Solo Gig

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Last Sunday I got a call to play some Hawaiian music at a dinner. They wanted to hire just one musician for some background music, and to back up some hula dancers for one song. I pointed out that steel isn't really a solo instrument, and the guy said "Couldn't you just bring some rhythm tracks or something?" Okay. $100 plus a free dinner.

The gig was this evening, and it went pretty well. I brought along a Jerry Byrd CD to play when I wasn't playing. The "hulu dancers" were a gag act - a bunch of old Shriners in grass skirts and coconut bras. Gag is right! They just ruined my favorite fantasy.

Anyway, the reason for this post is to describe the electronic challenges I encountered in my first solo gig. Here's a diagram of the setup:

The Boogie was connected to a pair of JBL D-130's in Pacific-style cabinets. These boxes are pretty dark sounding, which is one of the problems with this setup.

I decided to use the computer as a CD player when I wasn't playing, to provide ambient music. I also use the computer to run my rhythm tracks in Band-In-A-Box, which is set up to use Roland Virtual Sound Canvas 3.0 (a pretty decent sounding software synth).

Sounds like it should all work fine, right? I'll continue in the next message...

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Bobby Lee quasar@b0b.com gigs CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra S-8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

The Behringer mixer is my latest toy. It was only $80, and it's a full-featured 4 track mixer! It can take two mikes, two stereo sources, an outboard stereo effects unit, headphones, and even has stereo tape in/out jacks. Seems to be pretty quiet, too.

As soon as I got the sound system and computer set up, I popped in the Jerry Byrd CD and adjusted the level. Then I wired in the steel and started playing along. So far, so good.

Then I stopped the CD and started up BIAB. BIG difference in level. The CD sounds real loud, and BIAB, which uses the WAVE volume control, is real soft. I max out the WAVE volume and just crack the CD volume, and I think I have the right levels. Then suddenly BIAB isn't producing any sound at all.

I close BIAB and the CD player app, and just launch BIAB. Now it works. Whew! Old folks in Hawaiian shirts and mumus are filling the dining hall. I start my show.

Since Sunday I've managed to create twelve Hawaiian rhythm tracks. BIAB doesn't have any Hawaiian styles, so I had to cobble some together myself. Now as I play a slow tune, then a fast one, then a half-fast one, I realize that the volume levels of my styles are all over the map. For each song I have to quickly adjust the computer's volume on the Beringer during the intro, then quickly pick up the melody.

I blend into the ambience, I am the ambience. No applause, but now and then someone will come up and compliment me. Now I know how a piano player in the corner feels. This is cool!

I run through 10 of the 12 tunes. Some are a bit shakey, but the overall sound is acceptable. Dark, but acceptable. Sometimes the Stringmaster cuts like a hot knife through butter. I am having fun. On the 10th tune someone asks me if I could do Tiny Bubbles again. They were listening, and they liked it!

Suddenly the toastmaster calls the room to attention. After the benediction and pledge of allegiance, he talks a bit about how hard it is to find Hawaiian musicians around here, introduces me, and I get a nice round of applause.

Then he says we have a special treat, some hula dancers. I hit the spacebar and kick off Tiny Bubbles, and 4 old geezers in fake grass skirts and coconut bras "dance" into the hall. They put on a horrible show to everyone's amusement. There goes my "steel guitar fantasy" - I'll never ask to back up dancers in grass skirts again!

I break for dinner and put on the Jerry Byrd CD. Walking around the hall, I hear how bad this rig actually sounds. It's really boomy, and it seems like it has a lot of wow and flutter, like an old tape. Is that possible with a CD?

[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 17 June 2000 at 12:24 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

After dinner, I go back up and play Maui Chimes and real pretty Aloha Oe. I'm out of tunes. What now? As if on cue, the toastmaster says "Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for our entertainment tonight, Bobby Lee!" I get a good round of applause and take a bow. He start talking about old business and new business and I realize "I'm done! I played a solo gig on steel!" Very satisfying!

