Members mstreck Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 We're trying to expand our setlist to include some r&b, upgrade our PA in terms of performance and dependabilty, and find a few new venues. What positive changes are you or your bands making for 2012? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 We are adding more songs, I'm slowly making small upgrades to my PA, get some color wash LED's to light up the band better (and cooler) look for more gigs etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crustee Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 When you get to be my age, just being able to stand and hold your guitar for another year is enough.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gspointer Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 Probably get some box truss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J.Paul Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 A similar thread was in another forum...I can't comment for the band or Gwen but the best thing I can do for MY music is :~to make more money (get a job-maybe work the oil fields for a while I dunno)~get out of the house (Murfreesboro sucks...might be a good idea to actually BE in Nashville more -15 miles away) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dan88z Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 new year, new bass player! Cut out some venues that we played last year that didnt work for us. Up the private/corporate/fund raiser events. Lots of new songs once the new bassist is worked in. Less gigs but higher quality. 3-5 gigs a month total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pickinatit Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 Resolution to try to actually memorize our tunes. I know that you younger fellows probably can't appreciate the degree of difficulty that can pose, but.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SeniorBlues Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 To do something I've never done before - form a band from scratch and figure out how to be a leader. Tomorrow I'm expecting keys(me), guitar, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, tenor sax, trombone (hopefully), and two female vocalists for our first session. Percussion and sax have played together, and I've done one session with the drummer - no one else has met. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 Not really changing a thing. We stumbled into 2011 with a recent lineup change and we as with most new members we took a few months to get him to speed. By February we really took off. Snagged a Jagermiester sponsorship in March, started working with a new agent in August and did a complete website redesign in November. In June we sent a proposal out to existing clubs for a pay raise commencing in October along with a new setlist plan... 2 long sets (1 hr 15 mins each with DJ in between) and the result has been fantastic. We're keeping the crowd past 2 am and we're playing more solid (less time to drink between sets). We're booked solid through October and have a few club dates and private events booked into March of 2013. I'm usually the most critical when it comes to setting goals or trying to improve things. For once I think the old adage applies... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. About the only thing on the docket to fix is to get a smaller trailer. Pulling a small house is destroying our van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TrickyBoy Posted January 6, 2012 Members Share Posted January 6, 2012 Our focus is 3-fold... Add a couple more rooms to our rotationWorking more on marketing / building a followingExpanding our setlist Really just building on the momentum that we gained towards the end of 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDLMUSIC Posted January 8, 2012 Members Share Posted January 8, 2012 My goal is to phase out the band and do more solo gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted January 8, 2012 Members Share Posted January 8, 2012 My goal is to phase out the band and do more solo gigs.I've been doing about 1/2 each. Its nice to mix it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted January 8, 2012 Members Share Posted January 8, 2012 A similar thread was in another forum...I can't comment for the band or Gwenbut the best thing I can do for MY music is :~to make more money (get a job-maybe work the oil fields for a while I dunno)~get out of the house (Murfreesboro sucks...might be a good idea to actually BE in Nashville more -15 miles away)played a few gigs late last summer in Huntingdon and Jackson. Very nice area for live music! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted January 8, 2012 Members Share Posted January 8, 2012 I have a 10x20 storage unit and a van and small trailer full of PA gear so I'm fairly set there. Probably more originals added to our setlists, more reworked songs, and continue building a fan base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 For 2012, we made a major band decision to close ranks and just stay a three-piece. There were attempts last year to make it a four-piece, first with a fill-in bassist, then with a female bassist/vocalist that I *thought* was with our band as a priority (I was wrong). We had another fill-in fulfill a gig a few weeks ago and we just decided that we can count on the three of us, but not anybody else. So, the lead guitarist is now the bass guitarist and I am singing almost all of the songs (the bassist does 3-4). We switch off on one song where I play bass and he plays guitar. Amazingly, we have found that we have more energy, more fun and more compliments