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Young Musicians in Need Of Tips!

#21
I have a completely different opinion than pretty much everyone else in this thread:

1) Don't be a musician when you're with the band. You can be a musician on your own time. Be a good bandmate, have fun, and hang loose, make friends, flirt with chicks, be a clown, and don't take yourselves too seriously.

2) Jam with your friends, don't jam with douchebags.

3) Take gigs that sound fun, don't do stuff just because you're supposed to.

4) For that matter, you don't have to play anything or with anyone you don't want to. Just realize that other people might not like what you want to play, so don't be all pissy if you play some awesome Jaco solo and all you get back are yawns and blank stares.

5) Finally, don't look for advice too much, because most people that will answer you don't really know jack $#&%. Learn by doing things, or not doing things, or watching other people do things (few things in life are as rewarding as watching someone else *$^% up doing something that you were on the fence about).

Hope that helps, but it probably won't :)

Good luck!
 
#22
Lots of great advice so far, for sure! Buddy, sounds like you've got a good start going!

Here's another small one that a lot of young musicians (and older ones for that matter) often overlook, but can make a huge difference:

A metronome.

Both individually and as a group, a well-developed sense of time is KEY. It doesn't even really matter WHAT you practice, just do it with a metronome on. Even the most expensive metronome is largely outweighed by the benefits it'll give you in the long run. You don't need to spend a lot though, I've got one on my phone that was $1.99, have it with me everywhere I go. :)

EDIT: Ground, I'll respectfully disagree with the first part of #5 on your list. :) Granted, there ARE idiots out there, but most people that will answer WILL have good advice if they've had any experience being a musician. My favorite piece of advice ever, that I learned from a wise old soundguy: mic a cab AND use a DI if you can... that way if one fails you still have the other to fall back on. I wouldn't have learned that if I hadn't asked him for advice. ;) Learning by doing is definitely important, but you can always learn from someone else to, even if it's from their mistakes.

5sg.
 
#23
Record your rehearsals and listen to them as a group.

When you're listening, just worry about YOUR part and how you can improve it.

Pay special attention to what you did well, so that you know that it works. Then build on that.

Don't try to tell another band member what he should be playing. Each band member is responsible for critiquing and improving his own playing.
 
#25
Ground Pounder said:
I have a completely different opinion than pretty much everyone else in this thread:

1) Don't be a musician when you're with the band. You can be a musician on your own time. Be a good bandmate, have fun, and hang loose, make friends, flirt with chicks, be a clown, and don't take yourselves too seriously.

2) Jam with your friends, don't jam with douchebags.

3) Take gigs that sound fun, don't do stuff just because you're supposed to.

4) For that matter, you don't have to play anything or with anyone you don't want to. Just realize that other people might not like what you want to play, so don't be all pissy if you play some awesome Jaco solo and all you get back are yawns and blank stares.

5) Finally, don't look for advice too much, because most people that will answer you don't really know jack $#&%. Learn by doing things, or not doing things, or watching other people do things (few things in life are as rewarding as watching someone else *$^% up doing something that you were on the fence about).

Hope that helps, but it probably won't :)

Good luck!
Click to expand...

+1! :D
 
#26
Wow!

First of THANK YOU for coming here and asking for help. That shows a certain amount of maturity and desire to do great things. I like it. I'll try to keep this short and sweet but I tend to rant from time to time so be forewarned.

1) LISTEN: Music is an art based on sound. Guitarist and drummers have a hard time with this one, and often are playing for themselves rather than for the song. A good musician will always play what is right for the SONG, not for their ego. If its a slow song you dont need double bass runs and 6 string sweeps. However in a hard rockin' tune go for it and have fun. Listen to what the other members of the band are doing and play the song first and foremost and your ego's will be boosted by the good BAND that you have become, not for the best singer, or guitarist, etc...

2) PRACTICE vs. REHEARSAL: Practice is what you do at home. This is the time you spend learning how to play a song correctly, learn your music theory, and try to improve as a musician by stretching out of your comfort zone. Rehearsal is when you try to put it all together as a band. This means show up prepared and ready. Band practice is not the time to finally learn the part you were supposed to have learned last week.

3) TOO LOUD?: This is another biggy. Guitarists like it loud. The thing is you only need to be loud enough to be heard when playing with an acoustic drummer. Everything should be about the same level with the vocals sitting above slightly. The other thing is the dynamics of volume. You need to be able to have enough control to go from really really quiet to rockin loud, but unfortunately most players only have one volume.

4) TIMING: We all hate them but use a metrenome whenever you can to get your timing to lock nicely. Then after your comfortable with one BPM, change it to something else. This is a tough one for drummers and you more than likely get the "I just go by feel" statement. It doesn't fly. A drummer that can't keep time is pretty much useless.

5) DISASTER PREPAIREDNESS: Have an emergency bag loaded with extra strings, picks, straps, cables, batteries, distortion pedals, band-aids (Ha!), aspirin, a rag, duct tape, a tools, extension cords, powerstrips, etc... You never know when the poop will hit the fan, but it will, and if you have one of these kits you may save the show for you or another band your playing with. (Also bring at least a clean shirt you can change into for after the show)

6) MONEY: Keep an eye on your money and get everything in writing, including interband dealings. If you don't take care of your money somebody else will and not in a way that you would like. It's the music business, BUSINESS. Keep that in mind.

