Delaware Dave Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 "..Put 3 ones and a five in it.." That's $8, which based on the $1 we received would take 8 gigs to recoup our own investment...... Quote 57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn Delaware Dave Exit93band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 It was so long ago (and I did do a few impersonal rooms) but practically all my bars were basically Cheers with a piano - relics of the 20th Century. They've all closed... a Best Western that corporate closed the bar, an independent stand alone establishment that was purchased and demolished for a multi-story medical building, another one that was padlocked by the IRS (and I was lucky to get my gear out of that one), one where the building was purchased and turned into a Muscle & Fitness, one where the business owners' lease ran out and wasn't renewed (that one was really sad... my last night everyone was crying)... For those who are doing this, where are you working? In my area these kinds of rooms have completely disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfloydcramer Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 I do 2-3 instrumental solos a week, yes to New York State of Mine and Linus and Lucy. RE that one I am still searching for a good solo example. I leave out the swing part but not the straight 8th note middle part, although I suspect I lose people's interest a little by including it. Not the song's fault.... People notice (and tip for) Faithfully, The Dance, and I Can't Make You Love Me (which has great appeal to diverse crowds). You Are the Sunshine of My Life and (unfortunately) Wunnerful Tonight are good ones too. RE younger crowds, I'm at a loss. Lately I have been surprised (and encouraged) by people who come out of the woodwork to request Sinatra etc. in the middle of classic rock. I've also noticed more and more requests for As Time Goes By, as Mr. Paxton says. It's pretty obvious there is a demand for more piano bar threads here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 To me, the most fun and challenging part of solo gigs is surprising people with something they'd never expect to hear in that context. Lithium is one of my good examples. Price's "Kiss" fills that role nicely for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 "..Put 3 ones and a five in it.." That's $8, which based on the $1 we received would take 8 gigs to recoup our own investment...... At the end of the evening you put the $8 back in your own pocket and count out the tips. If people can't see the money, they aren't going to put money in the jar. I've been doing as I suggested for decades, it works. It's bait, no bait no fish. Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51recording Posted December 4, 2021 Author Share Posted December 4, 2021 Re: salting the tip jar.....I go with a single $5 bill....if I put $1's in there it seems I get a bunch of $1's. Anything bigger than a $5 is intimidating....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 The best "seed money" I ever had was a string of five $1 bills joined together end-to-end, which were a tip from a guy who worked at the US mint. Leaving them trailing out of the tip jar always seemed to attract better-than-usual tips. Wish I still had them (though of course I realize I could make a new one with five crisp bills and a roll of Scotch tape if I were remotely industrious). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 To me, the most fun and challenging part of solo gigs is surprising people with something they'd never expect to hear in that context. Lithium is one of my good examples. Price's "Kiss" fills that role nicely for me. Yep, that cut on your "Alone" album has inspired me to think about similar approaches for other songs. I will probably never try "Kiss" because I'd just be thinking of how far my technique falls short of yours. Joe Krown's solo albums have also been a huge source of inspiration. I've been shamelessly copying his approach to "Those Were the Days" for many years. In a similar vein is the theme to Welcome Back Kotter. People of a certain age love that, most of them haven't thought of it in decades. Fun tune in a stride style. Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 To me, the most fun and challenging part of solo gigs is surprising people with something they'd never expect to hear in that context. Lithium is one of my good examples. Price's "Kiss" fills that role nicely for me. Who? I guess you've never gotten a tip from something like "Hot for Teacher," eh? Quote "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o0Ampy0o Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 Lithium Evanescence's Lithium would be my preference over Nirvana's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o0Ampy0o Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 Most memorable big-money tip: when someone tipped me $5 to play "Piano Man," and then before the first chorus someone else tipped me $100 to stop.I was at a nice bar in La Jolla years ago, the pianist did a beautiful rendition of "New York State of Mind". I tipped him $20 with his promise that he wouldn't then play "New York, New York" New York Minute by The Eagles would get my attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Lithium Evanescence's Lithium would be my preference over Nirvana's. Illustrates how a solo no-vox pianist generally has to pick songs for the bell curve of tastes, not for the 10% of more eclectic tastes. If you like full tip jar. I recall a piano gig in a San Francisco bar full of 20-somethings. Played a set full of down-the-middle pop classics -- Beatles, Stevie, Elton, etc. . . at the end a young guy came up and said "that was great, I was feeling bummed and you really uplifted me." "Cool, did you recognize the tunes?" "No, not a single one, I thought you were playing originals." So who the heck knows. Maybe you just need to play your ass off and forget about audience preferences. Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Lithium Evanescence's Lithium would be my preference over Nirvana's. Judging from the karaoke show I run from time to time (and yeah I've started that up again with a liberal wiping of mics with alcohol between singers) the Evanescence one is sung a lot more than Nirvana, but I suspect that's just young women getting out their inner Amy Lee after a few drinks My Immortal is the gold standard for that kind of stuff though. There's a recent ballad that everyone recognizes after just the first two arpeggiated piano chords. