- Book author
- Jim Perona
INTRODUCTION
Moving Back Home
In June of 2010, I moved from Boston, Massachusetts to my hometown of the west suburbs of Chicago, IL, having just earned a Master’s Degree in Guitar Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. After spending many years in music school, where the majority of the time with my instrument (classical guitar) was spent in the practice room, I was chomping at the bit to finally get out there and perform. Getting booked for gigs, however, was not a skill I ever learned. But, that’s where the first hurdle presents itself. The question of “How do I start booking gigs?” comes to mind, and it’s a tricky question indeed. We’ve all spent countless hours practicing and refining our craft, but many of us didn’t learn much about, well, everything else!
Purpose of This Book
This book is meant to provide musicians the tools necessary to not only find gig opportunities and book gigs, but to also provide tools they can use to ensure a great performance experience for the client. I truly believe that every time a musician delivers a standout performance for a client, it strengthens the entire live music ecosystem.
The Result of 14-plus Years of Experience
This guide will, as the title states, help with exactly that. It is the result of my 14-plus years of performing full-time in a variety of different venues, situations, and pay scales. While there may be some minor details that can vary depending on your region and principal act, most (if not all) of the content presented will be applicable to just about every aspiring gigging solo musician.
The Importance of Recurring Bookings
Another crucial facet to this book is to not only help with booking gigs, but to turn those gigs into recurring bookings. The importance of this cannot be understated—recurring bookings are what will lead to a healthy, stable, reliable performance schedule that will produce less stress and better income.
My name is Jim Perona, and I’m a full-time, performing musician, mostly throughout the greater Chicagoland area. I’ve been at it for over 14 years now, having performed over 2,000 gigs during that time. Throughout these past 14 years, I have learned so much that I’m excited to share with you. At the same time, I’ve made many mistakes that can be as important to point out as the positive things I’ve learned!
Building Your Repertoire
To get the most out of this book, I highly recommend building up a repertoire list totaling at least three hours long. This isn’t a requirement, but it’ll make you stand out if you can deliver at least a three-hour performance without any song repeats, especially if that song list is varied. Having a diverse “menu” of songs to offer to potential clients will make you more hireable and in-demand. Think of it as being able to “cast a wider net” for relevant leads. On a personal note, it’s made my performance career so much more enjoyable to be able to go from Johann Sebastian Bach to The Beatles, as it keeps performances fresh and exciting for me year after year.
Anecdotes and Lessons Learned
I’ve included anecdotes from throughout my career in this book for two reasons: To highlight mistakes I’ve made in hopes that you won’t make the same mistake, and to point out the times when the Gig Mindset (more on that shortly) was in action and led to a successful gig (and usually, a recurring booking).
Is This Guide For You?
If you are eager and open to perform at events that take place in non-traditional venues instead of concert halls, this guide is for you. If you are comfortable and non-deterred with ambient chatter occurring throughout your performance, then this guide is for you. If you’ve taken your musical craft to the point that you feel it can be a valuable, quality, memorable and ultimately positive aspect of any event (be it a restaurant, wedding, private event, etc.), then this guide is for you. If you’re willing to have days where you spend as much time (if not more) doing the “busy work” (updating your website, paid lead platforms, answering client emails, filming performance videos, etc.) as you do practicing your instrument, then this guide is for you. Whether you’re looking to perform one gig a month, or more than 20, this guide is for you. Finally, if you’re ready to be involved in a network of like-minded, performance-active musicians in your area, then this guide is for you.
Let’s Dive In
With all that being said, let’s dive in.
