This article has been kindly contributed by David Harley and is an excerpt of an article originally published on newsgroup uk.music.folk. It was also the subject of an article in Folk Roots in July 1998. The full version contains loads more useful info, which you can read here.
Here are some edited excerpts from a collection of tips for aspiring floor singers that a number of us contributed to in 1997-98 in the uk.music.folk newsgroup, and which I subsequently compiled and edited into a tipsheet. Yes, some of the tips contradict each other…
Contents
- PLAY/SING FOLK MUSIC
- SING SOMETHING ENTERTAINING
- CHOOSE CAREFULLY
- CHOOSE YOUR VERSION
- THINK AHEAD
- SING A CHORUS SONG
- THE RIGHT SONG FOR YOU
- GET TO KNOW THE VENUE FIRST
- CHOOSE SENSITIVELY
- NOW YOU’VE LEARNED A FEW SONGS….. NOW YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PERFORM THEM
- CAN YOU SING FAR AWAY?
- FOLK CLUBS AND SINGAROUND SESSIONS
1. PLAY/SING FOLK MUSIC
It’s strange how many forget to do this.
I commented with regard to that comment that ‘I remember with particular fondness a singer who said “I’m sorry, I don’t know any folk songs” as an introduction to the more than acceptably traditional House of the Rising Sun. But there was a more serious point to be made. I didn’t think this was the place to get into a discussion about what is and isn’t folk music, fun though such discussions can be. Well, for some, probably not me at this point: I
hardly ever sing traditional songs now, or covers. If that invalidates my opinion, so be it.
D.H. There’s no doubt that while there is plenty of traditional and material that most people will agree is ‘folk’, and plenty more that will attract fervent “oh yes it is/oh no it isn’t” debate, that’s not really the point here. The real message is “know your audience” – or at least make an educated guess. Sometimes an audience will appreciate a change of pace, something a little different.
Sometimes, a group has very firm opinions as to what is acceptable in that context, such as those that don’t allow anything that hints at political comment, or modern, or accompanied, or American… Sometimes, it’s about expecting (and embracing) the unexpected. On the other hand, getting it wrong isn’t the worst thing in the world. Learn from the experience, and don’t get discouraged.
2. SING SOMETHING ENTERTAINING
AND different – there’s too many miserable old b******’s around doing floor spots with the same dreary old 6 songs they have to choose from, and if you’re lucky you may be the the only one who’s not dreary/boring/miserable/sad repetitious/whatever – if you are you’ll be welcome back, and if you are entertaining you can get away with a few stumbles. Next time you go to that club, do different songs.
D.H. That said, I’m not sure why you’d want to go back to a club full of dreary, boring, miserable, sad, repetitious singers. It does seem to me that sometimes people (performers and audiences) are all too willing to cling to the familiar, but there’s something to be said for reading your audience.
If your initial or previous set went down well, there’s no harm in including songs that were well received previously, and in fact it will give you some confidence that is likely to spill over into your performance of something more novel.
In other words, you’re building confidence and professionalism while you’re building your set. Professionalism? Sure: you may not ever intend to do a paid gig, but presumably you want to give the best performance you can every time, even if your audience isn’t paying to hear you.
3. CHOOSE CAREFULLY
Something short with a good positive tune for your first song. In fact, short songs are a good policy until you’ve had plenty of practice in front of an audience and built up your confidence. Don’t set yourself unrealistic targets. The shorter it is, the likelier you are to remember the words! If it’s your first time on the floor/stage, whatever, I suspect a tragic ballad is probably not a good idea anyway, unless it’s one that you’re committed to – a lot of them are long, and it seems a hell of a long time up there with knocking knees, sweaty palms etc.
D.H. I love a 23 verse ballad myself, though it’s decades since I attempted to sing one, but it needs to be reasonably well done. On the other hand, nothing is more enraging than a short song unnecessarily prolonged.
4. CHOOSE YOUR VERSION
When you choose a chorus song, make sure your version is the one the club usually sings, it’s very unnerving to have the audience bugger off into their own version if you’re a novice and if you are you won’t get them back.
D.H. Another good argument for knowing your audience. Of course, as your confidence builds, you are likelier to wander further afield and perform in places you haven’t necessarily checked out before.
A good argument for knowing something about your repertoire, too, so that you can anticipate the possibility of this sort of mismatch. In some circumstances, you might even consider doing the Ewan MacColl/Peggy Seeger thing of teaching the audience the chorus version you intend to do as part of the introduction.
The way I remember their gigs, they were as much about education as musical performance, and audiences always responded really well to it. Of course, they were not only musically accomplished but intensively knowledgeable, but if you have a little nugget of information that others may not have, that may appeal to the audience. Though if you impart the same nugget to the same audience every week, that appeal is likely to fade.
5. THINK AHEAD
Have a number of songs you can sing at the drop of a hat just in case the person in front of you sings the song you were going to. And you never know, you might be asked for another one or two later on.
6. SING A CHORUS SONG
So that the audience can join in and give you a break. But beware ‘chorus relaxation’ – if you stop concentrating, when it comes to the verse, you’ll have forgotten it!
7. THE RIGHT SONG FOR YOU
Are you learning the right songs for you? Are they easy to remember, and will the audience remember them and you when you’ve finished?
D.H. Audiences like familiar songs, in general, but the more familiar the song is, the more likely it is that there are a plethora of good versions out there already. Don’t sing a song which doesn’t suit you because it’s a great song. Don’t sing an unsingable song because it appeals ideologically.
8. GET TO KNOW THE VENUE FIRST
See what sort of material seems to go best. Don’t panic if it’s not the sort of material you can do well: sometimes songs which contrast with the usual fare are appreciated, especially if done well.
D.H. On the other hand, if you offer an audience which is used to listening rather than singing an obscure and difficult sea-shanty, you’re likely to find yourself singing it all by yourself, which is rarely a satisfying experience.
9. CHOOSE SENSITIVELY
Think about whether a song might be contentious. Some very traditional clubs hate anything modern or foreign.
D.H. I remember clubs where you could see the faces fall when someone carried a guitar in. In some social contexts, it might be -very- unwise to do a hunting song or even a whaling song. There are many fine Irish songs which can’t be divorced from their political context, and that can cause considerable offence in some circles. He said, from bitter experience…
10. NOW YOU’VE LEARNED A FEW SONGS….. NOW YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PERFORM THEM
Time you got out a bit more! The most intimidating audiences are family and friends…
D.H. Well, some might be more intimidating than others. My mother loved my singing to her as long as I sang Early Morning Rain. My daughter, on the other hand, when I said “I’ll have you know people have been known to pay to hear me sing,” responded “I’ll pay you not to sing!”
11. CAN YOU SING FAR AWAY?
The further you are away from home, the better you are appreciated..
D.H. Well, my grandmother asked me once if I could sing over the hills and far away. I don’t think she meant the folk song…
12. FOLK CLUBS AND SINGAROUND SESSIONS
Are usually friendly, supportive environments. There’s a lot of them about waiting for you to drop in and try out your songs. You’ll hear other good ones too and people are very willing to pass them on.
