[The Oddologist]

My name is Randy Haines, I've just been invited to join the forums after e-mailing Shannon about her hostess package. I've actually done my first two house concerts and they both went well.

My shows are just me with classical guitar.

My first one was a back yard show in September, which up here in the Seattle area was pretty cold. I was sitting by a fire but some of my more intricate guitar work was still a bit rough due to cold fingers. Then as it was evening and getting darker we had to stop and get a light so I could read my sheet music. I had told everyone right at the beginning that it was my first house concert and was an experiment so they were all great about it. 14 people at that show.

The second show went very smoothly. Around 45 people in attendance.

Classical guitars are pretty tough to mic up, particularly since I play with a rather light touch, so I've got some piezo pickups on order which will allow me to plug straight in to the system, should be much easier.

[jamie]

Thanks Randy for the great post! If your pickups work out and feel like something you would recommend, maybe you could post about them in the Tech Talk sub-forum. Or indeed, if they don't work out, you could write about why. I'm sure a lot of people would find that info valuable. Glad you're here!

[The Oddologist]

Jamie, thanks for the response. I will be installing the new pickups probably this weekend. I'll definitely let you guys know how they work out.

[Shannon Curtis]

Thanks so much for sharing your first 2 experiences, Randy!

I'm really glad you noted your experience with the weather and fading light. It's super important to think about these things when you're considering outdoor shows. If it's going to be too cold for the guests (let alone your fingers!), it might not be as good an experience for them, and that might affect your bottom line. Might want to have a backup indoor location if it looks like the weather is turning cold. Also with the light: if it gets too dark for people to see you, it's much easier for them to disconnect. I recommend being prepared with some minimal lighting that will at least light up the "stage" area so that people can see you (and you can see your music) for the entire show.

Can't wait to hear about the next ones, Randy!