What Is Your Role In Your Band?

[blue]

I've read a few posts on BC where guys get into all levels of internal band issues and disputes.

Sometime these disputes get nasty and a guy will either quit or get fired.

To me, a lot of the time it's because some guys don't really know what their role in a band is.

Do you know what you role in your bsnd is? Please share it with us and explain why it works or doesn't work.

Open discussion, no wrong or right answers or replys here.

Cheers

Blue

Edited December 11, 2016 by blue

[blue]

I'll start;

My role is pretty simple. I was hired to play electric bass guitar, sing backing vocals, show up on time for gigs and assist with set up and tear down.

This works well for me for the last 5 years because it's exactly what I was looking for.

Blue

Edited December 11, 2016 by blue

[Kev]

Bassist. Seems to work okay

[blue]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1481497634' post='3192774']
Bassist. Seems to work okay
[/quote]

That's a great deal. No set or tear down would be great.

Blue

[Lozz196]

Bassist of course, and with blinding backing vox. But I also print the set-lists, book any hotels that are needed and largely look after the travel aspects, what time we need to be departing, sorting routes etc. I also liaise with the sound-person at each gig as to what the band line-up is, what monitor requirements we have etc.

I do the hotels and travel stuff as the singer/guitarist does all the gig bookings and social media stuff, and the drummer handles all the merch sales (his wife attends all gigs so does the gig merch sales). Having worked all over the place I`ve a pretty good knowledge of routes and how long it takes to get to places. I`m also probably the person in the band that`s more into the workings of the sound, hence me looking after monitor requirements.

Edited December 11, 2016 by Lozz196

[blue]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1481497817' post='3192777']
Bassist of course, and with blinding backing vox. But I also print the set-lists, book any hotels that are needed and largely look after the travel aspects, what time we need to be departing, sorting routes etc. I also liaise with the sound-person at each gig as to what the band line-up is, what monitor requirements we have etc.

I do the hotels and travel stuff as the singer/guitarist does all the gig bookings and social media stuff, and the drummer handles all the merch sales (his wife attends all gigs so does the gig merch sales). Having worked all over the place I`ve a pretty good knowledge of routes and how long it takes to get to places. I`m also probably the person in the band that`s more into the workings of the sound, hence me looking after monitor requirements.
[/quote]

Cool,

We have two spouses that are a part of the band.

One handles sound and lights and the other does marketing stuff, sells merch. a huge help with set up and tear down and she makes sure everyone gets paid during tear down without fail.

Blue

[Adrenochrome]

Bassist, backing vox with occasional lead vox, setup and pack away. I tend to lead how we arrange songs, but that's not official, just how it's developed.
In my acoustic trio it's the same but just backing vox and arranging songs is pretty democratic.

[Delberthot]

I'm the band eye candy apparently. Especially after last night

Apart from that I also play the bass, showboat occasionally and generally have a good time

[BrunoBass]

I play bass and provide BVs. I also look after our Twitter and Instagram accounts (our frontman does Facebook and our website) and along with the others come up with our set list, load in and out and set up / tear down.

[AustinArto]

I play bass, sequence bass, sing harmony, write songs along with our guitarist/singer, do some mixing and production, bit of keys, etc. Sometimes guitar when we're recording. We don't have very defined roles especially when recording - sometimes our guitarist will track bass guitar, sometimes I'll track guitar, we both get together to do the programming and automation usually, it's all quite relaxed. Live though I'm bass, synths (again mostly bass) and harmony vox.

[blue]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1481501747' post='3192797']
I play bass and provide BVs. I also look after our Twitter and Instagram accounts (our frontman does Facebook and our website) and along with the others come up with our set list, load in and out and set up / tear down.
[/quote]

When roles are defined like that it mitigates a lot of problems.

Blue

[Fozza]

Lukewarm water.

[markstuk]

Ham and cheese ...

[JamesBass]

I'm the bassist, sound and lighting technician, and musical director.

It works because I've got the most free time to arrange and write charts as well as the best grasp on music theory. I also work freelance as a bass player and a sound and lighting tech so I've got the experience and the skills to back it all up.

[Yank]

Like Blue, I was hired to play bass and sing BV. It should go without saying that means that I show up on time with gear that works, and can sort out/replace when it doesn't, and help with others when I've got my own gear loaded in/out. Songs and arrangements, old stuff and new, committed to memory. I can sing lead vocals but that's not my role in this particular band. This band has 2 front person singers, male and female, who pick songs that compliment their voices. Finding the right bass part and blending it into the sound is completely satisfying.

[Shockwave]

Bassist and backing vocalist. I am the original founder of the band. Book some gigs. Write some of the simpler songs. Set list creator and general butt kicker. I let the guitarist do most of the social media and write the complicated stuff.

[chris_b]

The plan is that I work with the drummer to make us the best rhythm section the front line has ever played with.

Apart from that I'm lighting director, sometimes A&R man, bringer of great ideas and general positive ray of sunshine.

[FinnDave]

With The Wirebirds, I play bass, find and book gigs, negotiate fees, run our Facebook page, print set lists, liaise with landlords, and sort out the money so we all get paid. The bass playing is the easy bit!

I have recently been doing some gigs backing a guitarist singer, all I have to do for him is turn up and play. Being a three piece, it pays better than the Wirebirds despite the main man taking a bigger cut (nothing sneaky there, it's his band and his name up front).

Recently joined another 4 piece, yet to gig with them so we'll see how that works, listening to the first rehearsal right bow ready for another tomorrow.

[bertbass]

Put it this way. I don't play guitar or drums. Anything else you can think of is down to me!

[LewisK1975]

Bass Player, Backing Vocals, load in/out (with other band members), setup and tear down of PA, FOH sound (controlled from stage with direction from the mrs out front).

Wish I was our singer, who's role is as follows - get in van at home, get out of van 2 mins before stage time, sing gig, get the money, get back in van, get out of van at home. She's a great singer mind you. And books the gigs.

I was only thinking this morning of starting a similar thread asking how many of us have responsibility of controlling the PA / Mixer..

[Skybone]

Early days for the current band, so other than playing bass, I seem to have acquired the role of 'coordinator', booking rehearsals & songwriting sessions. From here, who knows.

Previous bands, I've been guitarist, singer, songwriter, sound engineer, studio engineer, mixer, producer, artist, coordinator, booking agent & roadie, not forgetting the 'good old days' of 'just' being the bassist.

[Paul S]

I've been in two bands since start up.

Small pub band I play bass, help with carry in and take down at gigs, book rehearsals, look after the kitty, designed and keep the website, make sure the pubs get posters. Have an equal say about material. I usually hitch a lift with the drummer so always help him in and out with his kit.

Bigger band I play bass, some BVs, help with carry in and take down at gigs, book rehearsals but that is pretty much it. Limited say about material.

[RhysP]

The role in my last two bands seems to have been to develop an intense (& mutual) hatred of the keyboard player & then leave.

[mep]

Bassist
Backing Vox
Set up / pack up
Run PA
Print posters
Assist guitarist update our Lemonrock site
Order any new band equipment (not individuals!)
Recording / videoing gigs

Original member of a cover band

Edited December 12, 2016 by mep

[scalpy]

Bassist, arranger and MD, then lights, video and Facebook on a gig. My wife is one of the singers and does all the 'bandmin'.