I have admired solo performers forever, and for decades I have played in bands and then more frequently in duos, and recently I have been doing solo shows. How about you?

Over time seems that the traffic in this solo area has been increasing but that's just a general impression. I am hoping we can share a little of our insights into this for everyone's benefit.

After you answer the poll question please post a reply to this thread talking about why you play solo, and if you also play in other formats, please mention that.

If you previously played in duos or larger groups please talk about why you moved to solo.

If the L1® was a factor in moving to a solo format, please talk about that.

Thanks!

Question:
How long have you been performing solo?

Choices:
0-6 months - just starting
6-12 months
1-2 years
2-5 years
Forever

Question:
Are you a solo act most of the time?

Choices:
Yes
No
Even split 50/50

Question:
Do you play in other formats?

Choices:
Duo
Larger
Duo and Larger

Question:
Did the L1® have anything to do with you going solo?

Choices:
Yes
No

 

Edit: I apologize for the typos in the post above (tired eyes). I can't change them now because doing that would reset the poll results.

Been playing forever but my first solo show was only 18 months ago.

I still play in duos and larger formats as often as I play solo.

I am certain that I would not be playing solo if not for the L1®. I simply did not have the confidence to perform alone because I couldn't hear myself well enough to know what was happening. This was especially true with the vocals.

Going back to 2004 when I got my first L1®, I started singing more in my band. Initially it was more harmonies, then as I got used to it and more confident in being able to hear myself, I did the odd lead vocal. It took a long time but eventually I was singing lead vocals about half of the time in the band and a couple of duos. Eventually I stepped out on my own. Not exclusively, but enough to know that I can do it if I want to.

A buddy likened this to stepping onto a boat. If you know you can swim, then your attitude is completely different.

What's it been like for you?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ST,

I started out in the hair bands of the mid/late 1980s. Figured out bands were not the way to go and that I preferred the solo performers. (they needed less gear so set up and tear down time went from hours to minutes, the pay was 100x better, gigs were earlier (no more 2 and 3 am encores), and the venues hiring solo acts were nicer)

Started on borrowed JBL Cabaret mains and a cheap powered mixer. Upgraded to a Yamaha Club III main/monitor set up with a rolling rack of amps/eq/mixer. Then migrated to a Dawn PA system (10" mid/hi and 15" sub). Sold that and picked up the Yamaha Club IV mains and some powered EV sx series subs.

Over those years of diff. PAs the band went from solo acoustic to duo (2 gtr/2vox) to a trio with 3 vox/2 gtr. Towards the mid 90s the group became a duo again (percussion/gtr/2 vox).

Early 2000s my drummer picked up a Roland Handsonic and I snagged a pair of Sx200 EV tops and a Yorkville es700p sub. (running thru a Mackie 808m) Kept that duo going till 2003 when we added another gtr/vocal and stayed a trio.

The Bose L1 didn't come into play until Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. I purchased it a few months after the storm.

Now I do 98% of my shows on 1 or 2 of the towers. (small indoor shows I use 4 B1s. Larger outdoor events I bring a Yorkville LS700pb sub)

Gigs range from solo acoustic, to 2 piece acoustic/vocal, to drums(zendrum)/2vox/guitar, to the trio of zendrum/3vox/2guitars, to a sequenced duo with steel pans/2vox/guitar, to a full 4 or 5 piece band.

I've now added the T1 this year and am considering picking up another T1 and a Model II tower.

Interesting, ST...

I've played in bands for over 45 years, with some gaps for college, career, raising kids - life stuff like that. My first solo was one time in high school, then random weddings & funerals over the years. Got my first good acoustic in 1970, didn't play electric or in bands again for almost 20 years.

For me, the Bose L1 is essential for performing in general, but not necessarily just for solo. I formed a band who was L1-based at the same time the L1 came out.

I realized how much fun playing solo was, for several reasons, after my brother and sister each talked me into playing solo for events they were involved in a couple of years ago. I then incorporated performing solo in my normal musical life - normally more solo gigs than band gigs, but I'm going through a heavy band stretch right now.

After solo gigs with the L1 for a year or so, as soon as I learned of the Fishman SoloAmp (on THIS forum interestingly), I ordered one, and have enjoyed using it solo ever since - I was already sold on the SA by the time the Compact became available, still use L1's in the band.

