More up tempo please!

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Please don't take this as harsh, but playing lead with a looper might be killing your sets. That sort of thing can be so formulaic that it becomes a musical death sentence.

Maybe lose the looper?

Completely disagree. When I play something like the Eagles' Peaceful Easy Feeling, playing a solo over a loop I made while singing the first verse actually gets the audience's attention. Lots of other examples as well.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Tico

+1

I want to hear what the musician can do, not what gizmos can do, which anyone can buy.

A looper only repeats what a musician just did. Not everyone is good at using a looper.

[Side1LedZepIV]

Don't Owe You A Thang by Gary Clark Jr.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Please don't take this as harsh, but playing lead with a looper might be killing your sets. That sort of thing can be so formulaic that it becomes a musical death sentence.

Maybe lose the looper?

How about purchasing recognizable background tracks - or even prerecording them on the looper?

As an audience member, I feel like listening to a person lay down a loop adds a sense of “filler” time where nothing is really happening with a song. It’s literally meant to be background. IMO there’s an art to using a looper that’s akin to how Bob Ross used to paint.

As for listeners asking for more “upbeat” songs I’d ask them for titles from artists you already play songs from as a reference. It’s up to you to decide what’s in your “wheel house.”

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by DavidE

Completely disagree. When I play something like the Eagles' Peaceful Easy Feeling, playing a solo over a loop I made while singing the first verse actually gets the audience's attention. Lots of other examples as well.

There’s crux: singing. Most restaurant goers could care less about the guitar playing. I feel like more people would rather hear a decent singer who is passable playing guitar (Minimal knowledge of the fretboard but able to play chords without buzzing and has a strong sense of tempo and rhythm) than a poor singer who is awesome on the guitar and can make *it* cry and sing.

[BluesBelly]

I set up my banjo and-or round neck resonator on stands behind me. Just the fact that they are there promotes a bit of interest, Even if I don’t play them.
They are a good backdrop for guitar performing and singing and I only fire them up when there is a request to do so (“Hey, Play Foggy Mountain Breakdown”) and it’s then you know things are slowing down and it’s it’s time to throw some fire in the hole. (Me- “you want that on the banjo or Resonator?) (Customer- “which one can you play best?”) (Me - “actually I cant play either one. They look better sitting there than they sound if I play them!) Then banter a bit and pick up the banjo and Give ‘em Foggy Mountain. LOL
Mess around with the audience a bit In a humorous fashion and they won’t mind a bit if boring. They are there “To forget about life for awhile”

Just Saying, it works

Blues

[Tico]

Originally Posted by DavidE

A looper only repeats what a musician just did. Not everyone is good at using a looper.

I understand and agree.

Still, I go out to near musicians, not technology.

As always, to each their own preference... and to me, mine.

[generalliamsayn]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Townes Van Zandt - most of his stuff is grim. But To Live is To Fly, Loretta and a couple more are actually upbeat.

I had great success with playing "White Freightliner Blues"

[Ruppster]

Originally Posted by Tico

+1

I want to hear what the musician can do, not what gizmos can do, which anyone can buy.

So you don't listen to music where the guitarist overdubs his solos over the chords he's playing? That leaves out a looooong list of good musicians: Page, Clapton, Howe...

Not sure how this is so different.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Ruppster

So you don't listen to music where the guitarist overdubs his solos over the chords he's playing? That leaves out a looooong list of good musicians: Page, Clapton, Howe...

Not sure how this is so different.

You're kidding, right?

We never had to listen to Page/Clapton/Howe et al laying down the rhythm track first BEFORE we could hear them play the solo.

If we had, then the classic era of rock would have turned out quite differently. Three minute songs would be six minutes, or there would be no guitar solos at all - no one would stand for waiting that long.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

You're kidding, right?

We never had to listen to Page/Clapton/Howe et al laying down the rhythm track first BEFORE we could hear them play the solo.

If we had, then the classic era of rock would have turned out quite differently. Three minute songs would be six minutes, or there would be no guitar solos at all - no one would stand for waiting that long.

I agree with the sentiment that nobody really cares to have to sit through listening to somebody laying down backing loops but there were many songs in the 70s that went on for 6+ minutes. IIRC it was called “progressive” rock.

Tastes change though.

[Italuke]

Originally Posted by Tico

+1

I want to hear what the musician can do, not what gizmos can do, which anyone can buy.

Yeah, while this may be true, in some instances (musicians in the audience) it has nothing to do with the OP's problem, getting more peppy tunes in his rep. Apples and bicycles.

[Ruppster]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

You're kidding, right?

We never had to listen to Page/Clapton/Howe et al laying down the rhythm track first BEFORE we could hear them play the solo.

If we had, then the classic era of rock would have turned out quite differently. Three minute songs would be six minutes, or there would be no guitar solos at all - no one would stand for waiting that long.

I agree that waiting for someone to lay down a long loop could be tiresome. But there are many blues and iconic rock progressions that would be pretty quick to lay down. I'm thinking in particular of Am, G, F. You can play it fast or slow, takes a couple of seconds to loop then you're off. Of course, you have to have something interesting to play but...that's for another thread.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Italuke

Yeah, while this may be true, in some instances (musicians in the audience) it has nothing to do with the OP's problem, getting more peppy tunes in his rep. Apples and bicycles.

I have to disagree (respectfully). The OP's problem is that his sets are losing energy. Some non-musicians might say that he needs "more uptempo please." In reality, what he may need is to lose the spots in every set where it is losing energy. For many intermediate players, as the OP has specified he is, the energy suck is trying to fill space with a looper number.

Need an hour set when you've only got 45 minutes per set? Kill 15 minutes in each set with a looper thing where you play a lead with yourself. It's a true energy suck, no matter how many "peppy tunes" you play.

Ditch the looper.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Tico

I understand and agree.



Still, I go out to near musicians, not technology.



As always, to each their own preference... and to me, mine.

But what do your prejudices have to do with the OPs lack of upbeat songs????

Nothing.