Looking back, I see that I have three major problems:

BIAB and the CD player in the computer don't like each other.
My cabinets work fine for steel, but they don't sound good for CDs and MIDI bands.
I need to fix the volume levels of my BIAB styles.

A minor problem is organizing all of this junk for easier setup and teardown. I had to pack an equipment case in addition to my pack-a-seat, and even that didn't hold everything.

Anyway, I just had to tell someone about all this. I want to thank Jim Baron for the idea and the courage. Seeing his rig gave me the confidence to try something like this. Thanks, Jim.

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Bobby Lee quasar@b0b.com gigs CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra S-8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Now you know how much work it is to replace real musicians with a machine.

John LeMaster · From: North Florida

B0B:

Neat story! Some good examples of resourcefulness needed on a solo gig. I enjoyed your descriptions of the sound, the people, etc.

I have played some solo vocal/guitar gigs, but never a solo steel gig. It sounds like you pulled off the solo steel gig exceedingly well. I'll bet it sounded great.

And, hey, an encore request for "Tiny Bubbles". The crowd obviously liked what you were doing. Thanks for sharing you experience with us.

John L.

Jim Baron · From: Madera, Ca.

Thats great Bobby, see nothing to it. )))Thats is why I use the 12" cabs with 1203 BW speakers, not so boomy or dark.
I also use a sound level meter and mix my volumes ahead of time and save them in the 'file' 'save songs with patches and harmony' where volume and pataches are the same each time you bring the song up in BIAB.
Would expect you can also set it so the level from the CD to the BIAB will match also.
With my new laptop and the Roland SC-8820 sound module, I'm having to remix every song I have...but I like the new sounds better.

Bob Kagy · From: Lafayette, CO USA

Nice interesting narrative. Any reason why your Sierra 8 string wasn't in the mix?

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Hey, Bobby, that sounds like a big hassle to me. Lots of work.I have played singles and just bring in my steel and amp, and my little Jr.organ attachment. As far as a steel guitar not being a solo inst. I don't believe that. I think it is a beautiful solo instrument besides a great backup intrument. I know 28 Hawaiian solos, and most all the 1000 solos in the old fake book, Jazz,pop,show tunes, classical, big band, but all on my E6-E13 tuning....That is some interesting experience that you had there...al

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Bob,

I needed two tunings (D13 and A6th). My Sierra Laptop and the front neck of the Stringmaster are both tuned to D13th, so I didn't see any point in hauling them both. If I record these tunes, I'll do it on the Sierra because it has a much better tone.

Here are the tunings I use on the Stringmaster:



     D13     A6


1    E       E


2    F#      C#


3    D       A


4    B       F#


5    A       E


6    F#      C#


7    D       A


8    C       F#

A lot of the traditional Hawaiian songs really require an A6 tuning. They sound wrong on anything else, to my ear, anyway.

[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 18 June 2000 at 06:22 PM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Al, I did improvise one tune without backup, just to see what it sounded like. I think that having a steady rhythm backup really helps a lot.

Russ, I agree with you about Big Jim Baron. He's been doing this MIDI stuff for quite a while now, and he's really good at it. He's no shabby picker, either!

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Bobby Lee quasar@b0b.com gigs CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra S-8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

You might try adding some tweeters to your speaker cabs.Wire 'em up to an "L-pad" and you can dial in some high end.
I was once asked to do a solo steel gig at some kind of L.A. music industry hoo-hah,but I felt unprepared and basically too chicken-$h!+ to wing it,so I passed it off to someone else.Earnest-did I throw you that bone? I don't remember....... -MJ-

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Mike, that sounds familiar. I think I had to say no because I was busy.
But I wouldn't be nervous about doing a solo gig. Remember that here in LA, nobody has ever seen a steel guitar up close, so any thing we play is OK.
I did do a solo gig for a church group once. I didn't bother to try to explain that we usually have accompaniment. I just played like I would play at home, but tried to leave out some of the mistakes. People seemed to like it. The challenging part came when they handed me the hymnal and I got to sight read 4 part SATB while they sang. Not to worry; keep it simple and people like the sound of the steel guitar.

