The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Show and Tell

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-11-2009, 03:14 AM
ukeforever ukeforever is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 136
Default What do you want from your audience?

I have a very short list:

1. I want their attention, because the words are an important part of the song.
2. I want them to appreciate what I'm doing on the guitar, as unspectacular as it may be.
3. I want them to appreciate the tone I'm getting out of my guitar.
4. I want them to be entertained by the music. In return, I promise to give them more than two or three chords, and I'll even throw in some inversions and interesting melodies too.

The list is not prioritized. I closed for an open mike tonight, which means most everyone else had gone. Three people remained in the audience, along with the sound man and the owner. This audience of five was the audience I describe above (perhaps their attention was their hope to get out of there...).

The one audience member who gushed about the sound of my guitar really did it for me, though.

Part of me thought, 'this is the perfect audience.' The other part of me thought, 'I'd like there to be more.'

What does your ideal audience look like?
__________________
2008 Larrivee OM-03R (e)
2005 Bourgeois Vintage OM
1986 Alvarez DY-45N (fs)
1916 Martin 2 Uke
1950s Martin 1 Uke
2007 Laughlin 3K Uke
2007 Dominator Spruce Uke
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-11-2009, 04:31 AM
rmyAddison rmyAddison is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Addison, TX
Posts: 19,007
Default

With the financial climate my favorite "roost" is gone, I like to do dinner concerts in banquest halls. I do 95% originals and tell jokes/stories, not an easy sell, thank God I do it for fun and not to pay the bills.

I personally have no desire to be a live jukebox or play covers in the background, not right or wrong, just not me, I have friends who love those gigs.

I try to be a folk style storyteller with my songs, I do want people to listen. I want to make them laugh, I want to make them cry, and I want to earn their attention. For me dinner concerts are perfect, folks eats, have some drinks, are comfortable and I typically play 8-10 with a break.

I also do coffeehouses and songwriter showcases, sometimes you can hear a pin drop, sometimes it's too noisy to mike my guitar(s) and I have to use my OMC Aura. My expectations from the audience are less, they came to a venue I happened to be at, which I understand, versus a dinner concert where they came to see me.

Back to your question, I think venue affects expectations from the audience.
__________________
Rich - rmyAddison

Rich Macklin Soundclick Website
http://www.youtube.com/rmyaddison

Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany
Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar
Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar
Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-11-2009, 06:41 AM
mike o's Avatar
mike o mike o is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Monroe, GA
Posts: 972
Default

Every performer enjoys an attentive audience. That said, I think the question should be what does the audience expect from the performer? Get that right and you'll have it made.
__________________
mike O

come to one of our shows just east of Atlanta!
http://mikeandkayte.com

Last edited by mike o; 04-11-2009 at 07:55 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-11-2009, 12:07 PM
Guyute's Avatar
Guyute Guyute is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: California
Posts: 5,712
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike o View Post
Every performer enjoys an attentive audience. That said, I think the question should be what does the audience expect from the performer? Get that right and you'll have it made.
Well put Mike. I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the audience is there for them when for a good performer, it's the other way around.
__________________
Chris
Official site

That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. -- Theodore F. MacManus

I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell -- Christopher Walken
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-11-2009, 12:12 PM
flaggerphil flaggerphil is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Florida Space Coast
Posts: 13,718
Default

Slavish adoration.

Which is why I play for my dogs.
__________________
Phil

Playing guitar badly since 1964.

Some Taylor guitars.
Three Kala ukuleles (one on tour with the Box Tops).
A 1937 A-style mandolin.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-11-2009, 04:06 PM
alohachris alohachris is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 2,430
Default Aloha

Aloha,

In 45 years of gigging, I've had many different things that I've wanted from my gig audiences. First it was acknowledgment that I was even in the room playing, then praise,, acceptance and a sense of communication. Then came my "girl" phase - you know what I wanted for those 20 years - phone numbers and room keys. Still later, acceptance from other respected musicians that I could really write, play and sing.

However, as I've mellowed, it's evolved into a two-way friendship kind of thing. I'm becoming that amusing, fun, story-telling uncle in the room that makes you laugh. Love songs sure don't work today anymore.

And now that I'm 60......it's three things I need from gig audiences: First - TIPS!!!!!!!! - for me and the servers; Second: MANY REPEAT CUSTOMERS at my gigs every week; and finally, a SMILE ON THE MANAGER'S FACE.

With everyone losing gigs in this economy around the world, what could be more important than those three? Show me da money, mister customer!

Friends and family get much more from me when I play now. Modern audiences in bars and restaurants - amped up as they are on technology and self-entitlements wuch as constant cell phone usage - really suck to play for.

