So .........Donny , DonM , Uncle Dave , Scott Yee ?

HOW DO YOU PACE YOUR set's ?


How long are each set ?

dan,

Most of my work is private affairs which is hard to apply the 40 on/20 off rule for my club dates. For continuous music its 55 on/5/off. I have to follow the flow of the party and try to squeez in playing between the dinner courses. They usualy don't want people dancing while waitresses are serving dinner except for lite background music. But I will make it up later on by staying on longer in the next set when people are ready to really pump it up on the dance floor. Hope this helps

Dnj

Right on Donny. Same here...with the possible exception of the dining period. Since the kitchen and servers hate dancing while serving, I will often put on some very quiet, hardly danceable midi and take an extended break while they eat. As dessert is served I come back live and work up to dance volume and tempos. From that point on, the sets usually go an hour on, ten off.
Eddie

I agree with Donny & Eddie re: the private party type gigs, but for regular 'on going' 4-5 hour club/piano bar gig dates, it's generally 45-50 on / 10-15 off per hour, but you soon realize you can't go by these rules if you want to keep the house happy and make great tips as well. Flexibility is crucial. If the room's really hopping, and the bar is selling lots of drinks, you skip your breaks(s) and take longer breaks when the room slows down, sometimes never. You have to pace your playing to the 'mood of the crowd' which can be unpredictably different every night.

Though I no longer play piano bar gigs, I do remember quite a few nights having to play 4-5 hours straight without a break. I appreciated the lucrative tips but now I think I'd prefer the breaks instead. The number of tunes I'd do in a set vary from 10 to 14 songs, depending on how much stage patter (which is also important) there is. This also has a lot to do with the energy of the crowd too. On a busy night, you might squeeze in more songs whereas on a mellow slow night, you can take a lot longer to chat & smooze between songs. The bottom line, you need to pace your set to the mood of the evening. As you can tell, being a good musician is only a small part of the requirements of a solo musician-performer.

I remember a bartender telling me (when I first started out gigging years ago) to intersperse my set with fast - slow - fast- slow songs etc. I quickly learned how ridiculously inappropriate that was. Every evening, and crowd is different. You quickly learn to gauge each night 'as you go' as to what 'appropriate' songs should be played, and when. There are a number of techniques used to draw the audience in (group participation songs, hi energy numbers, etc), but once you got them , you can then take them where you want : sophisticated ballads, originals, etc. As performers, we are responsible for orchestrating the mood of the crowd. It's our job to know WHO your audience is and what they want on a given night. Psychology 101.

Scott

Perception is the key. You got to know what to do, and WHEN. Some places need you to take the breaks so the floor clears and the drinking resumes - others like the flow. In the end - it's up to ME, usually to pace it the way I see fit. That's why I get the big bucks ....... (when, exactly IS that???)
The worst thing you can do is write a set list and stick to it religeously. You need to improvise constantly, and a pre-written set will just suck the life right out of your brain. If it's a dance party or a really big affair - you can get away with a few sequences of things that always work, but in the more intimate settings ...... a loose, personal touch is better, I think.
I tried to use a set list once. Got as far as the second song and threw it on the floor - never did it again. I trust my initial feelings better than my second guesses, so I can't follow a set.
The most important thing is to communicate with the audience. It might be all show, all wallpaper, or all dance - whatever the situation - make sure it's the BEST choice for THAT moment in time - you won't get it back.
As far as breaks - in regular club dates, you HAVE to schmooze your customers, so breaks are every bit as important to the evening as the tunes. People want a hug or a story or just to see you up close (scary, huh?)
Treat your crowd like family and you won't go wrong - communication is PARAMOUNT. Watch, listen and THEN decide how to enhance the moment.
Another thing I do is - I pick rhythms, NOT songs. I determine what KIND of beat is needed next, and then find a song that fits the bill. Sometimes I'll even do a song that's not usually done in that style(like, Ipanima as a swing tune ... or whatever), just to have the right beat for the "pulse".
Just another "hat" to wear ! Add it to the collection !

Dave ,

I agree with you .....NO SET LIST at all just watch the room and play what it needs out of your repetoir which should include a few songs with EVERY TYPE of Rythym possible to satisfy everone young and old..

My set:
Piano Bar and music background:50x10off
Great gigs:
First block - light songs(Bossa,8 and 16 beats,slow swings,slow rocks light boleros)+-90x10minutes.
Second block -Heavy songs
(Bigbands,salsa,mambo,samba,baion,lambada,
dance,disco,60&70's rock)+-120X15 minutes.
Third block - Very light songs(Slow ballads,new age)+-60 minutes.
A small secret:Music for off time:A very old cassete with much isssssssss , low volume and zero equalization / effects...
Chico

I pretty much agree with everybody else. You have to "play it by ear". Tonight for example, I started 10 minutes early, played for two hours, took a 5 minute break and played 21/2 more hours. They got their money's worth tonight!
Who knows, tomorrow might be totally different. I have the piano bar job from 5-8, then across town to a different motel at 8:30. Everything is all set up at both places so no real problem other than stamina.
DonM

So DonM,
I gather you're back on the scene full force? About a year ago you were doing some different things, weren't you?
Glad to see you're busy again!

The word here in the south is.... since Don is doin them 2 gigs a night and doesn't have to carry equipment no more...he bought himself a U-haul trailer to carry his money in.