Playing in a Band

Lesson 2/201 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Guitar for Adults

Playing in a Band

A successful group is not just a mixture of good musicians. You will need to be aware of the many other factors involved in order to avoid the pitfalls that cause many groups to disband within a very short time. The following ideas should increase your awareness of the problems facing a group, and how to avoid them.

Group Direction
Before forming a group, you should talk with prospective musicians about their aims for the group. You may decide to form what is called a "60/40" group; the type that plays at cabarets, dances and hotels. This type of group plays a selection of old pop standards (approximately 60%) and "Top 40" tunes (40%). 60/40 groups can be assured of a steady income, although recognition will not go beyond the local playing scene.
A different aim for the group may be to play mainly original material in the eventual hope of cutting an album and going on tours. Groups of this type generally do not make much money until they have become well known.
If you are forming a new group you may find it beneficial to play a 60/40 style to gain experience and money to invest in top quality equipment.
Decide on the number of musicians, the type of instruments and the basic style of music before forming the group.
Music Choice
The style of music you play must be one that is enjoyed by all group members (note just a majority vote). Listen to other bands playing their various different styles and take particular note of the audience reaction in order to gauge the appeal of each style. Once you have decided on a style, aim specifically towards the section of people who enjoy that type of music. This will immediately decrease the number of possible venues for you to play at; but remember that you cannot please everyone and you should therefore aim to play to the type of people whom you will please.
The Group Structure
A group can be divided into 2 basic sections; a "rhythm section" and a "lead section". The instruments of the rhythm section include drums, bass (which lay down the basic beat), and rhythm guitar (which "fills-out" the basic beat). These instruments must co-ordinate to provide the background rhythm; the "tightness of the group will depend on it.
The lead section usually consists of lead guitar, vocals and keyboards (which may be used as either a lead of rhythm instrument). The lead instrument acts as a separate voice from the vocals and "leads" in and out of each section or verse of a song (i.e., an introduction or a "lead break"). All instruments must work as a team, in order to provide a combined group sound.
Rehearsals
In a serious group you will spend more time rehearsing than doing anything else, so it is important to be properly organized. As far as possible, each session should have an objective which you should strive to achieve. Remember that the performance of a song involves not only the music, but also sound balance and stage presentation. These facets should be practiced as part of the rehearsal.
As well as group rehearsal, you should practice individually. Concentrate particularly on the harder sections of your songs, so that it will be easier to play them when working with the group. It is far more beneficial and time saving for each member to attend group practice with full knowledge of his part.

The underlying theme of all these topics is one of group unity, both on and off the stage. This is essential if the group is to survive together as an effective musical unit.

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Peter Gelling and Gary Turner

