Don Bell and Liquid Soul

Performance Rehearsal

Your band has lined up a gig, thankfully with plenty of notice and time to promote. You realize you have plenty of songs to choose from; more songs than you are going to be allotted time for. What do you do?

You should plan on making most of the rehearsals before your show “performance rehearsals”. Think of them like the rehearsals a cast of a play or musical put on. As you close in on your gig date, you should be getting closer and closer to playing like it’s the real deal.

For our example, let’s assume that band ABC has 4 weeks’ notice and typically practices twice a week.

• 4 weeks before the show:

Believe it or not, this is going to be the toughest week of the four leading up to your gig. Band ABC was writing music thinking they were going to have to play an hour for their show but landed a local music showcase gig that only requires a 30 minute set. Unfortunately, that means they won’t be able to play all of their songs. The tough part of this week is choosing which songs they are going to play.

The first rehearsal should be devoted to getting song durations down. A stopwatch is incredibly handy, as is a white board. Band ABC has their song names already written down on the white board so it’s just a matter of playing them and having someone write down how long each song is. They know that their normal set, start to finish, is almost an hour; now they know how long each song is so they can add up times to hit 30 minutes.

Band ABC is not using any type of click track or metronome for their drummer so they make a point to take the time and write a second time beside it that is roughly 10 percent shorter to account for gig adrenalin and nerves causing everyone to want to push the tempo. (They even lament the fact that they aren’t using a click track for this very reason.)

All the band members then make their own list of songs that makes 30 minutes of music. The fun part begins with the negotiation that it is going to take to pick the right songs that will knock the socks off the crowd as well as keep the musicians happy. This process may extend through to the next rehearsal but by the end of week 4 a set list needs to be figured out.

• 3 weeks before the show:

During the first rehearsal of week 3, the band runs the new 30 minute set then discusses where breaks need to be placed. The lead guitarist expresses a need to switch guitars so that break is added (and noted on the white board). The set also has a couple songs that seem to feed right into each other so that is also noted. They rehearse the breaks and the transitions from one song to the next.

The second rehearsal, before they start they make sure everyone remembers how they are doing the new transitions and make a point to rehearse them before running the set a couple times. The band members begin walking away feeling confident.

• 2 weeks before the show:

The second week should be devoted to working on stage presence. The “front man” of the group, typically the singer, needs to pretend there is a crowd and practice getting the crowd pumped up between songs, getting the crowd jamming during songs and making it seem like this is not the band’s first show. The guitarists and bass player need to make sure they are moving around and not standing in one spot playing their lines flawlessly but with little flair or facial expression.

The goal of week 2 is to make sure everyone can play their lines while truly “rocking out” like they intend to on stage. Many a band has sounded horrible during their live show due to extra moving around, whether it’s playing or tripping over cables.

Band ABC practices in a very nice rehearsal facility with great lighting that dims, (like hothouse studios), so during the 2^nd practice of the week they dim the lights, more like a night club would have, to make sure everything runs smoothly in a low light situation. If your practice studio doesn’t have dimmers on their lighting, bring in a couple of lamps from your homes, turn off the studio lights and work the set in low light that way.

• The week of the show:

Band ABC has practiced religiously for the past three weeks. They are confident and secure in their playing. They decide to only practice once this week. They run the set one last time with a couple of trusted friends there for a crowd and also to get feedback. They work out the one little quibble that their friends mention…the guitarist took longer than everyone thought switching instruments, they adjust and run the set again, except with better filler to mask the guitar change. They are happy and incredibly secure in their playing.

They make a point to pack up their gear that night so all they have to do the day of the show is show up at the gig. This lets them have one less thing to do the day of the show and keeps them fresh and ready to blow the crowd away with their set.

Your live set is fined tuned.

Hothouse Studios is more than a top notch rehearsal facility, we are a music career learning center and the Band Toolbox has over a 100 articles on various subjects relating to succeeding in your music career. Enter the Band Toolbox here.

For an First Rate
Audio Video Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
"Where Music Grows"

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA 562.945.1300

Music Opportunity for Hothouse Studio Bands

Our Good friends over at AirPlay Direct are looking for artist / bands for a Harley-Davidson commercial.

This Harley-Davidson commercial /video opportunity is for all AirPlay Direct members. So if you're not member join up. Their client is producing television commercials / video for Harley Davidson and is looking for artists / bands to submit music that would fit this opportunity.

