Live Musician Central

   This is one of my favorite choreographed music videos. It didn’t cost a lot to make of course but the time involved working out all those moves on the treadmills and then choregraphing everything must have been a lot. It does take a lot of creativity and at Live Musician Central, creativity counts!

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

Every weekend I pick several albums to post on Live Musician Central. This week iTunes has released a list of it’s best sellers of 2007. This is a great opportunity to check out and download the top music from iTunes. Remember, iTunes is now the largest retailer of music in the United States.

   The other albums I put up are determined by a couple factors. I usually put up a couple that are being heavily promoted by the music industry. These may not be albums that I particularly like but they are albums that are going to be prominent in the public conscience. It’s good for us as musicians to stay current with what’s being promoted by the industry. We can gauge what we’re doing with what is being pushed out there. It’s also a good source to choose new music for your band to learn and play live or to have on the iPod to play during band breaks. The reasoning here is that you want to play music that people will know and since the albums I post on Live Musician Central are being so heavily promoted, your chances of people knowing the music at your shows is very high.

   The rest of the albums that I post are either personal favorites or they are certified classic albums that have sold millions of copies and are familiar to a lot of people. I also like to post a few links to iTunes and a few links to Amazon’s music service. Amazon has DRM free MP3’s that are ripped at 256kbps which is excellent quality at a killer price. So make sure you check them out!

   I’m going to talk about a common problem that I hear quite often when I’m out listening to bands. It’s a problem I’ve encountered working with various musicians in my studio as well. The problem that I’m talking about is the use of several different electronic tuners while tuning the various instruments in a band. You would think that a tuner is a tuner and that they’re all properly calibrated but the truth is that any individual tuner can be slightly out of calibration. If you have two different tuners and they’re both a little bit out of calibration, let’s say one is slightly sharp and the other is slightly flat, you’ll hear a big difference in tuning between the different instruments that have been tuned on them. The audience will simply hear an out of tune band which isn’t good for any performance by a live musician.

   Another problem with simple electronic tuners is that the accuracy of the display scale is limited by the number of lights or increments on the dial. Some tuners will show a light every half semitone until you’re “in tune” but even when the “in tune” light is on, you may still be off by up to 100 cents (a half-step). I hope you can see how using multiple tuners onstage can lead to serious tuning problems.

   So how can you deal with this problem? The easiest thing to do is to have everybody sharing the same tuner. This way, if you all tune on the same device then even if it’s a little bit out of perfect tune the band will still be off an equal amount which will still sound “in tune”. Of course, if you keyboard is not adjustable to the tuner, then you’re in trouble again. The best solution of all is to get one of the extremely accurate strobe tuners from Peterson and have everyone in the band tune with that. I wrote a post yesterday about the Peterson Autostrobe 490ST which is accurate to 1/1000th of a semitone! The reason strobe tuners are so accurate is because of the moving strobe wheel on the device. The following video details the history of the strobe tuner and how they work. It also discusses the new and extremely affordable LCD readout strobe tuners such as the Peterson StroboFlip VS-F. The great things about the StroboFlip are, it’s as accurate as any other strobe tuner, it’s very affordable and it’s extremely portable. This would be the perfect tuner to tune your entire band with.

Strobe Tuners: Their History and How They Work

   So as you can see, the strobe tuner is really the way you want to go if you want your band to be in perfect tune.

   Lastly, here are a couple more tips for working with tuners. You can also check tuners against each other by tuning with one and checking that the other tuner agrees with the first. All tuners can go out of calibration, luckily most Peterson tuners can be re-calibrated by playing a recorded reference tone into the tuner which the tuner will read and re-calibrate to. Even cheap tuners will usually offer some simple calibration settings in case they get off. So be sure to check your cheap tuners against your expensive strobe tuners. Better yet, just buy a Stroboflip VS-F!

Peterson StroboFlip VS-F Virtual Strobe TunerThe StroboFlip VS-F Virtual Strobe Tuner is a great addition to Peterson’s line of multi-temperament tuners, offering easy-to-use functionality in a flexible new design. It uses Peterson’s exclusive Virtual Strobe Technology to provide an instantaneous picture of musical pitch. It gives you a compact flip design, large bright LCD, and full user programmability. The StroboFlip is perfect for intonating guitars and basses as well as realtime intonation practice to improve performance and listening skills.It features cent offset, FTS drop tuning, and tuning assistant and comes with tempered tuning presets, some of which have never before been included in a tuner. In addition to Peterson’s proprietary GTR temperament, which sweetens a guitar’s tuning, the VS-II adds BAS, which does the same for basses, plus E9 and C6 tempered presets for pedal steel and lap steel guitar. The StroboFlip also supports the Buzz Feiten tuning system. The Bass Shift feature allows for effortless tuning of acoustic or electric bass down to 2 octaves below a normally tuned low B on a string instrument.

   I have a Peterson 490-ST AutoStrobe Tuner that is by far the most accurate and best tuner I have ever used. It is a strobe tuner so it has unparalleled accuracy when it comes to tuning your instrument. I use the Peterson 490-ST AutoStrobe Tuner to set the intonation on my guitars and it works flawlessly.

