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How Important is good frontman in a band?
- Thread starter MyTomomi
- Start date
We had a female singer in our band. The original singer (male, and a great guitarist) wanted to have someone who he could trade off with (and actually PLAY his guitar, rather than strumming along).
Our FIRST female singer had a decent voice, could nail the notes and knew the lyrics.
However, she COULDN'T engage the audience, would routinely miss cues (if she forgot a line and the band "waited" for her, she'd lose her spot and couldn't "get there from here"), and would blow off rehearsals without calling (even nights where I'd show up in her driveway to get her, she'd either not be there or come out to tell me she had something else going on; seriously NOT COOL). We knew something had to be done...
Not sure which guitarist found our second singer, but she was amazing! She came out to one of our gigs (at a club that KNEW us really well and loved our show to begin with), and as an "audition", came up at the guitarists' invitation to sing an old classic rock warhorse involving a girl named Sally and particularly fast Ford automobile (and an okay from soon to be old singer). After the first chorus, I looked over at the drummer and we both smiled- we KNEW she would be a "no problem" gal.
She replaced our previous singer at the following week's rehearsal- as an aside, since I'd been blown off so many times by the previous singer after going out of my way to pick her up for rehearsals, I just didn't bother to go pick her up that night, and she never called us again either!
New singer worked out for the better part of a year and we played a LOT of shows. After a time, she kinda of got full of herself, and one night at one of our bigger gigs, she had a guitarist "friend" of hers come up and play a duet with her (at the okay of our two guitarists). We knew the end was very near...
She's now humping the dream, fronting her own band. Both her and that guitarist are the only ones I've ever seen in promo shots... Everyone else is a hired gun.
Stuff happens...
Our FIRST female singer had a decent voice, could nail the notes and knew the lyrics.
However, she COULDN'T engage the audience, would routinely miss cues (if she forgot a line and the band "waited" for her, she'd lose her spot and couldn't "get there from here"), and would blow off rehearsals without calling (even nights where I'd show up in her driveway to get her, she'd either not be there or come out to tell me she had something else going on; seriously NOT COOL). We knew something had to be done...
Not sure which guitarist found our second singer, but she was amazing! She came out to one of our gigs (at a club that KNEW us really well and loved our show to begin with), and as an "audition", came up at the guitarists' invitation to sing an old classic rock warhorse involving a girl named Sally and particularly fast Ford automobile (and an okay from soon to be old singer). After the first chorus, I looked over at the drummer and we both smiled- we KNEW she would be a "no problem" gal.
She replaced our previous singer at the following week's rehearsal- as an aside, since I'd been blown off so many times by the previous singer after going out of my way to pick her up for rehearsals, I just didn't bother to go pick her up that night, and she never called us again either!
New singer worked out for the better part of a year and we played a LOT of shows. After a time, she kinda of got full of herself, and one night at one of our bigger gigs, she had a guitarist "friend" of hers come up and play a duet with her (at the okay of our two guitarists). We knew the end was very near...
She's now humping the dream, fronting her own band. Both her and that guitarist are the only ones I've ever seen in promo shots... Everyone else is a hired gun.
Stuff happens...
The OP stated that the video he posted is not his band. He just posted it for fun.
To the OP, I'm in a trio right now as well. Luckily, our singer is a damn good singer, and pretty good front man as well, but we split vocal duty a bit more than some bands, so I get stuck engaging the audience a bit here and there. It's intimidating at first, but when you get the hang of it, it's pretty fun actually.
We have a song where we basically play Battery from Metallica in a major key as a part to the song, so it's a good opportunity to ask if anyone likes Metallica and/or make fun of Metallica.
No need to explain the full story behind each song, but sometimes a quick backstory can't hurt.
More on point though, to answer your question, it's VERY EXTREMELY important to have a good front man. Even if you play well, without engaging an audience, there's a lack of connection in the room, and it's noticeable.
agreed. I thought the point of posting the video was to provide an example of your issues with your band......
