Dynamics in Performance

[40Hz]

It all comes down to whether the players are actually listening to themselves and each other - or - they’re just playing.

The former is the way the professionals play. The latter is the way of the amateurs.

Bottom line: How professional do you guys want to sound?

If they care, they’ll listen and work at it. If they don’t, then you can talk till you’re blue in the face and it won’t matter. Odds are they won't even understand there’s a problem.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

A band that can control its dynamics can control the world.

A band that can't control its dynamics is sonic wall paper.

A band that can't control its dynamics is boring. I check out the competition from time to time, and I'm always struck by how many have this monolithic sound. Like when "Rockin' In The Free World" has exactly the same sonic texture as "Roadhouse Blues." (To name a couple dad-band favorites.)

 

[rashrader]

Communication, my friend.... As much as we don’t want to, sometimes it is necessary to communicate musical needs and wants through words or body language. Set up a system of cues to use with one another, or have agreed upon phrases to direct the music.

Be a conductor. Band leader?

 

[micguy]

I've seen Buddy Guy a few times. He goes from an absolute roar to....where you can hear his guitar. Yes, his guitar - NOT his amp, not the PA - the actual sound coming acoustically off the strings on his solid bodied stratocaster with the volume on his guitar OFF, and that sound still comes across with real emotion behind the notes. A few hundred people in a bar, and they're captivated, to where they get quiet and LISTEN when he does as well. His band follows him VERY well. Experience that a few times, and you get the concept of dynamics.

If you want something to be LOUD, you have to provide something that's soft for the loud to have impact. If everything is loud, nothing is loud.

 

[two fingers]

Just writing about a problem I've experienced for years -- getting the band to embrace dynamics -- consciously. In jazz, we do improvise a lot, and sometimes, there is tension created through dynamics, although it's mostly carried by the soloist, I find -- not with a lot of support from the band. As a bass player, if follow the soloist in creating dynamics, that helps, but my influence is limited if the drummer isn't supporting the soloist in that creation of tension.

There have been a few instances where it's been achieved regularly, but as members change, I've found dynamics is an area that takes constant emphasis to remain part of the diet of the band.

Do you find this to be true in your experience? If so, how do you strengthen this area?

Simple two-step program.

1) Bring it up in conversation. "Guys, we need to break this thing down sometimes." Something simple like that.

2) Training wheels (aka hand signals). Come up with simple hand signals that get the band to break it down (get quiet), go to the head (usually somebody patting his/her head), go to the bridge, bring the volume back up, etc.

The biggest thing this does is get people to PAY ATYENTION. After a while the signals go away and you just follow each other.

 

[PauFerro]

Simple two-step program.

1) Bring it up in conversation. "Guys, we need to break this thing down sometimes." Something simple like that.

2) Training wheels (aka hand signals). Come up with simple hand signals that get the band to break it down (get quiet), go to the head (usually somebody patting his/her head), go to the bridge, bring the volume back up, etc.

The biggest thing this does is get people to PAY ATYENTION. After a while the signals go away and you just follow each other.

I have done that. They might do it in rehearsal, but they forget to do it on a regular basis. Same with transitions between songs. When I tried to get that happening in rehearsal, I gave some simple transitions, and they said "that's not how the song goes", which I thought was ridiculous, and missing the point. But that was another issue -- but I put it in the same ball park as conscious use of dynamics. Had one drummer tell me dynamics are "subconcious and spontaneous". Which meant what you get is what you get...

 

[cnltb]

Dynamics in Performance
Good ensembles have it.

 

[zontar]

This is something that drives me crazy when you have experienced & skilled musicians--well--experienced & skilled in all things except a key component of playing music.
I can easily forgive it in newer musicians & it is important to communicate that to them.

But I have tried that with more experienced musicians who simply ignore or disregard any request/advice/info/etc on dynamics--if they don't do that they explain why dynamics are not needed.
Drives me crazy.

 

[fdeck]

One thing I've found is that I can drive the dynamics in a band to some extent by making noticeable dynamic changes myself, and also with a bit of eye contact and body language. People do like to play loud. It's fun, and also, a lot of places are already too loud before the band even plays due to crowd noise. It's to the point where restaurants are too loud for live music.

One easy place to make a dynamic change is when a new soloist comes in. I often drop way back to give the soloist some space to define the arc of their solo.

 

[Kelloggsy]

Just writing about a problem I've experienced for years -- getting the band to embrace dynamics -- consciously. In jazz, we do improvise a lot, and sometimes, there is tension created through dynamics, although it's mostly carried by the soloist, I find -- not with a lot of support from the band. As a bass player, if follow the soloist in creating dynamics, that helps, but my influence is limited if the drummer isn't supporting the soloist in that creation of tension.

There have been a few instances where it's been achieved regularly, but as members change, I've found dynamics is an area that takes constant emphasis to remain part of the diet of the band.

Do you find this to be true in your experience? If so, how do you strengthen this area?

I agree completely. I would add to the dynamics to create tension, however not everybody in the group could "read" and/or LISTEN to music dynamics. Sometimes volume plays a huge part.

 

[Kelloggsy]

Had one drummer tell me dynamics are "subconcious and spontaneous". Which meant what you get is what you get...

That is just pure ignorance.

 

[sean_on_bass]

That is just pure ignorance.

In jazz music that can easily be true. Dynamic playing isn't necessarily planned and can be spontaneous to what musicians are doing around you in an improvised setting. Dynamics can also be completely planned out and deliberate as well. Just depends on how the group operates(ie, playing charted arrangements where dynamics are marked).

