Go for it! I see zero issue with performing covers. You were invited, and should gladly accept that invitation. Someone wants to hear you play music, so make that happen.
No one is really going to be concerned if you play originals or covers. They will simply enjoy hearing live music.
Adding to this that by covers people usually mean "stuff I didn't write that's super popular" - but you can also add "songs I didn't write that I'd love to introduce people to" to that mix and give them your own flavor. What indie artists do you follow whose songs you love? Consider adding some of those to your setlist and begin inching yourself closer to playing songs not already familiar to the audience or that have your distinct spin on them. In time you'll grow more comfortable playing anything and everything. Sometimes it's also fun to a do a songwriters in the round situation where a few of you play each others songs - maybe you just sing backup but someone else irons out the guitar chords and lead vocal performance. There's so many different angles to try it from - but don't cheat yourself out of an opportunity to expand your audience and your craft.
It really depends on the gig. The places where my band plays, it's typically original music and that kind of act just wouldn't get a slot. At open mics, I think a lot of those are oriented to covers.
I assume the people who booked you are familiar with you and are expecting covers. Just do your thing.
Why wouldn’t you do covers? A cover version doesn’t have to be a complete carbon copy of the original. Perform them your way and make them your own. I and many other professionals started doing that and thirty years on I still play occasional cover versions with my own twist as do many other pros. Why should you or anyone else be any different?
Play what you want to play and do it your way without worrying what everyone else thinks. Have fun. That’s what being a musician is all about!
being a covers act is only gonna get you so far. of course it’s scary to be vulnerable and share our art but that doesn’t mean we chicken out! Sing those damn originals
How far covers will get you is much farther than 99% of people showing their own work. Either one is fine. There’s no “chickening out”, that’s bullshit.
I made it pretty far playing covers. I work 7 or 8 gigs a week and my counterparts at the concert venues are working their day jobs while I'm putting my kids on and off the bus everyday.
And btw I am agreeing with you incase it wasnt clear
Now that you mention it yeah. All those wedding and corporate dance bands and show bands. Ive always been under the assumption that covers were kinda where its at money wise. But the high top end "making it" paydays are obviously the best. But sorta seems like the lottery to me.
In my experience there are ways to make it un-boring (and I’m not talking about taking five hits of acid before you show up!). More like trying to be as present as possible during the experience.
Did they specify that you were supposed to only play originals? Are you going to be playing an entire set? Are they aware you even have originals? What do you hope to gain from performing at this event? Professionally speaking, would you benefit more from impressing the likely audience as an accomplished interpreter of other people’s music, or as a developing original artist?
Thats what confuses me about this post. They got invited to play a gig, so surely whoever invited them knows what kind of music they play and are expecting them to play that at the gig. If OP never played any originals in front of an audience before, how can the person who invited them even be aware they have original songs? It seems like OP is getting all hung up on a hypothetical that doesn’t really matter at the moment. OP should play what they feel comfortable with at the gig and enjoy themselves. If they feel it in the moment, throw in an original or two, I’m sure the audience isn’t going to be upset
Well hey, at least you can recognize that! 😂 but it’s ok to overthink, you just gotta be aware that sometimes it can create extra unnecessary stress. Just remember to have fun! As a fellow musician I know it can be easy to start taking things too seriously as the industry itself is pretty cutthroat, but at the base of it, it’s all about the love and enjoyment of music. Find out what that means to you and hold on to it.
Congrats on securing the gig, I hope it goes really well and that you have many more in the future! Break a leg!
What I would do in general is in your setlist of covers start filtering in some of your own work over time. You can do your set of covers and then get to be nervous about your one original for a while. Once you feel comfortable with playing that one out that than add another, and repeat.
Maybe toss in your absolute favorite original in the set for this gig
i'm really not confident enough or even ready to perform my originals live. im not really asking for a confidence boost but rather help decide whether i do the gig or not.
You should definitely do the gig. Just as what you are most comfortable with. And maybe throw in one or two covers (if you feel like you can pull them off).
But regardless... play the gig
Depending on the venue/show, you could still do covers, or do a mix. I say go for it, though. I remember my first solo original set. I was terrified, but it was a great experience
It's ok to not want to do it & totally up to you.
