There are 4 main components to a musician’s career. Without even one of them, your professionalism plummets. If all of them are present and highly developed, you’ll thrive and reach the next level.
You must be aware of these components to understand why something isn’t working.
And the first component is…
1. Providing services.
This component involves deciding on the medium through which you will communicate with your audience.
Specifically, several can be named.
1.1 — “Warm-up” (1-2 songs before a group of a higher level or status)
Objective: You need to be able to immediately make an impression and “light a fire”.
What’s important to develop here:
- charisma of the group and each individual member
- working on short pieces
- talking to the crowd
- emphasis on a moderate and fast tempo (100-130)
- rhythmic component (more danceable than song-like)
- clear vocals, preferably tenor, baritone tenor (high voices for energy)
1.2 — Short performance (1-2 songs in a joint concert – “short”)
Objective: You need to be able to maintain the tempo and mood of the crowd set by previous groups
What’s important to develop here:
- the vocalist will play a decisive role (ability to feel and control)
- working on short pieces to create contrast
- talking to the crowd is almost nonexistent; instead, the skill of communicating in short phrases is needed
- work through all the bands’ repertoire and select a similar style.
- learn to switch from fast to slow tempos and back again.
- rhythmic component (more songfulness, give the audience a break).
- a vocalist with a mid-range (1.5 – 2 octaves) with a high range is needed.
Depending on the “place” of the concert you perform (beginning, middle, end), you will need additional skills. But more on that another time.
1.3 – Solo Performance (5-10 songs in a separate set)
Task: You need to have the skills to “warm up” a short act, even if the crowd is loyal.
What’s important to develop here:
- work well with each member of the band (the synergy effect is crucial here)
- work on short and medium-length pieces
- crowd conversation
- learn to alternate pieces based on crowd psychology (swap songs if necessary)
- learn to switch from fast to slow tempos and back again (and the ability to gradually increase and decrease them)
- rhythmic component (introduce more danceability interspersed with songfulness)
- a vocalist with the ability to change the musical image depending on the song is needed, rather than standing there like a mannequin, no matter what the song.
In conclusion, I would like to explain that no musical group can be perfect in all areas. Some are good at one, decent at the second, but terrible at the third, and so on.
There are musical groups that don’t realize this and, after being invited by the organizer to play a solo concert, agree. Ultimately, for some reason, it doesn’t work out very well. Because that group is better positioned in another capacity (say, “warm-up” or “short-timer”).
Where do you see yourself or your group?