I believe Pau Ferro uses a sort of pickup band approach to his jazz gigs, so "what you get is what you get" is pretty accurate. I would probably reword that to "what you HIRE is what you get." If the group he puts together for a gig is not playing dynamically, he may need to retool the group with different people.

 

[sean_on_bass]

One thing I've found is that I can drive the dynamics in a band to some extent by making noticeable dynamic changes myself, and also with a bit of eye contact and body language. People do like to play loud. It's fun, and also, a lot of places are already too loud before the band even plays due to crowd noise. It's to the point where restaurants are too loud for live music.

One easy place to make a dynamic change is when a new soloist comes in. I often drop way back to give the soloist some space to define the arc of their solo.

Good advice. Be the change you want to see in the world. I was playing with some folks a couple days ago and they would vary what they do under my bass solo(dynamic playing). A couple times it was the "lets drop out completely and let the bass solo unaccompanied" thing. Even though that sometimes scares the hell out of me it was a great way to vary the performance and keep things spicy.

 

[fdeck]

Good advice. Be the change you want to see in the world. I was playing with some folks a couple days ago and they would vary what they do under my bass solo(dynamic playing). A couple times it was the "lets drop out completely and let the bass solo unaccompanied" thing. Even though that sometimes scares the hell out of me it was a great way to vary the performance and keep things spicy.

Look at it this way, if they all drop out, then you're not responsible for the changes. If the drummer drops out, then you're not responsible for the meter or tempo.

 

[Kelloggsy]

Look at it this way, if they all drop out, then you're not responsible for the changes. If the drummer drops out, then you're not responsible for the meter or tempo.

Now you’re giving me ideas of another way to name and shame!

 

[Groove Doctor]

If you ever get the chance to play with a good
dynamic drummer, this is the time to really become aware of all the skills you need to play dynamically

This. Gene Krupa is the king of dynamic drumming - his playing in Sing Sing Sing is a great example of how a drummer can lead the band.

conscious use of dynamics. Had one drummer tell me dynamics are "subconcious and spontaneous". Which meant what you get is what you get...

I rarely say this but.... Fire the drummer!!

Had a drummer like that who continually brought the band down to his level of incompetence. No amount of signals or instruction could get thru his stubborn attitude.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Appoint a Music Director to lead the band at each gig - cue players for solos, signal dynamics, etc. Sometimes the MD has to describe the mood of the song they want the others to replicate, spelling out deliberate dynamics.

I gave the following instruction for Georgia On My Mind when the band wasn’t gelling.
“Let’s play this like it’s 2am at a sleazy smoke-filled piano bar. Keep it quiet in the A Section, build it up in the B Section”.
This simple cue made it sound magical.

 

[PauFerro]

One thing I've found is that I can drive the dynamics in a band to some extent by making noticeable dynamic changes myself, and also with a bit of eye contact and body language. People do like to play loud. It's fun, and also, a lot of places are already too loud before the band even plays due to crowd noise. It's to the point where restaurants are too loud for live music.

One easy place to make a dynamic change is when a new soloist comes in. I often drop way back to give the soloist some space to define the arc of their solo.

I also use gestures. If the song allows it, I will put my index finger in front of my lips to cue the drummer to get quiet. Almost like shushing him.

I MUST do that, or he doesn't get it. The keyboard player started doing that last night at a gig as well. If the drummer knows to shush himself, then the whole dynamic thing happens fine.

I also agree that being quiet at the start of a new solo is critical. Also, being quiet when you go back into the head after the solos are done.

 

[sean_on_bass]

I also agree that being quiet at the start of a new solo is critical. Also, being quiet when you go back into the head after the solos are done.

Nice sometimes but not necessarily a rule. Sometimes things really beef up right when the solos kick in. Usually that would be the time i might be switching from 2 feel to 4, and the energy noticeably increases and propels the soloist. I think pulling back in alot of cases would be a mistake, but some situations do call for it.

 

[The Bass Clef]

Dynamics separate the men from the boys. Think of the song “Shout” without the “a little bit softer now... a little bit louder now” part. It makes the song. Or think how utterly un-souful a song like Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You” would be without the amazing display of dynamics - vocally, how it just builds more and more throughout the song... the soft guitar solo in the beginning vs. the heavy one in the middle... and how Bonzo and JPJ back everything up perfectly. I basically forced my band to learn that song a long time ago as a masterclass in dynamics. It frustrated the hell out of them, and it took a good 3 months to be able to really pull it off. But when they finally got it, they got it, and they realized why I pushed for it. Because the band was never the same after that. And we had pretty good dynamics before, but that song took it to a whle ‘nother level altogether. Imagine Zep without great dynamics... Stairway... Dazed and Confused... Babe I’m Gonna Leave You. They would all be lifeless without the dynamics. It really made those songs.

And Zep is just one rock band. Think of The Doors “Gloria”. Hendrix “Hey Joe”, etc, ect... On the other side of the spectrum, look at a punk band like NOFX and how they are able to pull off so many styles and still sound like a punk rock band? It wouldn’t be possible without great dynamics. If I see a live band that has little to no dynamics I’ll usually lose interest very quickly, even if I know the songs. On the other hand, if I see a band for the first time that has good dynamics, even if I’ve never heard their songs before, they will usually draw me right in, usually regardless of the genre, or even how great their other musicianship skills are. Yup, dynamics are probably the last thing most musicians master, and probably the most important skill of all IMO. It conveys all the emotion.