The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hey everyone!

    I was wondering how many of you play Jazz gigs. I'm originally a rock guitar player and I had a couple of gigs with my band. I would really like to play a bit of jazz live someday!

    So how many of you play gigs? And with how many people do you play than? And do you get paid for it or is it all for free?

    Hexxor

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  3. #2

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    i do solo gigs, restaurants and martini bars. my asking rate is $150 a night...not playing right now though, because i'll be dissappearing to hawaii for two weeks soon...yes, you heard it here, i'm getting married...

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    i do solo gigs, restaurants and martini bars. my asking rate is $150 a night...not playing right now though, because i'll be dissappearing to hawaii for two weeks soon...yes, you heard it here, i'm getting married...
    Congrats Mr B. I hope your bride understands that the need to noodle on the guitar each day. I took my wife several years to adapt.

  5. #4

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    should be okay...we've been living together for a few years, and i've told her not to expect any magical changes post-wedding...

    i've actually gotten semi-approval to go guitar shopping after the wedding...that's probably because there's a fendi store in waikiki...

  6. #5

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    I do about 100 gigs or so a year in all different situations. Solo, duo with singers, horns and bass players, trios with bass and drums or bass and vocals/hornds, quartets and quintets. I never play for free and it depends on the gig and the size of the band how much I make. I'd say on average I get 75-100 per gig.

    MW

  7. #6

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    I play a weekly solo gig in a restaurant, chord melody stuff. $50 + about $20 in food. I have done some other similar sorts of things. I typically ask for $50/hr.

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    i do solo gigs, restaurants and martini bars. my asking rate is $150 a night...not playing right now though, because i'll be dissappearing to hawaii for two weeks soon...yes, you heard it here, i'm getting married...
    Hey beaumont! congrats!

    I just chose a girlfriend who plays the guitar herself

    Hexxor

  9. #8

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    I get 100.00 each with a duo but those have been rare lately..i play once a week for dinner plus tips. The plusses for jazz stuff vs. rock-low volume.
    Home early. Always paid-at least in my case. Few fights break out, bottle seldom tossed angrily through the air. I'm lucky to have a gig at all as this town is tiny...I always though there should be a bOok compiled for musicians detailing the odd things that happen at gigs. Once I had 6 people out of 12 asleep in front of me-they had hiked through the desert that morning and were bushed. Then my playing knocked them out, so to speak.....Sort of a compliment, really....

  10. #9

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    I suspected that my asking price is too low, even for here-it is CA after all. I ask 30.00 per hour but fifty is more like it..Of course, then people expect me to actually hit the right notes..why put so much pressure on one's self?

  11. #10
    Hey everyone!

    Good news! i suddenly have a gig on friday!
    And were going to play in a town that's 230 kilometers away!
    And there will be around 200 people in the audience.

    Well, I must say it's not all jazz, it's a Rock/Funk/Jazz gig.
    But! We are going to play all the things you are!
    So, my first kind-of-Jazz gig!

    I'm really looking forward to it!

    Hexxor

  12. #11

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    Congrats!!! That's great news man, have a blast.

    MW

  13. #12
    Thanks!

    I'm sure I will!

    Hexxor

  14. #13

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    Sounds great, be sure and tell us how it goes.

  15. #14
    I will post a little summary of the evening, so you will now how it went.
    I wonder how my improvisation solo will go.

    But anayway, I will let you know!

    Hexxor

  16. #15
    Hi everyone!

    I played the gig on Friday night!
    It was a lot of fun!
    Well, there weren't so many people as I thought. There were about a 100 people.

    There will never be another you went pretty well, the only small mistake was that I had some trouble going back to the chords when I finished my solo. But my solo went well, so that was good!

    We also played Tune 88 and a rock song. These went both pretty well. So, I had a great night. And I hope I can play some gigs like this in the future!

    Best regards,
    Hexxor

  17. #16

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    Congrats!! Glad your gig went well. Hopefully it'll become a regular thing!

    MW

  18. #17

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    Hexxor-What country is this in?

  19. #18

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    Way to go man. 100 people is a pretty good sized crowd.

  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Shel
    Hexxor-What country is this in?
    I'm from the Neterlands in Europe. The gig was in a town called Groningen. I live in Delft.

    Hexxor

  21. #20
    how did you guys go about getting your gigs? Im moving to DC after the summer and i want to find some places that will pay me to play.

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Holmes Monaco
    how did you guys go about getting your gigs? Im moving to DC after the summer and i want to find some places that will pay me to play.
    Have a demo disc or myspace page and a biz card. Ask if they feature live music. If so, who do you need to talk to about booking. It is totally a numbers thing, but you gotta come across professional if you want to work. Good luck

  23. #22

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    I take Jazz gigs only besides a weekly Church gig and only because it's steady easy money and the band are guys I play Jazz with when I can get a chance.

    Next gig I have is with a big band Sunday night.

    Other then that Summer is looking dry.

    You have to hustle gigs really, you have to find places where it makes sense for them from a business standpoint. You have to be able to bring customers in. Myspace acts as demos now, but you still need a decent recording.

    A good website is smart. I just got mine up today. www.jakehanlon.com. Whether I get any gigs out of it is probably unlikely since I'm moving in about 5 weeks back to Canada