Important Announcement!! We've Moved

Hi All

As a lot of you noticed we have been pretty quiet over the last few weeks and now we can reveal why! We have changed our name and website but don't worry you will still get all of the tips, advices, articles and newsletters you got before and more. We are still the number 1 resource for unsigned bands and band promotion on the internet!

We are now called Unsigned Alliance and can be found at www.unsignedalliance.com - Don't worry as a member of Band Assist you are now a member of the Unsigned Alliance. So pop over and let us know what you think! www.unsignedalliance.com

This new site will have a blog built into it and will be updated daily so make sure you check it out!

Please let us know if you want a review or need any assistance with your act or music

see you at www.unsignedalliance.com

Band Chemistry

Band Chemistry
Here are a few top tips to help with your band. Getting this bit right makes everything else far easier. Battle the world, not each other!

Quick Advice
Pick your band members wisely (the easiest way to avoid bad band chemistry)
Talent isn't everything. Sounding good is only half the battle - you need to gel as a band. If you're having fun together, the audience will feel it. If the guitarist and singer can't stand each other, the crowd will pick up on that, too. You might be able to fake your way through it, but you better be great at it. Otherwise, your audience won't respond well.

Know your goals.
If you each know what you want out of the band, you'll have a lot less problems. If you agree on what you want (just playing locally versus becoming world famous versus something in between) then you're all set. But what if the drummer loves playing shows, the singer desperately wants to be famous, and the bassist is just hoping to pick up a date? Well, now you know that your drummer will say yes to any kind of tour, the singer will want to tour in big cities, and the bassist will want big crowds and post-show mixers. Know what will make everyone happy, and go for it.

Let go of the egos.
Just because it's your idea, doesn't mean it's the best one. Be flexible - especially with the minor stuff. Does it really matter if the guitarist wants to move the third song on the set list up a spot? Be civil to each other, and try not to take anything too personally. Remember, you are in this to have fun, right?

Know when to cut your losses.
If someone in your band isn't working out, know when to say goodbye. Don't avoid it because no one wants to be the bad guy. Draw straws if you have to, or approach it together, but take care of it. It's always better than the alternative - practices becoming further apart until one day you realize you broke up without knowing it.

Have fun.
It will solve virtually any problem.

Buying a PA system advice

Buying a PA System advice

The P.A (public address) system is the most expensive and important part of the professional singers equipment.

It should be said at this stage that you can invest in the best and most expensive equipment but if you don't learn to sing properly you will have wasted your money.No equipment in the world can compensate for someone who has not had singing lessons and learned how to sing properly.
Before we go any further it should be noted that a p.a. system is only as good as the weakest link. What do I mean by this statement?Well, if you buy an expensive amplifier but connect it to cheap speakers, the sound will only be as good as the cheap speakers and vice versa.
The same can be said for having an expensive p.a. system and then using a cheap microphone, the sound quality will only be as good as the the microphone can produce and the same can be said for all parts of the system including connection leads.

Some venues will have their own in-house p.a. system however as a professional singer it is your responsibility to supply a p.a. system adequate for the job.The type of p.a. system depends on whether you are self contained (working solo and using backing tracks) or working with a band where the p.a. system may only have to contend with the your vocals going through it.

There are numerous makes and prices for p.a. systems and the best way to be educated on what is required, is to visit you local musical instrument shop for their advice and it is always advisable to spend as much as possible on the equipment.To give you some knowledge so that you will have an idea of what to look for, lets look at the different parts of the p.a. system.
AmplifierThe amplifier is what amplifies the sound from the mixer and sends it to the speakers so that the audience can hear the music.The amount of power which they can produce is measured in 'amps',and most are stereo (they have both left and right outputs).The power output required depends on the size of the room and the amount of people and what is being amplified i.e.: vocals only, vocals and backing music or vocals and band.

Lets take a small venue which holds 100 people and it's a self contained act (singer using backing tracks).An amplifier with an output of 500W would be sufficient.It is advisable to have the most powerful amplifier available as this will allow for plenty of headroom and be less likely to be overdriven and cause distortion.

Mixer

The mixer is where we connect the equipment we want to hear coming from the sound (PA) system and to balance the volume, EQ (bass and treble) and any effects such as reverb, echo etc. Mixers come with various amounts of channels and controls depending on needs and price.For a solo singer using backing tracks a four-channel mixer would be sufficient. Channels one and two could be used for the backing track player (panned left and right to give a stereo sound), channel three would be for the microphone, leaving channel four as a spare channel.Some mixers come with a built in amplifier thus lessening the need for more cables.

Speakers

The speakers used should be of as good a quality as the rest of the equipment, should be sat on speaker stands at height of at least 6ft 6in (2m).The speakers total impedance should never be lower than that of the minimum impedance of the amplifier and should have a lesser output in amps than the amplifier.I would recommend 15in speakers if they are being used full range (not in conjunction with bass bins).

Microphone and leads

There are numerous microphones on the market and they are all dependent on budget and preference but for someone new to professional performing there is none better to get you started than the shure sm58 microphone.It is industry standard, still used by some of the worlds top performers and is reasonably priced.You should always have good quality leads which should be wound up carefully at the end of the gig in order that they don't get damaged.They should also be taped to the floor where necessary, to prevent anyone tripping and causing damage to either themselves or the equipment.Spare leads and microphone should always be carried in case of breakdowns and a circuit protection plug should be used to plug into the mains for safety.

Band Gig Tips

Whether you’re in a new band just starting out or an experienced musician familiar with the scene, you will always take something away from every gig you play. If could be something that didn’t go as planned that you will know not to try at the next gig, something that was a huge crowd pleaser that will definitely make a reappearance, or something as simple as your own personal set of rituals that gets you and your band ready for each show.

Below are a number of helpful tips and suggestions to keep in mind at your next gig. Whether you play the guitar or the violin, these are all good general things for any musician to know, and could also help your next big show to run a little bit smoother.

Music Stand: This is for those of us that have set lists and key structures written out. The music stand is better than picking all your guitar tabs and sheet music up of the floor after they fall off of your amp.

Instrument stand: I can't even count the times that my guitarist kept forgetting his, he'd prop up his electric guitar and I would watch it fall across the amp after just a few minutes...oh well, save your own instrument. If you want to avoid potential costly damage, be sure to invest in a sturdy instrument stand.

