How to optimize a live performance?

[hans1966]

Hello Guys, today I want to tell you something that is worrying me, and I would really like to know your suggestions and/or advice about it.

It has already happened to me several times on stage, especially when I have to accompany a particular singer.

In my case I am the orchestra with my sx600, and in some specific songs you have to start with a sound, sometimes a piano, other times strings, and then combine it with a style appropriate to the theme.

The problem itself is not the combination of sound + style, the problem or rather inconvenience results when you have to quickly change from one musical genre to another, since I must adjust to the dynamics of the singer who sometimes does not leave space between one song and another. other.

There are (apparently) abrupt changes in musical genre, such as: going from a romantic ballad to a Mexican ranchera, or also from a Fox to a cumbia.

Summarizing the issue, my problem is that sometimes it takes me up to 20 seconds to make the change, and even though previous programming has already been done, and I have some registers configured with styles, I always have to look for the style, and adjust it to the singer's size, and that's not to mention that due to the stress of the moment I sometimes forget the key and in cases of urgency even the introduction of the song at the moment.

Therefore I would like to have some advice and recommendations from you to solve this embarrassing problem and optimize my work.

Beforehand thank you very much!!

[Duurduur]

I think it is best to agree with the singer before the performance. In this case, the singer must also adapt to you. If you need at least 20 seconds to set everything up, that shouldn't be a problem.
Then you give a signal that the singer can start.

regards, Ruud

[J. Larry]

As a solo performer for retirees, I don't have to worry about another singer.  However, I've often struggled with the time element between songs.  I don't like a lot of down time, unless chatting briefly with the audience about a given song.  I prerecord my backing tracks with the SX 900.  Then, I play wav files from a laptop, or a high-rez audio player, with me on guitar and vocals.  If playing the SX 900 live, I simply play the wav backing tracks from the built-in audio player.  Playlists can be sequenced in a particular order, moving quickly to the next tune----sometimes, with very little break between songs.  And, if a request is made, it can generally be found quickly.

[Amwilburn]

For me, if I really want a small gap between songs, I would create a new folder, and *copy* the registrations for the songs I'm using into that folder and call it "July 24, 2024 Gig" or whatever the date of the performance was (or maybe the location you're preforming, whatever you prefer).

Copy, don't move your registrations into there. Now rename them to include 01, 02 etc at the front in the order you want the songs performed in.

Now when you're done 1 song, you simply load the next registration up. You can advance registrations within a single file using a pedal, but if you change the registration's behavior to "Next" instead of "stop", you can even just keep stepping on the same pedal to advance to the next song. Literally *no* downtime if you do that! Or very little if all your performance's registration files are within a single folder (no faffling about with styles or mic settings if you've done your registrations properly beforehand, which you should have ironed out during rehearsals)

Mark

[DrakeM]

I place all the styles for a one hour set in one folder. There are always 16 styles in that folder. They are in Alphabet order/ song name. I could, I suppose, add a number to them from 1 to 16 and that way have them the in the order I will be doing them.

I play all my song in the key of C. I therefore always need to use the transpose KEY to play the song in the key I sing it in. That is why I tag at the end of the Song Name and on my LEAD SHEET the key I play it in. I place for example +2 (for the key of D) or -3 for the key of A. That makes doing the KEY change simple.

There are times when my mind goes blank and although I have the notes for the intro listed for the kick off, I can't recall the melody to play them as they should. I simply laugh it off with a remark to the audience and take a few seconds and it comes to me.

The singer you are working with should be the one to fill in the dead space as you are setting up the next song. They should also look to you for the okay for when to begin the next song.

I was on a cruise 3 weeks ago. There was a duo of Yamaha piano player and girl singer. I spoke to the piano player and asked if he was using styles. He was using all backing tracks he made himself with the keyboard. The tracks contained drums and bass only he told me. I think a few of the tracks contained more tracks from what I heard.

If I were the backup band for another person who was the singer, I believe I would use the backing tracks as well. I know from experience, I sometimes screw up the arrangement as I am playing live but I can fix it myself and go to a quick short instrumental, and then get back into the song (nobody notices).

[J. Larry]

That's interesting, 16 songs per one-hour set.  I usually work about 20 songs per set.  At least that's the plan.

