[musictlk] Learning to Be More Visualy Pleasing re Performance

Robert Moore robertjmoore at embarqmail.com
Wed Jun 1 14:46:16 UTC 2016


Sorry I don't have any helpful feedback but to let you know you have a lot
of company. 
I was with a   startup rock/ country band that practiced for a couple years
before ever taking the stage. We had only two gigs before I was asked to
leave the band. There was a lot of dynamics that went into  there desition
mostly not having anything to do with blindness. However one thing that I
was told was that I  looked like I was staring off into space and I had  no
stage   presence.That was very disturbing to me. OH BTW  I was the bass
player standing in the back next to the drummer, I also was told by a lot of
peopleafterwards that basically bass players really don't often have much of
any stage presence, they just stand back there and hold down the bottome end
with the drummer.  I would look  around the room and try to smile some times
but I would suppose that most times I would not really be looking at anyone.
No one there knew I was blind. Every one tells me I don't look blind, what
ever that means. 
The only  conclusion I came to, right or wrong was that If I get another
chance to join a group and perform, I intend on wearing a pare of sunglasses
so no one can see that I am not making eye contact.
I could be wrong  but I seem to recall when I could actually see a little
bit that all the blind grates wore them like Ronny Milsap, Stevey Wonder,
Ray  Charls, and even Terry  Gibbs. I think   hoesay falesiono was blind and
wore sunglasses. 
So just my thoughts for what they are worth.Hope something in that mess is
helpful to you. 
 All the bess. 
Never give up. 


-----Original Message-----
From: musictlk [mailto:musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dani
Pagador via musictlk
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 3:00 AM
To: musictlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Dani Pagador
Subject: [musictlk] Learning to Be More Visualy Pleasing re Performance

Hi, Everyone.
This week's lesson covers performance: using the face and hands, and
possibly body/gestures, to communicate the story behind the song. The
teacher is hoping for a video of the assignment submission--the majority of
the students, me included, have submitted audio recordings for the past
eight lessons. I am quaking in my boots and want to toss cookies at the idea
of having to do a video recording.

I suck wind when it comes to movement. I've got rhythm, yes. But I'm not
comfortable gesturing or moving on stage because nothing ever happens the
same twice. So I just stand in front of the mic and sing; I'm assuming I
have an OK facial expression, because no one's said otherwise. But there's a
lot people _don't tell you when you're blind for fear of hirting your
feelings, or because they don't really know how to help you ... be more
visually appealing ... once they've said something. I know I'll never look
like a sighted performer. But dog gone it, how do I get past the anxiety
that comes with looking blind, knowing it, and not being able to do a thing
to help it?

And dog gone those sightlings. When we go to concerts/performances, _we have
to be satisfied with descriptions like "there are singers and dancers, and
they look so awesome . ... wish you could've seen it, you would've enjoyed
it."; we get to listen to the music, feel the rhythm,  and let our ears help
us imagine just exactly what we missed.

If it were up to me, I'd dim all the lights and be on stage with the music
and the mic and let them imagine all they want ... have the audio minus the
visuals, bring them in to _my world as opposed to always having to conform
to theirs.

I realize I've got a lot of work I'll need to do. But I'll need to start
somewhere, so I'm grateful to be able to ask questions here and not feel
like I'm being a dope. This is 45 years of frustration talking. Sorry you
guys have to listen to the rant.

So ... what do you guys do? How do you handle performances? How do you learn
to be more visually friendly?

Thanks,
Dani

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