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Would you play out if you sounded like this?


azmyth

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I sing for this band. We've practiced about 7 times.

We started with like 12 covers, and each practice added like 10 more.. we have 32 right now.

We can't play any of them all the way through without some sort of screw up, whether it be timing, wrong chords, forgotten lyrics, etc.

The leader has booked us 2 shows one, next weekend and one on April 13th, we have a small one hour show on the 12th. The other two are 3 hr long gigs. We have one song on our set that we've only played once. We are not new musicians, but this is the first time I've played in a cover band, and had to learn this many songs this fast. I suggested learning 5 at a time, and really tightening those before we played out.. but instead we are rushing, because two of our members are active in the military and will be leaving on 2 month missions in the summer so our "leader" is trying to pack in as much as he can before they leave.. which I sort of get.. but he thinks we are ready. We've already had one member quit over some of this, and now I'm moving to guitar, which I won't be ready to do for the 13th, but I'm going to play the one hour show. Our leader is trying to hire a fill in for the 13th, but again.. the rest of the band to me is not ready. I've mentioned it to him a few times, and him and the rest of the remaining members seem to think we aren't as bad as we think we are... I've been doing this a long time.. and I think we are shaky at best.. I guess people will be drunk and won't care right?

 

Here's some examples.. Be honest, I'm totally not going to get mad at all.

 

Mr. Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXdwrnS7ENw&feature=youtu.be

 

Save Tonight

 

 

Summer of 69

 

 

 

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Well.

Bass playing not so bueno.

Drumming good till he drops the beat.

 

Couldn't really get a good listen to the guitarist, seemed ok.

I like the songs.

Vocals have to work exactly opposite of what you are doing. You have started with concentrating on the vocal mannerisms . Instead, get the lyrics you need from the interwebs and just try to sing the stuff in your own voice as well as possible. Then work into the mannerisms and tones.

 

Looks like a nice PA. Eq the mids out a little and turn it up. Loosen up. Get some girls into your rehearsals so the Bass player  gets interested.

Meantime, also compile a list of backup songs . Stuff that everyone knows . Stuff you can run through once. You get requests. Sometimes they are negotiable. Somebody asks for a Beatles or a Chuck Berry or something, you can negotiate to a different one that maybe you know.

 

 

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Ready for smaller gigs. Gigs separate the wheat from the chaff.  Gotta do em sometimes before you are ready if you ever gonna be ready. And ya don't have to be perfectly ready for a gig that won't hurt your rep. 

 

You guys have a lot of loose ends to clean up, (not telling you anythng you don't know), and those ends can damage your rep as a band and as players if it is put in certain situations. You play at a place that consistently has high level acts, and you'll get smothered....creamed.  Not that you can't be a kick ass band, but you ain't there yet.

 

So do gigs appropriate to your skill level and don't get in over your head. Do some backyard jams, dive bar gigs etc. That way you'll have some fun, not alot of pressure, and get the experience.

 

And learning a bunch of tunes quickly is good fer ya dammit....buck up and git after it mang.....!!! YOU CANG DEW EET!!!!

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I'll agree that it's still rough, but everyone has enough skills to make it good.

Singer has good enough range, but hopefully will have some more stage presence in front of an audience (As should everyone in the band).

Go ahead and jump in the pool. If 2 guys are leaving soon, why not get out there and play a few shows. Nothing to lose in the smaller rooms. Be careful if you get into a better venue and aren't ready for prime-time. One bad gig will get you black-balled for a long time.

If you're playing around Jax, let me know where and I can give you some insight if I've played there.

Go get 'em!

CC

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As others have said, if the gigs are appropriate for the level you're currently at, why not?  You have to start somewhere.  Most audiences are more about having a good time and hearing popular songs, than with the technical expertise of the band.

On the other hand, as a singer, PLEASE learn not to 'choke the mic' like most rappers do. Closing your hand over the mic cartridge element changes the tone and response of the mic, and makes it more prone to feedback, as you kept hearing.  This alone will make you sound better, and will make future sound techs who will mix you happy.  Hold the mic by the handle. :smileywink:

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minn12 wrote:

On the other hand, as a singer, PLEASE learn not to 'choke the mic' like most rappers do. Closing your hand over the mic cartridge element changes the tone and response of the mic, and makes it more prone to feedback, as you kept hearing.  This alone will make you sound better, and will make future sound techs who will mix you happy.  Hold the mic by the handle. 
:smileywink:


^This

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That's what I was getting at. I've never played in a band like this before. I'm used to playing 6-10 originals, on a multiband show, where the entire point of the show is for the music.. its not usually at bars, and for younger crowds. This is totally new to me. My stage precense is there at shows.. not really at practice.

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there is some good stuff, and some not so good stuff. fix the not so good, i think you'd be ready to play out. plus, there is nothing like a gig to work out the kinks. you can practice a song a million times in the garage and when the energy of the gig gets there, it's not going to be the same, something will happen. learning how to roll with that is what separates the average band from the good band.  avoiding the train wreck when someone jumps the bridge too early or misses the chorus.

 

from what i heard, a couple people need to spend some time at home polishing their parts. too many missed chords on 3 chord songs that repeat the same patterns. that's just lack of attention.

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Short answer - Yes

Bass playing was boring. Never really grooved, sat on root notes, mostly. Is he a frustrated guitarist who is relegated to bass? Plays like it on those tunes. Maybe he's just not familiar with them yet.

Guitar player - Summer of 69 on the Charvel, not the Strat? Really? Way too distorted. It was the Summer of 69 not 99. :D He didn't seem to do much, but then again, that might have only been the mix.

Drummer - he often rushed then fell back, especially when he was going to a paradiddle. He was OK, but again, that could be familiarity.

Singing - Decent. Give more emotion, Dawg, but other than that, it was passable.

Acoustic guitar - good.

edited to add:

Harmonies - awful. They weren't even close. Maybe just try unison until harmonies are worked out.

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You mentioned that this is the first time you've played in a cover band. I've found that it's a weird transition. I played originals for decades, but when I got into my 50's I've decided to give up trying to be cool and relevant and just play great songs. The problem I've found that on the cover scene, the motto seems to be "eh, it's good enough" or "the crowd can't tell the difference".

 

I was used to a world were you had 10 to 15 originals in a set and you got them really tight. In cover bands some guys will just poop out three sets of crap and think it's gold. I'm not saying that all cover bands are crappy, I've seen a few really great pro acts that have blown me away.

 

Personally I hate doing a show unprepared. If you're going to ask people to come out on a cold night when they could be sitting in front of their 55 inch flat screen with surround sound, then you better make them glad for being there.

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Sucks about the lousy sound man.   

Unfortunately, when you're hiring various guys to run sound, you're going to deal with bad sound guys and lousy stage mixes far more often than you'd like.  (In fact, I'd say bad stage mixes will be the rule rather than the exception).  

There will be gigs where you can't hear your own instrument, the vocals, backing vocals, other instruments...whatever.  You just have to find a way to get through it without allowing it to throw you off your game or affect your performance.  (Easier said than done, for sure.)

 

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I'm going to disagree with several comments made about not being able to practice harmony at home.

The problem with harmony is that guys:  a) forget to sing, unless they're focused and and have a lot of experience, and   b) forget their parts.  I've had guys come to the next rehearsal singing parts that sound fine . .  except they're doubling someone else's part!  WRITE DOWN YOUR PART or record it so you can listen to it clearly at home.  Practice playing pickups into the harmony parts.  Practice alone and along with the record.

We do vocals rehearsals more often than full band.

 . . . .  and don't try to learn too many harmony songs in the beginning.  Add them a couple at a time.

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