Solo act on steel guitar ?

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

I was wondering if any steelers on the forum have or wondered about doing solo acts or gigs ?
There are so many smaller animal clubs around that have gone to the single DJ thing I guess for $ savings. Why hire a full band for $500 when you can get a DJ for $50.
DJs are a dime a dozen around here, but I can teach my 2 year old grandson to play a record player

If one were to try as a solo steeler in clubs how would you set up the show,,,tracks behind the steel,,instrumentals along with some singing,,switching off on 6 string guitar for a few country rock songs ?
Im interested in this venue as it seems doable with some planing,,,I think the audience would rather see a musician actually playing, performing and interacting with the audience, rather than some one playing a turntable and acting like a musician performing somthing.
DJs have undercut a lot of good bands, so what goes around might just come around sometime,,,,what do ya think ?

Terry Gann · From: Overland Park, Kansas

I'm a "One-man-band." I've been doing it in one form or another since 1985. I play every friday in a pizza place. Been there for over a year. I'll use a MIDI program from a laptop to trigger a synth module for the backup. Recently, I've built a smaller, portible rig "battery powered!" that uses an MP3 player (think IPOD) for the background. I've build the background MIDI or audio files in my home studio. At the show, I'll sing and play acoustic or electric on top of the background audio. Lately, I've even taken my 6 string lap steel out for a couple of tunes. I haven't worked up enough tunes yet to justify taking the PSG yet... but that's coming.

To do what you want, you really need to be able to sing well the whole night. Or, if you happen to be a great psg picker, just keep the great instrumentals coming and don't give 'em any time between songs for a request.

Being a solo artist has good and bad points: Money-good point! Divide by one!
Moving gear-bad point. You're on your own. Keep it compact. Buy the lighter stuff and you don't need monitors when your the only guy you need to hear over. Just keep your speakers a bit behind you.
It can also be lonely, on a stage by yourself. You have no "band leader" to pass the bothersome audience question to. But also, you're the star and its your show do do with what you want. Last week, I was feeling so good, I played three hours straight with no break, A RECORD FOR ME! If I was with a group I couldn't do that without pressuring bandmates to do the same. With no breakes I really kept my crowd and after the 2 hour mark, the boss noticed and started cheering me on!

Go for it. having a solo act is useful even if you are in a group. You'll always be able to cover the show, even if the drummer and bass player get arrested on the way to the gig.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

A lot of the jobs that bands used to get are now filled by solo or duo acts. But, the issue is $$$, most places won't pay enough for a full band. I made more money playing in a band in KC (both sides of the state line) than they pay here in Florida.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

I thought of doing a single, switching between guitar and steel, because I figured it'd be easier to get started that way than finding a band when I first moved here. I got a bunch of midis and reworked them until they sounded decent and practiced up playing with them.

No interest here so far, and now I've found some bands anyway so haven't done the single. The thing for me is that I don't really get into playing by myself anyway, playing with live musicians is what inspires me, but I'd be glad to do the single with tracks over nothing.

If a person doesn't mind doing it all himself, I think it's a good way to go, as has been already said, lots of places won't pay for a band anymore or don't even have room or want a big "loud" band.

I did play a duo a few times in Kansas with a drummer and we used these midi tracks and it went fine. We did a bunch of jazz and pop standards, I muted the drums in the midi tracks and burned them to audio CD's and played them through the P.A. from a CD player in the rack. No problem.

I prefer to play with a band, but if that doesn't keep me busy enough I'll try again for the single guitar/steel & tracks thing.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 21 July 2005 at 03:16 PM.]

Wayne Morgan · From: Rutledge, TN, USA

I play a set in a community show, with a laptop and BIAB and people seem to enjoy it.
I do steel solo's and a little vocals just to kinda break up too much steel, if you can get too much steel. I am the best steel picker in the show,,,oh yeah,,also the worst steel picker (the only steel picker)
Maybe I should have used the word "hacker" instead of picker.
Anyway it is a fun time for me after the day job all week.
Wayne

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hi Richard, I did a single here in Nashville in the early 90's and I had a blast but let me tell you it's a lot of work.