as a trio, first at our New Year's Eve gig (we got hired back for the following NYE after our first two sets!), then again this past weekend. We also changed our pay structure. Instead of an even split with the four-piece lineups (pretty much necessary due to the lack of money in the bar band biz), I am now making 40% while the other two make 30% each, due to all of the extra work I do with promo and booking the band, besides managing the PA and lights. We're all making more money and we're all happier. It's a win-win all around. As for equipment, I have already started with that. I bought an LED all-in-one light system with controller and stand. I'm already seeing a major difference in our videos. Near future plans are to get another subwoofer, more power amps, even more lights, a DMX controller and a better, bigger board (most likely an Allen & Heath MixWiz 3). But for now, we are doing well and have enough equipment for most gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 My New Year's resolution is to make time for more consistent personal practice. I'm working with two different projects - neither of which are working enough in their own right to keep the entire playlist fresh in muscle memory from gigging alone. These days it seems that with both projects - I'm constantly struggling to "re-learn" tunes that I haven't touched in a couple of months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 My New Year's resolution is to make time for more consistent personal practice. I'm working with two different projects - neither of which are working enough in their own right to keep the entire playlist fresh in muscle memory from gigging alone. These days it seems that with both projects - I'm constantly struggling to "re-learn" tunes that I haven't touched in a couple of months. I'll go even a step further... I plan on making the time to learn songs for pure pleasure. I haven't done that in years (haven't had the time) and I can tell you that my skills and versatility as a player has been compromised for it. For years I've learned songs in respect to playing them in a band... rather than learning them for myself. I sorta miss the days long ago when I was bandless and had no agenda, and I would waste an afternoon learning an entire album worth of songs. I can't guarantee I will have the time to do this but I do plan to watch alot less bad TV and learn a lot more music this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mineame Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 My New Year's resolution is to make time for more consistent personal practice. I'm working with two different projects - neither of which are working enough in their own right to keep the entire playlist fresh in muscle memory from gigging alone. These days it seems that with both projects - I'm constantly struggling to "re-learn" tunes that I haven't touched in a couple of months. Same here. My band is pretty much two (going on three) projects too. We have a full night of rock and are in the final push for a full night of country. The upcoming third is an up coming southern rock/modern country original CD. I have found that my personal practice routine that I like to just noodle with has suffered immensely from this. Honestly, I think my playing has taken a step back too. So just last night I cancelled my gamer account and turned around and ordered the first book in a series of 6 to help improve guitar playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 Oh yeah, get a 6x10 or 6x12 trailer to haul everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mstreck Posted January 9, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 Oh yeah, get a 6x10 or 6x12 trailer to haul everything. Make sure you get one with a ramp at the back and a swinging door on the side - coupled with a rack and roller, it saves a LOT of lifting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 pay guarantees. Middle finger to any venue that asks us to play for the door, or less than $400. So far, two down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ckcondon Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 New band!Also scaling back on the gear warehouse in my garage. Selling off excess stuff and eventually selling my 5X8 trailer. Haven't used it much the past 2 years. Everyone helps haul a little PA gear so it ends up being a storage unit!Lean & mean... LED colorstrips, small PA with 12's over 18's, amp rack and mixer/effects.Most importantly.... Make it fun again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bnelly428 Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 focus on corporate/gb stuffbetter light showmore moneyless hassle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members troyguitar Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 Finish recording and release full length CD, then more or less quit the band thing for awhile. I'm moving in 4 weeks and don't really feel like hunting for a new band or bandmates this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 9, 2012 Members Share Posted January 9, 2012 I think I'm going to get barn doors, and then a ramp. My gear would fit in a 5x8, but not the light trusses, which are 10' long. So I'm thinking a 10' V-nose or 12' trailer will fit the trusses and all the band gear as well. When we play out of town we bring 3 or 4 vehicles. With everything in the trailer, the bass player has a Denali, which could pull the trailer and fit everyone in one vehicle. A hand truck is a definite. Plus 2 new cable boxes, just a bit smaller than the LS800p footprint, about 18" high, to raise up the mains... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.