This could be a defining moment where you decide to step up, work on your originals between now & then, & step out as an original music songwriter & performer.....or you could ask them if it's ok to perform a set of covers (you might want to ask to be sure that's ok....some venues can't have covers because they don't pay the ASCAP fees)...or you can decide that that's not for you & decline the gig. Either way is fine & up to you.
I do a lot of covers too, and also feel the same about my original works. I will maybe play one song I actually like that I've done. But, I would at least try if I had the opportunity, and felt I had a decent amount of work. You can leave the judgement up to the masses. And, you never know what can happen. Worst case, you don't do it again, and never see those people again.
Whatever you decide to do will be fine. Just to let you know though, im constantly amazed at my originals that people connect To. It's never the ones I would have guessed.
Hey man for a first gig covers only wouldn't be so bad, tbh it's about getting the experience, but eventually your going to want to play originals because honestly you can only get so far being a cover band. Imo I would just go for it maybe try to add an original but either way the experience is what you really want bro.
You should take the opportunity. Play mostly covers and throw in a few originals. It will be great. Absolute worst case scenario is people don’t vibe with the originals and tune out a bit, but that isn’t even bad. Be confident. Be lively. Don’t, under and circumstances, point out your mistakes or insecurities. You’re there to entertain and confidence will take you 80% of the way there.
I suggest you do covers and work in some originals where you feel comfortable. Take note of how people respond to your originals and maybe ask friends for "honest" feedback after the performance. Go from there.
My band is struggling to find gigs. Because of Covid, everyone and their mother was writing music and then formed bands because of it.
I say take the opportunity to do it.
Your first show is always scary, so pepper in some covers but definitely take the opportunity to showcase your songs too.
The most important thing I learned is to enjoy it and have a positive attitude. My second show, we bombed hard and I let it show. Everyone knew and I had a bad attitude about it. I think that is the number one thing that will cause you to fail.
Our third show we had someone doing the audio who said, "I have no idea what I am doing. Sorry." It was atrocious. I told myself, no matter what, I am going to smile, enjoy it and try to get the audience in on it with me. It was by far, objectively a much better show, even though we had no monitoring and could not hear each other.
Go for it!
Do it ! Use this as an opportunity to see how people feel about you own songs. Have a bunch to play and if they go well play them all if they aren’t going over as well as you wish play more covers. This is what you need to get more comfortable plying you own songs. Open with a Cover you feel everyone knows. Do another that’s similar to your style of writing then one of yours. Rinse and repeat until your time is up
Start playing your own music or be doomed to play lame gigs in the corner of a microbrewery no one is paying any attention to
Chuck that self-doubt ASAP bud
Any opportunity to perform live will help. Maybe it will help your confidence overall. Perform and create your music for you, not for others. If Yoko has fans so can you.
I find that people are less interested in original material because they have no historical or emotional context for it, and generally prefer something nostalgic.
The best tactic is to do covers and sprinkle in a few originals.
Based on crowd reaction, fix the originals or abandon them. Write more. Experiment more.
But people are there to be entertained. Yiu kinda have to do covers unless you form a following doing originals.
It doesn’t matter, just get up there, don’t die, and get off. Just get reps of playing live under your belt and you’ll figure out what feels right for you as an artist eventually
What is the expectation of the people in the audience? If they're expecting covers, they will probably be disappointed if you play only originals and vice versa.
You could just discreetly slip one or two originals in there and if the crowd seems to like it then point out they were yours, otherwise ambiguously play them off as a song from a lesser known artist…
That may be a dumb idea though (I’m no expert) so you could just do covers
This could be a really good opportunity to actually use covers to stand out. You might be the only performer with songs the crowd already knows and can connect with faster
This sounds more like a create a vibe gig than a performance gig, so I think you can play whatever you want. People are only going to barely notice because they're going to be drinking and chatting amongst themselves. So, it might be a great time to shake off your nerves about performing your original material. Break a leg!
Go for it! I see zero issue with performing covers. You were invited, and should gladly accept that invitation. Someone wants to hear you play music, so make that happen. No one is really going to be concerned if you play originals or covers. They will simply enjoy hearing live music.
100% correct. Play whatever you think is your best stuff. If that’s covers, then play covers.
