How to Not COMPLETELY SUCK at Starting a Band | SpectreSoundStudios
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Want to start a band? Here are some helpful tips to help you avoid disaster! Based on real world experience and situations, so ignore at your own risk!
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Our EX-drummer once cancelled band practice 4 hours AFTER band practice was over...
holy fuck
So you're saying his timing was off?
Yes, he was a little OFFBEAT!
NOW THAT MAN IS TRUELY A LEGEND
Kearan Not his tempo.
"angry man yells practical and useful advice angrily at viewer" would be a better title, but the advice is great!
that's so you pay attention!
it sure as hell worked, keep up the great work!
SpectreSoundStudios I was imagining you’d scream at him if you’re up close and personal
that should be the whole channel name! XD
Buy a fucking watch!
"You are not the scene, you are part of the scene."
repeat this forever until death.
there are big things ahead of you my friend!
Bedroom Aesthetic Holy shit that sounds epic as fuck!
"You're merely part of it".
Even more true !
yeah agree! its not even hard. want shows? go to shows. adore your favourite local small bands. it's the circle of life for bands. eventually a new bunch of dudes in a band will lord your band and then you get to give them a leg up.
Anndy Negative what's my scene
Damn Ben franklin is roasting them band members
lol
He looks like Ben Franklin and sounds like Alex Jones😂
"here's a hint, it isn't your amp settings" you should make that a shirt..
Amen
While I agree with that 99%, I can only help but think there's going to be the 1% of guitarists out there that will say "See! I don't suck even though I scoop my mids!"
and playing as a group is harder than playing alone.
Jt Hodges yes
Jt H. It is
When I asked my rhythm guitarist to practice the set list at home his response was "but I already learnt the songs." I then had to explain the difference between learning a song and practicing it.
If he could remember the chords and the patterns and I wouldn't of told him to practice in the first place!
He doesn't sound very smartly.
This is actually a concept that is foreign to many musicians, and it shouldn’t be.
I disagree. If they already know the song I don't want them practicing it alone. That's how bad habits not conducive to performing as a whole band come about.
I think there’s problems if you are having to tell each other to practice.
This could have been a 10 second video Glenn. "How to not completely suck... ACT LIKE YOU GIVE A SHIT." Lol
Like theusual musician would get that right
You seem to have some common sense +brntgrbl, you obviously are not a musician.
Mauricio Alonso Garrido - I'm a guitar player and I have common sense. That just means I am NOT a bass player! 😂
From personal experience(and trust me, that involves my own mistakes), that's not enough, you gotta break it down into subjects.
In every genre other than metal, the bass player is the only grown up in the band. I have been a bass player for decades and I have learned to always carry spare strings, spare cables, and a tuner for the asshole pothead guitarists I've gigged with who simply can't be bothered to make a simple checklist of what to bring to a show.
"Tell your girl friend to stay the hell out!"
John Lennon: Looks at Yoko Ono. "Fuck it."
l think that's where it all started
Andres Alvarado And this is why Yoko Ono fucking sucks!
Chris Schneider Much like Lennon did.
John looks at yoko: "Nah, it'll work for us..."
I have another good tip for playing early-on gig: Be humble. Don't be a primadonna with a lot of strange 'principles' for your band. For example I once arranged a show with my band and two others. On the day during setup the singer from one of the bands said to me 'hey we have a principle of never playing first'. Seriously, what kind of shit is that for a band that had only had one show prior.
That's not actually a "principle". A principle would have some sort of moral or moral-esque foundation to it. That's just an idiot thinking he deserves more power than the people who are bringing the audience. He should've been told "Well then, you're not playing at all, and you're also getting marked down as a no-show for your opening time slot."
knaengt i totally agree. ego problams sucks ! special when u r nothing but trying to impress kids !!
Those idiots are the best. Let them play last, so you can be first and get wasted faster since you don't have to be able to play at midnight. We always play first if possible
knaengt .
knaengt lol
Ages ago I played bass in a just-forming band and the drummer kind of sucked. She couldn't keep tempo, but it was somewhat improving as long as the beats were straightforward. Third rehearsal I walk into the space to find a bigger audience. She brought her (jealous) boyfriend plus 2 or 3 other friends. This pissed me off. And she had to show off during practice, which made sure the drumming was all over the place, except the right one. Fuck it, if an entire band starts looking at the bass player to keep the tempo and I am nodding my head like a fucking metronome to be ignored by the drummer, it's shit. Fucking crap fills all over the place. Third or fourth song in, I unplugged in a quiet part, put my bass in its case and said "This is not going to work out, good luck". Walked out, never went back. Spoke to some of the other folks a little while later. Most others decided the same after I was out.
hillie47 Good call.