Ear plugs: For obvious reasons, ear plugs are a necessity for anyone that plays an excessively loud instrument such as an electric guitar, bass guitars or the drums, as well as anyone in close proximity to any such instrument on stage.

At the Gig: Don't drink excessively or dope up. It shows in your playing and your professionalism or lack thereof.
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Practice: Be courteous. Send a flier to the neighbors letting them know what time and when you practice ... so if there is a problem they don't call the cops first, they call you.

Band Politics: The band sits at a round table - no egos, everyone gets a say - democracy - discuss your goals, tunings, who knows what, song dynamics, etc. A happy band is a successful band.

Bring a Towel (or five): To sop up the spilled beer on your amp that your guitarist denies he did. This will also help to keep the stage cleaner and safer for everyone in the band.

Cable: Loop your cable through your amp handle and your strap so it doesn't fall out.

Guitar Picks: Different gauges for anyone in your band who uses one.

Spare Cords and Cables: Oh yeah it worked yesterday why doesn't it work today? BTW, wrap your cords when you are done - the copper wire has a memory.

Spare Microphones: If you sing it is always good to have a back up. There is nothing like watching, in slow motion, a microphone hitting the ground and splitting into pieces.

Tuner: Guaranteed your guitarist thinks he's in tune and everybody else is out.

Extra Batteries: For the tuner (which proves your guitarist wrong) or effects pedals.

Extra bass guitar and guitar strings: Obviously for yourself but even a set of guitar strings. Guaranteed when a guitar string breaks, it's always the high E ... and it's on a Sunday and the music store is closed and the gig is in an hour.

Drum Key: Drummer arrives and can't tune his set, or can't put a new skin on.

Power Strip/Surge Protector: For some reason, clubs always have problems with their power, go figure - too many surges or blown circuit breakers than I care to remember.

Screwdriver: To get into your instrument or amp if there are any problems.

Allen Wrenches: A must have if you want or do any instrument adjustments.

Tubes: For all of you oldies out there.

Fuses: GK amps especially.

Pen/Paper: Whether for a song idea that pops into your head mid-show, or just any random idea you happen to think of, a pen a paper always seen to come in handy.

Crazy Glue: For your fingers or your guitarist's mouth.

Duct Tape: Repairs anything ... also for guitarist ... oh yeah broken drum skins.

Duffel Bag: To carry everything you are secretly supplying.

Spare Cloths: For yourself, not the kinky kind but something that is comfortable for either relaxing in before/after the show, or to change into should you or someone else have an accident with a drink.

Take every suggestion on this list to heart, and you are good to go for your next gig. I know you will feel like a walking hardware store, but trust me you will thank me in the end.

Good Gig Advice

Get Ready for the Big Gig
So your cool new band has lined up a live show and you're ready to rock the house and become overnight stars. Awesome! But are you sure you're ready for the gig? Are you GOSH DANG sure? Now then, here is some advice as to how to prepare for the big show, so that it doesn't turn into a disaster... READ ON!

Guitarists: The worst thing that can happen during a show is to break a string. You don't want to stop the show to change a string, no. Make sure you always bring a backup guitar to each show! Make sure that guitar is in tune, and is set out on stage (or nearby) with it's own strap and pick, ready to be picked up and played at a moment's notice. If you have two guitarists, they should each bring a backup guitar. Also, you should put new strings on your axe a few days before a big gig - this will cut down on broken strings. Just make sure you play your axe a few times before the show, so that the strings are properly stretched. A big mistake is to restring THE NIGHT of the show - chances are the guitar will go hideously out of tune AT LEAST A FEW TIMES during the set. You should also always carry an extra guitar chord, extra batteries (for your stomp boxes), extra picks, and if you can afford it - an extra set of power tubes for your amp head. You never know when something will go wrong with your gear, but rest assured it WILL HAPPEN eventually... be prepared!

Drummers: It's always a good idea to replace your drum heads occasionally, especially the snare head. Not only will the drums sound better for it, but this will help you avoid busting a drum head during a gig. Bring a couple spare pair of sticks to the show -- we all know how easily they break in the heat of the moment, don't we? Also, at the show do not wait til the last minute to assemble your drums. You should be assembling them while the band going on before you starts playing, if not sooner, so that when it's your time you simply just carry your set up on stage ready to play. Bass players: Well, just make sure you're in tune, dang it! Bass strings don't break that easily, but it's always a good idea to have a spare set with you, and if you have two basses BRING 'EM BOTH! The bass player in a band I was in once broke TWO strings during a show, and he was not prepared. We had to beg for a new string from the other bands... very embarrassing.

Singers: I read in an interview with Don Dokken once, that he'd always drink a shot of whiskey before a concert to lube up his vocal chords. I tried it myself, and IT REALLY WORKS! 'Course, more than one shot may slur your speech. You can also try hot tea with lots of honey... mmmm, good! I recommend drinking your shot 5 minutes before you take the stage and you will sing like an angel.

The whole band: Okay, you're at the show on time to load in, you've tuned up, checked your gear -- all systems are go. Now, you feel like having a few pre-show brewskis... STOP! A couple beers is allright, but DON'T GET DRUNK BEFORE THE SHOW!!! That is, if you want to sound good and have everyone in the band remember how to play the songs... Save the free drink tickets for after you've played. It's also a good idea to get a couple pitchers of water on stage before you play, in case you get thirsty... especially for the drummer and the vocalist. Those stage lights can get pretty hot... Also, it's always a good idea to do some stretches back stage to loosen up before you go on. I always lead my band in jumping jacks, stretches and tai chi before we take the stage. You don't want to pull a muscle while doing a crazy stage maneuver, do ya? Very embarrassing!

Make sure you have SET LISTS for the show, on large (11x17) paper written with a jumbo marker or even better, printed out by a laser printer. Make a copy of the set list for each member of the band.

Drum AND sing?

Drum and Sing

Drumming and singing is a very hard skill to learn and whilst most drummers have no aspirations to be the next Phil Collins most can be great back up singers. So todays blog comes from a drummer with some tips on mastering this difficult technique.

