Musical Directors in Bands.

[xilddx]

I am still confused about this role. I presume it is a management role that gets a band and its music fit for tours and recording, usually one of the band, probably a hired gun, who has excellent sound production, musical arrangement and theoretical knowledge and skills. Am I right thereabouts?

[Earbrass]

I'm sure it varies from band to band, but in my experience it's usually a combination of player/conductor/arranger and possibly booker. Really come into their own when there's a fair number of non-regular players in the band. They know their own parts and everyone else's, and are often seen "nodding" other players in (like a conductor, but without using hands as they are usually playing at the same time), or signalling to the rest of the band with their eyebrows that they're about to return to the head or somesuch.

[Pete Academy]

Bass players are often the bands' musical directors. I asked Janek about this, as he has been musical director many times. For the JEM tour he chose the band members, put the band together, arranged parts, programmed stuff, arranged rehearsals, etc.

[JTUK]

Tends to be most prominent as the link between artist and band so most solo artists would have one.

Down the scale, this guy would get the gig, book the players, call the tunes, handle the pad and manage the show with solos, grooves, turn arounds and any other sort of interplay. I call them band leaders or bookers round here.

Edited November 9, 2010 by JTUK

[Doddy]

Basically,what Pete said. The MD role varies slightly depending on the situation and the level,but the job is basically the same.
Booking the band,arranging tunes,sort out rehearsals,call the tunes,counting in,some write charts,some programme parts,hire and fire. They are,importantly,the one who takes all the sh*t from the artist or company or whatever if things go wrong.
Also,depending on the level of the gig,they can be the ones who not only take the gigs,but also sorts out things like food,accommodation,travel and money.Sometimes they even have to sort out things like arguments between members-basically they are in charge of the band and putting in a good performance.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1017325' date='Nov 9 2010, 11:25 AM']Basically,what Pete said. The MD role varies slightly depending on the situation and the level,but the job is basically the same.
Booking the band,arranging tunes,sort out rehearsals,call the tunes,counting in,some write charts,some programme parts,hire and fire. They are,importantly,the one who takes all the sh*t from the artist or company or whatever if things go wrong.
Also,depending on the level of the gig,they can be the ones who not only take the gigs,but also sorts out things like food,accommodation,travel and money.Sometimes they even have to sort out things like arguments between members-basically they are in charge of the band and putting in a good performance.[/quote]
Bandleader/Tour manager/sh*t-taker. Sounds like a barrel of laughs!

[endorka]

[quote name='silddx' post='1017418' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:45 PM']Sounds like a barrel of laughs![/quote]

I do a lot of this stuff, and it can indeed be difficult and stressful, but when it all comes together it is most satisfactory and rewarding.

Taking a wider perspective on the music can be very illuminating - you get to see the big picture, and the way all the individual parts contribute to the whole. In many ways this has improved my bass playing more than playing bass alone has.

Jennifer

[JTUK]

To some people, organising is a doddle, others get really stressed out by it..

I would say a lot of things outside of the stage production is the role of tour manager, but when money is tight, these things may need to overlap.

[Doddy]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1017448' date='Nov 9 2010, 01:07 PM']To some people, organising is a doddle, others get really stressed out by it..

I would say a lot of things outside of the stage production is the role of tour manager, but when money is tight, these things may need to overlap.[/quote]

That really depends on the level if the band/gig. Bigger tours will often have a tour manager to sort things off stage,but there are a lot of situations where the MD/ bandleader has to sort out everything.

[xilddx]

Thanks for the answers everyone, much appreciated.

[thisnameistaken]

I know a pianist who works as an MD doing mostly pit work. He makes it look effortless, but he's actually conducting everyone in the pit, cueing and being cued, usually with five to seven consecutive pages of score open infront of him, and he still somehow has capacity left over to ad lib a lot of his own parts to keep him entertained. Not to mention all the arranging and re-arranging he must do in rehearsals.

He is basically the don, it's almost like music is his first language (well he is Welsh, so who can blame him). He's one of the best musicians I've ever met.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1017500' date='Nov 9 2010, 01:37 PM']He's one of the best musicians I've ever met.[/quote]
Can he read?


































I'm very sorry it was irrisistible

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='1017590' date='Nov 9 2010, 02:30 PM']Can he read?

I'm very sorry it was irrisistible [/quote]

I have no beef with the readers. I would like to be able to read and understand harmony better than I do, but I struggle to find the time where I'm awake enough to concentrate.

[paul h]

[url="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517597/"]http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517597/[/url]

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1017601' date='Nov 9 2010, 02:36 PM']I have no beef with the readers. I would like to be able to read and understand harmony better than I do, but I struggle to find the time where I'm awake enough to concentrate.[/quote]
It was really directed at another conversation, and was meant fully tongue in cheek.

[xilddx]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='1017590' date='Nov 9 2010, 02:30 PM']Can he read?


