| Music Business 15: Grow Your Own Gig. Part 2 By Roy Vogt Bass Instructor, Belmont University |
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I'm going to continue with more of my Golden Rules for Growing Your Own Gig: Preparation will cut down on rehearsal time. I've found that handing out lead sheets and CDs for the next rehearsal is an absolute time saver. That way, the players will prepare what is needed and you can just focus on playing together, working on arrangements, soloing, dynamics and other group experiences.
Try to have a consistent rehearsal schedule. Easier said than done, especially in Nashville. Still, if you're the leader, remember that you're working for yourself. Even a funky, low-paying sideman gig may not be as good a use of your time in the long term as putting your own project together. Of course, you have to strike a balance between long term goals and keeping the lights on.
If you're band is a Leader/Sideman model, investigate the option of making certain key rehearsals paid ones if you can afford it. In my strategy, I don't even consider making a monetary return from my own band project for a while - I've got teaching, recording, and freelance gigs to make up the difference and serve as my "day gig" until I've got enough momentum going.
Even with paid rehearsals, not everyone can get together on a regular basis. So, that brings me to my third and final strategy: Have some way to document your rehearsals. That may mean anything from a cheap cassette recorder with a built in mic to a full blown Pro Tools rig. The main event is not to forget arrangements, feels, key grooves, etc. after a couple of hectic weeks when you can't rehearse. Also, if you're sometimes jamming (as I hope you are) you never know when you'll catch some moments I call "happy accidents" where the music takes a unique turn that you wouldn't have thought of and composed in a million years.
The late Frank Zappa recorded almost every concert he ever did. Some of those, OK a lot of them, ended up on his albums as rhythm section templates or complete recordings. Keep the red light on, because you never know when the magic will occur.
Rehearsals are not band meetings or hangs-save those for another time. This is just for you and your partners in chasing the Muse to have dialog with your instruments. If you need to schedule a band meeting for business, don't take your instrument. Somehow it just works out better that way.
I'll keep you all posted on the further adventures of my own band. Good luck with growing your own gig.
Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
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