The Solo Musician's Guide to Getting Started in Performing

I'm going to include just about everything you need with the exception of your guitar, keyboard, or other musical instrument(s)

A PA System

You need a PA system. For those who may not know what a PA system is, I'll tell you. "PA" stands for "Public Audio". What we're talking about is two speakers, and a (preferably powered) mixer or powered PA head to plug in your instrument and/or vocal microphone. As far as speakers go, you want to travel as light as possible and still get your desired volume. You don't want to be lugging around two speaker cabinets with two 15" speakers and a horn each along with two bass bins with an 18" speaker pointed toward the floor if it's just you. Save that stuff for a full blown band production. You're solo. You want to go with two stand mountable speakers cabinets with at least a 10" woofer and a horn but no bigger than one 15" woofer and a horn. Two cabinets each with a single 12" woofer and a horn are usually perfect for the solo musician. As far as your mixer or PA head goes, you should have a powered mixer or head that delivers about 250 watts left and 250 watts right. You want at least six channels to plug into on your mixer or board. That's plenty for the places you'll likely be playing. The cost of a 500 watt powered mixer or head and two 12" speakers with horns is about $600 to $1000 US dollars.

Speaker Stands

If your PA system does not come with speaker stands, you want to get a pair of speaker stands. A single 12" with a horn speaker cabinet will not project well if it's sitting on the floor in most cases. Even if you're using only one speaker for a small place, it should be elevated on a stand. Decent speaker stands go for as low as $40 and as high as $150 US dollars each.

Microphones

If you sing AND play your instrument, you're going to need a microphone. With microphones, you used to get what you pay for but these days, you can score an acceptable microphone to sing into for as low as $20 US dollars. If you have the money, the Sure SM58 is the most popular vocal microphone and has been used professionally for decades. It has a street cost of about $100 US dollars.

If your piano or guitar dost not have a jack to plug into an amplifier or PA system, you're going to need an additional microphone to pick up the sound of your musical instrument. For this, you may have to spend a bit more money. A condenser microphone is best for picking up the sound of your guitar or piano and they can run from about $100 US dollars to THOUSANDS of dollars.

All microphones you get should be XLR low inpedience type microphones. The store clerk will know that they are if you don't.

Cords And Cables

You are going to need plenty of cords and cables. You will need instrument cables. Two or more for each instrument that you plug into an amp or mixer. Microphone cables. You want XLR type microphone cables. You want two microphone cables for each microphone that you use. Speaker cables. Find out what speaker cables your speaker and mixer or head takes and purchase speaker cables that are twenty five to fifty feet long each. Now if you're PA system came with microphones, speaker cables, and microphone cables, that's good but STILL purchase cables to replace them with. The cables that come with the PA system are more than often very low grade. Use those cables for backup in case your good cables that you bought have problems.You do not want to rely solely on those cheap cables that came with your PA system or microphones. Don't forget to get some cable ties for each of your cables. You don't want to be messing with a tangled mess of cables before you start your show.

A Bag

You're going to need a bag of some sort to carry around all those cables, replacement strings, and all those little things that you find yourself needing from time to time. Now any music store will try to sell you an actual "gig bag" or "gear bag". They'll tell you that they are specially made with the musician in mind. They'll show you the specially designed interior pockets that hold your effect pedals and the special place for your spare sets of strings and such. These "gig bags" are over priced duffel bags. They cost anywhere from $50 US dollars to $300 US dollars. Don't waist your money. Go to a sporting goods store or Wal Mart and buy yourself a duffel bag.

You also need a speaker stand bag. They're long and made of tough synthetic material. I can fit my boom microphone stand and my two speaker stands in mine. They have a street price of about $40 US dollars.

Stands

If you play guitar, get yourself a guitar stand if you don't already have one. They go for anywhere between $10 US dollars and $100 US dollars. The $10 stands do just fine. You have a microphone or microphones. You need a stand for each of them. Tri pod boom stands are best. If you are standing up to them playing guitar, you're less likely to hit your strings or guitar on a boom stand than you are on a straight stand. They're also much easier to stow and transport.

Now if you need to read lyrics or sheet music or chord progressions that's OK. Not everyone's memory is perfect. You're going to need a music stand. Do your best to stay away from those chrome fold up music stands. They're not very sturdy. A decent music stand goes for about $40 to $100 US dollars. The $40 music stands do just fine.

There you have it. You're all set. Go get on the phone, stop by some venues and get booked. You've got everything you need to get started. Break a leg!