Solo vs. Band

[azmyth]

What are the pros and cons of solo vs. bands?

 

I've always been in bands, but people keep telling me to drop the bands and go solo... but how does that work? Can I be successful and get paid for gigs as a solo artist?

[BlueStrat]

 

What are the pros and cons of solo vs. bands? I've always been in bands, but people keep telling me to drop the bands and go solo... but how does that work? Can I be successful and get paid for gigs as a solo artist?

 

 

 

Depends on what and where you play.

 

I learned a boatload of fairly mellow acoustic stuff and I play solo and duo gigs. We don't use backing tracks except on maybe 5 or 6 songs we like to play electric guitars on. Otherwise it's all straight acoustic stuff. I use no backing tracks playing solo though I'm looking at getting a loop station.

 

I mostly play restaurants, art galleries, events like charity auctions and private parties and make anywhere from $100 a night +tips to $250 a night. As a duo we usually make $100-200 apiece.

 

What I really like about it is that I can play whatever I want, when I want, I don't have to depend on 3 or 4 other people to learn it and I don't have to haul anything but my guitars, a small amp, and a mic stand. Solo gigs I just bring one guitar and a mic stand. On some gigs I bring a powered mixer and a small speaker if no PA is provided. I'm set up in about 5-10 minutes.

[richardmac]

I'm doing something similar. I'm playing mostly original tunes plus some covers, using backing tracks for about half the songs, and playing solo. I'm carting more equipment, though - a strat, an acoustic, and a keyboard, plus small PA. For me it's more like $50 per night. I could probably earn more in the $100 to $200 range if I ditched the original songs, and did more Billy Joel and Elton John - it would expand my list of places to play. But I'm more interested in playing my own music...

 

A funny thing has happened, though... I've been doing this for almost 2 years now, and I'm starting to get sick of playing my own music. I've played some of these songs way too many times. The temptation to just do covers and be able to earn more money is... well, I never thought I'd consider it, but it is tempting. I could probably still do a small set of my own songs as well as sell my CD at gigs. I've been seriously considering it.

 

If there's anything that would best define my own personal approach to music, it would be... uncertainty.

[BlueStrat]

 

A funny thing has happened, though... I've been doing this for almost 2 years now, and I'm starting to get sick of playing my own music. I've played some of these songs way too many times. The temptation to just do covers and be able to earn more money is... well, I never thought I'd consider it, but it is tempting. I could probably still do a small set of my own songs as well as sell my CD at gigs. I've been seriously considering it.

 

 

That's exactly what I did and for all the same reasons. I got sick of playing all my own stuff. In fact now I might only play 4 or 5 of my own songs in a 3 hour set. There is just so much cool stuff out there to learn and play and now I'm able to bring two or three new songs to every gig. Keeps it interesting for me.

 

FWIW I don't play a lot of popular stuff. I play a lot of singer/songwriter stuff like Shawn Mullins, John Hiatt, Chris Knight, James McMurtry, John Prine etc. I do play some well known Dylan, Stones etc but probably only about 20%.

[Steve Nixon]

The gig possibilities and potential finances greatly increase when you start playing solo. There are so many more places a solo act can play than a band. Alot of times businesses or venues have the budget for a solo act but not a full band.

You have the potential to make hundreds $$$ per hour if you market yourself properly. It's harder to do with a band unless your established.

Currently, i have the best of both worlds. I get to play in bands that do well and have solo work also.

[richardmac]

Hundreds of dollars per hour would be nice. I'm used to Tens of dollars per hour...

 

I'm learning a bunch of Elton John/Billy Joel tunes right now. I'm wondering what else to learn in that adult contemporary vein, but perhaps I ought to start a different thread with that question.

