Top 7 Ways Musicians Get Ready for a Gig

"Top 7 Ways Musicians Get Ready for a Gig" is a guest post written by Eduardo Uke

  It is super exciting and fun to go to a concert or live show and watch how amazing everything has come together, but have you ever wondered what the process of getting to that wonderful performance has been?   The process requires lots of hours of prep and high levels of concentration for the show to be successful. The endeavor of getting there is as important, if not of more importance than the show itself.   From a musical standpoint, it takes quite a bit of homework and professionalism. Musicians have to be disciplined and prepare with care. Here are the top 7 ways musicians get ready for a gig.

1. Book the date – Making sure that the date is open is super important.

  Double booking is a big No-No in this industry. When it comes to Ways Musicians Get Ready for a Gig, could you imagine the day of the event comes and you realize you booked two different events at around the same time? This is a nightmare for both the musician and anyone else working the event.   Immediately after getting confirmation for the gig, taking note in a calendar or agenda (usually virtual in this day and age) is detrimental.  

2. Acquire all information necessary to make it happen

  In order to prepare effectively there are details that will ensure everyone is on the same page; song selection, attire, location, load in time, sound check, event start and end time, along with other particular details that may be unique to the event. Think about it, the top Irish bands are where they’re at by keeping up with the details.   Once all the information has been acquired, the musician is able to prepare accordingly and get a pretty accurate idea of how to manage their time efficiently.  

3. Learn and study music

  Some songs may not be as easy or as difficult as they originally appear to be so giving each musical piece its dedicated time is essential.   Learning the structure and changes can be achieved by listening to the song through a couple of times, later studying the song by sections can help master each part of the song. This can help the musician avoid becoming overwhelmed when it comes to Ways Musicians Get Ready for a Gig.  

4. Rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse some more

  A musician should be knowledgeable of the song selections and their composition. It is very unprofessional when a musician shows up to a rehearsal and utilizes the time to learn the music rather than perfecting the song together with the other musicians.   Not being prepared will most likely result in not being called for future gigs. No musical director wants to have the extra work of having to teach chords and timing when that is part of the homework the musician should do before getting to the rehearsal.   As a gigging ukulele player, I like to keep it simple oftentimes going back to the basics. That means going over uke chords I haven’t played in a while.  

5. Practice professionalism

  All of the above steps done correctly will be perceived as professionalism but they aren’t the only elements that will be considered professional behavior.   Confidence with the perfect balance of humility is also important in making a good impression in the music industry. Whether you’re a great lead singer or fantastic musician. The quality of being humble will open doors of opportunity.   Notice I said confidence and not cockiness. Sometimes cockiness doesn’t rub people the right way and can also cause people to not want to work with the musician in question. Being light hearted and having a good attitude is always appreciated.  

6. Make sure to manage time effectively and efficiently

  Most people don’t know how to manage their time effectively and end up underestimating.   This causes them to arrive late to places or forget to do certain things or pack certain essentials. Rushing will do that to anyone and it can also end up over exerting the person.   Notice I’ve been saying people and not just musician because the mismanagement of time is an issue that can affect anyone. A good way to avoid mismanagement of time is by adding an extra 15-30 min time span to the time you think you need.   This technique can be very helpful and can eliminate the anxiety of having to rush or forgetting something. Mastering the skill of time management can help a person in every aspect of their life.  

7. Perform with a conviction and send out positive vibes only

  This step is what will make the experience a pleasure for everyone; peers and audience. Trust me when I say that people don’t want to work with divas.   No matter how talented a person may be, divas leave a bad taste in the mouths of those having to deal with them. This goes together with what you read above about professionalism.   Confidence is welcomed, cockiness can be perceived as lack of modesty and again, not everyone is into that. A diva is like a cocky monster with an attitude when things aren’t going their way or when they don’t feel like doing something in particular.   Band leaders and MD’s don’t want the negative vibes. These attitudes are passed on in the performance therefore it is of extreme importance that the musician is humble, and has a positive and cooperative attitude throughout course of the working experience.   Hope you enjoyed these pointers. This list is based on actual experience working in the music scene alongside other musicians and organizations. Enjoy it, share this article with your friends… but more importantly if you found these tips helpful, take action and apply these tips.   So what do you think, what’s your one tip that will help fellow musicians get ready for their gigs? Leave your comment below!

Eduardo Uke is a multi-instrumentalist that often carries his ukulele around for fun times with a group of friends. You can enjoy more of his writing at ukulele-lessons.com