Riaan-Combrink
I got involved in a discussion with a buddy recently about the fact that the circuits for most bands/performers are relatively small and tight-knit. Definitely so in Cape Town, and I would imagine the same in most places. Point is that, as a performing musician, you're only as good as your reputation. Unless you're Janis, Jim or Bon Scott, the local scene IMHO will not tolerate exceedingly unprofessional behaviour just because your talented or well known. At some point you literally become more trouble than you're worth, and what you do at venue A will precede you by the time you get to B, etc. Soon, you'll struggle to get booked because you've become known as a "difficult" act.
A related issue is that having talent as guitarist/singer/etc will also not ensure that you're a sought after performer or at least pull regular gigs, as performing is an entirely different thing from being able to play. I read this recently: "If you're on a stage and people are watching you, you are no longer just a musician; you are a performer. Playing the songs that you've rehearsed to a polished shine is only part of your job now. You must entertain. No matter how sound your musicianship is, people are not interested in watching a musical mannequin. They have come to see a show. That doesn't mean you have to start incorporating Britney Spears-style choreography or pyrotechnics into your act. But you must have stage presence. Stage presence simply means being in control of your surroundings while actively engaging the audience. All of the most successful performers have stage presence." Very true IMHO.
So we got talking about what are some of the basics of professionalism for a gigging musician. Basics, commandments, whatever. Whilst I by no means profess to be an authority or great performer :-[ , I do live by the mantra of professionalism. The idea of this thread is then just to kickstart a discussion of some basic do's and dont's - and perhaps even tips - for those guys who are thinking of taking the plunge to the darkside and taking the music out of the room onto a stage at whatever level.
Some basics:
1. Be punctual. If you cannot be relied on to start at 8 or 9 or whenever, you'll never keep a gig. Guaranteed. On the same note - watch your breaks. A pub circuit rule of thumb is approx 45 minute set with 15 minute break, or an one hour set with 20 minute break, etc. Obviously the custom is different in big shows, etc. I remember, as a punter, going to watch a band and deciding I can only afford one more beer (driving, budget, whatever) and buying it as the band announces a break. Then sitting nursing the drink for 40 minutes while the band has a "short break", and leaving five minutes after they've started. Stupid story, but I often think about it when I motivate band-mates to get back on stage after 20 minutes, etc.
2. Don't drink too much alcohol. Should be a no-brainer,as nobody gets drunk at (or worse, arrives drunk for) their day job. But music is often played in drinking establishments, and appreciative people will buy you drinks - often unsolicited ?. Keep it under control - or avoid completely if possible. Remember the old saying: "The more we drink the better we think we sound".
3. Think about your sets before hand. Dead air while you light a smoke and decide what to play next is not cool. Work out some sample or standard sets that work for different kinds of venues and/or crowds (age, occasion, etc) BUT BE FLEXIBLE. Don't flog a dead horse if its not working. Sometimes I'll see from the outset that the boys wanna rock, and start off with what would on other nights be the third set, etc. Most importantly, update your repertoire and add some new material regularly (especially if you're playing at the same venues a lot).
4. Talk to the audience. During the performance and during breaks or after the show. People want to ask you what guitar you've got, how long you've been playing, do you like tequila or jagermeister, etc. Don't be a snob. The guy you snub will turn the whole audience against you just by showing them he's not enjoying the show. On that topic, if you don't look like you're having fun on stage, the crowd won't buy into it. If you stare at your guitar for 45 minutes, you may just find its you and the bartender left when you look up. ?
5. Technical. Obviously your equipment should be well maintained, you should be able to do emergency repairs on cables, etc. You MUST carry a SURVIVAL KIT (torch, pliers, connectors, adaptors, knife, batteries, multimeter, soldering goodies, spares, etc,etc, etc). Really a topic on its one. The bigger the gig, the more I back up. For a wedding or corporate, I always take an extra guitar and laptop. You can't mess up those occassions. Blow the bride's big day and you won't work in this town again!!! Pub gigs you can recover from an off-night or technical meltdown. I don't often take the spare guitar and laptop to pub gigs. But, as a minimum, you should always have at least a spare microphone, mic lead and instrument cable(s). If you use backtracks, have a duplicate set on some medium not linked to your platform (laptop, sound module, etc). Stick it on a CD, memory stick, whatever. Worst comes to worst, you may be able to organise another unit,but without the tracks it aint gonna happen ?
Just a few ideas off the top of my head to get it going, guys. Would like to see what you could add ?
