Members mojowilder Posted May 27, 2002 Members Share Posted May 27, 2002 how can a solo musician best go about getting gigs? I sing, play guitar, and harmonica, but every bar wants a full band...any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EngineGuitarist Posted May 27, 2002 Members Share Posted May 27, 2002 i'd say go hit the coffe shops, most have acoustic acts play acouple times a week and some generally have somekind of jam/ open mic night. and when i say coffeshops i don't mean starbucks. you'll meet other musicians and you' ll probably get another gig from it, wherever it may be. A demo tape/CD will definitely be a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kenm Posted May 28, 2002 Members Share Posted May 28, 2002 Hi, Do the Bars you want to play in pay? Perhaps you should think about hiring a band. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mojowilder Posted May 28, 2002 Author Members Share Posted May 28, 2002 thanks for the feedback, ya'll! I've got a couple coffeeshop gigs lined up, and I do have a CD out (just sold out of my first 50 copies). I don't have the bucks to hire a band, but maybe with a little more coffeshop, etc. exposure, I'll run into some folks that might be interested. the problem in a college town is that there's always people that want to "jam", but finding people that will actually WORK on getting a good, tight, sound is another matter! I'm fixing to post my music on mp3.com, so I'll let ya'll know, and maybe I can get some reviews/critiques from ya'll. this is a great forum, I'm new to this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted May 29, 2002 Members Share Posted May 29, 2002 Originally posted by mojowilder how can a solo musician best go about getting gigs? I sing, play guitar, and harmonica, but every bar wants a full band...any ideas? As someone who's been doing the solo thing for 25+ years, let me offer a few thoughts: Why waste your time with bar-gigs?...they're the lowest paying gig there is...typically $40-50 per member for 5 hours...restaurants, etc. pay the same (or better) for 2 hours. Other gigs that work great for solo acts are wedding receptions, bookstores, nursing homes, wineries, luncheons...the list just goes on, and ALL pay MUCH better... sure money isn't everything, but everything involves money! 'Course, some folks think you have a better chance of being "discovered" in a bar, but mostly that's delusional thinking...you stand a better chance of being "discovered" almost anywhere else, actually! If I can help with more specific questions, e-mail me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pigman Posted May 29, 2002 Members Share Posted May 29, 2002 Originally posted by mojowilder how can a solo musician best go about getting gigs? I sing, play guitar, and harmonica, but every bar wants a full band...any ideas? I just started the same thread! I guess there's a bunch of us here.... One place I can add to the list of venues already provided is art galleries and museums. While the acoustics are usually lousy, the crowd is much more interesting. I have a few gigs lined up, but I'm always looking for places to play where I'm not second to a beer.... Best of luck. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted May 29, 2002 Members Share Posted May 29, 2002 Originally posted by mojowilder thanks for the feedback, ya'll! I've got a couple coffeeshop gigs lined up, and I do have a CD out (just sold out of my first 50 copies). I don't have the bucks to hire a band, but maybe with a little more coffeshop, etc. exposure, I'll run into some folks that might be interested. the problem in a college town is that there's always people that want to "jam", but finding people that will actually WORK on getting a good, tight, sound is another matter! I'm fixing to post my music on mp3.com, so I'll let ya'll know, and maybe I can get some reviews/critiques from ya'll. this is a great forum, I'm new to this stuff. hi! i'm in a similar position, as i am a one man band! :-( may i ask how you sold your CDs? sell them online? if so, where? did you sell most of them at the location where you were playing? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mojowilder Posted May 31, 2002 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2002 scubyfan, et.al:i sold almost all of mine by word of mouth...friends talking to friends. i did sell several at a couple live shows but i basically made everybody but my mother pay something for it -- price varied between 5 and 10 bucks. i know i'm not gonna get rich off the cd, what i want is exposure, but at the same time, i can recoup some of the expenses, and even 10 bucks isn't a whole lot to ask for a DAMN GOOD CD!!! i've got 5 songs waiting for "approval" on mp3.com, so i'll put out a post if/when the overlords approve!! good luck--keep playing always!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.