Do you sing all songs or do you do instrumentals, some songs, like big band stuff, have words but, were maybe just as famous as an instrumental hit.
If you're playing backgound or dinner music do you sing then or just play instrumental. It has always seemed to me that when you are supposed to be in the background trying to sing then would defeat the purpose.

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Mike,

When you're performing background music for dinner and cocktail parties, it's just that--soft, instrumental background music--no vocals at all.

During a routine night of dancing, most are vocals, however, there are usually instrumental runs during each song as well. All vocals would make for a boring night without some good instrumental tunes mixed in as well. For example, Moonlight Serenade can be done with lyrics, but it sounds so great as an instrumental that it instantly packs any dancefloor. Tequila is a great one to get the youngsters ou there shaking things and enjoying the night's festivities. I usually begin Unchained Melody as an instrumental, which gives the crowd time to reach the dance floor, then kick into the vocal arrangement, put a great sax instrumental run in the middle of the song, then end with vocal. Ya' gotta' mix it up. A great performer who's initials are DNJ demonstrates this very well every day of the week.

Gary

I sing most of the night. There is a different approach to the cocktail hour, dinner hour and dance sets, and there is room for vocals in all three areas.
You need to adapt to a "smooth", EZ style so you don't demand too much attention during quiet times. Intrumentals are nice too, but as a singer .... I feel like I'm holding back when I only play instrumentals. I do one or two, at most per set. Sometimes I only do 2 or 3 all night.

I sing, therefore I am.

Unless dinner extends into the second set, I hardly ever play more than 10% instrumentals. They would probably be played on the 2k vs a midi file for most vocal stuff (and my VR760).

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 10-22-2004).]

In our band,100% are vocals.
When I do a single, at least 50% or more are instrumentals..I sing ballads for the most part..I am not a singer, but I am getting better...and most people don't really care, so I get by..

My gigs showcase my vocals, whether it be cocktail hour, dinner music, or stage show/dance hall. For background music, I merely adapt my vocal style/volume & song material to suit this venue, interspersing a few (2-3) instrumentals in the set, mostly for constrast, and a chance to give the vchords a rest. - Scott

For a long time, I was totally instrumental. Now, with the shift to mostly vocals, the response seems better. Once, playing an instrumental version of New York, New York, a man on the dance floor yelled out, "Sing the damn song!" Did I read or hear where Nat Cole, primarily an instrumentalist, was baggered into singing by his patrons?

Vocals 95%

Instrumentals 5%
www.donnypesce.com

Patio jobs...75% vocals.
Dining room..dinner hour....75% instrumentals
Coctail hour...50% vocals.
Private parties...depends on whether it is a dinner or dance.


Russ