Performance is an act of presentation. In performance there has to be a serious carefulness and utmost attention.
A whole lot of people see preformance as an avenue to riches(making wealth)and not really portraying the message.
Performance has a lot to do with rehearsal and scrutinizing the presentation.
People play and perform all for the sake of audience seen them that they are what i will call show off on th stage.

EDWARD.

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"Performance has a lot to do with...scrutinizing the presentation."
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What exactly do you mean?

Dahlia

Yes, it seems a lot of performers see their stage behavior as some sort of self-indulgent thing, a chance to be the center of attention. Indeed, you are the center of attention but you musn't lose sight of the fact that you are there to create an experience for the audience.
Really, if you can't make an environment rich in mood or feeling that the crowd can relate to and feel comfortable with, why should they spend precious time (and sometimes money) to come see you?

HI,
I have to say that in a way it is self-indulgent , because I want to pour my heart into it , I don't want to run patterns or those fall back licks we all have in our arsenal .
For me it's indulging into my soul and wanting the audience to hear my guts !
It's not even about money . When I solo , you're getting it whether I'm paid or not .
And when the Magic comes I'ma grinn'n Ear to Ear !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a fine line between self indulgence and genuine expression of one's true musical personality. You can't just go up on stage and try to play just for the audience. You come off as fake and not genuine. Even the most unmusical listener will naturally (or subliminally) sense a performer who isn't playing what he feels and is solely concerned with audience reaction.

Furthermore, focusing on what the audience could be thinking while you are playing takes your focus away from playing. I agree that you shouldn't play to be the "center of attention", and you should create an "environment rich in mood and feeling". But not as result of trying to please the audience. Those aspects of a performance should come as a result of playing your instrument as an extension of your personality. Audience approval occurs as a biproduct of this.

All a musician can and should do is direct all of their focus on their instrument and music and "pour their heart into it". The audience will follow that aspect alone. (Unless they don't dig your genre or style, in which case there's nothing you can do).

OMG! Thats a really good tip!! Actually, more like a life lesson... you have to FEEL what youre playing, not just play for the audience, playit for yourself!!

=D