Acoustic Gig at a Coffee Shop Questions - (Acoustic Guitar/Djembe)

[brianwahl]

So, my "band" (which looks like it might just be me and a drummer) got a couple gigs at a coffeehouse (Starbucks, no less. . .). They want kind of a mellow acoustic-type show - no big drum kit or loud distorted guitars or anything. This is our first gig, so I'm just looking for some ideas.

 

So the drummer has a djembe, and he just picked up a tamborine and a cool shaker kind of thing to use for these gigs. He's a decent hand-drummer, but much better at playing the kit. He's kind of messing around with trying to mount the tamborine on a stand so he can play the djembe with it - which sounds pretty cool.

 

I play acoustic and sing, and I struggle to really do anything terribly interesting while I sing, so I mostly just strum chords.

 

We have a bass player as well, but he might not be able to make it. He's pretty good on the bass, so if he comes, he could definately make things for interesting.

 

We're thinking an hour of acoustic strumming/djembe could get pretty boring, which is why the drummer bought the other percussion.

 

What do those of you who play these types of set-ups do? How do you make it interesting with such a limited set-up? Also, how do you amplify it? We're thinking we might just go totally acoustic, but we might need a small-ish PA.

 

For the PA, I've got a PreSonus FirePod and a set of small powered studio monitors. I'm pretty sure I can just run that as my PA (the firepod will work stand-alone, I think).

 

Thanks for the insight in advance!

[Blackbelt1]

Sounds like a fun gig!

 

I would recommend the drummer use brushes to soften the sound. I would use a small P.A. for your guitar and vocals to make it over the drums. All the better if the bass player shows, and terrific if he plays an upright.

 

 

 

 

~Blackbelt

[zookie]

I've done with less than you're bringing.

 

Just keep the songs interesting, really. Finger-pick a couple, try one or two without percussion, try one or two with percussion and no guitar. Play a really funny song and a really sad dirge.

 

Use the tools you have to communicate the greatest range of experience for an audience.

 

It's an old adage, but many people who don't play music are amazed at someone who can strum a C major and count to four. Don't worry too much about a barebones show.

[Jiggs]

 

Originally posted by brianwahl So, my "band" (which looks like it might just be me and a drummer) got a couple gigs at a coffeehouse (Starbucks, no less. . .). They want kind of a mellow acoustic-type show - no big drum kit or loud distorted guitars or anything. This is our first gig, so I'm just looking for some ideas. So the drummer has a djembe, and he just picked up a tamborine and a cool shaker kind of thing to use for these gigs. He's a decent hand-drummer, but much better at playing the kit. He's kind of messing around with trying to mount the tamborine on a stand so he can play the djembe with it - which sounds pretty cool. I play acoustic and sing, and I struggle to really do anything terribly interesting while I sing, so I mostly just strum chords. We have a bass player as well, but he might not be able to make it. He's pretty good on the bass, so if he comes, he could definately make things for interesting. We're thinking an hour of acoustic strumming/djembe could get pretty boring, which is why the drummer bought the other percussion. What do those of you who play these types of set-ups do? How do you make it interesting with such a limited set-up? Also, how do you amplify it? We're thinking we might just go totally acoustic, but we might need a small-ish PA. For the PA, I've got a PreSonus FirePod and a set of small powered studio monitors. I'm pretty sure I can just run that as my PA (the firepod will work stand-alone, I think). Thanks for the insight in advance!

 

 

You will definately need to run the guitar and vocals through the PA, even if it is at a low volume. Hand drums are deceptively loud, and most of the time do not need mic'ing, especially in the setting you have described.

 

If it's a Starbucks, there will always be the low mumbled of customers passing through, so you will be thankful that you are mic'ed.

 

As far as keeping things interesting, and strumming chords...look into doing some Dylan, etc...there are ways to do things with your voice...(OK, so maybe not Martin Sexton type stuff) like humming, or well placed oohs and ahhs that help to fill te void where you feel the solo is supposed to go. And there are rhythmic, choppy ways to play that will help you carry the vocal lines....ok, I am starting to get into style here, so I am not suggesting change the way you play completely...but you get the idea.

 

Also...ask the drummer to consider putting the tamb on the floor, along with maybe another percussion toy near the other foot. It will free up his palms for drumming, and allow for syncopation that comes naturally to a drummer.

[brianwahl]

Cool ideas, guys.

