How to Do Guitar Moves

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 27, 2023 References

You could be the best guitar player on the planet, but if you don't move around on stage, you're going to lose your audience! Doing guitar moves shows you're enjoying the music, and it will engage your audience while you're playing. Work on some basic moves if you're just starting out or try some more advanced moves if you think you can handle it. Also, try to improve your stage presence overall, and your audience will thank you.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Learning Basic Moves

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Bounce your head and move your body to the music. You don't need to be jumping around every few minutes to show you're into the music. You can simply do small movements like bouncing your head to the beat. Nod it up and down in time to the music, making sure that you do it hard enough to be noticeable.
- Similarly, make sure you're swinging your hips and moving your shoulders. You want to show the audience you're having a good time!
2
Change your position on stage and point your guitar in different directions to mix it up. Don't always point the end of your guitar off to the left of the stage. Sometimes, you can turn it toward the crowd so that you're sideways to the audience. You can also turn it to the back so you're sideways going the other direction.^{[1]
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- This just adds visual interest to your performance. You're not just standing there, still as a statue.
- You could also tip the neck up and play it that way for a while or lean over and play it downward toward the crowd.
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3
Emphasize a cymbal crash or major chord by tipping up your guitar. If you come to an important part of the music, you want to acknowledge it with your movement on stage. An easy way to do that is to just tip the neck of the guitar up into the air for that beat, then bring it back down.^{[2]
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- Make this movement as you're strumming down on the guitar. You're basically bringing the guitar up to meet your hand.
- You can also do the opposite movement. If you're strumming upward on the guitar, you can slam the neck downward.
4
Use the "power stance" when you're playing a major riff. This stance is straight out of classic rock. Essentially, you're trying to make yourself bigger. Lift the neck of the guitar up and tilt the head down. Lift your elbows out as you play to make yourself appear bigger and spread your feet out so you have a very wide stance. You can also bend your knees.^{[3]
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- Don't stand this way too much; instead, use it for emphasis.
5
Try a kick for emphasis. If you're coming to the end of a mad riff, you want to show how awesome it is. Simply kick one leg out in front of you as you finish the riff, slamming your hand on the last chord.^{[4]
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- Make sure to get some height with this kick. Don't try a high kick, but the audience should be able to see the sole of your shoe.
- Practice this without the guitar first!
This is a great way to get people's attention. Hold the pick up for a second and look at the audience. Choose your target, and then flip it dramatically outward toward that spot. You can even point before you toss it.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Working on More Advanced Moves

1
Add the windmill for a flashy guitar strum. To do the windmill, strum the guitar like normal, going up and then swing your arm out all the way toward the frets and up above your head in a wide motion. Swing it out to the side the other way and come up to strum the guitar again. Make sure you do it fast enough so you stay on the beat.
- Try doing this several times in a row in time to the music.
- You can pick a portion of the song when you can increase the time between your chords or just use this motion for one loud, powerful chord.
2
Take yourself down to your knees to show how awesome your solo is. As you're playing an amazing solo, slowly lower yourself to your knees. Finish playing the solo on the ground, then jump back to your feet!^{[6]
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- If you want to go all-in, you can even end up laying down on the floor, like Angus Young from AC/DC.^{[7]
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3
Do a power slide for a dramatic finish. To perform this movement, get a short running start and then land on your knees. Let the momentum of your running start keep pushing you so that you finish by sliding on your knees.^{[8]
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- This only works if you have pants on! With shorts, you'll just skin your knees.
4
Perform a dramatic jump to start or end a solo. You can do this a couple of ways. You can simply use all your power to jump up as high as you can, bringing your legs up underneath you and then landing back on your feet. Alternatively, you can jump on something higher, such as a speaker or an amp and then jump up high off of it.^{[9]
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- Always practice this without the guitar first!
5
Try the duckwalk to pay homage to rock and roll history. This move was first popularized by Chuck Berry, but it was also used by AC/DC. Hold the guitar to your right side with that side of your body facing the audience. Bend over while also lowering your butt toward the floor, though only go partway down. Next, kick your left leg out front. Bring your left foot back down but do it just long enough to touch your heel to the floor and scoot your right foot up a bit. Keep repeating the movement: kick, heel to the floor, scoot your back right foot.^{[10]
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- You may want to practice this without the guitar first! This is a very quick movement, so make sure you're moving in time to the beat.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Improving Your Stage Presence

1
Pick outfits that help you stand out. When you're on stage, you shouldn't be wearing what you would to go to the grocery store. It should feel put-together in some way. That doesn't mean you need to wear a coat and tie! However, it should tell the audience a little bit about who you are even before you start playing.^{[11]
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- For example, for a heavy metal band, you might opt for leather and metal, while for a rock and roll band, maybe you want torn jeans and metallic t-shirt.
- Go a little crazy. You're allowed to pick out something you wouldn't normally wear to help you stand out.
2
Enjoy yourself while you're playing. If you're not having a good time, the audience is going to notice. You have to be engaged with the music and act like it's totally consuming you. Make sure you're moving the whole time you're on stage, whether it's just bouncing your head or moving your whole body to the beat.^{[12]
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- You can fake this if you're not feeling it. Just act like the music is really making you want to move to the beat!
3
Get out from behind the mike when you can. If you're not singing, walk away from the mike. It separates you from the audience, so when you can, you want to go to the side or in front of it. It will help you engage your audience better. You can also engage with the lead singer and other members of the band as you move around.^{[13]
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- However, be mindful of your cord! You don't want to get it wrapped around the mike or get tangled up in it. An even better solution is to go wireless if you can.
- Similarly, if you don't need the guitar for part of the show, slip it behind you so it's not between you and the crowd while you sing.
4
Make eye contact with people in the audience. Don't just stare down at your guitar the whole time you're playing. You know those riffs by now! Look out into the crowd and connect with people by looking them in the eye. The more you engage, the more people will enjoy your show.
- If you don't have your chords or riffs memorized, work on getting them down so you can just groove while you're on stage.
5
Engage with the audience. Engagement is key to getting the crowd into your music and making them feel like they're part of the show. Nod or smile at people who are trying to make eye contact, for instance, or go and high five those people who are holding their hands up at the front. You could even bring 1-2 people up on stage to dance with you.^{[14]
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- Engaging with people makes it personal, and they're more likely to invest in you in the future!
6
Act confident to feel confident. If you're hunkered over your guitar near the back of the band staring at the strings, that doesn't exude confidence. Stand up, push your chest out, and get to the front of the stage. Show the crowd you know what you're doing and you're ready to play!
- It's also good to take a wide stance. When you're feet are together, it makes you look smaller and less confident.
7
Exaggerate your movements so people in the back can see you. When you're performing in front of a live audience, particularly a large one, you have to make your movements large. That way, even the people in the far back can see them, and they will look intentional instead of accidental.
- For instance, if you're strumming extra hard, move your hand farther up and down than you normally would.
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Tips

Practice the moves so you get them down. There is nothing worse than trying to look cool and then messing up one of these at a gig.

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Warnings

Some of these moves may cause injury. Make sure you know what you are doing before you try them.

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Be aware of the guitar cord. With all this movement, the cord is moving with the guitar, and it could trip you up.

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