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Location: Ohio | Those of you that are playing in public in a duo or trio setting? What are your favorite opening numbers? How many songs do you normally play in a set? |
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Location: Ohio | WOW 53 members read this and no one wants to give up thier secrets? lol |
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Location: Denver, CO | Hey, Stephen. Maybe all the "real" musicians (haha) were busy that day? Anyway, I'm not gonna be a lot of help, as I either perform one-man-band style or with a full rock band, AND my sets are about 99% originals, but... I always open with something loud and gritty. Uptempo is usually a good bet, but even a moderate tempo song with some cajones will get their attention and get their toes tapping. I don't like to open a set with some long, intricate instrumental, and I don't like to introduce myself or the band until later in the set; I just like to walk right out onto the stage and slap 'em in the face. All the nicy-nice stuff can come later. Depending on set length: 9 songs with no chatter can make a tight 45 minute set, but you can stretch 7 songs into that same 45 minutes. Do ypu have a jam-oriented instrumentalist? Do you like everything neat and tidy and comments quick and to the point, 11 songs will get you an hour, if you are doing basic covers. A typical 1 hour set for me is 10-11 songs. What's your style? Where will you be gigging? What's your audience like? |
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Location: Jet City | Sorry, just don't have any firm answers. First songs depend on my mood usually, or sometimes it'll be all the songs we do in dropped D so I can retune at the break, and our songs vary in length from 3 minutes to 10 depending on the song, so a 45 minute set could be 6 songs or 10 depending. |
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Location: sitting at my computer | nikon4004 - 2013-04-30 2:08 PM WOW 53 members read this and no one wants to give up thier secrets? lol Think nothin' of it nikon... it just means 53 of us lookie Lous either aren't playing out in public or... we're still trying to figure out IF we've got ANY "secrets" to give up! ????????  |
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Location: Flahdaw | nikon4004 - 2013-04-30 2:08 PM
WOW 53 members read this and no one wants to give up thier secrets? lol
Some of us thought you were posting YOUR opening numbers... |
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Location: Flahdaw | darkbarguitar - 2013-04-30 8:30 PM
nikon4004 - 2013-04-30 2:08 PM
WOW 53 members read this and no one wants to give up thier secrets? lol
Some of us thought you meant you were posting YOUR opening numbers... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I'm with the Preacher on this one, both figuratively and literally. Slap 'em in the face right off. You have only a few minutes to make a first impression, so don't waste any time doing so. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | We build our sets inside-out. Best song last, second best first, third to second last, etc.
Then adjust so no key is played twice in a row.
Then twiddle a bit so it builds like a play; establish the opening act setting build slow to a peak, then release and slow down a bit, then build again to a strong finish.
Then forget all that on the night and just jam for 10 minutes while the bass player changes a broken string mid-set. |
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Location: south east Michigan | fillhixx
We build our sets inside-out. Best song last, second best first, third to second last, etc.
Then adjust so no key is played twice in a row.
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perfect |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | ......did I mention? I'm the bass player  |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | .
Edited by fillhixx 2013-05-02 11:38 PM
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Location: NJ | I usually play original music |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | First off, it depends on the audience and the venue. I play solo, and also in duo and band configurations. I play a lot of places frequented by Baby Boomers, which is perfect for me since I’m a Boomer myself. My playlist is loaded up with easily-recognizable classic rock and some lesser-known but no less valuable “album cuts” by well-known artists. In a club or bar, I usually come out swinging – something like “Take It Easy” by Eagles or “Sundown” by Gordon Lightfoot. Those are my two most frequently used leadoff tunes. In a restaurant setting, might start with something more mellow like James Taylor’s “Something In the Way She Moves” or "Shower the People." I usually play four sets of 45 to 50 minute with 10 to 15 minutes off between sets. HOWEVER – that being said, if you’ve got momentum going and the crowd is with you, the last thing you want to do is kill that momentum by taking a break – especially if they’re putting a lot of Dead Presidents in your tip jar! I have been known to play all night without a break; now that they took my prostate out I can go all night without having to take a whiz – lol!
You have to learn to read your crowd too – see what’s working and what isn’t. First set is usually “anything goes” – except for trying to hit them right between the eyes out of the chute. After that I usually try to start the set with mellower stuff, then accelerate, getting rowdier and rowdier until I’m finishing up the set with something like Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses.” Anyway, I’ve been doing it this way for 42 years and it still works. I intend to keep doing it until they tell me to go home or laugh me off the stage! 
Edited by rick endres 2013-05-03 10:35 AM
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Location: south east Michigan | Rick... if I may ask... In those 3 hours or more... do you ever repeat a song?
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On a related tangent... We played a party gig and did about 40 songs. In hind site, we're wondering if that was "too much". |
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Location: Jet City | We do 35-45 songs if we're booked for an entire eve. I think you were spot on. |
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Location: Ohio | Thanks. We will be playing at a winerey for dinner, 7-10PM Outdoors if the weather is good.
