...Playing in a band can be one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of your life. The camaraderie, creativity, exhilaration, and fun involved makes starting a band an exciting prospect. But how do you go about putting one together? What do you need to do for your band to hit the ground running and be ready for the challenges it will face down the road? Many people might not realize how much hard work goes into forming a band whether you want to stay in the garage or the next Led Zepplin. Because music often involves a serious time, emotional, and sometimes monetary investment, it's important to do everything you can to assure it will be a positive experience. OK, so you're really ready to start a band. What should you do first? The answer: nothing but think. Before you do anything, you'll need to establish as many details about your future band as you possibly can. This way you'll know exactly what you're looking for in a bandmate and what direction the band will take. You wouldn't walk into a car dealership before deciding what kind of car you're looking for, right? So first you must figure out what musical genre you want play, such as: metal, hardcore, jazz, ska, country, or even a combination of many styles. What will your instrumentation be? Would you prefer a stripped down trio of guitar, bass, and drums, or would you rather have multiple guitarists, a keyboard, and/or a horn section? How many vocalists will there be? This is usually a pretty easy part considering...
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...Crystle Clark Mari Wolf CWIII Music is the key to the soul For all of time music has been a way to express ones feelings. Right before a Football game the band plays, at a wedding the bride and groom pick one song to be their first dance and at church the congregation sings hymns. Just as each song is unique, so are the musicians that compose the music. This essay will address a dear friend of mine, a musician named Nick Bonner and his many accomplishments, with his education, a band member, and for his future in music. Nick Bonner and I have known each other for many years and he is a dear friend of mine. Nick is very eccentric and unique. The both of us went to Jackson High School and attended Hocking College. He Graduated with an Associates of applied business majoring in music business specializing in audio performance and production. He also has an Audio engineering certification from a production studio in Chillicothe Ohio. Like I said before, Nick is very unique he as always carved out his own path. Nick is a long haired, free thinking, opinionative person. He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in or to say what is on his mind. I asked Nick what made him want to become a musician and as he sat there at his computer with his guitar in hand, he looked at me and said “first and for most to express myself, secondly I want to make people feel the way my favorite musicians make me feel”. In order to be fulfilled in his career he has to be constantly setting...
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...sitting behind my drum kit on a hot afternoon, hitting the skins with precision and passion - rehearsing for our bands first show. New Era was ready, we were practicing our audition song "Word Up" and by the time we finished the first hour of practice, we started the second hour - there is no substitute for hard work. The moment our band, New Era, entered the St. Mary's Battle of the Bands competition we knew we would have to work hard from the very beginning if we wanted a chance to perform alongside some of the greatest school bands in the country. Donovan, my twin brother and lead guitarist, informed us that we will be auditioning in only 3 days time - we could not contain our excitement. We departed Southdowns immediately after the last school bell rang. We managed to fit 20 people into a 15 sweater mini van - yes that's right, South Africans in transit. The trip was surprisingly quiet, the only noise in the bus was the sound of my drum sticks rebounding off the seat In front of me and the humming of some of the band members, humming the audition song to themselves over and over again to ensure perfection. When we had finally arrived the band was full of energy, we could not contain our excitement! We stepped onto the stage, performed our hearts out and received a standing ovation from the audience - not bad if you ask me. The results of the qualifying bands would only be posted online in three days time, we were sure we had already qualified but as Mr. Sheldon would...
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...life. The night was filled with a bunch of new experiences and memorable ones as well. I was 16 years old, was always into punk rock and the related genres, slowly transitioning into hardcore rock and metal. At the time I was not aware of the huge differences of the variety of music scenes, I was used to going to a very small local punk rock show; an environment where I knew almost everyone at the show, and more than likely the band playing as well. Well, local shows are only fun for so long. It was nearly my birthday I wanted to nothing more than to go to a real concert with names that were known by more than just the kids at my school. Sure enough I was going to get my chance! A couple of my friends were planning on going to a show, but one of their friends dropped out on them so they had an extra ticket. They offered me the ticket and I accepted in an instant! This show was consisted of 4 bands, 3 of which were on my top 10 favorite bands list. Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada and Saosin, I couldn’t believe that I was going to go see these bands live! The day of the show finally arrived, I could barely contain my excitement throughout the day, hours seemed like days while I basically watched the clock. Finally I was picked up and off to the show we went. This had to be longest rides of my life! The venue was in Royal Oak, which happened to be only 45 minutes away, but by this time I was so eager that a minute in the car might as well been a lifetime. As we were driving...
