It’s no secret that musicians and small businesses have taken a massive financial hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Large gatherings have been banned across the country, and as a result, concert tours of internationally renowned bands ranging from the Foo Fighters to Imagine Dragons have been cancelled. Many small businesses either must operate remotely, reduce their indoor human capacity, or utilize a delivery service. Without live music, businesses lose customers and support, and without businesses, musicians lose jobs and community engagement. But one type of musician is still thriving, and may be the best and only option for live music during the pandemic: Classical Guitarists!
Classical Guitar is a type of guitar many people have never heard of, but it is extraordinarily versatile. Classical guitar is different from the “classic rock” of AC/DC or Huey Lewis and The News, and it can also be different from “classical music” such as the music of Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. A “classical guitar” is a just guitar with nylon strings, that’s it! Think of a solo piano song or cover, that is what a lot of classical guitar music sounds like. Here are a few reasons you should hire a classical guitarist for your small business or event:
- Classical guitarists can play virtually any type of music! Most of us are used to seeing guitarists strum chords and sing along, or playing a guitar solo/melody. But the classical guitarist can do both at the same time. This eliminates the need for singers or a band. The classical guitarist is a one-man-band with genres like country, blues, classical, pop, rock, etc., all included. Sometimes, you can even make a special song request! Just make sure to ask your guitarist well in advance.
2. Classical guitarists are Covid-19 friendly! Without band mates or singers, the guitarist can rehearse by him/herself. This negates the spread of the Coronavirus via rehearsals, and in performance. No singing means no aerosols, and a single one-man-band means less temptation to shake hands and hug each other, or to linger and drink/smoke like a band might after a rambunctious bar gig! Some venues worry that great music might attract a crowd, particularly in an outdoor area where there is no assigned seating. I believe any outside vendor can attract an equally sized crowd, but crowds can be prevented with signs like “Keep Walking, Don’t Gather, Thanks for Listening!” or with spaced seating. Your customers will greatly appreciate even a tiny morsel of free music as they walk by, and with lifted spirits they will eagerly spend more money shopping!
3. Classical Guitarists are efficient and cost-friendly. A classical guitarist will fit any stage, and they will fit neatly in most small businesses without a stage. More space-efficient live music means more space for money-making customers! Classical guitarists also can play without electricity, they are quite loud and without large crowds there is no need for amplification. Without all the band mates and heavy equipment, costs for a classical guitarist can be as little as $50 per hour, especially if the guitarist lives nearby. Classical guitarists are small business owners too, so it is possible you could negotiate even better deals with them personally!
Again, the music industry as a whole is taking a big financial hit. However, music is an always-changing, fluid thing. Maybe the music industry (as it has existed for the last decade) is not meant to exist for centuries. Like re-emerging plant growth after a forest fire, classical guitarists too now rise from the ashes of corporate music, to bring life to small, local business.