erewhon
April 19th, 2002, 02:04 PM
Hi, I'm new to this board, but not new to guitar playing and gigging, so I thought I'd throw out my two cents, since a lot of folks seem to have questions. (Pardon the length...)
My background: playing guitar 30+ years in various groups and jams. Currently playing regularly with an with an unofficial all-Navy rock band (I'm Navy, too.) for beer, money, free food, whatever (I'm hoping to work 'sexual favors' onto the list someday...). Played in front of crowds from six people to 6000, shooting for 60K. Right now, we do it more for fun than anything. Some tips:
* Getting gigs. A demo CD helps. We get most of our playdates by cold-calling bars/clubs. All they can say is NO (okay, sometimes NO, with derisive laughter...). Most club owners that book bands will have an occasional scheduled date fall-through. That's the time to plug yourself into the loop. Also, word of mouth may work, depending on how you're networked into your local music scene.
* Heed your Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Know your playlist COLD (you have to be able to talk about what you had for lunch while playing...). This means REHEARSAL. As a GROUP. (Someone once said that being in a band is like dating four people at the same time...) This is the single most important thing you can do to overcome initial stage fright. Also, know your equipment settings.
* Be on time, rested, ready to play and straight. A couple of beers won't hurt, but 'drunk musician' is an oxymoron. Start on time.
* Have extras of anything that can (and will) break; strings, picks, cords, tubes, mics, sticks, etc. If you can manage two of everything, do so.
* Most playing out will be in bars/clubs. Get there early and talk to the manager. Get things like payment, free drinks, parking, etc. worked out ahead of time. Be professional and courteous, don't 'space' on 'em. Also, don't be afraid to approach them after the show about getting your money.
* Get a good sound check. If you have a sound man, get a "peak" set if your mic'd (showing instrument peaks on the sound board). Level setting by ear has ruined many an otherwise decent band's sound. Make sure your singer, if you have one, can be heard at volume. (Audiences will become indifferent to bands whose singers can't be heard.)
* Acoustics. Sometimes, even with hours of tweaking, you just can't win. Play your heart out, get out and don't go back to that venue. Bass EQ rule-of-thumb for guitarists: If you need more bass, put your amp into the wall/floor corner on the floor; less bass, move it away from the wall or set it off the floor.
* Pace your show and your material. Start with a warm-up/attention grabber, and vary up between fast, slow, loud, quiet. Dynamics are important for providing range and keeping interest. Vary your tone/effects. If every song sounds the same, you'll lose the audience.
* If you blow a note, blow it off. The only people who may have noticed are the other band members or maybe other musicians in the audience. Your average audience won't know you blew it unless you 'telegraph' the mistake - wince, stupid grin, mouthing 'sorry,' etc. Even world-class players blow it from time to time. Blow it off and think to yourself: "The show must go on."
* Forgive your bandmate's mistakes, while you're at it. And your audience's (they won't all be raptly grooving on everything you do - although some may).
* But more than anything, relax and have fun. If you're having fun, laughing, joking, etc., the audience will catch your emotional vibe and mirror it back to you. Reinforce it, engage/provoke your audience, make fun of them, bring them into the overall experience of a live musical performance and talk to them. But always be kind. You'll both get more out of it. The Bible says "Make a joyous noise." Doesn't say anything about making a "technically advanced statement of 128th notes at 250 bpm in 9/17 time..."
If you can manage this and translate an entertaining musical experience to your audience, you don't have to be the best band in the world. You just have to be who you are.
Hope this helps,
A
My background: playing guitar 30+ years in various groups and jams. Currently playing regularly with an with an unofficial all-Navy rock band (I'm Navy, too.) for beer, money, free food, whatever (I'm hoping to work 'sexual favors' onto the list someday...). Played in front of crowds from six people to 6000, shooting for 60K. Right now, we do it more for fun than anything. Some tips:
* Getting gigs. A demo CD helps. We get most of our playdates by cold-calling bars/clubs. All they can say is NO (okay, sometimes NO, with derisive laughter...). Most club owners that book bands will have an occasional scheduled date fall-through. That's the time to plug yourself into the loop. Also, word of mouth may work, depending on how you're networked into your local music scene.
* Heed your Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Know your playlist COLD (you have to be able to talk about what you had for lunch while playing...). This means REHEARSAL. As a GROUP. (Someone once said that being in a band is like dating four people at the same time...) This is the single most important thing you can do to overcome initial stage fright. Also, know your equipment settings.
* Be on time, rested, ready to play and straight. A couple of beers won't hurt, but 'drunk musician' is an oxymoron. Start on time.
* Have extras of anything that can (and will) break; strings, picks, cords, tubes, mics, sticks, etc. If you can manage two of everything, do so.
* Most playing out will be in bars/clubs. Get there early and talk to the manager. Get things like payment, free drinks, parking, etc. worked out ahead of time. Be professional and courteous, don't 'space' on 'em. Also, don't be afraid to approach them after the show about getting your money.
* Get a good sound check. If you have a sound man, get a "peak" set if your mic'd (showing instrument peaks on the sound board). Level setting by ear has ruined many an otherwise decent band's sound. Make sure your singer, if you have one, can be heard at volume. (Audiences will become indifferent to bands whose singers can't be heard.)
* Acoustics. Sometimes, even with hours of tweaking, you just can't win. Play your heart out, get out and don't go back to that venue. Bass EQ rule-of-thumb for guitarists: If you need more bass, put your amp into the wall/floor corner on the floor; less bass, move it away from the wall or set it off the floor.
* Pace your show and your material. Start with a warm-up/attention grabber, and vary up between fast, slow, loud, quiet. Dynamics are important for providing range and keeping interest. Vary your tone/effects. If every song sounds the same, you'll lose the audience.
* If you blow a note, blow it off. The only people who may have noticed are the other band members or maybe other musicians in the audience. Your average audience won't know you blew it unless you 'telegraph' the mistake - wince, stupid grin, mouthing 'sorry,' etc. Even world-class players blow it from time to time. Blow it off and think to yourself: "The show must go on."
* Forgive your bandmate's mistakes, while you're at it. And your audience's (they won't all be raptly grooving on everything you do - although some may).
* But more than anything, relax and have fun. If you're having fun, laughing, joking, etc., the audience will catch your emotional vibe and mirror it back to you. Reinforce it, engage/provoke your audience, make fun of them, bring them into the overall experience of a live musical performance and talk to them. But always be kind. You'll both get more out of it. The Bible says "Make a joyous noise." Doesn't say anything about making a "technically advanced statement of 128th notes at 250 bpm in 9/17 time..."
If you can manage this and translate an entertaining musical experience to your audience, you don't have to be the best band in the world. You just have to be who you are.
Hope this helps,
A