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...entertainment venue carried a truly amazing experience to the metro-plex. Many extraordinary people traveled to this concert from many different states; some patrons from California held a thin, crudely wrapped calendric object with smoke curling thickly from it like smokestacks. My friends and I, being only juniors in high school, investigated with curiosity. We know what cigarettes look like, but this peeked our curiosity. The smell came in waves along with the smoke from which seemed to crawl directly towards us. The smell being so pungent told us exactly to what curiosity lead us to, marijuana. Excited and scared our nerves jittered in our bodies as our mind raced with questions. The guys, all dressed in skinny jeans and various band T- shirts, looked us over cooly. They smiled and held up the calendric object as if to offer it to us. Overwhelmed by the offer, we stood frozen like statues. We finally moved after what seemed like years of time going by, but being only mere seconds in our buzzing reality. As we reached the group of three, our excitement seemed to dwindle as fear crept into our minds with each step. We knew not these guys; we had no clue to what they smoked. What could happen to us? Even with all of these questions, we continued to walk forward. Finally, meeting them close to a crowd of throbbing bodies, we stopped. The tallest boy of the three, an olive colored boy with deep emerald green eyes and shoulder length hair as black as coal, smiled brightly and...
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...Band members as Constituencies managing their Agent The band members as group had to decide rather to all come together or one member of the group would represent all three discussing the renewal of the contract with agent. The band member determined that it will be best for the group, since all three band members had different expectations of a salary increase the group decided each band member will speak with agent and be present. When negotiating salary as a group; the agent and band members must be on the same accord, and be ready to put everything on the table for a successful negotiation. The agent and band member working together as a team to ensure a successful negotiation is known as a collaborative strategy. “Collaborative strategy is represented by a desire to exchange meaningful and accurate information in order to reach an agreement that is best for all parties involved” (Marks and Harold, p. 373). At this point the band members will let the agent speak on behalf of the band. The agent will began the negotiations with discussing the bands fans, loyalty, and all background information of the band success. The band members and agent discussed the path ahead and centered on specific items; the band is extremely popular, especially on social media. This turns into more exposure and more fans over time. As a band they are relevant in all media. Being that their followers increased on social media, the band member’s project more sold out performances and albums. The...
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...in White and Korn are two of my favorite bands that help me to have a sense of control and fulfillment as a major musical lover. These bands have various similarities in their genres, lifestyles, and personal connections that they create with their fans, yet both are very distinct! Both of the bands Motionless in White and Korn are a form of the genre, metal. The band Motionless in White is classified as metalcore, which is also known as screamo; the band Korn is classified as nu-metal, in reference to the term new-age-metal. The instruments involved in making this type of music include many of your basics; electric guitars, drums, etc. Though both bands have these instruments, Motionless in White’s main instrument is the singer’s voices. With the way they scream, most people would not understand them, but to their fans it is amazing that one person could sound like a type of machine had distorted the voice and made it the way it sounds, and to make it presentable to the audience so that it is understandable is an art of its own! Korn on the other hand has a very unique style in the way they set up their lyrics. With this band the music is important, and has more of a rock style feel to it than Motionless in White, but the lyrics seem to be their main focus in their music. They truly use the power of words as an instrument on its own. They have a way to communicate with their feelings. No matter the song you listen to by this band, you will be...
