Copyright © 2009 Bobby Owsinski
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1
Your Instrument And Playing First
Chapter 1 - How do I sound make myself sound great?
Influence vs imitation
How to get the most out of your influences
Imitation
Just because xxx does it…..
Know your limitations – just play what you play well
Use great sounding gear that fits
Play in-tune
And on time
Chapter 2 - Guitar
2 Defining Moments For A Guitar Player
Less is more
That’s what tone controls are for
Clash of the guitar players
Lying in with the rhythm section
What your audience hears
The Recording Guitar Player
The Guitar Player’s Utility Kit
Chapter 3 - Bass
The defining moment for a bass player
What you hear isn’t necessarily what everyone else is hearing
Your sound – that’s what tone controls are for
The Recording Bass Player
The bass player’s utility kit
Chapter 4 - Drums
Simple is best
The Concepts of Feel and Internal Time
Rushed Or Lazy Fills
Are You Playing Too Loud?
Drum Sounds
Know Your Instrument
Tuning
Cymbals
The Recording Drummer
The Drummer’s Utility Kit
Chapter 5 - Keys
Defining Moments Of A Keyboard Player
The Classic Patches
The Keyboard Player On-Stage
Getting To The Stage
The Quick Set-up
The Recording Keyboard Player
The Keyboard Player’s Utility Kit
Chapter 6 - Vocals
The 3 P’s – Pitch, Passion, Pocket
You’ve got to hear yourself
Change the key
Take care of yourself
If you get a sore throat
Take some lessons
Mic Technique
Harmony Vocals take more time
Rehearse without the band first
Phrasing is everything
Attacks and, especially, releases
Background vocals need attention too
Gang vocals
The Recording Vocalist
Chapter 7 - Percussion, Horns, DJ’s and Others
It doesn’t matter what you play, the rules are the same
For percussionists
For horn players
For DJ’s
For other instruments
PART 2
How Do I Make My Band Sound Great?
Chapter 8 - The Keys To Greatness
Dynamics
How To Learn To Play Dynamically
Builds
Don’t Confuse Volume Level With Intensity
Play Together – Listen to each other
Timing Is Everything
Starts and Stops
Accents
The Groove and the Pocket
How To Find The Pocket
Attack and Releases
Turnarounds
Everything clean and crisp
“How are you playing it?”
Tempo
Faster does not create more excitement
Calm down on the gig
A click can help
Play Big, Not Loud
You don’t have to be just like the record, just sound good
Play in-tune!
Chapter 9 - It’s All In The Song
Arrangements are the key
Sonic Arrangements
Clash of the guitar players
Different sounds
Different registers
Cover Song Arrangements
Original Song Arrangements
Arrangement Elements
Rules For Arrangements
Let’s Discuss Your Songs
Dynamics On Records
They’re not “Originals”
Chapter 10 - Rehearse Wisely – Plan Ahead
Have an agenda
Know your parts before you get there
Have any questions before you get there
Practice goo time management
A few rehearsal tips
You Gotta Hear Yourself
Practice in the round if possible
It’s the little things that count
Production rehearsals
The dress rehearsal
Chapter 11 - You Need the Stage Time
All gigs are welcome
How not to get gigs
Top 39 annoying things that bands do
How loud should we play?
Big instead of loud
Dynamics
Even frequency balance
Volume Wars
Chapter 12 - Record Yourself
Recording Rehearsals
Recording Your Gigs
The problems
The solution
A simple track sheet
It’s time to mix
Now For Some Serious Recording
There’s no such thing as a demo
The way to make your recordings sound great
Pros are pros for a reason
It’s a different mindset
Different gear for the job
Tips for a great recording
You hardly ever sound great the first time
It’s a lot of work
The importance of a producer
This isn’t a party
Chapter 13 - The PA
Voices come first
The Graphic EQ Is Not A Tone Control
Why Is There Feedback?
Ringing Out The System
Let’s Hear Those Vocals
Monitors
Wedges
Side-fills
Stand Mounted
In-ear monitors
Benefits of IEMs
Disadvantages of IEMs
What’s In Your Mix?
Chapter 14 - Be Professional (at all levels)
What is a professional?
The importance of diplomacy
The importance of compromise
Steps to resolving a conflict
Sticky situations and how to unstick them
How to keep a band together
There’s always somebody else
Who’s the leader?
Chapter 15 - Your Show
It’s more than a collection of songs
An Amateur Show
A Tight, Professional Show
A Big Production Show
Your Set List
The big ending
Playing with backing tracks
Sound
Stage Lighting
The Stage Plot
Setting up on a large stage
Chapter 16 - The Importance Of Video
Video As A Learning Tool
Making A Great Live Video
Audio is 50% of the final product
Audio recording tips for video
Get a tripod
If You’re Making A Music Video
Get establishing shots
B-roll is so important
Shoot more than one take
Shoot a lot more than you need
Don’t mix formats
Some Special DVD’s To Check Out
The EPK
Chapter 17 - To Summarize
PART 3
The Interviews
Chris Boardman
Frank Fitzpatrick
Paul Ill
Brian MacLeod
Peter Thorn
Brian Ray
Glossary
Index
“I bought your "How to make your band sound great" about 2 weeks ago. I
pulled it off the shelf honestly thinking "Yeah right." but I was floored within 5 minutes of reading it.
We started tinkering with your suggestions and the very next show we got a few comments from friends "I liked all the new stuff." There were no new songs! We had just barely started looking at turnarounds
and locking in rhythms and already - like you said - immediate improvement.
Thank you for sharing your experience. You have already made us a much better band.”
John Stecker
Author - Producer
Music and Technology Advisor
