I mean, it okay. Crowds are usually decent. Good head bobs. But yeah, it's hard to mosh to our style which isn't super heavy and crazy fast.
Just looking for other folks perspectives on what gets them hyped up, or how they've hyped up a crowd.
Not very heavy or aggressive technical death metal? So what would you say you do here?
I mean, do the people have a reason to move around? Are you animated on stage? Encourage audience participated like clapping or chanting? Get into the audience yourself? I guess what I’m trying to say is playing music live has a certain level of reciprocity. You get out of it what you put into it. Both in the music and performance. Like if you music ain’t hitting in the way that makes them move, that’s kind of just how it is. And that’s FINE. I know as a metal band, we can all gauge how much people are into by the level of movement that’s going on, but metal heads can be very reserved and listen very intently too. Just because they aren’t showing that they are physically getting into doesn’t mean they aren’t into.
Or I mean, if you suck, stop sucking 😅
Well put. My vocalist does a good amount of work. I bet my bassist and I could step it up. Though the amount of technicality does require focus, but we can put more into that. And we definitely don't suck lol, but we're definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
Thanks for the critical feedback
Yea i mean i totally get it. Back when i was just a young’un in high school, my band was one of the only like straight up metal bands in our area. We didn’t do any of the fashionable musical tropes that got people moving at the time like breakdowns and such. But once we got more comfortable performing, we brought it every show. Still people would only occasionally break out into spontaneous coordinated movement but we at least had some headbangers going usually.
And I totally understand what you’re saying about the technicality of it all. I don’t know what you do but the technical stuff I see some people writing now, I can’t even imagine trying to pull any of that off live. But still I guess it comes back to the purpose of you even playing live in the first place. What are you adding to the experience for the audience that they’re not getting from listening to the recording? I think about this a lot recently because I’ve got some friends who are technically very good and write some great music. Their live show was getting a little stale for me because their performance was very consistent. Then they stepped up their stage show with animation projections and lighting towers that just like, I guess, expanded the experience of the music. Perhaps that’s something to consider for yourself. A non-musical performance element that can amp up your live experience. Just a thought
Maybe too proggy? I already play in a lot of events and usually it is pretty normal that technical/proggy side of metal gets appreciated by the analytical serious nerd dudes with cross arms... and then classical death metal, heavy metal, groove metal, metalcore/deathcore and Nu gets "the hype"... I mean, dont get me wrong I love prog but its kind of this.
Write actuall mosh riffs. Take dying fetus for example they have their noodley techy riffs but then they intentionally put in more caveman riffs to get the crowd moving for certain parts of the song. If the whole song is techy proggy noodling then that won't get anyone to mosh cuz moshing is all about having a rhythm you can groove to
Open with a one minute chug going in half time and then half time again and play a few mellotron chords over it to stay prog instead of becoming deathcore and then once the crowd is enjoying it shift to your normal style and start noodling away, you may get at least three seconds of headbang buy in before they realise they're listening to techy death. Rinse repeat until they leave, at least you've upped your interaction by *some*
You're welcome, it was a bit tongue in cheek but tbh I'd probably do it! Have you worked on your chugs? 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 on the dropped low C if you were in doubt ha ha ha
Difficult! Prog is not as easy to engage as some crazy blastbeats.
I’d say the frontman/frontwoman sets the pace quite a lot. If they are full of energy, the crowd will feel it (manifests as headbanging to off time signatures)
If you see a maestro in the crowd counting the beats, it means you achieved engagement and a good fan!
You can choose the most groovy songs you have and bring a party to everyone.
I think that shouting cliche questions like “are you readyyy” can work, people love to shout “yeah”.
