General Music Chat

Musicians will hate this question and answer but is
it in the best interest of The Band to adapt to a new singers
vocal abilities as opposed to what the band already has on their
song list. I mean why have a singer perform a song that
doesn't suit his voice. It only makes the band sound mediocre.

A great singer is hard to find but it can mean a lot of work
for the established band members. Will they resent the new
guy or welcome the new sound he or she brings to them?

Is that a difference between pro. and amateur?

Personally I would not want a singer that didn't fit the band! Having said that a band is a give and take relationship. I prefer not to work with folks that are so rigid and 1 sided they couldn't learn a few of my tunes, on the other hand it makes more sense for me to learn most or all of a bands tunes that I hope to join. When adding new musicians to any band I have input on, as they are learning our tunes I always ask them what songs they do well that we aren't already doing and what songs would they like to add in the future.

I see what you are saying JH but lets say the singer
impressed you and band mates enough to want him.
He can Rock the "S" out of 25% of your songs and will
learn to sing well, 25% more of them.

Still 50% of your song list is not suited to him.
So if youall have a list 50 songs long. There are 20--25 songs to be learned.

A new guitarist cant really say it's not suited to my guitar.
But that is the case with a vocalist. Right?

If thats the case Klugmo it depends on how bad you want this guy in your band. If you want him bad enough you will learn 25 of his songs. I am both a singer and guitar player. 25 songs is not a lot that should take a couple of weeks to get them tight with the band. It has been my experience that a PRO is capable of learning songs and compromising in these kind of situations. Sometimes you get a new person that wants to be in a band and comes in with that Rigid personality I described earlier and refuses to do songs. Not that they can't learn them they just won't. When I run across those types I usually pass!

The questions posed are obviously for a cover band, so...I think that you guys have already got the answers.


For an original band...if the dude doesn't fit...move on.

The new singer should make some effort to learn as much existing material as is feasible but the band should make even more of an effort to learn songs that the singer sings well. If there was more honesty in the whole process this would seem trivial and irrelevant however many people are deceitful, just to get the job.

JH WROTE:
it makes more sense for me to learn most or all of a bands tunes that I hope to join.



I believe learning a song is much different with a guitar than a voice.
If the vocalist wants to sing it well and is vocally appropriate for it.

JH WROTE:
When I run across those types I usually pass!


There is no mention of why he doesn't want to do the songs.
I think many singers are passed on because they wont conform
to the players wants. They want them to sing songs they already know
and don't have to learn reguardless of how it sounds vocally. This
situation can create the DIVA badge that some singers get.
They just don't want to sound bad.

The questions posed are obviously for a cover band, so...I think that you guys have already got the answers.


For an original band...if the dude doesn't fit...move on.

Agreed and my same though here apply.

Not an issue for us and hope it never is for we write and compose our music with our singers.

You are exactly right JD

JH WROTE:
It depends on how much you want this guy in your band.

I think it's how good do you want every song to sound.

lets say you posted a wanted add searching for a hard rock / metal singer and someone replies asking for an audition well then God damit he btr be able to do Priest G&R DIO OZZY Zepp Anthrax etc. LOL!

You are exactly right JD

Heh, heh, first time for everything. The bottom line is that the band is a backup for the singer; the singer has a specific range and style, and must have a band that compliments his or her vocal style.

Do you believe that even an originals band should
write to the singers strengths?

If you want the dude in your band and he is the singer your gonna have to fit the songs to his vocal range in order to come across on cover stuff.

Whether you like it or not your singer is the front and what everyone sees and listens too.

With competent musicians, learning a handful of songs shouldnt even be an issue. Or you can change the keys of the songs to suit the singer. I play as a stand in in a couple of outfits and they do songs in different keys to accomodate thier singer, Its a real challenge to sit in and play with these dudes, keeps me on my toes.

If hes sucking mud then the whole band will be sucking mud.

Covers or originals, the band should always compliment the singer. Musicians are just sidemen for the vocalist.