Solo Fingerstyle Guitar for Wedding Live Music - Is It Possible?

Talking about guitar, a lot of people associate it with either a strummed instrument to accompany singer, or on the other extreme side is with with rock band. 

They are actually true, but guitar's actually also an orchestral instrument too. So instead of playing guitar in the band, the guitar could be "the band" too. You can hear the melody, the chords and the bass line played simultaneously within just a guitar. 

Fingerstyle technique enables the guitarist to highlight the guitar as such. It's pretty much challenging but fun to do some kind of "2 in 1" guitarist. The guitarist can explore some arrangement from many angles, be it from the groove, the reharmonization of chords progression, the bass line, the melody embellishment, the solo line, etc. It's an artistic way to develop and present music through a guitar.

A lot of people thought that this beautiful 6 stringed instrument's a secondary instrument to accompany singer or other melodic instrument, nothing's wrong with that, but actually guitar could do more than just that. Hence it's a unique and entertaining concept for wedding live music too. Here's some sample I want to write about.....

The story began when my friend Dino of Heirlooms Music (a boutique guitar shop where I hang out alot) introduced me to Esther, his staff, who's getting married. She's looking for some simple yet classy, elegant and unique live music concept for her wedding in June 2016. At the end I was trusted to play instrumental solo guitar for her wedding.

I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to witness Tommy & Esther's wedding and the involvement of The New Charis Mission Singapore, the social organization that minister to community and even to prisoners for 2nd chance. It's indeed by God's grace people who once convicted but now set free to serve others wholeheartedly. It's indeed the unconditional goodness of God we see this couple is blessed. 

Many guests there were ex-convicts, they are very friendly and sincerely helpful. I really saw that they really cared about Tommy and Esther's wedding and involved in helping them in many ways. I even felt their sincerity when the MC introduced me....apparently he worked extra mile to search my profile from my website to introduce me the way I never been introduced before. It's really something as an artist when people know us personally. Usually as wedding musician/guitarist I was introduced as "the band" or the "guitarist".

I usually play more of English and Jazz songs, but there're some requests of Mandarin songs - I play some Mandarin songs as over the time I've learnt some repertoire by request from some singer friends who ask me to accompany them or some clients who wanted me to prepared before hand. 

Here's some requested Mandarin love song that thankfully I know how the song goes.

My friend Dino also requested a Hokkien song, Jit Lang Jit Pua aka Yi Ren Yi Ban (in Mandarin). Here's my groovy interpretation of this song :

Tommy also dedicated a classic lovely song to his beautiful bride, "Have I Told You Lately"

After I ended my set there and said goodbye they shouted for a jazz number, so I was happy that finally I could play some jazz tune there (could you imagine that after playing non-jazz staff and then finally there's some request to play the thing that you love?) :D

So I thought this song would be appropriate for wedding and closing the night. Here it is, a classic number of Nat King Cole, "LOVE" :

I was glad to see the listening guests danced, shook and move around to the live music I played. Indeed music's a special tool to spread happiness to the listeners and I always feel grateful I could share it to others.

See you at the next blog.

Cheers,
Daniel Purnomo
Fingertsyle & Jazz Guitarist
www.dpurnomoconcept.com