WHERE DO YOU BEGIN

[Raquelpop]

Gigging is something that I would like to start doing soon. I just had my debut digital release, and have looked into local spots and basically it seems like in order to be considered for a gig you have to submit footage of a performance. So, how do you get started. I was thinking of doing open mic's and filming them. ..Using that footage to submit to venues. I don't wanna do the pay to play crap cause it seems like usually those are hosted by shady promoters. So for those of you that are seasoned giggers, how did you get started. Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom. Note: i'm a singer/songwriter but not an instrumentalist so coffee-shop type venues are not my jam. I have performance tracks that I can sing to. I do pop music.

[mojobone]

Ah, the age old questions, have you ever been experienced, and how do you get there? The answers are simple, but not easy. Open mics are a great way to start, and especially if you can capture a great performance for later Youtube distribution, but why not start at home, if you have a camera already? Unless you're a blue-ribbon ham, you might perform better without the distraction of an audience. You can hone those stage chops ahead of time and with a little investment you can control the sound, visuals and lighting and maybe edit together a number of clips to have better impact than a static single-camera performance. Also, you can get feedback on your visual performance before exposing yourself in public. If you're not an accomplished self-accompanist, the best thing you can do is join (or form) a band. It's not an easy thing to learn how to command a stage, so you'd best get started right away.