Guitar Lovers

 There are a very different types of bookings to play solo guitar for weddings. For one thing, they pay pretty good money and it’s very rare that you have a problem getting paid. Another aspect that makes them different is that almost no one acknowledges your presence as you sit in the corner playing song after song. This is something that you have to be prepared to accept. You have been hired to provide live background music, and most of the people attending the average wedding don’t really care if you are there or not. The best you can hope for is while you are packing up afterward one or two kind souls might come forward to tell you they enjoyed your music. It’s kind of nice to be able to zone out and just play most of your repertoire without everybody staring at you in silence.

To play for weddings, here are some of the things you need; 

1. A good list of at least fifty songs, mainly classical.
2. A good suit and tie.
3. A quality classical guitar with amplification
4. A reliable car.

My list consists of classical standards.  Along with these I play Classical Gas, Blackbird and a variety of songs from several genres. All in all, you’ll find that almost anything you play on a nylon string guitar can be made to fit at a booking like this. Yoy also need a binder with about forty-five minutes worth of music that you can sight-read on demand as a back up for the pieces you have memorized. Every now and then you’ll get a booking that has you playing one more set than you’re used to, and this comes in handy then. Keep the pages in heavy plastic holders to minimize the effects of high winds for the outdoor bookings.

There are two types of wedding bookings: Cocktail hour and Processional.

Cocktail hour is usually the time spent after the ceremony and before the dinner and the musician is there to provide a nice backdrop while the guests have a few drinks and chat. These are almost always a two hour gig. You play two lengthy sets with a break, and occasionally you get booked to play during the dinner instead of Cocktail hour, again for two hours. Charge $250.00 for these dates, and more if there is a long drive involved.

The Processional is usually a one hour date and goes something like this: You start playing about thirty minutes before the actual wedding ceremony is scheduled to take place. Then you play until either you’re given a preset cue, or until you notice that the processional is about to begin. At this point, you play Romance until everyone in the processional is at the front facing the Priest/Justice or whoever is performing the service, then you gracefully fade out. After the couple has been married and “announced”, play until everyone has left the area. This being a one hour booking, charge $150.00 and up, considering driving distance. These monetary amounts may vary depending on where you live.

How to Get the Jobs.

Ads in local newspapers have had mixed results mostly. Sometimes they make the phone ring and sometimes they don’t. The main source of bookings comes from people calling the local Musicians Union office, where you can be a member. Because to belong to the union and  file contracts with them on all the jobs, they know you’re  reliable and will gladly give you’re name and phone number out, along with several other union members who are known to do a lot of wedding work. Another avenue is to leave demo tapes and business cards with stores in your area that supply party needs such as printed napkins, folding chairs, flowers, etc… you can get some results that way as well.

When You Get a Call For a Job.

The first thing to do when you get a call is find out the time and date they want you for and check your calender to see if you’re available. If you’ream available, answer all of the callers questions, fill them in on what you usually do and ask them if they would like a demo of your music. If they do want a demo we now have a couple of options: the demo tape/CD that you mail them, or the Internet. Always ask if they have access to the Internet before you mail out a demo, because if they do, and if they have a sound card, I direct them to your website where they can see a picture of you and listen to a couple of your songs – in particular, the Romance mentioned earlier. If you don’t have a website, MP3.com will give you a free page where you can post a picture, write up some text about yourself, and put up as many songs as you like. These sites also allow anyone visiting to send you an e-mail. The only thing you have to be careful about is ownership of rights to the songs you are posting. If the songs are public domain and you are not using a copyrighted arrangement of someone else’s version, you are OK. If you are going to go this route, go to the classical music category at MP3.com and check out the guitar chart. You will see many time honored classics already posted by other artists.

Once they have heard your music and spoken with you on the phone many of these people are ready to book you. However, sometimes they want to meet  in a local coffee shop before they make a decision. Always agree, and show up on time well dressed and have a pleasant chat over a cup of coffee.

Once You Have the Gig.

When someone has agreed to hire you for a wedding, the first thing to do is type up a contract and get it to them so they can sign and return it. This not only protects you, but it protects them as well – now you can’t take that “better offer” that came in at the last minute and leave them in a lurch. Also, a properly filled out contract gives them your mailing address, thus enabling them to send you a nicely worded thank you note that can be used as a reference in future. At this point, you want to make sure you have good directions to the location in question and you may find that some of your clients like to phone once or twice in the weeks leading up to the wedding to ask questions about your repertoire and what you will be wearing.