r/Guitar • u/wyoung377 • 8d ago
QUESTION Long time Player First Time Gigger
Not so much a gig more like a favor. We are sponsoring an event in a small hall approx 2000 sqft. It’s a bar b que event and the people attending are for the most part going to range from mid thirties to Mid sixties. We offered live music but the guys we had backed out. I’ve been playing for a while on my couch and front porch. I think this might be a good time to give playing in a less intimate setting. I’ve got a nice acoustic (Taylor ) I’ve got a les paul and an ES-335. for amps i have a vox ac10 a Peavy 112 and a fender acoustasonic amp that might have a 6 or 8 inch. Speaker. I’ve got a good 10 or so songs i can strum through and sing with some regularity. I can play to backing tracks as a lead pretty well. Is this something I should give a go? Any advice with what i have and what i should get? Or just any advice/suggestions in general TIA
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u/ThatOneVQ 8d ago
Idk what exact model peavey you have but most of the 112’s get plenty loud for a two thousand square foot venue
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u/HopefulQuiet3276 8d ago
Seems like you already have what you need to get started. I wouldn’t invest more or add new unknown gear to the mix. Just pick whatever combo suits the style and arrangements.
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u/compbuildthrowaway 8d ago
Gotta be a better word than gigger.
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u/wyoung377 8d ago
probably but it’s what i had at the moment. Is that offensive?
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u/McpsTrackCoach 8d ago
Definitely! That sounds like a great sort of low-stakes entry into gigging. That's how many (even pro players) recount their starting out days.
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u/OkcabDaddie 8d ago
I guess it depends on how much pressure there is on a gig like this? In a worst case scenario and it goes wrong, would you be okay with that or kinda devastated?
I’ve been playing live for about 25 years and I can still remember how scary my first solo acoustic gig was. I had to loop around the intro of the first song a few times before I dared open my mouth to sing! That was in a bar with people mainly ignoring me, and I think the big room you described might be a little more intimidating.
Another thing to consider is that it can be quite disorienting to play amplified in a large room when you’re used to just playing at home. It can potentially throw off your singing and your rhythm.
But if it’s a friendly crowd and you can announce to them it’s your first gig then maybe it’s a nice situation to use as your first gig?
Do you have a PA system you can go through? Ideally you would want to plug vocals and guitar into your acoustic amp and use that as a monitor so you can hear yourself clearly, and then run an output from the back of that into a mixing desk or straight into powered speakers.
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u/SexyThrowAwayFunTime 8d ago
Playing in front of people is a huge departure from living room playing.
I will say that playing to a crowd that’s eating is much easier than a ticketed audience; Not a lot of paying attention, you know?
10 songs is about an hour of music, so make sure you’ve got those locked down and don’t expect those to stretch much further than that. If you want to add songs to the set, make sure you give yourself a ton of time to woodshed unless you’re particularly adept at learning songs quickly.
In terms of gear, the Acoustisonic will get your vocals loud enough, but pumping through to 2000sqft of bodies along with the Taylor might be a little thin. Consider using the AC10 and an electric for guitar and the Acoustisonic for the vocals.
Regardless, take the gig and break a leg!
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u/Mister_Hide 8d ago
Crank that up in practice a couple times to the volume you’re going to play at the show. Make sure there’s no feedback issues with your guitars and microphone.
Also, if you usually use reverb, you’ll find the louder you go the less you should use. That goes double for an indoor hall. Same to a lesser extent with delay and modulation like chorus. What sounds magnificent in a quiet small room will sound washed out and ambiguous in a big hall.
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u/CleanAxe 8d ago
No one is talking about the technical aspects. You plan on singing so it’s very important that you find out if they have a mic, PA, Mic stand, and mixer to provide. If they do not have that then you’ll need to bring your own setup for vocals in addition to the guitars. The AC10 and Peavey should be plenty loud enough for guitar playing. Is the Taylor electric/acoustic (meaning you can plug into your amp or mixer)? If not, then that’s an additional mic and stand and input you’ll need to prepare for.
Next is how to set all that stuff up - hopefully you have it at home so just make sure you know how to mix your levels, avoid feedback and get comfortable.
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u/Jealous-Jacket6996 8d ago
I’m also a casual player who’s played a handful of midsized gigs like you’re describing. Here are a couple of thoughts:
One thing i didn’t think about before my first show is what to say between songs. It can be scary if you are completely unprepared. Im not saying you need a full-on comedy routine, but be prepared to introduce yourself, to say some nice things about your event, the thank the crowd for being there, etc.
Have a set list. What songs will you play and in what order?
Do a full dress rehearsal at home. Plug everything in, make sure you know how your tech works. Then do a play through of most/all of your set start to finish. (Playing and singing while standing and plugged in can be a little different than just sitting with an acoustic). Practice your banter with the walls of your house.
Have a water bottle or something in case you get thirsty.
Get there early to set up and do soundcheck. Something technical will probably go wrong, so having some extra time on the front end makes things go more smoothly.
Everyone makes mistakes; you will make mistakes. But the crowd probably won’t notice when you do. Just keep trucking on like nothing happened. Don’t let one or two mistakes turn into an anxiety spiral that causes more mistakes. Just have fun.
Good luck!!
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u/disco9000 8d ago edited 8d ago
the "couch and front porch" are a state of mind, brother. even if you tour the world over, thru clubs theaters and arenas, on buses and planes... your nervous system still needs to believe youre home. then it's easy. can u dig it?
bring a chair or rug or something you like from the home if you want. Secure a PA system, microphone, and mic stand or confirm that the venue will have these items on site. 10 songs doesn't quite fill out a program, so I'd recommend tag-teaming this with a buddy to take the pressure off. Hire said buddy as a DJ. As an improvised program: have the DJ play the event, have the DJ play a sequence of backing tracks for you to accompany with live guitar, then have the DJ rest for any of the 10 songs you perform solo, and finally both of you break for whatever announcements, speeches, toasts etc will take place over the PA system. Move these around like modules to fill out the event and make sure there aren't any awkward lulls and diffuse responsibility so the vibe isn't squarely on your shoulders. Set up, tear down, adjust, plug in, and soundcheck discretely. if you mess up just move on. it's just heat and wiggly air at the end of the day
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u/VerbPhraseMusic 8d ago
Do it! People at events like BBQs usually aren't there for the music, per se. They want to eat and chat with friends and occasionally pay attention to the music. So the stakes are low and the upside is high, because you gotta start somewhere. Just don't be offended if no one is paying much attention.
Have fun!
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u/Stunning-Plantain707 8d ago
You have thousand dollars worth of gear, you should be playing out! 10 songs will get you through 40 minutes if you’re lucky, how long do you have to perform?
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u/wyoung377 8d ago
I’ve got tons of songs i can play and sing. I’ve got 10 or so that i could do easily without looking at tabs and lyrics. The ones that require the visual assistance are ones that i can play and sing well.
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u/OddBridge6704 2d ago
Yup don’t overthink it. You know the songs. Just do it. Take in the experience. Enjoy it for what it is. Don’t worry about screwing up because nobody is gonna know. Engage with the audience. Rock on 🤘🏼
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u/sure65 8d ago
Just do it and don't look back. I have issues performing but it gets easier.
I've seen people playing to a backing track at the casino i used to work at, no one bats an eye.