Members wheresgrant3 Posted August 30, 2005 Members Share Posted August 30, 2005 I created this thread based on another thread that skirted this issue. What's your role in your band? I currently play keyboards and rhythm guitar in a cover party band. I'm the newest member and proudlyand by my own admission,the weakest link. I'm an average musician with above average instincts. The lead guitar player, drummer, bassiest are all technically better players than me. They are great musicians and much better than me. The reason I got the gig is.... well, I know the bass player. Well, that's true.... but the reason I've kept the gig is because I understand my role in this band. It's not to just play rhythm guitar and keys on every song, it's to add needed dynamics.... and that's exactly what I add. Our lead guitar player is great, and they were getting along fine before me. It's not necessary to play chug, chug chug right along side him on songs where only one guitar is present. Some songs I back off on and others I just play rhythm guitar during the chorus or under his solos. Other songs I'll just sit back and add little overdubs you hear on the CD but you never hear other bands play. In other words I let him take the lead, let him fill in his parts and then I layer just the neglected stuff over it. And it's not just with my playing.... at shows I use down time to connect with the audience, get people involved,... maybe throw a free t-shirt or encourage some chica to dance on stage. So not only do I fill the gaps with my playing, I also fill the gaps with my personality and crowd interaction. What additional role do you have in your band? Do you book? Are you great at marketing? Are you just the best damn player so you don't need to contribute anything else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members squealie Posted August 30, 2005 Members Share Posted August 30, 2005 I dispense the insults, primarily at the drummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THB Posted August 30, 2005 Members Share Posted August 30, 2005 I'm the boss. Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter, truck driver, booking agent, P.A. babysitter, roadie and the guy who pays all the bills. Come to think of it, what are them lazy {censored}ers I play with doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elbow Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 I play rhythm guitar and a few leads with another guitarist doing most of the soloing and hotter stuff. I write the originals that we slide in between covers, find new cover material (oxymoron?), do most of the booking, sing most of the lead vox, be the one to go buy the needed extension cord 10 minutes before a gig, set up the PA, set up the lights, bring beer to practice. Probably not near the best at anything, but do pretty damn good, and keep trying to improve myself. I would like to play with someone like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members srsfallriver Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Duties in order of importance: bassist Lighting designer/operator/controller builder electrician/power chord builder harmony/background vocalist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 I'm the guitar player, co-songwriter, backing vocalist, recording engineer, owner of our recording and practice space, web designer, and whatever else needs doing. I also seem to be good at finding good opportunities for the band, such as getting us hooked up with Bose, Little Steven, the International Pop Overthrow festival and some of the other cool stuff we've done. I'm a pretty big cheerleader for us overall and manage to do a lot to get our name out there. We sold a lot of records primarily through me being on the Internet and promoting us online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GZsound Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 I am the annointed head of my little gaggle of musicians. We are a benevolent dictatorship. I own and run the PA, I do the web page, I do the promo packs, I deal with the booking agents, I engineer, master, duplicate, print, etc. the CD, I book the band, I collect the money, I drive the van, I load the crap in and take it home, I own the studio which is our practice space, I decide what we are wearing, I set rehearsal times, I run the rehearsals, I print and distribute the set lists, I do most of the on stage announcing, I run the lights, and when I find time, I play sax and keys and sing a bit. Other than that, I have nothing to do with the success of my band.. We owe it all to our lead singer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 It depends on what band I'm playing with, I guess. Usually, I'm the guy who sits in the back and takes {censored} from everyone else. And that's on my SOLO gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ninjaaron Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 I don't say much, but I feel as if lately I'm becoming a source of tension within the group. You see, I play in church, and there is disagreement over how the guitar aught to be played in church, and what is best for the music, etc... I normally just do what I do, and then if I recieve critisms I do whatever the head of the team tells me to. Lately, he's been encouraging me to play more... on top of the mix, a bit more flashy. Being a lead guitarist, I love this, but it has made me nervous that people in the church might be getting pissed. Well, I was mostly right. It's not the people in the church that are getting pissed, it's some of the other musicians, Don't know if it's one or more. What they say is that some of the stuff I try messes them up on singing harmonies or makes the practices more difficult. I question their motivation, but I like to assume that he/she/they are not baseless pre-maddonas. Of course, he/she/they don't tell me, they tell the head guy instead, and now he's telling me to step back. I don't mind stepping back (though stepping forward is admittedly prefered), I just wish this didn't have to be conducted in such a political mannor, and that people would just voice their complaints durring the practices. Music teams in churches are strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 I'm the guitar player, own the PA, run the website and do all the booking. So I'm the guitar player, roadie, soundman and manager I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Originally posted by ninjaaron I don't say much, but I feel as if lately I'm