Band etiquette During rehearsal/ Gigs

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I was wandering if anybody that's in a band has the same problem as me.
First off I am in a great cover band consisting of seven members. 3 singers and 4 musicians. The problem is with the singers talking during the musicians solos. I have mentioned how I sometimes get distracted when they talk during my solos, and it has gotten to the point where it effects my creative juices. I also record our practices because I like to make CD's for friends and family and sometimes get demo quality recordings But have to scrap a lot of them or spend unnecessary time editing them when possible.
I Also own most of the equipment including the Microphones and cords
So you know who has to stay after our gigs and breakdown while they walk off stage and go home.
I have told them a few months ago to buy there own Mics and cords because I think that they should spit and step on there own equipment. It's like me being a Sax player and not owning a sax. You talk about Diva's.
I was just wandering if Anybody out there has similar problems.

[tbone]

Man, put your foot down! Next rehearsal tell them that they have to get their own mics or they'll have to sing really loud as they won't have a mic to sing into. If they talk over your solos then play over their choruses. See how they react to this and firmly address your complaint. Tell them how unprofessional it looks!

[gary]

3 singers and 4 musicians.
LOL. EXACTLY!!

And I agree with tbone's advice. Play hard ball. :violent1:

A band I was in just broke up; a band with a lot of potential that was never realized mainly because of the clue-less, disfunctional and unfocused meanderings, musical and otherwise, of the two singers.

One singer out of the blue decided to take over running the rehearsals, mainly because she was impatient with the "time we always waste" in rehearsals -which usually meant going over songs again and again because the *+'# singers couldn't sing it the same way twice if their lives depended upon it. Thing is, she was so inept at organizing that she didn't know how inept she was.

The other singer was pure prima donna (or what ever a guy is), convinced that the main reason we ever had an audience was to hear him sing; wouldn't even do proper back up singing for the other singer when she had the lead on a song.

Anyway, "singers" and "musicians" . When it works right, it can be wonderful, but boy when it doesn't.... :banghead:

[jaankaden]

there has got to be mutual respect for one another among lembers of a band. what tbone suggested is a great idea. you have got to put your foot down. it's bad enough that they're using your equipment instead of their own, but they can't even thank you for it by shutting up during your solos.

seriously, just play hard ball with them like gary suggested. if they threaten to break up or do actually leave, then it wasn't worth it in the first place. i know how wasteful it seems to have a great band break up or a really solid musician/vocalist leave over such issues, but if you're gonna have to suffer just to keep things going, then there really is no point.

[Brendan Muse]

Simple solution: Don't bring your singing mikes to the next rehearsal, or any rehearsals thereafter. Of course, you should bring any sax mikes you need, but that's a given.

[jaankaden]

or you could always just do away with all the mics. the beauty of the sax is that it can be played without a mic if you have a big enough sound. if you do, just go to rehearsals without any mics and say "i've decided to go totally acoustic." maybe rub it in a little, saying this with pseudo-enthusiasm, "hey brutha, i'm just keepin' it real."

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I'm going to have a talk with the Singers next practice and tell them that they have two weeks to get their own Mics and Cords and if they want more reverb or treble to come and adjust it them self lol. I am also going to point out how rude they are. And if it doesn't stop im going to start doing scales during their favorite ballads. I knew what i had to do I just needed to hear it from someone else. If you want to hear us go to my web site www.zamoreband.net and let me know what you think. It's funk type 80's dance music. Thanks again for the nudge,SanDiegoSaxMan :twisted:

[Frank D]

I'd think twice about encouraging the vocalists to mess with the board, next thing you know they'll be having "balance wars" turning themselves up all the time.

Not to hijack the thread, but I listened to the recordings on your website. How did you get that nice "open" sound? Just a few words about what kind of setup you used, what kind of room, etc.

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

Thanks Frank. I just use Sennheiser e835 Mics, a Behringer PMX2000 Power Amp, running to my Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card, which I use creative software to record with, I have 2 Peavey PR 15's Speakers on top of 2 Community CSX-57's, The keys and bass run through the board too (Only at Practice) . I recorded at my house with no special Acoustic walls or anything. the house is carpeted and the couch is in there so maybe that helps.
Then for FX I like using Magix Audio Studio 7 and use the Stereo enhancer and EQ. It Aint the greatest but it's easy and I like the sound. I hope you Downloaded the MP3's, the streams are terrible Quality.

[Vortex]

I gotta agree with everything that's been said, especially tbone.

Don't give the singers the board, very bad idea. Instead, put a limiter in with their effects unit so that they can't possibly sing louder than a certain volume, and if they try to it'll sound like s#!^. That'll teach them real quick. Play around with it until they're sufficiently suppressed. And don't worry, they're singers, the don't know what all those things with knobs and buttons and lights do anyway.

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I dont have any problems with the singers and my board thank God. I said something in my previous post which frank gave me a heads up on.

[SanDiegoSaxMan]

I thought I would add something to my post above. The Drummer is using an Electronic Drum set. So we can control his volume He He :lol: It's great for our Prince type music or for what ever sound that he desires for the song that he plays. Just takes One plug into the Amp and that's it. no more pounding head aches.

[sopsax]

Best advice I ever got about what to do during solos: When a player or singer is soloing, everybody else on the bandstand should watch them. When the solo spot passes to a new player, everybody should focus attention on THEM. When you take a solo, everybody should look at YOU.

Why this is a good thing:
* Focuses players' attention, looks more professional than if everybody on the stand is gazing off into space or at their feet, playing with eyes closed, mugging the audience, etc.
* Focuses audience's attention on the soloist, and enhances audience involvement with the ensemble.
* Improves soloist's ability to cue and signal the band -- good for ensemble cohesiveness.
* Shows respect for each member of the ensemble when it's their turn in the spotlight. Reduces players' insecurity, jealousy, fighting onstage.

If you haven't done this before it may seem arbitrary, but I'm tellin' ya it works like magic, whether you're playing at a club, party, or concert stage. It's a step upward in professionalism that rewards everybody -- bandleader, sidemen, audience.

[cutlip]

excellent peice of wizdom, sop sax. i too often realize i am standing there with my eyes shut. (but when were playin a ballad that seems right to me)

hey i used live in portland bout a two years ago. were you in any bands i might have seen?

(and did you ever check out "triclops?")
j

[sopsax]

i too often realize i am standing there with my eyes shut. (but when were playin a ballad that seems right to me)

cutlip: Me too. If you're the lead player or soloist, that's fine. Everybody else on the bandstand should keep their peepers glued on YOU.

hey i used live in portland bout a two years ago. were you in any bands i might have seen?

I've sat in with Doug Haning, Sinners Club, and Klezmocracy. And I lead a 9-piece horn band called Lung Tung.

[john]

Gary,
I joined this late but for male "prima donna" I like "primo bozo." OK it's not good Italian but it gets the message through.

john