Open mics

[songbird52]

I have been playing at open mics a lot, during the past year. I want to get a feeling of whether people like the songs I write, or not. Also to get practice singing and playing with an audience.

 

The response I get varies a lot, and sometimes it's positive. However, sometimes people talk loudly all through my songs. I can't tell if it's because they don't like my songs, or don't like my style, or what. I played 3 songs at an open mic the other night that people seemed to really like. Then tonight I played the same songs at a different open mic, and they were talking so loud they were practically yelling, the whole time.

 

I asked a friend I was with why this happened and she thought it was because I am not interesting enough, or my songs don't have a "hook" or whatever. It is true I have a quiet folk style. She also thought it might be that people don't like to hear original songs. Especially in bars, and this open mic was in a bar. 

 

I felt very encouraged after the open mic the other night, but very discouraged after playing tonight. I wonder if I should just not worry about it, or should I try to figure out if I'm doing something wrong.

 

Maybe it's just that I have the wrong style for bars. However, one time I played in a bar and everyone listened. So I don't know.

[lemonstar]

I think you have to stake out the venues a couple of times before you play anywhere - see what style and standard seems to fit with the atmosphere of the place. I played at a "folk" club without checking it out first thinking a few acoustic singer/songwriter type songs would be received OK - it was folk night upstairs above a bar -a very small venue - I was playing with another singer/guitarist - I can't really remember what we played but we did a cover of the Crowded House song "It's Only Natural" with all the harmony vocals - we felt they were a bit bemused by it - someone asked about the song - they had never heard of Crowded House - this folk club really was a hardcore traditional English folk club - they wanted traditional songs, played on melodeons, fiddles and guitars - not the pop/rock we were doing. I've done a few open mics, even set our own monthly open mic night at a cricket/hockey club bar and ran/hosted that for 18 months - the only advice I'd give is keep it short, 3 songs is about right, don't expect anything from an audience - it helps if you look at if from their perspective - some may not want any music - they may be there to talk, maybe serious things - business, relationships, etc - some people might enjoy a bit of background music to add more atmosphere to a place but may not really be focused on watching or listening to you specifically - they may just want to get a few beers down their necks. The ones that are there for the music - I think they want what any audience wants - entertainment and they don't want to sit through something that's akin to an awkward audition - they respond better, I think, to confident performers whatever their standard of musicianship - in the UK at least most people love a trier as they say. The more times you do it, the better you get - just because of that growing self confidence but, yes - I've had some awkward performances but I remember the really good ones too - the time I had everyone singing along to Knowing Me Knowing You by Abba - I didn't expect that at all. Bars can be difficult places - that is the reason I and a friend set up our own club, for people who played in the kitchens looking for a less intimidating place to play - you may find sports clubs that have clubhouses and bars, who don't get passing trade because they are not on the main street or in the middle of town, are quite open to people setting up an open mic as it might drag a few extra people in to the bar - that's what I've found in the UK - cricket clubs, for example but I don't know what you have that's similar, if anything, in the US.

[songbird52]

Thanks. It is hard to tell the reason I don't get listened to at the place I was last night. I have been there a number of times, with the same result. I am confident, never nervous. I also play at a songwriter's open mic, where I played earlier this week. They usually try to be polite there and listen. It's a coffee shop, not a bar, and most of the people there are other songwriters waiting their turn. 

 

I think when people actually listen to me, they sometimes like my songs, and they tell me. 

 

I don't know of any open mics for folk singers, unfortunately. The songwriter open mics are probably the best for me, but there aren't very many.

 

Another thing we have here is showcases, where you get about a half hour, and you have to be invited. So I am trying to get into those, but you can't get that very often.

[Capo3tanya]

Hi Polly,

 

I wouldn't worry about it really! I don't think it reflects on the quality of your music at all.  You know if you're having a bad night playing/singing wise.  Sometimes it could also be that you're not miked properly, they can't hear you well enough which happens when you are quiet.  

 

We all want those magical moments where the entire room hushes and hangs on every note, that's so special right!  Doesn't necessarily mean anything when that doesn't happen.  I actually prefer that sometimes then I'm not so nervous since no one is paying attention.  It's when they get spellbound that I get nervous and choke lol. 

[songbird52]

3 hours ago, Capo3tanya said:

Hi Polly,

 

I wouldn't worry about it really! I don't think it reflects on the quality of your music at all.  You know if you're having a bad night playing/singing wise.  Sometimes it could also be that you're not miked properly, they can't hear you well enough which happens when you are quiet.  

 

We all want those magical moments where the entire room hushes and hangs on every note, that's so special right!  Doesn't necessarily mean anything when that doesn't happen.  I actually prefer that sometimes then I'm not so nervous since no one is paying attention.  It's when they get spellbound that I get nervous and choke lol. 

 

I know what you mean! Sometimes I hope hardly anyone shows up, and sometimes I hope they all talk loudly and ignore me! Then I can just enjoy playing and singing and not worry about making mistakes. 

 

It can be so wonderful ,though, when you see they are listening. You can tell if they are just being polite, or if they are really into the music. At those times, it is possible to suddenly get self-conscious and think "Oh no, what if I make a mistake!" My strategy is to practice my songs A LOT, so it becomes completely automatic. Then mistakes are less likely, even when nervous.

 

But when they don't listen, I always get worried that I did something wrong. Even though, as you said, it might not reflect on the quality. Sometimes people will only listen when their friends are playing. And there are people who just don't care about politeness. Even if I listened during their songs, they talk all through mine. I try not to let it bother me too much.

