Guitarists are an extremely popular choice of musician for a wide range of events. From weddings to corporate dinners and launch parties to private functions, a guitarist provides a laid-back yet classy accompaniment to any type of function. They’re versatile and have expansive repertoires, meaning they can effortlessly create the atmosphere you’re looking for. They can do subtle and atmospheric or lively and exciting. It’s up to you! In this guide, you’ll find all the answers to the most common questions we get asked about booking a solo guitarist. Let’s get started!
Looking To Hire A Guitarist?
What Will A Guitarist Play?
Guitarists are either specialists in a specific genre of music, or great all rounders. When choosing a guitarist for your occasion, have a look at their repertoire to check that they are able to play the type of music you’d like. The main genres of music performed by our guitarists are as follows:
- Classical
- Pop and rock
- Spanish/Flamenco
- Jazz/Blues
When Will A Guitarist Play?
A guitarist’s performance schedule will look different depending on the type of event they have been booked for. Below are examples of suggested performance times for a wedding and corporate event.
Wedding
- 20 minutes performing as your guests arrive
- A song for the bridal entrance
- 2/3 songs while you sign the register
- A song while you walk back up the aisle
- Continue playing as your guests exit the ceremony room
The remainder of their performance time would normally be spent playing at your drinks reception to follow the ceremony.
Corporate Event
Guitarists normally provide background music for dinners, award ceremonies and corporate parties. If you’ve booked them for two sets, they’ll normally perform their first set as guests arrive and the second set during dinner or whatever else you have planned for your company. As long as you’ve let them know in advance, they can be pretty flexible with their timings to help work around your schedule of events.
Can They Play With A Singer?
Many of our guitarists sing themselves! Check their profiles and watch their videos to see an example performance from each guitarist. However, if you’re looking for a guitarist and singer who perform together, you may prefer to check out our acoustic duos, who might be more suited to your event.
How Long Will A Guitarist Play For?
Most guitarists offer 2x 45minute sets as standard. However, like most of our classical musicians, many can be flexible with their performance times, with some offering a one hour set or even an extra set. If this is something you’re interested in, ask your adviser at the time of booking to help you find a musician who can offer the performance time you need.
What Type Of Guitar Will They Play?
There are 4 main types of instrument played by our solo guitarists:
Classical Guitar
A classical guitar has nylon strings which give a warm and mellow sound. Unsurprisingly, this sound is suited to classical music and is likely to be the instrument of choice for classical and Spanish guitarists.
John Pizzati is one of our most popular classical guitarists. Here he’s playing a classical guitar and he plays a mixture of classical, jazz and pop songs when you hire him.
Acoustic Guitar
This guitar has steel instead of nylon strings, which give a brighter sound. The neck is also a little longer than the classical guitar and it has a slightly different body shape.
Phil Rixon is a superb acoustic guitarist, who specialises in wedding ceremonies and drinks receptions. He plays the acoustic guitar but is also able to provide amplification if necessary.
Electro-Acoustic Guitar
This instrument is literally an acoustic guitar that can be hooked up to an amp. It’s what most acoustic guitarists perform on when performing to a group of people as the sound can be amplified to the required volume. It’s the most popular choice of instrument for singer-guitarists as it’s easy to balance the sound of the guitar with the singer’s microphone.
Jay McKay is a really popular singer guitarist and plays the electro-acoustic guitar, meaning large crowds aren’t a problem as the sound can be amplified over the chatter of guests!
Gypsy Guitar
This type of guitar looks a little different to an acoustic guitar with its unusually shaped hole. It’s used in a lot of folk music and European jazz styles.
Filippo is a talented guitarist, whose gypsy guitar skills are in high demand for weddings and events around the country.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Guitarist?
A guitarist will cost around the £300-£400 mark on average, with some musicians costing more or less depending on their popularity and experience. Some are available for less if they offer shorter set times. A singer-guitarist will normally charge a little more than this, for the extra service they provide.
How Much Space Does A Guitarist Need?
A guitarist doesn’t need loads of space. They’ll usually sit down to play, so as long as they have enough space to comfortably sit down with their guitar, and people can easily pass them without knocking into them they will be happy.
What Do I Need To Provide?
Your guitarist will need an armless chair to sit on while they perform. Please provide bottles of water or soft drinks for them and a safe place to store their personal belongings while they’re performing. If they are playing amplified they will usually bring their own PA equipment, but make sure to check at the time of booking or on your contract so you can make alternative arrangements if necessary.
When Will The Guitarist Arrive?
All our classical musicians will normally arrive about an hour before they are due to perform. This gives them enough time to set up, get changed and get a feel for the venue before they take to the stage!
Can A Guitarist Play Outside?
Most definitely! However, there are a few precautions that you should take in case of bad weather. If it’s too cold, your guitarist simply won’t be able to play, in which case we would recommend moving inside. If it’s raining or very sunny, they’ll need some protection from the elements, so a marquee or gazebo is a good idea.
What Will My Guitarist Wear?
Classical musicians are generally happy to stick to the dress code for your event. If you need them to wear something specific, e.g. black tie or casual clothing, just let them know. Otherwise, the attire they’re in on their profiles will give you a good indication of what they are likely to wear.
Can A Guitarist Play Song Requests?
Yes! Most guitarists will be happy to learn a special request for you free of charge, which is ideal if you have a specific song in mind that you’d like to walk down the aisle to or have as your first dance. Some will offer to learn more than one.
How Far In Advance Should I Book A Guitarist?
We would recommend booking a guitarist at least a year in advance of your event. Summer months and the Christmas period fill up quickly with bookings so book as early as you can to avoid disappointment. For our most popular singer guitarists, who are also able to fill a dance floor with the use of loop pedals or backing tracks, we would suggest booking even earlier.
How Do I Book A Guitarist?
If you’ve already chosen the guitarist you’d like to book, simply fill in the enquiry form on their profile with the details of your event and we’ll get back to you ASAP with comprehensive quote. If you’d like to discuss your options or have any other burning questions, give us a bell on 0800 53 000 35 to speak to one of our friendly advisers, who’ll be more than happy to help! Check out the incredible range of guitarists available for hire below.
