Unlocking Success: Essential Tips for Musicians and Bands

A few months ago, I covered the importance of being a professional musician and shared advice on leading a band. Both posts were well-received, so I’m continuing to offer valuable tips and tricks for musicians and singers. These insights are useful whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro. Mastering these skills will not only make you a better performer but also boost your reputation, opening doors to better gigs.

Start and Stop Together for Flawless Performances

One of the best tips I can give is the importance of starting and stopping songs together. While playing flawlessly from start to finish is ideal, most train wrecks happen in the intros and endings. These are the moments the audience catches easily, even if they aren’t musically trained. Rehearsal is ideal, but since many bands lack time or funds for practice, here are some strategies for unrehearsed situations to help you avoid common mistakes.

Key Consistency: Ensure Everyone Is on the Same Page

A common cause of botched intros is confusion about the song’s key. There can be a difference between a song's key and the chord it starts, make sure you know both and communicate them clearly to the band. When creating a setlist, note each song’s key, and if you add the starting chord, specify that as well. Always designate minors. Remember, the keys of E major and E minor are not the same, details matter!

Singers: Take Charge of Your Keys

As a singer, it’s crucial to know the key you perform in. Don’t assume that your bandmates will remember it, be proactive. Also, familiarize yourself with song intros to guide the band if necessary. Effective communication is a cornerstone of live performance.

Timing and Structure: Keep the Band in Sync

Timing is essential. Some singers struggle with timing, adding or dropping beats here and there. If this happens, it’s best for the band to maintain the song's structure so the singer can adjust back into place.  If you attempt to follow the singer, you could spend half the song chasing each other. To those singers that have this issue, while no one is perfect, I find this often comes from not knowing the songs well enough or even just reading or scrolling the lyrics instead of actually taking the time to learn it properly. Many songs can be heartfelt. You cannot sing from the heart if you truly don't know the song. On the contrary, if someone has paid for a requested song that you don’t know, then, reading the lyrics will pay off.

Handling Solos: Let the Band Lead

This is merely my opinion, but when it comes to solo sections, I recommend letting the band lead the way, with the soloist following. Solos often deviate from the main melody, making it harder for the band to follow. Keeping the band in the driver’s seat helps maintain a cohesive structure and reduces the risk of going off track.

Designate a Leader for Endings

As for endings, you should have only one person in the band be the point man/woman to direct endings. More than one and you may have half the band ending one way and the other half another creating a nasty crash and burn. Don’t get caught up and at the last minute you think you've got a cool idea and try to take over the directing. While it may be a nice idea, last minute changes will probably not end well.

Be Clear When Signaling Solos

If you’re responsible for nodding someone into a solo, give them enough advance notice. A last-second cue can leave the soloist scrambling, especially if they have specific pick-up notes to play.

Avoid Overlapping Fills

When it comes to fills, stay out of each other’s way. Two musicians filling simultaneously can create a cluttered and messy sound. Remember, a fill is meant to enhance, not compete with, the vocals.

Big Ears: Listen Closely and Pay Attention

In these unrehearsed situations, it’s best to have what I call “big ears.” Pay attention. Even if you don't know the song, the second verse is probably going to be the same as the first. The same thing for the chorus. Pay attention the first time through and you’ll know the song the next time around. Plus, many times the music will lead you to the next chord. When playing the solo, big ears can help you follow the band and no one gets lost. Pay attention, the band may play it a little differently from the original version. If the band plays it one way and you stick to the record, technically, in that musical moment, you are wrong. Actually listening to the rest of the band is always a good rule of thumb anyway. Remember, it's all about playing together as a unit.

Minimizing Mistakes: Make It a Team Effort

Mistakes will happen, but following these tips can reduce their frequency and impact. Pay attention, communicate, and listen closely to what the band is doing. A great musical experience is about playing together as a cohesive unit, not as isolated performers. Team work will not only make performances more enjoyable but also help you avoid those dreaded “train wreck” moments.

Conclusion

Train wrecks will happen, but if you follow these pointers, you may remove them or at least lessen the impact. Remember to pay attention and listen to what's being played. You will have more fun when things are flowing in the right direction!

Musically yours,

Randy Hess

Musician/Producer/Consultant