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How to live
Some of you here have performed live as well as made music in the ‘studio’. I haven’t, I’ve typically only ever been studio oriented.
Some questions:
Do I
- have to make a flyer and hand it out? More than one copy?
- Do I have to put the venue on there? Do I have to tell the venue first, or does that matter?
- When I perform live, does it matter if I sing out of tune, out of time, forget the lyrics, forget the song, get heckled?
- With hardware synths, what if I forget to bring them?
- Is a pair of Korg SQ1 sequencers doing random nonsense into a couple of small synths sufficient, or should I configure more gear try to actually emulate my actual songs that I’ve written? (I suppose I should if I’m going to sing over them, although singing over random burbling nonsense is probably valid too)
- How do I make a performance that might be about half hardware half ipad respond to the audiences mood? (eg, if they all walk out for example, or if there’s only one person there and they fall asleep)
- Is a Korg SQ64 good for live responsive stuff, or should I go in a looper direction?
- Is it best to give up and just go back to pointlessly releasing tracks that nobody hears?
Comments
Keep your day job. Live music is dangerous and it requires whoring yourself out to someone with money.
You can simulate the live music experience by playing on street corner, railway stations etc. Always put a few coins in your hat first, to encourage others. Empty it out a bit if it gets nice and full. Get comfortable on the street and most venues, full or empty, bored or hyped, will suddenly appear quite welcoming.
Probably don’t bring your ipad to the busking environment. Card readers are acceptable, these days.
Disclaimer: This is terrible advice, I recommend not following it. Stay at home. Be safe.
Not to be rude at all, but several of these questions are pretty deep and can have very detailed, situational, or relative answers. What works for one is different from another, and there could be lots of reasons to consider.
Just in regards to the first two bullet points…
The landscape for marketing/promoting your live performance has changed a lot over the last 15-20 years. Now, flyers are way less important/optional at best, at least compared to any any digital promotion you can and should do for free. Identify the market, most likely localized, give them the details, share a digital flyer. social media is the best option. Probably a good idea to find local groups involving music/events/stuff around town/etc. on social media, or finding the best 20 hashtags to use on Insta/Twitter and getting a digital flyer out there. There are also websites like (ie. Craigslist), and even live music sites, (can’t think of site atm) to post about upcoming shows, maybe even a local paper/newsletter has a free online events section. I’m not sure where you are in the world but social media will reach more eyeballs then any print will. If it were me and I had the time, and a few extra bills for a budget, I’d do a few flyers, partially for fun, and put them in strategic locations with heavy foot traffic, but it is definitely not necessary. Usually the more the merrier when promoting.
In terms of actual flyers, you definitely want to put the location of the event, people have to know when and where, or they can’t be there. That’s crucial.
I’m almost positive 99.9% of businesses out there would be ok with having their name on a flyer, unless there was some horribly offensive terminology, or something that made them look bad. The business wants to make money, by charging admission or selling drinks/food/merch. Just like you, the bar, location, wherever usually wants to draw as many people as possible, it’s in both parties best interest. However if unsure just call them, I’m sure it’s easy enough to find out.
promoting digital isn’t as complex as it was a decade ago either. You can, For free, create a digital flyer on Canva.com it’s pretty easy and powerful. Then share them everywhere you can. Good luck!
Never ever give up. Ever.
If the few raves I've been to are any indication, all you really need to do is have something to play your tracks, some sort of setup with knobs and faders to pretend to turn, and a set of headphones to take on and off and/or hold up to one ear while you do that. Be sure that your pretend knobs need plenty of body leverage to pretend to move them.
Often this seems to be more effective if you have a partner to work alongside you in this.
In this day and age I would start with streaming
You have a great sense of humor. Take that to the stage. Seriously, the audience gets it.
The first 2 bullet points: yes, the 3rd yes and fuck ‘em if your skin is thick.
Mine is not so I would put the spotlight on the heckler. Literally and figuratively.
Mostly turned out to be fun. Other times not but law of averages.
4: come on man.
If they fall asleep they’re not heckling.
Playing live is the greatest high ever.
I would come to see you brother.
Exactly right, but it sounds as if the OP is already doing that and getting nowhere
“Is it best to give up and just go back to pointlessly releasing tracks that nobody hears?”
Fine answer.
I suspect your best business model would be muso-terrorism… set up speakers outside a remote country house and pump in your music. Have them pay you to turn it off.
If they like it… turn it off and see if they will pay you to turn it on.
Keep the equipment light but powerful. Tear down might be a bit of a “fire drill” to avoid the authorities.
No flyers needed.
Hey - don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
If a track playes in the wilderness and nobody hears it, did it make any sound?
1 static cam + any roving cams (ie audience footage) can make a pretty decent vid… music vid can be pretty good flyer.
Other, unsolicited advice: always bring your own gaffa tape and electrical tape (do NOT use gaffa tape to secure coiled cables!), and a basic toolkit or at least multi-tool to any gig.
Calculate your total electrical load esp if using lights etc, then check the electrical distribution at the venue will support your load, far in advance of your show. It probably will, but check it anyway. Note down your cable runs/fire exits/bar access on the same visit.
Having someone switched-on you can trust be there on the night is indispensible.
I would draw parallels to losing your virginity.
This sounds like a few singers I have had the pleasure to work with over the years - and from their example it doesn’t seem to matter. Might even be a positive depending on the venue.
Most people won’t notice.
I’m pretty sure I saw this show once. Seemed to go over OK
I have been involved with shows with DAT tapes. At least with iPads and hardware you can vary your tempo.
This is one of those trick questions - isn’t it?
Are you going to play in front of musicians?
If not then I would say it's 90% about a fun experience and enough familiar sounds and riffs to make people listen to your music.
Serve drinks at the gig with something in it too keep them busy with whatever you throw at them.
If you got lack of mute buttons, use powerstrips with a switch to turn off/on synths.
Oh, and use chickenwire to protect yourself, or maybe the audience.
One motivation for asking the questions is basically to get a performance on video, to act as the videos to the songs. Not sure if that’s worth the effort really, but it might be.
I’ve come to the conclusion that as all my songs need videos (yes, they really do), they must be ‘human’ videos rather than synthetic moving pattern type videos.
One of the problems with the songs I’m working on over the pandemic and still now is that they were all made in Gadget during 2017/2018 and at the time I liked them but now I listen back to those early versions and it really shows that they’re the product of one small box.
If I went and made a bunch of videos in for example VS, they’d all have that same ethos – the output of one narrow box. I really need a lot of real-life humanity (me basically) in the videos more than I need computery imagery. I can either pretend I’m performing for each song (which is a lot of hassle to set up and light and shoot and edit and my mantra with my past video consultancy work with BMD ATEMs & such was strongly “no post-pro” so editing beyond top’n’tailing won’t happen). What’s the best and also quickest way to get a real-life video of me that I can slap onto the song? Without editing? Me performing the song of course.
I suppose live-streaming it might be the best way – I’ve got lights, a BMD ATEM and Ultrastudio mini, just no room.
Hiring an orchestra for the show will easily fix this.
Post of the day. ^ 👏
Good point – I’d better specify, no musicians allowed
Or sound guys. They all apparently have the golden ear to pick those rare gems out of a sea of shitty acts.
And it’s never you.
In my mind performing live will be like this:
In reality it’ll be like this:
Prepare yourself for something like this:
That I can handle – I’ve done stand-up comedy
Maybe try your hand at the Roblox or Fortnite stage?
Maybe just the phone and a selfy stick? You could go pretty much anywhere then. Place yourself in different arenas as the backdrop.