The stage can be a scary place, even in as supportive and friendly an environment as the folk clubs of "the circuit". One of the first things you should realize when you get up to perform, is that you are not alone up there. The person working the sound board is as integral a part of your performance as the guitar you're holding. In other words, there's no such thing as a solo - you're involved in a co-operative effort with the sound man (person?).
A good sound person can bring out the best in your performance, enhancing your strengths and down-playing your weaknesses, and in general make you sound better than you thought possible. There are three people in your life you should NOT aggravate: your barber/hairdresser, your bartender and your sound man! If possible, talk to him/her beforehand about any questions you may have. They're friendly, approachable and susceptible to flattery. Hey, if all else fails, try sincerity!
Material: We recommend that you have three songs ready, just in case someone before you does one of the ones that you've prepared (Writing your own songs can be a real advantage!). It does happen from time to time, and it's generally considered poor etiquette to repeat a song that's been done already that evening. Not that it doesn't happen, but it should be avoided wherever possible. Other than that, just remember: you're among friends! Particularly if it's your first outing, you should not pick songs that are overly difficult, and for goodness' sake (literally) stay within your comfortable vocal range. The first time can be scary enough without having to deal with a tricky vocal or instrumental part. There'll be lots of time and opportunity for the bravura stuff later.
Set Up: When you get on stage, take a position that is comfortable for you. Hopefully, you'll have practiced in the same position as you're intending to play, whether standing or sitting. And yes, that really does make a difference. Let the MC or sound tech arrange the mikes for you. You should work fairly close to the microphone. It can be a bit daunting when you hear your voice being amplified for the first time, and the natural tendency is to back off. Resist it. As Bill Crawford says, "Eat the mike!" The best working distance for the mike is about 6 inches or less (2 inches is better), a hand's width. Also, the closer you are to the mike, the better the bass response will be. And try to keep your working distance consistent. If you end up 2 feet away from the mike, the sound man is going to assume you're going to stay there. In any case, he will adjust the gain for the mike for that distance and if you should suddenly lean forward, the sound levels will go right through the roof. You didn't REALLY want to perforate your audience's eardrums, did you? Another advantage to not having to `up the gain' (i.e. you're working close to the mike) is that there's a much lower likelihood that feedback will occur, which of course will be a MAJOR disruption of your performance. And honest, they're nice people out there. You didn't REALLY want to be responsible for turning their brains to pudding, did you?
If your guitar doesn't have an on-board pick-up, it'll have to be miked. Again, let the person doing the set-up arrange it for you. From that point on, you should try to maintain a consistent position relative to the microphone. You may notice that the mike won't be set in a direct line to the sound-hole of the guitar, so don't aim the sound-hole squarely at it when you're performing. This will tend to promote overly "boomy" bass and even feedback.
Go For It!!: Hearing yourself amplified can make you back off psychologically as well as physically. Resist this as well. Let your voice go. I'm not saying you must sing loudly, but I am saying you should sing fully. You can crash and burn in one of 2 ways: first, by being hesitant and tentative or second, by going for it and missing. The first guarantees failure: you got NO chance at all. The second way gives you a shot at success, and even if you're not on target, well, at least you tried and that counts for a lot with the people for whom you'll be performing. Get the fullest tone you can, and let the sound person (your partner, remember?) take care of the volume levels. That's his job. Yours is to give the best you can to your audience. They deserve it, and so do you.
Okay, so there you are, up on stage. You're nervous as all get-out, but you've determined that you're going to go for it. You're as prepared as you can possibly be. Your guitar is tuned as well as you know how. (You DID tune it just before you went on stage, didn't you? I did encounter one fella who tuned his guitar SO carefully at his home, packed it carefully in its case, put it in the trunk of his car; wintertime, don'cha know, where it got ver' cold, and then took it out at the folk club and went on stage without re-tuning. Oy! what a sound! Wouldja believe an oriental 12-tone scale or reasonable facsimile thereof? He obviously didn't realize just how susceptible guitars can be to changes in temperature and humidity. And I swear, instruments de-tune if you even look at them crossways, as well!)
Just one other thing: just before you start to perform, take a couple of seconds to gather yourself, and remind yourself to breathe. Really, you can start out without a full breath and never get caught up. It's happened to me more that once (and I'm not confessing how much more!). It's your audience that should be left breathless by your performance, not you.
And that about does it. To repeat an earlier phrase,
GO FOR IT!
© Jeremiah McCaw Budnark (may be reprinted for non-commercial use without
permission. Please apply appropriate credit)
For another excellent article on performing by singer/songwriter Don Bray,
follow this link.
For amusement, see also "The Ten Commandments of Jamming"