[mikf]

Hans
Being in calm control of the pacing is part of the expertise of the professional player. You have to develop the skill set to do this and it has several requirements. You have to be organized in how you play your sets, you need to arrange your songs so that these style mistakes are unlikely. For example, play intros that set the timing so your singer cannot jump in too soon, or before you are ready. And your singer/front man needs to know how to control an audience and smoothly cover inevitable gaps that sometimes happen....He talks, to the audience, introduces the song, do what he has to make the audience believe you are all in control. That's his job, not just to sing.
As far as you forgetting the key, or the intro in the stress of the moment.... There is a big difference between being professionally slick and rushing under pressure.  Being organized, practice, experience is how you combat the  stress of performing and look like a pro.
Mike

[hans1966]

Hello Guys, thank you all very much for your advice and suggestions, they are very important to me.

I have also noticed that sometimes when I play the acoustic guitar sound I feel like it gets heavy to play, and other times it sounds fluid and rich.
I don't know what this is due to.

I will be more careful with every detail regarding the organization of my repertoire.

On the other hand, when I am the singer, I have no problem handling the situation, because I know how to move from song to song.

The complicated thing is when you have to accompany another singer, since sometimes even though you have rehearsed with him, the order of the repertoire suddenly changes, because a request arises from the audience, which was not in the repertoire.

I work with four different singers, with their respective requirements, in different settings, and they have the bad habit of asking me to accompany them with a song that has not been rehearsed and was not in the repertoire, or they remembered at the last moment that it was a customer request for several days.

Although on repeated occasions I have asked them in advance for the repertoire and tonalities, they always do it when we are already in the presentation, and this clearly causes stress.

The argument they always give me when I make the complaint is the following: "You have a very good ear, and you solve it easily" to which I answer: "I know I have a good ear, but I need to study the song in detail (tonality, rhythm, modulation and dynamics) to be able to accompany you in a professional manner" they still ignore my request, and this is what causes the stress.

greetings

Hans

[mikf]

Hans
I have sat in and played whole gigs with bands with not only no rehearsals but where none of the band members had ever played together. But there are three golden rules to do this
- they better all be excellent, experienced  players, - they need to all know the songs - and the singer needs to know his key.
And you can't do it with style play. Your singer needs to understand that selecting and setting a style takes time, and you don't do that in the middle of a set
at a gig. The standard response for a request you are not sure of needs to be 'great song, we will make sure we know it and play it next time'.
Mike

[Paula]

I have no down time ... my registry has the entire set up for every song 
TEXT that includes all lyrics and certain symbols for foot pedals ...TRANSPOSE.. and the entire performance embedded in Registration using one bank of Reg per song  I have folders for each performance and usually set of 60 songs in a folder for 3hr gig and should I get a request I also can find each song easly as I have folders for each type of type of song works great

[mikf]

Yes Paula, but a big part of Hans problem is getting songs flung at him out of sequence or even new songs that he has not prepared , or even knows what key the singer is in. Many of us can handle this on an acoustic instrument, but never with a style. Styles need preparation time. Trying to pick something on the fly during a public performance is a bad idea.
Mike

[Paula]

yes, I understood this is on the fly been there way back when I played in a band although no styles at that time ... with the keyboard using styles, I won't do any live gigs with any one unless we would practice together, I find many cannot keep up with the electric rhythms and get out of time and doing a live show I want to make sure that we all work together with no surprises

[hans1966]

Hello Mike, thank you for understanding my situation and also for your wise advice.
Today I coincidentally accompanied two masses, we were two musicians (keyboard and violin) and a singer.

In the last mass, the dynamic that was required was to identify the priest's theme (play according to the theme that was being presented).

It was quite a challenge for me, but thank God I managed to flow and successfully finish the mass.

Hans

[hans1966]

Hello Paula, thanks also to you for your suggestions, but as Mike says, the healthiest thing in these cases is to rehearse with the singer, or group as many times as possible until you have the repertoire sure, and also know in detail the dynamics or how the singer performs on stage.

greetings

Hans

[Enildo]

Hi Hans!

In these cases where the singer quickly changes songs and styles, the best thing to do is leave the keyboard in piano or guitar mode only, and try to follow along as best as possible. No style, no time, no changing voices... I've been through this several times. If the singer wants the song to be performed well, he has to first agree on the song, the key, know if you play this song and wait for the instrument to be configured.
If he doesn't like it, that's his problem. I'm not going to break my head with these types of people. The public will understand that the problem is with them and not with whoever is playing.

Greetings my friend!
Enildo

[hans1966]

Hello Enildo.

You are absolutely right my friend.
I'll put into practice.
Thank you very much for your advice.

a hug!

Hans

[travlin-easy]

A few years ago, I created a video on this very subject and posted it on this website. Not sure where it is, though.

Gary