Meet Rudy Lafrance | Wedding & Event Guitarist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rudy Lafrance and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rudy, what role has risk played in your life or career?
With risks, I like to start very small. For instance, as a musician, I want to stand out, so whenever I’m playing my guitar arrangements of popular songs, I add my own style and uniqueness to it to make it different. I might incorporate some solos, embellished melodies, chord melodies, or even interact with the crowd a bit during my sets. Just keep in mind that these are things that I’m adding on the spot.

In addition, I also like to experment with different genres. Right now I’m exploring Latin music, a genre that although I’ve listened to plenty of times, I’ve never explored it deeply enough to include it in my repertoire. Now that I am, I try to say yes more than often whenever someone requests Spanish or Latin guitar, because even though I’m technically still learning the genre, I like the challenge it provides for me. The new melodies, techniques and skill sets required to master this genre takes a lot, but I’m up for it because I know it’ll make a much more diverse guitar player and wedding muscian that can cater to many musical needs of clients.

Furthermore, I’d say my biggest risk I’m taking now is utilizing a wireless system with my guitar. Compared to a traditional wired cable setup, I think there’s a lot more that can potentially go wrong going wireless, such as a dropout or audio interference. With that being said, taking risks should only be done with preparation, so of course if I’m showing up to play at a venue going wireless, I spend most of the prior day before the day of the event ensuring that I have everything I need to ensure success. I test out the wireless system, I go over my set lists, I pack up extra batteries, cables, and more. Then at the day of the event, I arrive between 1-2 hours early to allow plenty of time for troubleshooting, setup, and scanning frequencies to ensure no dropouts or intereference will happen.

Moreover, I’ve also been meeting new people and fostering new relationships, something that I’m still a bit uncomfortable with, so I tell myself that it only gets better the more I do it, so the more I do it, the better and more comfortable it gets.

Taking small risks definitely keeps me grounded because it reminds me that it’s ok make mistakes, as long as I embrace them, learn from them, and continue to be better. Then I’d feel more inspired to take on bigger, but calculated risks. From there, what seemed to be uncomfortable at first becomes my new level of comfort.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Gladly! I am a fingerstyle guitarist who specializes in performing, creating & arranging guitar covers of popular songs for weddings and private events. In other words, I approach the guitar differently where I incorporate elements of rhythm, melody and harmony into one guitar, so you can call me a one-man band! It sounds as if multiple people are playing different instruments at the same time.

However, what I believe sets me apart from others comes from not only my guitar-playing style, but how I make my guitar covers my own. To elaborate, I add my own uniqueness, likeness and influences into my playing, while still keeping the tunes very recognizable. I can also transition between different songs at an instant that you’d never know when it happened until you hear the melody of the song I’ve transitioned to.

That being said, the journey definitely wasn’t easy getting to where I am now. Most of my challenges comes from self-doubt, fears and anxiety, because sometimes I doubt whether or not I can provide the value I’ve created for myself and others. Also, growing up I wasn’t the most interactive or engaging, so there have definitely been some setbacks because of that, and I still struggle a bit with this to this day. There’s also the challenge of thinking that I’m not good enough at my craft because I allow myself to compare what I do with others which is really unproductive.

Yet, throughout this journey, some things I’ve learned was one: to write down and celebrate small wins. I write down whenever I’ve engaged in a conversation with anyone, regardless of what we spoke about in particular – I write down whenever I put myself out there and show up – I write down whenever among other things, because those small wins may ultimately lead up to something big, and celebrating . I’ve also learned two: forming genuine and authentic relationships with people is key. Usually after I’ve played for an event, whether it be a cocktail party or a wedding, I check in with my clients just to see how they’re doing and what’s going on in their lives, because they’ve invested in me and believed in my value, so I want to invest some of my time in checking up on them to see what they’re up to because I’m genuinely interested; I believe that can go a long way.

Lastly, I learned that I am blessed. I’m in a pivotal position different from where I was previously, and I’m glad to be in it. I’m aligned with what I want and more aware of what’s necessary to implement and grow. I want the world to know that my brand brings value, and I communicate that value not just through my guitar and how I play, but through my professionalism, punctuality, interaction with clients, and responsiveness.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hanging with me, we’d hit up some live music spots such as North Beach Bandshell, Lagniappe, the Citadel, and more! The Miami music scene is vibrant and very much alive, so we’d definitely have to do a little live music tour. We’d also rent out a couple of Citi Bikes and ride down Ocean Drive to explore Miami Beach, most preferably in the morning before the sun fully comes up.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Firstly, I want to shoutout Justin. He’s been very instrumental in my growth as far as where I am right now. He’s helped me record content to help build my online presence and is always providing suggestions and advice to step out of my comfort zone. Thanks Justin. I also want to shoutout Joe, the owner of Secret Gardens Miami, who opened up his venue for me to use collaboratively to also help expand my reach as a wedding guitarist. I also want to shoutout Melody who’s been much supportive as a fellow musician.

Website: https://rudylafrancemusic.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/rudylafrancemusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rudylafrancemusic

Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/VD7SCGwOt