How to make One Woman Band into a show - I am loosing ground, need help!

[Toril S]

Hello friends! I am a hobby musician who play accordion and keyboard. Over the years I have played for some senior clubs, nursing homes and such. I don't have contracts, they just call me and we make an appointment. I take only a small fee, to cover my expenses. Being visually impaired I naturally don't drive a car, so I have to take taxi to go to my gigging places. We have a very fine senior club in my neighborhood, and I have played for them 20 years. But now I am loosing ground. The problem is this:
Several retired musicians, men, with powerful voices, powerful PA systems, powerful charms (there are more ladies then men in senior clubs!) and powerful cars are prancing in and taking my arena from me! They are show biz types, who have played professionally and know how to capture the audience! I am not happy, and I want to stand my ground and fight! It is unfair! They can drive a lot of places with their cars, but I can't go everywhere, so I want them to leave my small territory alone! The thing is, people were very satisfied with me before, but now those cowboys are giving them a taste of the real pro, and little Toril is put to the side. At least, that is what I see in the crystal ball right now.
I will not give up without a fight. I need tools (weapons) to fight this! I have myself, my accordion and my Tyros/PSR, my Bose and my good spirits, and, I hope, some charm left, so what more do I need? Pleas help me to arm myself, my good friends!

[Al Ram]

Toril

Hang in there !

You did not mention if you sing or not . . .  but you have a powerful keyboard (tyros/PSR) powerful sound system (Bose) and powerful good spirits.

One thing i would do is review the repertoire to make sure it is according to age/taste of audience.

In my opinion, you play well (you do !!!) and if singing nice and have a repertoire that the audience can relate to, you have a winning ticket.    You can also add a few appropriate jokes and stories for your audience.   Make the hour or two that you play for them a time for them to look forward to and remember when they were young . . . . tell them some stories that start with " do you remember when . . . . "

I am sure that you will give the competition a good fight.

[Joe H]

Toril,

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.psrtutorial.com/forum/index.php/topic,48087.msg376470.html#msg376470

Joe H

[Toril S]

Thank you so much Al and Joe H.

[Toril S]

When I gig, I don't come in, do my stuff for one hour, take my money and leave. I sit there the whole night, and play for them whatever they want, from a hymn at the table to dance music later at night. They wnat to sing carols, I play carols, or other songs that they want to sing. And i play "background music" when they just want to sit and talk, but stay in a good mood. A typical Christmas party for me: I come at five, and leave at midnight! And for all these hours I take but a small fee, maybe I am too modest? I see that there are some pitfalls in the way I do it: They get too used to me, I am just some "organ sounds" in the corner. The contact with the people around me is not so great all the time. I have to think through if I want to go on doing it this way. I sometimes have short gigs as well, and then I read poems and essays that I have written. These times I have much better contact with the audience. There is also the matter of eye contact, something I never can have with anyone. But that does'nt mean that I cant move around and adress people and give them the impression that I see them and care for their neesa. Hm, have to sleep om this problem. Late here now....

[ekurburski]

Off the top of my head I would say one of your biggest problems is over exposure .  5 pm to midnight?  How do you keep from getting bored yourself?  I can't imagine sitting and listening to a keyboardist for 7 hours!  Any keyboardist.  Well, maybe DonM, but only once!  And only because I would have had to have driven 8 hours to get to where he plays.

I would suggest trying to put together a one hour show set.  Make it quick and snappy and your very best stuff.  After doing a couple of these shows reevaluate, modify and try again.  Leave with your audience wanting more.

[Toril S]

Thanks for the good advice Earl!😀

[DonM]

Dang it E, you are a glutton for punishment!    Thanks for saying such nice things though.  Anytime you drive down here I'll play at your convenience, but only if you join in!
I play for the contracted time.  If everyone is having a great time I have no problem with extending the performance.  But once they start leaving or losing interest, I am finished.
Toril, being a lady you could always do a little striptease for them.  Have a defibrillator  on hand for the old guys though! 
Seriously though, I think that perhaps the problem is overexposure at this venue. (And I'm NOT talking about the striptease) 

[travlin-easy]

I agree with Earl and Don - overexposure! Always leave them wanting more and you will be invited back far more frequently. Additionally, raise your fee. There's a perception that when something cost more you get higher quality, though that is often not the case - especially in the USA.

Now, how about vocals. Do you sing? If not, you are losing both clients and money. Believe me, even if you think you only have a mediocre voice, there will be a lot of people that will love your vocals. And, they tend to improve with practice.

