Money

Image credit: weheartit.com

Money is often top of the list when it comes to arguments between bands. If one person is responsible for providing the PA system being used, they can often have a lot of leverage in band disputes, so it really is up to the other band members to try and make this person as democratic as possible. If arguments end with, “well I own the PA so if you don’t agree you lot aren’t using it anymore,” you’ve probably got a budding dictator on your hands. Avoid these types of people unless you don’t mind them running the show.

Musicians and money problems go hand in hand, and often one band member has got more then another. The worst scenario is when member of the band begin relying on one member to pay for everything, whether it’s gas to get to a gig, time in a studio, or just being sent off to buy new guitar strings. If this is you, say something now and explain how you feel. Most people are understanding and won’t make you feel bad, but if they do, best find another band to join.

Creativity

Arguments about songs and how each member should play are usually decided through a vote. Well, they should be. But if you have a band leader, or a stubborn member that disagrees with almost everything a member does, eventually someone is going to say enough is enough. This is all part of how bands evolve and get better, so disputes over creativity should not be avoided. But what should be avoided is unnecessarily offending somebody or letting someone have their own way.

Test songs, ask for other people’s opinions, and discuss exactly what sounds right and what sounds wrong. The whole point of a band is to play music together, so if everyone is not happy it is not working. If one person thinks a song is bad but the others don’t, it’s down to that person to play the song for the other members, no matter what he or she thinks. Compromise plays a big part in disputes about creativity.

Image

Now this shouldn’t really ever be a big issue if you are a likeminded band and know exactly what style of music and associated image you want to produce. But saying that, there is the problem of one person being the black sheep. If one person doesn’t want to fit into the image of the band, then it totally depends on what the other band members think. Perhaps someone is too metal for an indie band, or vice versa. Everyone has the right to dress the way they want and act the way they want, so this type of thing really tests how tolerant your band is.

Most of the time this type of problem is apparent soon and can be brought up before it really gets awkward. But sometime people attitudes and style change over time, and before you know it you’ve have a vocalist in all black screaming down the mic at an acoustic gig. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but band image can count for a lot further down the line. The main thing is to try and get everything smoothed out as near to the beginning as possible, and this rules goes for a lot of problems that effect bands.

Commitment

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This can be a tricky one, because everyone has different commitments and schedules, so finding a time when everyone can practice can often be harder than you think. Band members turning up hungover and unable to play, or missing practice altogether, causes problem for everyone. One way to try and stop this from happening is to have a forfeit system, where the offending member has to do something because they missed practice. This can be a lot of fun, and the forfeits are best left down to your own imagination.

At the other spectrum there might be a member that is super committed and wants everyone else in the band to have the same dream of making it to the big time as him or her. There’s nothing wrong with ambition, but if they make you feel bad because you don’t have the same inflated dreams as them, say something about it. Chances are the person will see sense, or on the other hand they might want you out of the band. Either way, it’s better to let people know how you feel.

After all is said and done…

The main thing about settling band disputes is to not let things go too far. As soon as a problem is recognised, address it and move on. If the dispute can’t be solved, then the band isn’t working and it’s probably best that you go your separate ways. That’s not to say that you should give up at the first hurdle. Perseverance in a band is important, but bad feelings between members will be the death of the group, so get things sorted and try again until nothing more can be done.

Olivia Lennox is a singer and musician who has worked with and been part of numerous bands. These days, she balances her time writing and gigging with cruise lines like Fred Olsen, MSC and Disney.

Read below an inspiring excerpt of Joe Matera’s interview with MxPx’ bassist and vocalist Mike Herrera, conducted for Ultimate Guitar last month.

Having spent quite a number of years on a major label, how does it differ being on an indie label today, especially in the current musical climate of downloads and whatnot?

Image credit: Alexandre Cardoso on Flickr

Almost everything about the music business has changed in the past five to ten years. We were on a major label for so long that we kind of got lazy. But now we’re even putting out records ourselves. And a lot of our contemporaries in the same sort of genre are doing the same thing too, putting out record themselves because it is all digital. So you don’t really need a record label anymore, you can put it up on iTunes, on Amazon, all the different websites out there. It is all about promoting yourself, being on tour and doing it that way. It is way more D-I-Y. In fact, everything is D-I-Y today.

It is actually going back to the basic work ethic of what the punk and hardcore bands were and are about, so in a sense D-I-Y is appropriately the accurate word to use.

Yes it is completely. Even though you are using the internet or using whatever companies online to help distribute your digital albums along with online web stores, you are still doing it yourself. And that still means, putting it up online, updating the websites, updating all the social networks. It is a lot of work, it really is.

Have you got an advice to impart to other musicians from all your years in this industry?