Manfred-Klose
This reminds me of a few session gigs i had at the worcester casino(i know its a long way from brackenfell),
the gigs where a bit different from what i'm use to.
Before the worcester gigs came, i use play improvised blues gigs and rock n roll in small pub venue's.
To get back to my story,eveyone where neatly dressed, their where a fancy lighting system, altough the stage is very small, it was a big venue.
Now with barely enough space on stage for 2 people, the audience demanded that i should dance with my guitar while playing............remind me again how do one dance with guitar?
By the 3rd gig i managed to pull off the danceing thing(kindoff) and everyone was happy.
Something you can add to your list:
Dont ever let a drunk person touch your equipment or play your guitar at a gig!!!!!
CDee
You raise good points Riaan.
In my case (specially church bands): The band needs to be proffessional in the sense that when there are breaks for people talking etc. the band members must stay quite and not jingle with their equipment or talk. Especially if the band is in the back of the person talking on stage. If tunings or fiddeling is really needed do it in a subtle and non-intrusive way.
I sat at a conference once where the band in the background were so annoying it spoiled the whole thing.
Riaan-Combrink
Manfred Klose wrote:
Something you can add to your list:
Dont ever let a drunk person touch your equipment or play your guitar at a gig!!!!!
Very true!!!
I also never leave the stage without muting all microphones on the mixer. Some drunk is always going to want to run onto the stage and shout in the mic.
Then there's the karaoke star who says: "
I can really sing. Can I do My Way with you???" ? My stock answer: "
I'm sure you're a great singer, but if I let you sing I can't say no to anyone else, especially the OTHER guys who can't sing". Much more diplomatic than
"%$#&^&& off - it's not karaoke night" (which I've often heard colleagues say). :-[
Riaan-Combrink
CDee wrote:
In my case (specially church bands): The band needs to be proffessional in the sense that when there are breaks for people talking etc. the band members must stay quite and not jingle with their equipment or talk. Especially if the band is in the back of the person talking on stage. If tunings or fiddeling is really needed do it in a subtle and non-intrusive way.
I sat at a conference once where the band in the background were so annoying it spoiled the whole thing.
Good point. The format and nature of the venue has a huge impact on how the musician(s) should behave. I dress differently for weddings and corporates than for other gigs. With weddings you also try to be "invisible" when not playing, and set up early enough so as to not interfere with the ceremony, etc. I once attended a wedding where the band was sound-checking on the other side of a curtain whilst the priest was reading the vows, etc. Although I was only a guest, I slipped back and sorted it out. Establishing the timings of the different items and events at a conference, wedding, party, etc (and planning your arrival, set-up, break-down around it) should be one of the first things ascertained when you accept the booking - professionalism 101. A mate of mine got involved in a tiff with a wedding client who wanted to deduct a penalty from the remainder of his gig fee because they we're penalised by the venue for staying later than the booked time due to the length of time it took him to break-down his equipment. He was quite indignant, but I pointed out to him that I always ask the client by what time they need to clear the venue. I then stipulate that I have to finish minimum 45 minutes before that for breakdown.
So I agree - these issues are vital.
Neps
The 'DONT DRINK' one is very important!! I've been to numerous gigs either as as performing muso or the sound guy, and it was amazing how many of the guys would get pissed before they play.. As a rule I dont touch any alcohol before or during my working time at gigs.. My studio is a different story ?
Karaoke vocalists.. The less said the better..
And guys who come on stage and want to play your instrument.. damn thats annoying! I'm in quite a close knit group of musos, and even between us we dont jam on each others gear, unless you break a string in the middle of the set, or us drummers agree beforehand to bring one kit.
Sound check atleast 45min before the doors open!! And soundcheck is not the time to go through your setlist!! Its to get the best sound for the venue!! So listen to the sound guy!!
Bob-Dubery
Be careful about when and where you tune up. I've often seen guys tune up outside in the parking lot 5 minutes before they are due to play, then walk into a warm room and bingo! Guitar out of tune again. Try to tune up in the evironment in which you're going to be playing, and let the guitar acclimatise before a final tuning.
This has caught big name, pro musicians out. There are tales of guys tuning up in dressing rooms, then walking through a long cold corridor, out onto a stage set up in a big stadium and.... you guessed it.
Werner-Carstens
Excellent comments RiaanC. Can you use it as standard advice for all performing musicians? Just one comment to add: As far as possible (budget allowing) always have a spare guitar on hand in case you break a string. It is a lot more professional to simply pick up a different guitar for a song or 2 than stop the whole gig to replace one string. You might not have that earth shattering tone but you will look more professional.