I'm very sorry it was irrisistible [/quote]

[Alien]

Todays reading is taken from the Gospel of the Jobbing Band

And so in the dark of night the Lord awoke Noah, and spoke to him.
"Noah, awake and heed my words!"
And Noah, being sore afraid, did cry out, "Who goeth there?"
And the Lord did smite him upside the head, saying, "It is the Lord of all things, dummy!"
And Noah did tremble, saying, "Lord, why hath thou wakened me?"
And the Lord did say, "Noah, build me a Jobbing Band. For the earth will be visited by a plague of Brides, followed by forty days of Trade Shows and forty nights of Awards Banquets.
And Noah did say, "Command me, Lord."
[b]And the Lord did say, "First, thou must find me a Leader".
And Noah replied, "But Lord, will I not be thy Leader?"
And the Lord did smite him again, saying, "Fool, thou will be my Contractor. Ask not why!"
And Noah did bow his head, saying, "Yes, my Lord. And what will this Leader play?"
And the Lord said, "It mattereth little, whether he play or not, or whether he be proficient or not. For his job shall primarily be to talk to the Brides and their Mothers, and to deal with Clients, and to count off Tempos wrong, and to enquire as to whether Overtime will happen, and to try to segue tunes that should not be segued. If he playeth any instrument, thou must always have another player of that instrument on the band, just to be safe."
And Noah did say, "And what else shall this Leader do?"
And the Lord replied, "It shall be his job to spread Bad Information and Confusion amongst the Sidemen, and to pit them one against the other, and to delay all payments. Further shall it be his job, until we can afford a Soundman, to create Feedback, and to invent new Equalisation Curves, therefore."[/b]
And Noah did shake his head in wonder, saying, "Lord, thy ways are Strange and Mysterious. What more shall I do?
And the Lord said, "Next, find me a Rhythm Section. First, find me Drummer. And Three Things above all must this Drummer possess."
And Noah did ask, "What are these Three Things? Double Bass Drums? An Electronic Kit? Congas?"
And the Lord did smite Noah again, saying, "Second-guess me not, my servant. First, this Drummer must have slightly imperfect time, so that whenever he playeth a Fill (and he shall play many), he always emergeth at a different place, sometimes early and sometimes late, but thou may not guess which. And second, he must be Supremely Discontent, always hoping for the Big Break which will lead to him playing with Chick Corea or Madonna, so that he despiseth Jobbing. And third, he must always be convinced of his Righteousness in all things: including Time, Volume, Tempo and Feel, so that he argueth always with the Bass Player."
And Noah did say, "As you command, Lord. And what next?"
And the Lord did say, "Thou art learning, Noah. Next shall be the Bass Player. And he shall be Bored. That is all."
And Noah did say, "Of course. And next, my Lord?"
"Next shall be the Piano Player. And he shall play as if he has twenty fingers, and he shall play Substitute upon Substitute, until no man may name the Chord, and he will not be helpful. Furthermore, he shall always be late. And he shall always be trying out New Gear, of which he has no knowledge."
And Noah did wonder aloud, "Lord, Great is thy Wisdom!"
"Next shall be the Guitar Player. And he shall be a Rock Guitar Player. And he shall be Loud, and he shall sing 'Old Time Rock n' Roll'. Also shall he know not The Page, and so shall rely upon his Ears, which have been damaged by exposure to High Sound Pressure Levels. For the Guitarists who Read shall already be playing Shows, and will be making the Big Shekels. And the Guitarist's tux shall be the Rattiest of all the Band."
And Noah did say, "It shall be done."
And the Lord did say, "Next thou shall need Horns. First shall be the Saxophones. And they shall be Beboppers. And they shall play their Bird Quotes in every song, yea, even the Celine Dion ballad. And they shall Get High on every break, and make the Long Faces all night long, but especially when 'In The Mood' is called. Next shall be the Trumpeters. And they shall every one attempt to take everything Up an Octave, and fail frequently. And of Changes they shall know nothing. And finally shall be the Trombone Player. And many jokes will be made about him, for he will have a Beeper, as well as a Day Job, and he will be the first to be Cut from the Band."
And Noah, taking many notes, did say, "Mighty is the Lord!"
"Next shall be the String Players. Find me Three Women, and attach Pickups to their Violins that are more ancient even than Myself, so that their instruments screecheth and causeth great pain. And their job shall be to wear Evening Gowns, and to Fake Parts on all Ballads, and to occasionally Stroll, and to complain about the Volume and the Intonation, and to impede the Swing."
And Noah did say, "What else can be left, Lord?"
And the Lord did say, "Finally, find me the Singers. And they shall be Three, one a Male, and two Females. And the Male shall be a Strutting Peacock, with the Rock 'n' Roll Hair, and he shall never have to wear The Tuxedo, and also shall he play The Harmonica. And of the Females, one shall be Black and one shall be White. And the Black one shall ALWAYS sing the Aretha songs, and the Disco. And the White one shall ALWAYS sing the Power Ballads, and the Country Songs. But both shall share the Motown Medley, and shall sing Backup for the Male, and forget the Words, and be Late, and know nothing of Keys or Form. And they shall leave every gig immediately, having never touched a piece of Equipment. And they shall be paid many more shekels than the Sidemen. Ask not why."
And Noah did say, "As Thou sayest, my Lord."
And the Lord did command him, "Search high and low for these, as not every musician can fulfil these requirements. And though we have No Work yet, a Commitment must be secured from All. And while you're at it, start looking for Deps."
And Noah did say, "Lord, thy will be done."
And it was.

And there you have it

A

[Doddy]

That's great.