Members sventvkg Posted December 13, 2016 Members Share Posted December 13, 2016 Bored with playing solo acoustic...should I add a beat buddy or move to tracks/electric guitar or hybrid etc? Seems to me that's an entirely different gig. I have a harmonizer to sprinkle in tastefully and a looper which is used rarely. Also how would a change affect my gigging frequency and vibe? Negatively, positively? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 13, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 13, 2016 New material. That is what keeps me going forward. I try to add a song a week now, even though I'm not soloing at all at the moment. But stretching out to play different styles helps keep me fresh... Funny, on my 'jam' gig tonight some guy called two songs from my solo repertoire, Bobby Darin stuff, Beyond the Sea and Mack the Knife [yeah, my theme song ]...so much easier [but kind of weird] to play them and not be singing them... but songs I have never done with any of the bands...now I will, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted December 13, 2016 Members Share Posted December 13, 2016 I recently did a gig with my acoustic, first time for ages. No special reason just felt like a change. Have to say it's straight back to my hybrid for the forseable. Whilst most of the time it's simply set up to play acoustic, being able to just lay down a chord progression and instantly change to an electric sound to noodle over it every now and then does lift things for both me and the crowd. I have also started opening with Whisky in the jar (the Thin Lizzy version) and the haunting opening played on mags with delay really gets the crowd interested a quick flick of the switch and back into acoustic. Still need to work out the beat thing though having tried and failed with lots of things, probably my most success so far is using the looper and my voice to make the beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted December 13, 2016 Members Share Posted December 13, 2016 Maybe some needs a Farmers Foot drum[video=youtube;a0CwYWvCG90] [video=youtube;lKndkI7DHAk] Or a Porchboard. Some thing for your feet to do, while you doing solo gigs. [video=youtube;8wYQ8IAWvI0] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 14, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 14, 2016 There is a whole other thread on this here on page 1, Mikeo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted December 14, 2016 Members Share Posted December 14, 2016 For me it's new material too. I have to have a new song fix every now and then. The new sonrg goes through three phases: 1) It's an adventure of discovery. Some things work better than others, some are not worthy of repeating, and it's not comfortable yet. 2) Peak. You are on top of your game on this song, the music seems to come through you instead of from you, and you surprise yourself with what you think are great, inspired moments (hopefully the audience agrees). 3) Post-peak, it's comfortable, still fun, but not quite as consistently thrilling as it once was. If you put it down at phase 3 for a wile, playing it again is like visiting a very good old friend that you haven't seen in a while. Insights an incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted December 14, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 14, 2016 I know so many songs hundreds upon hundreds. Nothing new peaks my interest at all I never get request for anything new except new country which I can't stand 99% off. I literally know 80% of all requests and most of the time if I don't know what I can suggest another one or two and they want that. It's not the material that's making me stale it's the mechanics of playing solo but it's also the gigs dealing with the younger culture that's in charge but that's an entirely separate subject. I'm sorry to think it's just that I'm burned out and playing solo. I can't wait to have enough of my own band property is working so much that I can phaseout the solo gigs. I think that's the problem. I've been primarily solo since 03 and it seems like I'm just sick of it and Burnt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted December 15, 2016 Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 Sorry to hear that. I hope the burn-out is temporary and you find your bliss again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted December 15, 2016 Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 Have you considered playing seniors homes etc.? A very different audience from bars and generally very quiet, attentive, and grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 15, 2016 yeah, and plenty of them in Florida...but I would bet there is a whole slew of competition for that niche, as there is here in LA.Sven, burnout is a risk in any career, and in many ways, more likely in artistic/commercial ventures where you find your skills under-appreciated, and your drive un-satiated. Take some time off, focus on your band.Essentially what I did...now I am leading 2 bands and producing and playing guitar in a third...and no solo work. It has been well over a year, and I am tempted to go solo again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted December 15, 2016 Members Share Posted December 15, 2016 I think this is always the danger of making something you love into a job . I play bass or Cajon so the smallest unit I go out with is a duo. I suspect I'm there more for the company than the value added LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted December 16, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 Daddymack I wish I could stop but it's my business and my living. You're right though. I realize that I've been essentially solo since I moved back to Alaska in 03!!! So...13 1/2 years no regular band gigs and my band isn't gigging yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 when we stop.challenging ourselves, we tend to get complacent, bored and stale... