issue 34 working _ Layout 1 8 / 1 / 2013 8:04 PM Page 34
The Handsome Grandson breaks it down on.. aka Chris Sonia of Dauntless Mastering
How bands should
D. I. Y prepare for everything!
You can’ t expect someone to bail you out should situations go awry either during live performance or in the studio. Here is a list of things you as a band should do to be prepared for anything!
LIVE
Stage flashlight: Stage lighting looks super cool. It sucks for plugging in cables, finding dropped keys, song order, curing“ whose beer is this” syndrome, and making sure your amp is set correctly. Strings: Put new strings on the day before the show. Play them! Make them stretch out so they hold a tune.( TIP: Put a broomstick in between the strings and fret board. Tune to pitch, and allow the strings to settle in. broomstick and tune to pitch. The strings will stay in tune all damn day!) New strings break less, and sound,
better. If you have a musician friend get them strings. Ask them what size first Strap-lock: Keeps the strap from falling off of your guitar or bass. They can be as cheap as a couple of bucks, but if it doesn’ t let your guitar fall off during the show, it is worth a couple hundred bucks! Condoms: You never know. Drummer Survival Kit: Felts, washers, wing nuts, cymbal sleeves, snare cords / snares, kick beaters, tools( Allen wrenches, adjustable crescent wrench, screwdrivers), two drum keys, an d a shitload of sticks! Gaffers Tape: Works great for keeping chords down, marking out feedback positions, and can mark sweet spots on amps, and can even fix broken kick heads in a bind. Some sort of audience: Bring someone you know to cheer you on! It helps a ton, especially long distance gigs.
Twilight Music N LAWN
– TWILIGHT
ON THE TAVERN LAWN – Free concert series s
Every other Sunday y in
June, July and August 5:305:- 7:307: 30 pm on the e Putney
Tavern T a lawn in downtown n Putney n,
VT
August 11 OCCIDENTAL GYPSY
Acoustic Gypsy pop p quintet mixing
Gypsy jazz & swing with contemporary American music c melodies e s
August 25 PRYDEIN
Bagpipe rock quintet i that brings a rock’ n’ roll l sensibility to a traditional Celtic repertoire
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TOBY WALKER w / STEVE CHIPMAN Roots ots music fingerstyle guitar virtuoso TobyWalker mixes blues, ragtime, country, rock, bluegrass and old time jazz. " You have to hear this great musician... I ' m blown away "- Jorma Kaukonen n
Guitarist Steve Chipman opens this concert to benefit Twilight
Music.
Saturday ay, August 24 7:30 pm
Hooker-Dunham Theater
& Gallery 139 Main Street Brattleboro,
VT
Info & tickets t: 802-254-9276, www. twilightmusic. org
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STUDIO
Strings / Drummer Survival Kit: The studio won’ t always have your favorite types of strings, felts or drumheads. Bring it with you whether you need it or not. Water: Singers need to keep hydrated, and should be prepping with water 20 minutes before a take. Water should be luke warm, cold water is bad for your vocal cords. Tea, Gatorade and other sugary / caffeinated beverages dry out your cords and make you push harder than what is natural and you could blow out your voice, thus ending your day at the studio. Reference material: A“ we want to sound like this” collection of songs the engineer can hold on to so he knows what to make you sound like. Each song should be indicative of overall tone, as individual sounds may be great in a mix, but not work on their own.
Purposely left out are significant others. Sorry everyone, they usually get in the way. Unless they are being used as a roadie or a runner, they don’ t need to be there. Do not bring friends with you to the studio, and make sure the only band members that are there are the ones who are making key decisions. Remember to have fun, stay focused, and hire a producer!
Send me your music for review as well, @ dauntlessmastering. com!!!