My motivation to play solo included getting to play songs I don't get to play in bands, playing band songs in different ways and different interpretations, more and different venues and opportunities to perform, and as significant as anything - there's a degree of spontaneity playing solo that's just not there in the band, and much less and different type of rehearsal is required. I just LOVE thinking of a cool old song, finding the words and chords an hour before a gig, and that becomes the best song of the night!

Also, I find I win a LOT more of the arguments. :-)

I first learned piano from the age of about nine. But I always liked organs best - all those knobs and the earth moved for me when you opened them all. I went to a famous Music School in London but was told that I'd probably end up conducting the band on the end of Brighton Pier so gave up gracefully (they did then and now have very high standards!)

I played all over the Potteries area of the Midlands in Pubs and lots of Working Mens' Clubs, which taught me much about timing but the Big Town beckoned and I went to London and started a rock band. This was in Swinging London in the '60's. You can imagine the time we had! Found a Pic of myself the other day (which I resolutely refuse to share) of me in tight flared white trousers, knee-length shiny gold brocade coat with an Indian collar, white shoes, beads and hair down to my shoulders. It seemed quite normal then ("What, do you mean Daddy that long hair was once associated with YOUTH?")

We started as just an organ/Drums Duo but went right up to 8 or 9 if the money was right! I liked those jobs not just because of the sound (though didn't like writing out so many arrangements) but also because there were more blokes around to help carry in my 40 tons (it seemed) of Lowrey organ and two big Leslie cabinets.

All good things come to an end but we had a wonderful 7 or 8 years of it. Was told to give it up "and get a proper job" by prospective father-in-law. Now, after 30 years away from music, I'm on my own again (no women in my life now and I'm another born-again rocker trying to recapture his youth and loving every minute.

So after having to retire from Event Management for health reasons (all OK now) I started to gig out on my own again. I started - to get my own ball 're-rolling' with Care Homes etc. I had then a PSR3000 and a whole variety of amplification, none of which was right. The nearest was a Fortifier 300 watt job which blasted everything but wasn't exactly subtle.

I thought long & hard. I explored a Tyros3 which could do so much more than my 3K. But it wasn't until I heard somebody playing a rather inferior keyboard (Shhhhhh!) through the Bose System that "Ah, Maybe the sound I had in mind IS possible"

I then bought a Tyros3 (the perfect keyboard for a Solo Act) and a Bose L1 Model2 + T1. When it was all hooked up together, I played for days and days with the sheer exhilaration of the sounds I could produce. It was - I kid you not - one of the high spots of my life.

Now I play for all sorts of events. I think I might explore again working with other musicians, particularly a drummer and Bass player and maybe a singer.

I've done quite a lot of accompaniment work recently (not an avenue I want to pursue, particularly) but all the singers have commented on the flexibility and clarity of the Bose sound.

Sorry if this too long - do chop it!

Freddie

Ditto most of the above.

I've been actively playing solo (that is, for money), for about 15 years now, on and off. To be honest, if I knew I could sing, I'd have done it MUCH sooner. Up until then, it was bands.

I went solo because:

- I could take home more money, and get more gigs because I charge less than a band.

- More versatility. I have a fairly good talent and ear for music, which most others I've played with do not, therefore I could pull a song out of the past more quickly, and actually play it, than I could in a band situation.

- I get to play what I want to (song selection, genre, etc.)

- I get to play what I want to, in the general sense. I like story songs, and acoustic type music. Most bands wouldn't play those things, they don't lend themselves much to that lineup of gear.

- Classier venues. Those are the ones that want to hear the music I play.

- Less politics.

- More dependability. I don't lose gigs because someone didn't show, or didn't want to play this weekend because the ballgame was on (or whatever).

quote:

Question:
Did the L1® have anything to do with you going solo?

It's not the reason I went solo, but it's definitely the reason I continue to.

I miss playing electric music sometimes, and I miss improvising and soloing in a band setting, but you can't have it all. And although all that is fun, I find acoustic music more fulfilling in the long run. Just my preference...

I started off playing solo, then a few years ago decided to try playing in a duo/trio partnership just to see what it would be like. Mostly a duo, with a backup vocalist on occasion.

I have a slight preference to solo work but enjoy working in a duo/trio arrangement almost as much. Much depends on the musical style and the venue.

The style of music I play most is best suited for solo work, but I like performing in a duo/trio arrangement from time to time because I get to perform other musical styles...and it takes some of the pressure off being a solo act.

