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It's been two years since I've last posted a video online-- which feels crazy. Not sure I got any better in the meantime, but now I'm forcing myself to improvise the chord melody takes, instead of relying on practicing my own arrangements. Obviously more prone to mistakes this way, but hope it's still somewhat listenable!
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01-22-2024 01:04 AM
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That was very nice. I like that you had an intro too instead of going right into it, that's something I'm working on.
Do you play out?
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Appreciate it, Allan! No, I’m strictly a bedroom guitarist— nor have I ever played jazz with anyone or in public!
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Duuude, you should get out there.
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That was very nicely done.
I agree, try to find yourself a gig at a local spot. Just something off in the corner, providing audio wallpaper. It'll give you a reason to practice and learn tunes, will help you hone your skills and maybe even put a few bucks in your pocket.
I did a couple solo gigs before xmas, also playing fingerstyle on a Tele. First solo gigs ever. Was a lot of fun and seemed to go over well. Looking forward to more.
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Haha having never played a gig like that, I can’t think of a scarier thing to go for! What were your experiences like?
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You’ll mostly be ignored, with some polite clapping after each song. Maybe one jazz fan will be there and they’ll be very excited you’re playing the genre.
Originally Posted by MadeulPlaysGuitar
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As stated above, it is very low key. You are just a live version of quiet background music ala Spotify or Sirius radio. The opportunity was orchestrated by a buddy who got to know the owners and suggested they give me a shot. I was booked for a couple hours on Sunday afternoon, typically a slow time for them. I was told that the days I was there were busier than normal so they were pleased. After a winter break, I'm hoping to do more. I will tell anyone who'll listen, I'm a guitar player not an entertainer. The whole background music thing suits me perfectly. As it was the xmas season, I learned up a few holiday favourites to throw in. I'll try anything that works. I have a personal affinity for 70's pop, Beatles and other popular GASB tunes. People like this stuff and the arrangements don't have to be overly complicated. I believe a lot of folks just like to hear songs they recognize, can hum along or tap their foot to. Originally Posted by MadeulPlaysGuitar
I spent decades as a weekend warrior in cover bands and was in a duo with a vocalist buddy for the last couple years, so playing in public is nothing new. I started working out how to play tunes solo, several years ago. This was the culmination of reaching the goal of being able to sit and play a couple hours of (hopefully) interesting music completely on my own. It is very rewarding. And it is a great catalyst to learn more tunes and continue to pursue the art of solo guitar. Jake Reichbart on YT, among many others, is a bit of a role model and has a couple of great videos on being a "Cocktail Guitarist". Worth checking out.
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Jake used to post here often. He was a top tier forum member.
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Lol. I don't think I've ever gotten the clapping. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Yeah, it's great. No distraction from applause or banging on the tables for one more song after you've finished. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
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Thanks all for sharing your experiences! It sounds like it could (theoretically) be nice. I'll probably try to develop a repertoire of a few dozens songs that I can play through without any glaring mistakes first. And then try to find a venue with a more forgiving management...
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You just need to get 25 songs together. When I play out 6 songs is about 45 minutes, then it's break time. Don't worry about glaring mistakes at home, the issues at home, don't matter when you go out. If you flub, just smile and keep going.
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I would say home is the time to worry about glaring issues. Don’t worry about mistakes on the bandstand. Fix them at home. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Mistakes are going to happen, if you wait until you can play 3 hours of music perfectly at home, well.... you'll never get out. There's a reason you don't go from your bedroom to Carnegie Hall, you have to develop as a performer. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
If someone is going to play a gig for free, or $50. They don't have to be Joe Pass.
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Obviously mistakes are going to happen. Thats why I said “don’t worry about mistakes on the bandstand.” Originally Posted by AllanAllen
But you did use the word “glaring.” Home is the time to fix that stuff.
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I guess I could explain differently. I used glaring because OP did, the video he posted was great. Anything he thinks is a glaring mistake in there, would be fine in a performance. Especially for the first year. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
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That I would agree with. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Get a battery operated amp and go busking first.
Then when you feel confident with that go for the gigs.
Busking is great practise for fine tuning your set list and to see exactly what works.
You'll have no problem playing wallpaper gigs after having busked for a while.
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Yup. On my last outing I programmed approx 30 tunes, thinking I'd play 25 or so for a 2 hr set with a very short 5-10 min break. This worked great for me. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Improvisations on the standards eg Stella, Autumn Leaves, Fly Me, Misty, Witchcraft, Cry Me a River, All of Me etc are easier for me to throw in to extend the song versus pop tunes like Africa, Brandy, Don't Know Why, Diamond Girl et al which seem a little trickier for me to improvise over. At least to keep it interesting.
Of course that is the fun and my focus these days, so I can extend some of these out convincingly.
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