Advice for Musicians & Bands Tips
Read these 31 Advice for Musicians & Bands Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Music tips and hundreds of other topics.
Managing People During a Music Video
Give out specific tasks. Your shoot will be much easier and pleasant if each person is concentrating on one specific tasks. If you have dedicated friends and fans this shouldn’t be too hard to achieve.
35mm for Music Videos
Invest in a 35mm adapter and a selection of lenses. These tools alone (if used properly) will put your video in the professional league.
Music Video Location
Choose your locations carefully. The more interesting the locations, the more likely you are to achieve superior results. Bare walls make it difficult to frame interesting shots. White walls, on the other hand make it difficult to light selectively since they reflect all the light in room.
Music Video Sound System
Get a good sound system for playback. Having a proper sound system (if permitted by location) will boost everyone’s energy levels and make your video that much more fun to watch!
Food and drink
Food and drink. Make sure the band and crew are catered for. They will love you more (read: work harder) especially if they are not getting paid much or working for free.
What's your reason?
If you play music because you want to become really famous and make lots and lots of money, and you don't care who you have to step on to get there .... Forget it, it won't happen. Music is more about passion, and less about ambition.
Start With a Good Tune
Start with a good tune in your head, then try and transpose it so you can get the notes. Next, decide where you want to change chords, pick that note, and use that note for the chord; play around with the chord to get it just right.
Expect Criticism
When starting a new band, don't focus so much on people liking you. Do what you like! Always expect to have crictics. The best of them always do.
Music talk.
It's always fun to talk about music, to say what you know, and learn what you don't know. But, I would like to add, from my personal experience, that if you act like you know what your talking about, and you don't ... you might end up looking like a fool.
Don't Stereotype.
Drummers are always the dumb ones, guitarists are always the bossy ones, and vocalists/singers are the conceited attention hogs.
Not True. Don't stereotype anyone under any circumstances.
Don't Fight the Muse
Don`t fight the muse! No matter what you think of the song's inspiration, just focus on capturing it as it happens. Later you can go back and refine the song to your liking.
Music Video Equipment
Get the best equipment possible. Try getting HDV cameras. Their operation is very much like regular miniDV cameras, as they don’t cost much more to rent/hire and give a superb picture quality.
Show Your Passion
Always seize the opportunity to show others your passion ... but don't let that be the only reason why you do what you do.
New Horizons
Never limit your self to one genre. Explore and open your horizons to different types of music. Then you will be a valid critic.
Learn, learn, learn
You can never have too much practice. Practice is the key to essential playing. Make time for it, and you will see results.
Your favorite artist.
It is wise and very valuable to follow the passion of your favorite artist. Following the lifestyle is not always as wise.
Build a Band Website
Web page building is something that takes time and a lot of effort. When making a webpage, be creative, and fun, you could do all sorts of neat things with your page. Here are some ideas:
The Internet is full of shrines to artists, so it will take major creativity to make yours unique:
You can start by making a background from a collage of pictures instead of the same old solid color background, (this is a very nice touch) it will look great on your page, (black and white, or in color, it's up to you, both are great.)
It would also be fun to add a midi or other music file with a song from the band/artist. (I warn you though; sometimes music loops may get annoying)
Polls are always fun too... you can easily add these to your page by going to GlobalPollGuest.com
Of course adding facts and pictures is a must!
(Remember, don't get any images or facts from someone's else's page unless you have permission from them)
These are only a few things that can be added to your site. Brainstorm, and I'm sure you'll come up with some great material!
Defining music
Your definition of music will not always be someone else's definition of music. Keep an open mind.
Want to promote yourself?
Visit Schroeder Music to get yourself on a list and play a bunch of shows on the singer/songwriter scene in Boston.
Smusic.org
Gossip= good songs.
Are you a big gossiper? The best way to gossip subtly is through music. Write a song, use metaphors, be creative. You might GAIN more friends rather than lose them.
Your Band Page
When building a page about your musical abilities, or your band, it is always a good idea to add MP3's of yourself, or add a little loop of your music.
That way others can HEAR what you're all about, and not just read about it.
What should our name be?
It is VERY common for a new band to go through dozens of names. So don't stress too hard when thinking of a name for your band. Although the name is important, it is not the only factor to your band. Have fun with the names until you find something you really want to stick with. Be sure to remember that a name is NOT a reason to fight with other band members!
I've learned this through personal experience.
Cover songs.
People often go around critizing new bands that play only cover songs at the moment,if that's you, don't worry about it. Have fun, try some new stuff, mess around with the songs, why only listen to great songs when half of the fun is playing them!.
Learn this
Learn how to tune your guitar, or any other instrument, by ear. It's a very useful thing to know, and will help you to tell when your instrument is going out of tune.
Music, then lyrics
When you are going to write a song, try creating the music for it first, then create the lyrics.
