The EM Poll

Not Just for Folk Singers

Mar 14, 2008 2:33 PM, By Emile Menasche

           

OPEN MIC NIGHTS LET MUSICIANS OF ALL TYPES HONE THEIR PERFORMANCE SKILLS AND MAKE VALUABLE CONTACTS.

The old joke goes like this: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice! But ask any professional musician to name the one activity that's most vital in reaching the big time, and he or she is most likely to say performing.

Real-world playing experience can do more for your chops than weeks — or even years — of practice. The rush of adrenaline, the distraction of the lights and crowds, the changes in body position that inevitably occur onstage, all affect the way you play your instrument or use your voice. Equally important, the essential skill of communicating with an audience and winning over a roomful of strangers can only be mastered through trial and error.

Unfortunately, there are a limited number of gigs available, especially if you're playing original music. It's that old catch-22: you need experience to get the gigs, and you need the gigs to get experience. But there are alternatives. Open mic nights give you a forum for gaining performance experience quickly. (Organized jam sessions are similarly helpful, although they tend to be more ensemble-focused and don't usually offer the chance to play original material.)

“I think it's the greatest place to start,” says singer-songwriter Sam Shaber. Shaber has toured the United States and Europe and has just released her fourth CD, Eighty Numbered Streets, produced by Shawn Mullins for SMG Records. “The first time I ever performed was at an open mic; there's that aspect of people singing into a microphone or plugging their guitar in to something for the first time ever.”

Open mic nights are a rich and often overlooked resource for musicians. You can gain performing experience, test new material, network with area musicians, find and audition for gigs, or all of the above. And contrary to popular belief, open mic nights are not just for beginners or acoustic-guitar-slinging singer-songwriters.

Recording artist and producer John Sonntag (One More Midnight, Thunder Pumpkin Records, 1997) has hosted and performed at open mics in the New York area and sees them as an avenue for all kinds of music. “In my experience, everything shows up: blues, bluegrass, jazz, classical, ragtime, doo-wop, rap with prerecorded tracks, you name it,” he says. “If it's run well, the open mic is the perfect sounding board in a low-pressure situation. Serious songwriters can observe what works for both themselves and others and may incorporate some of those elements into their own material.

What Is an Open Mic?

An open mic is a forum where musicians and other artists can gather and perform an unscheduled set. You'll find open mics at clubs and bars, coffeehouses, and other venues.

“The cool thing is that just about anywhere you go or live, there's an open mic somewhere — at least one, if not five,” Shaber says. “I used to live in Ithaca, New York; there were a couple open mics up there, and that's where I started to learn how to perform, which is 100 percent different than playing in your room.”

Some open mics precede or follow more traditional sets, while others are the night's primary event. Performance time and conditions vary widely, but there's usually a limit of 10 to 15 minutes or as many as three songs maximum per performer. Some open mics are organized so that each performer plays one piece in a round-robin fashion. Once everyone has had a turn, you can play another piece.

Open to All

Although the open mic is traditionally associated with the singer-songwriter, you'll find that many venues offer opportunities for bands and instrumentalists as well. While acoustic guitarists have an advantage (“We're highly portable,” Shaber says), some clubs set up a back line that includes guitar and bass amps, as well as drums, to make it easier for a full band to get on and off quickly. You'll find pianos at some bars, but you'll most likely need to bring your own keyboard for an open mic. If there's no keyboard amp onstage, you can run the keyboard direct through the house system. It's always a good idea to call the venue ahead of time and find out what's available.

Although most open mic situations are geared toward “live” players, some will accommodate you if you want to sing along to prerecorded backing tracks. However, having witnessed this a few times, I would add a word of caution: Once you introduce prerecorded material, you're distancing yourself from the audience, especially if the crowd is filled with musicians (which is common at open mics). You might be better off singing a cappella. If prerecorded tracks are absolutely necessary to your performance, make sure to have them cued up and ready to go. If you're handing a CD to the soundperson, your best bet is to burn a custom CD with just the song or songs you will be performing, in the order of performance. Otherwise, you may find yourself shouting “No, no, track four!” to the soundperson across the room — definitely not a good stage move.