Calling live TV session players...

[jaywalker]

Just managed to land a huge TV job in Slovakia playing in an audition/idol type show for a musical about the biggest Czechoslovak band of all time....

Questions to those with live TV experience:

The TV station is refusing to let us use backline and wants the pedalboards to be kept to a minimum. The drummer might have to use an electronic kit (The band in question played mainly rock, but with electronic drums and processors in the 80s.)

My question is not about gear - I'm not going to compromise on that one, but about ARGUMENTS against such stupidity.

I've got a few myself but need some more ammo.

The TV station has had bad experience with inexperienced bands messing up live shows like Idol. This show is going to be watched by the whole damn country, last year there was something sinilar and it had HUGE market share and ratings.

To top this off we have to learn about 50 songs and be able to transpose them on the spot depending on the contestants frame of voicebox at soundchecks...
Any worthwile transposition units? I can transpose on the spot, but my rhythm player is young and inexperienced and is crapping himself.

I percieve this as an effects/amp based question but if it fits anywhere else please feel free to shuffle it a bit Messers administrators.

Thanks.
John

 

[trisonic]

My advice:

1. Get a new 2nd guitarist.

2. Check into income tax situation - they may not let you leave the country until you pay it................

3. If it pays that well who cares about the backline? There's plenty of good musicians in Europe that are "hungry".

It's a tough World out there but good luck!

Best, Pete.

 

[Aj_rocker]

I'll fly over ad play the gig for you!! pm me if you want me. This is not a joke


AJ

 

[Aj_rocker]

my other advice would be something i do for church playing , which for me is a really powerful tool and means i get time to work on parts while everyone else is writing out a new chart. Im talking about the Nashville numbering system. Write all the charts in that and with key changes just write down the MODULATION from the first key to second (so G to A would be up a step)

get me.

other than that be a nice guy, get there on time and be willing to try everything and anything. Remember alot of muso will watch the programme for the great music. (i do with Idol, cus paul jackson jr rocks!!)


AJ

 

[jaywalker]

Jeez, thanks guys!
Like I said, I can transpose Mozart on the spot if I want, it's just the principle at hand here, that TV stations expect so much.

The musical director for the project is also protesting, you can't do a live show without amps.
we did the auditions using my MS speaker sims, OK but not quite for TV use though.

I normally take a couple of 30 watt amps to do TV stuff - the marshalls stay at home for obvious reasons.
During idol last year the contestants were complaining that the band was too loud and that the drums needed to be turned down (we all know that one), so as a result iIve been given ridiculous demands on stage space.
it's a 12 piece band for goodness sake.

Like I said, good arguments are what is needed.

so far I've got:
The singers can interact with the band

I'm the boss and what I say goes

It's not my problem as a proffessional musician if the contestants have no experience with bands onstage/monitors/in-ears.

We are all doing backing vocals and need to be more interactive.

Speaker sims are bedroom toys, my reputation is at stake...

Thanks for the offers guys, but the pay for this gig is a joke.
I'm doing it to raise my profile, and I'm the musical director at the TV station. The pay really sucks. You wouldn't believe me if I told you

tax aint a problem, I actually live here and run a biznis!thanks for the fun though....

I suppose I could use youtube clips of similar things and justify having the dreaded cheek to bring along amps and effects that way.....

Has anyone had this before though????

 

[hbentley]

when you say that they are refusing to let you have a backline, do you mean that they are refusing to let you use an amp at all? if so, assuming you guys have in ears or monitors, just set it up in an iso booth of some sort. whenever i have gigs that don't want me to use the amp....i always go that route first.

 

[jaywalker]

when you say that they are refusing to let you have a backline, do you mean that they are refusing to let you use an amp at all? if so, assuming you guys have in ears or monitors, just set it up in an iso booth of some sort. whenever i have gigs that don't want me to use the amp....i always go that route first.

Of course!
great idea. never needed one before cos VC30s are not exactly Orange volume!
I'll get onto that right away, and thanks!

we have monitors, they just don't want the stage to be cluttered with useless nonsense like amps, pedals etc.....
It's a nation brought up on lip-synching.....

 

[Ghostman574]

My first question is how big is the sound stage? Sometimes there are restrictions on what is out and in view of the cameras, but that doesn't mean your amps can't be mic'd off stage. Monitors are not a big deal, I would push for in-ear monitors. This has an advantage of allowing the band to have individual mixes as well as click tracks.

As far as the inexperienced guitarist, you may have to replace him or work hard with him during your off time. Remember your band is only as good as your weakest person.

Lastly, I would push for your pedal boards to be with you. The only exception to this is if you have somebody off stage controlling your effects. The downside to this is they need to be very familiar with the song changes and will most definately need to be a fellow musician. Additional personelle creates additional expendatures for the show's producers.

 

[jaywalker]

The stage is huge, but reaftures the enemy of all pedalboards:

dancers

In ears tend to make me sing out of tune for some reason so we'll be going with calssic wedges.

Things have moved on in the past few hours, looks like i'll be getting my way after all.
It's just a pain to have to fight to get the lowest common denominator!

