www.guitarsbyleo.com Great Question!!! Here's More Info On Performing At An Open Mic!

G&LDP

Main Page	Registry	Marketplace	User Profiles	F.A.Q.
Gallery	Artists	DP Archives	Links	Revisions

Technical Difficulties? Contact Us.

Great Question!!! Here's More Info On Performing At An Open Mic!

	BoogieBill on February 09, 2010 at 06:19:53:
	Re: Lunch Report for Monday, February 8, 2010 posted by zapcosongs on February 08, 2010 at 20:28:15:

: I would like some advice from you, though - assuming you don't mind. I'm considering doing a coffee house kind of open mike thing in the not-too-distant future. You speak of making an emotional connection (critical!) and of confidence in your abilities. What if you can't play well, don't sing too well, but have some really nice songs you've written? What sort of strategy might one try under such circumstances, or should I just stay home and wank alone in my basement? - Ed

Ed, thank your for the nice compliment. This is exactly the kind of stuff I try to teach the guitar students I've had over the years. Give me a couple of days to formulate an answer, and I'll post it for everyone to see. There's a lot to this.

Be brave! You can do this! AS the saying goes, "Hey! If all those other idiots can do it--YOU CAN TOO!!!" Let's get you wanking in PUBLIC!!!

Here's a couple of quick rules for an acoustic Open Mic. Number One rule: KNOW THE MATERIAL!!!! I hate to see a singer-songwriter that can't remember his own lyrics. I prefer to see someone who doesn't have to read the words and music from a music stand.

Can you play through at bar fight? I can--done it several times. Can you finish the song if Miss Hottie flashes her Double Ds at you? I can. Been there, done that. You need to be able to maintain your focus and concentration. The songs should be automatic, like I just dropped a quarter in the Rock-Ola.

Play in front of your family, or practice in front of the TV with the sound at conversation level. Watch the picture, but try to use those facial expressions to sell the song. (If your connecting with the Sham-Wow! guy, you might be over-doing it! LOL!)

You will be distracted by something in the audience during your performance. You've got to be able to play through it. KNOW YOUR MATERIAL!!!!

Second, KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT AND HOW TO USE IT! Your guitar should be in tip-top shape. It should be in tune, and it should stay in tune--so changing strings five minutes before you go onstage is a no-no. You'll need to get up there and get plugged in, so practice setting up your mics (and/or amp) quickly. You will feel the pressure--so practice this before you go to the Open Mic until your set-up is second nature. Hurry, but take the time to get it right. You need to have correct mic placement, etc., to make yourself more comfortable and more confident. This is your 15 minutes of fame, so make it count.

You should know how to set up a mic to sing in, so that you have the proper angles for good pickup, feedback resistance--and so that the audience CAN SEE YOUR FACE! You have to sell your song to the audience, and they need to see your face to buy into what your doing. I don't care for hats onstage. If the lighting is anything less than professional, a hat will block out overhead light and mask your eyes. People need to see your eyes!

Mic technique is really important for your guitar, too. You should know how to get the best tone from your guitar using a basic Shure SM-57. If you have a guitar with a pickup, you need to familiarize yourself with it before hand and know how to get great tone. Listen to the previous acts. If they're not getting a good tone, you probably won't either. You might want to change things up by using a mic instead of relying on your piezo pickup if every other act's guitars sound tinny and quacky. I keep a Shure SM-57, mic clip and cord in my acoustic gig bag and sometimes if comes in really handy. But I also carry a Radial Engineering direct box that can really simplify using a guitar with a pickup.

I have all kinds of stuff in my acoustic gig bag: tuner, polish cloths, capo, string winder, side-cutter pliers, strings, picks, fingerpicks, thumbpicks, aspirin, band-aids, nail file, nail clippers, 9-volt batteries, 25-foot mic cable, 9-foot guitar cable, 20-foot guitar cable,...phew! I carry a Victorinox Swiss Army with screwdrivers in my pocket, but I also have a micro-sized multi-tool in the kit, too. I pack it the same way every time, so I always know where things are. BE PREPARED!

I also carry a set of strings in my guitar case, and the strap, so it won't get left at home. But you'll also find more picks, fingerpicks, thumbpicks, a stringwinder, mini side-cutters and a capo in my guitar case. If you need to make out a list so you won't forget things, by all means, get typing. I really don't like other people using my stuff, and I make darn sure I don't have to use theirs.

You might want to check out the Open Mic before hand, just to see what's going on. Does the guy running it know what he's doing? If he doesn't, you'd better! Is he getting good vocal and guitar tones? If he isn't, you've got to be smart enough to know how to fix it. Hopefully, you've already introduced yourself to the host. ASK politely before you make any changes to PA settings, or ask him to do it. If he declines, don't push it--just play the hand you're dealt.

Again, KNOW YOUR GEAR. Know how to get your sound. Take the time to get set up properly. And be prepared for anything!!

More later!