 

[DaveKell]

An open mic I play at every week intertwines a songwriter night every other week. I'm always at that. For only having been songwriting for less than a year, I'm continually amazed at the response I get. I hate to come off as tooting my own horn, so let me provide a little background first. I consider my singing voice to be even less than Leo Kottke described his as "a duck fart in November". My guitar playing remains a bit simple after nearly 50 years of trying. With that in mind, I've been told my lyric writing is "as good as it gets" by a friend of over 40 years whose opinion is based on a lifetime of performing. Not my opinion of my writing, but here's an example of what happened recently. At a songwriter night a picker nearly on the level of Tommy Emmanuel played two songs he wrote. His guitar work was spell binding, electrifying as well. When he finished, nobody had anything to say. It was my turn next and I DID NOT want to follow him! After my two songs, played with very basic accompaniment on my guitar, the room came alive with compliments and discussions such as "how did you come up with those songs!". Again, I hate putting it like this, but I've become something of a favorite at these events. I like when I get a request for something I played there in the past. I can't believe people are remembering what I do.

 

Singing in public was always a nightmare scenario for me. I'd remind myself over and over nobody was making me do it. When great singers show up I'm thrown entirely off my game. I wouldn't at all say my confidence is improving, but my reluctance to participate definitely is definitely getting to be less and less.I actually find that with repetition, I'm enjoying it and becoming more relaxed. I know I'll never be an entertainer but fortunately, that isn't even remotely a goal right now and will never be. I am just consumed with songwriting and it's being well received. A local guy who a few years ago was on the radio a lot and on the verge of hitting it big is interested in a couple of my songs for his first cd in a number of years. As a single dad, he dropped out of music to raise two daughters and became a mortgage banker. He's ready to pursue music again on his terms. I'll be proud to have him record anything of mine he wants.

 

A retired songwriter friend who had a very successful career in LA and Nashville has exposed a number of heavyweights to my songs. So far the most I've gotten is "hey, I like that". I'm not holding my breath the people of their caliber are gonna jump on cutting one of my songs but I guess stranger things have happened. Participating in open mics, very much against my will, is making much more comfortable with putting my work out there before strangers. My singing has improved as well. I have a friend with a professional recording studio who has recorded a few songs for me so far and stressed his door is always open to me. I guess the karma of giving one of his talented daughters and electric guitar is coming around. I've already retired from one lifetime career and often use the example of Colonel Sanders who didn't start KFC until he was retired. Man, to be that successful would be a major shock. I'm not counting on it at all however, just having a ton of fun!

[songbird52]

Oh well. I have been writing songs for 50 years (I'm 66 now). I have hundreds, and about 50 that I think are good enough to perform right now. There are some people who love some of my songs, but lots of others who ignore me. So, I guess, if I were really good I would not be ignored so much.

[Odanada]

In my opinion, some of how people react is societal. 

When I was a kid, there were no video games. TV came over an antenna, with few channels and no remote control. We were bored quite a bit, but this led to imaginative innovation as we would take whatever was on hand and create our own entertainment with it. Although it's become a cliche, we actually would take an empty cardboard appliance box and play with the thing for days on end, until it fell apart and got thrown out.

 The nature of "boredom" has changed.

People now have a phone that links them to literally millions of options. They come under the spell of social media and their attention span gets whittled away by an endless stream of clickbait and insidious video games. Trends and likes are fed into an algorithm whose sole purpose is to shape, funnel and herd opinion and ultimately, where and how we spend our dollars. It has infiltrated every aspect of our lives and the newer generations have it embedded in their DNA. 

 I realize this view is a broad brush generalization, but my point is that it has shortened attention spans. 

 Sometimes when they show the crowds at sporting events, I am bewildered at how many people are gazing into their phones. Does the game not provide enough stimulation? Are there concerns so pressing that people need to stay "connected", even at a  game? Has the new electronic world enslaved our attention spans? Hmmm.....

I sound like a grumpy old man and maybe I am - Get off my lawn!

 It's hard to engage people because giving you attention means ignoring all the (addictive) things that have flooded the well and washed away the  boredom that made the empty appliance box a fort, a tank track, a tunnel etc. There are fewer and fewer of us willing to listen to what a singer/songwriter is try to put across in a live setting because the competition for our attention has grown beyond any reasonable comprehension and the goal posts of what constitutes common courtesy are constantly moving.

Let's face it. Clips of fools making themselves sick with spoonfuls of cinnamon go viral while songs that may or may not be great languish in the darkness of an unopened folder.

 

The world is changing my friend, like it always has and always will. 

 

 This rant is just an observation and an opinion.

 If I could distill it into a song, I would and it would most certainly join the others in my unopened folder.

[satellitesongs]

I've played at bars and at coffee shops, and definitely prefer coffee shops.  As has been said here already, staking out the venue is worthwhile, and sometimes people will just talk the whole time; it's what people do.  I like to plan my set of 3 or 4 songs (usually one cover mixed in with the originals) and just play.  If I don't have an audience's attention, I'll change my style to be a bit more confrontational (I'm a punk rocker at heart, playing unplugged at the coffee shop, after all) but that's just how I get through the songs and awkwardness of being in front of people.

 

Don't take it personally if they don't hang on your performance every time.  You've got to have some thickness to your skin to be a performer.  Those moments will come, and will be worth so much more after all the times it didn't go how you imagined it would. (and yes, I realize this thread started a year ago... I'm posting as much for myself as for anyone else...)