Dang
Holy shit
That's why you should never bring your girlfriend/boyfriend to a gig or to a studio, good thing you left, it's best for you as a musician and for your former bandmates.
I think it depends on the scene, the band and the girlfriend/boyfriend if they are welcome during rehearsal. I don't know if I would generalize it into a "don't bring your girlfriend"-rule. All I know is that inviting people to a rehearsal when the band is just starting out (third rehearsal!) and beginning to form is just wrong. Especially without asking the other bandmembers if it's okay to bring people. Back in the days when I still played in a band, our rehearsals have always been "closed" for everyone. Sometimes we did invite people (friends or other bands we were friends with) to judge our material and get feedback. But that was when we all, as a group, decided to do this. Not one member just bringing random people who nobody else knows and I'd actually be pretty pissed about it. You had no choice but to walk out.
Spot on!
Thanks, man! :)
Frog Leap Studios Ui
Frog Leap Studios you yourself are a walking band.
Woah what you doing here Frog leap studios
What is this? a crossover episode
Step one- start a band with a weird name like Fecal Matter
Step two- change that band
Step 3 start a new band with a cooler name.
Step 4 when your drummer leaves get a new one that's named Dave
Step 5 have low self esteem
Step 6 buy a double barreled shotgun
Step 7 profit
Dysania nirvana FTW
yeah boiiiiii
Nirvana omg 😂😂😂
8. Make sure the drummer makes his own successful band
Worked wonders for Mayhem too.
BenJ HD As a vocalist guitarist
Thanks now I have something to show my guitarist who isn't really my guitarist because he hasn't showed up to any rehearsal yet
@M.r. Moon
Yea... That's a really rough thing to come to terms with. Especially when you were supposed to be "partners." Not trying to make excuses or anything, just putting this out there so that if anyone in a similar situation sees it... The writing's on the wall. I've been there and if people can learn from my mistake/s, then good
When months tick by and he keeps bitching about trying to find time yet continues to date, fuck that guy. No, seriously... Fuck that guy. When you have to find out that he's going on a two week trip abroad from a Facebook update (like everyone else) versus at least a phone call telling you, he fuck out of here with that shit. When he complains that you have the luxury of being on his ass about the band because you currently don't have a job and that if you actually had one like him (where he worked 40hrs a week), you'd understand... Yet when you were working nine hours a night, six days a week AND going to school full time and STILL on his ass about the band... To hell with him. No matter how deep the relationship with the individual goes, cut that fucker loose, because he'll only drag you down.
Swear to Christ, the guy was like a wheelbarrow. I had to spend so much time and energy to pick him up to move him forward with regards to the band, yet when I'd think he was finally generating enough momentum to move forward on his own and let him go to do so, he'd drop and dig his heels in. This went on for WAY longer than I'm willing to admit in this thread. People kept telling me to get rid of him and find someone who actually wanted to do it... But ohhh no, I just HAD to think of it like "We're a team and I'm not 'giving up.'" Fuck that. I'm not saying give up anytime there's a little turbulence, but definitely bail before all you have left of the band is the burning metal of a crashed plane all around you.
I've been playing in bands since 1964 . . . Ya' I'm that freakin' old, and I'll tell ya' what kids: Glenn definitely has it right . . .
No mater what your musical genre: Practice, leave yer' egos at the door, and practice! Did I mention PRACTICE? Look I'm not a monster player, but I'm reliable, double anything with strings and frets, sing as much lead as a second tenor is able to, I show up knowing the material, on time and sober, . . . And sometimes that's all it takes.
Your profile picture made this comment way funnier than it was meant to be 😂
I hope you're still being awesome, man.
In the bible of making music, this would have to be the first chapter of the Gospel of Glenn.
Amen!
"The Gospel of Glen"..... hmmmm T-Shirt material I think?
For a T-Shirt, I would go for the "Glenn Commandments" ;-)
Glenisis
Plexyglazz lol
Haven't seen the entire video yet, but may I add:
Play with the same energy you would on front of 5 people that would would in front of 5,000
Oh man... I've been in that room. I thought it'd be amazing but admittedly, it was somewhat awkward.
Henry Rollins espoused this very sentiment in his book "Get in the Van". So wise.
Freddie Mercury always performed as if to a stadium, even in his small club beginnings.
How you do anything is how you do everything.
No Yoko Ono's!
yea coz everyone involved failed at music ???
or paul prenters!
@@Braxtonshombo DEFINITELY NO PAUL PRENTERS
Why does he sound like Alex Jones?
But one who actually knows what he's talking about...