Riaan-Combrink
Werner Carstens wrote:
Just one comment to add: As far as possible (budget allowing) always have a spare guitar on hand in case you break a string. It is a lot more professional to simply pick up a different guitar for a song or 2 than stop the whole gig to replace one string. You might not have that earth shattering tone but you will look more professional.
That's defintely the right approach. One tends to put in more back up for the "big gigs", but that in itself is unprofessional. Your reputation is on the line every time you step on a stage.
Riaan-Combrink
Neps wrote:
Sound check atleast 45min before the doors open!! And soundcheck is not the time to go through your setlist!! Its to get the best sound for the venue!! So listen to the sound guy!!
Neps, you raise an important point. This is, of course, one that raises problems in the pub type circuit, as the venue is open through out the day. So there's always punters there when you arrive, and you're always setting up in front of the audience you'll be playing for. The temptation is then also not to sound-check (in a standard pub with no house PA where you BYO). The first song is then the sound check!!
Werner-Carstens
Hi Riaan C. +1 for starting this post. That is how strong I feel about it. I just spoke to a young musician in the Cape Town area with all the talent in the world that just got kicked out of his band for bad behaviour and lack of discipline.
I just hope that his eyes will open to the fact that although CT is a big city it is very small for musicians.
Riaan-Combrink
Bob Dubery wrote:
Be careful about when and where you tune up. I've often seen guys tune up outside in the parking lot 5 minutes before they are due to play, then walk into a warm room and bingo! Guitar out of tune again. Try to tune up in the evironment in which you're going to be playing, and let the guitar acclimatise before a final tuning.
Major issue, Bob. Being in tune is obviously a prerequisite for the job! ? The ordinary audience member will also not think "
It sounds as if his D-string is slightly flat"; they'll just say "
that guy sounds @#$%^".
At the risk of stating the obvious, it's obviously vital to ensure that you're tuned to "concert pitch" (ie A = 440 HZ); unless you're completely solo (vox and guitar). Some tuners have a little button where you can tune to different pitches. One of my tuners once switched position without me noticing (until the first song that is!! :-[).
Technology is just so simple today, that there's no excuse for being out of tune on stage. If you don't have roadies tuning your guitars between songs or sets, you have to be checking it yourself! ? Most multiFX units have a built in tuner, otherwise add one to your pedal board. I just recently discovered, and immediately bought, these little clip-on tuners you just clip on to the headstock - approx R 100. Great for on the fly tuning. I check my tuning after every set, and during if I hear a problem. Just mute the guitar channel on the mixer, and off you go. Nobody hears the sound, and you don't have to crack corny jokes like "
Tuning is not a country in China, hey!" to amuse the audience ?
So the entire issue of tuning is key and really deserves a mention ?
Riaan-Combrink
Werner Carstens wrote:
Hi Riaan C. +1 for starting this post. That is how strong I feel about it. I just spoke to a young musician in the Cape Town area with all the talent in the world that just got kicked out of his band for bad behaviour and lack of discipline.
I just hope that his eyes will open to the fact that although CT is a big city it is very small for musicians.
Absolutely, Werner. We all have limits to how good we can be. Save through some improvement through voice training, you'll never be the best singer if you don't have the voice. At the moment, I'm a competent rhythm guitarist learning a few lead licks, but I believe I manage to pull off an enjoyable show. But any serious guitar enthusiast is not going to come and listen to me for my guitar playing. :-[ I'm stuck, for the moment, at a certain level of proficiency (which I'm trying to improve).
So at any given point in time, you're limited by the quality of your voice and the level of your playing chops at that finite point of your playing career. But
EVERY muso can (and MUST) be professional. It takes no talent, just attitude and effort. I've played with the kinds of guys you describe, Werner. Which is partly why I've taken the route I'm now on ...
Bob-Dubery
Riaan C wrote:
Major issue, Bob. Being in tune is obviously a prerequisite for the job! ? The ordinary audience member will also not think "It sounds as if his D-string is slightly flat"; they'll just say "that guy sounds @#$%^".
Well it's not just that. If you have to stop to re-tune you look a bit silly. I recently saw two guys who I know to be really good players bomb because one of them just turned up the gig, took his guitar out of the case, started playing and was in some tuning he'd been experimenting with at home. First there were the looks between them, then the exclamation of "Oh $#$*! I'm still in that tuning." They stopped, retuned and recovered and played well but the audience had already written them off as a pair of clowns.
