How I handle my Playout.

[dentyr]

How I handle my playout at the Restaurant.
Some basic facts.
The people who come on Friday evening are not likely to come again on the Saturday evening. This also goes for the following weekend.
People who come along are there to eat and drink. Generally they do not listen precisely to the music.
I am not a very good player but I get by because I try to keep things quietly even. I step up to the keyboard and very gently play my practice arpeggios. Then into my program.
Rules for the program.
1. Maximum tempo 120 BPM
2. Use only soft tenor type instruments, tenor sax, cello, slow strings.
3. Start to play with songs that people generally know.
4. Stretch the songs or medley so that you gain time.
5. Never play jigs or quicksteps, keep it quiet.
Example of what happens.
A group of 10 come in. They are greeting each other and generally having a quick chat. They sit down and out comes the phone. They are interested in 1, the phone, 2, the girl opposite, 3, the menu and then 4, the drinks menu.
I often have people come up to me just as they are leaving and say how they enjoyed the music. I have never had anyone say “That should have been an Em7/#11 chord.”
Over the evening I play through about 20 to 25 songs and may repeat one or two but I get along fine.
Hope that this helps some.
Regards, Den.