Keep it simple. A straightforward catchy melody will compliment the lyric and help you produce a listenable song. There will be plenty of opportunity to flesh things out later, once you have established a 'base camp' for your set. Many artists have stayed simple to good effect or enhanced their output with acoustic style treats.
Avoid grandstanding. Long guitar and drum solos belong in the seventies and are best left there. They will put off many more people than they attract. Doesn't mean you can't throw something spontaneously into a set at some point, just don't make it part of your identity.
Diversify what you listen to. When something catches your attention think 'how do they do that?' or 'what could I or we do with that?' Use this to stimulate and extend your basic abilities. This applies to the vocal just as much as instrumental skills. Maybe more so. No voice, no band, or at least no future.
For the vocal, avoid trying too hard. Particularly avoid oversinging. There is no pleasure in listening to someone trying to belt things out beyond their capabilities and going out of control or flat. Keep at a level where you can sustain subtlety. If what you do is good enough a good sound engineer or producer can help you make the most of it and achieve balance with the band. Too much inappropriate effort will also ruin your voice. If looked after then time and experience will enable you to give more.
Sunday 26 August 2012
Saturday 25 August 2012
Do it for real.
The X Factor season has come around again, a year's full cycle with the early stage engagement which started the train of thought which led to this blog. Once again we have experienced a sense of it giving people an opportunity, but cannot get away from the fact that it also exploits those with no talent or discernment for a cheap laugh. Plus of course the knowledge that those who do get through will be pushed through ill fitting gaps to conform or not to what the programme wants.
If you have, or believe you have, the talent to be a successful recording artist then develop the skills you need or find the right people to work with to achieve the specifics you need. Identify your strengths and possible weaknesses then work out an appropriate course of action.
If you want to go it alone then learn the instrumental skills you need to accompany the songs you write. This doesn't mean you need to be a virtuoso. A simple, spare guitar melody is often better than something more intricate. None much sparer than this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4v8VJ0LRgA
If you have performance skills which can compliment your vocal skills then very likely you will be better off finding people to help produce the melodies to your lyrics and leave you free to act out the songs on stage. It doesn't always work this way. Some vocalists can only confidently front a band with a comfort blanket of a guitar for a whole set.
You may find yourself sharing the whole song writing process to mutual benefit if you find the right collaborators.
Record as much as you can as you go, so that you can subject yourself or selves to a rigorous process of self assessment. When you have 15 or 20 minutes worth of material that you can perform to your satisfaction you should feel confident to perform in public. You might even do a couple of songs before this at an open mic night. this depends on the opportunities your local scene offers.
The option to record videos, even on decent quality phones, gives current new artists the scope to build an audience before they even perform, taking advantage of social networks.
Always feel open to ask the opinions and advice of those you trust to respond fairly and honestly. Make your own decisions still, but you will find comfort and confidence even when disagreeing with those prepared to give the benefit of their time and experience.
Be real.
If this doesn't work you can always try the reality route later.
If you have, or believe you have, the talent to be a successful recording artist then develop the skills you need or find the right people to work with to achieve the specifics you need. Identify your strengths and possible weaknesses then work out an appropriate course of action.
If you want to go it alone then learn the instrumental skills you need to accompany the songs you write. This doesn't mean you need to be a virtuoso. A simple, spare guitar melody is often better than something more intricate. None much sparer than this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4v8VJ0LRgA
If you have performance skills which can compliment your vocal skills then very likely you will be better off finding people to help produce the melodies to your lyrics and leave you free to act out the songs on stage. It doesn't always work this way. Some vocalists can only confidently front a band with a comfort blanket of a guitar for a whole set.
You may find yourself sharing the whole song writing process to mutual benefit if you find the right collaborators.
Record as much as you can as you go, so that you can subject yourself or selves to a rigorous process of self assessment. When you have 15 or 20 minutes worth of material that you can perform to your satisfaction you should feel confident to perform in public. You might even do a couple of songs before this at an open mic night. this depends on the opportunities your local scene offers.
The option to record videos, even on decent quality phones, gives current new artists the scope to build an audience before they even perform, taking advantage of social networks.
Always feel open to ask the opinions and advice of those you trust to respond fairly and honestly. Make your own decisions still, but you will find comfort and confidence even when disagreeing with those prepared to give the benefit of their time and experience.
Be real.
If this doesn't work you can always try the reality route later.
Saturday 11 August 2012
What Goes Around
Some years ago I was taken to a gig in Leicester by an enthusiastic mentor wanting me to see his young band. In truth they weren't that special, but they were put in the shade before they even came on by a spine tingling performance by the previous band.
I got to see the usurpers many times over the next few months as first the drummer and then the bass were replaced by friends and they became the most talked about band on the local scene.
