Band vs. Home

[DetroitBlues]

Since I started venturing out of my basement to playing with a band, I noticed a few different things about a live band versus a backing track. Here's my take on being a guitarist in a band-

 

1) You need more treble in your tone to cut through the drums, bass, and harp

2) When you think you're loud enough at sound check or rehearsal, you're not

3) There is no faster way to learn the dynamics of a song than playing with a live band

4) Just because you know the words to a song, doesn't mean you can sing them

5) To add to #4, its harder than you think to sing and play at the same time

5) The bass and the drums are the leaders of a song, you just play along.

6) Play it like you mean it. In my case, I've been told to play every solo like I'm playing Redhouse

7) If you are setting the tempo to a song, you better have it right

8) Just like my wife, if the singer isn't happy, nobody is

9) Practice every song at home until you can play it without looking

10) Practice the entire set list several times before a gig, at least once the day of the gig

 

 

This is just my thoughts of what I've been figuring out as I go. Any other tips or advice would be great!

 

 

[Blunote]

Looks like a great list!

[Guest HRB853370]

Wow DB you didn't copy that from someplace? If not you are spot on with those words of wisdom. I like 4 and 5, a variation of Murphy's Law!

 

Wait there are two 5's. I agree with the second 5 also!

[rockabilly69]

Here's one... If you are starting the song. Sing the chorus of the the song in your head before you start counting, it will

settle you into the right tempo. It will also help you focus on the whole song in general instead of just the guitar licks.

[DetroitBlues]

Wow DB you didn't copy that from someplace? If not you are spot on with those words of wisdom. I like 4 and 5, a variation of Murphy's Law!

 

Wait there are two 5's. I agree with the second 5 also!

 

Ooops, guitarists only count to four anyway... Sometimes its a 1, 2, 3, 4 or a 1 and a 2 and a 3, and a 4...

 

No, I did not read that anywhere....

[smurph1]

Looks like a great list!

+1

[tulk1]

Don't necessarily agree with #1. If you FOH is set up correctly, then your tone is THE tone.

Only agree with #2 if your drummer is sandbagging during soundcheck. Which ours in prone to do, from time to time.

The rest of them ...

[Guest HRB853370]

Here's one... If you are starting the song. Sing the chorus of the the song in your head before you start counting, it will

settle you into the right tempo. It will also help you focus on the whole song in general instead of just the guitar licks.

I need to try that RB, thanks!!!

[DetroitBlues]

I need to try that RB, thanks!!!

I was thinking the exact same thing...

[grubber]

Detroit, those words of wisdom are true with my bands.....and I will be singing choruses now to get my start up timings spot on. Good advice Billy.

[Yooper]

 

8) Just like my wife, if the singer isn't happy, nobody is

 

LOL!! Funny 'cause its true... Just don't tell my wife.

 

Great observations. I picked up a few on just one gig.

 

First, I've learned this one: (Avoid booking Friday the 13th.)

 

Multiple incidents last time when we played in a nice park setting. First the bass amp took a bump being unloaded and blew a fuse.

 

Object lesson for: (Check all fuses, tubes, screws and connections after bumps and drops.)

 

And: (Always have spare fuses, along with strings, tubes, and any other replacement parts and gear you can carry.)

 

Then the PA powered mixer fell to concrete after the singer pulled an extension cord, not knowing it was wrapped around a mic cable.

 

(Singers should listen when told not to grab an extension cord before checking it.)

 

The unit broke open like a cracked egg and spilled parts and wires on the cement.

 

We were lucky we had a nearby store for a fuse. And we were also lucky we had an electrical engineer friend out to catch our gig.

 

The show went on and lessons were learned.

 

And one more lesson was learned. (There will be surprises.)

[Kuz]

There is some general wisdom here, but there are differences for each person.

 

1) My music room is a "dead" room and thus I use much more highs at home

2) Due to #1, I use a lot more gain at home than out

3) When I try to balance the volume & eq of my amps and pedals at home, I generally have everything set louder than I need.

 

But I do agree with your general premise that you need to be aware of the difference between your home and stage set up.

[Guest HRB853370]

LOL!! Funny 'cause its true... Just don't tell my wife.

 

Great observations. I picked up a few on just one gig.

 

First, I've learned this one: (Avoid booking Friday the 13th.)

 

Multiple incidents last time when we played in a nice park setting. First the bass amp took a bump being unloaded and blew a fuse.

 

Object lesson for: (Check all fuses, tubes, screws and connections after bumps and drops.)

 

And: (Always have spare fuses, along with strings, tubes, and any other replacement parts and gear you can carry.)

 

Then the PA powered mixer fell to concrete after the singer pulled an extension cord, not knowing it was wrapped around a mic cable.

 

(Singers should listen when told not to grab an extension cord before checking it.)

 

The unit broke open like a cracked egg and spilled parts and wires on the cement.

 

We were lucky we had a nearby store for a fuse. And we were also lucky we had an electrical engineer friend out to catch our gig.

 

The show went on and lessons were learned.

 

And one more lesson was learned. (There will be surprises.)

And this show was in the U P??

[yoslate]

One more: Use a non-ceramic slide...!

[tulk1]

And one more: It's rarely as "gainy" out front as it isounds on stage.

And another one more: Always accentuate your punches, as they aren't as dynamic out front as they feel on stage.