Bill

Thanks Bill. Great stuff! (e) zapcosongs 08:54:33 2/09/2010 (0)

Important: In order to participate here, you must first create a User Profile; click here to do so!!

E-Mail  : 
Password: 
Subject :

: : I would like some advice from you, though - assuming you don't mind.  I'm considering doing a coffee house kind of open mike thing in the not-too-distant future.  You speak of making an emotional connection (critical!) and of confidence in your abilities.  What if you can't play well, don't sing too well, but have some really nice songs you've written?  What sort of strategy might one try under such circumstances, or should I just stay home and wank alone in my basement?  - Ed
: <font color = yellow>
: Ed, thank your for the nice compliment.  This is exactly the kind of stuff I try to teach the guitar students I've had over the years.  Give me a couple of days to formulate an answer, and I'll post it for everyone to see.  There's a lot to this.

: Be brave!  You can do this!  AS the saying goes, "Hey! If all those other idiots can do it--YOU CAN TOO!!!"  Let's get you wanking in PUBLIC!!!

: Here's a couple of quick rules for an acoustic Open Mic.  Number One rule:  KNOW THE MATERIAL!!!!  I hate to see a singer-songwriter that can't remember his own lyrics.  I prefer to see someone who doesn't have to read the words and music from a music stand.

: Can you play through at bar fight?  I can--done it several times.  Can you finish the song if Miss Hottie flashes her Double Ds at you?  I can.  Been there, done that.  You need to be able to maintain your focus and concentration.  The songs should be automatic, like I just dropped a quarter in the Rock-Ola.

: Play in front of your family, or practice in front of the TV with the sound at conversation level.  Watch the picture, but try to use those facial expressions to sell the song.  (If your connecting with the Sham-Wow! guy, you might be over-doing it!  LOL!)

: You will be distracted by something in the audience during your performance.  You've got to be able to play through it.  KNOW YOUR MATERIAL!!!!

: Second, KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT AND HOW TO USE IT!  Your guitar should be in tip-top shape.  It should be in tune, and it should stay in tune--so changing strings five minutes before you go onstage is a no-no.  You'll need to get up there and get plugged in, so practice setting up your mics (and/or amp) quickly.  You will feel the pressure--so practice this before you go to the Open Mic until your set-up is second nature.  Hurry, but take the time to get it right.  You need to have correct mic placement, etc., to make yourself more comfortable and more confident.  This is your 15 minutes of fame, so make it count.

: You should know how to set up a mic to sing in, so that you have the proper angles for good pickup, feedback resistance--and so that the audience CAN SEE YOUR FACE!  You have to sell your song to the audience, and they need to see your face to buy into what your doing.  I don't care for hats onstage.  If the lighting is anything less than professional, a hat will block out overhead light and mask your eyes.  People need to see your eyes!

: Mic technique is really important for your guitar, too.  You should know how to get the best tone from your guitar using a basic Shure SM-57.  If you have a guitar with a pickup, you need to familiarize yourself with it before hand and know how to get great tone.  Listen to the previous acts.  If they're not getting a good tone, you probably won't either.  You might want to change things up by using a mic instead of relying on your piezo pickup if every other act's guitars sound tinny and quacky.  I keep a Shure SM-57, mic clip and cord in my acoustic gig bag and sometimes if comes in really handy.  But I also carry a Radial Engineering direct box that can really simplify using a guitar with a pickup.

: I have all kinds of stuff in my acoustic gig bag:  tuner, polish cloths, capo, string winder, side-cutter pliers, strings, picks, fingerpicks, thumbpicks, aspirin, band-aids, nail file, nail clippers, 9-volt batteries, 25-foot mic cable, 9-foot guitar cable, 20-foot guitar cable,...phew!  I carry a Victorinox Swiss Army with screwdrivers in my pocket, but I also have a micro-sized multi-tool in the kit, too.  I pack it the same way every time, so I always know where things are.  BE PREPARED!

: I also carry a set of strings <b>in my guitar case, and the strap</b>, so it won't get left at home.  But you'll also find more picks, fingerpicks, thumbpicks, a stringwinder, mini side-cutters and a capo in my guitar case.  If you need to make out a list so you won't forget things, by all means, get typing.  I really don't like other people using my stuff, and I make darn sure I don't have to use theirs.

: You might want to check out the Open Mic before hand, just to see what's going on.  Does the guy running it know what he's doing?  If he doesn't, you'd better!  Is he getting good vocal and guitar tones?  If he isn't, you've got to be smart enough to know how to fix it.  Hopefully, you've already introduced yourself to the host.  ASK politely before you make any changes to PA settings, or ask him to do it.  If he declines, don't push it--just play the hand you're dealt.

: Again, KNOW YOUR GEAR.  Know how to get your sound.  Take the time to get set up properly.  And be prepared for anything!!

: More later!

: Bill
: </font color>

Optional Link URL:   
Optional Link Title: 
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ G&LDP ] [ G&LDP Lite ] [ FAQ ]