What are some ways to improve the "value" of your band?

[Potts]

Nominate for one of the most thought out posts in this thread!

Originally Posted by FitchFY

1.) Get a banner: People need to know the name of your band so they can follow you. Go to www.eSigns.com and drop $50-100 on their big vinyl banners! I used one for years and they're great.

2.) Get some semblance of lights: You don't NEED a light guy (sure it helps), but even a few well placed cans and LED side fills will separate you from the chump bands in the area. Just don't leave them set on "seizure" all night.

3.) Have a quality PA: Sure, having subs is nice, but those seeing you need it... well, I challenge you with my $600-800 guarantee 4 piece bar hard rock band that booked any venue any time we wanted. Without subs. Well-tuned gear, well-tuned PA. It worked very well. But yes, having subs DOES fill your sound nicer.
SIDE NOTE: As you up your PA, you up your own sound requirements. Once your drummer has to start micing up all his drums at each gig to still be heard, you'll see your cost/profit ration start to dip. Watch this cost/profit ratio like a hawk and know what YOUR GOAL is for the band, not what Harmony-Central forums tells you.

4.) Have everyone lose 10 pounds: Okay, sort of a joke, as I haven't watched your videos, but it's a rule of thumb, especially in rock music. Want a succesful 90s-today rock cover band? Look and be the part. Which means being in shape. And preferably not "keg" as that shape.

5.) Make a fan base of hot girls: Bars appreciate it, guys buy more drinks when hot girls are there, etc. If you're in a bar band, the best thing you can do is focus your attention (friendly, not banging) (well, bang if you can) on the girls so they keep coming back. The guys will then stay.

[roamingbard13]

 

Originally Posted by Potts

Nominate for one of the most thought out posts in this thread!

 

Agreed!

[IsildursBane]

Originally Posted by TIMKEYS

Interesting ,, I felt the guy in the red shirt had some pitch issues and the voice seemed a tad dull like he was singing mostly out his mouth and not from his diaphram. She just seemed like the needed more experience but had more timbre and sang from the diaphram and had more potential to put passion in her vocals.

She's not singing from her diaphragm. She's singing like someone trying to sound like they're singing from their diaphragm w/o actually doing it properly.

IMO, that sounds worse than just not trying to fake it.

-Dan.

[SpaceNorman]

 

Originally Posted by IsildursBane

She's not singing from her diaphragm.

 

Do women even use those things anymore?

[Vito Corleone]

I knew a girl who sang using her diaphragm once. Strangest damn thing you ever saw....

[tlbonehead]

Originally Posted by guido61

I knew a girl who sang using her diaphragm once. Strangest damn thing you ever saw....

was it this girl?

[FitchFY]

 

Originally Posted by Potts

Nominate for one of the most thought out posts in this thread!

 

Ha! Well, thanks, but this is just off the top of my head answering the dude's question. Whoever got into arguments about harmonies and how to best power a PA was way, way, way, way answering their own questions.

[jimiv]

 

Originally Posted by FitchFY

Ha! Well, thanks, but this is just off the top of my head answering the dude's question. Whoever got into arguments about harmonies and how to best power a PA was way, way, way, way answering their own questions.

 

Welcome to Harmony Central.

[Lee Knight]

Subs

[FitchFY]

 

Originally Posted by jimiv

Welcome to Harmony Central.

 

6,000+ posts later and I STILL have hope for people. Sad, ain't it?

[modulusman]

 

Originally Posted by FitchFY

6,000+ posts later and I STILL have hope for people. Sad, ain't it?

 

Well hopefully you will get some subs someday.

[modulusman]

 

Originally Posted by FitchFY

6,000+ posts later and I STILL have hope for people. Sad, ain't it?

 

Well hopefully you will get some subs someday.

[nchangin]

Screw the subs, yes they are nice but yall need to work on vocals and tightness.

Subs will get your bass drum and geetair out there but the video's you guys have are all small joints and 9 times out of 10 if you have those subs cranked up they gonig to tell you to turn down anyway. Sorry i had to be honest.

and Video one, the dude guitar tuning while that chick was singing? Big turn off, that's is my biggest pet peave with geetair players when they constantly tune **** at the wrong time.

[Mutha Goose]

Originally Posted by guitarguy19

I disagree with this somewhat...because it depends on exactly what you're providing at said club, how long you're playing for, etc.

Example 1: A 3 hr gig where we bring absolutely minimalist backline, even down to a paired down 2 piece drum kit (no toms). No lights. No PA. 3x40 min sets with 2 half hour breaks. Meals included...and nice meals...better than bar food. Very restauranty but extremely fun crowds. 1/2 hr setup and 20 minute teardown. Only gig where we don't even use a soundman. $550.

Example 2: Club across town about 1 hr away, 4 hr gig, DJ between sets, lights, subs and whole PA, etc. $1200.
... .

I did say "For clubs somewhat close to each other"... I wouldn't call an hour away close.

[jw10]

after watching the vids, id say put all the money and crap on the backburner and work on getting tighter.

Best wishes.

[stratotastic]

Sorry if any/all this has been covered - skimmed the thread.

