sound Engineer run the soundcheck.
Go through the entire process of soundcheck, and let the Sound Engineer take as long as they need. Remember, it's their job to make you sound as good as possible in a live environment with a million different variables. They are trying to account for, and do their best to manage all of these variables. Follow the Engineer's process, and let them dictate which band member they are focused on in the moment. Don't start randomly yelling out at them with what you need in your monitor, until they are specifically asking you and working on your mix. Why is this you might ask? Because your band mates are probably all doing the same thing. And because whatever they are doing now, may change how your monitor sounds later anyway. Often, one Sound Engineer is trying to accomodate anywhere from two to twenty people all at once. So if everyone is trying to get the Engineer's attention at the same time, no one's mix is going to get the proper amount of focus.
Tip #3 - Don't crank your amps to 11!
Especially if you are using monitors. Let the monitors that are facing you do the work, not your amps. Nothing is worse for an audio engineer than trying to fight a band with an insanely loud stage volume. Plus, you and your band mates will just keep pushing up your own levels, fighting to be heard. For the crowd, this makes your audio and the mix sound like complete garbage. Not to mention, the louder the stage volume, the greater the likelihood for feedback!
Tip #4 - Learn proper mic technique.
You a singer? Great! Know how to actually use a mic to capture your voice best? No? Well then learn how ASAP. Here's some quick dos and don'ts for good mic technique.
- Don't cup the mic.
- Hold the mic correctly.
- Sing into the center of the mic.
- Control the distance between you and the mic. More on this later.
- Never stand in front of the speakers or point a mic at a speaker.
- Get a proper soundcheck before performing.
- Sing like there is no mic.
- Use a dedicated vocal monitor.
- Practice mic technique over and over!
- Not sure what any of these mean? Ask your Sound Engineer!
Tip #5 - Have your setlist planned out.
Know what songs you are playing in what order, when you'll engage with the audience, and how you'll transition between songs. Figure out when it works to play new songs, versus ones the crowd may already know and love.
A great show is one that takes the crowd on an emtional rollercoaster, or pushes and pulls the energy the right way at the right time. Find what works for your band and music style, and curate it.
Tip #6 - Learn how to make your performance flow.
Learn how to make your performance flow smoothly and naturally. A show with pauses, gaps, stops to tune or fix something, starting songs over, etc. wreck the audiences' enjoyment of the show itself, and makes you look like an amature.
DO make sure you have everything set up properly before starting the performance. Have tight transistions between songs. Tune all your instruments beforehand, and if you have to tune on stage, do it during a down moment for you. Don't stop performing even when you make mistakes. Involve the audience. Focus on giving a great performance. Improvise and adapt the performance when needed to the venue, the audience, and the environment. If you have technical problems, distract the audience by engaging them. Don't get upset or focus on and talk about the problem itself.
