Max Bennett's notes from gig panel discussion on 7/28:
·
Coordination with the employer (restaurant
owner, host, store owner): specifics about the time, set up, pay, venue, type
of music, advertising, etc
o
Approaching employers:
§
Press kit? Or some way the owner/host can listen
to what you have to offer (ie soundcloud, youtube)
§
Business card?
§
Explaining who you are and that you are serious
§
Questions like: do you ever have live music? Would
you? Would you have jazz here?
§
High school tip: get your foot in the door. You might
just settle for food and tips at first and eventually work your way into
getting the owner to pay
o
Finding gigs:
§
Use connections you have (parents, friends,
coworkers etc)
·
Pay: is the pay guaranteed or is based off
ticket sales?
o
Ticket sales =riskier because the band leader
could end up negative if not enough people show up to pay what he/she told the
band members what they would get
o
The band leader pays the musicians usually and
divides it up (usually evenly)
o
What if we make more than was guaranteed? Then the
band leader usually splits that up but it’s not uncommon for the band leader to
take a little extra which is fine. He/she deserves because they got the gig,
formed the band, organized the music, advertised, etc.
o
Sideman risk: the band leader might take most of
the extra money or even most of the guarantee. However, you agreed to take the
gig when the band leader called you up and asked you to play for x amount of
dollars.
·
Calling musicians for a gig
o
Don’t ask this question: Hey, what are you doing
Saturday night?
o
Give as much detail about the gig as you can:
time (set up, warm up or sound check and end of gig), venue (specifics: parking,
are you going to pay for travel if it’s far away?), pay (how much, when will
you get paid, how), food and breaks (included or not), attire, music you will
play (set list), rehearsals?
·
3 reasons to take a gig: People, money or music
o
Strive to get two of the three when accepting
gigs
o
It’s usually good to be a yes man when you’re
starting out however: make connections
·
High school tips:
o
Get a group together, get some music together,
and find a place to play
o
High school venues: Romeos, sea jazz, Egans,
others…
·
Gig etiquette from Dan Chappelle:
o
Show the audience you are having a good time
(eye contact, smile, being into the music)
o
Make connections with the audience (talking to
them during breaks etc.)
o
Move around the stage
o
Stay engaged (pay attention to the soloists etc)
·
Set list!!! Mix up the tempo, style, key. Arrangements?
Try to not have your back to the audience for long periods of time.
