Tips for Newbies
Tips for Your First Open Mic
Let us know if it’s your first time. We’ll help you.
Make sure your guitar has a fresh battery.
Maybe new strings?
Sing a bit on the way. It's what we call 'getting our ear in'. So the note you hear in your head is more likely to come out.
Get your guitar out and tune it up during the previous act's set. Guitars can go out of tune quickly. Especially in transit, entering a venue and at night.
Get your cheat sheets, stool and anything else you need ready before your set. If you’re using pedals, plug them in, leads and all. So you can just put them down in one go and be ready. No need for a big song and dance about plugging them in. Please don’t wait to get on stage to ask for things you could have sorted already.
Don't worry about stuff ups. No one usually notices unless you stop. Keep on strumming. NEVER STOP MID-SONG. If you’re doing that, you’re not ready to perform at Perth Open Mic.
Enjoy yourself. The audience wants the best for you, so relax, smile and they'll smile with you.
We promise, hardly anyone will know if you’re making mistakes, but everyone will notice if you’re not enjoying yourself.
It's ok to be nervous. It's all part of the thrill and the reason we do this in the first place!
Invite friends and family. They buy the food and drinks that enables the pub to provide live music, which means you have somewhere to play. It’s pretty simple really.
General Gig Tips for Musicians. (Not necessarily open mic)
Never ask, ‘can you hear me alright.’ That’s not just an open mic thing, that’s a stage thing. It is guaranteed to piss off your sound engineer.
Always wait til the sound engineer has given you the ok to unplug your instrument. Turning down your guitar doesn’t do anyting. The channel needs to be muted and if it’s not, the speakers go bang. You look stupid, the audience gets a nasty shock and the expensive speakers are potentially damaged and maybe need repairs as a result. We all make mistakes, but damn, learn from it and don’t do it again!
