• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Adam Rafferty

Funky Fingerstyle Guitar

  • Home
  • Free Guitar Lessons
  • My New Book
  • Store
  • Tour
  • Blog
    • All Posts List
  • Podcast
    • All Episodes List
  • About
  • Contact
    • NEW – “Ask Adam” Voicemail
    • Booking Contact
    • Contact (email)
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Guitar / How to Get More Paying Gigs Playing the Guitar

How to Get More Paying Gigs Playing the Guitar

By Adam Rafferty 16 Comments

ar-bl-paying-gigs-plying-guitar


This article is about some of my early struggles as a pro guitar player and how I overcame them…I hope you like the info here.

As a young jazz guitar player, I really struggled to make ends meet.

I taught, played weddings, and did little gigs and in NYC it was a “scramble”. If you live in a smaller town, with fewer musicians – it can be a little easier.

You may be in this situation yourself, wondering how you can boost your gigs, raise your prices, and so on.

I needed a solution for my situation at the time.

Download Article as PDF

There was an oversupply of musicians in NYC…and because of certain things I had been taught I was not “connecting” with the audience which meant fewer gigs, and more financial hardship.

Fast forward to 2007…the year that solo fingerstyle guitar changed my life.

“Success” is personal and musical, but also has to do with gigs & professional life. Without enough gigs, the personal and musical aspects of life suffer…so all aspects of what we call success are connected.

The solution to success lies in audience connection, delivery of the music, and a “re-orientation” of what’s important and what’s not.

I want to help YOU WORK as a guitar player, and have a prosperous enjoyable life as a musician. Period.

That’s why I have launched Study With Adam…to show you & others what I have figured out. It’s more than just ‘put your finger here’ type lessons.

Just the same way I love my audiences when I perform, I want to give something great (practical, usable, and REAL) to my fellow guitar pickers (YOU).

When Music gets Too Intellectual…

Audiences dry up, and so does your pay.

I myself studied classical and jazz guitar. Classical and jazz music are awesome, but due to the school business, music has become too intellectual, IMHO.

When an intellectual musician plays, it’s like there is a “plexiglass wall” between the musician and the audience.

The audience can “appreciate that the musician is good” but doesn’t really DIG the music, down in their soul.

Musicians based on intellect often say things like:

  • “I did everything they told me in school, how come I don’t have enough gigs?”
  • “There must be something wrong with the audience!!!”
  • “Things ain’t what they used to be!”
  • “All they want is pop music, those idiots don’t hear how smart-cool-hip I am!”
  • “Audiences today have no taste!”

And then they teach their students this:

  • Play all the intellectual music games, and get good grades in school.
  • Your fellow musicians’ approval is more important than the audience’s enjoying it.
  • If you have no gigs, it’s the audience’s fault for not being “sophisticated enough.”

This is why many educated musicians have lost contact with an audience.

(I am not “dissing” classical or jazz. I love George Benson, Oscar Peterson, DIzzy Gillespie – all master musicians who do in fact “connect” with the people)

The AHA Moment That I’ll Never Forget…

As I was in the “cocoon” developing my solo repertoire, I’d play at restaurants with a jazz duo (guitar and sax). However, on our breaks, I’d play a few solo tunes for practice.

One night I played a solo version of “I’ll Be There” and it brought the restaurant patrons into applause!

This was an AHA moment!

“Play clear melodies for people with a good tone and good groove.”

Bingo!

Everything that I will teach you is not “ordained” by a school. I have no administration
that I have to answer to, except my own experience.

I am going to show you what’s worked for me. In a nutshell,

  1. Play groove & melody with a good tone
  2. Play tunes people know OR tunes they can understand
  3. Don’t lose the people with long improvisations. Only musicians care about that.
  4. Watch the people and see what they like, and take notes.
  5. Find the sweet spot that makes YOU and them happy. (balance the giving and taking)

This knowledge is not “ordained” or “approved” by a school system. It’s coming straight at you from real-life experience.

