Category Archives: The Player’s Room

Ever been to a club with a live band, and halfway through the first set something breaks down on the guitarist or bass player’s rig – sometimes something as simple as a string breaking – sends the player into a tailspin?

Going into the studio can be a fun and amazing time for any band, but it is work. It isn’t like what we read about- an endless parade of press and groupies with everyone slowly nodding their head as they listen to your superhuman solo. I mean, that is what we might want it to be, but it pretty much never is.

As a guitarist, your hands are your life. Any discomfort or injury can seriously hinder if not impede one’s ability to play to the best of your capabilities. It kind of goes without saying that punching things is generally a bad idea, try to avoid that if at all possible. But if you have any sort of pain or stiffness issue it’s not only a physical hindrance, it’s psychological too -you’re hesitant to play that expansive lick that even though it would be perfect, you know it’s going to hurt so bad you may not pull it off correctly.

Working musicians know that the key to a positive gig experience isn’t just in how prepared we are, but how well we are able to deal with and respond to the things we never thought to prepare for. We know not to flip out over a bad monitor mix or because the Jagermeister is the…

Sometimes you feel like the whole world has gone crazy. At least, that’s how I feel whenever I come across a person on an internet forum repeating the increasingly-prevalent diatribe about the supposed impracticality of the 100-watt tube amp.

Zombies and Zombettes, gather ye round. It’s that ghoulish time of year when a guitarist’s thoughts turn to such devilish delights as the tritone, the minor third and – gasp! – even the dreaded flat second! The horror! These demonic musical intervals can create an unsettling feeling in the listener, scare off household pets, open a gate to the land of the undead, and maybe even make a few shirtless dudes crowdsurf.

There are several schools of thought to approaching the guitar solo in rock music. Some eschew any display of technique, opting for “from the gut” or “seat of the pants” minimalist playing. Some go the opposite route and consider their solos mini-orchestral movements within the song, composing busy and gymnastic showpieces.

Now that we have the look, the sound, and the direction, what’s left to do? Probably one of the most overlooked pieces in regards to your band’s success, the Branding. We need to create something that is bigger than music, bigger than appearance; we need to create your band’s distinct brand. As a brand, we need to form an identity that people can relate to and want to be a part of. That identity helps create a loyal fanbase with an unbreakable bond.

We already built the game plan and forged a new sound, but now we need to make you look the part. Never underestimate the power of your Image. That’s why you need to carefully mold it into who you want to be seen as. You can give yourself a persona like Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance of Avenged Sevenfold or simply a heightened appearance of who you are like Mark Hoppus of Blink-182. Regardless, we need to convey confidence and self-expression. You need to look like a seasoned professional whether you are or are just in a garage band.

The most important aspect of any band is the music. It’s the reason people even care about the band in the first place. Rarely do you hear someone say, “Yea, I don’t like their music, but they look so cool that I have to be a fan.” That’d be ridiculous. Music creates a connection with people where they can relate to what the group is saying. Without that, it makes all else irrelevant.