Obviously that it is about keeping up and in contact with your fans. Nurture those people because building a fan base is very hard to, especially outside your home town. But once you do that, keep them involved with what you are doing. Also, I think putting out music often is a little bit more important than putting out one big release like every two years. And that is changed too because it used to be where you could do that one album every two years. But that is not what people expect nowadays. You have to keep people interested more often now.

At this point in the articles, we’ve established a project, written a few songs, got some cool words to sing (if that’s what we’re into), and we’re ready to rock, right? Hold on, soldier! We need some gigs, fans, and downloads.

Trouble is…

People need to hear you. Unless you’re a strolling minstrel, you need the capability to record your tunes and give them to people in the form of a CD or mp3. You can build your fan base, book shows, and even send one to your great aunt who is a nun and really hope that she’s not offended by the story about nuns in the radio track in your CD… wait, that last bit only applies to me. Sorry!

Musicians are lucky to be living in this day and age. Recording technology is readily available, cheap, and sometimes even free. In the past, the only choice we had would have been to spend hundreds of dollars to record in a commercial studio.

Although the matter is fiercely debated, it’s probably still the best way to get that million-dollar sound, because of that million-dollar equipment and acoustic space they have!

For example, when I got my new CD mastered, I calculated the sound ran through over twenty thousand dollars of processing gear in a sonically-optimized room.

That being said, a lot of us starting out don’t have the budget to spend on studio time, or, if you’re like me, prefer to buy some basic equipment and spend as much time as needed on the project without having the pressure of the clock ticking your cash away. So, let’s find out how to…

Set Up Shop

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Here’s some of the things that I found out in experimenting with gear as a solo musician. Keep in mind that it’s only a very basic overview, and recording is it’s own art form that can and should be seriously studied for maximum results. View the following as what I used, not the be all and end all of recording.

I needed to record, and had some special considerations for a soloist – drums. Maybe you can play them, but I haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. With that in mind, here’s what I found:

Getting The Sound Recorded

There’s two main types of recorders we can use:

• Stand alone recorders
• Computer systems

If I only had to pick one, I prefer the second option. But, I actually use ‘em both.

To be fair to other types of technology, there ARE other recording systems out there, but I’m outlining the ones most useful for my purposes. If you happen to have a tape machine sitting around, great.

Portable Recorders

Flip through any music catalog, and you’ll immediately see a multitude of snazzy little recorders with faders, blinky lights, and even the capability to burn a CD from the unit! So shiny! I had an old Boss BR-532 with a whopping 32 megabyte card. (It held one song.) Thankfully, the storage has improved. The units are cool because you can move them around easily, and record tracks at gigs, band practices (if you’re not doing a solo gig), etc. There’s actually two main types of these: There are multi-track recorders, which are more desk units, and the true portable field recorders, which can be hand-held. Several disadvantages of both of these units are, compared to a computer, editing can be clumsy, and not nearly as powerful as the systems I’m about to talk about.

Of course, it all comes down to taste. I’ve even heard of a band recording a song on an iPhone. (The app is called Four Track, and yes, I own it – it’s cool!) Despite their editing limitations, they really shine for capturing ideas on the fly.

Digital Audio Workstations

My favorite system is the DAW, or Digital Audio Workstation. I find it to be the the most flexible, powerful, and surprisingly, in one case, the cheapest. The setup consists of two to three parts:

1. The Interface

The interface is what converts the signal from the microphone placed in front of a guitar amp, or a direct line in, into a format the computer can understand. Technically it employs devices known as A/D Converters – Analogue to Digital converters. The mic plugs into the unit, and the signal is routed to the computer. Interfaces come in three main flavors: Firewire, USB, and PCI card (sound card.)

2. (Optional) Pre-Amp.

Some interfaces already contain a pre-amp, but you can easily spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a separate pre-amp. It boosts the level of the incoming signal, and can add a warmth and special flavor to the sound. Each preamp sounds different, much like guitar amps all have their own voice.

3. Software

THIS is where the fun happens! The signal arrives at your computer – now what?

Process it, baby! Digital Audio Workstations, or DAWs for short, are where the magic happens. You can start out with a free open-source program called Audacity (google it) to see how cool recording software can be. If you decide to upgrade, there are many options available, from the industry-standard Pro Tools, to Cubase (what I use), Acid, Cakewalk, Logic, and the list goes on.

A Word About Multi-Tracking

Muti-tracking refers to capturing many sounds (such as a drum set) simultaneously, and having the capability to mix them later. For example, if an interface only has one input, and I go to record a drum set, I’ll have to either use one microphone, or mix the signal from several together before it hits the computer (I could use a small mixer that a live sound engineer would use.)

The problem with that is: If I mix the signals wrong (say, the snare’s too loud), I can’t undo it later. I’ve got one track recorded for all of the drums. Multi-tracking lets me track everything individually, and mix it later.