Smokey Fennell · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I did a solo gig for two nights in a restaurant as dinner music. This was about 12 years ago and all I had was some poorly dubbed cassettes. I was very nervous since I had never been on stage all alone before. I mostly just made everything up as I went along. It must have sounded alright because I got a lot of compliments. I have the urge to try it again with BB tracks. All I have to do is find a place that will let me play.

John Knight · From: Alaska

For those that have done solo gigs the use of BIAB did the trick. Or did you feel that more midi intervention was needed, wanted. I'm about to take that plounge and I have spent the last 2 weeks listening to BIAB files and midi files. I would like to hear any pros/cons on this.

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D 10 Thomas with 8&6, '61'D-10 Sho-Bud 8&3
S12 Knight 4&4
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I've done a few of those singles. I made up my program tracks on a cassett and ran the player through my Stereo-Steel amp along with the steel. It has an independant jack and volume control for the cassett player input. I also used a mike to send through the house PA system.

It works out pretty good, but I need to get into the BIAB and laptop. www.genejones.com

Robert Thomas · From: Mehama, Oregon, USA

My comments are all positive I hope.
I have been playing solo for about 7 years now. I play an HWP Mullen PSG (bougth fromn Herby Wallace), 8 + 4. I use a Hilton pedal, used to be a Bigsby, (sure miss the back and forth tone control), but I love the Hilton. I use a Peavey MP5 Plus Amp head. For effects I use a Roland Space Echo, a Mutron Bi-phase and a Korg KR55 Rhythum machine. For my vocals I use a Audio-technia Pro Series 8HEx microphone. This mike straps (spring pressure) on the sides of my head and the mike is right front of my mouth. I have created a box in front of my steel that has momentary switches that I can quickly hit with my pick hand and not interrupt my playing. I have floor switches that I use with my left foot when needed. Some say a Steel isn't a solo instrument? I have been doing it for many years now and most people comment that I sound like a complete band. I am not bragging, but I believe that the steel guitar is one of the most beautiful instruments ever invented and solo music is just one of its great sounds. My speakers are two cabinets I built over 30 years ago. They each have two 16 Ohm 12 inch Jensen speakers and one 8 ohm horn driver. The sound is awesome. It is full and not offensive.
I started playing for dances, by myself back in 1949. I used a 6 string, Gibson BR-9 steel and a matching amp. 7 years ago I went back to doing it all by myself again. Isn't life strange and wonderful! I can truly say I have never had so much fun in all my life. My wife goes with me every time I play and I am going to do this until I can't do it anymore, unfortuntely I know that time will come, but I will face it at that time.
Thanks for listening. Keep playing beautiful music on your fantastic Steel and don't ever sell yourself short, you'll be surprised what you can do if you really try.

Dwight Mark · From: Denver, Colorado, USA

Just a little note on the Behringer. Baby that thing. After two months of gigging, the gain dial started shorting. I patched it with duct tape and then 2 gigs later the little power cord had a pin break on it. I figured it wasn't worth buying another adapter since it was so inexpensive and I already had the problem with the gain dial. I recently bought the Nady mini-mixer which is similar, but it has DSP effects.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Sounds like your earned the $100 for being a seasoned sound man. I guess there's a lot to be said about a CD with all the tracks prepared ahead of time...The latest Muscimatch version also burns at equal volume levels for each track as well..
Aloha !
great post b0b...
tp

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

The original post is almost three years old.

Did you do any more solo gigs, b0b?

