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Hey hey,
So I have my first real gig coming up on the 19th :o, and it should be interesting.....I'll leave it at that. I'm doing a two hour set: the first hour is just me singing w/guitar, and the last hour is me with another guitarist and drummer. Based on your experience, how many songs should I have prepped for my first hour? I was thinking at least a strong dozen, but am not really sure. The band part isn't really as big a deal because a few of the songs we are doing we have jammed out in the past w/o too much of a fuss, but I'm counting on playing more of a quantity of material by myself due to the constraints as a single performer. Any comments on this as far as number of songs or pace I should keep/ time between songs while playing would be great, as well as any other hints. I'll let you know how it goes! ::)
Take it easy,
Matt
"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."
-Guitar World :lol:
Posted : 10/11/2003 7:11 am
Hi Matt
This isn't really scientific, but I usually figure that a song (at least the type of stuff I play live) goes from three to five minutes in length. Figure an average of four minutes. Fifteen will give you an hour's worth. You'll probably play less because of the things you don't forsee (chit chat, adding a capo, taking a drink).
I almost always, though, make sure I have an extra five to eight songs ready in case I get the feeling something isn't going to go over (why play something depressing if everyone is up and dancing?). So plan on playing twelve to fifteen but have twenty prepared. That should do you okay.
Hope this helps.
Peace
Posted : 10/11/2003 1:34 pm
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
:)
Posted : 11/11/2003 8:20 am
Just a quick tip... get a 3x5 card and write the names of the tunes you're comfortable doing on it. Arrange them in 2 or 3 columns for fast/slow, etc. and tape it to the back of your guitar.
If you should find your crowd losing interest, and you decide to change your game plan, you might find you draw a blank on what to try next.... simply leaning the guitar away from you for a second to view the card can discreetly 'fill in the blanks' :)
Tom
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Posted : 12/11/2003 2:53 am
Topic starter
Thanks for the hints guys, especially the 3X5 card idea. I wouldn't have thought of that :)
Talk to you all later,
Matt
"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."
-Guitar World :lol:
Posted : 12/11/2003 5:26 pm
The 3 x 5 card idea is VERY slick, indeed! I've never gigged but always imagined I'd have a music stand out there with some papers clamped on in case I forgot something. But the card is discreet.
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
Posted : 12/11/2003 11:18 pm
Just something I stumbled across doing a long time ago... it's gotten my tail out of more than one embarrassing moment. When you're at a loss on stage, it's not exactly the 'pause that refreshes' :)
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Posted : 13/11/2003 1:57 am