For those of you who play gigs, when did you begin? More generally (or theoretically) when do you think a player is ready to perform in public? (I'm wondering about paid gigs or performances, not sessions.)
Fourteen years old. Too young. It warped me for life.
Just kidding. It was mostly a good experience, but it *is* business and can present all kinds of opportunities for disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment along with the good stuff. Adult guidance advised, preferably in the form of a wise and kind mentor. [Wise, kind mentor wanted to guide naïve, impressionable person through music business. Please provide references.]
When is a person ready? Hard to say, but if you’ve done non-paying gigs at coffeehouses or whatever and been well-received and people are asking where else you play and what do you charge for parties and would you be interested in playing for a neighborhood festival, then you’re probably ready to go after paying gigs.
I think I started doing St. Paddy's day type stuff, and funerals, at around 14. But haven't done a *paid* gig since 18 or so. I have some volunteer stuff under my belt on flute, but it needs just a tad more experience with the tunes before I'd charge anybody foolish enough to listen.
I haven't performed seriously yet. I would give my right arm to, but I'm not sure if I'm quite good enough. I think that I'm getting close, though, so I might at some point soon. I'd poke myself in the eyes with spoons before playing box for an audience, though-but I have to play at the Fleadh! Eeeee. Actually, I'll probably be okay by then, at least on the few tunes I'll have to play.
I'm 16, have been playing since I was 4 and have only just started doing payed gigs. It's harder work than it looks, especially if you're playing alone. I've done a lot of unpaid things before now. I would strongly reccommend doing unpaid gigs as practice (if you mess up its ok!) before getting paid. I find that under about 15 people don't really take you seriously though. I suppose it all depends on individual situations i.e. what its for, who you're playing with, what type of gig etc.
The performance isn't just about the tunes. It can be hard to talk in front of people you don't know. Playing in sessions was good practice in the respect of tunes, but there's no better way of getting good at talking, other than standing up in front of people and talking!
1980,at a benefit for a friend.It was held in a cinema in Antwerp and there were a lot of people.I had never played in public before.I appeared with a guitar playing mate of mine.We did Flowers Of The Forest and The Soldier's Joy with the Appalachian dulcimer and Willy And The Hand Jive with two guitars.I was terrified,my wife had to push me on to the stage.
I started performing at age 13 in a rock band playing Beatles and Stones for school dances. My mother had been nagging me to ask a girl to the dances, but I was so shy that it was easier for me to sing all evening to hundreds of kids than it was to ask a girl to dance.
I had a sunburst Kay Swingmaster single-cutaway semi-hollow electric with two humbuckers. What a great guitar! But, being young and stupid, I loaned it to a "friend" in college...never saw it again...one of my biggest regrets...
Apart from school concerts, I've only really performed in group situations for various things e.g Charity gigs, small ceilidhs, small concerts, Fiddlers rallies etc. Never on my own(except at school).
I've not had any real desire to be part of a proper band or to play solo and I'm quite happy to play in sessions and as above.
Now when is somebody "ready musically"? My answer would be "as soon as they can get away with it". This may be easier or harder in different circumstances but you'll never get anywhere without a bit of confidence and a little cheek.
I would argue that it's much easier for young people just "to go for it". When you are older, listeners tend to have more expectations and we(musicians) are less prepared to take the knocks.
When I was 11 I played bass guitar with my dad's band playing John Ryan's Polkas. Then 12 in a rock band playing guitar at crap venues. 13 on and off in my dad's band playing crappy.standard chords in songs Then 14 for the first time with my bouzouki and last 2 years I got a regular venue with a nice crowd who like trad music and been playing there every two months, which gives me good experiance and helps me improve.
First paid gig was in 1994 at a beer festival way up in the mountains. Luckily we had two musicians with experience with us, although they were straight off the plane from Ireland, and had, I would think, a pretty abrupt meeting with rural Norwegian concert habits. We sort of got through it, by repeating the first set, and half of the second.....not a great day for Music, but, hey.
