I’ve been performing as a solo musician for many years. In the beginning it was very difficult. I really didn’t know what I was doing. I wasn’t very good at it either! I learned most of what I know through trial and error. Here are some performing tips for those of you who are just getting started. Hopefully, this will make your own journey easier than it was for me.
1. Buy an electronic tablet for your music and attach it to your microphone stand. This looks much more unobtrusive and professional than using a music stand.
When I first started performing, I memorized everything I performed. The difficulty with that is that you’re then limited to only performing songs you’ve memorized. You will get tired of playing the same songs, and so will your audiences.
For a long time, I used a music stand and a stack of books and notebooks. So every time I wanted to find a song, I’d have to switch books and maybe search for the song I wanted to play. This looks very unprofessional and interrupts the flow of your show.
I put off buying an electronic tablet for a long time because of the cost. I finally bought an inexpensive Insignia tablet for under $100. I recommend a 10″ tablet. This is small enough to attach to a microphone stand but big enough that you can still read chords and lyrics.
I bought an inexpensive app to use with it called MobileSheetsPro. I can make set list with it, quickly search for a song by genre, song title, etc. It’s made my life much easier.
2. If you want to work a lot as a solo musician, I recommend learning lots of popular cover tunes along with your original music. Most places that pay you a guaranteed fee will want lots of familiar songs. Spend your time learning popular songs from different eras. The more eras you know, the more places you can play.
Many musicians, especially songwriters, are attracted to the “deep tracks.” Many times these are actually great songs, but they were never hits. Performing these can work fine in some situations – house concerts, etc. But if you’re performing in a bar or restaurant, people usually prefer songs they recognize. Performing these songs will result in more tips. It will also result in more repeat bookings.
3. Place your tip jar where people can easily see it. Borrow a bar stool if possible and set your tip jar on that.
4. Set up and perform near the door where people are leaving if possible. Many times this will result in a lot more tips than if you set up and perform in the back of the room. If people have to walk by the tip jar they’re much more likely to leave a tip.
5. Spike your tip jar. Put some cash in the tip jar before you start playing. When people see money in the tip jar, they’re much more likely to tip you.
6. Always perform with a P.A. unless you absolutely can’t. I’ve found it’s better to sing into a microphone, even in a small room. It’s natural that your voice gets louder on high pitches and softer on low pitches. When you sing into a mic, you can get closer to the mic when necessary, and back off the mic when necessary. This enables you to give your best performance. It will be easier for people to hear you singing through a P.A., and you’ll also give a more confident performance.
Boss RC-30 Loop Station
7. Buy a looping pedal if you’re a singing guitarist. A looping pedal enables you to do lots of things that previously were only possible for keyboard players. You can add bass lines to your playing. You can loop chord changes and solo over them. You can add multiple guitar parts and sound like 2-3 guitarists. This is much more interesting for both you and the audience, especially if you’re not a virtuoso guitarist.
I use a Boss RC-30 Loop Station. I was told by a friend of mine that these were some of the easiest looping pedals to use, so that’s what I bought. I’ve had mine quite a few years now, and it always works great. I only use a few of the functions – record, erase, stop, start and overdub.
Looping pedals do take some practice to get used to, but it’s well worth the effort.
8. Talk to the audience. You will get more response, more tips and more repeat bookings. If you’re getting ready to play an original tune, tell them why you wrote it or what it’s about. If it’s a cover tune, say something about the song. For instance, “I play to lot’s of different audiences and all different ages. Everyone seems to like Johnny Cash.” Then play the Johnny Cash tune.
9. Buy a cart for hauling equipment and always bring it with you. You don’t know what the load in situation will be until you get to the venue. You don’t want to have to make 2-3 trips to your car and carry your guitar, P.A. equipment, etc., a block or more.
Mine is very similar to this hand truck. This fits behind the seat of my Toyota Camry. It then converts to a 4-wheel cart. It’s only $54.99 at Sears.
10. Invest in quality equipment and bring extra supplies with you. Spending money on quality equipment will actually save you money later.
I use a Sure SM-58 microphone. They’re about $100. They sound fantistic and they are incredibly durable. This is the microphone that most professional performing musicians use.
I use Monster cables for my guitar. They are not the cheapest cable but they’re also not the most expensive. They come with a lifetime warranty and they last a long time. I started using these when I got tired of continually replacing the cheap guitar cables I was buying.
You need to bring extra guitar cables to your gigs in case one goes bad. You also should bring extra guitar strings and a winder to quickly change them if one breaks. Otherwise when a string breaks, the gig is over!