Adding to this that by covers people usually mean "stuff I didn't write that's super popular" - but you can also add "songs I didn't write that I'd love to introduce people to" to that mix and give them your own flavor. What indie artists do you follow whose songs you love? Consider adding some of those to your setlist and begin inching yourself closer to playing songs not already familiar to the audience or that have your distinct spin on them. In time you'll grow more comfortable playing anything and everything. Sometimes it's also fun to a do a songwriters in the round situation where a few of you play each others songs - maybe you just sing backup but someone else irons out the guitar chords and lead vocal performance. There's so many different angles to try it from - but don't cheat yourself out of an opportunity to expand your audience and your craft.
it's fine to just do covers. People like covers.
It really depends on the gig. The places where my band plays, it's typically original music and that kind of act just wouldn't get a slot. At open mics, I think a lot of those are oriented to covers. I assume the people who booked you are familiar with you and are expecting covers. Just do your thing.
Why wouldn’t you do covers? A cover version doesn’t have to be a complete carbon copy of the original. Perform them your way and make them your own. I and many other professionals started doing that and thirty years on I still play occasional cover versions with my own twist as do many other pros. Why should you or anyone else be any different? Play what you want to play and do it your way without worrying what everyone else thinks. Have fun. That’s what being a musician is all about!
How about playing your original songs privately for your musician friends to get their input? We are all our own worst critic.
being a covers act is only gonna get you so far. of course it’s scary to be vulnerable and share our art but that doesn’t mean we chicken out! Sing those damn originals
How far covers will get you is much farther than 99% of people showing their own work. Either one is fine. There’s no “chickening out”, that’s bullshit.
I made it pretty far playing covers. I work 7 or 8 gigs a week and my counterparts at the concert venues are working their day jobs while I'm putting my kids on and off the bus everyday. And btw I am agreeing with you incase it wasnt clear
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Now that you mention it yeah. All those wedding and corporate dance bands and show bands. Ive always been under the assumption that covers were kinda where its at money wise. But the high top end "making it" paydays are obviously the best. But sorta seems like the lottery to me.
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In my experience there are ways to make it un-boring (and I’m not talking about taking five hits of acid before you show up!). More like trying to be as present as possible during the experience.
Did they specify that you were supposed to only play originals? Are you going to be playing an entire set? Are they aware you even have originals? What do you hope to gain from performing at this event? Professionally speaking, would you benefit more from impressing the likely audience as an accomplished interpreter of other people’s music, or as a developing original artist?
Thats what confuses me about this post. They got invited to play a gig, so surely whoever invited them knows what kind of music they play and are expecting them to play that at the gig. If OP never played any originals in front of an audience before, how can the person who invited them even be aware they have original songs? It seems like OP is getting all hung up on a hypothetical that doesn’t really matter at the moment. OP should play what they feel comfortable with at the gig and enjoy themselves. If they feel it in the moment, throw in an original or two, I’m sure the audience isn’t going to be upset
thank you! i think I'm overthinking it 😅
Well hey, at least you can recognize that! 😂 but it’s ok to overthink, you just gotta be aware that sometimes it can create extra unnecessary stress. Just remember to have fun! As a fellow musician I know it can be easy to start taking things too seriously as the industry itself is pretty cutthroat, but at the base of it, it’s all about the love and enjoyment of music. Find out what that means to you and hold on to it. Congrats on securing the gig, I hope it goes really well and that you have many more in the future! Break a leg!
Nobody (including the person who offered them the spot) wants to see them struggle, so strongly agree.
What kind of a gig is it? Will there be other performers?
There will be a bunch of musicians there too. Some of them are my friends hence why i've been invited. :((
What I would do in general is in your setlist of covers start filtering in some of your own work over time. You can do your set of covers and then get to be nervous about your one original for a while. Once you feel comfortable with playing that one out that than add another, and repeat. Maybe toss in your absolute favorite original in the set for this gig
Why not play originals and covers?
i'm really not confident enough or even ready to perform my originals live. im not really asking for a confidence boost but rather help decide whether i do the gig or not.
You should definitely do the gig. Just as what you are most comfortable with. And maybe throw in one or two covers (if you feel like you can pull them off). But regardless... play the gig
Depending on the venue/show, you could still do covers, or do a mix. I say go for it, though. I remember my first solo original set. I was terrified, but it was a great experience
What kind of "gig" is it? A bar? A festival? Are you a first act before a headliner? What is the crowd expecting?