Definitely Alex Jones voice, but my first impression was Penn Jillette!
fogbox he sounds more like Penn than Alex Jones.
Think it's his brother
@@lostinthefogbox saaaaame
20 years in this game, and I still have the eternal struggle of guys not showing up on time, or not being prepared. Young musicians, you can expect a lot of that in your careers.
Oh, and a singer who isn't too cheap to even own a microphone.. I've met ONE.
I spoke to a singer in a local pro band about that a while ago. He has his own mic (one of those old-school looking Shure affairs, so it was easy to spot) and I told him it amazes me every time that so many singers will just pickup whichever beaten up 58 is at the venue/rehearsal place. He said it's funny that it makes it a bit easier for a singer to pick up a gig if they have their own gear. Don't need to be the best perhaps, but that token of professionalism makes you stand out.
Finding the right people who are not complete flakes or douchebags is the real challenge
I liked to practice ...looked forward to it .
If you don't want to practice that's enough to know about someone.
Oddly, that's something that some potential band mates found off putting about me, is that I looked forward to the "shitty" parts of being in a band. Like being more than three months into a tour (prior military, at least in a band, I ideally wouldn't have to worry about being shot at) with the antics which would ensue and those crazy capture moments late nights in the studio. Every time I'd mention something like that, I'd see eyes milk over.
"Show up for practice"
Ok im done, i cant make a band.
Rehearsals are for practicing as a band, not a time to learn the songs! This pisses me off more than anything, showing up and not knowing the fucking songs. Listening to songs would be the very least, but some people cannot do even that, so they don't even remember the groove. Sigh.
You learn the songs better learning them as a group. It creates a much more personalized feel. I understand if you are learning "Master of Puppets" you want everyone to know their parts but if your learning "Rumble" or "What Goes On" everyone should get on the same page together so that people don't get to rigid before idiosyncrasies are developed.
@Martin arguelles It sounds like you need a new band or simpler material. Also, how often are the practices? My band does about 3 times a week. We don't really "brush up" between practices much.
One time I was asked to fill the place for a drummer who could not make it to a gig, I was noticed tow weeks prior. It was enough time to make something good happened I really was exited for the challenge to learn 7 of their songs and perform, and then... The band did not wanted to rehearse in my house where I had a drum kit, they did not wanted me to bring a small version of the drum kit to their houses because of space (to lazy to move stuff around, they had big houses), they refused to give me any recordings of their songs even though they did had recordings ("we don’t have enough of them so we will give you one once we make copies" very stupid excuse, they never gave me one), and they only had one rehearsal where I was invited, I was playing over notebooks pretending to be drums. I ended up jamming over their entire menu, and they got mad because that was not how it was supposed to sound, I was not surprised when I heard they split months later.
@@flacidhouse350 The workflow I've found best is usually write collaboratively, hone individually, practice + demo collaboratively, then go home and tighten it up before bringing it to the stage or studio. But then I'm never able to meet with people even once a week, so being able to practice solely as a group is impossible because we'd forget the songs by next practice.
@@drpibisback7680 My guitar player and I are always working on something. We've got something called "the smooth jam" that has been in development for over a year. We write, hone, and practice at once.
I could add a bunch more from my experience. One would be: if you are opening for a band, start on time!!! Don't say "There are not enough people here for us to start." I have heard this so many times. IT IS NOT YOUR SHOW!!! YOU ARE OPENING!!!
Finally I got a video which I can show my fucked up band mates.
Fr3akymet4l good luck man!
Thanks.
But they saw it nearly at the same time as me so the effect was broken.
...also they think they were still right with everything they do....
Fr3akymet4l Dude, if it's not gonna change, dont waste your time and money, leave and either write your own stuff or start a new band. Totally worth it!
I don't have the opportunity to start a new band with serious band members but the old one already doesn't exist anymore. I think I'm going to write my own stuff more intensively soon...
Fr3akymet4l Go for it! That's what did, started writing my own stuff and then another opportunity to start a band came up.
Step one: Turn the bass down
Step two: Kick Dave Mustaine out
Step three: Buy a wah pedal for your new lead guitarist
Step four: Get a new bassist just because you can
Step five: Tell the bassist to stay out of the guitarists business
Step six: Make an album
Step seven: Deal with mediocre reception
Step eight: Try easier songs
Step nine: lead guitar leaves because of "reasons"
Step ten: less and less gigs because nobody hires you
Step eleven: drummer leaves because they are going nowhere
Step twelve: Bassist becomes soloist and tries to make a living
Step thirteen: girlfriend leaves because they can't be supported
Step fourteen: kicked out of apartment and in debt because of all the expenses
Step fifteen: call old friends and try to get the band back together
Step sixteen: they tell you to fuck off
Step seventeen: parents disown you
Step eighteen: go to the top of a building and just sit there.
