Forming a band is itself a daunting task. But after the band
has been formed and it starts to have a reputation for itself, going beyond
their backyards and reaching a stage where they are routinely performing for
live audiences in concerts or restaurants or even weddings, a band needs to
have a backup plan for contingencies and emergencies. Musicians wanted as a
backup band member is quiet common. When one of the members of the band happens
to fall sick or get into an accident or has to keep some commitments that
cannot be ignore, and the band happens to have booked shows waiting; the
easiest solution in such a situation is to take the help of backup band
members.
A backup member in a band is someone, and at times more than
person that the band gets into an agreement with by dint of which when someone
from the band is unable to put in a performance, the backup member can chip in
and take their place. Band might think choosing a backup and employing one is a
waste of time, but they should know that all good and established bands have
their own backup musicians.
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Let’s take a look at how to choose a backup member in case your
band doesn’t already have one:
●
Type of
music and audience
Bands should choose a backup member who has similar interests
when it comes to musical genre. It is essential that bands are able to keep
producing their signature sounds that let them build their own special
connection with the fans. The inclusions of a backup band member should not
lead to distortions in the blend of sound that a band seeks to produce.
Choosing someone playing similar music as a backup band member is essential. A
guitarist who is comfortable playing soft blues music might not be at their
competent best when being assigned to work with a band that is into hard rock or
punk music.
The kind of audience that you play for also matters. If your
band has a unique look, maybe you would want to keep that in mind too.
●
Effect on
group dynamics
A new backup band member might not be an integral part of the
core of the band. But the new musicians still would be a person that the band
will have to rehearse with and try to accommodate into the team. The band needs
to focus on how the inclusion of the new person can change group dynamics.
There have been bands which have broken up due to their backup members, with
the backup becoming a bone of contention among the former members.
●
A good
friend does not necessarily make a good backup band member
Just because your band happens to have a friend who is good to
hang out with and flexible doesn’t make them a natural choice for a backup band
member. That might work when the band play together to have fun but for
professionals, the competition in the music industry is cutthroat. The band
needs more than fun and amiability to survive.
One bad show can spiral into a bad reputation. When a band is
initially breaking out into the bigger music scene, every single show carries
overriding importance. In such a scenario, as a newly formed band, go for
competence and talent rather than just wanting to jam with people because you
are friendly with them.
●
A
talented musician doesn’t necessarily make a good addition to a band’s backup
line.
Talent is of supreme importance. There is no doubt about that.
But when we are talking about what happens in the confines of a band’s
practicing room, we do need to talk about cohesion among the members and a
spirit of unity and harmony. There are lots of musicians wanted for being great
at what they do, but who turned out to be bad band members due to their
personal disposition. Bands need someone they can get stuck with inside a room
and make music with, without wanting to tear their backup musician to pieces
because of their huge ego or lack of team work or just their big unlikeability
factor.
●
There
cannot be any compromise on hard work and discipline
Look for someone who shares similar work ethics. For example,
if your band happens to have zero tolerance policy for things like drugs and
alcohol, make sure to pick someone who has congruent ideals as your band. If
you think that since the backup band member chips in only in times of need,
minor differences in work ethics can be overlooked. But that is a grave
mistake. Your backup band member would generally be someone you would want to
call when your band is in an emergency situation. When that happens, you would
much rather have someone reliable and consistent at your disposal than someone
who shirks responsibility or might not view situations in the same way that
your band does.
●
Communication
Bands cannot treat their backup members without respect and get
away with it. While this point might be seen as bordering on being moralizing,
the positives of communicating with everyone involved in the band in a level
and equal fashion is very important. Even though a backup member might need to
play with the band maybe once a month or even once a year, there has to be a
certain comfort level to be maintained when the band members communicate with
their backups.
It is better to cultivate long and fruitful associations with
the talented musicians you might have used as backups rather than having to
experiment with a whole bunch of people you have never played with before.
The easiest way to choose a backup band member is to go by word
of mouth, taking the advice of other band that might be playing the same genre
of music as your band. The musicians wanted by other bands you can relate
would, are definitely worth a try. Again, putting up notices in music shops and
newspapers would bring in the interested musicians too. You should specify in
your advertisement about the kind of music you play very clearly. Last but not
the least, having jam sessions with the trying musicians should definitely
expose whether you band is likely to benefit by including a particular musician
as a band member, or if doing that would just all be a mistake. Look for people
who make the experience of making music exciting for your band and not someone
who is going to shred your harmony and music to bit either by their
incompetence or by their lack of the same vision as your band.
Kristen is a freelance writer who writes on different topics
such as music, holiday and lifestyle. She holds bachelor’s degree in
electronics. Her famous articles includes article on Musicians Needed. She loves to travel and
make new friends
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