So you’ve finally mastered the guitar to the point that people are cheering and asking for more. At this point one might well start thinking of playing professionally. With that said, finding guitar playing gigs might be a pursuit.
First, are you ready to play publicly. Can you maintain the audience to the point that you justify payment for your skills? There’s more to being a professional than just performing well. Management skills and accounting, promotion, and more are required to get your name out there, build a reputation, and handle whatever problems that may arise.
Where To Start
With all the ducks in a row it’s a matter of perseverance and negotiation to get the guitar career off the ground. A great place to start are church, school, family and friends functions. One doesn’t always know who friends of family and friends of friends are. Might well be someone among them to launch a career locally and more. Word of mouth is the best advertisement and should one’s performances and general interaction with the audience is good one performance will lead to another.
If part of a band that is another approach but based on similar foundations. All members of the band have to be on their A game and interact with the audience. As a guitarist there might be another guitarist in the band such as bass guitar. Pooling the band’s associates and resources many a gig can be had.
Getting The Word Out
Local newspapers are the traditional route and putting up posters and more. Nowadays the wonders of the web, smartphones, podcasts, video sites allows for advertising like never before. Agents, establishments and more are constantly searching for new acts to showboat and performing at these venues builds up reputation and responsibility. As sales grow and owners of these establishments tell others of the quality of the performance it will compliment the audience who will use the web to boast about your skills.
Now is the time to strike with the right management skills. Plan your performances and be courteous to everyone. Keep schedules on time and communicate well. Reinvest your savings in your equipment and talent and business and keep practicing.
Being Professional
The importance here is that practice has gotten one to the point of playing in public and for a profession. There comes great responsibility to being a performer and that is to first deliver a performance worthy of the audience’s money. From there the sky is the limit depending on your discipline and perseverance. If in a band the teamwork is primary. No room of egos. Once all this is understood and well placed getting guitar gigs shouldn’t be a problem.
Overall the old way of doing things applies today when it comes to getting gigs and that means doing a good job and being responsible about it.
Thank you to EasilyPlayGuitar.com for all the information they provided in today’s article, if you are ever looking for Online Guitar Lessons please be sure to check them out.