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Gigging solo with electric guitar, can it be done?

kwakatak

By kwakatak
in Electric Guitars

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kwakatak Grand Master

kwakatak

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I've heard of solo gigs with an acoustic guitar but I've never heard of doing so with an electric guitar. I'm talking without some sort of backing track or looping pedals too. How good would somebody have to be? Would any particular type of music lend itself better than another too?

Off the top of my head I would think that maybe jazz would be the go-to style - or maybe classical-inspired stuff.

BTW - I admit that I'm usually an acoustic player but I do like to break out the Strat every so often just because the action's a bit looser. I keep my setup pretty simple (tube amp and overdrive pedal for a clean boost) so I'm not so much concerned with tone. I like to keep it simple and focus on technique. That's why I sort of gravitated toward acoustic over the years. OTOH, playing on the electric sometimes just sounds more "polished" - though it's easier to hear the mistakes.

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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How good are you?

 

You could litterally use a kazoo as long as you keep the audiences attention and keep it in some way that doesnt make you fear for your life.

 

I would say ANYTHING is fair game, as long as you keep it interesting and impressive.

 

Otherwise, you are going to have a hard time finding work.

 

But if you could figure out how to do something fun, interesting....., you might become quite the novelty.

 

Good luck, and knock em dead.......................before they do it to you!!

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kwakatak Grand Master

kwakatak

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Thanks - but while I don't consider myself a bad player, I also realize that I 'm not that good either. I'm still at the open mic stage and still favor the acoustic. I play the electric in church where I can hide behind the other members of the band.

 

That being said, I've got some work to do and I'm looking forward to it.

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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Thanks - but while I don't consider myself a bad player, I also realize that I 'm not that good either. I'm still at the open mic stage and still favor the acoustic. I play the electric in church where I can hide behind the other members of the band.


That being said, I've got some work to do and I'm looking forward to it.

 

The audience will let you know when you are ready.

Just keep testing the water.:wave:

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keNz Newbie

keNz

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Unless you're amazing, it would just sound lacking. If you're going the singer-guitarist approach, stick with the acoustic. IMO, Jazz needs bass. The bass lines are half the fun! And if you can keep time without percussion, then more power to you.

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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Unless you're amazing, it would just sound lacking. If you're going the singer-guitarist approach, stick with the acoustic. IMO, Jazz needs bass. The bass lines are half the fun! And if you can keep time without percussion, then more power to you.

 

 

I could litterally sit here for hours and hours watching guys on youtube singing and playing with just an electric guitar.

There are some really impressive and talented people out there.

Id much rather see the same guys in person.

 

How can it possibly matter what instrument he used as long as he keeps the people entertained.

 

Incidentally, I think the only people that would actually turn their nose up at it would be other musicians.

 

The general musically ignorant public just wants to be entertained, and in the end, thats all our jobs could ever be with this thing we call music.

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Collapse Newbie

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3AM Radio does this at least occasionally. I don't know enough about them/him to know if the show I saw was abnormal or not.

He did have a laptop running some drum loops and synth stuff for some of his songs, but some were just him and an electric.

Seemed like a cool show to me.

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keNz Newbie

keNz

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I could litterally sit here for hours and hours watching guys on youtube singing and playing with just an electric guitar.

There are some really impressive and talented people out there.

Id much rather see the same guys in person.


How can it possibly matter what instrument he used as long as he keeps the people entertained.


Incidentally, I think the only people that would actually turn their nose up at it would be other musicians.


The general musically ignorant public just wants to be entertained, and in the end, thats all our jobs could ever be with this thing we call music.

It's hard not to think like a musician once you become one. ;)

Though I do think that if he's got a one-man electric guitar act that'll entertain, musicians would be the most appreciative.

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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It's hard not to think like a musician once you become one.
;)

Though I do think that if he's got a one-man electric guitar act that'll entertain, musicians would be the most appreciative.

 

Who knows?

 

It cant hurt to try it.

 

I could sit in a bar and listen to this guy for an example, and hes not really that good.

 

If he sang, it would just be a bonus.

 

 

Course he would have to put a shirt on before I could look at him though.

 

:wave:

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Frets99 Newbie

Frets99

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Guy Pearce did a movie " A Life Slowly Slipping Down" where his band was him, his electric guitar and a drummer. The actual guitarist is terrific. But there are some very interesting numbers on the soundtrack CD which at least show the potential for a single electric guitar and maybe a drum track.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Slipping-Down-Life-Guy-Pearce/dp/B00029J1Y0

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Pascal Newbie

Pascal

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If you use a clean tone, there isn't much you can do on an acoustic that you can't do on an electric...

A few players come to mind, though... check out:

Marc Ducret - Un certain malaise (live recording of a solo electric gig, very original stuff, highly recommended)
Marc Ribot - Saints (solo electric stuff)
Marc Ribot - Don't blame me (solo electric stuff)
You'll find videos of Marc Ribot playing solo on youtube (watch the Happiness is a warm gun video, for example)
Both guys regularly tour (among other things) as solo guitar acts.

And then there's jazz, chord melody stuff and all that (ask Jim Soloway) .

Or the Derek Bailey/Fred Frith way (extended guitar techniques)

If you can do solo acoustic, I don't see how solo electric is a problem. Same thing, but with extra possibilities (overdrive, effects, etc).

:idk:

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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I've seen it done with one guy and drum machine.


That fellow was going back and forth between acoustic and electric songs but he also sang well.


I think you'd need to sing to keep the interest up personally.

 

 

Yeah, I took it for granted that he would be singing.

 

Singing would definitely make it more "buyable".

 

Dude, don't listen to us,...........

 

Just go out and try it.:thu:

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Professor Tom Newbie

Professor Tom

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Guy Pearce did a movie " A Life Slowly Slipping Down" where his band was him, his electric guitar and a drummer. The actual guitarist is terrific. But there are some very interesting numbers on the soundtrack CD which at least show the potential for a single electric guitar and maybe a drum track.


 

 

There was an English guy about 15 years ago called Johnny G who played a Tele, a harmonica, a kick drum and a hi-hat, he was a one man band and was brilliant, a totally original musician. He nearly made it until he fell into the usual dark world. Shame.

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Pascal Newbie

Pascal

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Another solo electric guitar album that comes to mind (in the 'difficult to classify' category) is Philippe Deschepper's Attention Escalier. Also highly recommended.

055_visu.jpg

BTW, You'll find Marc Ducret's record on Screwgun records.
Ribots's CDs you should find anywhere.
You might have to go to ammazon.fr to find Philippe Deschepper's record (small, independent label).

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peavey_impact Newbie

peavey_impact

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Dax Riggs of Acid Bath/Agents of Oblivion/Deadboy and the Elephantmen fame has been doing his own solo gigs for years now here around Louisiana; just him singing (amazing voice) and an Epiphone Sheraton. He switches between it an acoustic though depending on songs. He plays simple folk/roots rock stuff.

 

I've probably been to about 20 of his performances and he always draws a good crowd.

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