What if you only have one input on the interface or recorder? You can record in a Track At Once fashion. Put the rhythm guitar track down, go back, and record the lead guitar as you listen to the rhythm track play back, and do the same with the vocals, etc. If you’re a one-man band like me, that’s what you do anyway. Keep this in mind when you’re shopping for recorders or interfaces. Do they have enough inputs to multi-track for your recordings?

In Plain English…

There are many different systems available. I started with a stand alone recorder. I prefer DAWs for their power and ease of use. I do use portable recorders to capture ideas on the fly, sounds of the city, and the like. The DAW signal chain consists of (sometimes) a pre-amp, an interface, and the software to process everything. Interfaces are great because they have low latency and clear sound.

One Man Band Info

If you’re like me, and trying to cook up the sound of a rock band all by yourself, you might have an issue with the drums. I was able to put down guitar tracks, vocals, keys, bass, and the occasional classical noise without a hitch, but the drums took me a little while. Here’s my story. I hope it helps you.

1. Josh hears about drum replacement: I was talking to a buddy, and he mentioned the programs EZ Drummer and Superior Drummer (there’s many others, too.) I looked around, and what I found was this: The company hired a great drummer in a great studio to play a lot of sounds. They then chopped up the sounds, and wrote a program that could call them up at will. Writing a drum loop file would trigger the sounds and rearrange the pieces to sound like a drum beat. With further investigation, and a bit of disbelief as to the musicality, I found that lots of people use drum replacement technology. Often they’ll use a real drummer to capture the timings, convert the sounds to MIDI, and replace the sounds with the samples. The sounds are incredibly high quality, and very editable. No more stuffing the bass drum with a pillow! I was sold.
2. Josh tries to play drums: I ordered the software, as well as a Korg PadKontrol to trigger the drums. I figured I’d try to be a finger drummer. Stupid folks on YouTube – they made it look easy. The controller was awesome, but my ineptitude got the better of me. I couldn’t put down a solid beat. (If you CAN, this is a great option.) I did end up using it to write some drum fills, though.
3. Josh discovers he needs more software: To record with the MIDI drums, I needed a DAW that would support MIDI. I was using Adobe Audition at the time, and it didn’t. I ended up getting Cubase 5.
4. 4.Josh goes programming: I said “if I can’t play drums, I’ll program them!” I tried to use the free software Hydrogen to program the beat of the century. It’s got the best arranger screen I’ve seen, and it’s very intuitive to use. Unfortunately, after hours of research, I couldn’t get it to export the right type of drum map to Cubase. After trying many different programs, I found a neat, cheap program called Rhythm Rascal. I was able to build the beat to Workaholic Blues with it. Fruity Loops also looked promising, but I was baffled by it. Lame excuse, I know. I’d like to go back and check it out.
5. Josh discovers what was right in front of him: Superior Drummer came with a program called EZ Player Pro, which has a bunch of drum fills and beats played by a real drummer. I had great luck arranging these, and used them on a few songs on Signalman. The loops were MIDI files, and dropped right into Cubase, triggering the Superior Drummer plugin. Awesome sounds, and fully editable. I could change the qualities of the drums and keep the same beat. I loved it.
6. If Josh went old school: I would have written the MIDI notes right in the file. Cubase (and many other programs) have a place where you can click to build a drum beat. It DOES take some time, though.

There You Have It!

Well, folks, there’s my not-so-brief account of my continuing journey through the world of recording and cooking up a band sound. I hope it will be of assistance, and maybe save you some money in the process. I urge you to start recording! Get that CD out there, and hey, send me an mp3 of your efforts! I’d love to hear them.

As ever, be sure to check out the full version of the article (with much more useful tips) over here!

Josh Urban is a solo guitarist and vocalist living near Washington, DC, USA. When he’s not attempting to blow up stages with his iPhone backing tracks and brightly colored guitars, he’s busy teaching guitar to over thirty students per week, adding zany videos to his youtube channel, or blogging about music. He just released his first “real” EP, Signalman, and is responsible for every single sound on it. Check out his website at www.joshurban.com, and say hello!

Last time we talked a bit about the different frameworks for such acts, as well as the benefits of adding vocals to your shows. This installment furthers the cause of what I call the evolution of teaching. Mainly “Zurg, don’t fall in sinkhole! Hurts! Zurrrrg! Zurrrrrg!” Yes, yes, that’s right – learning from my Neanderthal mistakes puts you further along the path of musical evolution and enlightenment. After singing, this next topic was my biggest obstacle as a musician!

And what cliff did I tumble off, only to emerge with some newfound skill cleverly disguised as a goose egg on my head?

Songwriting!

But first, a story… (As always)

I had decided I wanted to try a solo gig. I had just wasted a few months in a basement rehearsing with a go-nowhere band, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I thought “Hey, I’ll record a demo CD, and get some gigs playing jazzy stuff at restaurants!”

A great idea in theory, but it didn’t quite work out.