 

The drummer was just messing around with me the other day and had the tamb. on his leg with the djembe, so he could hit it when he slapped the rim (kind of like a snare hit) - it definately added a cool element to his playing.

 

I'm thinking even if we do an hour and a half of the same sounding kinds of stuff, people are so in-and-out of Starbucks, its not likely the same person will hear more than 20 or 30 minutes of us in a row - more likely 5 minutes, and if they like what they hear, they may stay for 15 or so more.

 

As far as the PA goes, we have to provide our own, and we dont really have one. I do home recording, so I do have a decent (but small) set of powered studio monitors. I could pick up a little 4-channel mixer off ebay for ~$50, and use it with my monitors if I had to, and I don't think it would sound too bad. If our bass player can make it, he could use his bass amp along with the monitors to add low end. I think it would work - especially for a small gig.

[Jiggs]

 

Originally posted by brianwahl As far as the PA goes, we have to provide our own, and we dont really have one. I do home recording, so I do have a decent (but small) set of powered studio monitors. I could pick up a little 4-channel mixer off ebay for ~$50, and use it with my monitors if I had to, and I don't think it would sound too bad. If our bass player can make it, he could use his bass amp along with the monitors to add low end. I think it would work - especially for a small gig.

 

 

Yes, this should work for you, but for the price you would buy a mixer, you can probably find a small PA, and you will definately use it more.

 

For example, I got a Kustom 100W for about a hundred bucks, and it paid for itself two years ago. I play in a duo (not linked below, but if you go to our myspace page, it's linked there as a friend, called Barnacle)...anyway....in the duo, we have played through a mixer> to the PA head. However...a few times we have been without the mixer, and it ended up sounding as good, if not better.

 

Here's an example of one (40W) for about 140.00

http://www.music123.com/SoundTech-STPA4040-i149904.music

[Blackwatch]

I've been doing really small gigs and practices with my acoustic Amp. It has an XLR jack for a mike and and other channel for the guitars. Sounds just fine. Bought it for $350....

[Beachbum]

 

Originally posted by Blackwatch I've been doing really small gigs and practices with my acoustic Amp. It has an XLR jack for a mike and and other channel for the guitars. Sounds just fine. Bought it for $350....

 

 

This is the proper coffee house rig in my opinion. Buying a small PA may not be the best choice because there really isn't any other venue in which it can be used(?).

 

The right guitar amp can have two channels, and two separate effects channels too.

 

Whatever you use enjoy it, coffee house gigs can be really comfortable.

[brianwahl]

Our bass player (who also happens to play guitar) has a POD XT Live, and he's been wanting to buy a Roland keyboard amp to use with his POD.

 

I think this would be the perfect option - those keyboard amps have 4 or so inputs, one with and XLR for vox. That would make a decent PA for a coffeehouse gig. I wonder if he'll get it before we play (he's a bit strapped).

[2manband]

Sometimes I play electric w/ a full drum kit, but sometimes I do a gig like the one you're talking about

 

I use (an older version of) this for my acoustic guitar and vocals

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Amps?sku=480729

 

and the drummer plays a conga/bongo set like this

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Drums/Percussion/World/Percussion?sku=443220

 

On the drums he uses his hands, brushes, hot rods, even mallets on different songs to get different sounds. Sometimes we'll put up a splash cymbal and cowbell too. In addition, we have shakers, tambourines, etc. that he can play w/ one hand while holding down a simple rythym on the drums with another.

[Terry Allan Hall]

My trio does this basic set-up: acoustic guitar and vocals through my compact (but pretty powerful) PA, bass through amp and hand-percussion mic'd via a PZM attached to a 3' X 3' sheet of Plexi-glas, set in a stand so that it faces Kat at a 15% (from straight-up) angle...this reproduces each percussion instrument (congas, bongos on a stand, doumbek, guiro, tambourines, shakers, etc.) about equally and sounds very "open"...doesn't take much amplification at smaller places, but the PZM's always there.

 

One nifty thing that Kat does is play an egg-shaker, attached to her right ankle (via a velcroed strap) and a headless tambourine mounted on a no-name bass drum pedal w/ her left, thus adding sub-beats to what the hand-drums are doing.

[brianwahl]

that's a pretty cool setup, terry. What is your PA?

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by brianwahl that's a pretty cool setup, terry. What is your PA?