[herbie d]

I do solo stuff from time to time to make ends meet. I should get an acoustic for it but I haven't. Though some times I borrow one. I usually use an electric guitar with an amp, set up two monitors, (one for mains, one for me) then lug in the same mixer I use for the band. (all those channels with one mic plugged in. Stupid)

For me its like renting out and running sound for someone when I'm not booked. I'd rather be playing with the band. I live for the gig high, pourin beer on my head, sliding across the stage on my knees. The single thing... I have as much fun as I can, then get paid. I usually can make about the same doing that as I can renting out sound.

Give me a band any day.

[Steve Nixon]

Richard,

Yeah the money can be great. It all depends on how you market and present yourself though

[daddymack]

the pros on going solo also include...no whiny bandmates...no one shows up later than you do...no waiting for someone else to get set up, tune, etc...not worrying about missing a harmony part...no discussion as to what song to do next...

[richardmac]

Richard, Yeah the money can be great. It all depends on how you market and present yourself though

 

Yeah, for sure. Pitching myself as a Billy Joel/Elton John tribute would be much different than pitching myself as an original artist who has no label and no one has heard of.

[daddymack]

a Billy Joel/Elton John tribute

and people stayed home in droves..

[richardmac]

and people stayed home in droves..

 

Actually, Billy Joel and Elton John are touring right now. And selling out every place they go. I sort of started getting the hint when I got the loudest applause, on a consistent basis, for "Your Song." I figure if I play the stuff that people clap the loudest for, that's maybe a good idea...

[azmyth]

well on this situation.. myself and a guitarist and possibly bassist are thinking about just branching into a new "band" but changing our style around a bit so we can play anywhere, and not just skate parks with scene/emo kids who could care less what we are playing as long as they can "dance" to it. (not actual dancing by the way.)

 

We are having some trouble figuring out in what direction to go..

 

We want to play locally, but also market ourselves as a "real" band to take it further it if so happened to go that way.

 

Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind, Collective Soul type stuff comes to mind.. but we'd like to put a new spin on it perhaps. Thoughts?

[richardmac]

Thoughts? Ask and ye shall receive. And take with a grain of salt and YYMV and all that jazz. Here's the no huddle richardmac plan for musical success, for free, with a money back guarantee.

 

You must start by defining your goal. If you had to choose ONE of the following goals, what would you choose?

 

A. I want to make a living playing my own music.

B. I want to make money.

C. I want to play music because it's fun and I really enjoy it.

D. I want to get laid. A lot.

 

And here are your strategies:

 

A. Don't play covers. Spend all of your time writing and arranging the best sounding sounds you possibly can. Understand that your long term success is much more likely if you go solo. The vast majority of original bands break up. As a solo artist, you need 5,000 fans willing to pay to see you and buy your new CD each year to make a living from being an original musician. If your music doesn't cut it, you will fail. It's a tough, unfair business.

 

B. Do some research locally and find out what the biggest clubs and venues in the area hire. Learn whatever is the most popular and can make you the most money. Develop the ability to hold your nose and play guitar at the same time in case you hate the songs you have to play.

 

C. Compromise and play covers that you like but that make you marketable as a band. If you want to slip in some original songs, by all means do so. Keep your set list popular enough that you can actually get gigs but don't choose songs you hate. Don't take things too seriously so you can keep it fun. When it ends, say "It was fun while it lasted. I had fun."

 

D. No you don't. You really don't. It's actually rather dangerous. God knows what you'll catch.

 

I'm partial to C, myself.

 

I'm not helping, am I? I admit to liking Third Eye Blind, though. And some Matchbox 20.

[tim_7string]

I'm partial to C, myself.

 

Yeah, me too. I would definitely place my new band under C.

 

With that said, I only played solo at a few open mic nights. It was an interesting experience and challenging. Trying to keep people's attention was the challenging part. I could literally hear the crowd noise rising as I went through my songs, then it suddenly changed when I threw out a cover of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." So, if I were to do the solo thing, I would definitely mix in some time-tested cover songs along with the "anything goes" sort of songs.