becoming a source of tension within the group.You see, I play in church, and there is disagreement over how the guitar aught to be played in church, and what is best for the music, etc... Your job as a musician and guitar player is to support the singers and make them sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EugeneBr Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Music teams in churches are strange. Amen to that.I'm the band leader, PA mover, soundguy, chord and lyrics library, pick carrier for our second guitarist when he forgets his at home (which happens every now and ... well, now), room booker, complaint handler, peacekeeper and noisemaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Inazone Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 My official roles are founder, songwriter, lead guitarist and backing vocalist. My unofficial roles are manager, accountant, booking agent, merch guy, webmaster, label contact, studio bassist, guitar tech, etc. I wish I could just concentrate on playing and writing, but I suspect that nothing would get done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Different roles in each band. In my main band, I'm the leader. Lead singer, songwriter, lead guitarist, booker, treasurer, webmaster, etc. The other guys can basically show up to practice and help me arrange, and pretty much write their own parts (with some exceptions), or offer their own originals (not happening currently), but I basically do most of the "work" involved with running the band. In my side band I'm the lead guitarist and backing vocalist. In the past I've also been the bassist (on our first self-released CD I play all the leads and all the bass). I have freedom to write my own parts, same as what I give to my bandmates in my main band. But in the side band I don't do writing (although I may contribute some songs later) or any of the legwork that I do in my main band. During our recording of our second CD I did contribute with as many or more suggestions regarding the mix than did the band leader. I think I have a better ear for that sort of thing than he does, just from longer experience. I wasn't pushy at all about it, and every last suggestion I made was followed. In the church band I play in, I'm the electric guitarist and bassist. I also sometimes play 12-string acoustic, and once a year or so even banjo. I'm pretty much given the freedom to play whatever instrument I want for whatever song, and make up my own parts and decide if there should be any effects used and if so what. What was the question again? BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hankypanky Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 guitar player / flemenco dancer I just have to concentrate on being sexy... Of course I'm not a flemenco dancer and I'm not sexy but I get to work on those skills while others are worrying about the PA system, what their voices sound like, and where we're playing next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cherri Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Lead singer, rhythm guitarist. I write the lyrics and most of the music that we perform. In my spare time, I book the shows, maintain the web site, write the set lists, design our posters & CD art, handle our PR, pick up strings and etc. for a band mate who doesn't drive, distribute flyers and promo packs, massage egos, kiss ass, schmooze, arrange transportation and lodging as needed, purchase equipment we need, and all of this while maintaining a healthy lifestyle! My husband plays the bass, maintains all the equipment, runs the sound, trains the sound techs, manages load in and out, repairs gear (he fixed my guitar one time during set break with a pen light, a plastic straw, and a drop of clear nail polish. This is why we call him McGyver), burns demo CDs, mentors three 14 year old future bass players, researches equipment we need to buy, and keeps me smiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members archiemax Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 I'm the only one in the band who knows how to use a soldering iron. 'nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sleef Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 I'm the drummer, sound effect maker, lighting operator, website designer, graphics artist, printer, posterer, buyer of beer, jamspace host, truck driver, sometimes finder of gigs and media spots, trasher of lyrics and riffs, dreamer, and when needed, asshole. For the most part I think the band is split evenly when it comes to "duties and responsibilities". Which is all that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpacedCowboy Posted September 2, 2005 Members Share Posted September 2, 2005 Originally posted by squealie I dispense the insults, primarily at the drummer. Not that he doesn't deserve 'em... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Brooks Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 I play lead guitar and lap steel in C6 tuning. That is what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axe2 2001 Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 Originally posted by GCDEF I'm the guitar player, own the PA, run the website and do all the booking. So I'm the guitar player, roadie, soundman and manager I guess. yep. except website. and add in suplier of beers and practice space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THB_bassman Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 I play the bass, help load in and out everyone's gear, (my own doesn't take long) and worry about {censored} so Taylor doesn't have to, like when the breaks are over. With a drummer who plays furiously almost all the time, I also consider myself the keeper of the tempos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jim e. grappler Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 I find myself as moderator and realist, in addition to playing guitar. I feel I have to keep things in perspective when others are either claiming imminent disaster or proclaiming that we are the greatest band ever and making grandiose plans. But, I enjoy my role and let others lead or organize. I certainly have plenty of time to concentrate on my own playing and not messing that up(which usually works). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crypticscott Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 Fluffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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