 

Carvin PA1200 powered mixer (12 channels, 3 X 333watts @ 4ohms), a pair of 10" + horn cabs (that I designed) on stands, a pair of experimental "bazooka" subwoofers, Hot Spot monitors, Shure SM-58s for vocals, and a Crown PZM for the hand-percussion. My guitars go through a Baggs PADI and the bass amp (usually my Trace-Elliot "Commando") has a line-out for running into my PA for larger gigs. Occ. I plug my guitars into a Crate CA-60, Genz-Benz 60 or Kustom KKA-65 (whichever amp I like at the moment), but a lot of times I forgo an amp.

 

Pretty compact, but plenty loud and it all sounds great!

[Blackwatch]

 

I play acoustic and sing, and I struggle to really do anything terribly interesting while I sing, so I mostly just strum chords. We have a bass player as well, but he might not be able to make it. He's pretty good on the bass, so if he comes, he could definately make things for interesting. We're thinking an hour of acoustic strumming/djembe could get pretty boring, which is why the drummer bought the other percussion.

 

 

One thing that you can do that will do more to make your songs interesting than just about anything else is use dynamics in your music. Listen to the songs on the radio and the first verse is soft and clear, you hear the words and you get a feel for the song. The next verse you add drums and make it just every so slightly just a bit more forceful through the refrain/bridge. Then the last verse you bring it down again, and maybe even drop the drums out of the mix, to end forcefully on the last verse/refrain with everything. This will really help make your songs more interesting.

 

And that's why some guys can mesmerize you with just a guitar and voice.........

[providman]

We just did a Starbucks gig here in New Jersey(Basking Ridge) last week. We had a portable Yamaha PA(4 channels), 300W, speakers up on sticks - ch 1 was vocal mic, ch 2 was singer's acoustic guitar(via pickup), & ch 3 was my Boss DR-3 Drum machine. I played lead guitar & played through my Epiphone Valve Jr. Our bass player played through his small practice amp, & we had a fill-in percussionist playing a Djembe. We did 2 40 minute sets, & we had a blast. We played at a nice low respectable volume & got a good response. We sold 1 cd, made 7 dollars in tips, plus free coffee & at the end of the night they gave us all the cake/pies/brownies that were at the end of their "serve by" date. Plus, & this is the best part, we were done by 10:00pm. We have another one coming up this Friday night , & I'm looking foward to it:thu:

[Jiggs]

 

Originally posted by Beachbum This is the proper coffee house rig in my opinion. Buying a small PA may not be the best choice because there really isn't any other venue in which it can be used(?). The right guitar amp can have two channels, and two separate effects channels too. Whatever you use enjoy it, coffee house gigs can be really comfortable.

 

 

I like the PA setup, as you can spread the speakers out and balance out the sound. We do this duo thing at a very small bar, but it's narrow....separating them out (Each speaker is a 10" ...so they are not really big) allows us to be heard over the murmur of the crowd.

 

We tried it with a keyboard amp once, and it didn't sound all that great...but you are just one guitar and vocal going into an amp...that could work well.

[brianwahl]

Man, you guys have some nice set-ups. I just spoke with the church I lead some worship at, and we are OK to borrow their Roland KC-300 keyboard amp. We've used it to practice before, and it does a pretty good job. I'm thinking this setup:

 

I think I'll buy a small 4-channel mixer or something and run my vocals and acoustic guitar into it, then run that to the Roland (the roland doesn't have an XLR). That way, I can get a separate EQ on my vocals. I'll buy the mixer at a Guitar Center and mess around with that setup for a week or two, and if I don't like it, I'll just return it.

 

Acoustic guitar -> DI box -> small mixer -> Roland

Vocals -> small mixer -> Roland

Electric guitar -> POD XT Live -> Roland (could use this on some songs to mix things up a bit)

Bass -> bass amp

Percussion - not mic'd

 

I think this setup could work with a kit, too. We've practiced this with a kit, and the roland could actually hang with it. Our drummer can play quieter if he needs to. What do you guys think of this??

 

If we start getting a few more gigs (and some that actually pay), we might look into a small PA (I saw a Kustom PA that looked pretty nice). For now, we've only got a few gigs lined up, so I don't want to spend a bunch of money and be left with a bunch of equipment.

[basschaplain]

Before you buy the mixer, if possible, set up all your gear with a borrowed mixer, in a similar environment and have a few friends that know how to listen be there. Remember the crowd, etc. noise.