 

 

Then the PA powered mixer fell to concrete after the singer pulled an extension cord, not knowing it was wrapped around a mic cable.

 

(Singers should listen when told not to grab an extension cord before checking it.)

 

We used to tell the singer in Mad Alice (my 90s band) to just sing the words, then get out of the way for the musicians!! ... Truth ... he was the best front man I've ever worked with. But we would tell him that every gig, none the less.

[big bob]

Heres one that always happens with me.

during set up/ sound check everyone in the band thinks Im too loud. Then usualy after the first few songs the sound guy tells me "turn it up, no one can hear you".

The other problem I have is that I like the sound of 10, guitar at ten, effects at ten. when I dial the guitar back to 7 and turn the amp up its just not there, its loud enough but the tone is wrong. Ive become accoustom to setting my volume and then bumping the amp volume just a tad after each of the first few songs.

[tulk1]

I get something similar to that from Tracy on her acoustic guitar at nearly every gig. We run her acoustic DI'd to the Mains, then feed her back thru the monitors. Nearly every time she will say the guitar is too loud when setting up. Two songs in and she "can't hear". Lately I've just been waiting for two songs and turning her up anyway.

[DetroitBlues]

And one more: It's rarely as "gainy" out front as it isounds on stage.

And another one more: Always accentuate your punches, as they aren't as dynamic out front as they feel on stage.

 

 

We used to tell the singer in Mad Alice (my 90s band) to just sing the words, then get out of the way for the musicians!! ... Truth ... he was the best front man I've ever worked with. But we would tell him that every gig, none the less.

 

When you say gainy out front as it is on stage... Do you mean the gain for the people listening doesn't sound as dirty as on stage?

[Guest HRB853370]

One more: Use a non-ceramic slide...

Dunlop glass slides are no less vulnerable. I dropped mine less than 3 feet on a hardwood floor while playing sitting down and it shattered in to a bazillion pieces..

[tulk1]

 

When you say gainy out front as it is on stage... Do you mean the gain for the people listening doesn't sound as dirty as on stage?

Doesn't sound as dirty our front.

[smurph1]

One more: Use a non-ceramic slide...!

See you can teach an old dog new tricks!!

[Blunote]

One more: Use a non-ceramic slide...!

Ever think of carrying a spare?

[Yooper]

 

And this show was in the U P??

 

Will,

No, this gig was in Dundee, MI. I've been a Yooper in exile for over three decades now.

 

The adventures we had up there were of a different nature. Remember the Blues Brothers gig behind the chicken wire when the owner was expecting a country band? Been there, done that. During the first break we frantically threw together every country tune we could half remember. The owner was somehow satisfied by the end of the night. However, this ended our relationship with our booking agent.

 

Then there was the time we played an Air Force base. We didn't know that the entire base was on "Alert" status. The guy at the gate asked us to open up the car doors and told his German Shepherd, "Seek!" Good thing we didn't have what he was seeking, or he was more interested in the scent of my female Shepherd.

 

Then there was the time the owner decided he didn't make enough money to pay us the agreed upon amount. So as we loaded out our equipment we noticed the beer cooler was near the back door.... We didn't get paid much, but we also didn't go thirsty for a while.

[Trouble]

Since I started venturing out of my basement to playing with a band, I noticed a few different things about a live band versus a backing track. Here's my take on being a guitarist in a band-

 

1) You need more treble in your tone to cut through the drums, bass, and harp

2) When you think you're loud enough at sound check or rehearsal, you're not

3) There is no faster way to learn the dynamics of a song than playing with a live band

4) Just because you know the words to a song, doesn't mean you can sing them

5) To add to #4, its harder than you think to sing and play at the same time

5) The bass and the drums are the leaders of a song, you just play along.

6) Play it like you mean it. In my case, I've been told to play every solo like I'm playing Redhouse

7) If you are setting the tempo to a song, you better have it right

8) Just like my wife, if the singer isn't happy, nobody is

9) Practice every song at home until you can play it without looking

10) Practice the entire set list several times before a gig, at least once the day of the gig

 

 

This is just my thoughts of what I've been figuring out as I go. Any other tips or advice would be great!

 

 

 

I agree with most of that. If you soundcheck in an empty or near empty room and then it fills up it soaks up some volume, and a lot of the highs. I still don't see how you have time to run through the entire setlist multiple times but if you can more power to you. I usually just run through the new ones a couple times each, a couple times the week of the gig. If you play a four hour set twice that's 8 hours of playing, you really have time to do that?

Heres one that always happens with me.

during set up/ sound check everyone in the band thinks Im too loud. Then usualy after the first few songs the sound guy tells me "turn it up, no one can hear you".

The other problem I have is that I like the sound of 10, guitar at ten, effects at ten. when I dial the guitar back to 7 and turn the amp up its just not there, its loud enough but the tone is wrong. Ive become accoustom to setting my volume and then bumping the amp volume just a tad after each of the first few songs.

Me too.

[DetroitBlues]

I agree with most of that. If you soundcheck in an empty or near empty room and then it fills up it soaks up some volume, and a lot of the highs. I still don't see how you have time to run through the entire setlist multiple times but if you can more power to you. I usually just run through the new ones a couple times each, a couple times the week of the gig. If you play a four hour set twice that's 8 hours of playing, you really have time to do that?

 

Me too.

I hit the songs to make sure I know the intros, breaks, and any special licks.....I don't play each one from start to finish..