27. Beginner’s Guide to Open Mics

In this episode of the Music Executive Podcast, host Cinnamon Denise provides an in-depth guide on how to prepare for an open mic performance, drawing from her extensive experience as a live sound engineer, host, and musician. 

Cinnamon offers practical advice on understanding different types of open mics, adhering to venue rules and cultural norms, and being prepared with the right equipment and memorized music. Listeners will also learn the importance of bringing the right energy, being kind to everyone involved, and ensuring they have a good time. This episode is a must-listen for musicians at any level looking to enhance their open mic skills.

Chapters

• 2:02 Understanding Different Types of Open Mics
• 4:09 Knowing the Rules and Cultural Norms
• 6:11 What to Bring to an Open Mic
• 8:19 Bringing the Right Vibes
• 11:48 Be Kind and Respectful
• 13:37 Be Prepared and Command the Stage

Transcript

Hey, music executives. This is the Music Executive Podcast, a show where we dive into what it takes to build a sustainable, holistic music career. I'm your host Cinnamon Denise, and I am also the owner of Sentimental Productions. If you are new to the Music Executive podcast, welcome and if you're not new, welcome back.

I'm glad you're here. If you're a full-time. Part-time or hobbyist musician, this podcast is for you. I started this podcast to help bring insights, share ideas, build community, stop the commoditization of music professionals, and to be vulnerable. Really. Today we are talking about how to prepare for an open mic.

Before we dive in, I'm excited to share that you can now text the show. There is a link at the top of the episode description that says, send us a text message. Let me know what topics you would like me to cover, maybe potential guests that you would like to hear from, or just send me good energy, good vibes, and I might shout you out in an upcoming episode.

All right, let's do this. Music executives, I'm feeling sentimental. The short but sweet backstory is that I was giving a voice lesson and my student was preparing for an open mic that they really wanted to sing at in their town, and they wanted to know how to prepare for it. We started talking about a lot, so much so that I realized it would make a great episode for the podcast.

I worked at a popular jazz club for a few years as a live sound engineer, and I have seen my fair share of. Open mics. I've also hosted open mics, and as a musician singer myself, I have also been to a lot of open mics. So if you're thinking about performing at an open mic or you have performed at an open mic and you would like to get better at it, this episode will be very helpful for you.

I want you to avoid the most common pitfalls that I've seen from my own experience as well as what I've observed. These pitfalls are usually a combination of a lack of awareness. A lack of understanding and an unwillingness or inability to ask and receive feedback from others. Now, I recommend grabbing something to take notes with because this is a lot of information.

Let's start with number one. To prepare for an open mic, I want you to answer the following question. What type of open mic is this? There are different types of open mic settings and formats. For example, a karaoke bar is technically an open mic, and at a karaoke bar there will be a list of songs that you can choose from and sing along to.

Is it a jazz focused open mic, also known as a jazz jam, right? There is a very specific way to approach a jazz jam, and typically that includes picking a jazz standard, telling the band what key you want to perform that standard in if you're a singer, and then counting the band off. So that means you should have a few jazz standards memorized by the time you go on that stage.

Know what tempo you want to do that standard app and singers know the key you want to sing it in. Is this a solo open mic? Like do you have to bring a backing track and sing along or bring your guitar and plug into the PA system and then sing? Is it more of a singer songwriter format where it would be suitable for you to bring in original song and not necessarily a cover song?

Can an entire band sit in on this open mic? Like, did you start a four piece band? And now y'all are like, let's go play out. Can the venue accommodate your group and or do they welcome groups at their open mic in the first place? Now you can find out the answer to this question. What type of open mic is this?

By going to the open mic itself, going on the venue, social media pages, or visiting their website and looking at their calendar. You can also ask a fellow musician who has been to this open mic at this venue, and they might know exactly what type of open mic it is, and they can answer most of your questions.

But answer this question, what type of open mic is this first? So that you don't waste your time and go somewhere where you're expected to do something that you may not be comfortable with doing or know how to do. And the other benefit to answering this question before you go up on that stage is that you will know.

What the non-musician attendees or participants are expecting out of this open mic. Step number two is to answer this question. What are the rules of the open mic rule? Sounds very official. So think of this like cultural norms. What is acceptable in one culture is not necessarily acceptable in another.

So understand the cultural norms of this venue, of this city, of this open mic. What have you? So do things like check if the venue has an entry fee, also known as a cover fee, because some venues do and some don't have an entry fee, so long as you buy two things off the menu. For example, I've even been to venues that maybe won't charge you if you're planning on performing at the open mic.

Also. With this cultural norms rule sentiment, do you know how many songs you can perform? And I can't emphasize how important it is to honor this rule. There are a lot of people that want to play at this open mic, whatever open mic you're at, and while you may want to do a 30 minute performance and open mic is not a 30 minute performance.

