5 Things You Should Learn From Live Music
This was originally posted to the S&R blog.
So we all love music and we all want to improve as musicians. That’s probably why you are here. Music is the joyful experience we all love whether it’s blasting Spotify on the commute to work, shuffling your favorite Pandora station during a road trip to listening to the hottest new album at home or seeing your favorite band live. Music is everywhere, but today I want to talk about what we can learn by watching live music.
I was down in St. Augustine and stumbled into Trade Winds, a local watering hole known for great live music, and listened to the band playing that night, a country-southern rock-classic rock cover band by the name of Dewey Via Band. After I had left, fully satisfied with the entertainment, I began to think if I had learned anything from watching the band tonight. The more I thought about it, I realized I did learn quite a few things. So here are my top five things you can learn from watching live music.
HOW DOES THE BAND SOUND?
Starting out playing guitar, I was infatuated with the sound of my guitar. I wanted to add all sorts of effects and any crazy sound I could concoct. But the more I play live, the more I realize that not every sonic idea sounds good in a band setting. That crazy out of phase, multiple delays, the heavily distorted tone you used to create an amazing riff will sound great in a three-piece band but sound like much in a 10 piece band. You will be fighting other instruments to stand out in the sonic landscape. The key to achieving a pleasant band sound is to allow each instrument to have its own “space”.
When listening to live music, pay attention to the how the band sounds as a unit. Does the cymbals of the drums drown out the higher notes of the guitar? Does the bass and rhythm guitar fight for the lower end? Or can you hear each instrument flawlessly in their own sonic space? Bands will always sound better when each instrument has its own piece of the spectrum. Let’s look at the sonic ranges each instrument should fall under:
Low End: Bass Guitar, Kick Drum
Lower Mids: Floor Toms, Rhythm Guitar
Mids: Vocals, Rack Toms
Higher Mids: Lead Guitar, Splash Cymbals
High End: Most Cymbals, Hi-Hat
As you can see, most sounds are creating mid-range frequencies. It is critical that each instrument has its own sonic space. Be sure to spend some extra time dialing in each instrument before a gig, your sound will sound fuller and better, and your audience can appreciate every note of your solo when they can actually hear it popping out from the mix.
What Gear Do They Use?
Chances are if you liked the band, you liked the way they sounded. Look to see what gear they are using to achieve those sounds. I know many of you are probably reading this thinking: “it’s all in the hands of the player man!” and yes while I agree, much of the tone comes from the player instead of gear, but you won’t be achieving a slapback echo without a delay system nor will your over wound hot humbuckers running through a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier produce the same sound as single coil country Tele running through a Fender Twin Reverb. Your specific tone is certainly in your playing, but using the right gear is critical to helping you achieve certain tones.
Also, pay attention to what pedals they have engaged at certain points during songs. Say you love the creamy tone you are hearing during the solos – look and see what gear are they using to achieve that sound. It is also important to notice what pickup they use for each segment of the song. This way you aren’t fighting yourself on achieving a certain tone even after you buy the right gear.
How Do They Approach Each Song?
One of the great things I adore about cover bands is how differently they approach famous songs. Jimi Hendrix’s electric supercharged reinvention of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower and The Clash’s version of The Crickets’ I Fought the Law are the first two to come to mind, which are all great. But there is something about a song that is completely reinvented, look at Sturgill Simpson’s version of Nirvana’s In Bloom, it is the same song, but the two sound almost nothing alike.
This is what I call the approach of a song. Have a song you love but it doesn’t fit your band’s genre or it’s covered by essentially every other band? How about switching it up! Change the tempo, the key, heck even the melody to a point where all you have left is a brand new song with old lyrics. I was recently listening to a cover band play a reggae version of the Band’s hit The Weight. I have never heard the song played like this and it certainly gave a new freshness to the tune.
Another thing to pay attention to is how the structure of the song is played. Does the guitar player use chunky power chords, or does he utilize inverted triads? Pay attention to how each song is played especially when something perks up your ears and try to find inspiration in your own playing to spice up your songs.
What Energy Are They Bringing to the Show?
We have all seen the band who just stands on stage looking like robots or staring down at their feet. There is absolutely no energy coming off of the stage. These bands are hard to watch. Sure the guitar player can nail every note of an Al Di Meola song but without the passion and energy, the song will not stand out and the crowd will likely find themselves bored.
When attending a show, pay attention to how the band plays, is the show full of energy and make you want to jump around or is it lackluster? Bands that engage the crowd, pump out energy and create an enjoyable atmosphere will be the ones you remember.
A band who can play their instruments decently, stay in time, sync with one another, and brings a ton of energy will always sound better and be more enjoyable than virtuosos band lacking passion. Energy is the difference between a good band and a rememberable band.
What Level of Professionalism Are They Demonstrating?
How is the band interacting with the crowd? Are they ranting in between each song about next one’s history (it’s worse when it’s a cover song!) or stating their political beliefs? While there is a time and place for everything, but nothing kills the vibe of a concert more than bands who spend more time talking about the music (or any other topic) than actually playing the music.
Bands you will remember spend 99.9% of their time on stage playing music. They will act professional, occasionally give a little background and thank the crowd for coming out. They know they are there to provide entertainment. Entertainment is a business and you should treat yours the same way.
Every band should hold themselves to the highest level of professionalism. You go on stage with a product (your music) and are selling that music to your customers (fans or venue patrons). Now that doesn’t mean you can have a childish appearance (AC/DC) or mosh pit if that’s part of your product – you can- but get to the gig on time, don’t fight with the audience and certainly cause conflict with the venue. You want to be remembered as the band who played a great show, not the band who ranted on about why cellphones at shows should be banned and started a fist fight with the soundman for your solos not popping. You’re here to deliver a great show, and that’s business.
Next time you find yourself at a concert venue, pay attention to some of these items and implement what you like into your own music. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from watching other bands perform.
Where these tips helpful? Do you have any other tips? Leave a comment below!
Until next time, let the music play!
-S&R