Building a Set

A set or set list for a performing artist is the sequence in which

songs will be presented to an audience. In layman's terms it's

the order in which you will perform your music. This is a very

simplistic way of tackling this very important aspect of your

musical career. A lot of artists tend to take their set for granted

and when they get an opportunity to perform they end up winging

it. The performance is usually impromptu and more often than

not sub-standard. A lack of preparation in this area is the thin line

which separates the professionals from the amateurs. It's

important that every artist builds a set well in advance of any

performance engagement. Know and rehearse what you will

perform religiously so that when an opportunity arises to

showcase your talent you are able to put your best foot forward.

90% of an audience impression of your performance will be

based on the first and second song you choose to perform. This

is probably the most important aspect to consider when building

a set. You must come out swinging and leave when the audience

is still begging for more. For lack of a better phrase you must

quite literally kill them with the music. Paralyse them with your

energy and choreography, this is showmanship. Showmanship

is your ability to look and sound excited about what you are

performing on stage to an extent that your audience is transfixed

and eager to see more. This has little or nothing at all to do with

you having a hit song. I am not talking about you performing a

"hit song", if you have one then by all means start and end with

that, don't hold back any punches. Here I am talking about how

you can build a set and even without a "hit song", how you can use showmanship to win your audience. Look and sound excited

about the music you are performing, engage your audience with

a positive booming voice. Tell them you are excited to be there,

even if you are performing for free. Here there is no room for

broody artists or shy guys. Make eye contact, don't shy away on

stage whispering "next track" to the deejay. Come prepared,

build your set well in advance. This is your virtual performance

cd, a flash drive with the music you will perform already mixed to

merge as you perform your well-rehearsed routine. No song is

longer than three and a half minutes. Keep it short and sweet

until they start paying you to do more. Dress the part, remember

that this is showmanship. There is always a little bit of allure.

Borrow clothes if you have to or at least try to match your outfits

with your team. Yes, did I forget to mention that you must have

a team? Remember I have consistently insisted that you must

not try to do this music thing alone, collaborate, team up with like

minds. Remember that old adage "if you want to go quick, go

alone. But if you want to go far go with others". Link up and be

each other's backing vocalists or dancer. Don't make the mistake

of being on that big stage alone. Showmanship can also involve

make-up or even face paint. The latter can be surprisingly easy

to mimic – a clever use of toothpaste can emulate face paint and

is perfectly healthy to use on the skin. Be adventurous and find

ways to stick out on stage and make a big impression.

Tempo is a Big Issue

Tempo is the speed at which your music plays normally

measured in beats per minute (BPM). Your first and last song

must make your audience move, and by move I mean dance.

Remember you haven't made it yet, you cannot afford to take it

easy or wait to build up the momentum by first playing some

sombre tracks musing about lost loves and heartache. You are

trying to leave an undeniable mark on this audience, you want

them to remember you and to want more. Your 15-minute set is

too short for some melancholy jams. Hit them quick and hard –kill them with the music. House music from South Africa is

generally around 125 BPM, Amapiano is around 113 BPM. Your

audience is able to dance at this tempo. As a rule of thumb

anything around the 90 something beats per minute is mid-

tempo and already playing on the fringes of slow. Don't perform

a slow song when you are trying to kill your audience with the

music and make a meaningful impression. Think about tempo

when you start building your Set. Start with the bangers, colour

and dance routine on stage will definitely catch the attention of

your audience. I know the issue of tempo is sometimes not

considered by many artists when they compose and record their

music and this has detrimental effects on your ability to build a

good set. Before recording your "hits" talk about TEMPO with

your producer and see if the beat can be tweaked to get out of

the 90 something beats per minute slow lane into something

faster.

Know the Key of Your Music

Simply put music has a specific tone or feel. When building your

Set put similar sounding songs close to each other in your set.

The similarities may even be guided by the message conveyed

in the music. For example if you have a song called "Welcome

to the Summer"; it may be inappropriate to put a song like this on

a set when performing in winter. That said it must always be clear

that there are no rules written in stone for you to follow when

building your set. The purpose of this book is to stir up a

conversation that you as an artist must take the time to examine

the music you have produced or are producing and make a

critical decision on which songs should be on your SET. It must

be clear now that not all of your songs can make the cut. Having

a hit song clearly makes it easier for an artist to know what the

audience wants to hear. In the absence of a hit song one must

take the time to examine aspects of showmanship, tempo and

key.