General Music Chat

All us chick singers are here in Florida, but all the rest of the band members are up north, I think. I've been looking for a guitarist, but my bass player keeps scaring them off. LOL. Last week he told one responding to our ad "Well, there are about 100 bass players in this town, & about 98 of them are better than me" WTF was that? However true that might be, don't say it! Of course that guy didn't call back! Geez, just shoot us in the foot next time! Figure Four, are you guys SURE you wouldn't like Florida???

LOL, We all love florida....who doesn't ... Just not ready to move there. I've been jamming alot lately with some cats from around here. It's fun, but I really miss playing out with F4. We really had a good thing going. It's true, you don't realize how good you've got it, till it's gone

Hi bluesguitargrl:>) I could not agree with you more. I think that females in the industry do not get the respect they deserve. I have played and recorded with various female singers, players etc over the years that were gifted musicians, that have my deepest respect. Sadley in this industry it is the total package that gets the nod....not just the musical gifts....great music should be just that....great music...regardless of who makes it. This holds true for males as well as females. I have not been a star, but have helped them on their road to success with my playing. I weigh in close to 400lbs and have most of my adult life....no way to be a front man....but I have had my success behind the scenes. Hey you can always find a place. Keep playing and enjoy. Jon

:........Johnnyrocker makes some great points . Heres my "2 cents"... I'm new here on this site , but not new to the (male or female) singer situation . Since before I can remember , my mother has been a professional jazz singer . I grew up hearing a womans point of view , about audiences , gig politics , and club owners . When I was 19 or so I started playing out on a regular basis , in a band here in DC , had a modest following . Over the course of the 5 or so years we played out , we had 3 different singers , all female . They all wanted to be the center of the show . No b.s. . To me , being in a band , you are part of a whole . What you contribute helps the overall feel of the music. I was very understanding , listened to what the wanted , and gave my all to appease them . I never had a singer tell me my stage volume was too loud or , "Hey , dont play under me!" But all the singers had 1 thing in common ; they had Lead Singers Disease . I'm not saying this is a female thing , both sexes are prone to this . David Lee Roth is a good example ... finally we had me sing . I have the blessing ( or curse ) of perfect pitch , which is a normal result of being raised by a perfect-pitch jazz-singer mom . Maybe I dont like being the center of attention , or I like to hide behind chords & arpegiating , ascending , descending , flat picked , or swept notes . I'm going on & on . My 2 cents is , when you do add a singer , be ready for them to say , " Hey ! This is MY show !". I'm not saying all singers are like this , just be prepared for something we all have in varied degree : ego .

I'd have to say that maybe there are just too many female singers down here in Fl, but I have never been like that as in the this is my show. Though I have been passed over for girls with that attitude in cover bands, even thought they griped about the girls attitude, drinking problem, etc.. But now, since I am the singer, songwriter, rythm and lead guitar player, manager, booking agent, demo passer outer... etc, etc, It kinda is my show, although I also know that without the other members there's no band to sell. But if the members can't apreciate all that I do for us, I'll play without them, even if it doesn't sound the same. I had a gig about 3 wks ago, I had told the guy month's ago that we would be playing as a band, but when the gig came, My drummer hadn't been here to practice in about 3-4 months. My bass player hasn't been seen since he went into rehab, about 4 month's ago. So what did I do? I called him, told him what was going on, asked if I could just do the show solo, and he said yes. I did it, it was a success, and he want's me back, band or no band.
Now if you talk to my (ex) drummer, he thought he was going to do the show with me and some bass player that didn't know the songs (not with me, not gonna happen) besides the fact that this particular drummer hasn't practiced in a couple of monthes, he sold his drum petal.
As far as the other band members not getting noticed... this is very true, I've been to venues with entirely different lineups, and no one noticed. And though no one in the audience notices their playing, I do, and if it's not to snuff, they will either go back to the garage and practice more, or if they don't want to do that, they will be replaced. I look at it like this, the stage is not for practice. I was tought that if you're getting paid, you better be worth it. After all you could be playing to first time listeners, and you never get to make another first impression. If the band sucks, that's all they remember.

Hey Figure Four, have you found a singer yet? I listened to the songs on your page, and was wondering if the singer was someone you guys worked with in the past? Or was she a studio musician. Not to put her down, but she has a nice tone, but aI heard a lot of notes that were out of pitch... mostly flat. Did you hear that, or am I plagued with hearing what others can not? I have been in the past. People usually think I'm being a bitch, but I can hear when a tuner is wrong. Not trying to be a bitch BTW. I asked my boyfriend what he thought about moving, he said as long as it doesn't snow. But it sure seems that it would be much easier to make a living playing where you are than where I am. Out here if you get 100$ per player, then you're considered well paid.