Recommendations to Enable Simultaneous Singing and Drum Kit Playing:

1). Go to a classical vocal instructor and have your voice evaluated. I took classical vocal lessons for a year to learn the techniques necessary to breath and project without damaging my vocal chords. This also helped me learn how to setup my drum stool for optimum singing and playing posture (I brought my drum throne to each lesson - and my instructor thought I was nuts).

2). As I was taking lessons, I slowly began learning backup harmonies while playing in various bands - but I still didn't drum and sing into the mics.

3). Before I "opened my mouth" officially behind the kit, I found for me, that it was best to get all of my drum parts down "cold" first. I figured this was the case because I wouldn't have to consciously think "too much more" as I added a vocal part into the mix. Heck, we're all already using all of our limbs when we play anyway! We have so much more "going on" then most other musicians!

4). Next, I started learning singing parts "in sections" (and not at a rehearsal). Personally, I would repeat a section of a piece until I know that I was playing smoothly and was singing on pitch. I still find this to be a successful approach. Based on this, I recommend that you don't move on to the next vocal phrase until you've gotten both your drumming and vocal parts down in the previous phrase. Oh, to know whether you're doing everything correctly use a metronome (for time analysis) and a recording device (for pitch). When you like what you hear, move on to the next phrase... and so on.

5). I recommend learning/singing backing vocal parts first. These parts are not as constantly occurring as lead parts, but they still require you attain the right words and notes while others are singing with you. This allows you to gain confidence continually.

6). Use a headset mic for performing if you can. Even the best overhead boom stands are distracting and take up too much space. One of the absolute best headset mics that I've found for drummers is Crown's "CM 311 series" (and I don't work for Crown). This mic is able to reject essentially all drum sounds (including the snare drum) while you sing and play! This is a very unique capability - and a VERY important one

Social Media for Unsigned Bands

Using Social Media

Social Media is most certainly not a fad, and if all your fans are there, it would seem a pretty good idea for you to be there too. You cannot expect to just create a Facebook or Twitter account and instantly have masses of people following you. You have to interact, be personal, and lure them into your fan page. In this article I’ll share with you three ways you can effectively drive more fans to your social media networks through creating a good first impression, connecting with people who share similar interests, and using video marketing to build hype and personally engage with your fans.

1. Create an Enticing Facebook Landing Page

If Facebook were a country it would be the 4th largest in the World, so you have a free opportunity to share your music on a global scale. People who land on your page want to know about you immediately (the world of social media is an impatient one) so to increase your conversion rate from visitors to fans you should make the first page a visitor lands on as compelling as you can. Thankfully ReverbNation have created an app to make this process a whole lot easier:

Reverb Nation’s Band Profile Tool

ReverbNation just recently upgraded its popular Facebook app, and have integrated some interesting new features to help grow your fan base. The free app incorporates a brand new feature called ‘Fan Boosters’ where you can activate features including ‘require like to access media content,’ ‘require share to for music download’ and require email sign up for music downloads,’ each addressing today’s key social networking goals; getting fans to share, like and subscribe to your content.

This app is also very easy to set up and has a simplistic interface that is easy on the eye. It shows visitors all your releases, upcoming gigs, biography, videos, photos and press quotes, all to give a great first impression to your visitors, compelling them to ‘like’ or ‘share’ your fan page to increase your followers.

2. Connect With People Who Share Similar Interests in Music
Often you will find artists new to social networking following all of their friends or sendingeverybody invites to follow their fan page. One must ask, are they really interested in your music? Rather than adding everyone you know, you want to be connecting and engaging with people who have a genuine interest in your music. Twilert is free web app that enables you to receive email updates containing tweets mentioning any keyword you choose. This is an invaluable tool to help you connect with people who share the same musical interests as yourself, and if you follow them they will most likely give you a follow in return.!

3. Use Live Video Streaming to Personally Engage with your Fans and Build Hype
A lot of big artists are now using live video streams to connect more personally with their fans. By using live video streams it allows your fans to ask questions and share feedback on your music and can be used further as a marketing tool to build hype prior to a release, or even to broadcast a live performance that could possibly attract thousands of users within the live streaming website. To reach the largest audience you can, you should consider becoming a dedicated user of all the top live video streaming sites:

Ustream.tv – ‘Ustream is the leading live interactive broadcast platform. Anyone with an internet connection and a camera can start engaging with their family, friends or fans anytime, anywhere.’

Qik – ‘Qik, the leading mobile video sharing service, lets you record and share the experience with your friends, family and your favorite social networks’

Justin.tv – ‘Justin.tv is the easiest way to create live video and show anyone in the world what’s happening right now. Using only a laptop, you can share your event, class, party or thoughts, live, to anyone in over 250 countries while they chat in real-time with you and with other viewers.’

Vokle – ‘With the Vokle platform you can hold your own live video streaming event in real time right on your own website without directing your watchers and participants to a different website’

Explore each of these three ways in which to expand your fan base using social media comprehensively, and you will see an increase in the amount of relevant followers on each of your social networks, but the size of this increase will be determined by how hard you are willing to work. Go for it!

How to Use Remixes to Grow your Band Fanbase

One of the most exciting things about new media is the move from people being passive listeners to collaborators by producing content of their own, based on your output. One example of this is a growing trend is for people to offer their music to be remixed. Artists from Gang Of Four to Radiohead to DIY artists such as Brad Sucks and lots of electronic artists have all offered their tracks up to be remixed by their fans.

Remixes are great because they give you a new perspective on your music and allow you to crossover with another artists audience. All you need to do is to get the stems (individual parts from the multitrack) for your songs in a folder on an online hosting site as an archived zip file for people to download (4shared.com seems as good as any). You can either export the stems from your recordings yourself or ask your Producer or Engineer to provide them if you record at a commercial studio. You can then link to the folder from your website/blog/Facebook or Twitter and ask people to start remixing. Remember to let people know what the BPM of the track is, it really helps when people are importing stems into Pro Tools or Logic or any other recording software.

There are also sites like CC Mixter that can host the files for you and have the added bonus of a community of remixers looking for tracks to remix. You can use a general Creative Commons license to allow people to use the stems for non-commercial use (and spread the word about your music). Once you have a few remixes in you can then post them on your blog to show how talented and clever your listeners are. This also gives you something to talk about via Twitter and Facebook and gets people talking about your music.