First real gig was a 2 month-stint in Sta. Ponca, Mallorca, two years later. I played 4 sets a night, 7 nights a week. It really gave me stage experience for life. The boys I played with continued for 4 more months with two other fiddle players. Bless them.
IMHO, one criterion for when to start performing, is when more experienced musicians invite you to do a gig with them. That can give you the confidence that some need to go up there and play.
I think that on the whole there are a lot more public performances to be done in school, for charity, im church etc. than paid gigs. My first bigger public performance would have been with the children's choir in church at the age of nine. School orchestra concerts etc. followed.
My first public performance in the world of folk was singing three songs and accompanying myself on a borrowed guitar in a folk club at seventeen. I wanted to do it and I was lousy but everybody was friendly about it. I found it helped me a lot to find out about my weaknesses and strength so I would encourage any youngster to play in public as soon as they feel they are up to it.
when did you start performing?
when did you start performing?
For those of you who play gigs, when did you begin? More generally (or theoretically) when do you think a player is ready to perform in public? (I'm wondering about paid gigs or performances, not sessions.)
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by Tintin
Re: when did you start performing?
Fourteen years old. Too young. It warped me for life.
Just kidding. It was mostly a good experience, but it *is* business and can present all kinds of opportunities for disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment along with the good stuff. Adult guidance advised, preferably in the form of a wise and kind mentor. [Wise, kind mentor wanted to guide naïve, impressionable person through music business. Please provide references.]
When is a person ready? Hard to say, but if you’ve done non-paying gigs at coffeehouses or whatever and been well-received and people are asking where else you play and what do you charge for parties and would you be interested in playing for a neighborhood festival, then you’re probably ready to go after paying gigs.
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by Bob himself
Re: when did you start performing?
I think I started doing St. Paddy's day type stuff, and funerals, at around 14. But haven't done a *paid* gig since 18 or so. I have some volunteer stuff under my belt on flute, but it needs just a tad more experience with the tunes before I'd charge anybody foolish enough to listen.
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by wormdiet
Re: when did you start performing?
I haven't performed seriously yet. I would give my right arm to, but I'm not sure if I'm quite good enough. I think that I'm getting close, though, so I might at some point soon. I'd poke myself in the eyes with spoons before playing box for an audience, though-but I have to play at the Fleadh! Eeeee. Actually, I'll probably be okay by then, at least on the few tunes I'll have to play.
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by Zazzaliss
Re: when did you start performing?
Just reread my post and want to formally apologize to all of humanity. Sorry.
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by Zazzaliss
Re: when did you start performing?
"when do you think a player is ready to perform in public?"
When the public is ready to listen.
KFG
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by KFG
Re: when did you start performing?
I'm 16, have been playing since I was 4 and have only just started doing payed gigs. It's harder work than it looks, especially if you're playing alone. I've done a lot of unpaid things before now. I would strongly reccommend doing unpaid gigs as practice (if you mess up its ok!) before getting paid. I find that under about 15 people don't really take you seriously though. I suppose it all depends on individual situations i.e. what its for, who you're playing with, what type of gig etc.
The performance isn't just about the tunes. It can be hard to talk in front of people you don't know. Playing in sessions was good practice in the respect of tunes, but there's no better way of getting good at talking, other than standing up in front of people and talking!
Rosh
# Posted on November 23rd 2005 by Rosh
Re: when did you start performing?
1980,at a benefit for a friend.It was held in a cinema in Antwerp and there were a lot of people.I had never played in public before.I appeared with a guitar playing mate of mine.We did Flowers Of The Forest and The Soldier's Joy with the Appalachian dulcimer and Willy And The Hand Jive with two guitars.I was terrified,my wife had to push me on to the stage.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by dafydd
Re: when did you start performing?
Oh, KFG... you're so zen...
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by Farr
Re: when did you start performing?
