Rockin an Open Mic - Part 1

By Barbara Cloyd

I am such a huge fan of open mics.  I have had the great pleasure of hosting one at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville TN for over 20 years. Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley  all played it when they were new in town, along with many writers who've gone on to have big hits on the charts. I love it that at our club where we regularly feature some of the best writers in the world - like Michael McDonald, Richard Marx, Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele and Don Schlitz - still, anyone who wants can get up on a Monday night to play one or two of their original songs.

There are basically two reasons to play an open mic. One is for the pure joy of expressing yourself and sharing your music with other people. Over the years I have heard some truly amazing performers whose music will never make it into music stores or onto the radio. I have heard some not-so-great people who still moved me because they had just the message I needed at the time or because they poured so much feeling into their performance.

The other reason to play an open mic is to advance your career in music.  If you want to get known you have to be heard.  It is rare to find people from the industry with the power to cut your songs or sign you to a deal at an open mic - they are too busy and generally only to listen to people who come highly recommended.  But to get those recommendations you need to meet people who know people who know people, and open mics are a great place to start.

Whatever your reasons, you will have more fun and accomplish your goals better if you do well. So here are a few tips from someone who has seen it all.

1.      Learn the procedures.

Find out how and when to sign up. If you do not you may lose your chance to play. Find out how many songs you will be expected to perform, how you will know when it is your turn, if there is a time limit on your performance and if there are any restrictions on the type of material you can do. Make sure you know what equipment is available, which microphone to use, where to plug in your guitar, what to do if your guitar does not have a pick-up, what to do if you have a keyboard, etc.  If you perform as a group, be sure to let the host know and verify that there will be an adequate number of microphones and instrument inputs.

2.      Follow the procedures.

This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many writers do not pay attention or want special treatment. Listen when the host explains how the night runs. Be ready when it is your turn. If you have a special request, ask politely - don't demand. Remember that the host has everyones needs to consider and procedures are set to allow the night to run smoothly. If you find the policies and procedures to be inconvenient to you, find a different place to play, or accept that as a newcomer you will have to pay your dues. Arguing with the host will rarely get you what you want and will work against you in the long run.

3.      Have your instrument ready to go.

If you play guitar, tune it perfectly. If you cannot tune perfectly by ear, buy an electronic tuner or borrow one. Tune BEFORE you get on stage and then check it just before your turn. The best way to make a bad impression is to play out of tune and too many people do. Also, be sure you have your strap, capo, pick, cable and any other accessories you need.

If you play a keyboard, do not assume the venue will provide one. If you bring one, double check to be sure you have all the cords and pedals you need. If you are new at it, be sure you know what gets plugged in where.

4.      Practice – practice - practice.

Do songs you are comfortable with. It is perfectly appropriate to try out a new one at an open mic, but learn it first. Don't subject the audience to a rehearsal full of painful mistakes.

If you follow these suggestions it can help you have a positive experience playing the open mics.  If you are in Nashville and you have original material, come see me at the Bluebird on a Monday. You can read the sign-up procedure on the "Bluebird" page of www.barbaracloyd.com

ABOUT BARBARA CLOYD 

After a few years playing cover songs in clubs in her hometown of St. Louis, Barbara moved to Nashville to pursue a career writing songs for the commercial Country market.  Her biggest success as a writer came with the Lorrie Morgan hit, "I Guess You Had To Be There".

Barbara has been hosting the open mic and booking shows at The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville's premier songwriter venue, since 1986.

She has also become one of Nashville's most respected teachers of songwriting, Her website, www.barbaracloyd.com, contains a wealth of information about the business of songwriting. She helps writers develop the craft and commercial potential of their songs through individual critiques and consultations, classes and workshops.  Her Play for Publisher workshop series has helped open doors for many talented songwriters. (Applications are open now through Sept 10^th for the one coming up in October see www.barbaracloyd.com for details.)

Barbara's latest creation designed to help developing songwriters is www.cowriterconnection.com, an inexpensive and user friendly website for finding other songwriters to collaborate with.