 

I'm kind of like herbie d on this one, though. I really enjoy playing in a band, even if it's just a three piece. I get into the rhythm of the drums and the deep vibrations of the bass, along with backing vocals (whenever they feel like singing them ). It also feels safer when there are a few other people onstage than just myself.

 

Still, I would like to try the solo thing for a while too, but in addition to my band, not replacing it.

[azmyth]

 

A. I want to make a living playing my own music. B. I want to make money. C. I want to play music because it's fun and I really enjoy it. D. I want to get laid. A lot. And here are your strategies: A. Don't play covers. Spend all of your time writing and arranging the best sounding sounds you possibly can. Understand that your long term success is much more likely if you go solo. The vast majority of original bands break up. As a solo artist, you need 5,000 fans willing to pay to see you and buy your new CD each year to make a living from being an original musician. If your music doesn't cut it, you will fail. It's a tough, unfair business. B. Do some research locally and find out what the biggest clubs and venues in the area hire. Learn whatever is the most popular and can make you the most money. Develop the ability to hold your nose and play guitar at the same time in case you hate the songs you have to play. C. Compromise and play covers that you like but that make you marketable as a band. If you want to slip in some original songs, by all means do so. Keep your set list popular enough that you can actually get gigs but don't choose songs you hate. Don't take things too seriously so you can keep it fun. When it ends, say "It was fun while it lasted. I had fun." D. No you don't. You really don't. It's actually rather dangerous. God knows what you'll catch. I'm partial to C, myself.

 

 

A. I want to make a living playing my own music.

 

I'm in a band currently. I'm the singer. We are one of those screamocore bands with the southern rock edge. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Memphis May Fire, He is Legend, Every Time I die. with a little pop punk thrown in there. We appeal to teenage kids. We get the same shows as the same 3 venues, and we get paid as little as 30 bucks, and if we make any money at all its from the 5 14 year old girls who can look past the fact that we are all in our mid 20s. As I type this I just pressed ignore on my cell phone for the 4th time as one of the show promoters (she's 17 by the way). It will be the 8th charity show that she's wanted us to play. We'll play first or 2nd and be surrounded by 16 year old metal bands who started playing yesterday. They'll get paid more than us because they have a van (we have a camper!) She will pay us enough to cover a hot dog and a coke, maybe gas. And, we'll talk about how bad the show was on the way home. We just released an EP thats sold about 30 copies of so far. 10 of which were at the cd release (amazing right!) and the rest to friends and family members.. and one online.. count em 1. We've done all the typical myspace and interweb promotion crap. We play shows for free, and take all sorts of crap for venues ran by teenage kids. We are no further along now, than when we started 2 years ago. We probably suck and thats fine, but there is no way we suck as much as the bands that we keep getting thrown in the crapper with. We've got a drummer who is slepping when most people are at work (like myself and our guitarist), who cancels out of practice every time you blink. We've got another guitar player who can't really play all that well.. he's just all we could find at the time, and he's got this annoying habit of trying to "make stuff" such as his own pickguards and putting lights in his guitars. Which would be great if he could actually play the damn thing. Other than that he's a warm body. Noone but me and the working guitar player (we work at the same job) handles any of the business. We have to hold their hands for everything that gets done, and if we let them try to do anything on their own they act like chimps and screw it up. Chimps have more common sense. These guys are my friends.. but bless their hearts they are lazy. We want to make money playing music (mostly our own music), while having fun, and moving to bigger things.

 

B. I want to make money.

 

Myself, the smart guitarist and our bassist are discussing breaking off from the band. We've each picked 2 covers to learn each, for a total of 6 to start.. so far we have.

