Playing to an audience that isn't listening

[GuitarVlog]

If you're performing a concert as the headliner and they're not listening to you, that's a problem.

If you're there to provide atmosphere and folks are happily enjoying each other thanks to your contribution, that's not a problem.

If you're there to provide atmosphere and folks are leaving, that's a problem.

[anton]

Nice post and lots of good advice, can't say i have anything mind blowing to offer. What other folks have been saying is pretty much the same stuff i have experienced playing celtic music on solo guitar at coffee shops and places. Most of the time its background music, occasionally there will be a handful of people who are obviously paying attention, enjoying it, etc. I learned to enjoy those moments. Then when i get to play a gig where folks are there specifically to see me its that much nicer.

Anton

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by gibson311

I played a show in a bar this weekend to a room of about 200 people. I play solo acoustic fingerstyle stuff, a lot of Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and other songs in that style.

Wrong style for the venue, I'd say. Unless you're playing dance music, most bar-goers don't listen, they're not there for you, they're too busy getting loud and loaded. Just the way it is. It's tough when you're "too cool for the room" ...

[CCreyeder]

Originally Posted by GuitarVlog

If you're performing a concert as the headliner and they're not listening to you, that's a problem.

If you're there to provide atmosphere and folks are happily enjoying each other thanks to your contribution, that's not a problem.

If you're there to provide atmosphere and folks are leaving, that's a problem.

Good way of looking at it!

Hey, at least they arent passed out on the table like in some of the bars I've played in lol

[Hack Amatuer]

Originally Posted by gibson311

I played a show in a bar this weekend to a room of about 200 people. I play solo acoustic fingerstyle stuff, a lot of Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and other songs in that style. I would say that about 99% of the people there never stopped talking and were paying little if any attention to me. Now I realize that this shouldn't really bother me since they did not come just to see me but I still found it very annoying. I wasn't even nervous when I was playing because it felt as if nobody was listening anyway. It almost makes me feel like it's not worth doing again. There was no pressure which is good, but there was also no rush, and no feeling that people actually enjoyed what I was doing. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Ah, don't feel bad or annoyed. After a certain point, the better the guitarist, the less people really want to hear. If you only knew A D and E7 and screamed some noncomprehendable lyrics like Kirt Kobain, or wiggled around like an earthworn in heat like Elvis, your audiance would have really really gone crazy.

[mtnByker]

Over 20 years ago I went to see McCoy Tyner play in a hotel lounge in Denver. There were perhaps 2 dozen people there, over half of them at one large table in the middle of the room.

For those of you who don't know jazz, This is pretty heady music, not exactly background listening, and he is a top tier musician of historical importance as well as a great player to this day. This table just talked and ate during the whole show, I doubt anyone there knew who he was.

He played a fantastic 40 minute set, politely thanked us, and left without an encore.

[Losov]

Originally Posted by gibson311

I played a show in a bar this weekend to a room of about 200 people. I play solo acoustic fingerstyle stuff, a lot of Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and other songs in that style. I would say that about 99% of the people there never stopped talking and were paying little if any attention to me. Now I realize that this shouldn't really bother me since they did not come just to see me but I still found it very annoying. I wasn't even nervous when I was playing because it felt as if nobody was listening anyway. It almost makes me feel like it's not worth doing again. There was no pressure which is good, but there was also no rush, and no feeling that people actually enjoyed what I was doing. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

What? Some people actually listen?

Look, in a bar people are not looking for TE razzle dazzle, even if you nail it. First off, most in the audience have probably never heard of him and second, you're not him so they don't care. People in a bar want to hear what they know: Margaritaville, Brown Eyed Girl, Wonderful Tonight and 37 more of the same. They will politely go to the bathroom while you're playing your (excellent I'm sure) original about your latest breakup.

Unless you're in a club noted for singer/songwriter exposure (Bluebird et al) that's the way it is. So what do you actually do when they aren't listening? Keep playing. Play as if the place was hushed and all two hundred pairs of eyes were upon you, all the women wanting you, all the men envying you. That's called being a pro.

[tdrake]

Originally Posted by Losov

Play as if the place was hushed and all two hundred pairs of eyes were upon you, all the women wanting you, all the men envying you. That's called being a pro.

No,that's called being delusional. Being a pro is simply getting paid.

[Losov]

Originally Posted by tdrake

No,that's called being delusional. Being a pro is simply getting paid.

Well, you still have to maintain a professional attitude during a free charity gig during which no one is listening. I think of it as method acting. It's only a delusion if you actually believe it.

[Ray614]

I hope to play some simple solo gigs in the not-too-distant future, and to this end I've bought a vocalizer to beef up my vocals because I suspect singing and playing will go down better than just playing. I had thought of doing something that Wade suggested: to run an instrumental in the middle or at the end of a song as if it were a solo attached to the song itself.

Whats a vocalizer? I have heard of them but not sure what it does or how it beefs up the vocals? Do a lot people use them?

[Losov]

Originally Posted by Ray614

Whats a vocalizer? I have heard of them but not sure what it does or how it beefs up the vocals? Do a lot people use them?

There are some vocal effects processors called vocalizers, but I wonder if the reference was to a vocal harmonizer? If so, I use one for solo and some group gigs. Great tools but they can become tiresome toys if overused. I've been using a Digitech Vocalist 2 for some time. They can be had for about $200.

[jaeger29]

Originally Posted by Tafmutt

We go to a restaurant that has an acoustic guitar player who is very good. And, yes, people are talking while he is playing. Nonetheless, it is a very enjoyable part of the whole experience. While you may not have people's undivided attention, you are certainly enhancing their time in the establishment and that's what you are being paid to do.

I'm betting that your audience was very satisfied with your music.

TM beat me to it, but I was about to say the same thing. Just because they may have been talking, doesn't mean they weren't enjoying your performance. Later, they'll take about hte wonderful conversation with the lovely guitar music...

[jaeger29]

Originally Posted by Hack Amatuer

If you only knew A D and E7 and screamed some noncomprehendable lyrics like Kirt Kobain.

I don't think Kurt Cobain knew E7...


(and I *love* 'noncomprehendable'!)

[tdrake]

You could take the empirical approach and test whether or not they are actually listening: make up lyrics as you play and quietly sing them and see what happens....

"And the man and the woman at table five are having an affair. You can tell by the way she smiles and plays with her hair."

"And you didn't ask me so maybe you don't really care, but your waitress told me she prefers to serve sans underwear...."

"And the dude at table three should prolly pass on dessert. From here I can see the buttons about to burst on his shirt."

Ad naseum.

td

[JAW]

All of that sums up a lot of what I've experienced. But it only takes that one person to stop for a chat to make the event for me.

I've taken the low ground and pretty much only play solo instrumental fingerstyle of popular songs. There is a small hint of artistry in the arrangement, but yeah it is more like catering to the masses. I just like to play the guitar, which was fine for the first 25 years, but now I need to be playing for an audience. I don't think it is ego or pride, I just like to see that one person who I've caught his ear - "hang on, I know that song...it's...it's - that's a Cold Chisel song!" (apologies to non-Aussies, Cold Chisel was a popular Aussie rock act in 70's 80's).

I'm going to line up a cafe lunch scene gig this year, in between my day job. I accept that I am background music just up from elevator music, but I like to play the guitar, and the one person who smiles makes it for me : )


Some obviously experienced and talented players in this forum, I'm suprised I didn't bump into it years ago, thanks!