Finally, you must market yourself. Read the information I posted to Earl about this same subject.

Good luck,

Gary 

[Toril S]

Thanks DonM and Gary for the good advice! DonM, if I did a striptease they would all leave at once😀😀😩☺️

[sooty8]

Hi  Toril

I agree with previous comments you are spending to much time at the venue. I do a set 1 hour with fast paced music and sing-a-long
to keep them awake. One of my residential homes i play in twice a week unusual  I know. I have 14 A4 folders 2 performance programmes in each folder. A Christmas Folder and St Georges Day and New Year folder. I rotate the folders so the same songs are not always played. I make sure that I try and remember the  first names of the residents, and I involve them by name during the 1 hour set.
I tell a joke or two or my own personal family life involving my Grand Children, they love it and find it funny. I also make fun of myself
us Brits like this type of humour. I give you a taste, I was standing on my stair case the other day at home, I got half way and I was thinking, am I going upstairs or am I coming down. Sorry about the joke.  You will find that the residents of the residential homes have a say in the type of entertainer they want, if they like you they will want more. The residents are always asking me why I do not play for two hours, we all know the awnser to this one, they do not want to pay more. I charge £30.00 per hour for contract work, and for a one off £50.00. Don't sell yourself cheap your better then that. The other problem we have as musicians is that some are performing for no fee which pushes the price down what we can charge. Remember you are selling you, if the residents like you no other entertainer can take that away from you.

Go and fight them, good luck, I hope I have inspired you.

Steve

[Toril S]

Thank you so much Steve. Yes, you have inspired me!

[Paula]

 
I also agree over exposure ...
when I play there are several couples who are not residents and love to dance so they come to the facility just to dance  kind of like the old Lawrence Welk show was  if there is a holiday they dress up special ,when the song is over I always say lets give our dancers a big applaud and I do a few songs that have the whistle voices and one of my dancers stand and pretend to be whistling or yolding make a show, what ever you do get all involved and have fun when the entertainer is having fun joking and cutting up so is the audience ,make them laugh as sometimes making them cry with songs that have special meaning to them  moat of all have fun with them
            GOOD LUCK
             Paula   

[Toril S]

Thank you for the good advice Paula!😀😀😀

[Paula]

Hi Toril
hang in there girl here are some thought's that works for me,
I do sing and rarely use a midi I can sing and play but talking and playing is a task although to close my show I end with the midi HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU a song all know I sing part of it and continue to talk to them saying how much I enjoyed them and what a great audience they were  I ask them to give my dancers a big hand  I say God Bless all of you and then to make a joke I say thanks so much for not throwing rotten tomatoes at me , I announce the date of my next show and then  go and chum some of them shake there hands visit a little as my roadie packs up about 15 to 20 min and then leave
HAPPY NEW YEAR
          Paula

[Toril S]

You are a great entertainer Paula! Thanks😀😀😀

[Paula]

You are a great entertainer Paula! Thanks😀😀😀

Hi Toril
I am sure you are loved when you entertain , remember when you do a show you are the entertainer when they hire you it is because they want you , dont do free shows I am sorry to say this because many do because they love to entertain but when you charge you know they are hiring you because they want you and not because you are free entertainment, I always like what I buy that is why I buy it.... most of all dont even think about how some one is steeling your shows every one is different ,were I play they like a variety of entertainers and I never mind when they have some one else play ,I know I draw a huge crowed and many  family members of the residents choose the day I play to visit ,just keep playing and having fun !!!!
I am not posting songs as often on this forum but I do keep up with the posts....life is busy
      Paula 

[ekurburski]

Om the singing front Toril, I have told this story before but here I go again.  Way back in the 70's I had a little jazz trio.  I booked it into a club along club row in Bladensburg, Md just outside of Washington DC for a week.  First night so so crowd. Second night not so good.  Third night, one table.  At the first break I told the guys I'd be right back and took a drive up the strip and checked out the other clubs.  Every one was filled with customers being entertained by bands with singers.  I came back to the club and told the owner to forget about the next two nights and packed it up and went home.  Decided someone HAD to sing,  No one wanted to so it was left to me.  What I did was pick songs that were up tempo that I could clip the words short on.  My first vocals where Proud Mary & Mac the Knife.  It took several years b4 I could do a ballad but I kept at it and got better.  If you want to work you've pretty much gotta sing.

