Pulling ridiculous faces whilst playing!

**Ivan Kelsall** · May-30-2012, 2:05am

From the OP - "I will be practicing in front of the mirror mostly this week.". Scareeeeeeeeeeeey !,
Ivan

**billkilpatrick** · May-30-2012, 5:13am

violinists - as opposed to fiddlers - really get into it as well, using their whole bodies - i know it can't be helped sometimes but to me it usually comes across as "puttin' on the agony, puttin' on the style" rather than "lost in music."

i understand liszt was the first to play piano in profile so as to shake his mane about and drive all the ladies wild ...

**JeffD** · May-30-2012, 8:38am

I think we are talking about three different things.

I got to talking once about this with a neurologist (who was engaged to help with a family member).

There is a totally unconscious aspect to this, due mostly to the fact that the part of the brain that controls the fingers is next to the part that controls facial muscles, and there can be some signal bleed through - sort of like when you used to hear a distant phone call on your phone call because of pickup from some parallel wire somewhere. This is totally involuntary.

Then there is just the way we automatically control or faces when communicating. So if we are communicating through a solo or improvising, we still engage the facial muscles as part of the communications. This is voluntary, but usually unconsciously done.

And then there is deliberate facial expressions, meant to evoke great effort and intensity in the solo. I viewed some rock guitar training videos and there, where the point is not intense expression but to demonstrate how you too can do this, I saw some blistering solos with no guitar face at all, just a kind easy smile. So this part of the equation is voluntary and under conscious control.

The only control I try to exercise in my face when I play is to hide any response to my own clams and goofs or that I have forgotten where the heck I am and don't remember how many times through the B part I have already played.

The other thing I like to do is catch everyone's eye at the jam, just to enjoy the music with them.

**AlanN** · May-30-2012, 8:44am

Some facial tics are surely involuntary. Check Barry Mitterhoff's tongue! Thile's grimaces? Not so sure. Doesn't matter anyway.

**1-2-many** · May-30-2012, 9:40am

Don't be afraid to smile if you're having fun. Audiences pick up on that.
If you're not having fun why are you doing it? Audiences pick up on that too.
Be yourself.

**journeybear** · May-30-2012, 10:07am

Generally, my choices are looking deadly serious (shows how hard I am concentrating on making the best music ever heard) and a slight smile (shows how pleasurable it is to hear this beautiful music I am creating out of thin air). Sometimes I try for a bit of an impish grin but I fear it may more resemble the leer of a dirty old man, so I try to refrain. And while I try not to stand stock-still with my stocky body (pretty boring sight for an audience), I also try not to bounce around too much, either (pretty frightening I imagine, especially for those close enough to worry I might fall on them). As with so many human endeavors, there is a golden mean. Somewhere.

Whatever you do, try not to accompany involuntary facial expressions with similarly uncontrollable vocal expressions, especially close enough to the mike for them to be transmitted. One Glenn Gould is enough!

**JonZ** · May-30-2012, 1:01pm

As far as showing emotions goes, I prefer doing "jazz hands" after every tune.

**billkilpatrick** · May-30-2012, 1:07pm

Originally Posted by JonZ

As far as showing emotions goes, I prefer doing "jazz hands" after every tune.

sound molto cool, jon - what's that?

**JonZ** · May-30-2012, 2:50pm

You know... Jazz Hands!

**greg_tsam** · May-30-2012, 7:03pm

Just when I was beginning to think you had no sense of humor, JonZ, you break out the Jazz Hands. That's funny.

I dare you to get thru just one minute of this video. BTW, this is not a joke. This guy is serious.

**billkilpatrick** · May-31-2012, 2:52am

ahhh - those jazz hands - looks like you need TEETH! as well

**journeybear** · May-31-2012, 3:32am

I'm sure you meant "I dare you to get through just one minute of this video without getting a big smile on your face and jumping up and dancing!" It can hardly get happier than this.

I think I have finally found the stage moves I need to really express myself,

especially Double Dream Hands and Shimmy High.

If I could only figure out how to do jazz hands and play at the same time.

Thank you so much!

**billkilpatrick** · May-31-2012, 3:40am

please ... please, jb - no videos!

**journeybear** · May-31-2012, 3:50am

Hey now! Don't rain on my parade! Spread joy up to the maximum! But you're in luck - the webcam at my weekly gig is set too far from the stage to be of much use, though thankfully the audio is pretty good. And that is what really matters, right? Better to present good music and poor stagecraft than the other way around, right? Right? Right???

**billkilpatrick** · May-31-2012, 4:14am

depends on your (shudder) moves ... let's see those country heel drags!

**Miss Grimke** · May-31-2012, 6:04am

I was going to start a thread wondering why my mouth has to get involved when I'm working on something new/difficult. Now I don't have to.

**Rosemary Philips** · May-31-2012, 8:07am

I was questioning the usefulness of this thread until I saw the Jazz Hands video. Life changing! Thanks Greg!

**JeffD** · May-31-2012, 8:36am

Originally Posted by journeybear

Whatever you do, try not to accompany involuntary facial expressions with similarly uncontrollable vocal expressions, especially close enough to the mike for them to be transmitted. One Glenn Gould is enough!

**JeffD** · May-31-2012, 9:03am

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

please ... please, jb - no videos!

That guy on the video made me nervous. But if it was Dom Deluise, now thats entertainment!

**Pete Summers** · May-31-2012, 9:50am

Originally Posted by journeybear

Whatever you do, try not to accompany involuntary facial expressions with similarly uncontrollable vocal expressions, especially close enough to the mike for them to be transmitted. One Glenn Gould is enough!

Reminds me of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton with the Benny Goodman band -- baah baah baahing like a lamb throughout his amazing solos.

There is also a great jazz pianist around these parts (no names) who gets so focused on his playing that he actually begins to drool - but man can he play that piano!

Sometimes I even catch myself with an oddly contorted face just while I'm watching tv or reading. Hmmmm.

**Anglocelt** · May-31-2012, 9:52am

Originally Posted by JonZ

Now I'm thinking there has to be a banjo player joke in there somewhere.

Q: Why is that mandoiin player gurning?
A: Look who he is standing next to.

**billkilpatrick** · May-31-2012, 10:10am

Originally Posted by JeffD

That guy on the video made me nervous. But if it was Dom Deluise, now thats entertainment!

favorite dom deluise line came in a movie with george segal in which deluise is a struggling actor who took part in a porn movie. when segal askes him about it, deluise replies "i just looove to ... act."

**JonZ** · May-31-2012, 9:00pm

Thanks Greg, now I can start working in "travel hands" and "rain hands". I am always trying to expand my range.

**Bertram Henze** · Jun-01-2012, 5:58am

Whatever you do, you can never beat him at being extrovert ...

**AlanN** · Jun-01-2012, 6:06am

Originally Posted by Pete Summers

Reminds me of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton with the Benny Goodman band -- baah baah baahing like a lamb throughout his amazing solos.

There is also a great jazz pianist around these parts (no names) who gets so focused on his playing that he actually begins to drool - but man can he play that piano!

Sometimes I even catch myself with an oddly contorted face just while I'm watching tv or reading. Hmmmm.

Oscar Peterson would do the same, grunt along with his fabulous playing, Herb Ellis would do the Mumbles thing with his mouth. Surely the great horn players would have done the same (except their mouths were always busy...)