Help On Which Path To Take When Forming a Rock Group
A popular band is more than a set of proficient musicians – There are many other
factors as well as musicianship that affect the progress of a band. Today I would like to
outline a few of them so you may get around the pitfalls and problems all bands face
when trying to achieve greatness.
First thing, I would like to talk about group objective. Before anyone even thinks about picking
up their instrument, the objective of the group should be discussed and agreed upon.
There are a few directions a band can go. A 60/40 group is one that plays
nearly 60% old pop standards and 40% top 40 tunes. A band bearing in this
direction will play most of its gigs at dances, hotels, weddings etc. and can be assured of
a steady income. Recognition for a band like this will probably be restricted to a small local
level.
Another direction a band can head is to plan original material and aim for a
recording contract and tours. A band heading in this direction will not make a lot of cash
until they are well known.
When beginning a group, it may be better to go with a 60/40 group to gain experience and
money for better gear. Whichever group you agree on, make sure that you all agree on
the amount of musicians, the types of instruments and the type of music that you are
going to play.
You must choose a style of music that everybody in the band enjoys. It is a good idea to
listen to other established groups playing live to see the popularity of different styles
and to get a feel for which genre you would like to play in. Once you have decided upon
a style, stick to it. You will notice that your crowd will get smaller because you are playing
to a niche market; but you need to keep in mind that you cant satisfy everyone and it is far
better to give really entertaining shows to a chosen group than average shows to many.
It is extremely important to think about the structure of your group. Essentially, a group can
be broken down into two parts – the rhythm section and the lead section. The rhythm
section includes the bass guitarist, the drummer and the rhythm guitarist. It is the job of
the rhythm section to lay down the beat of the piece of music. The drummer and bassist
should workcollectively to set the beat up; the rhythm guitarist should fill the beat to give
the entire rhythm a full finish.
The lead section includes the lead guitarist the singer and other things like the
keyboardist. This area should work together to advance on the beat that the rhythm
section sets up.
It is important that each member does their part and does not over do it. You must
remember that you are working as a team to achieve a combined sound.
If your group is really serious about getting out and playing and making a real impact on
the music scene, then you should spend a lot of time on rehearsal – in all likelihood more time
than anything else (apart from maybe sleep). It is important to be coordinated and to not let
each other down as bands often crackup over commitment issues. When you start
rehearsal, make sure that you have a goal for the session and that you keep note of
what you achieve.
Practice session is important but I really cant stress enough the importance of playing to a
crowd. You will gain 20 times the amount of experience on stage as you would in the
rehearsing room. Work on a good stage display and think about the things that you
are going to say to your fans. It is most notable to connect with your audience.
You should practice these things in the rehearsal room.
– Its not all band work you need to practice by yourself as well. Think of it as your
responsibility to the other members in the band to keep your ability level up/increasing and
to know your parts as best you can before you get to practice. You will save innumerable
hours if you work on band music outside of band rehearsing.
The most important thing when it comes to making outstanding, tight live bands is unity. If the
band works as one, it will acquire good things.
Best One Entertainment is the provider of live entertainment to the North West and UK-Wide. We also offer advice on the site for the planning and organisation of the big day.
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