 

[popsongsmith]

you'll need, in this order:

1. a capo
2.a new 2nd guitar player
3. the newest POD board, xt3 live or whatever it's called

 

[jaywalker]

you'll need, in this order:

1. a capo
2.a new 2nd guitar player
3. the newest POD board, xt3 live or whatever it's called

1. 2nd guitar player left of his own accord
2. Capos only go up!!
3 + 3.5 I would rather beat myself to death with my own severed leg than use a POD XT or any other line 6 product (don't get me wrong, I have a lot of em for practicing)

I've got 7 Yamaha magicstomps to take care of sims that blow the crap out of anything line6 based.

The director backed down. Sponsored (!) Iso boothes on stage it shall be!!!

Not bad for a days bitchin' work. I get to play under normal conditions, and get to keep the plexiglass Isos after the show!!!

Hbentley is my new best friend.

I was in such a rage as usual that I forgot to think.

Thanks for keeping me company!:RoCkIn

 

[hbentley]

hahha...glad that worked out. i might be wrong, but plexiglass doesn't seem like a good iso option to me. most of the one's i've used are a softer/more absorbing material....sound panels, foam, etc. depending on your situation, you could also just put it in a room backstage.

 

[jaywalker]

hahha...glad that worked out. plexiglass doesn't seem like a good iso option though. most of the one's i've used are a softer/more absorbing material....sound panels, foam, etc. depending on your situation, you could also just put it in a room backstage.

I mentioned iso and they came up with the plexi, its double glazed and vacuumed (? - vacuum inside, how do you say that?), They are used by war correspondents for when big helicopters try to ruin their interview/hair.
There happened to be 6 of them lying around at the studio.

 

[markom89]

Hey man, congrats on the new gig... might I ask if it's gonna' be in Bratislava? I've got lots of relatives in Slovakia (and Czech republic- Prague in specific), so if you need anything while over there, give me a PM and I'll help you out... Pretty cool place- LOTS of nice girls.

 

[jaywalker]

Hey man, congrats on the new gig... might I ask if it's gonna' be in Bratislava? I've got lots of relatives in Slovakia (and Czech republic- Prague in specific), so if you need anything while over there, give me a PM and I'll help you out... Pretty cool place- LOTS of nice girls.

wow, cool to know!!!
I'm British but actually live in Bratislava.
The show in question is Elan je elan, don't know if you know that band
The show's on markiza, my wife is a presenter there but I got the job due to the size of my pedalboard!!!!!!
If u know that band, u'll know that I need a SHITLOAD of effects.

 

[markom89]

wow... now THAT's cool to know.
Of course I know Elan!
I spend a few weeks in Trnava each summer, but like I said, mostly stay in Prague. What's your wifes name, if you don't mind me asking? I just ask, 'cause I know most of their names for some reason! (I guess it's all that watching Markiza when I'm there, lol).

Do you ever travel around Slovakia? I really like it in Piestany for some reason and also Trencin, Kosice & Nitra aren't bad! Trnava is also a cool town.

Just wondering, but do you ever hit up the guitar shops in Bratislava near the "Narodne Divadlo"? (or near the US embassy...) There's that street... towards the Danube that has a few of them! I forget the street name, though. Might be "Medena". There are a few cool shops there, considering the rest of Slovakia doesn't have the greatest selection of gear, lol, but the prices are *INSANE*.

Very cool seeing someone from that part of the world on here! Maybe when I'm there this summer we could jam or go for a drink or something! Cheers.

Marko M.

P.S. What kinda' pedals do you use?
P.S.S. Do you also speak Slovak?
P.S.S.S. rolleyes: I know) Call me commercial, but I really like this song http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9mPmwvUm8tA&feature=related

 

[crosse79]

One word for your rhythm guitarist........CAPO

 

[jaymeister]

Sounds like a cool gig!

I have no real experience with live TV in front of a national audience. The last publicly aired program I did was about 25 years ago for a PBS type station.

But I do the same songs regularly with different singers in a large mega church setting that is a 2500 seater with 3 jumbotrons and full video production...4-6 cameras etc...

My best advice is to bring multiple guitars that can do the genre of music and have alternate tunings set up. That way you are not having to transpose chord voicings into some wierd configuration to match the singer's range. I bring 4 guitars and an acoustic to my "gig". If I can tune one or two guitars down a step or two and then beef up the string weight to compensate, I'll be miles ahead in grabbing the feel of the music in a naturally shaped and voiced chord progression. That's any rhythm players problem...

Now if all I was doing was lead licks and fills...well I can do that in my sleep in standard tuning, any key and transpose on the fly no sweat. Rhythm guitar is hard work, and I have respect for the good ones.

 

[Lolaviola]

It is amazing to me, now we are living thru the "Cult of the Amateur" the lengths REAL musicians are going to in order to look like they are lip-syncing on TV in order to preserve the TV soundstage look. Your band sounds like you are a Karaoke machine in human form.
I hope it works out for you all.

 

[Atdi2000]

I got the job due to the size of my pedalboard!!!!!!
.

first time I've ever heard of that. Congrats and good luck.