As a dude with “rubber hits the road knowledge” I can show you what’s worked for me and what hasn’t.

I wish you all the best in your musical journey!

RELATED: 10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing


Ready to take the next step in your guitar journey?

Learn fingerstyle guitar from a world-class guitarist and teacher. Let Adam guide you and show you exactly how to improve your guitar skills. Grab the rarest opportunity to Study With Adam FREE for 14 days, right now!

Filed Under: Fingerstyle Guitar, Guitar, Jazz Education, Practice, Product Creation, Success, Tour Diary

About Adam Rafferty

I’m Adam Rafferty – a guitar player born and raised in New York City, and currently spending most of my time on tour playing concerts and coaching my guitar students online at StudyWithAdam.com

Trending

  • 10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing
  • Guitar Right Hand Technique – Nails vs Flesh?
  • How To Build Your Own Fingerstyle Guitar Arrangements – Part 1
  • Should You Use a Thumb Pick for Fingerstyle Guitar?
  • Don’t Use a Metronome
  • My Personal Fingerstyle Guitar Setup Measurements
  • 8 Tips for Playing Fingerstyle Guitar Without Making Mistakes
  • Critical Info for Youtube Musicians Who Perform Cover Songs
  • Youtube Recording Technique for Guitar Videos
  • The Secret to Improving Your Guitar Skills and Battling Frustration

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dominic Fraser says

    June 28, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    Thank you very much for your enlightening post and it will inspire a lot of us who is starting their journey with guitar learning. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Tim says

    August 18, 2015 at 10:20 am

    Hello Adam,
    Congratulations on a very nice tone and technique in your video. I also appreciate your message and approach. It makes total sense to me. I play guitar (electric and acoustic ) and also sax, clarinet and flute.
    I also play electric bass which is my main instrument and I am rehearsing with a latin style band at the moment.
    I would really like to learn to play my guitar ( and potentially sing ( a challenge) in local bars, hotels and restaurants. My current thinking is to use my electric guitar to play some jazz with some backing tracks for the rhythm ( tunes like “have you met miss jones”) I am working on my technique and repertoire to get it good enough. I do believe that I have the potential for a very good sound and in my past performances with bands I know that I can connect with audiences. It seems a long slog to turn the potential to reality although I am making progress. Do you think you could help me with guitar playing please?

    Thank you in advance

    Tim

    Reply
    • adamrafferty says

      September 14, 2015 at 6:01 pm

      Tim, if you already play bass, then think like a bass player. Learn standards and play the bass notes & sing the melody. Next, do jazz voicings with just the root 7th & 3rd. I have no instruction on that yet, but I’ll come up with something. Just dive in. AR

      Reply
  3. Jim Kangas says

    December 3, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    This is a really excellent point. I know recently I’ve been working more on some of those great tunes that I grew up on (60’s-70’s) and making them a little more hip, because I LIKE THEM. Many of the musicians I admire (e.g., Frisell) have taken really, really simple tunes and worked them over. At the end of the day, I am like the audience, too!

    Reply
  4. Norbert says

    December 5, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Saw a picture these days that showed what you say. On Top is “You love it” On bottom is “You are paid for it”, on the right side “The world needs it” on the left side “You are great at it” in the middle where all four meet you can find your purpose.

    Reply
    • adamrafferty says

      January 7, 2016 at 11:27 am

      EXCELLENT! Thanks Norbert!