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...early 2000’s, the genre of pop punk/emo pop was widely popular with the teen generation. Earlier bands, such as Green Day, Blink 182, and Fall Out Boy all set the stage for Panic! At the Disco to release their first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out on September 27, 2005. The lyrics on the album were composed by the band’s lead guitarist, Ryan Ross. Other main members of the band include lead singer, Brendon Urie, and drummer, Spencer Smith. Even though Panic! At the Disco has continued to release several albums, none of them have ever come close to having the same effect their first album had on the music community. This particular album has a different but catchy sound to it, story-like lyrics, and unique vocalization. To begin,...
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...Fancy Pants English 1010 Observation paper 02-23-2012 The Concert High The vast amount of cars surrounding Emma, are all crammed bumper to bumper. The cars are leisurely rolling for the next few blocks waiting to reach the same destination. Anxiety rushes over her as the starting time for the event approaches. Emma and her friends decide to find a place to park the mustang and get out and walk. As they walk vigorously past all the slow moving cars, they feel the heat from the sun kissing their backs. The stench of cigarette smoke fills the air. The sound of multiple car horns are beeping. They have one more small hill to climb before they arrive at the concert. After being searched, Emma and her friends make it through the security gates and hand their tickets to the usher. Emma hears country music playing and she can see people drinking beer and fooling around. They make their way to the sitting area and spread their pink and white poka dot designed blanket out on the cold, wet grass. Emma and her friends decide to visit the concession stand to get some buttery popcorn and an ice cold, bubbly Dr. Pepper that smells like cherry carbonation. As Emma waits for the opening act to come on stage, she and her friends stretch out on the blanket and let the cool breeze flow through their hair. They start singing along with the songs beating from the speakers. They get the urge to dance as they start with just the tapping of their cowboy boots on the grass; it then turns into...
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...Being in a band is about pursuing a love. If you get paid for it… well then that’s preferable. I’m at The Little Marionette, a tiny café tucked away off the main strip of the Sydney suburb of Annandale. It has flaking paint, and a giant window that opens up the shop to the road outside. In the front room there are a few unsteady silver tables and an assortment of wooden chairs. A sparse barista station is set up in the corner. It is barely shielded by a simple white bench top, so it shines in all it’s disorderly glory to all who enter. This is the highly acclaimed, favourite coffee stop for Jon Hart, a member of Australian five-piece group Boy & Bear. Jon leads me through the first room of the café, through a flimsy, painted revolving bookshelf wall, and into the café’s hidden quarters. The room’s décor is completely different to that of the first room. There are plush fake leather lounges and a higgledy-piggledy assortment of mirrors all over the walls. There’s even a mounted deer head prominently on display. We sit at a table and he begins to rave about the coffee. It’s so good here he’ll drive 25 minutes from his house everyday to drink it. He confesses to me, seeking out the top coffee locations in every city has become a ritual for the band. The Little Marionette is currently the winning location in Sydney. In this café full of central Sydney abiding hipsters, Jon seems to camouflage in with ease. He wears tight, dark jeans and a basic Laura Marling band tee that...
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...person band, filtering in and out. The band consisted of a man in his thirties playing the guitar and singing lead vocals, while another man in his twenties played the drums and included some background vocals. It was a cloudy and comfortable day, allowing the outdoor amphitheater to be a great place for them to play loudly. The concert was free and many people only listened for a minute as they passed through on their way to class. However, the band did ask for donations for The World Impact Club in between songs. The band was unfamiliar to most people, yet people were intrigued by the uplifting and alternative style songs. With the use of amplifiers and their music, The Generals put on a surprisingly engaging performance through the use of various media and sent a message of hope and change. The band’s main media were from the instruments and voice that they used. The leader of the band played an electric guitar and sang into a microphone. When I was walking to the event from my car in the main parking lot, I could hear the music when I was about 200 meters away. I was quite surprised that the band was playing so loud because it was on a college campus, which may be distracting to school and those studying. However, when I sat down and began to enjoy the music it did not seem excessively loud, which was a beneficial aspect of the outdoor amphitheater. The drummer was very experienced and he kept a consistent rhythm and was noticeably talented, especially for a band that is...
