Singing

Charityworker

Has anyone here got any experience of singing in pubs? I'm quite a good singer. I would be a bit nervous at first. I'm guessing basic set up for being a singer would be a laptop with backing tracks on it, a microphone and a speaker. Am I right?

Poosmate

Have you tried karaoke in pubs/clubs? That would allow you to gauge how nervous you'd be. Or are there any karaoke competitions you could enter?

Good luck,

Poo

avinitinatt

I'm a singer in a band, and have a friend doing successful solo work . I think to pull this off you would need...

A really decent vocal - essential.

A decent PA system/ Mic - (Ideally a SM58 around £80 amazon)

You can use backing tracks via laptop or a CD, but these really must be good quality. A lot of soloists using backing tracks get slated even before they have opened their lungs, as in this industry it's regarded as unprofessional and 'karaoke' (you may have heard harsh comments like this on the xfactor). It's really unfair but a lot of people think that if you are singing to backing tracks all you are good for is karaoke and why should you be paid to do that?!

Ps... I am on your side here!

If you can pull it off you can make a decent living from it as a 2nd job in pubs, solo acts in my area get anything between £50 and £150 a night, if you are in London, or other big cities or are doing weddings/ hotel gigs you can expect higher rates.

It may be worth a go investing in karaoke equipment and staging your own karaoke nights in pubs, if popular gigs can be regular on a weekly basis, if I had a car I would do this!

In pubs, you depend on your 'following' - if you bring a crowd in, and they put money behind the bar, you get more work, I know some 'questionable' local bands that earn a fortune, because they have a lot of friends! In theory, if I had my own pub and it was heaving most nights with a juke box, i'd not bother with a band, singer, as musical taste varies and i'd not want to allienate my crowd. If it was a quiet night and I knew a decent singer who had a good following I would book to increase profit, people are only in it for profit believe me.

My band earn anything between £120 and £600 a night depending on the type of gig and the number of hours we play for. Competition is massive in the area I live and it's a fight to get a gig, due to recession, outside smoking, (and a whole lot of youngsters who want to gig for free/experience). I don't gig much, but try to get events at hotels and wedding receptions/ birthdays etc... where the crowd is there for us and we are welcomed lol!

Anyway, if you have the voice go for it!

Let me know how you get on!

xx

ada1988

I think with more practice you will be ok.Then just addict yourself to the songs while you singing.
That will help you defend nerous.
may you good luck.

Aeld

Charityworker wrote: »

Has anyone here got any experience of singing in pubs? I'm quite a good singer. I would be a bit nervous at first. I'm guessing basic set up for being a singer would be a laptop with backing tracks on it, a microphone and a speaker. Am I right?

Not so much Im sure you have a lovely voice! But ive worked in pubs for years and to perform in pubs these days you really need to be in a band, if its just you then you'll probably be seen as a kareoke singer, and they wont want to pay you because most pubs have kareoke nights anyway!

Contact local bands if you want to sing Pubs will happily pay bands to perform, maybe try and find some locally and go watch, then approach them afterward. Pub-band singers are normally proper softies and will be more than happy to discuss this with you after the set [but not whilst theyre packing up, as that is stressful especially if they have another gig to go to] Just approach them in a friendly way and ask them everything about their band

If you really want to sing solo and dont want to be in a band them try approaching high-end-restaurants. I've been to one in Newcastle called 'The Living Rooms' which has a lovely grand piano in the corner and sometimes a soft-voiced singer which is lovely. I'm sure they'd be willing to hear you out

Good luck!