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What Makes a Band a Band?
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
I think when you play together and you create the magic you are looking for. You know when it is right and you feed off each other to appoint that no matter what changes happen on the flying you can transition into them because you are all in the same zone.
To me that is when it is a band. Before that it is a bunch of like minded people working to get to the magic.RTS
To me that is when it is a band. Before that it is a bunch of like minded people working to get to the magic.RTS
Been there done that. That can make you not "feel it" that's for sure. Allot of a Band is the players and their experience and personalities.
IMO it all boils down to what your goals are. A successful band is any group of musicians setting and achieving their goals. If you don't have goals, or you do but aren't achieving them, you're either just jamming or are simply unsuccessful.
Catching the "magic" or "feeling it" or whatever you want to call it, while helpful and certainly enjoyable, IMO isn't required to be a successful band. If that's your goal, and your definition of "band," that you are a "true band" once you "catch the magic," then that's what YOU need for YOU to feel successful. I feel successful when the audience is into the music and "feeling it," and sometimes that happens even when I'm not.
Catching the "magic" or "feeling it" or whatever you want to call it, while helpful and certainly enjoyable, IMO isn't required to be a successful band. If that's your goal, and your definition of "band," that you are a "true band" once you "catch the magic," then that's what YOU need for YOU to feel successful. I feel successful when the audience is into the music and "feeling it," and sometimes that happens even when I'm not.
I'm sure this had a lot to do with it but 1 person in the crowd vs 10,000 person crowd, you still have to give a good show!
IME, all of the bands I've see that have reached the "traditional" level of success certainly have the magic. Regardless if they're playing covers or originals, rock or country, there's something that sets them apart on stage from the average weekend warrior band. It comes through in their playing, their stage presence, and even the quality of the FOH sound. It's that factor that separates the pros from the hobbyists.
There are exceptions, of couse.
It's not just the unprofessionals. I've seen lots of "bands" comprising excellent musicians, either out of the union hall or just guys that know each other, who make acceptable music for corporates and stuff, but clearly don't play together much. In a band, the members play off each other. I listen to the drummer (and vice versa) and pick up little rhythms that add something to the song. I do the same with the lead guitarist. With time, styles seem to merge and the band has its own sound.
These combos can have great musicians in them, but they don't know where the others are headed musically, so there's a disconnect. I don't think the audience picks up on it at all. They're usually semi- to fully-toasted, and are more into the dancing and party atmosphere.
I think all members have to feel like your in a band. It helps when the band has a following.
I live in a town of about 35,000. Last week on 2 occasions I was at our Walmart and was recognized twice.
Once it was a couple that said " hey your the bass player for the ABC band" I said yes and they talked about who they knew in the band and I saw them at the next show.
The same thing happened when I was at the check out with some older Guy that worked at Walmart.
Granted the band has been together for over 6 years now, it still made me feel good, I'm in a band and we're recognized as a band.
Blue
I live in a town of about 35,000. Last week on 2 occasions I was at our Walmart and was recognized twice.
Once it was a couple that said " hey your the bass player for the ABC band" I said yes and they talked about who they knew in the band and I saw them at the next show.
The same thing happened when I was at the check out with some older Guy that worked at Walmart.
Granted the band has been together for over 6 years now, it still made me feel good, I'm in a band and we're recognized as a band.
Blue
I guess for me, the best way to explain it is;
I have seen 4 guys on stage playing music together and that's where it ended. At a basic level I guess they would still be defined as a band.
But then theres the 4 guys up on stage and it not just music thats coming across, you see that they a seem to know each other, there's a show, they're having fun with each other. You can even see it when their on break.
Put it this way when I see what a call a "band" theres always a little magic going on.
blue
A band is a collective musical identity driven by at least two people and their creative wills. It doesn't have to be good, or even coherent, but it does have to combine multiple sets of musical ideas. A single performer may have a 'backing' band, which I view as a different thing than a group that crafts music collectively, especially if a lead performer has unilateral control over what gets played.
Chris,
I think I see what your getting at, however my concern as the op was not so much what makes a successful band but simply what makes a band a band and thats hard to define.
For me feeling that "magic" is one of the things that makes me feel "this is a band" they don't even have to be sucessful.
Have you ever been to a local bar and seen 4 guys up there, with no movement or interaction, banter or dialogue, no fun, nothing happening on stage other then their playing songs and the audience was getting into it?
I can't say I have.
blue