I dusted off a little digital recorder (I think it was a Boss BR-532), and started putting some tracks down. And then I hit that proverbial brick wall – HARD! I was a halfway decent guitarist, making a living teaching guitar, and had played live professionally, but… I couldn’t write any songs. Everything I did turned into a formless blues jam. As I write this on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s birthday, let me be the first to say that blues jams rock – But not the ones I was putting down. The lack of any structure, and the absence of vocals made my first “studio” effort something I’d rather not discuss. Well, I got several neat ideas, but all in all, it was a very weak venture. Sure, sure, I could do covers, but to be the artist I wanted to be, I really needed some originals as well.

I shopped the CD around, and only got one or two gigs. Mannnn! After tumbling off that metaphorical cliff of ignorance, I was able to see something that I had missed during my years of practice:

Typewriter on Flickr

Songwriting is a skill vital to a musician of any style.

Since I had been playing electric lead guitar, I was able to get away with not writing my own stuff. One of my teachers looked at me one day and said “If you don’t write your own stuff, you’ll always be playing somebody else’s songs.” Well DUH, but it actually sank in that time. I had always thought guitarists who sang and wrote their own songs where… gasp!… Singer-Songwriters! I considered my arpeggios to set me far above those saps who played Ben Folds covers and stole all my girls. (OK, sorry, but I’m STILL burned about that) It slowly dawned on me that a lot of the heavy songs I liked were actually very well written, too. Another DUH, but hey, I guess I needed to learn this stuff the hard way. Another thing that had always made me think twice about songwriting was that when people said the song was very well written, it usually didn’t rock. It wasn’t a logical train of thought, but it still seemed to be the case. My dad would put on some lame song, and I’d promptly state that the band’s guitarist was lousy. “Yeah, but they’re such good songwriters!” he’d say. Hence my trepidation with setting foot into the arena of songwriters. Would I lose my magical rock powers? Once again, Ozzy Osbourne has a lesson for us.

Listen to any of his tunes, and notice how they’re structured, coherent, and interesting without losing any of the power of rock. Indeed, the structure only adds to the ferocity! Bark at the Moon is a great example of what I’m talking about. Not only are the songs well written, but they’re arranged snazzily too. For those scratching their heads in puzzlement, arrangement refers to what instrument plays which part, and when. Listen to Green Day’s Wake Me Up When September Ends for an idea of how arrangement plays an important role in a song. They take two or three themes, and repeat them on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, and even bells! It keeps things interesting and fresh.

Good songwriting equals good songs, and we have no excuse not to learn this unique skill. And a skill it is, just like alternate picking or string skipping. The more we practice it, the better we get. “But Josh!” you say, “I should just be inspired to write a great tune!” Sure! But practicing the skills make it easier to express the inspiration, and can sometimes show you where to go when you’re at a loss for notes. “But Josh!” you pipe up again, “My wicked awesome sequence of diminished arpeggios will blow the crowd away with the sheer skill required to play it!” It probably will! But here’s something I noticed, and maybe it will help you:

There seem to be three camps of musicians:

• Camp 1 includes great writers who might not be top flight musicians, or if they are, don’t usually show it. A lot of country, pop, and alternative rock artists fall in with this crowd. Even if they can play their butts off, they usually don’t for the sake of the song.
• Camp 2 consists of the super shredders like Yngwie Malmsteen who are phenomenal guitarists, and absolutely own the top of the technical mountain. Their songs almost always feature their dazzling fret work, but usually aren’t as catchy as Camp 1, and hence not as popular (ever wonder why it’s called “pop” music?)
• Camp 3 consists of folks who recognize the following: Camp 1 has it’s brilliance in the set up and the writing (think Smells Like Teen Spirit: Simple, and devastating; a bullet doesn’t have to be complex to kill you, and neither does a hit song). Camp 2 is jam-packed with the best guitarists ever, and they can play absolutely anything. Their skill is in the execution, but not in the planning stages.

So the folks in Camp 3, like Ozzy Osbourne, Rammstein, Van Halen, etc, are well versed in both planning (writing), and execution (playing.)

Starting Off

1. I was a bit puzzled at how to start songwriting, but here’s a few things that helped me:
2. Realize songwriting is a skill, just like sweep picking.
3. Realize that (most) songs have a clear, identifiable structure – verses, choruses, a bridge, and so on. Listening to your favorite tunes, and picking out which parts are which can go a long way toward understanding composition.
4. Don’t try to write an epic tune on your first try. Pressure kills creativity!
5. Just like other guitar skills, daily practice is very helpful.
6. Education is important! I bought a few books, and attended a local songwriter’s group. I got inspired to give it a good shot. Maybe these ways will help you, too.

If interested, be sure to check out the full version of the article over here!

