Re: [Harp-L] Wedding gig

[George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx>]

EXCELLENT !!!!!


On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 11:27 PM, michael rubin <
michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I just received the remainder plus a $100 tip.
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
>
> On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 10:28 AM, David Payne
> <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > If the brides don't want a former HARMONICAT at their wedding, then
> we're all in trouble! Lol.
> >
> > I didn't realize you hired a band for your wedding, George.
> > Besides the paid musicians, Didn't Jerry Murad also play at your wedding?
> > David
> > www.elkriverharmonicas.com
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Apr 16, 2012, at 9:14, George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> Michael and Dave,
> >>
> >> Here are my wedding stories....
> >>
> >> First....In the Fall of 2009, I was contacted to play a Wedding in July
> 2010.  The groom is a harmonica player, and they also wanted Pachalbel's
> Canon in D along with Ashokan Farewell amongst other songs.  Then I had
> scheduled my surgery for June 6th.  I told the wedding party not to be
> afraid, that I would in fact recover to be able to play the date, plus I
> was already preparing my understudy (my daughter that can read any music on
> any instrument).  Well famous last words, right?  ...they cancelled me due
> to the surgery.   This story has a happy ending.... this past February a
> man came to my house for me to service his SUZUKI F-64 Fabulous and SUZUKI
> SC-64 Slider.... As I was working on his harmonicas, he and his wife
> disclose that they were the bride and groom that had wanted me to play
> their wedding.
> >>
> >> Second...I attended a Bridal Expo in February to advertise my harmonica
> services for weddings.  I prepared a beautiful presentation / display
> board, and printed brochures and business cards.  So far, only 4 brides
> have contacted me.  The common story is that they want the harmonica player
> for next to nothing.  And you can explain and justify all you want....they
> just don't want to pay.  Perhaps, it is the economic decline of my
> geographical region.  But I have negotiated, and even came up with a 20%
> discount ...just because they attended the Bridal expo ...just to get the
> gig ....and yet, no gig yet.  Ah but in time, I suppose it will happen.
> >>
> >> George
> >>
> >> P.S.:  For my wedding in 1995, I paid $500.00 for a brass quintet, $200
> for a pianist, $75x2 for vocalists.... a total of $850.00 for music.
>  Michael, our prices are reasonable, and is really a cheaper alternative.
>  Marketing...its all about marketing!  (of course, that page is still under
> construction)
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> George Miklas, Harmonica Performing Artist and Entertainer
> >> John Philip Sousa's THE HARMONICA WIZARD MARCH
> >> Harmonica Repair Done Right by George
> >> Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 7:33 AM, michael rubin <
> michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> David,
> >> They prepaid me half.  I feel like it will be ok.
> >> Michael
> >>
> >> On Sun, Apr 15, 2012 at 11:25 PM, David Payne
> >> <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> > Mike:
> >> > if you ever want to do weddings, Canon in D will come up time and
> again.  Mrs. Elk River walked down the aisle to it. It was a fair price.
> >> > I played a wedding once. I played wedding songs on the mandolin. They
> had an envelope with money already in it.What concerns me is you didnt get
> paid there. That really concerns me.
> >> > Remember: Don't take the law into your own hands. You take them to
> court. The People's Court.
> >> >
> >> > David
> >> > http://www.elkriverharmonicas.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Sent from my iPhone
> >> >
> >> > On Apr 15, 2012, at 23:30, "hazcon" <hazcon@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> You wuz robbed!
> >> >> But seriously you were working for absolute minimum wage.
> >> >> Music sheet and what 20$ petrol each way?
> >> >> = 50 ish dollars
> >> >> leaves 200$
> >> >> divided by 14 (hrs)
> >> >> = about $13.50 per hour.
> >> >> Of course you are going to pay tax on the net profit ;-)
> >> >> So gawd knows what you will actually clear out of it all.
> >> >> And this is after literally years of hard work to be even be
> competent enough to do what they wanted.
> >> >> I bet the wait staff at the reception probably got more than you in
> the hand
> >> >> Still i suppose we don't play Harmonica to get rich,but i don't
> think we should undersell ourselves.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "michael rubin" <
> michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>
> >> >> To: "harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> >> Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 14:45
> >> >> Subject: [Harp-L] Wedding gig
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>> So about two months ago a student showed me a craigslist ad asking
> for
> >> >>> a harmonica player to play Pachelbel's Canon in D at a wedding. The
> >> >>> experience was interesting enough to share with you.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I emailed the bride. I asked her what I needed to know to quote a
> >> >>> price. It was an hour away from my house,each way. I would need to
> >> >>> provide amplification, I would need to buy the sheet music and learn
