Fingerstyle show?

[koensieben622]

Has anyone ever performed a fingerpicking show to general public?

In April i'm able to perform an acoustic set to an audience which is drinking relaxed (in the sun I hope). My set contains a bunch of fingerpicking songs by Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, Merle travis and some songs with vocals (Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, own songs) but the bigger part is solo acoustic fingerstyle, uptempo as well as ballads. I'm confident that I can play these songs decently and I'm able to crack a joke or talk a bit, but my only concern is that it still not might be interesting enough.. What do you guys think?

[kydave]

IF people are there in anticipation of listening to a primarily (totally?) guitar instrumental show, they will do doubt pay attention quietly and enjoy themselves, while you do the same.

IF they are not, in my experienced observations, they will get antsy after all instrumentals, without singing, in fairly short order.

IF you are alternating well performed songs with well performed instrumentals you can have the best of both worlds (if that is what you are shooting for as a performer).

If you are prepared for the reality of whichever situation it is and go in emotionally prepared, you should have a fine time.

Best of luck!!

Break a leg!!

[BFD]

IMHO your concern has merit, when it comes to the GP...assuming you're playing for more than 30 min. If you plan to be background music, instrumental stuff (especially 1 acoustic guit) is perfect. If you want to engage at least some of the audience, mostly vocal stuff is a better bet.

[GmanJeff]

I'm w/kydave on this. Guitar instrumentals have a limited appeal to the general public. Listen to popular radio, and how many do you hear? On a classic rock station, you might sometimes hear Anji or Classical Gas, but beyond that....

That said, you'll do fine if you're not expecting the audience's undivided attention throughout your set.

[JGinNJ]

Yeah, you tend to lose half the crowd pretty quickly if you're not singing or doing material that's easily recognizable and engaging. I used to play "Tequila", people would have fun yelling that out..
But when I play old jazz standards, they think it sounds pretty but don't quite get it.

[Seby]

Hey good luck!

It depends on the audience of course, but if they are drinking in the sun then I think that they should be okay : )

[SuperB23]

I did a 45 minute set like this and it was quite nerve wracking. There were about 1000 people there. I vastly prefer singing or playing with a group or band. Mine was like a fingerstyle Christmas set so it makes it a bit tougher because people know the melodies so well that you really can't fudge them at all. It for sure stretched me as a player and performer.

[rogthefrog]

If you can't capture the audience's attention with the music, the talking / jokes / stories aren't going to help. They're presumably there for a music show, not a comedy show.

So how do you make the music captivating?

* make the repertoire interesting. It doesn't have to be songs people know. I play originals and people seem entertained enough. If you have to play the same artists everybody plays (Beatles, Tommy Emmanuel, etc) then pick lesser known tunes, e.g.



* vary the sounds. You can play two tunes on a regular steel string guitars, then switch to a nylon string guitar, go back to steel strings, throw in a little baritone, etc. Can you play slide? How about the Weissenborn?

* make your dynamics and tempos interesting. That's the most important thing. If you're just playing the same boom-chick for 4 minutes, even you might fall asleep. Study people with masterful dynamics:



A very simple tune made very interesting with beautiful dynamics, tempo variations, picking nuances (staccato, legato, ponticello, rounder attack, muted notes, etc):



Or Ed Gerhard:



* make your playing interesting in other ways. Some people like a little visual flair. Michael Chapdelaine has a fun trick where he moves his capo mid-tune. Some people play with one hand. Some play with their teeth. Some play two guitars at the same time. Some play very somber tunes on tiny instrument (mandolin, ukulele). You get the idea.

* order your set list carefully. You probably don't want to stack too many songs with the same mood / tempo / key in sequence.

* bring a guest for a song or two.

Good luck! If you don't have fun, nobody will.

[Pitar]

I can listen to any of the artists the OP mentions for 1-2 pieces and then I'm done.

If it isn't a song I lose interest in the art of playing posty hasty. It isn't that I don't respect it or admire the artistry, it's just that I do the same thing (instrumentals) and I often bore myself to death regardless of how well I can play something. It's kinda like "Yea, okay..."

