Set Length, Pay, Other Logistical Questions

[HarpNinjaMike]

I am in the process of putting together a solo act. I can do about 45min currently including covers and originals. I have played out like this with good response twice.

 

My format is a bit insane, as I don't play a chordal instrument. I actually use a looper, sing basslines into a POG2, beatbox for drums, and use harmonica as the main instrument (see Brandon Bailey and Son of Dave). My style could be labeled "trance blues" and I am very influenced by Otis Taylor.

 

That all being said, I am timid about hitting up more clubs to do shows. I am concerned that 3x45min sets of 3x60min sets is just too much for people to be into. I'd prefer to not do too many multiband bills and it gets to be hard to do locally.

 

So...

 

How would you approach a club that has solo/duo acts all the time? Should I add a guitarist for half the night? Do I ask for $100? $200? Do I do 3x45min sets?

 

I have a full PA for this - QSC K10's, a powered sub, board, front lighting, back lighting, etc...I have a good rep in town, I have a few full band CD's under my belt, I have a great online harmonica following, I am endorsed by Hohner harmonicas...I have some selling points and will be recording demos starting this weekend (I ordered new recording gear and am eager to share audio clips ASAP).

 

For the past year, I've been playing in a part-time coverband, but only gig out of town. I'd love to do 1-2 solo shows a month around here. I think I get close to a full electric band sound as just one man.

 

Here is a song that I also do (sorry I don't have my own audio yet!):

 

 

Thanks for any input! I think I can do about 50/50 originals and covers people would probably know (for example, I have arrangements for some classic rockish/bluesy tunes like Hey Joe and Low Rider). I probably won't sell it as a "cover band" doing all pop stuff UNLESS I add a guitar player for part of the night.

[Sgt. Rock]

Two hour gigs I play straight through, three hour ones I take a 15 minute break in between.

[HarpNinjaMike]

What instrumentation? Do you hold the same audience, or are people coming and going? My concern is that if the expectation is to hold the same 20-50 people for nearly three hours of music by myself, I can play that much music, but will they want to hear it?

 

I *think* I can vary things quite a bit - and I use a lot of effects and such. I guess, it is similar to playing in a band for 3hrs? Sorry to sound so dumb, but I am just wanting to come up with a good sales pitch.

[fingerpicker]

it doesnt sound like what you do is good for a 3 or 4 hour gig, but rather one real hot set at say a festival. Another option is to open for bands with a one hour set before they start. I would really have to hear you i guess.

 

Pay:for one nighters I do $100 an hour.

for weekly gigs I am tring to get to $50 an hour. I was making $100 a gig 20 years ago and that just dont cut it any more, but I have been doing this for a long time so.....

[richardmac]

I'd scope out the clubs you want to play at and see what is currently successful there, and what type of crowd they draw. You can play the most fantastic original tune ever written but if people are there to dance to songs they know, they won't care. And they may shout "Play something we know" at you. You definitely have to match the material to the crowd. That's the recipe of a good gig - the right act for the right venue. You can change the act or the venue. There are places I wouldn't dare play because I'd be a terrible match. Most people don't want to hear original music, so for that you have to choose a venue that supports original music.

 

As far as pay, it's dependent on the area and the venue. Where I am, it is very common for a band to ask $100 per person, and for a solo act to ask between $100 and $150 for a 3 hour gig. There are definitely people who make more than that, as well as people who make less. That's just a sort of average. But that's for covers. For original music, it's often half that or less than half that.

[HarpNinjaMike]

This is probably a totally different topic, but let's say I wanted to do blues festivals and other one hour sets. Any tips for strategies to get to that point? Where I get tripped up is the chicken and the egg thing. It is hard to have gigs without a recording to share, but you need gigs to create demand for the performance.

 

My initial plan was to try and do some solo sets over happy hours and such in town while creating a recorded demo (ordered new recording gear to do that this week). I can than share out the demo for more work, online, etc. Ideally, I'd share gig video, but it is hard to do that without gigs, etc.

[richardmac]

I think your initial plan sounds like a winner. The path for many of us is similar... start playing at a few open mics, then move up to singer/songwriter nights where you get 30 minutes each, then move up to small gigs, then bigger gigs.

[donkey 12]

We play in the Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia area and the pay we get varies a lot, so much so that it is hard to generalize about what we get paid. We have done charity events for free and have made $300 an hour. We like to play 45 minute sets, with a 15 minute break each hour, but sometimes we are asked to do something different. This past Sunday, for example, we played two 1 1/2 hour sets with a half hour break in between.

 

I suppose the best thing regarding pay is to just ask those who hire at the various venues if they will consider hiring you and, if so, what they pay. Generally, those hiring us have proposed the amount to be paid, then we either say yes, no, or yes, but only if...

[rodclement]

If I was you I would get my act sorted out as a entertainer and dj since you already have the gig and focus on a niche like Blues bars, etc. Something a DJ/entertainer so you can DJ for the night and do a feature presentation at a given point of you with live music.