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1- INTRODUCTION 2- How to Read Music 3- Notes on the First String 4- The Eighth Note 5- Notes on the Fourth String 6- Chords 7- Minor Chords 8- Rests 9- Seventh Chords 10- The Major Scale 11- The Three Four Time Signature 12- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns 13- Sharp Signs 14- Silent Strums and Continuous Rhythms 15- Flat Signs 16- Learning All the Notes 17- Playing Two Strings Together 18- Minor Keys and Scales 19- The Hammer-On 20- Suspended Chords 21- The Eighth Note Triplet 22- Sixteenth Notes 23- Sixteenth Note Rhythms 24- Major Seventh Chords 25- Minor Seventh Chords 26- Tempo Markings 27- What is a Bar Chord? 28- Root 6 Major Bar Chord 29- Root 6 Minor Bar Chord 30- The Percussive Strum 31- Root 6 Seventh Bar Chord 32- Root 5 Bar Chords 33- Root 5 Minor Bar Chord 34- Root 5 Seventh Bar Chord 35- Rock Chords 36- Dampening 37- Sixth Rock Chords - Root 6 38- Sixth Rock Chords - Root 5 39- 12 Bar Blues Riffs 40- Alternate Picking (Revision) 41- Riffs Using Ties 42- Improvising and Scales 43- The Hammer-On 44- The Slide 45- The Bend 46- Picking the Strings 47- Fingerpicking Pattern 2 48- Fingerpicking Patterns in ^ Time 49- Playing Notes Together 50- Fingerpicking Pattern 5 51- Fingerpicking Patterns in ) Time 52- Clawhammer 53- Clawhammer With Pinch 54- Classical Guitar Style 55- Tuning 56- The Chromatic Scale 57- Chord Charts 58- Transposing 59- Playing in a Band 60- Chord Formula Chart 61- Glossary of Musical Terms 62- Approach to Practice 63- Tablature 64- Count, Pick and Fingering Symbols 65- Alternate Picking 66- Notes on the Fifth String 67- Chord Symbols 68- Visualizing 69- The Lead-In 70- 12 Bar Blues 71- C Major Scale in Open Position 72- ^ Time Rhythm Patterns 73- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns In Time 74- The F Sharp Note (F#) 75- Silent Strum Symbols 76- The Note B Flat (Bb) 77- Tones and Semitones 78- Power Chords 79- The Harmonic Minor Scale 80- Add Nine Chords 81- Shuffle Rhythm 82- Bar Chord Diagrams 83- Enharmonic Notes 84- Root 6 Sixth Bar Chord 85- Root 5 Major Bar Chord 86- Sixteenth Note Rhythms 87- Root 5 Sixth Bar Chord 88- Rock Rhythms 89- Seventh Rock Chords 90- Quarter Note Riffs 91- 12 Bar Blues in A Minor 92- Rests and Syncopation 93- Improvising Pattern 1 94- The Quarter Note Triplet 95- Pattern 1 Extension 96- Licks With Bends 97- Right Hand Finger Names 98- The Slide Finger 99- Two Bar Clawhammer Pattern 100- Tuning Hints 101- Learning all the Keys 102- Song List 103- The Capo 104- Altered Chords 105- Electronic Tuner 106- Music Notation 107- Notes on the Second String 108- Ledger Lines 109- Rhythm Notation 110- Rests with Chord Playing 111- Sequences 112- The G Major Scale 113- Syncopation 114- The F Major Scale 115- Sharps 116- Movable Power Chords 117- The Melodic Minor Scale 118- Slash Chords 119- Swing Rhythm 120- The Formation of a Bar Chord 121- Riff Variation 122- Chord Progressions 123- Riffs Using Triplets 124- Position 125- Slurring 126- The Quick Slide 127- The Release Bend 128- Picking With Your Right Hand Fingers 129- Electronic Tuners 130- Key Signatures 131- Sheet Music 132- Scale Tone Chords 133- Tuning Your Guitar 134- Learning the Notes on the Staff 135- Half Notes and Whole Notes 136- Notes on the Sixth String 137- Strumming 138- Staccato 139- The Key of C Major 140- Key Signatures 141- Playing Air 142- The Chromatic Scale 143- Right Hand Damping 144- Adding Scale Tones to Chords 145- Left Hand Technique 146- Additional Riffs 147- Shuffle Riffs 148- Pattern 1 Licks 149- The Quick Hammer-on 150- Licks Using the Slide 151- Licks With Release Bends 152- Picking With Your Thumb 153- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 154- Scales 155- Scale Tone Chord Extensions 156- Acoustic Guitars 157- Bar Lines 158- Notes on the Third String 159- Pivot and Guide Fingers 160- Flats 161- Rock Chords 162- Key Note 163- Lead Guitar Solo Number 1 164- The Quick Bend 165- Fingerpicking Pattern 1 166- Natural Notes 167- Electric Guitars 168- Time Signatures 169- The Octave 170- Accompanying a Melody 171- Enharmonic notes 172- A Rock Chord Shapes 173- Using Pattern 1 174- Lead Guitar Solo Number 2 175- Alternating Bass Notes 176- The Chromatic Scale 177- Electric Guitars (played through an amplifier) 178- Chord Symbols 179- Rhythm Patterns 180- D Rock Chord Shapes 181- Minor Pentatonic Scale 182- Jamming Progressions 183- Fingerpicking Accompaniment 184- The A Chromatic Scale 185- Amplifiers 186- Technique Symbols 187- Eighth Note Strumming Rhythms 188- E Rock Chord Shapes 189- Major Pentatonic Scale 190- 12 Bar Blues Progressions 191- The Major Scale 192- Strings 193- Twelve Bar Blues Using Rock Chords 194- Minor Key Progressions 195- Minor Keys 196- Seating 197- Major Key Progressions 198- Standing 199- Major Key Progressions 200- Right Hand and Arm Using the Pick 201- Right Arm Position

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Playing in a Band

Playing in a Band

Peter Gelling and Gary Turner

Class Sessions

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