 

- The World I know - Collective Soul

- Hold My Hand - Hootie

- Wonderwall - Oasis

- Push - Matchbox 20

- Mr. Jones - Counting Crows

- Hey Ya - Outkast

- Hunger Strike - Temple of the Dog

 

For every 6 covers, we intend to write an original. By doing this, we will strengthen our writing skills and build up a cover song setlist as well as originals. The plan to make money, is to play whatever the club owner wants. If they want a bar band.. we will play only covers. If they want "us" then we will play our stuff with 1-2 covers tossed in. Doing this, we feel that we will then be able to play virtually anywhere. We can do acoustic or full band and we can sell cds at either type of show. If they want strictly covers then we can do that as well. Before we were limited to "youngster" music venues and teenage shows in run down buildings. We never played clubs, festivals, events, restaurants.. or anything where the fanbase is going to be older than 18.

 

 

C.

 

See some of B.

 

We've already come to terms with covers. We've actually felt that doing this will make our original stuff a whole heck of alot better. We want to appeal to a broader age group with this project starting at 16-whatever age. This is probably going to be difficult as we have no idea what sort of music would appeal to such a broad range. Thats why I brought up matchbox 20. I know 16 year old girls who love em, and 40 year old men and woman who like em. We have no idea what sort of music we should be playing. I will play guitar and sing this go round, my friend will do guitar and backing vocals, we'll have our bass player from this band, and we will be recruiting a new drummer with the same goals if this goes any further than an acoustic threesome.

 

As you can see most of our covers come from the 90s as we are all 80s kids. I was born in 81. Any suggestions on what sort of sound we should be pushing for, for our original material? We wanted to do something that was easily played acoustic, but could be done with a full band as well when we got those shows. Something radio friendly, but indie at the same time. Something with lots of vocals/harmonies no screaming.

 

D.

 

I'm married. But a few boob flashes or boob signings never hurt anyone (I'm a boob man)

[richardmac]

Awesome post!

 

Hey, who doesn't like boobs? I mean, really. It's in our DNA.

 

You ask what sound you should be pushing for. I dunno. I'd look into what other acts who are playing the venues you WANT to play at are doing. Find the 5 most successful local bands who play to the crowds you want to play to, and look at their playlists.

 

Back to the solo vs. band thing. I liked Tim 7String's post. It is, in many ways, harder to play solo. Sometimes people will start shouting over the music and you have a hard time concentrating on the words. Sometimes you'll start to listen to someone's conversation and you'll lose your place in the song. In the case of most bands, you're so damn loud you never have to worry about those things. I find playing in a group to be much, much more fun. But it's also much less practical.

 

It comes to personality types, too. I like to do stuff like read books, write, write code, do web work, write songs, watch videos, all loner stuff. I'm used to keeping myself amused. I hate it when I have to depend on other people for stuff. I love the chimps comment. That's how I feel. I'd never ever be in a band with someone who couldn't play their instrument or wasn't professional.

 

And the family thing, too. When you're solo, as pointed out earlier, you control your own destiny. Maybe it's age?

 

Teens = band

Twenties = band

Thirties = band and solo

Forties = solo and band

Fifties = solo

Sixties = solo

[MartinC]

I've gone round the circle of bands and solo gigs. For the first 10 years, I only played with bands. When I was learning, I studied with a very good jazz player and he wanted me to learn chord melody solos to 50 standards "so I could work" I wasn't too into it, I was 20 years old and wanted to rock out. Playing "Misty" in a hotel lounge didn't seem too exciting. So I joined bands and played top 40 , then original rock groups. At 27, I got the flamenco bug, and went from 50.00 to 100.00 bar gigs to 100.00 to 400.00 solo gigs in a few years. It was a hard transition, because I had to work up 50 solos and gain the confidence to perform them alone. I loved the money, and was ready to move onto what I considered better music, better working conditions, and more work. After maybe 7-8 years, a solo gig created an opportunity to form a band, and eventually I earned money money per gig as a member of the band. The downside was less overall control of the music, fewer gigs, and having to depend on other players. The upside was less work, more fun, fellowship wth great musicians, more money per gig, and really, more opportunity to play concerts.

