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[squidlips]

Discrimination happens all the time in music. People prefer some genres of music to others, certain types of shows to others. That's the beauty of it. Music provides them with what they need, otherwise we'd all be listening to talk radio 24/7. Arena rock was in then out then in again. Small live shows in intimate settings were in, then out, then in again. It's the way of the world. Has nothing to do with what's fair or just. Has everything to do with what the consumers want.

[ggalen]

Well, I've also been performing live shows since I was 19...primarily in small clubs. My largest show was an outdoor concert where the farthest listener was half a football field away, and I was playing on a stage on a small "island" surrounded by water!To clarify my earlier comment, I was trying to say that smoke and lights and glamor are only one way to be "larger than life". I think it's more about "stage confidence" and knowing how to elicit the most feeling within the audience from the song.Smoke and big flashing lights are typically counterproductive to intimate, thoughtful songs. However you do it, I believe the audience wants a show. Something a bit more dramatic. And it can be very quiet. Having a narrow spot focus just on you during an intimate, simple song is drama, but you are using lights for effect.

[bc]

Great thread.About live music/biz: The suits continue to underestimate the audience. I've been playing a few dates this year as a solo act. I found some tweakable midi files online; built a bunch of my own from scratch, including stereo 2mix mp3 tracks, and have been doing the classic rock, funk and soul thingy -- along with my stuff of course.Last night I pulled some of the dinner crowd into my corner and things got up close and personal with about 2 dozen people. On a whim, I started making up songs, encouraging the customers to join in...we had a blast. Instead of cranking out heavily produced hits, I just dialed in an Andy Summers guitar sound and wrote songs à la carte - no bass or drum loops. It was so much fun, I kept going and segued into tunes from my sets, again, with just the chorus tele and no backing tracks. I covered many genres/artists: Merle Haggard, The Doors, BB King, Rare Earth, Temptations, Bob Marley, Union Station. The small crowd loved it. What a hoot. Live is alive and the boomers are back! bc

[ggalen]

bc,That sounds like a great show! I can see how the crowd would have a wonderful time.I've been preparing a new solo act, and have questions about the backing tracks.How do you keep it from feeling like karaoke and make it still feel live?I would guess a lot of it is not to have backing that is "incongruent" from the setting. In other words, an arena-sounding reverb for a rock anthem will sound "canned" and a bit phoney in a small room.

[rcase]

bc - I'd love to be able to do what you were doing for that crowd. It's a true gift.I'm afraid without my quantizing/humanizing/synthesizing pal who goes by the name of DAW, I'm clueless (and songless).Rob

[bc]

Thanks Rob. Quote:How do you keep it from feeling like karaoke and make it still feel live?Good question Glenn. I'm a band guy and was dragged kicking and screaming into this solo thingy. So I am heavily biased toward a full combo. Anyway, what I do is introduce myself every set, and let them know that this is not Karaoke! I play every note (except for a few downloaded and tweaked midis) just at a different time They get it, and they get a laugh too. Once I'm out of the woods and on stage, I'm a very gregarious person -- been a natural entertainer all my life so I'm not shy about making sure my audience knows what's up with the music. As for the technicals: Lately I've been mixing all my midi down in Pro Tools and bouncing to a 256 mp3. I master for a "live" feel/sound, that is, drums and bass out front quite a bit and leave a donut(hole) for the axe I'm going to play. I make sure I can play most of my tunes unplugged with an acoustic if need be. That comes in handy as I mentioned. For gear, I bought the RCF 322A powered speakers and do not need a low end cab, these things are scary good. I use a vocalist Live 2, Taylor, Zion and Fender Tele. The last few gigs I've left the Triton Studio home and used a laptop with iTunes to play the mp3's. 'Works like a charm. Everything goes into a Mackie 1642 VLZ3. One thing I picked up from a solo pro; make sure your axe is out front in the mix and that will help the crowd distinguish you from a karaoke king. You know, I'm having fun these days. I don't share this much, but I lost a son 16 years ago -- sold all my gear and have been fighting depression for a long time. Cripe, getting out in front of people and shaking my ol' butt has been the cure! I'm back. As one friend said, "you never left bc." It seems the music biz rhythmically turns over like a lake in season. Hey, there goes my bobber! best,bc

[elser]

Quote:How do you keep it from feeling like karaoke and make it still feel live?Have you looked at the software program called 'Live'. It's designed specifically for improvising with loops and sequences in a live setting. You can assign loops or entires songs to be triggered by any type of midi trigger i.e. assign conga pattern #1 to C1 on a keyboard or a footpedal or whatever. The loops automatically lock to tempo and key and will actually change in real time should you choose to speed up the tempo or something.It's really fun, I jam with it at home improvising arrangements and stuff. Been thinking about developing a solo act with it but havn't yet had the time or the need.Elser

[ggalen]

bc,Glad to hear you are back!Your show sounds terrific.I have given a lot of thought to this "avoiding karaoke" issue, so it was nice to hear your thoughts. You have validated a lot of what I suspected.You can see and hear me doing my solo act on my website or YouTube. Both links are at the bottom of this post in my signature.Yes, I agree that the guitar and lead vocal have to be right out front and clear as a bell. I see the backing tracks as being the "stage backdrop". Heard and felt, but the mental focus of the audience has to be on you. It helps if I start the song to a barely audible few clicks of a side-stick or something. That way, psychologically, the audience sees me as playing, and the backing as "back there somewhere".I also make my own backing tracks. I mix it all to sound like the room I'll usually be playing in. I LOVE a big sound, but I'm wondering if there is a point where you sound so big, the audience gets a disconnect seeing just one guy and a guitar up there.I used to do all the tedious work of making the entire backing track, from the drums on up. I am an accomplished keyboard guy as well, so with my Kurzweil K2000, my excellent softsynth modules, and EZDrummer, in Sonar, I can do it all.Then I realized that the audience doesn't see me create the backing tracks. I can tell them "that's me!", and they might understand it. But it's all kind of "abstract" to the nontechnical listener. At least that's what my wife says. She's my nontechnical listener, and consultant.So I started just taking great midi files, or even my trusty, amazing Band in a Box, to get the basic rhythm sections, and then I sweetened where necessary with great sounds, and added pads or extra doodads.Much faster and less boring to do it that way! Then I can get on with the playing and soloing that I love.I just put the backing tracks as .wav files on a portable CD player. I have been afraid of using a computer, for fear of a software glitch destroying my show.I use Mackie SM450s, a Boss GT_8 for my Stratocaster, and a Vocalist Live 4. Sounds pretty sweet.You can hear the Vocalist Live 4 as my backup "group" on my website in the first song on the player: "A Change Is Gonna Come" It also has a decent, tasteful guitar solo, if I do say so.--- Glenn

[ggalen]

Quote:Have you looked at the software program called 'Live'. ElserElser,Yes, I was originally going to use Abelton Live to do the backing tracks, trigger lights, etc.Then I decided simpler was better and less nerve wracking.I found that a simple portable CD player has excellent sound, and is very simple. I found I don't need to alter arrangements on the fly. I vary my solos and rhythm accompaniment as need. That turned out to be all I require.

[bc]

Glenn, you have nice touch on guitar. 'Sounds like your rig kicks. Love that Vocalist 4. Someday we'll have to snag a bass player, drummer, squidee and of course vangroovy Steve for a gig. Maybe a corporate gig or something. The Two Man and a Truck Co. asked if I could put a band together for their annual meeting. I think it's in Denver 2008. Would be fun to rehearse online and meet for the gig. We could even call the band, ah, errr, well...TAXI!!! bc