Members stunningbabe Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 The most typical solo act will be 1 guy with a guitar...strumming and singing...maybe with a drum machine and maybe backing tracks. The most typical Duo act will be 2 guys who do the same thing as above but with real time vocal harmonies. These are the predictable, common things you see just about everywhere. Are you unique...or the same as all your competitors? If you are unique....what is it about your act that is different from the others? I find it hard to find unique Acts...so I am testing my luck to see if unique acts like this exist in the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sgt. Rock Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 I whistle, do bird sounds, trumpet and trombone sounds with my mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 No one I know of has my stylistic range, and it has become part of my signature thing. An audience might get "Stardust", "September", "Wicked Game", and "Ace of Spades" all in one night. It has surprised me how many people are into that wide variety. It also gives me complete freedom to play to just about any audience's leanings if they are in the mood for something in particular. I recently had a gig at an Irish pub, and I thought to play some Van Morrison, U2, stuff like that. But early in the evening, I hear this loud voice tell out, "Oy! Play some fookin' jazz!", followed by loud agreement by the rest of the patrons. So the rest of the night, I played standards in swing, bebop, and ballad form, and the people were cheering and the dance floor was full, and I ended up with more bookings out of it. I have a growing rep for playing whatever any audience is in the mood to hear, and that's okay, because I like playing TO an audience, not AT them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Telecruiser Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 The most typical solo act will be 1 guy with a guitar... strumming and singing...maybe with a drum machine and maybe backing tracks. While just about all the folks out there that I have seen are "strummers" I am not. I can play the guitar, my singing is second and I'm nor a bad singer. I can flatpick, fingerpick, thumpick with fingers, fast songs, slow songs, Chet Atkins style, Doc Watson, Blues, R&R, country etc.. I can fill a song with a dymanic, cross picking rhythmn among other styles. I can fill in with intricate, uptempo instrumentals to slow ballads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Oh yeah... I do very convincing "muted horn" sounds with my mouth on the jazz stuff. And I am NOT a "strummer" either. I am very much a lead player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 I don't know...I have a very professional set up, my set list is extensive and although I'm not as versatile as EightString, I can play to just about everyone. Youll hear Neal Diamond, Pearl Jam, Simon and Garfunkel and Radiohead all in the same few minutes. I also use a looper so I can play solos, I use tracks occasionally, I add a harmonizer when needed and I perform in porn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 19, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Folks...these are wonderful input! Everyone has something to offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 19, 2012 Moderators Share Posted August 19, 2012 and I perform in porn. oh, great, first Mike McL playing nekkid, and now you... I try to create a light airy rapport with the audience, some witty asides, interplay with individual audience members...all pretty much spur of the moment. I have seen too many great musicians doing solo acts and not engaging in any audience contact, which comes off as either effetism or worse, lack of skills as an entertainer. I honestly am less impressed with the musicianship aspect of a performance than I am in the over all package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimboKeys Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Having done the singer-with-guitar thing a very long time ago (i think it might have been before electricity was invented), and after too many years getting my ears blasted out playing in bar bands, i wanted to do something different. So this time around i'm only playing keyboards, sax, and flute. No guitar at all. And i use tracks, and just got a harmonizer to mess with. But i only play with clothes on. - Jimbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Improv lead guitar is my forte in Blues, Jazz, and Country. This makes me different, but only a few people appreciate it (other musicians). I have a wide variety also and can adjust to different situations. I use BT because I like to improvise over it, but can switch to strumming and finger picking without tracks if that's what the gig requires (turn it down!). Finding the right places to play what I want is difficult because being unique doesn't seem to be what is wanted. People expect all solo acts to do the same songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Having done the singer-with-guitar thing a very long time ago (i think it might have been before electricity was invented), and after too many years getting my ears blasted out playing in bar bands, i wanted to do something different. So this time around i'm only playing keyboards, sax, and flute. No guitar at all. And i use tracks, and just got a harmonizer to mess with. But i only play with clothes on. - Jimbo we're all naked under our clothes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SusieP Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 Most Duos on our circuit in the UK are either guitars and vocal, or keyboards and vocal. Or guitar and keyboard and vocal. For our 70s/80s/90s/00s show, we have me on lead vox, and my partner stands up next to me to play several instruments - rototoms, timbales, congas&bongos, keyboards, sax and blues harp. I move a fair bit - like Annie Lennox and he's pretty active