Management asked for all covers so that is no problem and they want stuff that people know. So, John Denver, Jim Croce, Doors,Eagles, Lightfoot and that genre will be it. 2 guitars and vocals and MAYBE a guest female vocalitst for a few songs if she can make it,.
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Sounds like my kind of music. Wish I could be there. The opportunity to play that kind of music to an appreciative audience is pretty limited here. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Yeah, I would really enjoy playing at a winery. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | darkbarguitar - 2013-05-03 3:05 PM Yeah, I would really enjoy playing at a winery. hmmmmmm, I bet you would. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Some of the song lyrics might get mumbled or forgotten |
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Location: Tennessee | Something with a good groove. Nothing too fast, but just something that makes people bounce up and down a little bit to get them into the mood. It's good if it's recognizable ... I'll do an original if its a place where people sorta know it, otherwise it's a strong cover people can get into.
A female deejay once told me you gotta build your set list like you're making love. Start with something that gets them going with your rhythm and makes them want more, speed it up for a while, bring it down for a little intimate slow dance, bring it back up for a bit, another little bit of slow grooving, bring it up again, and then finish it up with all you can muster. And as Rick pointed out, if they are grooving with you, do not take a break. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | stonebobbo - 2013-05-03 4:16 PM
A female deejay once told me you gotta build your set list like you're making love. . . .And as Rick pointed out, if they are grooving with you, do not take a break.
So, Bobbo, your sets are about 10 minutes long? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | darkbarguitar - 2013-05-03 4:02 PM
Some of the song lyrics might get mumbled or forgotten
I can't remember the lyrics when I'm sober. |
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Location: Tennessee | Mark in Boise - 2013-05-03 3:31 PM stonebobbo - 2013-05-03 4:16 PM A female deejay once told me you gotta build your set list like you're making love. . . .And as Rick pointed out, if they are grooving with you, do not take a break. So, Bobbo, your sets are about 10 minutes long? Wrong unit of measurement, but aside from that, correct. ;-) |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Slip kid; I think if a song went over REALLY good and folks have mentioned it (or you happen to do it especially well) you can repeat songs through the evening. For the most part I think an act needs 35-45 songs to do a whole night. It's possible to do it with less, but once you have thirty....how hard is it to learn 40?
StoneBob; you take advice from a DJ!?!?! (Good advice, but still........) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | stonebobbo - 2013-05-03 4:34 PM
Mark in Boise - 2013-05-03 3:31 PM stonebobbo - 2013-05-03 4:16 PM A female deejay once told me you gotta build your set list like you're making love. . . .And as Rick pointed out, if they are grooving with you, do not take a break. So, Bobbo, your sets are about 10 minutes long? Wrong unit of measurement, but aside from that, correct. ;-)
Only a female would have come up with that analogy. Guys would be talking about how big their guitars are. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Brad Durasa - 2013-05-03 2:07 PM
Rick... if I may ask... In those 3 hours or more... do you ever repeat a song?
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On a related tangent... We played a party gig and did about 40 songs. In hind site, we're wondering if that was "too much".
Brad - I don't HAVE to repeat songs, but I DO some nights. If I get an exceptionally good response to one, I'll repeat it in a later set - "I already played this once, but I got a request for it and it's a fun song." They don't have to know the request is from YOU! And sometimes you really DO get requests for a song you already did. Anyway, I probably know about 100 to 125 songs by heart and have a "bible" (big looseleaf binder) with about another 200 songs in protective plastic sleeves.
Your party - how long did you play? 40 songs is just about right for a typical four hour night. If I play without breaks I do 48 to 50 in a four hour night... |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | ...pretty much what filhixx said. |
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Location: Chicago | "Song for My Father" (Horace Silver), "Mediterranean Sundance" are nice, familiar tunes to start with. "Take Five", too.... |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | nikon4004 - 2013-05-03 1:08 PM
Thanks. We will be playing at a winerey for dinner, 7-10PM Outdoors if the weather is good.
Management asked for all covers so that is no problem and they want stuff that people know. So, John Denver, Jim Croce, Doors,Eagles, Lightfoot and that genre will be it. 2 guitars and vocals and MAYBE a guest female vocalitst for a few songs if she can make it,.
Back when I was on the east coast a duo group, some friends of mine got hired for a HUGE outdoor venue (Busch Gardens I think) as an opening act. Thousands of people.. I asked what they were going to do as I knew they only played originals. The venue wanted popular covers... they just told them what they wanted to hear, then played their normal set anyway. They said it went over great, lots of new fans. They probably never got invited back (I lost touch with them) but a lesson learned. Granted this was a 60 minute set, but no reason to waste an opportunity to get your music heard. |
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Opening numbers