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What it takes to have a successful band...

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(@honeyboy)
Estimable Member
Joined: 12 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

OK I'm not talking about making a living as a musician (teaching, selling records, etc.)... just the band part.

Let's discuss questions like...

What type of music should you play?

How many pieces and what instrumentation does it take?

How good do you have to be at your instrument?

How important is knowing how to arrange and play with the rest of the band (ensemble playing)?

What do you need to know about business related stuff like marketing and advertising and working with clubs and agents?

Let's help each other succeed...

Rick Honeyboy Hart

"It's about tone, taste, and technique... in that order."

http://www.bluesguitarinsider.com
http://www.rickhoneyboyhart.com


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

Leaving out the making a living part makes it easy.

Type of music: whatever you want to play

How many pieces: anywhere from two to fifteen or so, depending on the music you want to play

How good you have to be: about as good as your fellow members. Plenty of bands start as friends learning together and having fun.

How important is knowing arranging/playing along: about as important as the band makes it - anywhere from not important at all to a Billy Strayhorn level.

What you need to know about business related stuff: nothing, because we left out the making a living part.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@imalone)
Reputable Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 267
 

What you need to know about business related stuff: nothing, because we left out the making a living part.

I suppose if you don't want to make money, but do want to play to people then promotion and dealing with venues might still need some work. Unless you take it to extremes and pay people to watch you :)


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

play what you want with who you want, as well as you can.
as for the business aspect, don't let anyone else control your money, and you haven't been paid until there's cash in your pocket. musicians being ripped off is as old as music. booking agents can make your life easier if you need to gig a lot. not agents, booking agents.


   
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(@moonrider)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1305
 

I ran across an article that's very germane to this discussion:

Stolen from the Fair Trade Music Newletter: http://www.fairtrademusicpdx.org/

Four Things Every Musician's Gotta Know
Regardless of the type of music they perform and where they perform it, If every musician was aware of these four simple truths, every one of them would be a lot better off.

#1: Hobby vs. Service
Hobby: Noncommercial. Start and stop whenever you want. You don't have to work continuously to hone it, spend time and money advertising it, or carry equipment.

However, when the time, place, duration, and high quality are all specified, that's not a hobby any more-- It's a service, especially in a business BASED on (making money from) that service.

#2: Saying No to lousy gigs
Try it, it's incredible: liberating, empowering, valuable... underrated.

Did you "lose" a mediocre gig just 'cause you asked for what you're worth? WIN! Use the time you save in making more great music, busking, recording, making a video, or performing at a celebratory "we said no" house concert.

#3: No band is an island.
We're all in the same market, and it's not that big. When bands devalue themselves by performing for low, zero, or negative compensation, they drag everyone else down with them, consciously or otherwise. Just ask someone who was playing in clubs in the early 80's what they were making, then look up "pay to play."

#4: Exposure kills.
It's no coincidence that the ubiquitous term 'Exposure' refers to what kills you in bad weather - it's generally used to get artists to work for low or no compensation in exchange for an unspecified amount of an intangible commodity of dubious value.

This term is so widely abused that booking agents will freely tout their venue's excellent exposure opportunity, yet tell you there's no built-in draw. They don't even realize the contradiction: they're trying to say you'll win new fans, but only among people you manage to bring!

Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.

Moondawgs on Reverbnation


   
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(@honeyboy)
Estimable Member
Joined: 12 years ago
Posts: 70
Topic starter  

Moonrider that is an excellent post. Even though I've been playing in bands for over 40 years, you still taught me a few things there. Thanks! :D

Rick Honeyboy Hart

"It's about tone, taste, and technique... in that order."

http://www.bluesguitarinsider.com
http://www.rickhoneyboyhart.com


   
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