Step nineteen: contemplate life
Step twenty: lean off edge
Step twenty one: consider your actions
Step twenty two: do it
Step twenty three: Fucking do it
Step twenty four: ....you jump....
step twenty five: make a band with satan in the after life
Bellitsima ^
Дмитрий Авдеев Metallica?
@@ashershometown Reunite with Meyhem*
My band has a group text chat and we also are lucky enough to practice at two of the band member's school that has in-ear monitor systems in the practice rooms which is very nice, because then we can play to a click when we're practicing for the studio and we can hear our vocals when we practice. It's great
Ying-Kai Dang it's just like Avioms and we have to provide our own in-ears but it's a private university that gets donations from people that have enough money to always get the next best thing and don't have a need to keep the things and because my college recently added a football team the music department suffered, because why not you know?
Pun King we just bit the bullet and put together a set-up that allows us to mic our cabs, or run di, and run our pa through, but it's definitely something to research and save up for
FM transmitters and regular personal radios with good earphones. Comes to less than $100 per person.
The last band I was in had a separate mixer and a headphone patch-bay so we could all wear in-ear monitors with our own individual mix in it.
It worked wonders.
I plugged my bass pre-amp into it and the only time i ever actually turned the amplifier on was when we had people over to watch us jam.
You want to get your band air-tight in a hurry? That will do it.
You have no idea how many small mistakes are in your playing at rehearsal until you hear every one of them perfectly.
Plus, it was really great to be able to leave rehearsal without your ears shrieking in pain.
until you play a gig with absolutely NO in-ear systems.. then you're fucked because, "awhh man we don't have any monitors, How ever will we perform without our click track or backing multitracks?!" In-ears are dope, don't get me wrong, but people tend to rely too much on them these days. Source: Mariah Carey
Best advice, don't be afraid to suck. Also, if you suck, realize you do, and let it bother and drive you into getting better. Also you can still have stage fright, just learn how to harness the extra energy and anxiety into a pumped up show. I used to be a nervous mess before any show, but I got better at letting it essentially 'scare' me into focusing on playing right, then once you've calmed down from that, you're usually into the 2nd verse of the first song, from there is where I'd be ok.. Any issue after that I could handle with a joke or by continuing to play through the mistake, most people won't notice the mistake, but if you stop or point it out visually, then people can sometimes realize you fucked up haha
The group chat advice is top notch - until you have band mates who will check the chat, and then not respond. I never asked difficult questions, just things like "Are you available to practice on Sunday?". It's either "Yes", "No", or "I'm not sure". Not fucking rocket appliances.
This! My god it's annoying
Bring your own PA to practice and you can get two birds stoned at once.
3:53 the white stripes
He sounded like alex jones there
More like 6:15ish lol
lots of great tips here. One thing that I always remembered was something my High School band director (yes I was a band geek) told us. The Performance starts when you walk in and ends when you leave. This means everything you do, be it interact with the staff, talk to fans/ other bands, and how you present yourself will be remembered almost as much as how you sounded onstage. If you treat everyone at the venue like shit, but sound like Led Zeppelin, people will still not like you. If your band is so so but everyone is professional, you will at least get the chance to come back.
"I'm Marinating chicken" That's the best excuse for not showing up for practice I've heard so far
I think the problem is a lot of people take the whole "rock n roll", "don't give a shit" mentality way too fucking seriously. A lot of big rock and metal bands have this kind of image, but people don't realise how hard they are actually working behind the scenes. Not too mention they are BIG bands.
It worked for Kurt Cobain because he was... well... Kurt Cobain. It's NOT going to work for you. Grow up.
MrJoobafob Kurt Cobain DID cared about his work, he wasn't the "don't give a shit" guy ( in his music)
I totally agree with the original post! Read some biographies on the bands that "didn't give a shit", they gave total commitment to their band to make it, THEN they gave the impression that they were reckless and didn't give a shit, but the music should ALWAYS come first...
is it strange that the drummer in my school band can tell the time but can't keep it ?
Unfortunately a lot of drummers can't keep it. Especially the ones who can only play loud ...
this is why im going to make a solo project
Owen Charles nice picture. Leprosy is a great album
You and everyone else. Good luck with that.
Still need instrumentalists
I’m in a duo, so I’m halfway there.
Shining Flare Gamer why?
pls don't shout at me... I don't even know you dude :(
It’s called tough love.