Two heavy hitters in the music video world are shooting a rebellious, slice of life video for Harley's Dark Custom line of bikes. They are looking for a cool track to match the picture. They are finishing: a 2-5 min video, a: 60 and two: 30’s with cutdowns.

They have available $6k per side (Master / Publishing) $12,000 total, and they need to license the commercial TV spots for 1 year, broadcast TV and cable, industrial, Internet, dealer for tagging, and jumbotron (second year option at 110%). With 2 years for the Video usage including, but not limited to, Internet, dealerships, industrial and jumbotron usage.

Here are some bands with the sound they are looking for:
Black Angels (think "Bloodhounds on My Trail") Tame Impala (think "Half Full Glass of Wine") White Denim, Black Keys, Wolfmother, White Stripes, Patrick Sweaney, Darker My Love, and 13th Floor Elevators.

You could say that they're looking for current bands that sound like:
Free
Spooky Tooth
Morphine

Submission is FREE for all AirPlay Direct members. If you are interested, submit your DPK to this music call by logging into your artist account and clicking on "Resources" from the left-hand navigation. Then click "View Opportunities" to view all open music calls. Open this music call and click on the "Submit your DPK to this music call" at the bottom of the call.

THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THIS MUSIC CALL IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4TH @ 5PM PST.

For more information on AirPlay Direct, please visit www.AirPlayDirect.com

Artist Listing at HotHouseStudios.com

We've been revamping the Artist profile pages. We're on a mission to create a profile for everyone that has ever rehearsed at Hothouse Rehearsal Studios. Email us a photo, bio, member names, etc, to studio@hothousestudios.com we’ll gladly add you or your band to the list.

The Steve Breeze Band is our latest addition to the artist listing. Check it out here.

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Some of the benefits of using the Hothouse Rehearsal facility are not just confined to our first-class studios. Don't overlook our website hothousestudios.com and the blog.

Having trouble finding a studio? We have added a directory of rehearsal and recording studios in the Los Angeles area and beyond. If you see a studio missing you can let us know or add it by clicking here.

Got Hothouse T-shirt? Ask us next time you come in. If you have one, wear it and you never now what might happen!