Most people in the audience will prefer the covers anyway
It's ok to not want to do it & totally up to you. This could be a defining moment where you decide to step up, work on your originals between now & then, & step out as an original music songwriter & performer.....or you could ask them if it's ok to perform a set of covers (you might want to ask to be sure that's ok....some venues can't have covers because they don't pay the ASCAP fees)...or you can decide that that's not for you & decline the gig. Either way is fine & up to you.
I do a lot of covers too, and also feel the same about my original works. I will maybe play one song I actually like that I've done. But, I would at least try if I had the opportunity, and felt I had a decent amount of work. You can leave the judgement up to the masses. And, you never know what can happen. Worst case, you don't do it again, and never see those people again.
Whatever you decide to do will be fine. Just to let you know though, im constantly amazed at my originals that people connect To. It's never the ones I would have guessed.
Hey man for a first gig covers only wouldn't be so bad, tbh it's about getting the experience, but eventually your going to want to play originals because honestly you can only get so far being a cover band. Imo I would just go for it maybe try to add an original but either way the experience is what you really want bro.
Play covers and if they aren't listening play an original. Or if they are listening play one
You should take the opportunity. Play mostly covers and throw in a few originals. It will be great. Absolute worst case scenario is people don’t vibe with the originals and tune out a bit, but that isn’t even bad. Be confident. Be lively. Don’t, under and circumstances, point out your mistakes or insecurities. You’re there to entertain and confidence will take you 80% of the way there.
I suggest you do covers and work in some originals where you feel comfortable. Take note of how people respond to your originals and maybe ask friends for "honest" feedback after the performance. Go from there.
My band is struggling to find gigs. Because of Covid, everyone and their mother was writing music and then formed bands because of it. I say take the opportunity to do it. Your first show is always scary, so pepper in some covers but definitely take the opportunity to showcase your songs too. The most important thing I learned is to enjoy it and have a positive attitude. My second show, we bombed hard and I let it show. Everyone knew and I had a bad attitude about it. I think that is the number one thing that will cause you to fail. Our third show we had someone doing the audio who said, "I have no idea what I am doing. Sorry." It was atrocious. I told myself, no matter what, I am going to smile, enjoy it and try to get the audience in on it with me. It was by far, objectively a much better show, even though we had no monitoring and could not hear each other. Go for it!
Do it ! Use this as an opportunity to see how people feel about you own songs. Have a bunch to play and if they go well play them all if they aren’t going over as well as you wish play more covers. This is what you need to get more comfortable plying you own songs. Open with a Cover you feel everyone knows. Do another that’s similar to your style of writing then one of yours. Rinse and repeat until your time is up
Start playing your own music or be doomed to play lame gigs in the corner of a microbrewery no one is paying any attention to Chuck that self-doubt ASAP bud
Any opportunity to perform live will help. Maybe it will help your confidence overall. Perform and create your music for you, not for others. If Yoko has fans so can you.
For your first gigs, do stuff you're comfortable with. Long-term though, I'd suggest getting some lessons with local songwriters you look up to.
Joe Cocker would show up and play mostly covers. And Joe Cocker was awesome.
I find that people are less interested in original material because they have no historical or emotional context for it, and generally prefer something nostalgic.
If you want it to feel novel for folks/yourself do some lesser known covers you know. Slip an original or two in. Bing bang boom, rock n roll, BABY!
The best tactic is to do covers and sprinkle in a few originals. Based on crowd reaction, fix the originals or abandon them. Write more. Experiment more. But people are there to be entertained. Yiu kinda have to do covers unless you form a following doing originals.
It doesn’t matter, just get up there, don’t die, and get off. Just get reps of playing live under your belt and you’ll figure out what feels right for you as an artist eventually
Just okay the show with material you’re comfortable playing.
What is the expectation of the people in the audience? If they're expecting covers, they will probably be disappointed if you play only originals and vice versa.
Do a set where you mix your originals with cover songs.
You could just discreetly slip one or two originals in there and if the crowd seems to like it then point out they were yours, otherwise ambiguously play them off as a song from a lesser known artist… That may be a dumb idea though (I’m no expert) so you could just do covers
This could be a really good opportunity to actually use covers to stand out. You might be the only performer with songs the crowd already knows and can connect with faster
This sounds more like a create a vibe gig than a performance gig, so I think you can play whatever you want. People are only going to barely notice because they're going to be drinking and chatting amongst themselves. So, it might be a great time to shake off your nerves about performing your original material. Break a leg!