But, I thoroughly enjoy playing and singing. I don't see the guitar as an end unto itself like I did at one time.

Besides, I'm not sure but I believe people prefer songs to instrumentals. I've yet to hear in my life someone idly humming Classical Gas.

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Pitar

I can listen to any of the artists the OP mentions for 1-2 pieces and then I'm done.

Those artists seem to manage to do alright and must have found an audience.

Originally Posted by Pitar

Besides, I'm not sure but I believe people prefer songs to instrumentals. I've yet to hear in my life someone idly humming Classical Gas.

Again, people are buying the music and tickets. Otherwise, they'd have a regular 9 to 5 like the rest of us. Not everyone needs to hear vocalists, working class politics, etc.

[The Bard Rocks]

I have seen many shows that were solo acoustic and enjoyed them immensely, but I am not your average audience. I think there are very few performers good enough to do this successfully with an audience who does not already have an interest in guitars.

Before I go further, let me state that if you are background music, then I believe fingerstyle without vocals will work very well indeed. Vocals kind of interrupt and demand to be paid attention to.

Which brings me back. If your few vocals were well-chosen and interspersed, then I can see it working. The point is: keep it varied and keep it interesting. Someone else mentioned gimmicks, like playing behind your head. No, you don't have to do that sort of stuff if you don't want to. That stuff catches attention, which is why people do it. You find your own way to catch their attention. Short but interesting patter, jokes (especially jokes that lead into your next song or ones that "explain" your last one), mixing tempos, keys, styles, dynamics, changing key mid song (country artists use this one all the time), "creative" use of capos, an interesting costume (one fellow I know plays without shoes on, then explained how he lost his shoes - we never knew if we should believe that or not), running gags, switching instruments, special effects, guest artists - these are all other ways to catch and keep attention. Know beforehand if you can what they are apt to be interested in and them play to that as much as possible.

[Mr. Jelly]

I've done jazz gigs with no vocals in the past. I loved them. But I wasn't trying to do a stage show. It was more like back ground music for cocktail hour etc. That's how I would go about it. If the audience seems like they want more then give it. If they are just hanging out talking and enjoying the music let them.

I'd like to go to a place with this type of music. I like to be with friends and talk. I don't like to be an audience.

[mercy]

I have no interest at all in someone singing. Singer/songwriters are the worst.

[Doug Young]

This is all about expectations. Most people have no idea you can play the guitar without singing, which can make instrumentals a bit awkward in many cases. In the right setting, you can be appreciated, and people will enjoy the music. In the wrong setting they won't enjoy it, and you won't be comfortable. It can be challenging, precisely because the image of someone singing with a guitar is so strong. Even when I've told people I play *instrumental* guitar, even when they've heard my CDs, they are often surprised when I don't sing. I guess they think all the CD tracks without vocals was just an oversight :-) As you can see from your responses in this thread, even among guitarists, there are different tastes.

So I'd suggest 1) finding out what they expect, and 2) do some soul-searching about what your interests and goals are. Since you do both - sing and play, you can always mix them up to accommodate what you think an audience wants. If you have enough material, you can adjust on the fly. I once attended a concert/interactive workshop with Phil Keaggy, who does both, tho I greatly prefer his instrumental work. He came out, played a couple of incredible instrumentals, and people clapped politely. Then he sang a song, and and crowd went wild. He said, "Ah, I get it, you're song people", and spent the rest of the night doing vocal tunes, much to my dismay. But he read the audience and adapted to what they wanted. Of course, he was still Phil, still doing his own music, and playing plenty of guitar as well, he just biased the show toward what he thought people were enjoying the most. If you can do that (and are willing), it's a great asset.

[Dronfield]

Hi

I guess the "set" requirements will depend on your role there - ie, is it to be the main source of entertainment where people are required to be quiet and listen, or are you providing some background music?

Recently I watched a DVD of the Eric Clapton Me and Mr Johnson recording sessions, and he talks about how uncomfortable he initially felt singing at proper concerts.

He goes on to say that singing/playing in pubs was easy because whilst the audience may watch you for the first couple of minutes, after that, they will return to the conversation they were having before you came on!

Rich