too, so there is something to look at. Then for the cocktail jazz/dinner music - he stands up to play cocktail jazz kit drums, bongos, hand held percussion, keyboards and sax, and I sit sedately - like the good girl I am - on a high stool. I stand up for some songs, but I mainly sit. Its usually the other way round with most Duos here. The woman singer stands and the keyboard player/drummer sits. We get a lot of comments saying we are 'different.' We are hoping that's a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Without being arrogant, it's the fact that I'm really serious and really good on both vocals and guitar. Always noticeably a cut above the local cats. Never have a problem keeping a crowd with just my voice and guitar while others need gimmicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 hmm...looks like if you read every single post here....there is not a single act that is entirely unique and different from the others. I saw a Duo that used BT in China many years ago. They play with Trumpet, Sax and Chinese Flute. Their Engish isn't great...but they SOUNDED excellent and unique. They sang in many languages to entertain us the tourists. After a few songs where they did it in their own unique style...they started singing CHinese folks songs and wore their native costumes, out down their instruments and DANCED!...and pulled the tourists to dance with them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 now...that....to me...is UNIQUE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Nice bait and switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Sorry none of us seem to be setting our clothes on fire or doing cirque du soleil acrobatics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 NO acrobatics involved. Only uniqueness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Another unique soloist (he plays the Keyboard) I have seen can imitate like a dozen Singers' voices pretty close to the original. He starts off with Bon Jovi....then Elvis, John Lennon, Rod Steward etc etc.....and ends with PAVAROTTI which was a delight to see. Occasionally he does some cool QUEEN songs too and he even put on the fake moustache...though no one can out- sing FREDDIE...hehehe....but it was cool to watch. Before he starts with each song...he willl speak in each character's voice and introduce himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 These to me are unique...and are not the predictable same acts you see almost everywhere. That's why I wanna know if any soloist or duo here are unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Another unique soloist (he plays the Keyboard) I have seen can imitate like a dozen Singers' voices pretty close to the original. He starts off with Bon Jovi....then Elvis, John Lennon, Rod Steward etc etc.....and ends with PAVAROTTI which was a delight to see. Occasionally he does some cool QUEEN songs too and he even put on the fake moustache...though no one can out- sing FREDDIE...hehehe....but it was cool to watch.Before he starts with each song...he willl speak in each character's voice and introduce himself. Yea...That to ME and everyone I can think of, sounds campy and cheesy as hell...How about just being good. So good that you DO NOT NEED ANYTHING to command the attention of a crowd who wants to be entertained? I would say THAT is unique but maybe i'm old fashioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted August 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Yea...That to ME and everyone I can think of, sounds campy and cheesy as hell...How about just being good. So good that you DO NOT NEED ANYTHING to command the attention of a crowd who wants to be entertained? I would say THAT is unique but maybe i'm old fashioned. If everyone does the same predictable thing...then there is nothing unique then. How good you are is subjective. Some may say you are good...others may say you suck. nothing wrong about that...cos each person has the right to his/her opinion. Cheesy or not..that's your opinion. Nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 When I play out (not often) I do 20s and 30s material with piano and voice in the style of the 20s and 30s. That's what I love and there is absolutely no-one else around here doing that. I can do other stuff, but so can everybody else, so I avoid that. However, making a living as a solo is not about self-expression or even inspiring and educating your audience. It's about pleasing bar owners and patrons and very very few of these give a damn about hearing anything they couldn't already hum in their sleep. So the bars are full of competent entertainers recreating the 70s greatest hits. It's not something I'd go out to see, but I'm not the target audience, so tough on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 Pogo...Your "gig" sounds awesome! I'd love to see some vid or something. When I play out (not often) I do 20s and 30s material with piano and voice in the style of the 20s and 30s. That's what I love and there is absolutely no-one else around here doing that. I can do other stuff, but so can everybody else, so I avoid that.However, making a living as a solo is not about self-expression or even inspiring and educating your audience. It's about pleasing bar owners and patrons and very very few of these give a damn about hearing anything they couldn't already hum in their sleep. So the bars are full of competent entertainers regurgitating the 70s greatest hits. It's not something I'd go out to see, but I'm not the target audience, so tough on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dparr Posted August 20, 2012 Members Share Posted August 20, 2012 I play great classic songs as instrumentals on the "Chapman Stick". After my "real" job played out I decided to have a go as a musician. It's been 12 years now and I work a lot. Around 130 gigs so far this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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