It might inform you if what you are expecting is realistic and if it is worth buying that mixer or borrowing/renting a small system.

rar

[gwilliker]

I used to use a keyboard amp, with 3 channels. It worked okay for me, but sounded a bit awkward. If that makes sense. If I ever get back into playing gigs, I'll go the small mixer and two speakers route.

 

The note about dynamics is true. Think of it this way: would you really want to listen to a CD of songs that were all at the same speed and volume? Even metal bands throw a slower song in just to break up the monotony. Playing acoustic sets, you have to do more with less, really going for a variety.

 

Good luck!

[Blackbelt1]

 

Originally posted by brianwahl I think this setup could work with a kit, too. We've practiced this with a kit, and the roland could actually hang with it. Our drummer can play quieter if he needs to. What do you guys think of this??

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, I think if he's using brushes it can sound very soothing and cool. I think if he uses sticks he's going to tick everybody off no matter how hard he tries to keep the volume down.

 

~Blackbelt

[rockguitar2000]

My singer and I from my 4 piece rock band are starting the acoustic duo thing as well. We'll be doing three 45 minutes sets at various places starting in May. I just bought this mixer:

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Mixers?sku=631240

 

We have some small yamaha mains on posts, monitors if we want them. We each sing and play so multiple inputs with room to expand was necessary.

 

For dynamics, he sings most of the songs while I do the backups. I'll sing a few here and there. Switching it up adds flavor, and we each have distinctively different voices which helps.

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes!!!

 

Chris

[BlueStrat]

Just keep the songs interesting, really.

 

This is the biggest thing.

 

I do a solo gig, just me and an acoustic guitar, and I keep getting asked back. They say they like me because the songs I do are varied and interesting (they say), hence it doesn't all sound the same. I don't care if you have a 6 piece band, if your songs all have the same feel, same basic tempo range and same basic chord structure and in the same 3 keys all night, it's going to be monotonous after awhile. Likewise, if you have just one or two guys but mix it up stylistically, learn how to play different rhythms, use a capo for different chord voicings, you'll do fine. People want to hear great songs more than they want to hear great performers, IMO. That you can do them well is a plus.

[Tedster]

Haven't read any of the replies yet, but yes, you do need a small PA...otherwise you'll be completely drowned out. Just enough to be heard among the ambient noise of the place.

[brianwahl]

Thanks for all the advice guys! We're really looking forward to this. We actually picked up another gig the Friday before (playing at a birthday party for a friend). That should actually be a good ice-breaker for us, since it will be our first time to play for an audience.

 

We'll definately work on implementing the things you all have suggested.

[brianwahl]

So we've come up with a PA solution - and I think its going to be pretty sweet.

 

We're mic'ing or running everything direct into a small board (behringer 12-channel), then running that out to a Roland KC300 100-watt keyboard amp/PA. The Roland actually sounds really good, and can hang pretty well with a kit (though we're not going to use the kit for the Starbucks gig).

 

So, I'll be mic'd, and my guitar runs straight into the board. The bass player is also mic'd (sings harmony stuff) and his bass is running to his bass amp, which will DI out to the board. The drummer is going to play djembe/shaker/tambourine, so we'll put an SM57 at the bottom of the djembe to pick up bass percussion, and a Studio Projects C1 (large diaphragm condensor) near the rim, to pick up treble percussion (including shaker and tambourine).

 

Now, here is where it gets pretty cool. I bought a little 4-channel headphone amp, so we'll all have in-ear monitors while we're playing, with separate volume controls (but not mix - don't want to spend that much money). Because we're running everything into the board and monitoring with headhpones, it will be easy for me to dial in the right mix, so at least the mix will sound good. If we need more volume, just turn up the roland - less volume, just turn it down. Our monitor mix (and overall mix) will stay the same reguardless.

 

We've got another gig where we might use the drum kit, which I think will also work well with this setup, because the drummer will be able to hear us through the headphone monitor. This other gig is for a birthday party, so I can plug my mp3 player right into the board and play DJ when we're not performing.

 

We sound pretty good as a 3-piece, even with the hand percussion. I think our gigs (we've got 3 now - 2 at Starbucks and one b-day party) will go pretty well. We're working on two 45-minute sets (~25 songs including covers and originals).

 

Here's the mixer we're going to use:

 

going to an older version of this:

 

with this "in-ear monitoring system":

 

We'll see how this monitoring thing works out.

 

And since I'll be the party DJ, I'll make some sweet use of this: