FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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What kind of music do you play? Most of my repertoire is light classical and Latin American. I’m also fond of renaissance music, and I do some popular American standards.
Do you take requests? During the event, usually not. (Although I’ve been asked to play “Stairway to Heaven” and “Classical Gas” often enough that I have them at the ready.) But if you let me know ahead of the event, I can include something you really want to hear. For example, I’m often asked to play specific pieces for weddings. Regardless of what musical style the piece is in, I can usually adapt it for guitar.
Isn’t the guitar too quiet for a large gathering? I have my own amplification system that’s sufficient for most large rooms. (If you want to see what it looks like, click here.)
But I’m not sure if amplification will be necessary. Can you play without it? Most people underestimate how noisy an event will be. While you might think amplification will be unnecessary for your event, the reality is that some amplification will almost certainly be needed. In general, it’s best to leave this decision to me. Bear in mind I’m not going to blast your guests out of their chairs with my amplifier. Rather, I discretely amplify my guitar so it can be heard above the hubbub. I also try to stay aware of the noise level while I’m playing. If things get noisy, I’ll tweak up the volume a bit so I’m still audible to your guests—if things quiet down, I’ll adjust the volume accordingly.
What are your rates? For solo guitar, I charge $150 per hour. You also have the option of going for guitar duet—the rate for this is $300 per hour. (To hear guitar duet audio samples, click here.)
Do you require an advance deposit? No. While I used to do this, over the years I’ve found that people seldom cancel on me once we’ve agreed to a date. So I prefer to be paid in full at the close of my playing for your event.
I would like to have a friend sing during our wedding ceremony. Can you accompany a singer? I’ve done this many times. Just let me know what song (or songs) you want sung, and I can come up with a guitar accompaniment. For example, I recently played a wedding in which I was asked to accompany the hymn “Here I Am, Lord.” If you want to hear a midi sample of the accompaniment I provided, click here.
If I book you, and then later someone comes to you with a better offer, will you cancel on me? No. I never cancel one event so that I can take a more lucrative offer. I consider this unethical and unprofessional. The only reason I would cancel is for illness or a dire emergency—in this unlikely case, I’ll find a suitable replacement so you won’t be left without a guitarist for your event.
What’s your set up time? It usually takes me only about ten minutes to set up. That being said, I like to arrive at the event at least a half hour before I’m scheduled to play. This gives me enough time to touch base with whoever I need to talk with.
Will I be charged for your set up time? No.
Do you take breaks? For events of two hours or less, I’m happy to play without a break. For events of three or four hours, I’ll take one 20 minute break. For longer events, I’ll take a break every two hours.
If I book you to play until a certain time, but at the event decide that I would like you to continue playing, can I do this? There’s an old saying among gigging musicians: “If you’re paying, I’m playing.” If you want me to continue playing past the previously agreed on time, this is usually no problem for me. You’ll of course pay my hourly rate for the additional time. |
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