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Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Musical Entertainer For Your Event

9 June 2020 by Ava Bailey

When hiring a musical entertainer for a specific event, you want to make sure that you're not just getting a great musician but also one that will set the musical tone you want for that event. This means you'll have to discuss more than just the fees your musician charges before you decide to hire them.

Here are some questions to ask to ensure that your potential musical entertainer fits the bill.

1. What style of music do you play?

A classical musician may be what you're looking for at a fancy dinner party, whereas for a birthday party at a club, you may want popular music (or whatever style of music the birthday celebrant prefers).

So be sure to ask what styles of music the musician can perform. And don't assume what type of music you're getting based on the instrument, either. For instance, if you're hiring a harpist, you may have fancy classical pieces in mind, while the harpist may be more of a Celtic and folk harpist (or vice versa).

2. How long is your setlist?

This question may be more or less important depending on the setup of the event. If you're hiring the musician to provide background music, you may not be as concerned about the length of the setlist, since event attendees are less likely to notice frequent repeats.

However, if the music is going to be the focal point of the evening, you'll want to ensure that the setlist has plenty of songs and the right ones. You may even want to ask if the musician can include specific songs on the setlist.

3. Do you take requests during the performance?

Some musicians don't mind taking requests for songs from the audience. However, taking requests typically requires that the musician either has learned to play the specific song in the past or, at the very least, has heard the song and has great improvisational skills.

Because of the improvisational skills that could be required, a more classically focused musician who focuses on sheet music rather than improvisation may not take requests. So be sure to discuss this with your musician before hiring them if the ability to take requests is important to you.

4. What does your setup look like?

Depending on the venue, you may have an entire stage devoted to the live entertainment setup, or you may be asking your musicians to perform in a small, out-of-the-way corner. Either way, ask what the equipment setup will look like and if your musician has specific lighting or microphone needs. This question can help you avoid any technical problems during the event.

These questions can help you to choose a musician that will fit in well at your event and to avoid any tricky misunderstandings about what to expect during the musician's performance. Reach out to musical entertainers in your area for more information. 

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