   I really wanted the 490-ST because it has built in Stretch Tuning settings that you can use to tune a piano with. Stretch tunings come into play when tuning a piano because you can’t tune the piano to perfect pitch intervals or the piano will sound out of tune to your ear. You must tune the piano slightly out of pitch with perfect as you play in the high or low octaves on a piano. It can take years to develop the ability to do this by ear, but with the Peterson 490-ST you can do it right from the moment you begin tuning. I have found that the Peterson 490-ST will help me get my piano in tune just as well as any of the local professionals have been able to.

   The Peterson 490-ST AutoStrobe has some very important features. Here’s a quick list:

• Automatic Note Selection (Can tune any note, not just whole steps up or down but small intervals).
• Readable Partials
• 11 Octave Visual Range (8 Simultaneously)
• +2/-1 Ocatave Display Shift
• Automatic Image Clarifier
• Automatic Contrast Control
• Accuracy: All Scales and Temperaments within 1/10 of a Cent
• Calibration: Selectable from A=350 to A=550
• Temperaments: Preset and Programmable (8 Preset temperaments)
• Stretch Tuning: 8 Preset Tables with 31 Programmable with Name Feature
• Temperaments and Stretches can be modified without limit
• Microphone: Built-In or with Optional External Microphone
• Adjustable Viewing Angle
• Quartz-Stable Tuning Reference
• One-Year Guarantee on Parts and Labor

   What I really like is that you can set up a custom tuning program for your particular piano. If you want to spend the time tweaking the preset stretch tunings to match your piano a little better you can. Then you can save that setting for future tunings. 

   So if you’re looking for the best strobe tuner to use for all your tuning needs, look no further than the Peterson 490-ST AutoStrobe Tuner.

Peterson 490-ST AutoStrobe Tuner with Stretch Tuning The Peterson 490ST AutoStrobe Tuner with Stretch Tuning allows automatic (handsfree) note selection for fast, accurate tuning of instruments for students, technicians, and musicians at all levels. This feature also permits realtime display of intonation to improve performance and listening skills while playing. Includes stretch tuning capabilities for enhanced tuning of stringed or percussive instruments such as the piano, bass, guitar, marimba, steel pan, and others. Only Peterson strobe tuners respond at the speed of light to display relative tuning of any audio source to 0.1 of a cent (1/1000 of a semitone) accuracy. Wide selection of preprogrammed stretch filesTables with optimized tunings for all piano types and sizes takes the drudgery out of piano tuning. Up to 31 additional files may be programmed by the user.Automatic note selection, automatic image clarity, and contrast controlInternal compensation for optimal viewing over a wide range of source pitch and volume.Improved clarity for upper and lower register notesThe +2/-1 display feature shifts the strobe patterns into more visible middle ranges. Bass note patterns can be displayed two octaves higher and treble note patterns can be displayed one octave lower in strobe display.Easy transpositionStrobe patterns appear at the correct note for Bb, F, and Eb instruments.External input and through output with muteFor inline, silent tuning during performances.

   I don’t know who originally wrote this but I’ve seen it on a few forums and Blogs. If you’re the author, leave a comment and I’ll give you credit. It’s just so funny I had to post it on Live Musician Central.

How To Request A Song From The Band…

When requesting a song from the band, just say “play …. my song!” We have chips implanted in our heads with an unlimited database of the favorite tunes of every patron who ever walked into a bar and all songs ever recorded so feel free to be vague, we love the challenge.If we say we really don’t remember that tune you want, we’re only kidding. Bands do know every song ever recorded, so keep humming. Hum harder if need be… it helps jog the memory, or just repeat your request over and over again.

If a band tells you they do not know a song you want to hear, they either forgot they know the tune or they are just putting you on. Try singing a few words for the band. Any words will do. It also helps to scream your request from across the room several times per set followed by the phrases, “AW COME ON!” and, “YOU SUCK!” Exaggerated hand gestures expressing disapproval from the dance floor are a big help as well, such as the thumbs down or your middle finger up. Put-downs are the best way to jog a band’s memory. This instantly promotes you to the status of “Personal Friend Of The Band.” You can bet your request will be the next song we play

Entertainers are notorious fakers and jokesters and never really prepare for their shows.They simply walk on stage with no prior thought to what they will do once they arrive. We don’t actually make set lists or rehearse songs. We mostly just wait for you to yell something out then fake it

An entertainer’s job is so easy, even a monkey could do it, so don’t let them off the hook easily. Your request is all that matters. Once you’ve figured out what genre of music the band plays, please make your requests from a totally different genre. The more exaggerated the better. If its a blues band playing, yell for some Metallica or Slayer or Pantera. Likewise, if its a death-speed metal band, be sure to request Brown-eyed Girl or some Grateful Dead. Musicians need to constantly broaden their musical horizons, and its your job to see that it happens….immediately

”TALKING WITH THE BAND”

The best time to discuss anything with the band in any meaningful way is at the middle of a song when all band members are singing at the same time. Our hearing is so advanced that we can pick out your tiny voice from the megawatt wall of sound blasting all around us. And we can converse with you in sign language while singing the song, so don’t worry that we’re in the middle of the chorus