I started performing at age 13 in a rock band playing Beatles and Stones for school dances. My mother had been nagging me to ask a girl to the dances, but I was so shy that it was easier for me to sing all evening to hundreds of kids than it was to ask a girl to dance.
I had a sunburst Kay Swingmaster single-cutaway semi-hollow electric with two humbuckers. What a great guitar! But, being young and stupid, I loaned it to a "friend" in college...never saw it again...one of my biggest regrets...
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: when did you start performing?
Apart from school concerts, I've only really performed in group situations for various things e.g Charity gigs, small ceilidhs, small concerts, Fiddlers rallies etc. Never on my own(except at school).
I've not had any real desire to be part of a proper band or to play solo and I'm quite happy to play in sessions and as above.
Now when is somebody "ready musically"? My answer would be "as soon as they can get away with it". This may be easier or harder in different circumstances but you'll never get anywhere without a bit of confidence and a little cheek.
I would argue that it's much easier for young people just "to go for it". When you are older, listeners tend to have more expectations and we(musicians) are less prepared to take the knocks.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: when did you start performing?
When I was 11 I played bass guitar with my dad's band playing John Ryan's Polkas. Then 12 in a rock band playing guitar at crap venues. 13 on and off in my dad's band playing crappy.standard chords in songs Then 14 for the first time with my bouzouki and last 2 years I got a regular venue with a nice crowd who like trad music and been playing there every two months, which gives me good experiance and helps me improve.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by ecidralla
Re: when did you start performing?
"when do you think a player is ready to perform in public"
A needlessly complex and introverted question.
The real question is: When does the player think he/she is ready to play in public?
If you wait till you're asked, you won't be ready even when you are asked.
On the other hand there are plent of people who begin to play in public because their self belief is bigger than their ability to play.
Reminds me of a little rhyme I came across:
"Swans sing before they die, 'twere no bad thing
should certain persons die before they sing."
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: when did you start performing?
"Swans sing before they die, 'twere no bad thing
should certain persons die before they sing."
Good one showaddy
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by Ron P
Re: when did you start performing?
First paid gig was in 1994 at a beer festival way up in the mountains. Luckily we had two musicians with experience with us, although they were straight off the plane from Ireland, and had, I would think, a pretty abrupt meeting with rural Norwegian concert habits. We sort of got through it, by repeating the first set, and half of the second.....not a great day for Music, but, hey.
First real gig was a 2 month-stint in Sta. Ponca, Mallorca, two years later. I played 4 sets a night, 7 nights a week. It really gave me stage experience for life. The boys I played with continued for 4 more months with two other fiddle players. Bless them.
IMHO, one criterion for when to start performing, is when more experienced musicians invite you to do a gig with them. That can give you the confidence that some need to go up there and play.
S
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by snorre
Re: when did you start performing?
from around 13 with family band, school dance band and first rock band (Tanner), but still doing the London irish club and pub cicuirt since i was 16
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by lisaniska
Re: when did you start performing?
okay, the R wandered = circuit
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by lisaniska
Re: when did you start performing?
I think that on the whole there are a lot more public performances to be done in school, for charity, im church etc. than paid gigs. My first bigger public performance would have been with the children's choir in church at the age of nine. School orchestra concerts etc. followed.
My first public performance in the world of folk was singing three songs and accompanying myself on a borrowed guitar in a folk club at seventeen. I wanted to do it and I was lousy but everybody was friendly about it. I found it helped me a lot to find out about my weaknesses and strength so I would encourage any youngster to play in public as soon as they feel they are up to it.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by kuec
Re: when did you start performing?
Before I realized I couldn't play.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by ragaman
Re: when did you start performing?
1930 (half past seven, that is).
Radio choir at 8, pub piano at 16, dance band in late-teens, never looked back.
# Posted on November 24th 2005 by geoffwright
Re: when did you start performing?
Depends on how you define 'performing'. I had to sing at parties when i was 3.....
# Posted on November 27th 2005 by flying tigerpig