Remixes are also good to submit to podcasters and can even sometimes get your music on podcasts that don’t cover your usual genre. Its been known for a house remix of a rock tune to get a lot of play and even be used for adverts and films (depending on agreement for commercial use between the the artists and the remixer). This is another opportunity to build your listener base (depending on how tight a hold you want to retain on your music).

Also can you remix other peoples music? You can ask for the stems from other artists, its worth a try and its a brilliant way to build a relationship with an artist if you like their work and to get more exposure for both of you. This works fantastically on a local level

You could even release the best of the remixes as an EP on Bandcamp.This is a lot of new music created with very little work by the artists themselves, but with a lot of engagement from listeners and fans. Regular releases are vital to keep acts in the public eye, the days of one album every 18 months to 2 years are long gone.

Really the key to social media for musicians is to have interesting things to talk about and lots of content to enable you to start conversations and to be social, then hopefully the content will be shared by influential people across Twitter, Facebook, Podcasts and Blogs. Remixes are a great opportunity to start people talking and collaborating.

How to record your band LIVE!

Recording Live

Recording live music can be one of the most gratifying aspects of being a musician or producer. It is a unique challenge in the world of recording. The key to conquering it is to have an array of techniques ready to be deployed as the situation dictates.

Technology has made this job much easier. Many musicians in this era are turning to digital devices to record their work, due to the ease of use and superior performance. The key here is picking the right one.

A firepod is the most popular choice. Many MP3 players also have recording capability. Anything that can record onto a CD is ideal, but if you prefer to stay purely digital, look into the MP3s. The next step will be to get the proper microphone to connect to it.

You probably want a ribbon microphone for this situation, because a directional mic will often not catch the full spectrum of sounds the band is producing. Directional mics usually focus in one one instrument or the vocals at the exclusion of everything else.

Microphone placement is also vital. You will need many. One for every singer, at least two for the drums, and two on each side of any instrument being played. Place a windscreen between your recorder and the music to filter out unwanted sounds. Since you will be using ribbon microphones, the closer you can get with them the better.

Recording live music can be a headache but with this basic outline your strategy going in will be solid. The key is being able to adapt and grow over time. Nothing replaces experience, especially in this volatile facet of the recording industry.

Improve Your Singing Voice

Improve your singing voice

Here are a few free singing tips to help you develop your voice. I've chosen to write about a few important singing points that will help you to sing with less vocal tension, and expand your vocal range. These clues may sound a little bizarre at first, but you will soon understand their meanings when you put your voice to work!

Use a slight Irish accent when you sing. Sound weird?! I agree, it does sound a little strange to put on an accent when you sing. But there is a reason for this strange technique.

What would you say if I told you that the Irish accent is the perfect accent for singing? It has a few built-in-functions that allow the voice to release, keeping singing very easy and relaxed. Singing this way will engage only the correct muscles required to sing. The troublesome muscles (that try and interfere with the process) will sit perfectly still.

Here's an example....

If you say the word "Are" with a exaggerated wide mouth, you will feel the muscles under your chin begin to tense up. These are the muscles that you don'twant to play a part in the singing process. Give it a try......really exaggerate the "A" and feel your chin begin to get really tight. Ouch!

But if you say it in an Irish tone, kind of like how a pirate would say "Arrrrrrr matey!" When you say "Arrrrrrr", can you feel how your mouth stays quite narrow and very relaxed? You get this relaxed feeling because the Irish accent prevents the incorrect singing muscles from interfering...

...Good news if you're already Irish!

Use a cry-like-tone when you sing. This technique is used by some of the greatest singers in the world. Next time you hear Michael Jackson, listen to how he places a slight cry at the beginning of each note.

Placing a slight cry underneath your voice will dramatically sweeten your tone quality. It will also allow you to sing with much less vocal tension, making it easier to hit high notes. Such a simple exercise, yet so effective!

You can practice your crying tone by singing "hoooo" as in "Boo Hoo". Try to really exaggerate the crying tone, and feel the ease at which this allows you to produce your tone.

Personally, every word I sing benefits from this crying technique. Not only does it add sweetness to the tone quality, but it adds emotion to the performance as well.

Keep your tone slightly dopey to hold your larynx in a still position.

Your larynx is your "voice box" that sits in your throat. It is a grouping of muscle, cartilage, and ligaments. Inside the larynx are the vocal folds, or vocal chords. These are the muscular folds that vibrate to produce the initial sound. The sound that then passes up into your facial structure becoming amplified by the resonant spaces...

It is very important that the larynx is very stable when you sing. Singing with bad technique seems to engage the muscles that surround the larynx......the outer muscles of the larynx. When this happens, these muscles force the larynx up and down. This makes it incredibly difficult to sing high notes, and it also destroys tone quality. In other words, to sound any good, you must learn to disengage these outer muscles.

A very effective technique to achieve this is to use a slightly dopey tone when you sing. This dopiness will offset the larynx just slightly, gently pulling it down by a small amount. This slight offset will allow the larynx to hold it's position when you sing.

Singing with your larynx in a stable, central position is one of the most important singing techniques. When you can do this, you are halfway to singing at speech level ie: singing with the same ease as speaking. Of course, with the technique I just explained, the larynx isn't completely central. Because of the dopey tone, the larynx is a fraction lower than the central position.

As you continue to master this technique though, you can abandon this slight offset. The dopey tone will train the outer muscles of the larynx to relax. Once this is happening, you can reduce the dopey tone until it is completely normal. The larynx, which has now been conditioned to sit still, will not move.

In Summary

Here are the key lessons to remember from these free singing tips.

1) Sing with an Irish accent

2)Use a cry-like-tone to sweeten tone quality

3) Add a dopey tone

Let us know your top singing tips

Bass Player Tips and Advice

Hello All

Today, we have our resident Bass expert penning some top tips just for you 4-string slingers out there!

Enjoy!

7 Vital Bass Lessons

OK . . . this is going to piss off a few bass players, but I’m just going to say it:

Bass is easy to learn.

Come on bass players, let’s just admit it to ourselves and everyone else. The bass guitar really wasn’t that difficult to figure out, was it?

Unlike guitar players, who had to figure out chords, scales, leads and solos, or drummers who had to figure out how to make their four limbs work together and separately at the same time, we had it pretty easy.

If you could afford a couple quick lessons or had a decent ear, you were off to the races, thump-thumping to your heart’s content.