And another thing. I know this guy and his guitar and it does stay in tune pretty much all the time. So does my Morgan. But still... check, make sure. Another thing, for me, in all of this that this a tick on the list of things I might start worrying about when playing. Even if i KNOW my guitar is tuned properly then check it, make that tick. I KNOW the strap-locks are on. But check just before going on, another tick off the list. And so the list of things that the devious part of my brain might start asking me mid-song is reduced. Spare pick in my pocket? Tick. Capo in the shirt pocket? Tick. Did I put on my brown cordorouys? Tick.
Riaan C wrote:
Nobody hears the sound, and you don't have to crack corny jokes like "Tuning is not a country in China, hey!" to amuse the audience ?
So the entire issue of tuning is key and really deserves a mention ?
Well you sometimes have to change to a different tuning - or I do. I tend to alternate between standard and drop-d, so it's not a major exercise but you don't want to check things properly. My standard remark is "guitarists hey? All this twanging and then they start doing things like this."
Riaan-Combrink
Bob Dubery wrote:
My standard remark is "guitarists hey? All this twanging and then they start doing things like this."
LOL. I really like that!! ?
Good points, Bob. The picks, capo, etc is part of that checklist you have to have. You probably do the same, but I've found that the best way to do it is to develop a routine and sequence and stick to it. I pack every item into the car in exactly the same chronological order and physical position. That way, if there's a gap next to the speaker facing me bootside on the left, my subconscious will immediately tell me I've forgotten the GT-6 in the room. If there's a gap behind the driver's seat I've forgotten the laptop, etc.
At the venue, I also set up in exactly the same sequence (speakers and cables first, mikes and connections last, etc). After I've opened my laptop, eg, the routine next step is to place my three plectra on top of the laptop - the two red ones on the silver section and the white one on the darker part of the HP-finish. After my mike-stand goes up, I clip my capo onto it, etc. Hang on - I think I may be an obsessive compulsive!!! I need help. Please .... :-[
sepheritoh
Very good post generally Riaan and good points.
Except
Riaan C wrote:
All of the most successful performers have stage presence Very true IMHO.
That is plainly just not true.
The greatest and longest lasting players are good players and not showmen. Dave Gilmour has the stage presence of a tree. Eric Clapton has once been seen to actually smile onstage, but these rumours have not yet been confirmed. Great guitarists are not flashy performers. The great musicianship of the 2 persons mentioned carry them through their shows sufficiently. On the other hand, Slash and Yngwie are performers. Great players too, but they have the showmanship, ego and everything else, but people grew tired of them quickly. They are now forgotten.
In between these extreme examples, there are many other guitarists falling one way or the other.
Neps
I've been to gigs where the guitarist retunes after EVERY single song, and the problem is not that the guitar is out of tune, it's just a habit.. But that breaks the flow of the gig and it never realy gets the crowd going.
My favorite story about gigs must be when I worked at the KKNK a few years ago, and a prominent Afrikaans muso was set to take the stage. The guitarists were all tuned up, the bass was cool, soundcheck was a quick line check, but I'm used to doing that so I can handle those.. The 1st chord of the song is played, and the 2nd guitarist falls in.. TOTALY wrong key! It took them about 4 bars of the intro to figure this out.. What happend apparently (i found this out over a couple of whiskys later) was that they were discussing the opening song for a CD.. Talked about maybe changing the key for the CD from the live show key.. And then.. the guy who opend with the opening riff was still thinking about the pre gig chat and all he remembered was.. 'lets try the song in A'
Or where the vocalist starts on the wrong key.. Has the guitar harmony ringing in his ears and voila!! He is so far out, even Briney Spears would have cringed.. ?
aubs1
I know this threads a bit old, but just could not resist. Take a look at this clip, and you have Paul Reed Smith (the man), fiddling and faffing with cables, and
just looking awkward and out of place, Like he's not sure if he should be there!!.....drives me nuts, he's supposed to be a seasoned professional.
FatBoy
I'd tap that (the girl)! And yes the dude does look all out of place
DonovanB
sepheritoh wrote:
Slash and Yngwie are performers. Great players too, but they have the showmanship, ego and everything else, but people grew tired of them quickly. They are now forgotten.
I have to vehemently disagree, they are definitely not forgotten.
aubs1 wrote:
I know this threads a bit old, but just could not resist. Take a look at this clip, and you have Paul Reed Smith (the man), fiddling and faffing with cables, and
just looking awkward and out of place, Like he's not sure if he should be there!!.....drives me nuts, he's supposed to be a seasoned professional.
This is what I was saying about getting the focus off the problem. although in this case they failed...