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...the High Sherriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood sought allies with men willing to stand up against the Sherriff and his administration. He built a large fighting force of disciplined men in Sherwood Forrest: the Band of Merrymen. Robin Hood himself was the leader of the band and delegated different functions among his four lieutenants: Will Scarlett (intelligence and scouting, collecting information on Sherriff’s moves and on the travel plans of rich merchants and tax collectors), Little John (discipline and archery skills), Scarlock (finance, converting loot to cash, paying shares of the take and finding hiding places for surplus), and Much the Miller’s son (provisioning the band). Through time, the band grew larger and larger as Robin Hood welcomed everyone who wanted to join. The band eventually became too big and that started to cause issues. Vigilance and discipline were becoming smaller and food scarcity grew, as provision for more and more people was needed. Robin Hood’s band became known for robbery and travellers started to avoid the forest, thus leaving the band with less revenues. In the mean time, the Sherriff was growing stronger and became better organized and financially wealthier. He started to mock the Band and so he had to be dealt with, before the Band itself was dealt with. Killing the Sherriff seemed not to be the solution, but his failure in collecting taxes did not remove him from office due to his alliances with Prince John. In return for amnesty,...
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...California have finally returned to the music industry. Yellowcard have just finished working in the studio for their forthcoming album ‘when your through thinking, say yes’. The band arrived in Newport, supporting fellow pop-punkers All Time Low for a joint eleven date tour. This is the first time Yellowcard have toured the UK, despite having over three million album sales under their belt and a dedicated British fan base. Yellowcard wasted no time getting to know the welsh crowd, bursting straight into ‘Way Away’, the song is a catchy punk tune, which has an addition of electric violin adding an element of uniqueness. Lead Singer ‘Ryan Key’ informs the welsh crowd that they are here to play as much music as possible, performing a mixture of tracks from all three previous albums and some new songs from their upcoming album. The bands next single ‘hang you up’ could easily set the band up for mainstream success, with its acoustic built track it really is hard not to get stuck into this song. The crowd come together and appreciate Yellowcard’s last single ‘For you and your denial’ which goes down a storm with the crowd. Not forgetting older material, Yellowcard perform some of their better known songs from their 2006 release including ‘Lights and Sound’ and ‘Rough Landing, Holly’. For a band that has been out of the picture for two years, Yellowcard have a set that is completely flawless. Concluding their performance with their 2002 breakthrough hit ‘Ocean Avenue’, the...
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...from Georgia, who played banjo and guitar with us. They were a lot of fun to jam with. Next, we went into a little room and I registered for youth bluegrass fiddle. We tried to get together a youth band, but lots of people joined and then they just left to join other bands. We finally ended up with my one of our friends, Liam Purcell, me, and my brother, John Michael, playing banjo, fiddle, and guitar, respectively. After registration, we decided to go sit down and watch the contest. We soon became hungry and decided to get something to eat. I bought a big, juicy cheeseburger with everything on it. It was delicious! When we finished eating, we walked around and looked in the vendor booths. There were T-shirts, desserts, drinks, instruments,...
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...allowing the audience to get a closer experience. The some of those in the audience were dressed in a casual fashion while others were dressed in something a little more formal. The performers of the concert were dressed in nice attire. The attire included kakis and nice buttoned shirts. Both the audience and the performers were both respectful and polite. The concert played a few pieces from the album titled “Birth of the Cool”. I liked all the songs that were played. The song that I enjoyed the most was Moon Dreams. Moon Dreams was originally composed by Johnny Mercer and Chummy MacGregor. The song itself can be labeled under the category of cool jazz. The song has a slow and chill feel to the track. The song was played by a fairly small band consisting of five different instruments. The composition of instruments consisted of a trumpet, baritone sax, alto sax, trombone, and the drums. The song at the time sounded as it was in a minor scale. The song also...
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