How To Get More Gigs As A Guitarist

Just some more tips to help you get more gigs as a guitarist. A few weeks back I covered how to get more gigs for your band but this one is for you!

Serve the song

This means learning to play what the song needs not what your ego wants to. If there’s a lot going on with the other instruments then stick to power chords. Say the song sounds empty, can you try playing arpeggios to fill the section?

Silence is golden

It’s often what you don’t play that matters more than what you do. I may not be the best musician but I know the importance of not playing.

So make every note count by thinking about when not to play.

Dynamics

This ties in with the last point. If you’re always playing then you’ve got nowhere to go. Think about how you can add light and shade into your parts.

Can you play less in the verses? Are you using your volume control to raise your volume in the chorus?

Team player

The most important thing you can work on is being a team player. This means keeping your ego in check. Preferring others and working collectively towards the aims of the artist.

Simplify your rig

Bringing lots of gear is fun. I get it. However, if you want to get more gigs, then simplify your rig. Make sure you can set up, plug in and play quickly. This will save time and enable you to focus on playing the gig. Also, on every gig you should carry these 7 essential guitar items.

Expand your skills

By learning percussion and some basic keys or even take some singing lessons, you become far more hireable than you are as a guitarist.

Being able to do a few additional things will help you get gigs where a band needs extra members for live gigs, but don’t just want a guitarist.

Really learn the tunes

Know the songs inside out, make it seem that you’ve been playing them for years and years, even if you haven’t.

A large part of being called back is how well you know the material and can follow the artist. The more time you take to learn the songs, the better you’ll perform and the more likely you’ll get called back.

Work on your rhythm chops

Every artist needs a solid guitarist with great time feel. Solid rhythm skills is a dying art with many guitarists wants to shred but not back. So buck the trend by practising playing rhythm guitar more than solos.

Get an acoustic guitar

Buy and Learn acoustic guitar. Takeamine offer a fantastic package (available on Amazon) which includes an electric acoustic guitar, case, clip on tuner, cable and more. It’s different from electric but you’ll end up playing lots of cool, smaller gigs. Plus it will help your rhythm chops!

Attitude

There’s lots you can do which cost nothing but will have a big impact on the gigs you get offered.

It takes little effort to always be early so that you can start on time.

You don’t need to spend money to be easy to work with, just a positive can-do attitude.

Be willing to work until the artist is happy and go the extra mile.

It also costs nothing to be properly prepared.

Again attitude is a choice that is free for you to make.