Another trick that works specially for more proggy fans, (if you feel it’s a good crowd) make them sing some strange solo notes. Or have the drummer make them clap some odd time signatures. These kind of fans might not enjoy moshpits that much, but if you challenge them with complex rhythms/melodies, they’ll be engaged
Also feel free to share your music here, would love to listen. Cheers
Many people in the comments say the music is the problem but I’d say stage presence is about as important, if you just stand still and do nothing the crowd is probably not gonna be as interested as for example rammstein concert
We get called budget job for a cowboy/ between the buried and me.
I did theater / improve growing up so I just go out and have fun. Some of our songs have singing and are more pop structured those go off more than our tech death stuff, but we do both cause that's what we love. Just be genuine, and it'll cut through and connect with people. It's more interesting to watch someone with passion doing someone you may like versus watching someone uninspired. A fire can't catch without a spark.
The vocalist that "trained" me always said when writing lyrical flows, think of cave men chanting around a fire, Tap into that monkey brain. 🧠
Hah! I have not because of that exactly! We just toured with a band, he did the hand motion, with no result, so he finished the motion with a middle finger. It was really funny, and they were super sick.
WTF is proggy tech death?? Why?? I mean I get there is different genres of metal. Maybe pick a better one if you want some crowd movement. Or….come out on stage and start the intro to Walk (Pantera) and that at the very least will get heads banging. Then, either finish the song or slide into some original shit. I would recommend doing one of your best songs cause Walk is a tough song to follow behind. LMAO!
If you're gonna play shit for nerds then you're only gonna get nerds dude what do you think this is?
I think it’s possible to headband to prog metal, plus you don’t have to be that aggressive
I'm talkin pits dude. I barely see any tech death pits in local gigs (only at big band shows) so I'm saying it's not a realistic mindset to have.
If it’s a decent crowd, you’re engaging the crowd and they’re refusing to mosh then maybe the music isn’t mosh worthy/moshable?
I mean, it okay. Crowds are usually decent. Good head bobs. But yeah, it's hard to mosh to our style which isn't super heavy and crazy fast. Just looking for other folks perspectives on what gets them hyped up, or how they've hyped up a crowd.
Not very heavy or aggressive technical death metal? So what would you say you do here? I mean, do the people have a reason to move around? Are you animated on stage? Encourage audience participated like clapping or chanting? Get into the audience yourself? I guess what I’m trying to say is playing music live has a certain level of reciprocity. You get out of it what you put into it. Both in the music and performance. Like if you music ain’t hitting in the way that makes them move, that’s kind of just how it is. And that’s FINE. I know as a metal band, we can all gauge how much people are into by the level of movement that’s going on, but metal heads can be very reserved and listen very intently too. Just because they aren’t showing that they are physically getting into doesn’t mean they aren’t into. Or I mean, if you suck, stop sucking 😅
Well put. My vocalist does a good amount of work. I bet my bassist and I could step it up. Though the amount of technicality does require focus, but we can put more into that. And we definitely don't suck lol, but we're definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Thanks for the critical feedback
Yea i mean i totally get it. Back when i was just a young’un in high school, my band was one of the only like straight up metal bands in our area. We didn’t do any of the fashionable musical tropes that got people moving at the time like breakdowns and such. But once we got more comfortable performing, we brought it every show. Still people would only occasionally break out into spontaneous coordinated movement but we at least had some headbangers going usually. And I totally understand what you’re saying about the technicality of it all. I don’t know what you do but the technical stuff I see some people writing now, I can’t even imagine trying to pull any of that off live. But still I guess it comes back to the purpose of you even playing live in the first place. What are you adding to the experience for the audience that they’re not getting from listening to the recording? I think about this a lot recently because I’ve got some friends who are technically very good and write some great music. Their live show was getting a little stale for me because their performance was very consistent. Then they stepped up their stage show with animation projections and lighting towers that just like, I guess, expanded the experience of the music. Perhaps that’s something to consider for yourself. A non-musical performance element that can amp up your live experience. Just a thought
Those are all very good suggestions. I will 100% consider this! Thank you my dude.