My impressions:

You really need to work on getting more comfortable on stage. You guys sound okay, but I didn't see anything there that a crowd would find inviting. For instance, what is the male singer looking at when he sings? He just kinda stares into space burning a hole in one spot 10 ft in front of him. And everyone looks so serious (nervous?). Smile more, or at least look at the crowd and acknowledge them in some way. And the guy RIGHT AT CENTER STAGE tuning up, taking a giant exaggerated sip of his beer, and otherwise {censored}ing around while the chick (who is actually singing) is pushed off to the side? Really?? I hope you don't need someone to tell you that this is really bad, and why.

Also you should consider getting some sort of cohesive look. Doesn't have to be matching zoot suits, but at least something better than like you just all left the apartment after beer and chips in front of the game. Add some visual appeal.

Overall your general feel seems like you're really not putting forth too much effort. If you don't step up your performance, a bunch of slick props and/or upgraded sound equipment are not going to do a single thing for you. Taking charge of that room is probably the best value add you can do.

But the good thing is that you guys look really young and have lots of time to work this stuff out.

Best of luck!

[tlbonehead]

Originally Posted by nchangin

Screw the subs, yes they are nice but yall need to work on vocals and tightness.

Subs will get your bass drum and geetair out there but the video's you guys have are all small joints and 9 times out of 10 if you have those subs cranked up they gonig to tell you to turn down anyway. Sorry i had to be honest.

and Video one, the dude guitar tuning while that chick was singing? Big turn off, that's is my biggest pet peave with geetair players when they constantly tune **** at the wrong time.

that makes no sense. Subs should fill out the bottom octave, not be louder than everything else.

[modulusman]

 

Originally Posted by tlbonehead

that makes no sense. Subs should fill out the bottom octave, not be louder than everything else.

 

Well it was posted by a drummer. My country band always uses subs whether we are playing for 20 people or 1000.

[SeniorBlues]

 

Originally Posted by modulusman

Well it was posted by a drummer. My country band always uses subs whether we are playing for 20 people or 1000.

 

Seriously? Are those 20 people in a decent sized venue or do you also use them in small rooms, too? Where's the cutoff, expressed in square feet? Just asking.

[mstreck]

 

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

Seriously? Are those 20 people in a decent sized venue or do you also use them in small rooms, too? Where's the cutoff, expressed in square feet? Just asking.

 

We use them everywhere. It may seem unnecessary in smaller rooms, but makes a huge difference.

[Lee Knight]

Subs have been known to tighten up a band, inspire confidence in harmony singing and instill a sense of natural stage presence. I'd get subs.

[Vito Corleone]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

Seriously? Are those 20 people in a decent sized venue or do you also use them in small rooms, too? Where's the cutoff, expressed in square feet? Just asking.

Just because you're using subs doesn't mean you have to run them loud. If there was a cutoff, I suppose it might be the point where you're playing so quiet that there's no need to put any kick drum or bass guitar through the PA. But you don't turn off the bottom speakers on your stereo just because you've got it turned down, do you?

Also, in my case, the subs serve as the stands that hold up the rest of the PA. Without them, I'd have to find some other stands to use.

[modulusman]

 

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

Seriously? Are those 20 people in a decent sized venue or do you also use them in small rooms, too? Where's the cutoff, expressed in square feet? Just asking.

 

We play a room that is about 30x40 about a dozen times each summer using subs. Average crowd about 50 people. Could we do it without subs, sure, would it sound as good, no. The band uses small amps, I use my 110 combo for bass guitar. We mic instruments and the kick drum. The two best things my band ever did to improve our sound was to use subs and IEMs.

[Vito Corleone]

Originally Posted by modulusman

The two best things my band ever did to improve our sound was to use subs and IEMs.

I haven't played without subs in any band I've ever been in or any gig I've ever done since 1982. Regardless of size of room or style of music. They are simply just part of a good, full, well-rounded PA system. Might as well ask why you does a band need tweeters since nothing comes through them but the very high-end of sound that's often annoying anyway?

IEMs made a MAJOR improvement in our sound since our stage volume is now very, very low and we now let the PA do almost all the work. For example, the bass player now just goes direct into the PA using a pre-amp. No stage volume for him at all. Which means we need those subs even MORE.....

[SpaceNorman]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

Seriously? Are those 20 people in a decent sized venue or do you also use them in small rooms, too? Where's the cutoff, expressed in square feet? Just asking.

Subs are simply part of our setup - regardless of room size. This is due in large part because for us - the footprint of our sub/pole/main "stack" is actually smaller (and far less likely to be a trip hazard!!) than going the "mains on tripod stands" approach.

Another reason we always use subs is for ease/consistency of setup. Although switching between a "with subs" setup and a "without subs" setup isn't a huge deal - it is just another thing that must be dealt with in terms of EQ, Crossover settings, etc. By always using subs - the base configuration of our PA never changes - which speeds the setup and tuning of the system.

Considering the above points - my take is that fussing over the little bit of extra weight/extra work that schlepping a pair of small subs adds just isn't worth the headache. The sonic contribution that subs make to the sound is just gravy!