7) GIGS: No body will hand you a show or drop 10,000 screaming fans in your lap. It's up to you and your bandmates to be successful. Go pound the pavement and do the meet and greets, pass out flyers and mailing lists, etc...

Finally have fun and enjoy it!


:hyper:
 
#27
Couple things:
1st, Sports are cool..don't care what none of these dudes tell you.

2nd, make sure the band has a 'clear leader'. The one who does most of the scheduling, getting gigs, keeping gigs, etc. If there is none, it usually ends like, "oh, he'll do it..he'll get back to you.." and your sitting at home on Fri/Sat night

3rdly, what was said before...make sure it's QUALITY PRACTICE...not jammin'. I love jammin' but it's not practice..have a certain objective for each practice. You can even break it up into minutes (1st 30 min maybe open jam. 2nd 30 min, song 1 or bridge or break down, etc)

Lastly, be entertaining when you perform...yes, you are their to play music, but your also their to entertain. Whatever that means to you and your music.


Extra Credit: Don't be afraid to write originals. Most people have a rough time because in their mind it doesn't sound like __________. (fill in the blank) If anyone you looked up to didn't put anything out that sounded like them there would be no originals..ever.
 
#28
My only advice is, stick with it, no matter what.

You're still really young (actually I was 13/14 when I started in my first band). You're probably going to form many many projects/bands/ensembles in your lifetime.

I eventually got replaced in my first band because I sucked, and I gave up bass for 6 years after that. I lived 6 years of my life without ever thinking about picking up bass again.
Then in college, I met a drummer who encouraged me to pick up bass and jam. Now I'm 28 and I've been playing every day for the past 8 years straight. Many bands, many friends made. Learning a TON along the way. Things will get harder, but push through. Play with as many different people as you can, and always have bass on the brain. Who knows, you could be the next Victor Wooten or Jaco Pastorious...:bassist:
 
#31
Joronamo said:
Whats wrong with playing old classics? At least their not playing fall out boy or something.
Click to expand...

I think it's a good idea for a young band to have some contemporary material in their set, but still -- us geezers often underestimate how much interest teenagers take in older music.

I remember seeing a college student show up for class in a Zeppelin t-shirt, and I stupidly asked, "Wow, are people still listening to Zeppelin?" He gave me the look my question deserved.

Just today, my seventh-grade son told me that "Rock Lobster" came on the radio on their school bus and a crowd of kids all started singing along to it. So there.
 
#32
omnimutant said:
3. Getting gig's depends entirely on your local scene. For example, in Phoenix where I live, it's almost impossible to find all ages shows, and most of the Local Music consists of a rather large bar crowd. Most the bars around here you can just call up and ask, and will provide you booking info. Out here, it's usually 3 - 5 bands a night on weekends, doing about 30 minutes of material each and the Headliner Plays a little longer. It's really laid back out here and unless a promoter has specifically set up a show with an out of town band, chances are your not getting paid or getting free beer and maybe a couple of bucks on a good night. But every city is different.
Click to expand...

Seriously? You're saying the PHX scene is essentially about playing for free?
 
#35
Crazyeelboy said:
8) Wear good hearing protection now. This is as important as wearing a helmet in football. Really. You WILL damage your hearing if you don't wear protection. Tell that to your parents today and go to a hearing aid place to get some made. You need protection before you need a new bass, amp, strap, effect or anything else.
Click to expand...

This this this thisthisthsihstsishnsihfijfahf

Ear plugs aren't "cool" but neither is being mostly deaf by the age of 30.
 
#37
From my perspective, young musicians can most benefit from one tip... find ways to complement each other and serve the song.

Some examples.... Acoustic guitar players and keyboards should lay off the bass notes when they have a bass player. Each musician should strive for an economy of notes, using less busy guitar licks and bass grooves to get breathing room for other instrumentalists. Keyboards can avoid muddying up the mid-guitar frequencies by playing the upper range of the keyboard. Carefully choose what songs are keyboard driven vs. guitar-driven, and have instruments back off when they aren't featured. Don't play solos or aggressive guitar licks over the vocalists or other instrumentalists, and encourage your guitarist to play the feature licks during those lulls during the lyrics and reserve solos for instrumental sections. Add interest to the songs by starting with simpler licks and lower volume, and progressively building the song with more volume, instruments and complexity. Use volume transitions effectively. Keep in mind that solos have much more impact when it's featured at the right point in the song structure. Endless guitar solos through an entire song just don't work. Generally, I'm much more inclined to listen to a band of young average-talent musicians that play well together than an group (i.e., not a band) of hot-shot musicians whose top priority is to constantly showcase their own personal talent.

I think if you listen critically for the above, you'll find these concepts prevalent in most of todays classic songs. Actively seeking musicianship through these best practices will make a HUGE difference in making a young band stand out from the rest... I think more so than talent.
 
#38
Besides all the musical practice and performance tips already mentioned, I recommend doing your research and checking out all the other local bands in your area. You can learn quite a bit by watching and listening to other more established bands. Learn what works and what doesn't and apply to your group. As others mentioned .....don't badmouth anyone even if some of those bands suck in your opinion. Network and introduce yourself to other bands. Let them know you came to check out their show and your also in a band. Help create a healthy local music scene. Some of those other band members will return the favor sometime and start attending your future shows. This is real important especially if you want to play originals because most of the audience for original music will be other musicians from similar bands.
 

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