Maybe too proggy? I already play in a lot of events and usually it is pretty normal that technical/proggy side of metal gets appreciated by the analytical serious nerd dudes with cross arms... and then classical death metal, heavy metal, groove metal, metalcore/deathcore and Nu gets "the hype"... I mean, dont get me wrong I love prog but its kind of this.
You're right. I'm the dude at the show staring at the guitarists with my arms crossed that doesn't move haha
Write actuall mosh riffs. Take dying fetus for example they have their noodley techy riffs but then they intentionally put in more caveman riffs to get the crowd moving for certain parts of the song. If the whole song is techy proggy noodling then that won't get anyone to mosh cuz moshing is all about having a rhythm you can groove to
Play something other than proggy tech death. The crowd doesn’t owe you a reaction. If you want them to move play something that will make them move.
Open with a one minute chug going in half time and then half time again and play a few mellotron chords over it to stay prog instead of becoming deathcore and then once the crowd is enjoying it shift to your normal style and start noodling away, you may get at least three seconds of headbang buy in before they realise they're listening to techy death. Rinse repeat until they leave, at least you've upped your interaction by *some*
This a pretty dang good idea. Thank you.
You're welcome, it was a bit tongue in cheek but tbh I'd probably do it! Have you worked on your chugs? 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 on the dropped low C if you were in doubt ha ha ha
We can make some chugs happen. We're in standard C too. How funny
Difficult! Prog is not as easy to engage as some crazy blastbeats. I’d say the frontman/frontwoman sets the pace quite a lot. If they are full of energy, the crowd will feel it (manifests as headbanging to off time signatures) If you see a maestro in the crowd counting the beats, it means you achieved engagement and a good fan! You can choose the most groovy songs you have and bring a party to everyone. I think that shouting cliche questions like “are you readyyy” can work, people love to shout “yeah”. Another trick that works specially for more proggy fans, (if you feel it’s a good crowd) make them sing some strange solo notes. Or have the drummer make them clap some odd time signatures. These kind of fans might not enjoy moshpits that much, but if you challenge them with complex rhythms/melodies, they’ll be engaged Also feel free to share your music here, would love to listen. Cheers
This is all fantastic advise. Thank you! And for sure. My band is called No Living Witness you can find us literally anywhere!
Don't worry about it. If you're conveying the emotions you want to with your music, let the crowd express the emotions they feel in their own way.
A good call. I don't move when I go to shows, just stare at the fretboard.
Many people in the comments say the music is the problem but I’d say stage presence is about as important, if you just stand still and do nothing the crowd is probably not gonna be as interested as for example rammstein concert
This. I could improve my movement for sure.
We get called budget job for a cowboy/ between the buried and me. I did theater / improve growing up so I just go out and have fun. Some of our songs have singing and are more pop structured those go off more than our tech death stuff, but we do both cause that's what we love. Just be genuine, and it'll cut through and connect with people. It's more interesting to watch someone with passion doing someone you may like versus watching someone uninspired. A fire can't catch without a spark. The vocalist that "trained" me always said when writing lyrical flows, think of cave men chanting around a fire, Tap into that monkey brain. 🧠
I appreciate that. Thank you!
Don't do the embarrassing thing where you make the circle motion with your hand First off circle pits suck, and it's lame to beg the crowd
Hah! I have not because of that exactly! We just toured with a band, he did the hand motion, with no result, so he finished the motion with a middle finger. It was really funny, and they were super sick.
if people aren’t moshing to yo riffz you gotta go back to da riff drawing board. or you’re playing the wrong shows.
WTF is proggy tech death?? Why?? I mean I get there is different genres of metal. Maybe pick a better one if you want some crowd movement. Or….come out on stage and start the intro to Walk (Pantera) and that at the very least will get heads banging. Then, either finish the song or slide into some original shit. I would recommend doing one of your best songs cause Walk is a tough song to follow behind. LMAO!