      Reply
  5. Chris Akin says

    January 6, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    I see you wrote this months ago but it is awesome advice. I play solidbody electrics and played off and on for years with a pick, never playing good, never feeling comfortable, just following the “rules”. I took it up again several months ago just strumming with the flesh of my thumb ala Albert King. It was a total awakening. I was playing better than i ever had; i could actually feel what string my thumb was on so my left and right hands were allways in sync. What used to be a mountain of a problem for me was suddenly nothing. Ive started to use my index finger some also to be more polyphonic, but its amazing what one can do with a thumb. In regards to your other comments; i feel the most memorable songs are most times the simplest. I appreciate your helpful advice, and your website, thank again

    Reply
    • adamrafferty says

      January 7, 2016 at 11:15 am

      ISn’t it amazing how a small change can open up a new universe? Enjoy the journey…AR

      Reply
    • PickerDad says

      November 15, 2017 at 1:15 am

      I hear you Chris. I had a similar experience. For a variety of complicated reasons, life took me away from guitar for more than 2 decades. When I retired, I decided to come back. I expected to be rusty, but No. I was suddenly playing music when before I had only played notes. My hands started to work better too. I was enjoying playing and I heard new pieces in my head and could visualize how to play them. I heard performances in a new way, and could get inside the music. It was just all clear to me. Can’t explain it, but it’s nice to hear I’m not the only one. Suddenly retirement is an adventure, not a downhill slide.

      Reply
  6. Annie says

    January 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    The struggle is too real… You certainly have some really solid advice here. I personally just play guitar as a hobby but one of my friends is in a band and he seems to be struggling to get gigs and gather an audience. Will suggest him check this page out. Thanks

    Reply
  7. Rusty says

    February 20, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    Hi Adam. How do you go about landing solo guitar restaurant gigs? I just moved to a new city and have been cold calling restaurants asking if they need music and haven’t had any luck.

    Reply
  8. Damo says

    January 25, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    Nailed it dude! I must agree, playing something that is technically demanding but the audience doesn’t relate to won’t get you asked back. When I play an acoustic version of Bohemian Rhapsody, the crowd can’t help but sing! It’s not about what the audience thinks but rather what the audience feels; if you get them singing along, they WILL have a good time and your value as a live performer goes up.

    Reply
  9. steve says

    February 1, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    Such great advice on how to please your audience. Play familiar tunes they’ll recognise, or if not so well known, a tune that is very musical with some great chords or some clever bits as I call them, and you’ll be popular & be invited back.

    Reply
  10. PickerDad says

    November 15, 2017 at 1:31 am

    Hey Adam,
    I know exactly what you’re saying. Play what people want to hear. Why is that such a revelation? But you’re right, it is. Keep on reminding us, boss.

    One thing I find helps me is to research the song in detail. Who wrote it? When? Where? Why. Did it impact the author’s career? Did it impact a particular audience? Who? Who else played it and what did they do with it? Is the influence of that song apparent in their other music? Are there more second’ and third-generation players? Has it influenced them? Songs aren’t just musical constructs. They have a life! Have the interest to find out. Have the enthusiasm to share the history with your audience. It will make your performance better, and keep the audience hooked. If they only want music, they can play CDs. They want to be entertained, and nothing is easier or better than telling them about the living history of the piece.

    Reply
  11. Brian Wendt says

    February 15, 2018 at 5:48 pm

    Hi Adam

    As a solo guitarist in Colorado I struggle with this issue all the time. How to get gigs and what to play. How to present myself as a performer, guitarist and composer. I go to many solo guitarist concerts and watch the artist as well as the audience. On my website (brianwendtguitar.com) is a blog about how after a Tommy Emmanuel concert, on the drive home only Classical Gas and a Merle Travis song were stuck in my brain. Not one of his great original compositions could I replay in my brain. Also for years when I played in Southern California I was known as the guy who played Classical Gas, not for my original compositions. The familiarity earworm problem is a good way to describe this. It works against a guitarist/composer getting people to remember his compositions, which hurts his long time career identity.

    There are other blogs about my observations of the audience when I’m playing you might find interesting.

    All so a big problem in Colorado is that Ascap/BMI fees and threats are causing restaurants and bars to stop have live music and the only possible work around is to play all originals or old tunes that Ascap/BMI have no control over.

    Any advice or comments?

