Music Idea no. 2

Must say that creating blogs, though supposedly easy, is to me complicated - something in the method not quite connecting with the way my mind works ... nonetheless:

Music Idea no. 2

Restaurant gig/classical playing/recording etc. has a possibility of being moved forward due to the generosity of my friends Prabhakar and Subashini Rao in inviting me to play at their excellent cafe/restaurant "The Cutlery Drawer" in Manning, Perth.  I played there Friday night last and it went OK, but not well.  Lots of room for improvement but also encouraging.  Thinking of some targets to which I can direct my aim:

Outcomes:

• Regular weekly night to play
• Regular small part-time income for me from appearing
• Increase in revenue and esteem for the restaurant
• Sales of my CDs, with this leading to further recording
• Improvement in my playing: accuracy, tone, technique, musicality, memory
• Increase and broadening of my repertoire
• Significant improvement and simplification of the equipment used, so that I can easily play anywhere with little notice or preparation
• Future confidence and ability to widen performance opportunity, to create a genuine part time job from music, to move forward rather than backward with this - write, record, perform, broaden, collaborate, give, visit, earn

How can I achieve these?

• Improve my physical location in the cafe:
• Comfortable spot within the restaurant that gives me some separation space from the diners, so that no one table is blasted by music, and I can play confidently knowing that fact.  The corner with the lounge chairs looks ideal, but has a couple of challenges:
• Overcome challenge of no power point along that wall where the lounge is
• Come up with an elegant solution to find me a spot amongst the lounge furniture:
• Use table/box object as a high footstool?  Maybe not - custom build something perhaps
• Decide how to get amplifier/speakers in that space, so that amp is elevated and I can hear, and is directed correctly
• Consider different amp/speakers/monitors solution
• See if cafe's current audio system can be hooked into.  The sound from the ceiling speakers was good for the muzak, is there a way - wireless transmitter to receiver and plugged into aux of their stereo?
• Consider spending money to achieve the above!!!
• Decide upon site within the restaurant that allows eye contact and conversation upon diners leaving, and allows me to display CDs for sale, business cards
• Have iterative discussions with Prabhakar about what he wants for his restaurant
• Decide about the style and content and sound of what I play, what times I play, whether I play at all, if I can sell CDs, invite other musicians
• Urgently improve amplification of guitar
• Overcome the fact I could not hear properly
• Overcome tuning problems - in line pedal tuner, or simply be able to hear better, leave site to tune before playing
• Consider other solutions, e.g. small PA with speakers on stands/sticks, with monitor speaker back to me.  Also an effects box front-ending the amp
• Visit cafe a few times to work on sound, and on location within
• Broaden and improve repertoire
• Limit current playing to classical guitar only
• Expand on the music within a few months, once established, to provide variety and improvement and connection with customers
• Vary instruments (electric, steel string)
• Incorporate some use of backing tracks, especially for jazz/pop songs, classical concerto parts
• Invite other musicians, e.g. violin, vocalist, guitarist
• Improve appearance and professionalism
• Have a slick setup and packup
• Look the part
• Have backup instruments/amp/cables