I for one was confused until you posted the "disclaimer"
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Hello Everyone! I'm currently having a dilemma on my current trio band. I'm losing my interest already after our third gig. Our leader is just not a good frontman for the band. His voice is bland (below average) and his personality on stage is non existent. He prefers to dial his amp during break rather than talking to the crowd. He sometimes forget a line or two and a few chords on a song. He is a great guitarist though.
He and the drummer are good dudes and I really want to be in the band. The drummer and I already suggested to the leader that we need a vocalist but he insisted that he will improve soon enough. I don't have time with that though, I feel embarrassed everytime we are performing onstage.
How important is good frontman for you? Will you leave a band if you don't like his voice and onstage presence?
Don't worry, our vocalist is not that terrible.
(disclaimer: we are not the band in the video. I just post it for fun.)
I do have some experience with this and have seen an otherwise well-connecting band fall apart due to poor vocals. Particularly an issue if the vocalist won't set their ego aside and either sings songs within their range or let a new vocalist come in in.
By the way, I'm also a Tomomi fan and currently covering one of her songs in my band
A competent vocalist and front man/woman who keeps the audience engaged is THE most important element of any gigging bar band. Of course, everyone is important and it only takes one member of the band to completely fu#$ things up for the others.
- Oct 18, 2012
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Assuming the rest of the band is made up of decent musicians, in my opinion, a good front man is the most important element in a band. It is up to them to keep the attention of the audience. However, that doesn't mean that they have to jump around, scream, etc. They just have to keep the audience engaged. Eric Clapton does not jump around buts keeps everyone's attention.
A front man can make or break a band. Many people identify the band to the front man/woman. A great one, sometimes out weighs a talented voice.
Ian Paice is the only continuous member of Deep Purple since its inception. Is he their real front man?
Front man (front woman) is where everyone looks, and the lead vocal is what everyone hears. They might miss some of the other stuff, but they never miss those things.
Front person's efforts and skill set literally define the band.
Even beyond voice and stage energy, I expect my front person to be a band ambassador, rubbing elbows, meeting and greeting, promoting the band, making friends, and winning the hearts and minds. I want him or her to act like she's running for student body class president.
Right now I'm a little P.O.'d at my front girl for not liking and sharing our Facebook posts. It gives the appearance she has lost her enthusiasm for the band and doesn't give a damn, and it's poor PR.
Audiences gravitate toward people who reach out and interact. This may be even more important than raw talent.
Front person's efforts and skill set literally define the band.
Even beyond voice and stage energy, I expect my front person to be a band ambassador, rubbing elbows, meeting and greeting, promoting the band, making friends, and winning the hearts and minds. I want him or her to act like she's running for student body class president.
Right now I'm a little P.O.'d at my front girl for not liking and sharing our Facebook posts. It gives the appearance she has lost her enthusiasm for the band and doesn't give a damn, and it's poor PR.
Audiences gravitate toward people who reach out and interact. This may be even more important than raw talent.
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No. The front man/woman - DOES make or break the band. No instrumentalist wants to admit that - but it's true.
I think it's vital to have a strong front-man, moreso in a three piece band.
I mean, I know this is TalkBass, but what would Grand Funk Railroad be without the 'wild shirtless lyrics' of Mark Farner?
Although, a stiff front-man did work for Cream, so what do I know.
I mean, I know this is TalkBass, but what would Grand Funk Railroad be without the 'wild shirtless lyrics' of Mark Farner?
Although, a stiff front-man did work for Cream, so what do I know.
Are you interested in singing? Even if you don't consider yourself a singer, maybe you can start by finding just one song that's a good fit for you? Give the audience a little variety, your singer a break, and work on a useful skill.
Nothing to stop you taking on some of the frontman duties while he's twiddling knobs, either.
We're all learning; make the best of it you can.
Nothing to stop you taking on some of the frontman duties while he's twiddling knobs, either.
We're all learning; make the best of it you can.
Cream had a Guitar God. Maybe that gives you a little wiggle room with the front man.