Because I'm not what you might call talented, I don't make a great deal of effort to find gigs. I perform when the occasion arises but I don't actively seek to perform.

But I play (perform? rehearse?) at home a lot (as often as I can) because, these days, I can't put my guitar down! It's almost as good as being in front of an audience...and there is not the pressure of performing in front of an audience.

I have said this elsewhere on the forum on more than one occasion but it doesn't hurt to repeat it again: I do belive that had I not purchased my L1, that I would have given up live performance a long time ago. The L1 has been a huge influence in keeping my interest in live performance.

Stu

Over the years, I have played with 2, 3, 4 and 5 piece bands. Playing either Guitar, Bass Guitar or Keyboards and singing. Usually I played Bass Guitar, since they were in short supply back then. All were quite interesting and very satisfying at their time frame. In between I did solo work, with my Guitar, voice, a tacky drum machine and a 3 ring binder. The funniest thing, I did not get a chance for serious voice lessons, until 1994, after I had 5 way heart bypass surgery. It seemed like a good time to learn how to breath right and learn some real technique.
After a simple test song, my instructor, informed me that "For a person doing everything wrong, I did not sound half bad".

After several months, where I never thought it would come together, suddenly it all made sense and became quite easy. It made all the difference in the world. A few more months of practice (actually I still do vocal exercises several times a week) it was like a whole new beginning. It now became apparent, my guitar playing would be the limiting factor in what I could sing. Some musicians here frown on using tracks, some mix them with their guitar, keyboard, etc, but the bottom line is there is so much good music out there and I am lucky to have an audience that likes to hear good covers. I will never forget or stop appreciating what Stephanie my instructor did for me. I can never thank her enough for opening my eyes and ears to a new world of music. It is hard to imagine struggling through 15-20 years of mediocre singing and then waking up after learning how it do it right and best of all it is so much easier.

I truly enjoy doing a show, with selections from a 2600 plus library of songs. I never have to worry about doing the same songs every show or feeling like I am bored to death with one genre of music. For about 2-3 years I had a female partner which was very nice for harmonies and additional variety, but sometimes they have issues and may not share the same dedication, such as it's too hot out, these people don't like show tunes, they don't pay enough here, I don't like this place, I going back into show productions.

And so it's back to the Solo routine for the last year and a half. No shortage of gigs, enough money, pleasant audience. It works very well. You can get a bit tired after singing for about 4 hours though. I really can't imagine what I would do without my gig's and my Bose. I will probably break down and add in an L1 Compact, to work with my Larrivee guitar (now my favorite) and a nice EV nd767a mic. There are a quite a few vocals with just a nice guitar backing that are waiting to be played.

Before the Bose L1 MII, 2B1's, T1, I had literally a small trailer loaded with 2 65lb JBL's, speaker stands, a powered mixer, effects units, 2 Peavey 12" speakers, earbuds and a big console stand with built-in rack mounts. Setting up was a real chore. I am not sure how long I would have kept things up with all this stuff, but the Bose L1 has made it more of a labor of love, than being an overworked personal roadie for myself.

I started playing in bands in 1966. I played bass as my main instrument. Most of the bands had a full horn section. I finally went solo in 1978 (or there abouts) and continue to do so on weekends! I love playing solo but at times, as most can attest, it gets a bit lonely - especially when your setting up and/or tearing down. The band I worked with starting in 1968 reunited for a special performance in 2008. Once again, I returned to bass. Most of the original members attended the reunion. What a great time we had. Here's the link for those interested: http://www.soulexpresstheband.com/

Hey dhcrow - Not to change the subject here but you might want to add your band to this web site. 60's Garage Bands

Anybody else out there that had a band in the 60's or looking for the old groups from your home town this is a great site.

Now - Back to todays topic.

hi all..Ive been solo for about 3 yrs,now...scary at first,but it has forced me to find my voice.The BOSE makes it so much easier to set up/and tear down!I have been in various rock/top-40/country/polka/disco/variety bands since 1970.
I would love to be in a trio situation where the drums and bass used their own L1's--
(Check out Drumrs' "CUBS" videos on youtube!)
That is a great little band!..anyhow ..until I find a bass player and drummer,here in NE Ohio willing to move into the 21st Century with me,and Bose..I'll be solo.The money is good,but,a band is more fun!
www.JOHNRUMAN.com

I played in bands for about 25 years and did a little solo work here and there.

