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New band, poor singer. Advice, please...


solo4652

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On 24/05/2021 at 17:37, chris_b said:

If so just play along with the drummer and enjoy the rhythm section.

This. Done it many times cause too many peeps think they can sing and they can't. I never like to quit if the music is fun and the band is tight and sounds good....A good band can often bury a so-so singer, 

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I'd give them one more go - just to be sure all around.

I've done this in the past - I'd ask that we would record 2 or 3 of the songs and then listen back to them together straightaway.

You then get a feeling for if anyone else sees any issues, and any recognition of things that are a bit patchy and need fixing.

If there is some acknowledgement that there is work to be done, depending on how much time and effort you want to invest it may be worth persevering.

If everybody else thinks everything is fantastic - when it clearly isn't -  then walk.

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Either use it for the experience, if you’re new to it all, to get your repertoire up and get a few more gigs under your belt, or walk away. 
I certainly would not start trying to resolve issues of a band I’m brand new to. 

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Being a cover band, I used to get cheesed off with the amount of people who thought you were there as a Karaoke machine for them to sing along with. Can I get up to sing? Let's see your set list. Don't you know any more songs that this? I have yet to find one single person who we let up to sing who was any good. If we said no they would usually get all shirty. I have even had guys ask to play my bass for a song.

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1 hour ago, ubit said:

Being a cover band, I used to get cheesed off with the amount of people who thought you were there as a Karaoke machine for them to sing along with. Can I get up to sing? Let's see your set list. Don't you know any more songs that this? I have yet to find one single person who we let up to sing who was any good. If we said no they would usually get all shirty. I have even had guys ask to play my bass for a song.

I blame the prevalence of open mics. Tell them where to find one of them and stop bothering you.

Better yet, put on a better show than an open mic pickup band so there's less confusion.

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1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said:

I blame the prevalence of open mics. Tell them where to find one of them and stop bothering you.

Better yet, put on a better show than an open mic pickup band so there's less confusion.

We did put on a better show than any open mic thrown together outfit but drunks will still persevere.

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5 hours ago, ubit said:

Being a cover band, I used to get cheesed off with the amount of people who thought you were there as a Karaoke machine for them to sing along with. Can I get up to sing? Let's see your set list. Don't you know any more songs that this? I have yet to find one single person who we let up to sing who was any good. If we said no they would usually get all shirty. I have even had guys ask to play my bass for a song.

I've mentioned this before, but we played a rugby club a few years ago, and our singist/guitard was using his iPad to control the PA, inears mix, etc, and a hammered girl came up to bellow in my ear (mid-song, naturally; these days I just point to my inears and shake my head sadly) 'Play some Abba!' This to three 50-year-old blokes doing a (fairly eclectic, I'll give her that) mix of acoustic/guitar-based songs*. Telling her we didn't know any was, of course, no use, because she pointed at the iPad and said 'Yes! You do! Play some Abba!'.

Oh, and we don't have a set list, so that solves telling someone to fornicate off on that front. Any other requests get 'Maybe at the end', which works a treat; either they've moved on, forgotten, passed out, or we can say 'Oooooo, run out of time, sorry.' And as for the 'Can I play your bass?' one...I've stopped even acknowledging that...

* Our favourite (and worrying most common) request is for Tina Turner. I take the time to answer that to point at the singer and saying 'Does he look like Tina Turner?'

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5 minutes ago, JapanAxe said:

Q: Can I play your bass?

A: Sorry, our equipment is only insured for us.

Ohhhh, that's far too sensible...I prefer a withering look, with perhaps a regretful shake of the head if they're not focusing sufficiently to register the look.... 🙂

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On 26/05/2021 at 15:21, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I'm in a six piece band with a husband/wife and they're both great (as are the other members) — Must be an exception to the norm.

Same here. Wife plays keys and has an absolute belter of a voice and husband plays rhythm guitar. There's never been any hint of a them-and-us vibe. Maybe we're just lucky?

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On 25/05/2021 at 14:57, David B said:

I know a mediocre singer whose big personality completely takes over when he is in front of a live audience. Bad singer but great front man.

I know one of these too. Can't fault how he gets the crowd going.

On 27/05/2021 at 11:56, greavesbass said:

A good band can often bury a so-so singer, 

Have seen it happen but only in one band. He is only there because he props himself up with talented musicians, and maintains extremely tight control over unauthorised recordings of his vocals (no YT clips allowed if their sound guy hasn't worked his magic etc).

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On 28/05/2021 at 06:00, ubit said:

Being a cover band, I used to get cheesed off with the amount of people who thought you were there as a Karaoke machine for them to sing along with. Can I get up to sing? Let's see your set list. Don't you know any more songs that this? I have yet to find one single person who we let up to sing who was any good. If we said no they would usually get all shirty. I have even had guys ask to play my bass for a song.

We had it at a 50th we were playing. Can so and so's daughter sing with you, it will make the birthday boys day... Etc etc. She was OK to be fair, very young and very shy girl but she did OK. Next there's a lad bothering our drummer for ages. Drummer hates playing a particular song so just hands the sticks to this lad, who was.... Interesting. No idea where to put fills but he just thrashed around with something that kind of fit and was OK timing wise. I wasn't happy about that at all. If anyone asks to have a go on my bass, which is rare I just say "it's left handed" as I walk away. 

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We had a dep singer once when I was in a functions band. He was actually a good singer but he just stood there and told jokes all night. We only got through about half the set. I loved it... he was very funny and we had very easy night.

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1 hour ago, MHMSWC#03 said:

I know one of these too. Can't fault how he gets the crowd going

I saw a young band once who were ok. Nothing special. Singer was ok, again not the best ever voice but boy could he put on a show. He was a great frontman.

We had a rhythm guitar player who used to stand with the most miserable face staring at what he was playing. I despaired at him and gave up telling him to try to look interested. You are there not just to play music but to entertain. This boy made you look at the band and be interested.

Edited by ubit
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On 28/05/2021 at 12:04, Muzz said:

I've mentioned this before, but we played a rugby club a few years ago, and our singist/guitard was using his iPad to control the PA, inears mix, etc, and a hammered girl came up to bellow in my ear (mid-song, naturally; these days I just point to my inears and shake my head sadly) 'Play some Abba!' This to three 50-year-old blokes doing a (fairly eclectic, I'll give her that) mix of acoustic/guitar-based songs*. Telling her we didn't know any was, of course, no use, because she pointed at the iPad and said 'Yes! You do! Play some Abba!'.

* Our favourite (and worrying most common) request is for Tina Turner. I take the time to answer that to point at the singer and saying 'Does he look like Tina Turner?'

I've mentioned this before too... during a gig with my instrumental jazz fusion trio, on a jazz night at a venue famed for its jazz gigs (a pretty strong jazz theme emerging there), I was asked if we could do Iron Man by Black Sabbath. Bloke went on and bloody on about it at every break between tunes until I was eventually forced to tell him to sex-&-travel.

Edited by Rich
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30 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

That could backfire on you if they agreed and his Mrs wasn't quite as advertised...

I’d just say “only if you buy it first” - the bass naturally as selling other humans would be illegal … unless it was Dominic Cummings and destinations in Siberia were on the table in which case an exception might be reasonable 

Edited by Geek99
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32 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I’d just say “only if you buy it first” - the bass naturally as selling other humans would be illegal … unless it was Dominic Cummings and destinations in Siberia were on the table in which case an exception might be reasonable 

They'd turn him back at the border...

Edited by Waddo Soqable
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