I’m Open To It

I like mics. “Open mics”, that is.

For those of you who are not musicians, an open mic (short for open microphone) is an event where amateur musicians get up in front of a live audience and perform. Pretty simple.

That said, there are different varieties of open mics. Some are open not only to musicians but to storytellers, stand up comics, poetry readings, etc. Others are music-only, and anyone can perform any songs they’d like. Others narrow the participation to performances of original songs only. That last type is my personal fave!

Typically, once you arrive at the event, sweaty palms and all, you affix your name to a slot on the schedule. There is generally a time limit or limit on the number of songs you are allowed to perform (so everyone gets roughly equal exposure). In some cases, there’s a “featured artist” who may kick off the evening with a 30 minute set before the actual open mic part begins. (And in case you’re wondering, the featured artist may get paid for their performance, but not so for the other performers.)

An emcee usually runs the show, making sure the artists get up on stage in the right order, don’t exceed their time/song limit, etc. And honestly, at least in my geographic zone, the audiences are generally receptive (and forgiving) of the amateur performances, probably because the audience members are mostly musicians themselves!

So, why do I like open mics so much?

Well, number one: you get to hear other singers and songwriters perform! Believe me, you can learn a lot by watching what kinds of songs, playing styles, etc. connect with an audience. And two: if you’re not gigging regularly, it’s a great way to stretch and tone your own performance muscles. It’s one thing to huddle in your room/home studio and perform your songs for the cat, but when you are looking at a room full of stranger faces, you begin to learn how to overcome any anxieties you may feel about public performance.

As I mentioned earlier, I am particularly fond of open mics that are for original music only. It’s a way to connect socially with other singer-songwriters, share our suffering (ha!), and learn from one another. I have heard some of the best songs EVER at local open mics, ya’ll… And of course, there is the chance to showcase my own songs - which are often brand new and not yet road-tested - to other songwriters. More than once, I have modified a song after an open mic performance based on how the audience reacted to it. 

Yes, it is a big and sometimes scary leap to perform a song - especially one you wrote - in front of live audience. But think of it as a warm up, just a small toe-dip into the waters. And you may just find that the ocean is not as shark-infested as you might have thought!