    Reply
  12. Peter Smith says

    November 16, 2021 at 2:33 pm

    Hi Adam,

    Very wise advice here, but I have to echo BrianW’s comments from 2018 as well as factor in the complications that the pandemic exposes. The BMI/SESAC/ASCAP folks have posed a huge threat to doing covers in live venues in my area of NC. Add to that the limits that the pandemic has imposed makes for a complicated situation beyond just what we do musically.

    Admittedly, a lot of this is out of our control, but I would be interested in hearing an update as to what your thoughts are nowadays.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get private guitar coaching from me HERE.

Adam Rafferty

Copyright © 2023 Adam Rafferty and Crescent Ridge Publishing | Email Policy | Privacy GDPR, & Cookies

FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
Learn how you can get great results with very affordable equipment. I'll show you exactly what I used at home to record my most recent CD. Enjoy!
Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
Your tabs will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - Instantly!
Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
Watch these FREE guitar lesson videos revealing my “secrets” to guitar technique, groove, and effective practice so that you can improve YOUR playing, INSTANTLY!
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and video links will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar in Just Minutes!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
Learn to play "Silent Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
You'll get a PDF and 8 Video Guitar Lessons, FREE.
Start playing "Vitamin E Blues" In Just Minutes...for FREE!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the free PDF with the tabs and a 9 part video lesson, free! Grab your guitar and start learning - immediately.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Learn to play "Silent Night" for fingerstyle guitar - Instantly!
You'll get a PDF with complete guitar tabs and 8 video guitar lessons - free.
FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
Learn how you can get great results with very affordable equipment. I'll show you exactly what I used at home to record my most recent CD. Enjoy!
Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
Your tabs will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - Instantly!
Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
Watch these FREE guitar lesson videos revealing my “secrets” to guitar technique, groove, and effective practice so that you can improve YOUR playing, INSTANTLY!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - and videos! The will come INSTANTLY via email. Grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar - Instantly!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF and videos! Links will come INSTANTLY via email. Grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Just A City Boy" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Ciao Bella" - Instantly
Your PDF tabs and MP3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Listen to Your Heart" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Video Lessons, Tabs and MP3 for
"Shelter Island" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and video links will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"America" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing
The form collects information we will use to send you updates about promotions, special offers, and news. We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Almost there! Please complete this form and click the button below to subscribe to the newsletter and gain instant access.
Learn to play "O Come All Ye Faithful" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
Learn "Angels We Have Heard on High" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get the PDF Tabs for this "E7 Groove"
Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and receive tips about guitar and get instant access to the free PDF.

Learn to use harmonics, slaps and percussion!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Download The "Groove Scales PDF" and Watch Your Technique Improve Effortlessly!
Subscribe to my newsletter and receive tips about guitar and get instant access to the free PDF.

Learn this simple yet powerful warm up technique in minutes...
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Download The "4 Levels of Thumb Picking" and Watch your Technique Improve Dramatically!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!.

Full chord progression as played in the video is included in the tabs.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Discover Lush Guitar Harmonies With a Simple
One Finger Move...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!

You'll also get the 'move' as well on D, G, C, E and A minor chords in the tabs!
Learn to play "O Holy Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Give Your Technique and Fretboard Knowledge a Boost - Quickly and Easily....
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!

You'll get the 3 octave G scale with all tabs and fingerings - Instantly!
Learn to Play Arpeggios "Magically" on the Guitar - In Just Minutes...
It's actually so easy to understand and play arpeggios using this technique, that you'll feel like you're cheating! :-) Enjoy!
Give Your Technique and Fretboard Knowledge a Boost, Quickly and Easily...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to this free PDF. You'll get the "Boost Your Scale Chops" tabs with fingerings delivered Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Are You Curious About the Jazz Solo from
my "Black Orpheus" Video?
Tabbed out just for you! Here's the improvised solo from "Black Orpheus" plus a lead sheet of the alternate chord changes I use. Enjoy!