Press Release
Source: Taco Bell Corp.
Taco Bell(R) Fourthmeal Rocking, Rolling & Feeding the BeatThursday October 11, 6:00 am ET
National Band Search Names Finalists
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Taco Bell® is feeding the beat by keeping bands on the road, well fed and rocking their fans across America. The 2007 class of Feed the Beat was announced today, as 50 up-and-coming bands were named to receive $500 in free Fourthmeals - the late night meal between dinner and breakfast - no strings attached. An eclectic group of bands, found after a national audition, make up this year's roster, hailing from a variety of music hotbeds like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Boston and Atlanta. Taco Bell is proud to congratulate the following bands: Northeast: Palaris (New Haven, CT), Tokyo Rose (NJ),
Armor for Sleep (Maplewood, NJ),
The Appreciation Post (Boston),
Farewell Flight (Harrisburg, PA), Socratic (Linden, NJ),
Big D and the Kids Table (Boston),
White Rabbits (New York), Panthers (Brooklyn, NY),
After the Sirens (Beverly, MA),
BlameShift (Long Island, NY), Girl Talk (Pittsburgh),
Enon (Philadelphia),
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (Bloomfield, NJ),
Lemuria (Buffalo, NY)
Midwest: Rediscover (Toledo, OH), 1997 (Chicago), June (Chicago),
Scratch Track (Kansas City, MO),
We Are The Fury (Toledo, OH),
The Graduate (Springfield, IL),
Carawae (Stevensville, MI)
Southeast: Holiday Parade (Atlanta),
Strike Anywhere (Richmond, VA),
Rookie of the Year (Fayetteville, NC),
Dropout Year (Owings Mills, MD),
A Day To Remember (Ocala, FL),
Mayday Parade (Tallahassee, FL),
Manchester Orchestra (Atlanta),
GoodNight City (Nashville), Five Star Iris (Atlanta),
Old Union (Atlanta),
Backseat Goodbye (Murfreesboro, TN),
Meriwether (Baton Rouge, LA),
The Hint (Baltimore), Far-Less (Blacksburg, VA)
Southwest: Hollywood Black (Houston),
The Stiletto Formal (Phoenix),
It's Like Love (Glendale, AZ),
DeSole (Glendale, AZ), The Secret Handshake (Dallas)
West: Highlines (Los Angeles), Ozma (Pasadena, CA),
Meg & Dia (Draper, UT), Blitzen Trapper (Portland, OR),
Letters Burning (Los Angeles),
The Fast Computers (Eugene, OR), Gliss (Los Angeles),
Music for Animals (San Francisco),
National Product (Orange County, CA)
"We were ecstatic with the response and enthusiasm we received from bands eager to partake in Feed the Beat," said David Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer of Taco Bell Corp. "These bands are constantly touring and look to Fourthmeal as a dependable after-show meal when many other establishments have closed. Their passion for creating great music mirrors our passion for serving great food."
Hundreds of bands submitted applications in August to www.tacobell.com/feedthebeat and were selected over the past few weeks. Taco Bell looked for up-and-coming indie rock bands with a passion for touring. These bands also have a solid fan base, tour history and are on the road this fall. Asked why Taco Bell should partner with their band, there was some great feedback.
"Taco Bell should consider us because we always support Taco Bell! We love it and it's an easy and reliable place to get good food on tour," said Maplewood, NJ-based band Armor for Sleep. Atlanta-based band Manchester Orchestra said, "...we have spent more money collectively on Taco Bell than we have on guitar strings." Even bassist Tom Oppelt personally thanked Fourthmeal in his thank you notes on his band Palaris' CD.
Music fans can head on over to www.fourthmeal.com and click on the Feed the Beat link to check out music, bios and pictures from Feed the Beat's 2006 alumni bands including Pretty in Stereo, Nothing More and Prospect Hill. Our inaugural Feed the Beat class included three bands on this year's Van's Warped Tour billing, congrats to Seattle's Amber Pacific and Daphne Loves Derby and Los Angeles' The Hanks as well as A Thorn for Every Heart who just released their new album.
Fourthmeal is the late night meal between dinner and breakfast that includes four signature tastes and textures found only at Taco Bell®. Consumers seeking "outside the bun" late night choices will find crunchy, spicy, melty and grilled taste experiences during Fourthmeal at participating Taco Bell locations.

Put on your high heel shoes
and your low neck sweater…
We're going to
Hothouse Rehearsal

As a way of promoting the bands using the hothouse facility, we’ve gone crazy taking photographs of everyone that walks through our doors. We take these photographs and we’re adding the band name and all the members’ names to the photo and creating short videos that we’re broadcasting worldwide. Hothousestudios.com averages over 10,000 unique visitors per month who return to the site 3 times per month, so we think these videos will help expose the bands to potentially new fans. So be ready the paparazzi are out in full force at hothouse studios. Watch it Happen

As another way to help the bands broaden their exposure we continue to shoot and edit videos of the bands while they use our facility. The bands are using these videos as promotional tools to connect with their fan base in a more personal way and have proven to work effectively. So ask John, Kirk, Richard or Shaun about scheduling a video shoot for your band next time you drop by the studio.

Click on the photo of Scentric to view their myspace profile.


All the Best
Richard Morales
Hothousestudios.com

Make Your Cover Band
Your Day Job



I was helping a band load up their gear after their rehearsal a few nights ago and we were talking about music and their desire to play music as their day job. That started me brainstorming and here’s one thought I had on the subject.

The realities of life are you have to eat, and you need shelter. That takes cash. So how can we play music and get paid? The band could start a tribute act and use it as a vehicle to get paid to perform, while you work your original band into a paying act. You’d have your original band and your tribute band. Musically spot on tribute bands get paid pretty well and the discipline of perfecting the cover material will spill over into the original band. The knowledge you’ll learn from dissecting the cover material and learning how pro bands arrange their music will put you light years ahead of bands that don’t do their homework. Learning instrument level balance to get that pro sound, you’re original band can’t help but get better. And think about it, the band will be playing together everyday either rehearsing or performing at shows. Pretty soon you guys will be so in tune with each other you’ll be like a championship team, humming along and no one can stop you.

Write back to me. Should I write more about how to start a cover band and get paying jobs? Let me know what you think.


All the Best
Richard Morales
Hothouse Rehearsal Studios
www.hothousestudios.com
Rehearsal TV
www.RehearsalTV.com
Rehearsal Video
www.RehearsalVIDEO.com