Some open mics have a song limit and some have a time limit. But figure out which one it is and abide by it. It is very rude to not do so. Okay. Also, what is the protocol for performing? Do you have to sign up on a notebook that the host hands around? Can you just plug in your instrument and play? I've been to open mics where if you have a three piece band or more, they ask you to come early to the venue so that they can be prepared for you.

Lastly, who's in charge? Right? AKA. Who is the host? Who is the venue manager? Now, you may not find the answer to the manager question, but you will definitely be able to find out who the host is, and I'm gonna say it, you know, follow the cultural norms that the host and the venue have in place. That host has been selected by the venue.

To host this open mic and not honoring the rules or the norms of that venue is not cool. Doing this step answering what are the rules, what are the cultural norms of this open mic will help you be set up for success and avoid any unnecessary friction during your time at your open mic. Step number three, answer this question, what do I need to bring?

I have mentioned this a few times here and there about bringing a guitar such as plugging into the PA system, right? And if that is the case, do you need to bring your own cable? Do you need to bring your own mic? And quite frankly. You may not know this answer until you get to the venue or you have observed a couple of other performers, right?

But the next best course of action, the next best decision that I like to say is to just bring everything so that way you're not turned down because you didn't bring an instrument cable. And I'll also say this, do not bring music. Um, if you're performing at an open mic, prepare and memorize your music. I speak for everyone when I say we don't want to watch you sing while you read the lyrics off of your phone.

I know it sounds harsh and of course context is always important. I can hear the context police right now, like if you know, you will be so nervous that you will forget every single lyric of your song. Okay. However, I will still speak for everyone when I say we don't wanna watch you read the lyrics off of your phone every time you go up on this open mic stage, okay?

We don't want to wait for you to set up your music stand and play music before you play. If you're going to the open mic, learn your music. I feel strongly that this applies to all levels of musicianship. If you're not there, get there. If you're not there, work to get there. Okay. I understand if you're brand new or if you have memory problems or you get stage fright, or you just picked up your instrument.

I'm not saying that this is easy, I'm just saying that it must be done and it is part of the gig. This is not just for the audience, it's also for you, baby, because the moment things go haywire on stage, you can't hear yourself. You get nervous, you can't hear the piano player. You get distracted. The thing that you must know, the given the thing that you must know.

Is your music and having your music memorized is imperative to leaving some cognitive capacity, some cognitive wiggle room for Murphy's Law when you're on that stage. All right, number four, don't kill the vibes. Bring the vibes. What do I mean? I'm going to paint this picture for you and I know y'all have probably even experienced this.

If someone gets up to an open mic stage and sings three slow ballads back to back to back, do not get up there right after that person and also sing three ballads back to back to back. You can't control what others do, but you can be aware, and this is why preparation for an open mic is so real, is so important.

Come to that open mic with more than one song that you want to sing in mind, because I will do you one better. What if the person before you decided to sing the exact same song you wanted to sing, now what are you gonna go up there? Sing the same song. No, you're not. And are you gonna not go up there and sing?

No, you're not. Okay. So prepare at least. Three to five songs of varying tempos, energy levels that you can choose from given the context of what's going on. I understand this may be your first go at going up to an open mic stage and performing. So yes, this is a lot of work. It isn't easy, but it is fun and singers beware of singing songs that are wildly popular.

Unless you can sing it exactly like the original artists or are really convincing with your delivery. It isn't. Really going to go, well, I am not talking about like untouchable songs, right? I don't really believe in untouchable songs, but they're just not the best idea for an open mic. Like I Will Always Love You.

For example, you can probably sing the Heck Outta that song, but don't sing it right? Or another one is, is It The Way by Jill Scott? Okay. As someone who has engineered hundreds of open mics, don't sing that song. Don't sing these songs instead, sing something. That folks know, that people know, but they are open and, um, impressionable about your interpretation of it.

Right? Because what you're doing when you're sing I will Always Love You, is people are pretty much expecting Whitney, okay? When you sing, is It The Way by Jill Scott? People are expecting Jill Scott, and I'll do you one better. Sing a song that people will sing along with you. Like Come and get your love by Red Won.

Come and get Your Love or even Sweet Home, Alabama. If the crowd will sing with you. That is better than anything you can imagine and it feels good, you can sing. Don't stop believing so many different songs. Okay? Pay attention to what the audience seems to like and even pay attention to what the house band, the band that stays up on the stage for most of the night likes to play.

What do they play well? If the house band has an incredible drummer, but um, maybe not the best guitarist in your humble opinion, maybe go up there and do a song that is more drum heavy and doesn't have a hotel, California guitar solo in it. So when I say Don't kill the vibes, bring the vibes. If this is a venue you go to all the time.

Don't sing the same song every week. I get it. If you wanna practice or you just love these same three songs, or you just love that Ella Fitzgerald song, but at least skip a week or two of singing the same songs. 'cause you're, not only are you not improving, but people are kind of like just expecting it from you.