Just being truthful.

alohachris
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-11-2009, 04:39 PM
mud4feet mud4feet is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Jackson, LA in body......North Carolina mountains in spirit
Posts: 517
Default

All I want is for them to enjoy themselves and not throw things at me!
__________________
Acoustiholic


Somewhere around 200 strings attached to various shapes, sizes, and types of wood. Real P.I.T.A. when it comes time to tune!!!!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-11-2009, 04:55 PM
Ferjo's Avatar
Ferjo Ferjo is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Tulsa Oklahoma
Posts: 350
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rmyAddison View Post
I personally have no desire to be a live jukebox or play covers in the background, not right or wrong, just not me, I have friends who love those gigs.
That's me right there - live jukebox.

I suppose it depends on the venue, but I am strictly a restaurant/lounge/party player. I want people to enjoy themselves, and often when I hear musicians lead in with "And here is an original tune..." in that type of venue the noise volume goes up and people totally disengage. I avoid this by recognizing my utter lack of songwriting skill and focusing on my love for playing other people's best stuff.

I want people to enjoy ther dinner or event. I find that this is most easily accomplished by playing to the crowd's demographic. My secondary desire is to remind people of the great tunes they used to love but don't recive much airplay. I love doing 80's one hit wonders... Michael Penn's "No Myth" is a guaranteed room full of smiles in the right room.

Don't judge me, I may not meet the definition of "artist" that I have been reading on the boards lately... but I love what I do.

Oh, and btw... music stands are fine
__________________
Peace...

Tom
1997 815ce Custom Shop
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-11-2009, 06:22 PM
ukeforever ukeforever is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike o View Post
Every performer enjoys an attentive audience. That said, I think the question should be what does the audience expect from the performer? Get that right and you'll have it made.
Although it's a neat turn of phrase, I was avoiding this more common question on purpose. I would disagree that this is something that when a particular performer "gets right," the audience follows. The way I see it, the big audiences are the result of continual promotion of the band (or at least getting yourself into venues with a guaranteed audience), and working hard, as in playing those crowds constantly.

I think where some venues fail, especially open mikes, is when they don't encourage the other players to be an audience and listen, but that's another rant.

I'm like rmyAddison in that I can't have a good time as just background music.
__________________
2008 Larrivee OM-03R (e)
2005 Bourgeois Vintage OM
1986 Alvarez DY-45N (fs)
1916 Martin 2 Uke
1950s Martin 1 Uke
2007 Laughlin 3K Uke
2007 Dominator Spruce Uke
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-11-2009, 08:21 PM
soundman48 soundman48 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 948
Default "what do you want from your audience?"

10% in the offering plate !
__________________
Steve


_______________________
Cornerstone Genesis - Curly Macassar Ebony / Sinker Redwood
Klein M43 - EIR/Spruce
Tony Vines Baritone - Walnut/Adi
Joel Stehr 8 String - Figured Myrtle / German Spruce
Kammerer 8-NNG - Maple
Chrisman guitar 1934
2-Russian made classical - Rosewood/Spruce
Mervyn Davis Smoothtalker - Cedar/Kiaat
Kinnaird Student Build SJ Sitka Spruce / Black Wanunt
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-11-2009, 08:40 PM
plumbgit plumbgit is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: westborough,mass
Posts: 807
Default re audience...

I want adulation..women to throw themselves at my feet...large sums of money.......or maybe what someone else posted....I want them not to throw things at me!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-12-2009, 12:01 AM
ljguitar's Avatar
ljguitar ljguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: wyoming
Posts: 42,558
Default

Hi Ukeforawhile...
For someone to say "That moved me..."
__________________

Baby #1.1
Baby #1.2
Baby #02
Baby #03
Baby #04
Baby #05

Larry's songs...

…Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-12-2009, 02:53 AM
Guyute's Avatar
Guyute Guyute is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: California
Posts: 5,712
Default

I want them to enjoy it enough to put their names on my mailing list. Other than that, I can't really expect anything.
__________________
Chris
Official site

That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. -- Theodore F. MacManus

I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell -- Christopher Walken
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-12-2009, 08:17 AM
DonBob DonBob is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 464
Default

a really good night for us is when the audience has had half as much fun as we have had. Sometimes it seems a crime to be paid to play and sing together. Of course, sometimes it seems a crime when we realize how little we've been paid.

In all seriousness, when we're playing a restaurant gig, a little applause here and there is all we need. When we're in a concert mode, I really like them to listen -- especially to our originals. If they don't, hey ... there'll be another gig next weekend and maybe the wind will be in the right direction then.
__________________
Fulham Football Club -- COYW!!!!
Fulham USA FUSA

----------------

www.thetimandbobshow.com
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-13-2009, 10:58 AM
Matximus Matximus is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 57
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ukeforever View Post
I have a very short list:

1. I want their attention, because the words are an important part of the song.
2. I want them to appreciate what I'm doing on the guitar, as unspectacular as it may be.
3. I want them to appreciate the tone I'm getting out of my guitar.
4. I want them to be entertained by the music. In return, I promise to give them more than two or three chords, and I'll even throw in some inversions and interesting melodies too.

?
Kinda needy. Mine's pretty simple: I want to see some XXXXX.

Last edited by trpullen; 04-14-2009 at 01:48 PM. Reason: Family Friendly Edit
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Show and Tell

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=