Booking a troubadour for a private party: 50th birthdays, birthdays and parties at home

At a private party, a troubadour, an acoustic singer-guitarist who gets the room singing along, is often the best choice for a simple reason: all the guests know each other, and nothing gets a group of friends and family singing together like a troubadour who knows the right songs. A troubadour also takes up little space, brings their own sound and works as well in a flat as in a hired venue. This guide covers what a troubadour costs for a 50th, a birthday or a party at home, what you need to sort out and how to get a night of sing-alongs instead of background music.

How much does a troubadour cost for a private party?

A professional troubadour usually costs SEK 6,000–15,000 for a night. Many private party bookings fall in the lower half, since the party is often in a smaller venue or at home, the troubadour brings their own small sound system and the playing time is two to three sets. A 50th on a Saturday in June in a hired venue far out of town, where the troubadour plays all night, costs more.

Always ask what is included and what overtime costs. A longer run-through of all the factors is in the guide how much does a troubadour cost, and if you want to compare with a DJ, there is a guide to booking a DJ for a private party.

At home, in a hired venue or at a restaurant?

The troubadour is the artist who works best at home. A guitar, a microphone and a small speaker fit in a living room, and the troubadour can adjust the volume so the neighbours survive. In the garden you need cover from the weather and a power socket, and keep in mind when the music has to stop. In a hired party venue the troubadour usually brings their own sound system, and in a venue for more than a hundred guests you may need bigger sound, either the venue's own or hired in. At a restaurant there is usually sound on site, but ask whether you will have the place to yourselves, since sing-alongs and other diners do not always get on.

If you need more sound than the troubadour brings, read the guide to hiring speakers for a party.

How to plan the night

The most common plan at a private party is two to three 45-minute sets: a calmer set during the meal or drinks, a sing-along set once dessert is over and the speeches are done, and possibly a third set late on when those who want to dance can do so to the troubadour's backing tracks. Put the speeches in the breaks, and ask someone to keep track of the schedule so the troubadour knows when it is time.

Tell the troubadour who the party is for, who is coming and which songs mean something. A troubadour who knows that the person turning fifty loves Ulf Lundell and that half the family is from Gothenburg will build the sets around that. That is the difference between a troubadour who plays and a party that sings. More on describing the night is in the guide to hiring a troubadour.

A troubadour for a 50th, a birthday or a graduation party

At a 50th or 60th birthday party, a troubadour is almost always the right choice: the crowd spans several generations, and so does the troubadour's repertoire. Ask for a mix of songs from the birthday person's youth and songs the younger guests know. At a 30th or a graduation party (studentfest), guests often want to dance more, and then a troubadour who plays with backing tracks works well, or the combination of a troubadour during the meal and a DJ afterwards. For a family anniversary, a silver wedding or an 80th birthday, one or two calm sets and a closing sing-along are often enough.

Checklist before you book a troubadour for your party

• The date, start time, number of sets and finish time are set, and the venue or the neighbours allow music until the finish time.
• You know whether the troubadour's own sound is enough or whether the venue has or needs a bigger system.
• You have said who the party is for, who is coming and which songs mean something.
• The speeches and the moments of the night are planned into the troubadour's breaks.
• The quote states the number of sets, equipment, travel and the price for overtime.

How to book a troubadour for your party with Jocky

1. Tell us what you need. Give the date, location, number of guests, number of sets, what kind of party it is and what music the guests like.
2. Get suggestions from available troubadours. The request goes to verified troubadours who suit the date and style, and you compare profiles, clips and prices in one place.
3. Confirm the booking. Once you have chosen your troubadour, you confirm in Jocky, and the contract and payment are handled in the platform.

Want to get started straight away? You can book a troubadour on Jocky. If you want dancing afterwards, you can book a DJ in the same request, and you can see what Jocky costs on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions about a troubadour for a private party

How much does a troubadour cost for a 50th birthday party?

A professional troubadour usually costs SEK 6,000–15,000 for a night. Many private party bookings fall in the lower half, since the party is often in a smaller venue or at home and the troubadour plays two to three sets with their own small sound system. A party on a Saturday in high season in a hired venue far out of town costs more.

Can you have a troubadour at home in a flat?

Yes, the troubadour is the artist who works best at home. A guitar, a microphone and a small speaker fit in a living room, and the troubadour adjusts the volume to the room and the neighbours. Say in your request that the party is at home and how many guests you are expecting, and the troubadour will bring the right equipment.

How many sets should the troubadour play at the party?

Two to three 45-minute sets is most common: a calmer one during the meal or drinks, one with a sing-along after dessert and the speeches, and possibly a third one late for those who want to dance. Put the speeches in the breaks and ask someone to keep track of the schedule so the troubadour knows when it is time.

Can the troubadour play songs that mean something to the birthday person?

Yes, and that is what makes the party. Send a list of five to ten songs that mean something to the person celebrating, and say who is coming and what music they usually like. Most troubadours know most well-known Swedish and English songs, and anything not in their repertoire can often be learned if they are told in advance.

Troubadour or DJ for a private party?

Go for the troubadour if the party is a dinner with family and friends of different ages where a sing-along and atmosphere matter most, and if the venue is small or the party is at home. Go for the DJ if the dance floor is the focus all night. At bigger parties, a troubadour during the meal and a DJ afterwards is the set-up that gives you the most.