im a solo instrumental guitarist looking to book gigs... need advice...

[lpstudio86]

ive been making my own instrumental songs with a drum program, and im just wondering if i can actually book and set myself up for a payed gig?

 

is getting a gig hard to do being a solo instrumental guitarist using backing tracks?

 

i have performed at open mics with my Ipod and used my backing tracks from my songs and people came up to me with very good responses.

 

can i use an Ipod at the paying gig or is a CD is better?

 

im guessing i have to make a demo CD of my songs and then hand it to the bookers. can anyone please give some advice?

 

thanks!

[richardmac]

I got a boatload of advice.

 

First advice is this - in all of your dealings in the music business, you need to appear professional. Even in forum posts. Capitalize. Use punctuation. Your post makes you seem like a 16 year old lazy kid who doesn't want to put time/energy/effort into anything but hanging out with your buddies and playing video games. Why should someone here spend 15 minutes typing out great advice when you don't seem serious? I am NOT being snarky - it matters.

 

Here's the deal on gigging solo playing original music and getting paid. It CAN be done. But it depends where you live, it can be difficult, and you're not going to make much money unless you somehow make a huge name for yourself. Here's the thing, though - if you are willing to play some covers, your path will be considerably easier.

 

Here was my experience...

 

I started out playing three songs at a JPF showcase. Nervous as hell. I started attending regularly. That led to finding some friendly open mics. That's where you are right now. I made as many connections with other musicians as possible. I made as many friends as possible. I kept working on improving my songwriting. I wanted to get my own gigs, but I did not have enough songs. So I learned some cover songs. I chose songs that are the same style of music that I play, and songs I loved playing. I made a MySpace page and put up three of my original songs. I started getting non-paying gigs at coffee houses. These types of gigs are out there. They don't pay you but they let you put out a tip jar and sell CD's. A really good night at one of these places is $30 for three hours. A really bad night is where you make $1 and the place has one customer all night. And you play to empty chairs for three hours. It happens. It's good practice, but it gets old.

 

From there I stepped up to coffee houses and other places that paid a small amount (anywhere from $10 per night to $30 per night) and still sold CD's and put out a tip jar. A good night at these places might be up to $65 for three hours. If you're having fun, and making about $20 per hour, it's pretty cool. In order to get some of these gigs, I e-mailed like 50 different places with a description of me, what I did, and a link to my MySpace page. About 3 places responded back. Going to places like this face to face with a press kit and a CD is a much better method, but I suck at that.

 

Since I do play a mix of covers and originals, my next step was to audition with a booking agency in the city (Tampa, in my case.) This route is not available if you only play originals. I played a cover and an original for my audition, and they signed me. So now the booking agent gets me gigs. They're better gigs - two or three hours for around $100 to $125. And I can sell CD's and put out a tip jar, so I'll actually end up making more than that. Again, we are not talking big money, but if you're having fun and making $50 per hour in this economy, that's not bad.

 

My next step is a CD release party with another musician for my new CD (and his, too.) We're going to try to get slots on local TV and radio advertising the gig. Then I'll get some local reviews of my CD.

 

I'm having a blast! I am 44, I have a pretty wife who is awesome, two great kids, a great dog named Socrates, a day job that I enjoy, a two story house with dormers, and my music hobby is extremely satisfying. But one thing is certain - with each CD, I'm getting better as a writer, and it's showing in terms of interest. I want to always keep getting better.

 

Here's more advice. Buy lightweight PA gear. I run a Yamaha EMX powered board that is light, and I use Peavey PR speakers that are light.

 

Regarding iPods, I use an iPod Touch live. I would never, EVER use a CD. The iPod is soooo much more reliable. No contest.

 

Good luck and post any questions here - a lot of us have gone that route.

[BlueStrat]

If you don't sing, it's going to be a hard row to hoe, unless you're another Tommy Emmanuel or Larry Carlton.

[MartinC]

I was primarily an electric guitarist who caught the flamenco bug. I found an old flamenco player from Spain who lived an hour away. I started studying with him and in six months did an open mike. The guy before me played a Stevie Wonder tune on the guitar and sung. He played and sang very well. I, on the other hand, was so nervous that my leg was shaking. I played an arabic influenced flamenco form called zambra. i got a great reaction for my very poorly played number and was offered a paying gig. The Stevie guy was clearly disgusted by the response I got but it told me I was playing the right music.

 

I worked very hard to get enough tunes together for the gig and then I was off. In a few years, I was making several times what I ever made playing electric, despite having played in some bands that did high profile gigs. I played flamenco solo for maybe ten years, never sung a note, and made on average 500. for private solo gigs, and 50-150. for restaurant gigs. The main factor was the training I received from my teacher, which included how to present myself, how to talk to an audience, and what to charge for a gig, none of which I learned from playing full time in top 40 and rock bands. The other thing was there simply were very very few flamenco guitarists in my town pursuing those type of gigs then. Most wanted to play for dance companies, which is something I eventually moved to. So, I'd say the music you play is critical in that agents and you need someway to describe what it is you do that people can relate to. Then you need a very good sounding demo. I went into a studio and cut three tunes on 2" in a day. That 350.00 paid huge dividends. I also had a pro do an 8x10 head shot. When things started to take off, I got some big gigs and then hired a pr agent. I got a bunch of press and tv appearances. At that point I felt I had taken it as far as possible. I wasn't nearly on the level of spanish pros, so cutting a full length cd would have been foolish. I formed a group, which did very well based on the lessons I'd learned from doing all that solo work.

 

Finally, I'll point out that during that whole period of solo playing, I practiced my ass off. It is not easy to carry a gig by yourself that lasts three or four hours. There's nowhere to hide. My teacher used to say you needed to study the music to the point where you were not 100%, but 200%, since you were bound to lose some of your skills due to the pressure of performing in front of an audience. My advice is find or arrange or write music that hits home with people, and then the rest is just hard work.

[richardmac]

The 200% advice is spot on. REALLY good advice. The advice about practicing your ass off is also good. BlueStrat, I read the OP's post too quickly - I did not notice that he's instrumental. My revised advice would be "learn to sing." Or find a singer to partner with who also plays guitar, and learn to harmonize.

 

Blue is correct - if you want to gig as a solo instrumental guitarist, your choices are very limited unless you are a super stud on your six string. I do know, however, that if you can play classical guitar and you can play all of the appropriate wedding classical pieces, you can be employed. But that's not original music. And it's nylon string.