I personally have never seen this but I think it would be cool if I was at a club and had the added show to go with the normal dj stuff.

 

As far as sets, depends on the venue, whatever they want, as you can see by our set-list posted in this forum already, I always prep 4 one hour sets but the night goes how the night goes, if people are into it and dancing, we change songs around and don't take a break, whatever it takes to keep them there!

 

Pay follows venue, bars and restaurants $200/$400 private parties ???? depends on the party.

 

Rod

[lz4005]

For a unique act like this you should really think about doing a video demo of two or three songs. Don't wouldn't worry about it being in front of an audience. Having really good audio quality is much more important. Bookers and club owners may have a hard time understanding what your act is without seeing it.

 

Anymore, around here at least, bookers don't want to talk to the acts at all, they want an email with a link to a youtube demo.

 

I'd also suggest hooking up with a band that is somewhat compatible in style and opening for them regularly for a few months. That will help greatly in building a following and make booking other places easier in the future.

[HarpNinjaMike]

That's a great idea about doing a video! I have a Zoom Q3 and could do something against a black backdrop right at home. I upgraded my recording gear to something that is solid video quality. I wish I could do the video and sync it with audio. It would sound much better...I am sure the room by itself sounds dead. I don't think I have any cameras that take an external mic/rig. Hmmmm...lots of ideas swirling around...

[chemikool]

I'll play as short or as long as the gig dictates. Some corporate stuff I do is VERY short. I was contracted last year to play 2 songs for the local chapter of the red cross...I quoted $300 and got it...for 2 songs. That gig is certainly not typical though (and I had to take off work to do it) so I felt justified asking for that amount.

 

Here is where I will deviate from most in this forum though...Typically I do not take breaks...which usually means I sing/play/perform/whatever for about 3.5 hours.

 

The gig I did last weekend was about 3 hours...the owner knows how I do it (no breaks) and I've worked it up to $250/night. Most of the places I perform solo do not pay me this much...YET!

[Howie22]

 

I'll play as short or as long as the gig dictates. Some corporate stuff I do is VERY short. I was contracted last year to play 2 songs for the local chapter of the red cross...I quoted $300 and got it...for 2 songs. That gig is certainly not typical though (and I had to take off work to do it) so I felt justified asking for that amount. Here is where I will deviate from most in this forum though...Typically I do not take breaks...which usually means I sing/play/perform/whatever for about 3.5 hours. The gig I did last weekend was about 3 hours...the owner knows how I do it (no breaks) and I've worked it up to $250/night. Most of the places I perform solo do not pay me this much...YET!

 

 

No breaks for 3.5 hours? That's pretty nuts. I've done it once, where I played nearly 3 hours with no breaks. Pretty rough. Usually I couldn't play that long because I need to hit the head/refresh my beer. Also, if friends or fans come out to hear me play, the break is usually a good time to chat with them.

 

As for the OP's question. I rarely play structured sets. Kind of different at every gig, depending on the crowd and the flow of the night. Typically, for a 3 hour gig, I'll do a long first set of a little over an hour, then take a 15-20 minute break. Sometimes I'll play straight through for the rest of the night. Sometimes I take a second short break after another 45 minutes to an hour then wrap up with a short set to end the night.

 

For me, pay at a restaurant or bar gig is usually $50/hr. Most often it's 3 hours.

[leftyjay]

if i'm doing 2 hours or less, i dont take a break, but i do play a few more instrumentals during the set.

 

i gave up playing straight thru on my 3-4 hour gigs a long time ago when i started playing 4-5 days a week. if i were to only play 2-3 times a month, i would want to perform as much as i can, but playing 22-25 gigs a month, you got to pace yourself.

 

i play usually a 60 minutes first set.

take 15 minute break to play the "sheeple" line dance music (cupid shuffle, cha cha slide, etc)

play 45-50 minutes,

take another 15 minute break (more sheeple music) sell a few CDs

finish out the night

[Chip Stewart]

I typically play 1 1/2 hours in a coffee shop or 1 hour at a festival. Pay for either gig is typically $50. Split two ways (since we're a duo) comes out to $25 per person. I definitely don't do this for the money.

[pogo97]

Maybe I'm atypical, but when I'm in an audience, I LIKE the performer to take an occasional break so that I can completely ignore them without guilt.

[EightString]

If it's a club, I typically do 3 or 4 sets, 45-50 minutes each, and my minimum per night is $300, or sometimes $250 if it's a REALLY easy convenient gig.

 

I have a gig coming up that's a little different than a typical club gig. In this case, there is a promoter putting together the show, and is charging $20 a head for people to see me. I get a percentage of ticket sales, but I'm guaranteed a minimum of a few hundred bucks, no matter how many tickets are sold.

 

I've been doing more of these showcase type gigs lately, and they've been working out really well, so I think I'll steer into that curve.

[lz4005]

 

Maybe I'm atypical, but when I'm in an audience, I LIKE the performer to take an occasional break so that I can completely ignore them without guilt.