Then I switched to Solo permanently and have been doing that about 15 years.

I originally switched to solo because it solved so many time constraint problems that I had AND it was so much easier. I didn't have to manage or motivate anyone but myself. ( somehow I usually ended up being the band manager in the past ) I can easily handle all the bookings myself, no need for an agent. Set up and tear down is quicker ( especially with the Bose ). More places can afford a Solo act so there are more gigs.

Also when I use to do bigger band shows ( 5 to 10K people in the audience ) I didn't get to meet as many people because of security concerns. Now I get to meet all the people I want and their families too ! It is much more personable. The big show thing looks glamorous from the outside lookin in but I didn't find it as glamorous from the inside lookin out.

Troisnoir's comments mirror many of my own thoughts.

OOpps I gotta go... I'll add more later, maybe, hehe

I play solo smooth jazz music on my tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones and have been doing so for just over 1 year. I use an iPod to play my backing tracks.

I played in several bands before deciding to go solo, as the band gigs always seemed too few and far between. I had downloaded some backing tracks to play for enjoyment and then realized I could use them for a solo act. I no longer play in bands and now play out solo 2-3 nights a week. I have around 4 hours of material.

My initial sound system was a Yamaha Stagepas 500 with a Yorkville powered sub and a Mackie SRM150 as a monitor.

I was getting tired of all the setup involved and also found sometimes that the smaller places I played would get a little intimidated with all of the speakers, stands, etc. Not to mention all of the cords I had to run. Then I heard about the L1 Compact and purchased it.

I was a little concerned about the lack of inputs but found a workaround. Some smaller places I play where the acoustics are lively, I just run the iPod through the L1 Compact, and do not mic the sax. For larger venues, I use a small mixer to handle the wireless mic on the sax (running through an ART preamp and a TC Helicon VoiceCreate), a vocal mic for speaking to the crowd, and if needed, add my powered sub to add a little more depth. The mixer also allows easy access for controlling the volumes for the sax, iPod, and vocal mic.

I have played in very small places to playing outside for 150+ people and have been extremely pleased. I hear myself great with no monitor, and I know that what I hear is what the crowd is hearing. It was always tough before to know if my sax volume was mixed correctly with my backing tracks.

It's great to see peoples faces when I start playing and how amazed they are that all of the sound is coming out of the L1 Compact. I love it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bmannsax,

I started playing guitar when I was 7, 58 years old now...
Pretty much the way we all begin, by playing a bit alone, figuring things out... when I started writing songs, of course I wrote them alone, mostly - with voice and guitar.
I've played in a lot of different formats, up to a 7 piece unit - but I've always played solo to keep my chops and interest up in that area...
While there is no denying that wondeful things happen when playing with other musicians, I like the freedom of solo voice and guitar a great deal. I know a gazillion songs, many of them are decidedly NOT Top Forty (does that even exist anymore?LOL!) - and I've found that I can segue from one piece to the next fairly easily... sometimes I'll do several tunes by the same composer/group that seem to fit together, sometimes I'll choose songs that are in the same context, sometimes I'll weave one of my tunes in there as well!
It is demanding, being the only instrument - 'cause if it ain't happening that night, then it REALLY ain't happening! I get to be drums, rhythm, lead, bass - and I HAVE to do these things or the tune falls flat! Add singing to the equation and it stays pretty interesting. I play 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, hand-made by Mark Angus, of Laguna Beach, Ca. I have several electrics as well, but rarely take 'em to a strictly solo gig, unless it's a jazz type job... have used a drum machine but I have a strong distaste for "canned" tracks, plus I know a whole lot of really great drummers, etc. I have no interest in being a "one man rock/dance band"...
I love my Bose system - but I was playing solo gigs before the company was in existence, so "No", the L1 is not the reason I play solo... that said, I still remember when a Shure VocalMaster was a good PA system, LOL! The Bose L1 Model 1 I have is the PA that I have wanted for my entire performing career! It just fits, so nicely - and sounds beautiful. My 2 acoustic guitars really sparkle through it - and I used to stuff a SM57 in the soundhole for a little "breath" and string noise to accompany the UST's in the guitars - the model 1 on the "UST" preset, sounds so good that I do not do anything else with it! I have a T1, as well - but thus far, I vastly prefer the sound of my guitars and voice, straight into the model 1...

play on.........................>

John Seth Sherman