The bass was a former rockabilly double bass player who had made it his business to play bass really well when he converted. Drummer was a drum technician who could mimic others' styles at will as well as having a terrific voice of his own. Together they created a set of catchy, sub jazzy rhythms which were punctuated by a sparing, exquisitely timed guitar and the whole rounded off by an eminently marketable cool and occasionally soaring female vocal.
They could and should have become household names, but bad faith got in the way.
They engaged a session musician with his own studio as manager, an arrangement which included a fee if he got them signed. This created a conflict of interest which led to him turning down the deal which someone else had already set up. His method of attempting to get a deal involved passing demo's which he recorded to his producer mates.
These weren't really demo's. Too much production; no scope for development. Who was being showcased here?
A few months later some of the catchy bass lines were turning up on other people's tracks and he went back to try to resurrect the deal he'd rejected. Nothing doing, and then nothing happened until an outbreak of libidinous behaviour led to a choice between band and marriage.
Five years later I saw the amazing rhythm section as part of another act on the New Stage at Glastonbury. Nice to see the guys, but bitter sweet as this act didn't scale the heights.
I had these tapes out recently, wondering how the still unused tracks might suit another voice if updated. There is literally an album's worth of more or less finished product, if that's the way you'd want it. Some great songs, even if in retrospect there is a sense that one can detect of them being written as part of the seduction of the person singing them...
Within days there was a track on the radio which grabbed my attention. So reminiscent in some ways of this previous favourite band, though with a male vocal and an occasional 'House of the Rising Sun' melody. I was rigid with anticipation when the track finished, but it was one of those annoying occasions when the announcement had been made first and was not repeated.
It took me a few days to find out, though the good press is everywhere. And no, the best unsigned rhythm section in the world ever have not found their moment in the spotlight.
The band was Alt-J, the song 'Tesselate', and their album 'An Awesome Wave' is already favourite for the Mercury Prize, before the list is out. Very good, but maybe not quite up to that level of hype for me. Perhaps not a coherent body of work. Certainly no other tracks making me reminisce, and some make me appreciate even more the quality of Ben Howard. But the enjoyment of that brief moment was priceless.
I got to see the usurpers many times over the next few months as first the drummer and then the bass were replaced by friends and they became the most talked about band on the local scene.
The bass was a former rockabilly double bass player who had made it his business to play bass really well when he converted. Drummer was a drum technician who could mimic others' styles at will as well as having a terrific voice of his own. Together they created a set of catchy, sub jazzy rhythms which were punctuated by a sparing, exquisitely timed guitar and the whole rounded off by an eminently marketable cool and occasionally soaring female vocal.
They could and should have become household names, but bad faith got in the way.
They engaged a session musician with his own studio as manager, an arrangement which included a fee if he got them signed. This created a conflict of interest which led to him turning down the deal which someone else had already set up. His method of attempting to get a deal involved passing demo's which he recorded to his producer mates.
These weren't really demo's. Too much production; no scope for development. Who was being showcased here?
A few months later some of the catchy bass lines were turning up on other people's tracks and he went back to try to resurrect the deal he'd rejected. Nothing doing, and then nothing happened until an outbreak of libidinous behaviour led to a choice between band and marriage.
Five years later I saw the amazing rhythm section as part of another act on the New Stage at Glastonbury. Nice to see the guys, but bitter sweet as this act didn't scale the heights.
I had these tapes out recently, wondering how the still unused tracks might suit another voice if updated. There is literally an album's worth of more or less finished product, if that's the way you'd want it. Some great songs, even if in retrospect there is a sense that one can detect of them being written as part of the seduction of the person singing them...
Within days there was a track on the radio which grabbed my attention. So reminiscent in some ways of this previous favourite band, though with a male vocal and an occasional 'House of the Rising Sun' melody. I was rigid with anticipation when the track finished, but it was one of those annoying occasions when the announcement had been made first and was not repeated.
It took me a few days to find out, though the good press is everywhere. And no, the best unsigned rhythm section in the world ever have not found their moment in the spotlight.
The band was Alt-J, the song 'Tesselate', and their album 'An Awesome Wave' is already favourite for the Mercury Prize, before the list is out. Very good, but maybe not quite up to that level of hype for me. Perhaps not a coherent body of work. Certainly no other tracks making me reminisce, and some make me appreciate even more the quality of Ben Howard. But the enjoyment of that brief moment was priceless.
Apologies and thanks.
I suppose it's that time of year when time rushes past because life is good. Something that was going to be updated at least weekly has suddenly jumped by three. Apologies to all of you who have been back to check, but thanks also. I really can't believe how many page views there have been in my distracted period. Hopefully I can make it up to you all.
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