 

 

Breaks definitely depend on the venue. I was in a jazz duo for a while that played three nights a week in a high end restaurant. There were times when the manager would ask us to take breaks early because people were lingering after paying their tab to listen to the music and they needed to turn the tables. Other times they wanted us to play an extra half hour to keep customers around in order to push the deserts.

[fingerpicker]

You all are missing the boat on breaks. Owner LIKE when I take 15min offstage because I am still with the crowd talking to them and when you put on break music it changes it up for a bit. If i did not take breaks my regulars would be unhappy because I didnt say hi during the gig. (Also there are times when you need to turn and burn on tables as mentioned)

 

Dont hide when you take a break, work

[fingerpicker]

 

i play usually a 60 minutes first set. take 15 minute break to play the "sheeple" line dance music (cupid shuffle, cha cha slide, etc) play 45-50 minutes, take another 15 minute break (more sheeple music) sell a few CDs finish out the night

 

Where are you playing that the cha cha slide is your break music?? And what is sheeple? Are you making fun of your audience? I like to have people listen to me and i dont call them sheep people!

[HarpNinjaMike]

I got my home recording rig set up and recorded myself learning to play/arrange a version of Hey Joe. Why Hey Joe? Well, I knew the chord progression, had the right harmonica handy, and knew it would be really hard to do a live version (it is slow, requires long loops, harder to keep in time, important to get to overdubs quickly, relies a lot on the vocal to carry it). It is my first time through the song and I didn't mix/master or anything. Why share it? Well, but put my OP in context, and to get some help...I am posting this clip/problem wherever I can to get help troubleshooting a bass distortion issue.

 

http://mikefugazzi.com/files/HeyJoeDistorted.mp3

 

Everything is done in realtime. When recording, I get no distortion on my monitor (Sennheiser HD380 headphones), I the bass tones get a really weird high-end buzz on playback.

 

It only happens on really low notes.

 

That lends me to believe it is not the mic, cable, or pedals. Here is my entire rig for this...

SM 57 (could it be rattling? I tired other mics)

POG2

Line 6 M13

Tech 21 Sansamp Blonde

Mackie Onyx Blackbird Interface

Laptop

Audacity

 

Everything is connected via 1/4" cables except the USB chord connecting the interface to the laptop.

 

According to the Mackie's preamp, I am NOT clipping the preamp while recording. I guess I don't know if I am clipping in Audacity or not.

 

I did ZERO mixing/mastering/editing to the clip, so it isn't from adding reverb or anything...I am stumped. The noise is a huge buzz kill. When I get the buzzing under control, I'll create some actual demos and share them.

[lz4005]

 

the bass tones get a really weird high-end buzz on playback. It only happens on really low notes.

 

 

Is it on all notes under a certain freq, or is it also related to blow/draw? Like maybe air hitting the mic on blow notes is triggering the POG?

Guessing.

[HarpNinjaMike]

It happens whenever I sing the bass line through the POG2....last night I noticed if I beatboxed too hard or played a really low harmonica, I could make the recording rattle like that too.

 

I seriously tried every piece of gear in and out of the chain with no luck. Weird.

[HarpNinjaMike]

Follow-up:

 

I was able to book shows at three venues selling the one man band mixed with some duo (guitar) tunes. I am hoping to do an hour of OMB mixed over three sets (so 3-4 tunes a set) with the guitar player. We are rehearsing some of the songs with loops tonight. I also ordered some hand percussion pieces and am about to buy a stompbox, so I can have percussion without beatboxing sometimes.

[Shaster]

 

You all are missing the boat on breaks. Owner LIKE when I take 15min offstage because I am still with the crowd talking to them and when you put on break music it changes it up for a bit. If i did not take breaks my regulars would be unhappy because I didnt say hi during the gig. (Also there are times when you need to turn and burn on tables as mentioned) Dont hide when you take a break, work

 

 

This is what works for me. I am usually playing tunes in a non dance format. On a four hour gig, I will often go 50 to 60 minutes for the first set. then take a 20 or 25 minute break. That's when I circulate, talk to staff (check on volume, promotions, staff birthdays...) , talk to the regulars, chat up new faces, hand out cards, merch...and get a more in depth feel for the room.

 

Then I'll do three more sets 40 to 45 minutes with breaks in the 20 to 25 minute region. With that format, the the last set often winds up being shorter.

 

Even if it's a dance I follow the same format, but with shorter breaks.

 

Most of my restaurant and lounge gigs are through an agent and they usually pay net $200.00. sometimes a two day run will pay less, like $350.00 ($175.00 a night).

 

As a solo, for private or corporate I charge minimum $300.00 to walk out the door, but I like to see $400.00 - which is about what the lowest level DJ would get.

 

I would guess about 20 to 25% of my gigs are solo, because I do bands and PA work. But a while back I was doing about 80% solo, and speaking of songlists, that really pushed me to expand mine.