Seth Belfort I’m old fashion yes
Working on getting guys together for a band now... Thanks man
I’m a guy, but geography is a helluva thing.
good luck, hope you have a thick skin.
Its hard to find rockheads in Finland:( There is lot of metalheads but no one actually likre classic rock.
touko there are plenty of rockheads in San Francisco.
Crack is everywhere.
Look for guys wearing Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin shirts and ask them if they own an acoustic or a fender strat, classic rock harem found.
Not too surprising considering your country is home to some of the most amazing metal bands in existence
I live in the southern America and literally all people listen to hear is country it gets super annoying
I guess if you live in some backwater town in the middle or north. I live in Tampere and have been surrounded by all kinds of musicians all my life. For example, many play in metal bands, but belt out Hank Williams when they're not tearing up a club or something. And vice versa, some of my friends play classic rock or garage rock, but still belt out some Meshuggah or Car Bomb every now and then. And lastly many tend to just take all these influences and stuff them in a blender and play their own kind of stuff, not being restricted by genre, which is in my opinion, the most amazing thing.
I love how even 1080p quality of YT can't save Glenn's voice from clipping
NOTHING CAN RESTRAIN HIS POWER
@@innocentlilkilljoy9831 lmao
Viewing this should be MANDATORY during every band's first practice, depending of course if everyone showed up on time!
Musicians & bands should checkout the venue ahead of time like a month advance which they are going play at, to make sure the stage is big enough for everyone's mega air craft carrier pedal boards and still room for your drummer.
3:38
Haha
My boyfriend is the drummer and I'm the bassist.
We actually started the band before we started dating but we're close friends anyway and have been for 2 going on 3 years.
Lucky
damn dude! you should do a book for dummies.
The issue is... Bassists can't read.
sadbuttrue319 We can read! We're too stonerfried to remember what we just read. Comprehension is what we lack... Lack of Comprehension is a good song.
Dude, your name is gold.
He's doing videos for dummies.
Videos for dummies and drummies
I don't actually like every video these guys put out, but this was really sincere and really helpful. Most of the viewers must have already been through a lot of these issues, but I really wish the new guys on "the scene" can have the humbleness to learn from other people's mistakes.
I remember a band that I gathered when I was more experienced on which none of them could take it seriously anything, from learning the songs to focusing on rehearsal. And yep... taking yourself seriously and not being ashamed to suck is what it takes to get better and be good at some point in the future.
I CANT AGRERE ENOUGH WITH THE SINGER'S VOCAL AMP!!!!!! The akillies heel of ANY singer is that NO ONE CAN FUCKING HEAR THEM...sometimes for the best, but they absolutely fall apart when it comes to playing live where everyone can hear how little they practice because of the lack of an amp
*AGREE *Achilles
*Please leave.
Once i've recorded a band, which never heard their vocalist too well at rehearshal. After recordings the band broke up.
It's also a good idea for singers to hear themselves. If a singer doesn't warm up especially, that singer can easily go off-pitch. A monitor in some way is helpful. Unless you are doing acoustic or have the volume of an opera singer, being mic'd is a great idea. If you are doing metal or hard rock, you should have a PA.
I started using in-ear monitors at rehearsals after briefly auditioning for a band whose guitarists were so loud, that their amps drowned out my vocals _in my in-ears!_
Needless to say, I declined the offer.
DAMN Glenn! Too much truth in this one. Needed to show this to my bandmates seven years ago. My rhythm guitarist lived with his dad who had a big shed we could practice in. I used to drive an hour one way to pick up my vocalist and bring him back to this shed. One practice, and I will never forget this, I showed up right on time after making a two hour long trip to pick up the vocalist and called this guitarist. No answer. I waited 15 minutes and called again. No answer. Knocked on his front door. No answer. Knocked on his bedroom window. No answer. Called again- this time he answers. He can't come out because he's taking a shower. Thirty minutes later, I call again. He's waiting on his pants to dry. 30 minutes later. No answer. Left him a message and left. All he had to do was unlock the door to the freaking shed. And this happened more than once.
"It's NOT your amp settings"
Sounds like an SMG t-shirt to me!
As a hopeful death metal vocalist, I think I've come along well but thanks so much for the advice on what to go for to bring myself to a level I can't reach alone! Will be buying Zen of Screaming once I'm employed again
Ive been thinking about starting a band with my friends and the advice in this video seems very helpful. Straightforward and to the point, its wonderful.
I used to scream and switched to singing and man Im still using The Zen Of Screaming warm up. It did wonders to my voice. Before I started using it I was losing my voice all the time, mainly because I had just started but there are loads of vital lessons in the dvd.