[DonM]

Sometimes it's good to get the audience involved.  Back when I was doing a lot of nursing homes, I would take a big gaudy hat withe price tag dangling from it, and I would choose one of the ladies to be "Minnie Pearl". 
I would do a song, then call her up to tell everybody "HOOOOWDIE, I'm just so glad to be here!"  They would all "howdy" back.
Later on, I would give a pair of glasses and a floppy hat to one of the men and tell everyone he was "Grandpa Jones".  Then I'd ask him "what's for supper Grandpa?"
Now there is no telling what he'd say, maybe "what does it matter it all tastes the same here."  Or maybe describe the meal he'd LIKE to have.
I would also start a midi file of "Teddy Bear", take a wireless mic and walk out into the crowd and give one or two of the ladies a teddy bear.  I would buy them at discount stores for about  dollar or less apiece.
Just so many things you can do...

[Toril S]

Thanks again my dear friends! I love you! Knew I would get great ideas from you😀

[RoyceM]

Hi Toril,

I think I have a near 2 cents worth of material to contribute on this kind of entertaining topic.

For years I have read opinions by forum members who have had success and assume it's because they are doing things "right," and advise others accordingly. I think many approaches can work, especially when they are good fits with an entertainer's personality.

As for me? I'm a quiet, quick witted guy who is most comfortable just being genuinely myself, which my audiences appreciate. BUT, I know they also get entertained by high energy entertainers whom they enjoy. I think the variety is good, that way each resident will surely get their personal preferences satisfied, eventually.

As for music I play, I specialize in older music. I do not sing but play songs they will remember ranging from the 50's (some more recent) back into the 1800's. I arrange song sequences so that the mood has a repeating ebb and flow mix of fast, medium, and slow tempo tunes and instrument types throughout the hour. (One hour programs are the standard here in my Salem, Oregon area.) I likely will soon need to include more recent music as my audiences become younger.

Also, I have developed some "patter" material for between songs. I almost always share the years songs were written, and maybe the name(s) of high profile artists who recorded them, and info such as that the Christmas song I'm about to play was written during a blistering hot summer in the year xxxx.

I've researched and printed a reference sheet about what happened in the years in which my songs are rooted, but only the fun or interesting items--not the negative stuff. I only occasionally use this material when I learn that somebody was born in "1928", for example. They like hearing things like: when sliced bread began being sold in stores; when certain old radio programs started; and when Mussolini's Irish wife supposedly broke his nose.

When residents participate by interacting with me, I often find opportunity to tease. I make (and often embellish) tasteful self-deprecating remarks about myself, the kind that will usually set a few folks into giggles.

About one month a year I will announce a segment on poetry, which inevitably causes many residents to wince. When they realize I am reading old Burma Shave slogans, they love it. I read only about two or three slogans (There are hundreds!).

This whole topic is one that we members could shop-talk about for hours in a face-to-face meeting. Oh, the stories we all could share!

Toril, after all the times you have visited your residents, surely they appreciate you and will accept whatever changes you make. And besides, the facility can afford your generosity to their budget.

Please keep us updated.

- Royce

[Toril S]

 Thank you so much Royce for that useful advice! Good idea to give more information about years and songs! I think I must work on giving a little more of myself, not be so timid, not just sit in my corner behind my keyboard. I sometimes take my accordion out among the audience and talk to them and do sing-alongs, and that is always popular. And, I have to take some history lessons! That's what I always thought, keyboard playing is good for the brain as well!

[mikf]

Royce
You are completely correct - there is more than one way to skin the cat. While it is true that people love a good vocalist, there is still a place for musicians. The keys are to play good songs, play them extremely well, engage the audience and have confidence. If you don't sing, your playing is pretty mediocre and you don't engage the audience, then you are in an uphill battle, especially with an arranger, where there may already be a perception that 'the machine is doing it'.  The player has to be obviously good enough to dispel that.
Mike

[RoyceM]

Mike,

I sometimes explain to my audiences that even though my music might sound like recordings, I do not prerecord my music...that I prefer to make my mistakes live, and that I will inevitably demonstrate that fact. This usually gets a few chuckles.

- Royce

[travlin-easy]

Mike, the misconception that it's all automatic is easily dispelled when you turn the keyboard sideways to the audience so they can actually see you playing. Many years ago, when I was using a three tiered keyboard stand, with two keyboards and my mixer and vocal processor on the top tier, the only way my audiences could see me was to turn the keyboard sideways, similar to the way that Liberace set up his gigantic grand piano when he was performing on stage. This allows you to maintain eye contact with the audience, while at the same time, they can actually watch your fingers on the keys.

