band performance set list development harp harmonica

One of the most common errors on the bandstand is poor signaling from soloist to soloist. It's not uncommon to see a musician finish their solo and go back to rhythm work without making any movement that would signal they were done. This commonly leads to a chorus of what sounds like a twelve bar blues jam track (no solos or vocals). At the very least, the next musician's solo starts a couple bars late (that sucks by the way, starting your solo without a proper pickup).

So, to avoid this, think about follow these steps... continue reading...

You've now completed the steps needed to play your first gig...

1) Charting - This defined the form of each song and the elements (head, hooks, breaks, etc.) that you needed to learn.

2) Listing - This gave you a quick reference of all of the songs and their key elements (key, groove, start, end, hook, head, etc.) continue reading...

Now that you have the heads and hooks dialed in, and have chosen what theme you'll use for each song if one doesn't exist, the next step is to adress the solos. The best approach is to not work out the solos. The head and hook are essential to work out ahead of time, but the solos are best left to the inspiration of the moment. If you don't feel comfortable with improvising as of yet, then working out the first lick of each solo chorus works well, allowing your knowledge of chorus form phrasing to take over on the spot. continue reading...

Now that you have your quick list that details the essentials for each song (key, groove, start, end, etc.), the main focus is to learn to play... and memorize... the signature elements in each song. If a hook exists in a song, learn it ("I'm Ready" for example) If there's a head, learn that too ("Chicken Shack" for example) If there are breaks ("Next Time You See Me" for example), be ready to play the lick associated with it (if there is one), and memorize the lyrics that immediately precede it, to signal that it's coming. continue reading...