> >> >>> the piece. I would need to have another song for the wedding party
> >> >>> march and another for the walkout music plus 15 minutes of waiting
> for
> >> >>> the wedding to start music. I would need to wear a nice button down
> >> >>> shirt and slacks. I quoted $250.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> "We didn't expect to spend that much on a harmonica!"
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I asked what they'd be willing to spend. I said I wanted to help
> them,
> >> >>> but please remember it took years to learn the craft, plus how to
> read
> >> >>> music. It would be 3 hours away from home, where a wife and baby and
> >> >>> mortgage waited. The sheet music would cost money. It would take an
> >> >>> hour to buy the music. It would take at least 10 hours of rehearsing
> >> >>> to get ready. Amplification costs money.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I didn't hear back so I assumed it was lost. I told my top students
> >> >>> about the gig, maybe they could get it.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Two weeks ago, I got an email saying they were willing to spend my
> >> >>> price. Besides taking care of a baby, chores, 4 bands and around 30
> >> >>> students a week and a group lesson every Saturday, I also have taken
> >> >>> on 2 unusual music projects that perhaps I will share with you when
> >> >>> their stories are done. Plus I hadn't finished my taxes, which when
> >> >>> self employed doing by yourself is tough! Basically I was beyond
> >> >>> swamped and this would possibly sink me. Still, $250 is $250. I said
> >> >>> yes.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I rarely get nervous about performing. Now, I had 3 performance
> >> >>> situations that I was nervous about. I could feel stomachaches!
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I bought the music. I listened to a video of a diatonic harp player
> >> >>> the bride sent me that she liked. The diatonic player was
> improvising
> >> >>> on the theme, it was nothing like my version of the music. The bride
> >> >>> said it was the speed she wanted.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Although Pachelbel's Canon in D is leagues easier than other
> classical
> >> >>> pieces I have learned, there is still a very complicated eighth note
> >> >>> passage in the middle that at her speed, I could only hit around 50%
> >> >>> of the time. One night, I played it for my wife who said that it
> >> >>> sounded uncomfortably fast. I agreed with her and slowed down that
> >> >>> section. We both agreed it sounded much better. I then decided to
> >> >>> screw the bride's tempo, I would play the entire piece with a goal
> of
> >> >>> comfort and beauty. That really was the turning point. I came up
> with
> >> >>> a nice version, in my opinion.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I chose 10 romantic songs out of the real book and read through
> each a
> >> >>> couple of times. I made sure I really had the walk songs down.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Today I arrived on time and the wedding coordinator acted
> >> >>> professionally with me. Although a beautiful space, it was very
> small
> >> >>> so my amp stayed in the car. After playing almost all my romance
> >> >>> tunes, they said it was time to start. After playing two verses, no
> >> >>> one had walked down the aisle. I stopped. Someone let me know they
> >> >>> needed 5 more minutes. I finished my chosen songs. Luckily I had
> >> >>> brought a real book with me. They whisper it will probably be
> another
> >> >>> 15 minutes.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> A half an hour later I had read every romantic song I could find and
> >> >>> even a few where I was like "I cannot remember the lyrics. Is this
> >> >>> romantic or sad? Screw it, I'm playing it." When the wedding party
> >> >>> started coming out, I played the walk song until they stopped
> coming.
> >> >>> Then a minute later, they cued me that there was still lots more of
> >> >>> the wedding party to come out! I restarted the song again. Finally
> >> >>> they let me know it was time for the bride.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Remember it was a small place? I basically had gotten through the
> >> >>> first line Baa daaa daaa daa da da daa daaaa and the bride had made
> it
> >> >>> down the aisle. All that practice for nothing! Perhaps I will record
> >> >>> it for youtube this week.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Unlike normal gigs where you get to hang around the audience to get
> >> >>> kudos, only the preacher and the coordinator were left to talk to
> me.
> >> >>> The preacher took my card and asked if he could put me on his
> website
> >> >>> for recommended wedding players. The coordinator did not have my
> >> >>> money! Rather than run around the wedding trying to figure out who
> the
> >> >>> bride's father is and interrupt his picture taking, I went home and
> >> >>> sent the bride an invoice and said wait until after the honeymoon.
> >> >>> Hopefully this story has two happy endings and not a sequel!
> >> >>> Michael Rubin
> >> >>> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>


-- 
George Miklas, Harmonica Performing Artist and
Entertainer<http://harmonicagallery.com/>
John Philip Sousa's THE HARMONICA WIZARD
MARCH<http://harmonicagallery.com/sousa>
Harmonica Repair Done Right by George <http://harmonicagallery.com/repair>
Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica<http://spah.org/>