At its most basic level, bass is a pretty simple instrument. Unless you’re into some weird, freaky-ass jazz fusion kinda shit, you can get away with banging out root eighth notes most of the time. Learn to play the right notes, more or less in time, and you pretty much have a gig for life.

And there’s the problem — so many bass players learn to get by on so little skill because their services are so in demand.

Let’s face it, we all get lazy. Especially when no one is pushing us to get better.

So here’s my challenge to you: Is your playing sub-par? Get better. Already pretty good? There’s always room for improvement.

Here are 7 ways to improve your playing:

1. Play with musicians who are better than you.

Nothing will motivate you to get better as much as the prospect of being a band’s weak link. Nobody wants to be the guy that can’t keep up. So seek out opportunities to play with musicians who are more accomplished than you are — and then work your ass off so you don’t embarrass yourself.

2. Explore different genres.

I’ve always been a rock guy. But a few years ago I spent some time with a band that did some country music. I HATE country music, but it was a great learning experience — especially in the art of walking bass lines. I later put those skills to use in an original hard rock project.

3. Play only with the best drummers you can find.

Everyone knows that drums and bass go hand in hand in creating a band’s foundation. A great drummer will elevate your bass playing to new heights. A shitty drummer will drag you (and the rest of the band) down into a pit of mediocrity. The drummer needs to be the most accomplished member of the band. He’s the quarterback of the team. And it doesn’t matter how strong the offensive line is, if the quarterback gets sacked, or fumbles the ball, the play is over. So if your drummer sucks, get rid of him — even if he’s your buddy.

4. Think like a drummer.

Better yet, think like YOUR drummer. Your job as a bass player is to lock in with the drums. Period. You need to tune into your drummer on a much deeper level than other members of the band. This takes time, but you can speed up the process by studying your drummer’s playing. Watch his kick drum foot. Pay attention to how and when he plays cymbal accents and fills. Over time, your playing will begin to take on some of your drummer’s characteristics. This is when you know you’ve found your groove as a rhythm section.

5. Find a bass guitar that you’re comfortable with.

Don’t play a bass just because you think it looks cool or because your favorite bass player plays it. A bass has to fit you and your playing style. Basses come in a variety of styles and shapes. There are different neck sizes, pick-up configurations and on-board electronics. Even a bass’ inherent tonal qualities will affect your playing ability. A bass that doesn’t feel or sound the way you want it too will impair your playing ability and negatively affect your playing enjoyment. Try different basses until you find the one that feels right. Experiment with different price points. Don’t assume that a higher-priced bass is the answer. That $3,000 boutique bass may feel like the worst piece of crap you’ve ever played, while the $400 Squire Precision fits like a glove. Be open minded and don’t worry about what other people think about what you’re playing.

6. Practice with a metronome.

To get the most out of your practice time, make sure you’re using a metronome. A metronome keeps you focused on what’s most important to your role as a bass player — rhythm and timing. Start at about 100 beats-per-minute and work on playing nice steady quarter and eighth notes. Every few minutes, bump up the beats-per-minute so that you’re spreading your practice across a range of tempos. Do this for 30-45 minutes every day and watch your chops improve dramatically.

7. Ask your band mates for feedback.

Finally, no one knows your playing better than the musicians who play with you all the time. So don’t be afraid to ask them for some constructive feedback. They may be able to point out things about your playing that you are completely unaware of. As musicians and performers, we tend to be a little sensitive and resistant to criticism, but a little feedback can go a long way in motivating you to get better at your craft. Your band mates rely on you to be the steady, driving force that keeps things nice and tight — so give ‘em what they want and everyone will be happy!

Good Band Flyers

Band Flyers That Work

Good Flyer Designs

Flyer’s are a very effective method of promoting your nights to people offline, they also have an easy way of finding their way to your target audience by being left at Venues, Bars, Clubs (the usual places). Getting your Flyer’s to the right people is important, but getting people hooked into reading your flyer with interest can be difficult.

Planning is important when creating a flyer you have a few things to consider –

Flyer size – A4/A5/A6/A7 and Business Card size. When i started i went straight for the A5 size, until one day when someone give me a flyer advertising a car wash. This flyer was a5 aswell and i decided to keep hold of the flyer. I folded up, creased it and ripped it trying to get it into my pocket and when i did it went straight through the washing machine, i then had a light bulb moment. Why not make your flyer’s Business Card size? Now obviously this means all text, images and artwork have to be smaller, but if you design them to be double sided you shouldn’t have a problem. When handing out these flyer’s i noticed a lot of people slipping them straight into their wallet and i never changed back to a5. Not only did more people hang on to the flyer’s but they are also a lot cheaper to produce.

Color and Fonts – Lots to choose from, but i suggest you use the principle Keep It Simple Stupid. Nice Bold Text in an easy to read font and nice vibrant colors. I have seen many flyer’s with crazy looking fonts and unusual colors. I have good eye sight but i struggle to read some flyer’s, consider people who don’t have good eyesight if they cant read the text they wont know what your advertising. Another point i would like to make is that when you hand these flyer’s to people you are taking their attention away from their busy lifestyles, if they cant read the entire flyer within 20 seconds and make a decision whether to keep it or bin it, they will just throw is straight in the bin.

Images and Photos – These provide a good summary of what your flyer is about, i highly recommend you add some form of image to your flyer. If nothing else they make the flyer look more interesting. Be careful what images you use, make sure they are relevant to what your advertising.

Design for your Target Audience – If your designing a flyer for a Punk rock night then make sure it’s obvious in the color, font and design you use. Somebody should be able to walk past your flyer and have a rough idea what it’s about within a split second of looking at it.

Themes – Keep it topical! I once generated lots of interest for a gig purely by theming the flyer. The event was taking place next to Portsmouth Harbour used heavily by the navy. The Event night took place the day after the anniversary of D-Day, so i used a military theme. Purely by having a photograph of a navy boat on the flyer, they went like crazy!

Selling Points- Before you start designing your flyer you need to jot down 3 selling points, 3 points that will make people want to come to your event. Once you have these, you need to make sure these 3 points dominate your flyer design and can be clearly seen above everything else.

Include the important information – Once your flyer’s go to print there is no time to correct any errors. Make sure your flyer includes the following information. Venue, Venue Directions, Time, Dates, Participating Bands, Cost and any special discounts that the flyer offers.