Solo gigs are a lot more like work. Playing in a band-you tell jokes and stories during breaks, hang out and then play. Solo, it's all you. If you suck that night, there is nowhere to hide. Doing both is probably the best.

[rockerdiva]

 

That's exactly what I did and for all the same reasons. I got sick of playing all my own stuff. In fact now I might only play 4 or 5 of my own songs in a 3 hour set. There is just so much cool stuff out there to learn and play and now I'm able to bring two or three new songs to every gig. Keeps it interesting for me.

 

 

 

So interesting that we are all so different. In a 3 hour set I usually play 0 originals. Playing 3 to five originals is a stretch in the other direction for me. (it does happen, just not that often)

[rockerdiva]

 

Actually, Billy Joel and Elton John are touring right now.

 

 

Someone posted that people "stayed home in droves"? Huh?

 

If you did really good Billy Joel ... I'd come see you! (Billy rocks my world. seriously)

[rockerdiva]

 

Teens = band Twenties = band Thirties = band and solo Forties = solo and band Fifties = solo Sixties = solo

 

 

Not me, I'm way opposite of that.

 

For me:

teens = being a wanna be, playing in a silly band that had no paid gigs

twenties = finally got confident enough to play out, all solo

thirties = all about playing solo, all I did

forties = started first "real" band

And who was it that posted that a band is less work than a solo? maybe while playing, but otherwise no. Solo is so easy: equipment-wise, schedule-wise, money-wise. I'll never stiop doing a solo.

 

But yea, a band situation is much more fun!

[dooshbag]

Sorry to hear about the cash. I was making more than that playing out in the eighties. But we were 'union'. Believe it or not.

 

I hate bands. Aside from my first one. Every time I get involved with a band project it turns out this way. A lot of enthusiasm initially and then that dreaded lull or death. Where you start to be bored by the music. Someone has a bunch of material they want you to learn to play "exactly like they hear it"...and then...the b.s. about well you are not really committed to this project. It is akin to expecting to be a successful committee.

 

There is a saying. "Search the parks in all of your cities. You'll find no statues of committees." Yeah I know silly. But think about it. All of the distractions and nonsense. Not to mention if you want to play fluidly and expressively and not be locked into the requirements of sometimes lesser sometimes just more structured musical minds, you are limited.

[MartinC]

Well my group is different than a lot of groups-there's no pa 90% of the time, so setup is not much different. Money, the group gets more per man than most solo gigs. Schedule is harder for sure. It's the practice time required and what I have to play at the gig itself that makes playing solo so much harder for me. I don't sing, so maintaining all those instrumental tunes takes a major effort. Maybe it's easier for singer/guitarist or singer pianist-I really don't know.

 

 

 

And who was it that posted that a band is less work than a solo? maybe while playing, but otherwise no. Solo is so easy: equipment-wise, schedule-wise, money-wise. I'll never stiop doing a solo. But yea, a band situation is much more fun!

 

[fuzzball]

 

Depends on what and where you play. I learned a boatload of fairly mellow acoustic stuff and I play solo and duo gigs. We don't use backing tracks except on maybe 5 or 6 songs we like to play electric guitars on. Otherwise it's all straight acoustic stuff. I use no backing tracks playing solo though I'm looking at getting a loop station. I mostly play restaurants, art galleries, events like charity auctions and private parties and make anywhere from $100 a night +tips to $250 a night. As a duo we usually make $100-200 apiece. What I really like about it is that I can play whatever I want, when I want, I don't have to depend on 3 or 4 other people to learn it and I don't have to haul anything but my guitars, a small amp, and a mic stand. Solo gigs I just bring one guitar and a mic stand. On some gigs I bring a powered mixer and a small speaker if no PA is provided. I'm set up in about 5-10 minutes.

 

 

I agree, I have a solo project just for that reason!

[jaz08]

Band I think is more accepted by the teen crowd.. but i think solo will last rather than being in a band.