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Bob in addition to my band gigs I have been doing the trax thing for about 25 yrs. In addition to the haw stuff if you are interested in more solo gigs, work up some old pop standards, Stardust, Deep Purple, How Deep is the Ocean etc; do a few gigs and you'll have more work than you want. I use prerecorded cassettes and BIAB cassettes played through a small peavey PA. good luck

Robert Thomas · From: Mehama, Oregon, USA

No one said anything good or bad about my system. I guess it is so old that most of what I use is longer made or available, but it really works great. I believe the greatest thing about it is that I don't have to rely on pre-recorded tapes or whatever. I just select the ryhthum I want and start playing anything I have in my list of 200 hundred songs that I nomally do. If someone has a request, I can just select the ryhthum and go for it. It seems to me that if you have to pre-record your rhythum and background, that you are restricting yourself to doing only what you have worked out at home. No chance for impromptu or self-expression.
Anyway I wanted to express my opinion, hope I didn't step on any toes. If I did, I apologize ahead of time. Thanks for listening.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

OK Robert, I'll speak up about your solo-rig. Your description leads me to believe you play steel, have some interesting effects, sing, and use a drum machine.

If I'm missing something please correct me.

So what do you do for Bass or Rhythm Guitar.
I can do without the guitar, but really need a Bass.

I'm really interested. This solo thing has it's appeal. Thanks.

Robert Thomas · From: Mehama, Oregon, USA

Joey. I do not have a bass. The closest to bass would be the bass drum on the rhythum machine. I have found through years of playing with groups, etc., that most every instrument detracts from the true sound of the Steel guitar. If I may say it, it muddies the real sound of the steel. I believe all of you steel players understand what I am saying, because you have all experienced it. I definitely believe the steel is a beautiful solo instrument and all the people who appreciate what I do, do not complain because there isn't a whole band behind me doing their thing.
Yes, the steel also sounds great with a band, but for what I am doing, I get to do what I want and the way I feel it sounds the best.
Thanks for your comment and question. Respectfully, Bob Thomas

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

Here in Nashville I've seen a bunch of solo singers work with no more than an electric drummer and at Tootsies. The customers don't seem to notice it, amazing. Being a drummer first I made up some drum tracks on five minute cassettes once just in case the drummer didn't show. We played a lot of day gigs at 1:00 in the afternoon so the tapes came in very handy. (Drummers can't get up that early!) It's a funky beginning and ending but you can get through the tunes and not have to cancel the entertainment altogether. This thread gives me ideas.

Joseph V. Sapp · From: eastern shore, Md.

OK,,,here go's !!!!
I've been doing the solo thing for quite some time. Mainly nursing homes, and rehab centers, but local festivals, Fall folage,Apple fest, ect. I as well use the Boss DR-5 for my background, but unable to find the Yamaha data filer. so ended up getting a Fender passport 150 and a 6 disc CD player. I have a fairly good selection of fantastic background. its a little more equipment to tote, but once set up,,,,its not bad..LOL... I play a Derby SD-10 4X5 into a profex ll and use a Lexicon MPX-100 for the Fender passport 150. out of the profex ll, I split it to a nashville 400 and a fender twin each placed about 4 ft. of either side of my steel rig. Each of the Fenders speakers on each amp. once set, the only ballance problem is with my DR-5, which isn't that big of a deal, it has a seperate slide volume on the side , so a short test of it and its a done deal. it took awhile to get use to everything put together, but for me,,,it works. when its break time,,,I preload some steel into the CD player and take 20 min. I know the people appreciate what I do, and do it free of charge. Sort of my way of saying thank you for some of the blessings I and my Family share. Good Steel, whatever style, regardless of pedals or not, done tastefully, has always put some smiles on many faces. only one draw-back,,,if ya miss a note,,,the only one you can blame is yourself !!!!! bob,,,sounds like you might have crossed over..... God Bless

Joe
Derby SD-1 4X5 Nashville 400 Fender twin
Lexicon MPX-100 profex ll (other secret toys)

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