Josh Urban is a solo guitarist and vocalist living near Washington, DC, USA. When he’s not attempting to blow up stages with his iPhone backing tracks and brightly colored guitars, he’s busy teaching guitar to over thirty students per week, adding zany videos to his youtube channel, or blogging about music. He just released his first “real” EP, Signalman, and is responsible for every single sound on it. Check out his website at www.joshurban.com, and say hello!

So, you’re starting your first band. Good for you! There’s nothing quite like getting together with a bunch of your friends and playing some songs you really like. But wait! What’s this? You want to be taken seriously, and try and get somewhere with your musical talents, but you have no idea where to start? Ah. Yeah, that’s always a problem when you’re first starting out. But never fear! Here, I’ll be telling you how to get started, get serious, and get going with your (no doubt) illustrious career, with examples from a hefty number of bands I’ve had the pleasure of either knowing or being a part of. And even if you don’t get anywhere, hey, maybe you’ll get laid.

Tonight we start with the basics, and by that I mean the absolute basics. I’m going to assume that you either can play an instrument, or you’re learning to play an instrument, or you’re singing and therefore have no need of an instrument. Let’s also assume your bandmates are in the same situation. Before you get started on the real nitty gritty of being in a band, it’s best to get your head in the right place. Here are a few tips on what you need to be thinking before you get started.

Image credit: lookmyword on Fotolog

1. You’re Probably Going To Suck

Let’s face it; you’re probably in college, busy with heaps of schoolwork and emotional trauma and blah blah blah. Unless you happen to be a child prodigy at your chosen musical profession, or you’ve been playing since you were a toddler, chances are you’re not going to be very good. And that’s fine! There is absolutely nothing wrong with not being particularly good. But it really doesn’t help if you start off thinking you’re going to rule the world. Unless you’re saying that for ironic purposes. Then it’s funny.

Example: I’ve just finished doing an acoustic set to a nearly empty hall in my college at a band night set up by one of the students. The next guys up, a five-piece outfit called Carnivora (who are all lovely people), jump up on stage, and the lead singer shouts into the microphone, “we apologise for the previous acts; now we’re gonna pick things up a bit!” If they had been going for a few years and were good friends with the band before, that would be fine. Given that they’d had one gig in their entire lifespan, had just recruited a new rhythm guitarist, and hadn’t practiced enough for the gig, the comment just fell flat. I’m not saying don’t be confident, just don’t get cocky; you’re new to the game, and it’s not gonna earn you friends.

2. You’re Going To Need To Practice. A Lot

This should go without saying, but if you’re ignoring tip one, you’re probably ignoring tip two. No matter how good you think you are, and for that matter, no matter how good you actually are by yourself, when you get together and play with your band, it’s a whole different kettle of fish. Sure, you can play along to a CD, but real people in real band situations are prone to screwing up, and that can lead to an entire band fumbling to a stop, which, trust me, is not a pretty sight, and it really, really sucks to be a part of. Every opportunity you can, get your band together and practice, practice, practice. If you’re doing cover songs, learn them outright before you even bother practicing with your band, and make sure everyone else knows them too. Sure, you can fumble through a performance in practice, but if you’re playing it that way together every time, you’re going to play the same in front of people.

Case in point: My own band, Signposted Disaster (definitely not a plug), had our first ever gig as a full band. We practiced at least once a week together, with our own songs that we’d written. Problem was, as both lead singer and only guitarist, I was focusing far too much on the playing guitar aspect than I was on the getting the words right bit. Every time we practiced, I just mumbled incomprehensible crap to fill the gaps, and told myself I’d learn the words eventually. Gig day comes, and what do you know, I don’t know any of the words to the songs. It was horrible. People threw things at us. I got a pebble in my eye and a five pence piece right in the crotch. So make sure you’re practicing the songs properly, with every single piece of it going smoothly. It will not be all right on the night.

3. You Shouldn’t Take It Too Seriously

Remember all that advice about taking this a bit seriously in the last tip? Take that, and throw it all away. You’re not going to be playing stadiums any time soon, so there’s no need to act like you are. If you start taking it all just a bit too seriously, the whole band thing is going to get real old, real fast. Yes, you need to practice, but you need to have some fun with it too. The band is not a machine, it’s a bunch of people working hard, and people need breaks. Take some time to blow off some steam, and throw yourself back into it. Maybe just jam together for a laugh, rather than practicing a song. Hell, you could write a stupid song and learn that, just to keep things entertaining. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes a band hate you. Or something. My knowledge of sayings is slim.

But there’s a fine line between having a bit of fun and just screwing around. Once, I drummed with a band called Paint on the Fence, who use session drummers rather than having a specific guy sat behind the kit each time (not a bad idea, but hard to pull off). They were in a tight spot when the drummer they had lined up for their next gig at a battle of the bands bailed on them, so I stepped in. We had precisely one practice, and during that time we practiced the two songs we were playing twice. The next day was gig day. What did the other guys do with the rest of their time? Played table tennis. For half an hour. Did we win the battle of the bands? No. We got beaten by a 15 year old with a Mohawk doing a rap-metal song with his band. I would have taken a silver coin to the crotch over that any day.