Proof Read, Proof Read, Proof Read

Quick Tip: If you have room, always promote your other upcoming Gigs. If someone can’t make this one, they might be able to make the next one!

A simple summary is to use your common sense, make it attractive to as many people as possible and don’t forget people who might have disabilities

Band Assist - Get a Record Deal Twitter

Hi All

Just a really quick reminder we are on twitter (@bandassist1). That's even more tips, advice and great articles to help you get further in your music carear!

How to improve your solo writing ability

When people solo, they have a few things in mind.... Their primarily thinking about the key of the song that their playing in. The key of the song is the overall note that the song is in. Here's a little trick that works most of the time when determining the key of the song: the chord that the chord progression of a song usually (9 times out of ten) starts with or ends in, is usually the key of the song. For example if a song is in the key of G, that means that I can develop melodies within the G scales, or I know that I could use the G major scale, G mixolydian scale, G pentatonic scale, etc. So remember that the key of the song is "key".

Here's another thing to keep in mind when you're soloing: Keep in mind that when someone solos, they're not hitting as many random notes within the scale as possible, however they are using a couple notes to create melodies and taking breaks between the phrases. Remember that a solo is also composed of the notes that you don't play. So take a deep breath and focus on little tiny melodies that you can make within a particular scale of a song. Don't focus on huge long runs and millions of notes during a given phrase!! Just focus on small, few note, runs. You can throw in more notes as you get better.

Refer back to the Arpeggio for the key of the song. If I'm playing many different style scales over the key of the song, if I refer back to the arpeggio of the key of the song, then I will hit notes that will interest the listener’s ear. What's an arpeggio you ask? Make a G Chord. You know, 3rd fret of the 6th string, 2nd fret of the 5th string, open 4th, open 3rd, 2nd on the 3rd fret, 1st on the 3rd fret... a regular G chord. Then play the 6th string, play the 5th, the 4th, the 3rd, all the way down to the 1st (in other words just strum the chord super slow). You've just played the arpeggio for the G chord! That’s all an arpeggio is. If you throw in notes from a given arpeggio, then you can make the listeners ear perk up and keep their attention. Try it!

Another thing you can throw in when soloing (this is really cool) is when you take the same melody that the person has been singing in the song, and play it on the guitar. This has been done in many songs. Great examples of this are Van Halen's "Higher", The Beatles "I've Just Seen a Face", Mr. Big "To be with you" and many others. It sounds really cool when you through it in.

Performing cool runs and patterns in scales is another cool thing you can mess around with while soloing. For example take the G major scale and play the 1st note, then the 3rd, then the second note in the scale, then the 4th then the 3rd, then the 5th and all the way up... see the pattern? You can also start on the 1st, go to the 4th, 2nd, then 5th, 3rd, then 6th, ya see?, there's a million of these patterns out there. Be creative come up with some. Patterns really make it more interesting instead of climbing up and down the scale... that gets boring to the ear.

Creating a New Band

Creating the ULTIMATE Band

You've got the songs, now all you need are the people to help you bring them to life. You know that finding the right band members is crucial to your success, but where do you begin your search? These tips will point you in the right direction.

1.Ask Around

You may already know your bandmates - you just don't know you know them. Some of your friends already in bands might be looking for a change, or they might know of other people who are looking for a gig. What makes this way of finding a bandmate good is that you "know the deal" about someone before they join the band. If so-and-so is a great bass player but has never turned up for a soundcheck on time in their life, now is the best time to find out. Finding band members through your local music scene grapevine means you can be more confident about finding someone reliable - or at least have a heads up.

2.The Record Shop

Where do music types like to gather? The record shop, of course! Or the instrument shop or another music related shop. Most of these places, especially the independently owned ones, will have message boards where you can advertise for band members. Be sure to put a little bit about your music on the advertisement, or at least some info about bands that you like, and don't forget to include some way for interested people to contact you. Asking the staff of these stores is another way to find people looking for a band.

3.The Internet

Websites like Craigslist and MeetYourBand.com are filled with ads from people looking for a band to join. Browse through the lists of musicians in your area who are interested in finding a band with whom to play, and place your own ad seeking band members. Include the same information you would on an advertisement on the record store message board. You can also visit musician's forums, like our own to advertise.

4.Studios/Rehearsal Rooms

Put a call in to the recording studios and rehearsal spaces in your area and let the people there know you are looking for musicians. See if they have a space where you can come by and post an advertisement for your band. The staff at these places know who is playing with which band and who is looking for a new gig, and they can be a great resource for you. Even if you haven't actually used the studio or the rehearsal space before, don't shy away from approaching them in your search for your band members.

5.Poster the Town

Stick advertisements up all over town, in places where you think likeminded musicians may frequent. Coffee shops, book shops, college campuses, clubs and venues - the key is to let people know you are looking. Get the word out there!

Tips:

1.You may want to set up a special email account just for people to use to respond to your advertisements, especially if you plan on putting up ads all over in town in non-music related places, so you can avoid that guy who pulled your contact info off your ad on the coffee shop wall to try and sell you an insurance policy.

2.When you advertise, be as specific as possible about the kind of music you want to play. It's a waste of time for the jam band guy to show up at the metal band audition, and so on. You want people in your band with whom you share a lot of musical interests so you're more likely to have the same "vision".

3.Take the time to find band mates who can not only play, but that you genuinely like as well. Remember, if all goes well, you could be spending quite a lot of time with these people. No one likes spending 12 hours crammed in a van with someone they can't stand. Your shows will be better if everyone likes and respects each other.

4.Be clear about your expectations of a band member. How many practices a week do you plan to have? Will everyone get to have some creative input, or is there only one songwriter? It is very important to figure these things out in advance. Also, if you're serious about making a go of things with the band, let people know up front that you expect a certain amount of professionalism. Tell people you expect band members to get to the show or practice on time, well rehearsed, and ready to play.

5.If there are to be band related expenses, like travelling to shows, now is the time work out who pays for what.

Fill Your Next Gig

Fill Your Gig

Promoting your band’s website locally is about getting more people to come to your gigs (if you don’t gig, don’t bother), it’s usually only locals who’ll turn up and support you. By promoting your band’s website locally you are also promoting your band locally - it works best if you’re hands-on, real world, for instance, if you want to get a link from the local press or local radio, it would help if your band proactively supports a local charity.