Bluesguitargrl,
In regards to people singing slightly off key, and tuning, I think that you may be exactly right. To use your words, you might be 'hearing what others can not.'
I am 'afflicted' by this too. I hear most singers 'sirening,' that is, hitting the note sharp or flat, and then sliding into it. I think that maybe only a small percentage of singers can hit a note dead-on.
.
And, when I tune my guitars, my electronic tuner will tell me I'm tuned perfectly, but I often will hear a string that is slightly off. I turn the key a miniscule amount to correct it, It sounds much better, but the tuner won't even register a differnce. And, I've found that other people don't hear any change at all. Nada, zip.
So - you probably have superior 'ears,' and you may be commenting on things that many people do not have the ability to hear.
.
It's like you can see another shade of color that other's cannot, right?
Alan

The girl singing on those tracks was indeed an ex-singer for Figure Four. And Yes, there are some sour notes in there Those tracks were done on a 4-track in our rehearsal studio. Late one friday night. (after a couple of soda's ) It was the only example of our band I had, to put up on the site.

gotcha... both of you.

Alan: what kind of tuner are you using?

I think bluesguitar grl...has those "BIG EARS" which are a great asset.

Jonny,
My Samick (pictured @ left) has a buillt in Grover Tuner /4 band eq.
It's fast, & real easy to tune.
I can still tweak the tuning after the needle is centered & greenlighted, though. However - it's not a problem - the tweaking I do cannot be heard by anyone else but me . . .
i play some unusual chords, however, and a perfect tuning is essential for me.
.
For my other Guitar, I use a Korg Chromatic tuner CA-30.
This one is more accurate, I believe, but it takes longer to settle down. You've got to let the strings ring for about 1/2 second longer than the Samick's tuner.
Both of these are a far cry from the days of old when I used a pitch pipe. Remember those?
Ahhh, yes, way back when . . . .

Alan

Hey Eddie,
I'm leaving EXIT 20 so I'm under my email name,rajon111 on bandmix now just so you know I'm still around to support my new bud.

Jon

Alan: sounds good, i am of the same school...gotta be in tune....tune it or die

i do remember the pitch fork......guess I am old

Jonny,
Yeah. tuning forks are real accurate.
The pitch pipes I've used weren't very accurate, but they got you in the ball park.
I remember that they acted funny if you used them too long - the reeds warmed up, or got damp from your breath, and then squeaked . . .
In regards to tuning -
I've lost count of the number of times I've heard musicians who play an instument out of tune - it ruins the song, for me.
.
On the other hand -
I remember, recently, watching a group on tV. They were fronted by a female singer/guitarist. (Sorry - was 'surfing' - didn't catch the name; real sorry, they were good . . . )
They finished a song, and then she stopped, and tuned her guitar - all six strings, while she was talking to the audience.
I'm sure there are hundreds of musicians who'd be aghast at this.
But - my hat is off to her, and I take a deep bow in her general direction.

The audience didn't mind - they were hanging on her every word.
And - her tuning wasn't too terrible, to begin with, (compared to other groups).
To me, everything about her made her woth her weight in gold.
What do you think?
.
Hey - how about the ladies who are reading this? Any comments?
Julie?
Jamaica?
Belle? (how about 'chiming-in?)
,
Gotta stop. my fingers are so sore from playing, that it hurts to type, anyway . . .
Alan

I'm one of the hundred musicians that would be aghast......My former bandmates did their tuning between almost every song,very unprofessional.I don't care how good they are,very unprofessional.Even if the professionals do it,very unprofessional.I'm sure you got my point!!!

Jon

I'd never seen it done before, either, but she had the audience eating out of her hand, while she was discussing / introducing a new song.
.
I still think it's better than playing an out-of tune instrument, though . . .
.

Alan

Playing out of tune is far less professional than tuning between songs. Alex retunes mid-set all the time, so I'm used to it. Last night he broke a record-breaking 4 strings during our acoustic gig. He had to change & retune while I made idle chatter with the audience. During the first one I sang Mercedes Benz, which I save for just an occasion. Guess I'll have to learn a few more capella songs! Damn, those Elixir strings ain't cheap, either! He also retunes to drop D as needed, so there's more on-stage tuning. I try to group those songs together (Wanted Dead Or Alive, Blue On Black, Steve McQueen, etc) at the end of the set so he only has to do it once. He tells an anecdote about being a teenager & playing at a Bluegrass jam in the holler. He stopped to retune & one of the older pickers told him "Aw, it's close enough fer 'grass!" Not everybody can afford a guitar tech. Tune it or die!!!