Cheers,

Gary

[mikf]

Gary
I have never thought that the audience think arranger players are essentially pretending to play. Its just that if a player uses simple LH chords and a single note melody line the general perception is that this is not something that is taking a huge amount of skill, the technology is doing most of the work. I don't think that matters much for a vocalist in the same way that they wouldn't care if he was accompanying himself with simple guitar strumming, if he can sing and is a decent all round entertainer because he isn't being judged on that playing alone. But when the instrument is all you have, in my opinion it takes a bit more. This is easily dispelled if you play with some musical flair, and /or engage the audience.
Cheers and Happy New Year
Mike   

[Ed B]

Hi Toril
You have got a lot of ideas here. I going to add my 2 cents.

Your overall objective should be to provide an experience that will turn your audience into fans.

Start by getting to know your audience and design your program to meet their needs. Many in their past lives were school teachers, doctors, business owners, plumbers, economists people from every walk of life. Sometimes you can work this into the program. Here in long term care about 85% of the folk require help with their daily living so audience involvement will have to take that into account.

Take a look as well at what competitors are doing and differentiate your program where possible
.
Decide on the length of the program. An hour to an hour and a half , two hours whatever seems appropriate.

Select the music,  (time appropriate), and cover the emotional waterfront with the pieces you choose. Its good to add some novelty tunes. By time appropriate I mean select pieces that you believe they will relate to. Not a heck of a lot of sense in playing music they don't care for.

Sometimes in a program a break will be appropriate and the staff will arrange for refreshments. Good time for you to mingle and maybe use some of your own midis as background.

Keep your program fresh.

Do consider audience participation, you can use props as Don has suggested, you can have them clap, or a sing along, or a karaoke if you can find someone willing to participate.  Involve the staff if you can this can sometimes add to the fun. If you can add some humor stories, jokes all kept in good taste spice up a performance. Royce's suggestions are excellent.

Always end with a song you adopt and use as your theme. I think it's best to keep it uplifting. It's great to leave them on a high.

Get feedback and make changes to your program where needed.

Gary has a good article on marketing on the main section. I would like to add a couple of comments. Know the decision maker usually the director/manager recreation. Make it easy for them to contact you. Handouts such as a calendar to be kept on their desk, or a pen with your name telephone, or an engraved business card are good. Spend some time if you can to develop a relationship. They are the decision maker, but rest assured you have to satisfy the audience to get called back. Studies have shown that digital facilitation is not as good as a plain old letter.

Your own web site is an idea and many use them. That's a subject in itself.
Oh and last but not least do use a formal contract spelling out the arrangements.
My 2 cents
Regards
Ed B

[beykock]

Hi Toril,

There is no business like show business.😉

A good friend of mine was a pro gigger for many years and experienced almost the same problems you are meeting.

Two years ago he decided to start a private " keyboard school ".
He is living in a small village.

He has approx. 20 pupils now : young and old people.
Most of them are Yamaha home players.

They have a lot fun together, no stress, no travel and he is happy with his stable income.

From time to time he is still gigging but now he only accepts orders he likes.

Babette

[Toril S]

Thanks Mike, Ed B and Babette. And a big thank you to all of you for excellent advice. I feel much better now! I will start to work on my act, and think it will be fun to make some changes!

[Pianoman]

Hello Toril.

I find that the advice that everyone has posted is right on the money and really don't
have much to add.

Maybe I can only add that you should know your songs like you know your hands, and
be able to play them backwards if necessary.

It all starts there, mastering your instrument and your music.
That requires practice and more practice. There is no other way.

Have confidence that you've done all you can to make your instrument sound the way
you'd like it to sound, on your sound system.

I'm still struggling with the crappy EQ, Compression and general sound of my Genos at
the moment, and the audience notices that.

You have to be comfortable with yourself, your music, and your instrument.
If you are not at ease with yourself, you won't be able to put your audience
at ease either.

Only then will you be able to give your undivided attention to your audience  and
engage with them.

I normally turn the tables and put the spotlight on my audience, as opposed to having
200-300 eyes on me all the time.
It alleviates the pressure and makes the audience feel more involved.

I'm nervous as hell when starting to play, but that's ok, it goes away after a few minutes.
I think that applies to most of us here.
Even Barbara Streisand said she's nervous when starting a concert.

Like I said, all the responses and advice that others have given are right on the money.
I just thought I'd add a few more thoughts.

Best Regards.
Abby.