I love watching the Distressor go nuts when Glenn does his super loud and aggressive voice. I have no clue why I find it so entertaining.
Mezmarizing
Sonic youth was an example not date or marry band members also smashing pumpkins
ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, White stripes
Sonic Youth fell apart after 30 years because of a marital problem. Yes, they lasted for a pretty long time and were a legendary act, but they ultimately weren't an exception to the rule.
Oh man... there is too little of this kind of advice on TH-cam. We're too much caught up in the madness of outshredding and outgearing each other. My biggest pet peeve are vocalists who don't shell out for their own amplification. "Hey guys can we use the band fund to get a PA?" No.. Mr. Vocalist... everyone else in the band has dropped $2000 on our respective individual gear.
I know exactly where you are coming from Glenn! literally dealt with every single one of those problems with the last band I was in, and guess what? We broke up because, "we weren't making enough progress." Now I'm stuck with a half finished album that I'm gonna have to do the rest by myself.
I agree on everything but, a singer buying a PA?
Who owns a garage and use it for practice, maybe, but unless the bands practice several times a week it's better to rent a rehearsal room for the hours instead of building your own one.
I would say that a singer needs his own wireless microphone, his ear monitors, and would never need his PA for a concert, so he can save the money.
Are bands in Canada supposed to provide the mixer, cables and microphones as well?
And what if you play keyboards, do you have to split the PA with the singer or rent a channel? :)
ChristianIce I think he means buying a PA just for practice and rehearsals because most venues have their own PA system. Having in ear moniters is a must and will usually be plugged into the sound board and unless you do disgusting things to your mic you don't need to bring one.
What's wrong with a singer buying a basic PA to practice with? Every other musician has to dole out cash for their equipment. Drummers dole out hundreds just on sticks and accessories, then at least 1000 bucks for a basic kit and cymbals, guitarists have to have amps, cables, and pedals, and bassists have high powered amps too. Any keyboardist generally shells out 2-5 grand for their setups and that doesn't include amplification either. Everyone has to do their part. Everyone should buy their own mics as they all may have different preferences. It sucks that musicians have to stretch a buck, but welcome to life. Just because a vocalist was "born" with their instrument, doesn't mean they get out of financial obligations to a band. Back in my day, that's how singers usually got the gig, as they had their own PA.
+Jacksofa
It's like buying a PA to practice a trumpet, you simply don't need it.
You need a PA to play live or for a rehearsal with a band, and in most cities you can't just bother everybody from your garage, you need a sound proof room.
Sure, maybe my point is not valid for who lives isolated with no neighbors, but I guess that's the exception more than the rule.
+Topher
It's a good thing to have a quality mic you can trust, that said...I don't see how having a PA without a mic is going to serve any purpose :)
ChristianIce I think you have a valid point, these days it's so cheap to rent rehearsal space hourly rather than monthly that the purchase of a PA might not be necessary for most bands, however, it's not a bad idea to invest in one anyway, especially considering that they can usually be found used fairly inexpensively on Craigslist.
Hey! Just wanted to say I love your channel. Even though I suck as a musician and know nothing of mixing and recording I'm still learning a lot from you. You put things in easy terms, and truly make it enjoyable to watch. Keep up the awesome work man \m/
All of the best band leaders are drummers.
Best advice for starting a band, "power Trio." It's easier to manage and if it's good enough other people will want to join. Then the new lead singer, lead guitar player, and/or keyboard player will understand that they are superfluous.
Glenn. I absolutely LOVE your channel and content. Just subscribed. I'm a guitar player looking to get a band together for the first time, this vid really gave me some solid direction. Keep making great stuff man, and I'll keep liking the vids.
practice, practice? practice!
we talkin practice?
There were almost a dozen times during this video that I wanted to hit the thumbs up button again.
what if there is no metal heads in your city other than your band members and you are struggling between finding right audience to play for or to sacrifice your genre and play mainstream. ( which I hate doing )! what to do in this situation ??
We had similar issue when we started a few years ago. The trick is, you have to try to push at regional level and pull people in. When we started there were no other active metal bands (the two bands that are like 200 years old and play like once a year don't count) and very narrow audience. Start playing regionally with bands in surrounding towns, especially the ones with bigger more lively scene. Then organize events at our town (you shouldn't play at all of them to avoid getting people sick of listening to your band every time), inviting people and bands from broader area that you made relationships with. In turn those people will invite local metalheads that you might not have known existed. Make the events a regular thing, perhaps occasionally inviting a "famous" band to pull the people in from the broader area. The regularity will build stable scene - No bands=>no gigs=>=>no fans=>no bands. You have to break the cycle of death at every level.