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfloydcramer Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 My top 10 tip- mongering- tunes also include The Entertainer (my signature song), Easy Like Sunday Morning and that venerable old show- stopper, Music Box Dancer. Bennie and the Jets get an honorable mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 I guess you've never gotten a tip from something like "Hot for Teacher," eh? Man, I worked on that for a while, but never got it to the point where I wanted it. Then I got distracted and let it slip. One of these days I'll pick it back up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaspla Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Placement and Jar Management. Of course you need to 'entertain them'. Evening off yesterday, went to see a jazz Duo in a nice restaurant that seated some 40+ people....very skilled players. They cooked, played 2 hours...I was sitting very close to them. They might have made $17 - Problem; they're tip jar was very high, on top of a railing near them, where nobody walks by. On the front of the jar a sign' Tip Jar'. You couldn't see the money.....You just saw a sign. Contrast, did a duo with a guitarist Saturday, place only sat around 25. We got little over $200 in 2 hours. Tip jar was right in front of group, right next to the exit- there was a dollar bill taped to the front...for visibility...management.... We joked around....a little jazz, some Xmas stuff, some pop. Hamming it up, entertaining. Couple of weeks ago I did a Thanksgiving Cocktail piano gig Solo. Tip jar on the piano, pretty tall...you can see the money.... Management...as the jar started filling I would occasionally remove a few bills so it didn't look too full...cocktail music, some jazzy, little country, pop, blues, smile to the patrons as they dropped the eagles into the nest. Made over $100 - solo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
re Pete Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Only primed the jar a couple times. Felt uncomfortable, figured it's insulting to the crowd IQ if they don't know what it's for. Especially the regulars. Over the years, what strange things have people received besides money in it? Remember getting always $2 bills from one regular. Once a mini bible. Couple buttons. Candy. One old lady dropped in a gold broach. Not sure what it's worth, real or junk. People like the Doors music for tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Placement and Jar Management. Of course you need to 'entertain them'. Evening off yesterday, went to see a jazz Duo in a nice restaurant that seated some 40+ people....very skilled players. They cooked, played 2 hours...I was sitting very close to them. They might have made $17 - Problem; they're tip jar was very high, on top of a railing near them, where nobody walks by. On the front of the jar a sign' Tip Jar'. You couldn't see the money.....You just saw a sign. Contrast, did a duo with a guitarist Saturday, place only sat around 25. We got little over $200 in 2 hours. Tip jar was right in front of group, right next to the exit- there was a dollar bill taped to the front...for visibility...management.... We joked around....a little jazz, some Xmas stuff, some pop. Hamming it up, entertaining. Couple of weeks ago I did a Thanksgiving Cocktail piano gig Solo. Tip jar on the piano, pretty tall...you can see the money.... Management...as the jar started filling I would occasionally remove a few bills so it didn't look too full...cocktail music, some jazzy, little country, pop, blues, smile to the patrons as they dropped the eagles into the nest. Made over $100 - solo. Perfect strategies! Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Over the years, what strange things have people received besides money in it? Most common in these parts: weed and condoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 When I was doing piano bars I had only three rooms with grand pianos. For the others I'd use my CP80 rather then their uprights so I could maintain better eye contact with the room, and (importantly) could set my oversize snifter for tips on the edge of it's harp section for easy access. But this was back in the day when rooms would book you in blocks of weeks or months, so setting it up wasn't a huge issue. $100 tips were super rare in the 80s and 90s, but one I still remember was from an Australian visiting the area. I can't remember the song I played for him, but I sure remember what he did afterwards when he pulled a live baby kangaroo out of his knapsack. He was a big hit with the ladies that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
re Pete Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 OT but wondering. Played a casino last night but on their grand. Does musical instrument insurance cover stuff like this if your board gets damaged? Though this looks like not near a band, got me thinking to insure as the world gets dumber. https://www.phillyvoice.com/harrahs-brawl-video-atlantic-city-new-jersey-one-person-injured/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 OT but wondering. Played a casino last night but on their grand. Does musical instrument insurance cover stuff like this if your board gets damaged? Though this looks like not near a band, got me thinking to insure as the world gets dumber. https://www.phillyvoice.com/harrahs-brawl-video-atlantic-city-new-jersey-one-person-injured/ To continue your OT thoughts, friends of mine were hired to be Jerry Lee Lewis' back up band for one night in Fresno. Jerry was playing a Steinway grand and at one point he poured beer on the keys so he could more easily do his famous "slam slide" flourishes across the keyboard. Not sure who picked up that repair tab but what an asshole! Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 OT but wondering. Played a casino last night but on their grand. Does musical instrument insurance cover stuff like this if your board gets damaged? Though this looks like not near a band, got me thinking to insure as the world gets dumber. https://www.phillyvoice.com/harrahs-brawl-video-atlantic-city-new-jersey-one-person-injured/ As a club DJ I've witnessed more than my share of fights, and after watching that video heads are going to roll. Security never stands around like that. A common technique is run in and tackle - just like they're in a football game. But whatever they do, they aggressively get in there and disable the combatants. It takes a special kind of person to be a good security guy. The best ones just love it. Most fights started around the bar or other crowd choke points. I never had anything get close to either my equipment or the club's sound system. That was a fairly large club that closed three years ago when a developer basically " bought the block" - the block of buildings that contained this nightclub. It was always busy - a solid moneymaker that employed me for 8 years. Shame to see it go... long story that I'll probably share sometime in an appropriate thread. Anyway I wouldn't lose too much sleep about insuring your gear for fight damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51recording Posted December 11, 2021 Author Share Posted December 11, 2021 OT but wondering. Played a casino last night but on their grand. Does musical instrument insurance cover stuff like this if your board gets damaged? Though this looks like not near a band, got me thinking to insure as the world gets dumber. https://www.phillyvoice.com/harrahs-brawl-video-atlantic-city-new-jersey-one-person-injured/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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