So there you have it. In case you’ve skimmed through the whole thing and are wondering what the basic point of the article is, it’s this; keep your expectations low, make sure you practice a fair amount, but don’t take it too seriously. It may seem like obvious stuff, but trust me, there’s plenty of bands out there who just ignore all of this.

Next time, we take a look at one of the trickiest things in your band’s entire existence: the band name.

Ahh, the scary reasons we don’t fly alone.

Speaking from personal experience, and from talking to other guitarists, there are a few “phantoms of the opera” that keep us from getting on stage with a one-person show.

1. “I can’t sing!” (I was in this boat, and let me tell you, it’s a crowded one!)
2. “What would I play?”
3. “I need drums!”
4. “Who’s gonna play the rhythm guitar part while I shred?”
5. “I can’t sing!” (Seems like it always comes back to this)

Don’t let the ghosties scare you, foo’. Tell ‘em to step aside so you can plan your act, ’cause we’re gonna tackle the technical and artistic challenges with valor, brilliance, and a loud guitar. Well, at least you are – I’m feeling a little short of these qualities this Monday morning. Ha ha! Anyways, here’s a cool to look at performance styles of solo artists – see which one fits your style:

Three Levels Of Instrumentation

1. The Real Deal

This style uses one guitar to get all of the sound, and it’s strictly instrumental. It can be jazzy, with walking bass lines and chord melody solos, fingerstyle wizardry, tapping and thumping, or anything else you can imagine. Think Joe Pass, Andy McKee, etc. Often stunning in it’s virtuosity, it plays well in musician-friendly venues, talent shows, on the street, and, of course, youtube.

Paramore

2. The Super Duper Looper

This style uses technology to it’s advantage. Loop stations can be a soloist’s best friend, and guitar synthesizers add instrumentation previously only available to keyboard players. For those of you unfamiliar with these way cool gizmos, a loop station usually comes in a stomp box format. With the press of a button, it allows the guitarist to play a musical phrase, chord progression, etc, and then have that phrase played back while he or she then layers another phrase on top of that one. One of the simplest and best uses for it is to record a 12-bar blues progression, and then solo over the loop just recorded. Songs with two guitar parts can be played in this manner, and it allows for further creative options. There are some incredible uses for these units.

The guitar synthesizer consists of a specialized MIDI pickup installed on the guitar, and a unit that converts the MIDI information into any sound you want, much as a keyboard player changes sounds. I’ve used a loop station and a guitar synth together for great effect. I can put down bass and keyboard parts, loop them, and then play lead guitar over the song. Drums are even possible, but with the setup I was using (A Roland GR3), they proved difficult. Actually, I think it was my lack of beat, so I can’t blame it on the equipment.

This style plays well in the same venues as the previous style.

3. The Dave Matthews/Zack Wiesinger camp

This style is what most people think of when visualizing a solo guitar act. The image of a musician with an acoustic guitar and a story to tell through thoughtful lyrics is an icon in music – but only the tip of the iceberg for our purposes. If you’re into playing folk or pop music, this is a fantastic choice. All you need is an acoustic guitar and your voice. It’s portable, accepted, and a proven winner. Just ask Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, and the list goes on.

“But Josh!” you say. “Those guys have backing bands!” Yes, but their music stands on it’s own without them, too. They could play a set just fine all by themselves. To be fair, there’s better examples of pure one-person acts, but I choose these names as most people know them.

What if you’re like me, though? You want to play loud electric music, but you’re not sure how in a solo format? Imagine how my mind was blown when I saw a fellow named Zack Wiesinger open for Steve Vai a few years ago.

Let me pause to ask you a question: How would you open a show for Mr. Vai, the wizard of band playing and mega-shred everywhere? I would have never have even guessed at how effective Zack’s style was in presenting something refreshingly contrasting to Steve’s style. He came out with a wild haircut and a Fender Strat plugged straight in to a tube amp. No fancy effects rack for him! I don’t think he even used a pick. He played, he sang, and he had the whole crowd clapping along to keep the beat. He won us over with just a guitar, mic, and some great music.

The advantage of this format is: People really like to hear words to songs. Regardless of if you’re using an acoustic or electric, this style plays well in places the other two styles do, as well as opening up important new niches: Bars, clubs, and places where the focus might not be on how fancy a chord a fellow can invent appreciate this format.

A few special considerations here:

1. The two previous styles can certainly be blended in!
2. Since there’s no bass or drums, a big sound is desirable. I’ve had great success with using two guitar amps run in stereo from a rackmount effects processor. A ping-pong delay makes the rig sound much bigger, and fills up the stage nicely.
3. A large sound can often come from the chord voicings used. Dust off some of those 9ths and 11ths! Big chords fill up the stage. If you’re using power chords, try the three-fingered variation, where the root note is doubled. Fill up that sonic space – there’s no bass to step on with a mega-chord.

