No, for me, since I began doing the demo, there's no question in anyone's mind that it's me singing and me playing. Try it sometime, you'll be amazed at the results.
While I was in the Florida Keys a couple years ago, and playing at a Tiki Bar, a vacationing charter captain I knew came up to me and said, "Neat Karaoke machine, Gary." I found out that his charter fishing business, like all charter fishing businesses nationwide, was slowly falling apart. He started up a KJ business on the side, something he could pick up a few bucks on weekends doing if there were no charters booked.
I responded to his statement "No, it's not a KJ machine, it's me playing and me singing - no CDs, no anything other than me." Then, before things got out of hand, I said, "I'm going to take a short break, why don't you sit here and do a few numbers?" He sat down, took one look at the keyboard, I plugged in a handheld mic for him to use, and walked to the restroom on the other side of the pool. No sounds came out of the sound system. When I came back, he was sitting at a bar stool sipping on a beer. "I guess I was wrong." He said. I smiled, went back to work, and kept the place rocking till 10 O'clock that evening, packed up and went hitched a ride back to my boat for me and the gear.
Until I let him sit down behind the keyboard, you could have never convinced him that I was not using CDs or KJ files in the netbook and singing with them. He quickly found out that was not the case. If you don't provide an occasional demo to your audiences, you are doing a disservice to both the audiences and yourself. Of course, there will always be the lone skeptic that cannot be educated as to what you are actually doing, but the more I do the demos, the less of them that seem to be around.
Most of the time, the demo only consists of a single song, and the four variations associated with the style file. I usually begin by showing them the various components of the style file itself, turning on each segment one at a time, beginning with the drums. Then I demonstrate the various right hand instruments while the style file is playing, usually without changing the chord. Finally, I kick into a song that is associated with that particular style file, sing the song, play some instrumental runs, and hit an ending. This all takes just a few seconds longer than playing the song itself, and well worth the rewards of what it brings.
Now, if your audiences think you are a DJ or KJ, then maybe you are using too many MP3s or MIDI files during your performances. The only MP3s I use are during breaks, and during a 4-hour performance, I might use 2 or 3 MIDI files at most. I prefer not to use them at all. Once I learn a song, sometimes with the aid of a MIDI file, I then go about the task of trying to find a suitable style file, thereby eliminating the MIDI file entirely. Sometimes, finding that perfect style only takes a few minutes, but there are times, such as right now, that it could take days, and I still will have to modify the style somewhat to make it sound the way I wish. The song I'm working on right now is "With You I'M Born Again." And, I hope to record it with my daughter doing the female vocal parts. When it's done, I'll post it.
Like I said, give the demo a try - you'll me amazed at the results,
Gary
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