Musicians are expert lip readers too. If a musician does not reply to your question or comment during a tune, it’s because they didn’t get a good look at your mouth in order to read your lips. Simply continue to scream your request and be sure to over emphasize the words with your lips. This helps immensely. Don’t be fooled. Singers have the innate ability to answer questions and sing at the same time. If the singer doesn’t answer your questions immediately regardless of how stupid the question may seem,it’s because they are purposely ignoring you. If this happens, immediately cop an attitude We love this

”IMPORTANT”

When an entertainer leans over to hear you better, grab his or her head in both hands and yell directly into their ear, while holding their head securely so they cannot pull away.This will be taken as an invitation to a friendly and playful game of tug of war between their head and your hands.Don’t give up! Hang on until the singer or guitar player submits. Drummers are often safe from this fun game since they usually sit in the back, protected by the guitar players. Keyboard players are protected by their instrument, and only play the game when tricked into coming from behind their keyboards. Though difficult to get them to play, it’s not impossible, so keep trying They’re especially vulnerable during the break between songs

”HELPING THE BAND”

If you inform the band that you are a singer, the band will appreciate your help with the next few tunes, or however long you can remain standing on stage. If you’re too drunk to stand unassisted, simply lean on one of the band members or the most expensive piece of equipment you see. Just pretend you’re in a Karaoke bar. Simply feel free to walk up on stage and join in. By the way, the drunker you are, the better you sound, and the louder you should sing. If by chance you fall off the stage, be sure to crawl back up and attempt to sing harmony. Keep in mind that nothing assists the band more than outrageous dancing, fifth and sixth part harmonies,or a tambourine played on one and three and out of tempo. Try the cowbell; they love the challenge.The band always needs the help and will take this as a compliment

Finally, the microphone and PA system are merely props, they don’t really amplify your voice, so when you grab the mic out of the singers hand be sure to scream into it at the top of your lungs, otherwise no one will hear what a great singer you are. Hearing is over-rated anyhow. The crowd and the sound guy will love you for it

”BONUS TIP”

As a last resort, wait until the band takes a break and then get on stage and start playing their instruments.They love this. Even if you are ejected from the club, you can rest assured in the fact you have successfully completed your audition. The band will call you immediately the following day to offer you a position

   One of the most interesting devices to come along for guitarists and bass guitarists is the Ebow. It’s a small handheld device that you hold just above your guitar string. The Ebow causes the string to vibrate using magnetic energy which gived the effect of a bowed cello string. It’s really an amazing little device and it’s been used on a lot of recordings over the years. The Ebow Plus is an updated version of the classic Ebow. The Ebow Plus gets the strings moving a lot easier than the old Ebow which required you to pick the string to get it moving.

Read more »

   One of the most common problems I’ve seen playing in bands is the fact that bands don’t change their set lists often enough. Having a good set list and maintaining it is essential stagecraft. There are two common problems that arise with set lists. First, a band will learn 40 songs and then play them for the next 5 years without ever changing them out with new material. Second, bands will play the same songs in the exact same order every night for 5 years. The reason I say 5 years is because that’s the typical life of a band, especially when you don’t change up your set list. So how do you avoid these pitfalls?

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   I found this great cartoon over on Calico Monkey, it’s a really cool Blog about cartoon animation written by Will Reinhardt. I thought you’d enjoy this one!

So You Want To Start A Rock Band

Every weekend I pick several albums to post on Live Musician Central. This week iTunes has released a list of it’s best sellers of 2007. This is a great opportunity to check out and download the top music from iTunes. Remember, iTunes is now the largest retailer of music in the United States.

   The other albums I put up are determined by a couple factors. I usually put up a couple that are being heavily promoted by the music industry. These may not be albums that I particularly like but they are albums that are going to be prominent in the public conscience. It’s good for us as musicians to stay current with what’s being promoted by the industry. We can gauge what we’re doing with what is being pushed out there. It’s also a good source to choose new music for your band to learn and play live or to have on the iPod to play during band breaks. The reasoning here is that you want to play music that people will know and since the albums I post on Live Musician Central are being so heavily promoted, your chances of people knowing the music at your shows is very high.

   The rest of the albums that I post are either personal favorites or they are certified classic albums that have sold millions of copies and are familiar to a lot of people. I also like to post a few links to iTunes and a few links to Amazon’s music service. Amazon has DRM free MP3’s that are ripped at 256kbps which is excellent quality at a killer price. So make sure you check them out!
Read more »

   So you’re a musician and you want to become a live performing musician. You want to start a band and you’re not sure what instruments you need to get a functional band together. The beautiful thing about playing in a band is the fact that you’re going to be playing with other people. You won’t be a solo artist anymore when you play in a band. In fact, the definition of band is “An unofficial association of people or groups.” So I guess technically you only need two people to start a band. The first thing you need to decide is what type of music you’re going to be playing. If you decide you want to play hard rock then the lineup requirements will be different than if you are playing bluegrass. How many people you have in your band can really affect your band chemistry as well. Musician’s tend to have large personalities and the more you add, the more interesting and challenging things can become. Let’s take a look at some typical band lineups.

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