4. The Band in a Box

This is where I’ve ultimately settled – the band in the box! I record backing tracks in my home studio, put them on my iPhone, and get ready to rock. When I show up to the gig, I plug my phone into the PA system, and bingo, I’ve got my band all set to go. I first saw guys doing this on clinic tours at music stores. Gary Hoey and Michael Angelo Batio are two musicians I’ve seen using this format. They can shred, the song has distinct parts, and it sounds just like a band. One of the disadvantages of this style is that tracks can quickly sound cold and lifeless. I’m always aware of this when I’m dealing with the songs, and I find that the addition of vocals warms things up nicely. I also love introducing “the band” in my cheesy manner, and yell at “the band” if the tracks don’t cue up right away, etc.

Many musicians consider this style beneath them, and I did for the longest time. I finally got over my snobbery when I realized that a) all of the new creative options it opened up for me, b) most non-musicians don’t care, and c) I can finally sound loud and rock the house! This format is sure to ruffle the feathers of out of work drummers and bass players, but hopefully there’s always more screaming girls in the crowd than critical percussionists. It’s still a new format for me, but I’m excited with the possibilities, especially with the venues it opens up.

While all four styles can be instrumental, I can’t stress enough the fun that vocals add to a show. Not only do people connect with words and voices, but for me, the entertainment value of the show appreciates greatly with vocals added. More venues will be available to the singing guitarist, and bringing a flighty lead singer in to the picture isn’t needed. Woohooo! Next we’ll see how we can add this most valuable element to our act. Of course, it’s not necessary, but again, it’s fun, and that’s why we’re musicians, right?

Find out more in full article at this location!

Josh Urban is a solo guitarist and vocalist living near Washington, DC, USA. When he’s not attempting to blow up stages with his iPhone backing tracks and brightly colored guitars, he’s busy teaching guitar to over thirty students per week, adding zany videos to his youtube channel, or blogging about music. He just released his first “real” EP, Signalman, and is responsible for every single sound on it. Check out his website at www.joshurban.com, and say hello!

While the band stayed in Australia, Ultimate Guitar writer Joe Matera sat down with Biffy Clyro singer and guitarist Simon Neil to talk the new album, touring and music business. Read an exclusive excerpt below:

What have been some of the most important lessons you have learned from being in this business?

Image credit: news.bbc.co.uk

The one lesson we learned the most was to just believe in yourself. Just because someone thinks you’re crap doesn’t mean you are crap. And like wise, just because some one thinks you’re amazing doesn’t mean you’re amazing. It’s really about the belief in yourself.

We’ve always had a focus and a drive. We were lucky that we had a start where people didn’t like our band for years and we made small records on indie records. And if we didn’t have the belief in ourselves, we still wouldn’t be doing it. If we were doing this to make money or to meet tons of girls we would have given up after about a year. For us it’s really about the thrill of making music.

What have been some of the most memorable experiences in the band’s career thus far?

There have been quite a few. I guess on a basic level when we got to meet The Rolling Stones that was a real pinch yourself moment. And that was because they are a band that really shaped rock and roll from day one. I probably prefer The Beatles slightly more musically than The Stones, but they have done a lot. That was a moment we’ll never forget, and also having Josh Homme play guitar on the record. He is such an amazing songwriter and guitarist.

Read the rest of the interview on UG next week.

For part one of the series, go here.

Band 1

Image credit: Nirazilla on Flickr

The first band put together their own show and instead of teaming up with another band, they hired a small group of (very attractive) women dancers to perform on the stage as the opening act. It was announced (before and during) the show that these women and the band would be hanging out with the audience ‘after’ the show at a nearby hotel lobby. People enjoyed the show and the activities that followed later. The key piece of success for the band was that they heavily promoted the event as ‘special’ and promoted the dancers (including embedded dancer videos on the band’s and club’s website) in as many places as possible. They worked very hard to promote the uniqueness of this show and told people very clearly how ‘this show’ was better and more special than previous shows. It didn’t take long for the promotion to go viral in the area. The final result: The club was packed!

During the opening song and the band’s final song the dancers came out and danced on stage, then moved into the crowd for a while and danced there too. The dancers were smart when they had the idea to integrate their act with the bands act on and off stage. They made real connections with the crowd as they mingled with them at the show and also afterwards. Both the band and the dancers did something really good for themselves. Instead of just putting on a good show and making the audience have a good time, they put a strong desire in the minds of many people there to come see them again and again.

This band did similar shows with these (and other) dancers as well as comedians and other acts (both musical and non musical) to keep their shows different from each other so that people would not only get off their butts to come to see the band for the first time, but also for a second, third, fourth, fifth and more times.