Local is the area around your favourite venue (the venue you like and play most) or your town. Get a map. Find the venue or town centre. Draw a circle with a radius of about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) around the venue or town centre. That’s local. 25 miles represents the distance people would be prepared to travel to see an independent band in the UK. Because of the transport infrastructure and familiarity with commuting, you can have a 35 mile radius around a London venue (same in most large cities). Bands who operate in large cities have a big advantage - of course you don’t have to target everyone!

1. Swap links and get involved with local: businesses, charities, record shops, fashion shops, cafes, pubs, clubs, venues. Get links from local: press, radio.

2. (Legally) Hand out, post, pin up, stick and drop (accidentally!): flyers, stickers, business cards, button badges - in and around: schools, colleges, universities, record shops, fashion shops, cafes, pubs, clubs, venues and churches. Include your band’s name, website address and free gift details.

3. Team-up and collaborate with 5 or more local bands of the same or complementary genre and promote each other online and offline.

4. Use the networking communities (esp. Facebook, MySpace, ReverbNation) to communicate with the locals. Always make your website The focal point.

5. Create a mailing list / database of fans, friends and family, target those within your locale and ask them for support. And don’t forget, if you can’t make it locally with the support of your fans, friends and family, you’re not going to make it anywhere!

The Importance of Websites

We are often asked if in the times of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter whether you really need your own website. Our answer is always the same.Band websites are extremely important. Having your own domain name is also a key to your success. Let us show you just a few reasons why:

Band Website vs. MySpace/Facebook/Other

First of all, you never want to put all of your eggs in one basket. Relying on a service like MySpace, and not having your own website is extremely dangerous. Many bands think that due to MySpace's popularity, it's the website that they should focus all of their time and energy on. Yes, MySpace/Facebook,etc is important for musicians, but relying on someone else's service can be a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off. What would happen if MySpace was suddenly shut down? It's not as impossible as it may seem. Just think of all of the problems that MySpace has had, with predators using the social-media site for preying on people and how much trouble MySpace has gotten into with parental-control groups. Having your own site, and mailing list eliminates a lot of those issues because you have complete control of what happens to your site and gives you the ability to contact your fans, should something go wrong with MySpace (or similar sites). One other reason why it is important that you have your own domain name, is that it's usually much easier to remember than a MySpace URL!

Your Band's Domain Name

You want to have a domain name that is easy to remember; hopefully your band's name, if it is available. You'll want to put it on everything that your band puts out, postcard mailers, flyers, cds, t-shirts, everything! Matter of fact, make some t-shirts up and wear them all the time! You also want to make sure that every person you know, knows your web address. Make absolutely sure that your fans are told, many times a night, what your website is...and tell them to go there!

Registering Your Band's Domain Name

Registering your own domain name is no longer expensive (under £10/year for .com's). Some of the most popular domain registration sites out there also have web hosting available.

Quick Singing Tips

How can you get high quality and have great result if you have no practice? Follow the simple tips and do it with full of love.

1.) Rehearsal- remember all the basic vocal warm up exercises and do it 1hour before you perform.

2.) Meditation- Sit alone in just 5minutes is sure that no one will bother you. Close your eyes and imagine the wonderful moments of your life. Like for example, you are going to sing and you expect to have a great result.

3.) Smile- Don't show to everybody that you are tense or feel nervous. Let them know that you are prepared for the battle and willing to do everything no matter what happen.

4.) don’t think too much- Over excitement and anxious can cause stress and the energy you have will decrease. So, at the time you perform it might be you sing of no emotions.

5.) be natural- Use your own technique and style. Be sure that 100% original. Good luck!

Stage Craft Secrets

Stage Craft Secrets

You have the tunes, you have the gig now comes the difficult task of marrying the 2 together so your show becomes an “Event”. Something that is talked about for days, weeks or years to come and a display that lives long in the memory of those in attendance. How do you achieve such a feat? Stage craft! And here are our top tips:

KNOW THE MUSI C INSIDE OUT

The first essential is to make sure you’re absolutely on top of the

music. This is the physical or technical side of self-confidence. You

have to free yourself from worrying about whether you play the

right notes or sing the right words. This means rehearsing to the point where

you can almost play without thinking about what you’re doing. Here are a

couple of pointers to help you.

PRACTICE AS IF YOU’RE PLAYING LIVE -

To get ultra comfortable with your material rehearse as if you’re gigging.

This means sticking to the set list in terms of which songs and the order you

rehearse them. You can work out song starts (who does what), where there are

potential problem areas (down-tunings, guitar switches etc).

Playing the set-list when you’re practising is the same as a “dress rehearsal”

and will itself help ease any stress on gig-night. When it comes to the gig

you’ll have been through the same songs in the same order in rehearsal

countless times before. This will increase your confidence and technical mastery

just like playing gig after gig.

HANDICAP YOUR REHEARSALS

You can make performing feel much easier on gig night and so increase your

confidence by “handicapping” yourselves at rehearsals. Rehearse without

letting your singer check out his lyric sheets or guitarists stare at fret boards.

This will also help keep your focus where it needs to be when the time comes

to play live: Out towards your audience!

Drummers and guitarists can also handicap themselves with weights on their

wrists. You don’t want to overdo it and risk injury of course, so you can for

example, use a heavy watch and/or wristbands when you rehearse. You then

leave your wrists bare and so lighter and easier to play with whenever you gig.

RELAX ONSTAGE

Onstage you’ll perform and relate to your audiences better

if you’re feeling relaxed. Crowds can often tell when a

performer is uptight or anxious and it can make them

uncomfortable too. Concentrate on your breathing pattern as this is a key to your feelings of either

tension or relaxation. Once you’re aware of your breathing, just deepen it and

slow it down. This will naturally dissolve feelings of tension and replace them

with calmness. You have to keep on top of it as you’re learning and gaining

performance confidence. Repeat it over and over. Eventually, like most habits

you develop, you’ll find it’s become second nature.

However, all of the advice in the world can’t beat experience. So accept every gig offered and learn by experience.

Unsigned Promotion Advice 2011

It’s a tough time to be a musician, or the right time, depending on who you’re listening to.

