Set list

[midmando]

Not sure the best place on the board to put this, but I wondered if any of you have advice on the organization of set lists - I'm doing a solo show in a few weeks, which I've never done before. The main problem I'm having when coming up with the set list is that my style and taste runs to more mellow songs - I'm worried a little bit about boring the audience with too much slow stuff.

Any suggestions on how to keep it lively when the music isn't fast?

Thanks.

[MartinD_GibsonA]

OK, assuming that you either can't or don't want to add any songs that are more lively to the repertoire, then the two best ways -- in my not so humble opinion -- to keep the audience's attention are as follows:

1) Have some stories to tell about some of the songs. #Tell them who wrote it, or why the author wrote it, or the story behind it if it tells one, or ...

2) Have some humorous songs in the mix, i.e. give 'em somethin' to laugh at.

If the songs all sound alike, you don't have any stories and nothing is funny, then I agree with you ... I think it's gonna be pretty boring.

Don Smith

[midmando]

Thanks for the forthright response - I probably didn't give enough information, but your suggestions are good ones. Back when I was playing country music in clubs (late 80's early 90's) the goal was to keep people dancing. The general rule of thumb we had was 2 fast songs for every slow one. I think, looking at my list that my ratio is 1:1 or 2:1 the other way. Hopefully since it's a sit down venue that will be ok. But, yeah, I'm working on some more upbeat stuff to add to the mix.

Thanks again

[EdSherry]

I'd suggest that you do what you can to mix things up: #not only different tempos (fast/medium/slow), but also different time signatures (4/4, waltzes, jigs if you play them), different keys, different capo positions, different playing styles (e.g., fingerpicking vs. flatpicking), different musical genres (blues vs. folk vs. bluegrass vs. country vs. swing vs. ragtime vs. ...), different lyric content (happy love songs vs. sad songs vs. ballads vs. funny songs vs. ...), different instrumentation (on solo gigs I occasionally swap off between steel-string guitar, nylon-string guitar, 12-string guitar, baritone guitar, 5-string b*njo [clawhammer and Seeger-style], octave mandolin, and mandola, sometimes accompanied with rack-mounted harmonica -- depending on how energetic I am about hauling lots of instruments to the gig!), etc., etc.

Don't forget the power of a capella singing and audience participation (get them to sing along on the chorus if you can).

That said, in my experience you don't want to put your audience on a "rollercoaster," changing moods with every song. And continuous switching-around can lead to too much "dead air."

With respect to "between-song patter" and stories, I'd suggest you keep it short. #I've seen too many performers who will describe to you in detail the song they're about to sing, even to the point of telling you the plot line. #By the time they get around to actually performing the song itself, it can often come as an anticlimax. #

It helps to have a plan for a set: #start with a couple of moderately fast tunes that you have down "cold" back to back, then slow things down a bit, speed it back up, build to a climax, then close with a strong song that they'll remember. #

In the past, I've found that writing out a setlist and sticking to it even if the audience is not responding can be one of the worst things you can do. #You need some flexibility to change if what you're doing isn't working (or, if it is, to keep the audience in the right mood!). #

I've never tried the "get 'em dancing" approach for a solo gig. #It's great for a band; but I've only seen a handful of performers who can pull it off. #

Best of luck with the gig.

[Kevin Briggs]

Play one beautiful tear-jerker a set. Play two if you are really good at them and your audience seems interested. Any more than that results in snoozing.

[allenhopkins]

[1]...different instrumentation (on solo gigs I occasionally swap off between steel-string guitar, nylon-string guitar, 12-string guitar, baritone guitar, 5-string b*njo [clawhammer and Seeger-style], octave mandolin, and mandola, sometimes accompanied with rack-mounted harmonica -- depending on how energetic I am about hauling lots of instruments to the gig!), etc., etc.



[2] With respect to "between-song patter" and stories, I'd suggest you keep it short. I've seen too many performers who will describe to you in detail the song they're about to sing, even to the point of telling you the plot line. By the time they get around to actually performing the song itself, it can often come as an anticlimax.

[1] Variation of tempo and texture is one way to provide variety. I usually have guitar, banjo, ukulele, Autoharp, a large mandolin of some description, concertina and harmonica. Of course, it's easier to do this if you play six or seven instruments -- if you don't, at least think about different instrumental styles (finger-picking vs. flat-picking, strummed vs. picked banjo, etc.). Also, songs of different genres: ballads, country, blues, whatever.

[2] My rule of thumb is, if the spoken introduction is longer than the song itself, you have a problem. (This was a major issue when I was playing bluegrass, the home of the two-minute song.) There are a few raconteurs who can command your interest with a ten-minute narrative about the song they're about to sing. However, they are exceptions.

I also second the motion that audience participation is a great way to focus interest. This is facilitated if the performer includes at least a few songs with which his/her audience is familiar.

Also, if you can pull off even one virtuosic show-piece on your instrument, you'll get a more than polite response. But attempting such a number, and failing to get it right, is likely to cause more problems -- so be sure it's within your power to perform.

[Jon Hall]

Which instrument are you playing; a mando, a guitar or something else? Do you sing? If the "mellow" songs are ones your audience is familiar with you can probably be entertaining but it doesn't hurt to play in a variety of keys and at various tempos.

[midmando]

Mostly guitar and voice - I'm not quite comfortable enough with mandolin yet to do a full gig with just that. I'll probably do one or two with just the mandolin. I have a handful of the "virtuoso showpiece" instrumentals on guitar that Allen (no relation) suggested. Most of your suggestions are actually making me feel better about the list I've got - there's plenty of variation in tempo, key, time, and style. Probably most of the nervousness is coming from the fact that I haven't played out like this in quite awhile, and last time I did there were 4 of us on stage to keep things interesting. This time it's just me

You guys are great - I appreciate all the help.