Unless you know 100's of songs watch out because after a while people get tired of hearing the same old songs and they want to hear a lot of different styles.

I played a happy hour from 6 to 9 and I got paid real good plus tips, but again I had to sing every song and play every lead ride.

I sequenced about 200 songs to start off and added about 200 more over the coarse of 2 years and folks still wanted songs that I couldn't play.

I had a real good sound and my buddies came by and jammed with me just about every day and that was one of the good points. I loved it when my steel playing buds came by.

I worked at a truck stop bar at night time on the weekends and really cleaned up so to speak.

I think if I did it again I would add a singing bass player to help me with more songs and someone to buddy with.

Good luck and let us know how thing go if you decide to do it.

Bob

John Lacey · From: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada

I recently did this at a local market that happens every Saturday morning. I set up trax on BIAB and recorded them to CD's in sets, then played along on a boombox. The boombox was a little on the quiet side, but the operator was happy cause the vendors had no problem hearing the customers. It's a little lonely up there after years of playing with other players, but I got to keep all the money and called all the shots. I'll do it again twice this summer.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Richard. You sure can't get a $50 DJ here in the Atlanta area!! Those guys are not cheap here. You could get a good single for what they charge, but most parties private and corporate go with the DJ.

Michael Barone · From: Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Richard, here are some things I did when I played as a single from 1993-95, as a keyboardist/guitarist:

Give yourself at least an hour to set up and adjust controls. (I used to arrive an hour an a half early.

Build a library (of MIDI files if thats what you will use) of songs with 40% or more extra.

Explain to your customers (and the owner/coordinator up front) that you will consider requests while on break between sets. (And will not consider requests during the set).

Pace your vocals. You may want to consider lowering the key a little on some songs to stretch out your voice.

Don't forget the line dance crowd.

Keep the instrumentals simple. Make a long and short version of each, so you can use a short one for a quick breather late in the performance.

Make sure your drums sound authentic. Record your percussion using a decent patch/module. Stay with instrument patches like basic piano and avoid "synth-sounding" instruments.

Make sure your familiar with the count-off on everything.

Organize your sets as a guideline to follow, with flexibility to go to a master list to change-up according to the room. Be able to access any song at any time, quickly.

Just some thoughts on what I used to do.

------------------
Mike Barone
Sho-Bud Pro-1, Nashville 112, Assorted Guitars & Keyboards

[This message was edited by Michael Barone on 22 July 2005 at 07:44 AM.]

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Excelent replys fellas, thanks

Tom Jordan · From: Wichita, KS

I'm still using a Roland MC50 for playback because it has a separate output for the lead-in count...this is good because the customers don't have to hear it--I run it into the monitors only. I am set up from my lap top as well but don't trust it due to the rare disc accessing that can really pork a play-back.

I wouldn't mind upgrading the sequencer (Roland) but haven't seen anything that isolates the metronome output for count-ins. That plus the "set list play" feature are really important to me.

For backing tracks I use Jammer Pro 5 and only record the bass, drums and guitar or piano. This keeps it basic--to many instruments or "fills" will conflict with your vocals and guitar fills. BIAB is cool...I just prefer the Jammer grooves...it is less busy to me as far as drums and piano fills for the generated tracks.

Like most, I always rather play with a band but refuse to sit home and miss the chance to play because it won't fit the venue.

Tom Jordan

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i play solo gigs w: my Zum, lap steel & gitbox usin' my musikal laboratory fer back up
Biab, my own recorded back up tracks, some of Buddy E's too, & a Boss rythm box.
9 times outta 10, somebody wants to know what that thing is i'm playin'
so i give the good folks a steel education.
imo the lap steel really gets the most appeal & attention
it's easier to get gigs bein' solo than w: a 4 or 5 piece band
Duos work well for me too

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