Whether you’re afraid or fearless, one thing that’s certain is that a little advice on being a musician in the digital age won’t go amiss.

Hence this 5 tip mash up, geared towards helping you navigate the digital market as a DIY musician.

1. Drive your live audience online

Interaction with the audience during live performances is key: it helps you connect with your fans. It’s also a great time to increase your online following, so be sure to let your audience know about your website, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare or any other social sites where you can be found.

2. Content is the most important aspect of a website.

The most important aspect of any website is quite obviously the content and presentation. If you’re creating your own musician’s website ensure that your font is both consistently legible and professional looking. Images, video and music are all acceptable forms of content – and should represent who you are as a musician. Don’t forget to leave links to your social networking sites like YouTube, Twitter and Foursquare.

3. Website Rule #1: No flash!
   Flash doesn’t just get in the way of your content. It’s also not compatible with many browsers. Sure Flash websites are good-looking, but what good is a site that can’t be accessed by everyone? It’s best not to forget that your website is a place for fans to go when want to learn more about you and to make a connection.
   
4. Email marketing is effective

This being the age of social media, you’d be quite surprised to find that email marketing is still very effective. The below chart shows not just how well email marketing works, but how it is used in other business.

Use emails to remind fans of upcoming gigs, connect on tour, or to announce upcoming releases.

5. Follow 25 new people a week on Twitter

This is an easy way to increase your followers on Twitter. We suggest following 25 new people that you’d like to follow you on Twitter each week. Don’t forget though that you need relevant followers, so start by adding your favourite music magazines and work your way up to people following bands/ acts similar to yours.

Guitar Effects Advice

Guitar Effects Advice

Guitar effects pedals can add a whole range of tones and sounds to a guitarist playing that would not otherwise be achievable. It is quite possible for a guitarist to spend more on their effects than on their amp or guitar to sculpt the correct tone. Pedals can also degrade tone quality, so understanding how to set them up is important to minimizing these issues.

1. The "Best" Pedal

o The tone qualities of pedals are subjective, so there is no such thing as a best one. Any well built pedal is likely to have a guitarist get more out of it. Even having a larger range of settings is not necessarily a good quality for everyone. A distortion pedal with a higher level of gain will work for someone that will turn it up, but for lower gain users, it would not usually allow the same level of fine tuning as a pedal with a smaller range. Advice on reliability and quality is useful when looking at pedals, but tone and function are subjective from player to player.

Pedal Order

o The order of effects pedals is important, but there is no single correct setup. Changing the order of the pedals will usually alter the tone and the function of the effects when combined. A volume pedal in front of many pedals will alter the signal strength going into the pedal, which can greatly alter how that effect functions (particularly with something like distortion or overdrive), while a volume pedal after an effect will alter the signal strength, but mostly maintain the tone characteristics of that pedal.
The most significant exception to this rule are tuners, which function the best at the front of the chain (or in the separate tuner loop that is a feature of some amps). Tuners need to measure the pitch of the guitar strings, and will be much better able to do this with as pure of a signal as possible. Tuners are not going to provide a good reading after many effects, since many of them do have a minor effect on pitch.

True Bypass and Buffered Effects

o There is a misconception that true bypass is automatically a good feature on a guitar effect pedal. In some cases this is true, but in other cases, a guitarist would likely be better off with at least some buffered effects. True bypass pedals basically route the signal directly from the pedal input to output when the pedal is off. A buffer pedal will have the signal go through some circuitry, even if the pedal is off.
True bypass pedals are usually better for guitarists with only a handful of pedals. Passing the signal through buffer circuitry will alter the sound a little bit, but true bypass is not all that different in tone from passing through a guitar cable. On the other hand, guitarists with massive pedal boards will find that adding buffered pedals to the mix will help improve the signal clarity and definition. If only true bypass pedals are used in these longer chains, then it ends up being equivalent to passing the signal through a long enough guitar cable that the signal will start to degrade. Buffered pedals help to maintain the signal strength through these longer pedal boards by helping to boost and clear the signal.

One for wannabe rappers

So we have been criticised a little recently for ignoring rappers. So here’s a blog just for you on free style rap techniques.

You can find freestyle rap tips that beginners can quickly understand. Freestyle is 1 of the extremely remarkable music genres. This is really an aspect of rap music where the rapper creates a verbal rhyming and presents it a song. In case you want to understand the best way to freestyle rap well, it makes a strong sense to have fantastic understanding of words and have the capacity to put them into songs, rhythm and tunes. Most importantly, you also need to know far more about beats.

In freestyling, the words are actually not pre-written and the rapper creates sentences with words that rhyme. Then he has to think the next words and lines when he sings a specific line. With this in mind of a beginner, he surely thinks that this is something so hard to practice and perfect. Others would even thought of this as the toughest and challenging style to compose songs. There are even some people taking years before they perfect their freestyle rapping techniques.

Here are fantastic and successful freestyle rap tips it is possible to try to take a look at today so you can start building your career.

* Enrich your Vocabulary - without a good vocabulary, it is impossible for you to be the most effective freestyle rapper. Your vocabulary is certainly 1 of the most substantial tools of rappers. As freestyle means delivering words and sentences on the spot, it is vital to determine the numbers of words you'll be able to use in your songs. Try to discover and memorize words that rhyme. It enables you to master the music style. The much more knowledgeable you are with much more words, the greater are your chances of becoming a good freestyle rapper in the world.

* Discover the right basics of freestyle rapping - After having plenty of vocabulary words, the next thing essential to know is how freestyle is supposedly to be done. The delivery of words is one of the most important factors in freestyle rapping. It is therefore important to pronounce each and every word clearly so your listeners won't find it hard to understand your message. It is not advisable to be in a hurry when completing one sentence that move to the next one. The words should be retained free flowing. The simple way to do this is take note of the words you learned, play with them and create sentences out of it.

* In freestyle rap, an additional essential factor that need to be considered to successfully produce excellent rap songs is beats. Along with the rhyming words, it's crucial to focus as well on the beats and rhythm. As you've got everything in place, you can now try to put them altogether within the song and sing with the beats. Drum machines are commonly used to produce good beats.

Now that you know quite well freestyle rap tips, it is possible to start making an impressive song that can surely mark the beginning of your rapping career.