So now the audience is gonna kind of tune out and you don't necessarily want that, right? You are not gonna improve this way, and it's not gonna convince others that you practice all week and, and you're better than that, right? So number four is don't kill the vibes. Bring the vibes. Number five, be kind to everyone at all times, especially the band, the host, and the venue staff.

I cannot tell you how many times I personally have been treated rudely because people thought I was a hostess when I was the sound engineer. Which news flash. It shouldn't matter either way, right? The venue owner or the manager, they may be serving that night and you may not even know it. And I wanna talk to my singers, especially right now because we do this and we need to stop.

If the house band messes up your song. The song, whatever happens, you can't hear yourself. You get frustrated with yourself because you messed up. If you don't like the fact that the host mispronounced your name, pro tip, write your name down phonetically on a piece of paper so they don't mispronounce it.

But if you don't like any of that, you don't like how you sang. Do not. Leave that stage without saying thank you to the band and to the audience. Be gracious. Even if you are faking it deep down, you may be pissed off, but hold your tongue on that mic. Don't roll your eyes at people because on stage I'm telling you, everyone sees everything.

And I'm not saying don't get mad, don't get frustrated. Don't be disappointed. 'cause you might have a moment or a performance that just didn't go how it was supposed to go. I'm saying keep your composure. Don't come outside yourself, as my grandma would say, and honestly, this is a principle to just live our lives by, but with my time in the industry, I think we need to like say this one.

I don't care if you live in a big city or a small city. The music industry is small. So number five, be kind. Be respectful to everyone at all times, including yourself. Give yourself grace. Number six, be prepared. Okay. I alluded to this earlier with memorizing your music, but I will expand a little bit here.

Be prepared. Know the key of the song, the tempo you wanna do it in. Have more than one song in mind. Ideally five songs, but at least three, right? Memorize your music back to front, front to back, left to right, right to left, upside down, turned around when you can hear yourself when you can't. Right? And really important.

Practice introducing yourself. I struggled with introducing myself for years, unnecessarily so. And though, yes, this is a first impression thing. It's not only important because of that, it's also important because it's opportunistic. People will remember who you are. Let me show you what I mean. Scenario.

Open mic. I'm at a open mic and I get up on the stage. I have the mic. Hello everyone. My name is Cinnamon Denise. That's cinnamon like the spice. Denise, like Denise, one, two, the evening, breeze, grass, the trees.

Do you know how quickly that room gets quiet? I speak directly into that microphone and it doesn't matter if you're gonna. Play an instrument or not. You play an instrument. You get up there with your instrument. You say your name, you say what you want people to know. Before you walk off that stage, you say what you cannot say in the middle of singing a song or playing a song.

Get up on that stage and command the stage. Whatever you're doing, whatever instrument you're playing, whatever song you're playing, regardless of how many people are watching, listening does not matter. People like watching people command the stage. People like seeing someone have a good time on stage and if you need to attend or watch first so that you can see and feel how things ebb and flow.

You know, when is the venue the fullest and you maybe you wanna perform in the venues. The fullest, is it the fullest? Usually at eight 30 or nine 30, or you don't wanna perform when it's the fullest, so it's most dead at 1130. Okay. Be prepared. Like, does this venue have a house band? And who is in that house band?

Why does it matter? Because you might be friends with the drummer and the drummer may only be there every third, every three open mics, right? Or you may not really vibe with one host because they don't like to let singers up on the stage, or you may not really vibe with this host because there's too many singers on the stage, or you don't vibe with this house band member because they only know how to play rock music and you wanna play jazz.

All this is important and all this you can vine on social media asking a friend attending before you perform all that good stuff. And you bring several songs. That when something is not how you're expecting it or wanting it to be, you can still get the job done. So again, number six, be prepared. Lastly, number seven, and I had to add this one in there because it's me.

I'm feeling sentimental. Y'all know me. Number seven is, have a good time. This is music. It is supposed to be fun besides the fact that you as a human should enjoy your very unique human experience. Let me paint a picture for you. You have a good time. The audience notices. The audience now has a good time too.

Dare I say it, the house band had a good time too. Dare I say it again. The host had a good time. The venue owner is happy because you made that venue look good. You're supporting the mission of the venue, which ultimately is to be profitable, right? And all of this means that you will probably be welcome to return.

You will have a good core memory for yourself. You will have something to be proud of 'cause this is not easy. You may be asked to do a show and you may meet another musician that wants to collaborate with you, that wants to perform with you, et cetera. So number seven is short and sweet, but for real, have a good time.

Alright, music executives. That is it for this episode. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend. If you enjoy the Music Executive podcast, give us a five star rating wherever you listen to podcasts. And I'm gonna close by sharing a project that my dear friend Jim Phelps over at Dink Studios and I have created recently, and it is a little micro b micro bop, like a short little song called Trendsetter.

And it is available on my band camp for purchase. The link is in the description. Music executives. I will see you next time. In the meantime, be kind to yourself. This is not easy, but it is fun, and here is trendsetter.