Band 2

I recently saw a second band play in Chicago. Their show also had other ‘acts’ that were not bands, including a pair of very attractive fire eating women who the crowd went absolutely crazy for. The only problem was there were only about 100 people in the venue to see the show (the club can hold up to 1,300 people).

The band knew the audience would love the show, but they failed to promote it well and differently than how they promoted their past shows. So at the end of the night they had 100 people who might come back to see them again. Had they promoted the event as the first band did, they would have had several hundred people coming back to see them again.

Had the show been promoted and organized more similarly to the way the first band had done, they would have several hundred people coming back to see them again at their next shows which would then almost be a guaranteed success (at least on the local level)…

It’s very important that your shows are unique from each other and not necessarily unique from what other bands do. In addition, the most crucial lesson to be learned is all of your ‘promotion’ needs to highlight each of your shows as unique, different and special events. It’s not enough for your shows to actually be unique, you need to always communicate that uniqueness in all of your heavy promotion.

What about your band? Well, I’m not suggesting to simply copy what the other bands did above. I’m suggesting for you to think a lot about what your band can do to make your gigs more unique and special for your fans. So talk with your band mates and brainstorm new ideas that may work for you. To learn more ideas, you can download this free eBook about getting more people to come to your band’s future gigs.

Tom Hess is a professional musician, recording artist and mentors other musicians from around the world to expand or start a music career.

If your band plays 25 gigs this year, how many of your friends/fans will come to see more than 4 of these? A very small percentage. Why?

It’s (probably) not you, it’s them. Let’s find out why and what you can do about it.

When you ask your friends/fans to come to your next live show and see you play, what are you really asking them to do? Are you asking them to watch and listen to you perform your cool songs? No.

In reality, you are really asking people to travel all the way to some dirty club where they need to pay to get in the door. Then they will find themselves surrounded by intoxicated people who scream in one’s ears because the music is too loud to talk, pay for overpriced drinks (and bad food), stand (or sit if they can find a chair) through an opening band they likely have little or no interest in, then wait again an additional 15 minutes as the stage changes from one band to the next, then finally they get to stand through 90 minutes of your band’s cool songs in a room that is booming with muddy bass frequencies because the sound man does not know how to properly mix bands in a room that was never acoustically designed to have loud music played in. After the show is over they leave the club and drive home with their ears ringing and a headache.

So if that’s what you ask them to do the first time, they come out to see you play… What are you asking them to do the second time? … And the third time? The same thing of course.

Photo credit: zestrokes.tumblr.com

Compare that with going to see a movie. You go to the nearest theater, you buy a ticket, you ‘sit’ through 5 minutes of previews, then you watch the movie. Afterwards you are home in maybe 15 minutes.

Or compare going to see your band’s live show with staying at home and watching TV, listening to music, surfing the internet, or a long list of other pleasurable, easy and convenient things people can do.

The point is this: people have easier, and more convenient alternatives to have fun next weekend besides coming to see you (or any other band) play live.

As you can see, musicians fight an uphill battle to fill the venues we are performing at. We have a lot of work to do in order to get people off their butts to see your band’s next live show.

Your friends and fans really need to know if it’s going to be worth all the hassle described above before coming out again to see basically the same show a second, or third, or fourth time.

You first need to create a better and more unique experience for your fans from one show to the next. Some bands change the songs they play from show to show. Changing the set list does help a little bit, but you need to do more than that to really change what your fans will expect to experience.

Some bands try to be uniquely different from other bands. You don’t need to be different from other bands, you need to be a good band that puts on gigs which are often unique from each other! People need new reasons to come back to see you again and again. Download this free eBook about getting more people to come to your band’s future gigs.

Think about what your band can do to make your shows unique from each other. Then, once you have ideas in place that will make your next show more special for your audience, you need to clearly and strongly communicate this to people.

Read part two of “How To Get More People To Come To Your Live Shows” here tomorrow.

Tom Hess is a professional musician, recording artist and mentors other musicians from around the world to expand or start a music career.

Photo credit: AP Photo/Paul Vernon

Ultimate Guitar’s Joe Matera recently called Dean DeLeo to discuss the new release, and his thoughts on the music industry. Read a brief excerpt below, and check the full interview when it’s posted on UG next week.

Having now clocked up twenty years in the music business, what are some of the important lessons you’ve learned?

It is all about what comes with age. I like to think that not just another year passes but a little wisdom comes under your belt. I have become a little more aware of the business aspect of things because musically, it is really easy as it’s a great place to go dip your mind in and have a fun time doing.

But I am much more aware these days of where things are at for me on the business end of things. And that is fucking important. It is really important because I feel we’ve been fortunate that we have this ability to make records and have for twenty years.

So to me, the most important thing or lesson I’ve learned in this business is about being aware.