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 I guess I'm lucky, or stupid. Either way, I'm 70 and never got burned out. I look forward to each gig and have no plans to retire. We do play a variety of music, perhaps that helps. We do Rock, light Jazz, Caribbean (Calypso, Soca, Reggae), Country, Latin American (merengue, salsa, cha-cha, rhumba), Broadway and even a bit of zydeco. Different styles for different gigs, and it is fun to do each style convincingly because you have to put your head in that genre, Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 16, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 16, 2016 but, Notes you have a couple of distinct advantages...you are a duo, not a solo, and your duo partner is your best friend and life partner...we should all be so lucky!For Sven, the challenge is trying to keep it fresh and interesting when he is doing material he is not into, and playing to audiences he doesn't relate to well. That is a recipe for burnout...there is no personal enjoyment there, just a grim grit your teeth and git'erdun and get the $...like any job you would grow to hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted December 16, 2016 Members Share Posted December 16, 2016 There's a song line that goes "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" . That certainly applies to the music you play. My own opinion is that a pro can learn to love any music - if you can't you'll not be happy doing it for a living. And some just can't enjoy being a solo - no shame in that, not my thing either . Playing with three craptastic bands tonight - woo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted December 17, 2016 Members Share Posted December 17, 2016 dm... nailed it. doing music, (or anything, for that matter), that he isnt into... if it isnt real, no matter how you slice it, it wont satisfy you or your clientele for long. thats just the way it seems to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 17, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 17, 2016 and guess how come I'm so insightful.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted December 17, 2016 Members Share Posted December 17, 2016 Yes, I'm lucky and I know it. Even if the crowd is thin, we can play for each other. I've been in bigger bands and orchestras, but this is the best I've been in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted December 17, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 17, 2016 The material I play is not the issue. It's the gigs themselves, the new generation of management who DOES NOT GET IT, and the gigs themselves..just need to retire from the solo thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 17, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 17, 2016 yes, that is a big issue...they don't care about anything but the bottom line. They don't understand that good music can be a money maker, and they don't care about promoting anything but their core business.What are your alternatives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted December 18, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 18, 2016 My other band properties are just about to get up and running so slowly they will replace the solo gigs for me. Hopefully over the next couple years max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted December 18, 2016 Members Share Posted December 18, 2016 Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted December 21, 2016 Members Share Posted December 21, 2016 Previous to a few years ago, I had mainly done the band thing with solo work supplementing those gigs. When the reverse became true, I started meeting a lot of other solo performers. Many of them commented on how they were working too much, and how it was burning them out. I thought they were crazy at the time, but I'm starting to understand their point of view. This year, I have added or reintroduced 75 tunes (probably more), but I still feel stale. One of the problems from my perspective, as well as other solo folks, is that there seems to be a finite amount of tunes that work or get requested - something that sventvkg was alluding to. Not sure what the solution to that is, except to play tunes that people tolerate, but that don't generate tips - and that's what I've been doing, to the detriment of my wallet. Don't get me started on young managers... I think I told you about a place I played that won't let the entertainers, drink, sit or even remain in the audience area. Oh and even though they only want a youthful clientele, they don't want the mainly young perfomers to invite their friends down, because friends of musicians don't have any money. I don't play there anymore and am happier for it. Bands are too much work, usually don't pay much, and they are a hassle but they sure are fun. I was offered NYE this year as a solo but luckily I'm doing NYE with a band. It's really weird on December 31st, to shake hands with yourself at midnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted December 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 22, 2016 Previous to a few years ago, I had mainly done the band thing with solo work supplementing those gigs. When the reverse became true, I started meeting a lot of other solo performers. Many of them commented on how they were working too much, and how it was burning them out. I thought they were crazy at the time, but I'm starting to understand their point of view. This year, I have added or reintroduced 75 tunes (probably more), but I still feel stale. One of the problems from my perspective, as well as other solo folks, is that there seems to be a finite amount of tunes that work or get requested - something that sventvkg was alluding to. Not sure what the solution to that is, except to play tunes that people tolerate, but that don't generate tips - and that's what I've been doing, to the detriment of my wallet. Don't get me started on young managers... I think I told you about a place I played that won't let the entertainers, drink, sit or even remain in the audience area. Oh and even though they only want a youthful clientele, they don't want the mainly young perfomers to invite their friends down, because friends of musicians don't have any money. I don't play there anymore and am happier for it. Bands are too much work, usually don't pay much, and they are a hassle but they sure are fun. I was offered NYE this year as a solo but luckily I'm doing NYE with a band. It's really weird on December 31st, to shake hands with yourself at midnight. I feel everything ya said brother!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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