Why you need Piano in your Restaurant
This week, I’m focusing on discussing the business of hiring a pianist when you run a restaurant.
Having live music can easily be overlooked when it comes to satisfying your customers. This article deals with the reasons for hiring a pianist and how and when you should do so. The intent is that it educates the business owner reading it from the point of view of a pianist/businessman writing.
It’s good for business
To put it in no uncertain terms, having a restaurant pianist is highly beneficial to your business. Let’s be clear about this; you may not have space, budget or enough clientele currently to justify it but when looked at in the long run it, is an investment. Restaurant-goers love to be treated to live music when they are dining. They feel special, they enjoy the uniqueness of it and most of all, it makes your restaurant stand out. It’s a commonly held fact that businesses who have classical music playing in the background can justifiably charge higher prices. The same is true of jewellery stores, for instance. This is about making your restaurant remarkable. Not unique, necessarily, but remarkable. When you hire a live pianist, you give your customers an experience. The pace is relaxed, the effort is appreciated, the sound brings a flow to their evening. The exclusivity of it will bring them knocking down your door as word gets around that there’s a restaurant in town with live background piano!
So what style of music works?
Quite frankly, an array of styles and genres work here. Although traditionally bars and restaurants hired jazz pianists, the world has become such a cultural melting pot that various restaurants may want to hire pianists who play arrangements of modern-day popular music. Perhaps this will be mixed in with jazz and classical. Because a background pianist serves music which is not intended to be consciously listened to, it actually boils down to the skill of the pianist at how he plays rather than what he plays. A variety is always nice however and he should be able to cater for a range of musical tastes, should the customer give full attention to him. Consider the theme of your restaurant and consider the background of your clientele. The music you choose should reflect this and you can easily discuss a musical programme with your prospective pianist before you go ahead and book him.
When is best to hire a pianist?
This comes down to simple economics. When you can afford to, you should. If this is five nights a week, then hire your pianist for five nights. If this works during the summer months, then keep it to that period. However, don’t forget that you may be hiring a pianist to draw in customers, in which case he pays for himself. You can hire a pianist on a trial basis, as part of a promotional event, or on a weekly, fortnightly, nightly or seasonal basis. This really depends on your own judgement but you certainly have nothing to lose in trying him out. You yourself will know best.
How much do pianists charge?
Pianists will normally expect a flat fee for their service and they will base their price on a number of factors; their own level of repertoire, experience, the level of demand they are in and of course the amount of time you need them for. The more frequently you call your pianist in to play in your premises, the better a price deal he can normally cut for you. The fee will generally be judged by the hour and should not seem extortionate. A pianist should understand that his presence is a mutual financial benefit to each party involved and should discuss his fee carefully with you before you hire him.
Who should you hire?
You can base this on a pianist’s online presence; his website, YouTube channel, testimonials and also through word-of-mouth recommendation. A pianist who is well-presented, a good communicator and obviously talented at what he does is someone who you can safely take a punt on. Again, nothing beats experience when you trial your pianist and receive feedback. Customers will leave feedback on sites like TripAdvisor, mentioning their experience of food and music, when the music is regular.
Do you need to own a piano?
A professional pianist should be in possession of a high-grade digital piano and sound. Therefore, there is no obligation on you to possess a piano in your restaurant. This makes life much simpler for you if you don’t have a piano but are not sure you want to invest in a pianist long term. If you already do own a piano, it is wise to make use of it rather than having it sitting there unused for long period of time as a piece of furniture.
Paul is available throughout the year as a restaurant pianist. Get in touch today for a quote for your restaurant and he will be delighted to be of assistance. Your complete satisfaction is guaranteed. Fill out the Contact Form here.