It will not be easy! It will cost you a lot of gas, time, and sometimes money if you seriously want to break through...
thnx for the suggestion dude \m/
If you want to play what you want to play do it at home. If you want to play out play what people want to hear.
Dude, love the videos!! After the drummer joke at the beginning I immediately hit the like button. Also great video sending it to my band mates!!
Greetings from Texas!!
I'm in my high school's jazz band and I have to say we had problems with people learning the songs at rehearsal the first couple of weeks (we still do, but not nearly as bad). We have three drummers, and one of them has a habit of conveniently not showing up until the other two finish setting up the kit (didn't even show up the first practice). Some of our players desperately need to see this video.
I love watching the levels fly on the console in the back.
Stuff You Need to Know
by Rude Intelligent Metal Guy
Man Glenn, you're making that Compressor/Limiter work hard back there!
Thanks for the advice, going through all of this pain right now lol. Seems like i'm the only one in my band who has a competent sense of music.... Or competent sense of common sense. (I play guitar, surprise.)
Samantha Atkinson same
you need a new band then ;)
Hey i'm willing if you are :P
where do I sign up
Aww i'm honoured lol :D
you probably scare alot of people into being good more often than you inspire them, keep up the useful information, we all love your videos!
This hits me on a personally emotional level...
before I fronted bands, I regularly went to Karaoke bars. good way to practice live vocals and having a bunch of strangers eyes staring at you. and by the time I was at my first gig with an actual band, I was not nervous whatsoever. just a tip for anyone who wants to be a frontman but tends to get a little nervous in front of people: try karaoke.
Nice death note shinigamis rule
Omg the show up on time and singer gripes are right on the nose! I’m very seriously on the verge of just playing to backing tracks live. I rarely take on singers too because of the things you mentioned.
Glenn is like the Alex jones of guitarist
David Shaba Naw, more like Penn Jillette.
Cupping the mic turns the freaking vocalist gay!!
@@drummeralbertrivera9577 holy shit that is actually really accurate
helpful tip for those starting: The sound on stage is not the same of the sound for the crowd. What you are listening on stage wont be the same of what the audience is getting. Chances are outside would be great mixed while on stage would sound like crap.
Ideally there would be two separate mixiing engineers, one for the audience, one for the stage. Or there would be two separate signal paths and mixes on the main mixing board. Or the sound on stage would be made acoustically with your own amps and only the vocals would be send to the monitors. But be assured the front would sound vastly different.
Make sure what settup you have and who is in charge for the sound on stage. If you want more of something in your monitors, or if theres a feedback happening the guy at the front desk wont be able to do anything about it, so stop making signs or talking to him. Turn around and talk to the guy on the side of the stage ;)
I’m gonna try to form a band called ToothpiX when I’m a little older
Oh my god... this may have been the best video I've seen all day
Our band has a face book.group chat. What I would have given for something like that back in the day.
I guess this one the advice that im looking on for years. Thank you glenn
A huge problem I've encountered is when someone doesn't fuckin respond to messages. One band I was forming with some friends, the guy we wanted to play bass for us rarely spoke in the chat and when he did it was something stupid like "can I smoke in your house?" It's frustrating when no one communicates.
I want this mans voice in everything. Everything would be better through that fine fine filter of a larynx
Homeless looking guy giving words of wisdom
Oddly presented and 100% right. Bravo.
Steer clear of The Zen of Singing. Vol 1 AND Vol 2. They are worthless. They don't teach you how to scream - at all. In Vol. 1 all you get a few warmup exercises and the rest is nothing but her students talking about about great Melissa Cross is. And that goes for Vol 2 as well.
Save your money and watch Brandon Kennedy on TH-cam.
Kevin Richards RPM Vocal Studio The Zen of Singing?
Or get some Ken tamplin, that guy’ll teach ya anything
Step on a lego if you wanna scream
This is solid advice Dude. I hope the young people are listening to you, instead of just hearing you.
Hey, now my band, Caution Tape might succeed at making punk
"Get new fuckin strings" was the best life-changing advice I got from this channel. Such a cheap thing to make such big difference.
Hey Glenn! I'm starting a band with a couple of my friends, but none of us play the bass guitar. Is bass really needed to achieve great sound?
We're a drummer, two guitarists and a vocalist
hmm don't know what type of music you are going to play, but im guessing it's metal... just listen to these "isolated" tracks... or "backing tracks" without the bass... they all sound a little flat... no matter how much "bass" you add to the guitar amp, it wont replace the actual bass... i know the channel uses to mock bassplayers but they aren't "useless"...
