Well here’s a problem that’s as old as music itself. You have all the gear, you’ve got together with some buddies, you’ve found a place to practice. But what are you going to play that keeps everybody happy? Some of the greatest bands in history have broken up over ‘musical differences’ when band members no longer want the same things, and choosing or writing songs you all want to play together can be hard when everyone’s musical tastes are different.
Here's a few things you can think about when you and your band mates get together next to decide what you want to play.
Reasons to choose a song
1. It’s easy to play
Don’t laugh, but this can be important. Before your band is ready to get out and gig, you’ll need to learn at least 10 or 12 songs. If you want to play Bohemian Rhapsody or all nine parts of Shine on You Crazy Diamond, it’s gonna take you a while to get there. Choosing a few easy songs that you can learn quickly and play without too much practice will get you to that first gig a lot sooner. If you’re having music lessons, make sure you ask your music teacher for some ideas of easy songs.
2. People like dancing to it
When you’re on stage with your band it’s good to look out and see the crowd having fun, which at most gigs means they are jumping around and dancing. Playing songs that get people on their feet and moving is a great way of putting some energy in your setlist and making sure everyone at the show has a good time. It also gives you a good excuse to throw a few shapes on stage! Songs with great bass guitar lines are a good place to start.
3. Everybody knows it
If you’re a cover band, your audience wants to hear you play songs they know so they can sing along and get nostalgic about good times – that’s why every pub band in the world plays Brown Eyed Girl or April Sun in Cuba. But just because a song is well known it doesn’t have to be cheesy. Songs like Sweet Home Alabama, Everlong and Smells like Teen Spirit will get the crowd excited and they are also great fun to play. Learn a few rock and pop classics that you and the band enjoy, and use them in your set.
4. It fits the audience
When you’re first starting out and you don’t have many tunes to choose from, you’re probably going to play everything you know at every gig. But as your repertoire grows you can start choosing songs to fit the audience. If you’re invited to play at Aunty Mabel’s 70th birthday party maybe leave the Rage Against the Machine at home and play a few rock and roll classics, but if you’re invited to support a touring punk rock band why not learn a few Green Day or Blink 182 songs that will appeal to their crowd.
5. It means something to you
Don’t forget this one. It might be the first song you ever learnt, a song you and the band wrote together, or maybe the lyrics just capture exactly how you feel. Make sure the band always takes the time to play a few songs that are important to you – and don’t forget to tell the audience the story behind the song when you introduce it.
Reasons NOT to choose a song
6. It’s easy to play.
Hang on, doesn’t this contradict point 1? Well yes, it does, but this is different. The Kinks’ You Really Got Me is easy to play, and it’s also an awesome song – you should learn it and play it. Seven Nation Army is also easy, and you probably shouldn’t. Just because you learnt to play a song in a grade 5 guitar lesson, it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to play it now.
7. I learnt the guitar solo
Yeah, we can tell. Whenever I see a young band play Hotel California or Comfortably Numb, I always know (1) it was the guitarist’s idea and (2) the rest of the band is bored to death. Probably don’t.
8. My mum loves it
True, but isn’t your mum thirty years older than you and still listening to Robbie Williams? Your mum might have great musical taste in which case you can ignore this rule, and there are other exceptions (it’s your mum’s birthday. It’s your birthday and you want a new Stratocaster etc). But when mum asks you to play that one by Adele…….
9. All the other bands play it
See point 3 above. If you’re a me-too cover band working the pub or corporate gig circuit, you probably can’t avoid certain songs. This is why all the other bands play them. But in the history of rock and pop music at least a billion songs have been written – dig a little deeper, look a little harder, and you will find songs everybody loves that are also a little less obvious.
In the Rock Scholars Band Program, our mentors will work with you and your band to choose songs that suit your musical style and level of playing ability. We can suggest artists and albums you can listen to for inspiration, and help guide you away from songs that are too difficult, or unsuitable because they’re not cool. If you already have your songs chosen, we can help you with guitar lessons or drum lessons to learn to play them really well. And when you’re ready, we will get you started on writing your own songs.
Rock Scholars is Perth’s favourite contemporary music school and we specialise in putting kids and teenagers together in a creative, stimulating environment where they can find their voice and make music with other young musicians. We provide singing lessons and one on one tuition in lots of other instruments too. If you’re looking for Perth singing lessons, or singing lessons for kids, please call us today on 0437 806 109 or complete an enquiry form here.