As much hate as bassists get, they are definitely vital for most genres of music. Given you find a good bassist, they will lock in the groove with the drummer and add some serious roar to your overall guitar sound.
You need a bassist, unless yall are both playing on 8 string guitars like AAL. You don't need a virtuoso either, just someone who has a good sense of rhythm and timing (we exist, I swear!)
Go around to local gigs and stuff, jam with other musicians and you'll find the bassplayers that don't suck pretty quickly.
Colafani Well, you'll need a bassist. They're underrated and most of them are useless cunts, but the truth is the bass is the "lifeflow" of the band. Go to a local music store or music community, jam with whoever brings a bass, and you'll know who doesn't sucks.
This is coming from a bassist.
Get a bassist. In any area there are about 50 starving bassists that you can feed for a month with just 1 gig
Love this guy he gets straight to the point no bullshit.
I wish I could be in a band here in nyc no one plays music where I live. It doesn't help I'm antisocial. I'll keep playing and maybe someday I'll join one. I'm gonna keep eating ass tho.
In new York City? Do you live underground?
Der Panda for real! Try finding a good band in the MIDWEST. It’s WAY HARD.
Id like to extend an olive branch for the V players: I used to have 2, so i know. Sometimes the manufacturer (looking your way, Jackson!) Will put the jack on the bottom fin, so the entire time you're playing, theres a cable digging into your leg.
you scream a lot i like metal too
The last point about supporting the local scene is a really good one. I go to quite a few local gigs (not all of them: time and money don't always allow it!) and I'm friends with quite a few people in quite a few local bands. I would hope that my support is returned if, in the far and distant future, one of the many projects I'm working on may eventually get to a stage where I feel like it wouldn't suck being played live.
Until then, I still need to work on having a good selection of songs to play, and the right musicians to play with!
Listen to this guy, kids, he knows what he's talking about.... that's why he was able to start so many successful bands himself.
Good point
man ive been Thinking of making a Band When im in high school. and Play at shows With other band Mates, Honestly Dude Your Getting me so hyped Rn, Your the best man Much love 👌🙌🙏
Omg all of this is so true and half of this I tried
I would add: be nice and respectful with people, being respectful with everyone at the venue can make the difference between being able to play there again or not. This is especially true if your local options are limited.
Hey Glenn. I watched the zen of screaming part 1 and 2. You proved that cupping the mic is not a good thing while singing. What about screaming? I mean if you are at practice or somewhere like that its almost impossible to hear yourself or be heard. And Melissa Cross says you need to cup the mic. What do you think about that?
YES !!!!! THIS !!!!!! Perfectly stated. I love the recurring theme of f**king PRACTICE. And it's crucial to remember that:
1) 'playing ' is not the same as 'practicing'. It makes me sick when I think back to how many times I've had to suffer through some unprepared bandmate defend his poor performance by saying - "Man, I've been PLAYING it."
2) Once you have learned the song you are working on - you have not reached the finish line - this is where the practice BEGINS.
3)Practice the newly learned song AT LEAST 25-50 times per day until your next band rehearsal - do this and you will walk in prepared.
4) Individual practice is only a piece of the puzzle. You must practice your material as a band. Running through your band's set - once or twice a week - is not practice. Band practice entails working out the weaker parts of your set - fixing them - then playing them over and over. I've literally spent a 4-hour practice - with a band- working out one difficult transition in a single song. It paid off.
5) When the practice pays off - don't stop. A sad post-script to my little rant here is regarding a band I was in. We followed Glenn's rules and the rules I've listed above - and started to gain a little momentum and local popularity. As soon as that happened - some of the members let it go to their head - practices were missed and shows suffered. The reputation of being a 'tight' band went to sh*t - just because a couple of idiots didn't know how to deal with a little success.
Sorry to go on and on ..... but man, after 35 years of playing - and suffering countless fools - I can't stress this enough - success at anything comes down to a single f**king principal - PRACTICE !!!!
I feel like this guy has a massive chip on his shoulder
You have a massive chip on your balls.
he's had years of putting up with flaky "musicians".
Great video dude!! I played my first gig at age 16 back in the 80s -- the Mom of a friend of the band was manager of the officers club on a navy base near where I lived (Norfolk Va) -- we only knew about 10 songs, so we played them (You Really Got Me, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Panama, Cold Gin and the like, plus an original called 'Gonna Rock You' among others) - then we took a break and set 2 (haha!) we played them again! - for the third set I had the brilliant idea to play them in reverse order from the first two sets so it sounded a little bit different (lol) -- and we added a blues jam and faked our way through Bad to the Bone on the fly -- crowd was mostly our parents and friends but we had a blast and it started me on a lifelong journey